Giving a robot its final appearance. https://t.co/KMItWXsv0L
— Science girl (@sciencegirl) October 17, 2026
Loud, colorful and on edge: The lives of Argentina’s burrowing parrots Knowable Magazine
See Inside Cells Like Never Before in These Vivid Microscopic Images
US households pay 62% more for water than they did a decade ago, study finds The Guardian
Dozens of Sculptures Dot Bondi Beach in the 2026 Sculpture by the Sea Exhibition Colossal
COVID-19/Pandemics
Scientists discover why some people still can’t taste food after COVID-19 Science Daily
Ebola Vaccine Trials Begin In DRC As Death Toll Nears 4,700 Forbes
Climate/Environment
Bangladesh’s climate migrants are arriving in cities unprepared to protect them Mongabay
The California climate move-out Politico
South of the Border
How Brazil’s changing working class is reshaping the presidential race BBC
El Salvador deploys special forces to Haiti to rescue kidnapped troops Andolu Agency
Report: Netanyahu has told Israeli diplomats to support Argentina’s claim over Falkland Islands, call for direct talks with UK The Times of Israel
China?
Everything in China is UNUSUAL https://t.co/vwiINsA1t2
— China Now (@ChinaNow24) October 22, 2026
Rick Lazio: We’ve lost an auto race before, China’s EV climb should worry us FortuneCredit card defaults surge across China as older borrowers struggle to repay debt SCMP
Kim Jong Un travels to China via newly opened border bridge — reports DW
China’s model may be in trouble Tomorrow’s Affairs
India
India news: Neha Bora says peace bond violates right to protest DW
India’s options in a changing geopolitical order Press Insider
A Bumpy Ride: India’s E-Bus Boom Has a Battery Problem Observer Research Foundation
Africa
Africa’s job market fails to provide decent work for youth, think tank says Semafor
Can Private Capital Keep Africa Wild? CEO Magazine
Investment commitments exceed $17bn following African Energy Week in South Africa DNE Africa
European Disunion
EU member states wrangle over all-important budget: Is a deal this year feasible? France 24
EU entering winter with lowest gas reserves on record, IEA boss warns Al Jazeera
International Criminal Court, its senior officials awarded 2026 EU Sakharov Prize Andolu Agency
Old Blighty
UK Emergency Alert: Why Andy Burnham’s govt is asking people to store food, keep cash at home & prepare for 3 days without essential services The Economic Times
UK budget to prioritise bond markets as Labour tensions mount, Bloomberg reports Investing.com
Israel v. Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iran
This is the most revealing interview clip from Netanyahu I have ever seen. Netanyahu explains that Israel is facing global sanctions and an end to US aid and proposes the use of blockchain and crypto as a solution. This is very telling: 1) Netanyahu is planning for a future of sanctions evasion. He believes that it is facing a similar future to Russia and Iran. Having seen them both survive that he believes Israel can do it too and seems resigned. 2) He believes Israel has lost active American support and does not think it can fight it. 3) The kind of blockchain and crypto solution he is discussing is not meant to uphold an entire economy. Rather, it is a good way for an elite to keep functioning while the people are in poverty. His plan is to move Israel further towards an isolated kleptocracy, while continuing to commit genocide and ethnic cleansing. This is the Israeli future.
— Shaiel Ben-Ephraim (@academic_la) October 23, 2026
More than 2,000 forced from homes in Hebron amid Israel’s West Bank raids Al JazeeraGaza faces renewed famine risk as food supplies dwindle: Rights grou Andolu Agency
UN peacekeepers prepare to exit Lebanon after 70 years – leaving behind a worrying security vacuum The Conversation
There’s No End in Sight to Yemen’s Destructive War The Jacobin
New Not-So-Cold War
The Atlantic: CIA director would not dissuade Trump if he decided to cut off intelligence to Ukraine Ukrainska Pravda
Starlink in Ukraine back to normal after week of throttling Reuters
Bipartisan US Lawmakers Push Back On Trump’s Russia Policy, Vow Support For Ukraine Radio Free Europe
With repeat attacks, Russia has put Kyiv on war’s front line DW
Big Brother Is Watching You Watch
Meta Ordered to Pay $25 Billion Over Facebook Privacy Claims technobezz
Updated Google privacy policy says your Gmail might be used for advertising Ars Technica
Meta Defends AI Glasses as 9,500+ Sign Ban Petition Tech Insider
Imperial Collapse Watch
Joshua’s House gives homeless people in Sacramento County a place to die with dignity KCRA 3
California’s Latest CAASPP Test Scores Reveal a Continuing Education Crisis California Policy Center
Trump 2.0
Niall Ferguson: The Method to Trump’s Foreign Policy Madness The Free press
Facing an electoral wipeout, Trump goes after the system Politico
Trump’s signature will be added to US currency, Treasury says ABC News
Musk Matters
Opinion: Elon Musk promised a SpaceX share to every kid in America — don’t hold your breath MarketWatch
Democrat Death Watch
How the Consulting Class Is Eating the Democratic Party The New Republic
Kamala Harris returns to US campaign trail with midterms, 2028 in view Reuters
Immigration
Fifth Circuit rules Trump mandatory detention policy constitutional Courthouse News Service
Court allows multifaith challenge of Trump policy to permit ICE arrests at churches National Catholic Reporter
Our No Longer Free Press
Press Freedom, Civil Liberties Groups Demand Congress Stop Targeting Of BreakThrough News Scheerpost’
The Latest Ways Trump’s White House Has Targeted the Press U.S. News
Mr. Market Is Moody
U.S. Dips Into Strategic Oil Reserve Again Amid Supply Disruptions Oil Price
AI pixie dust is losing its stock market power Axios
Consumer sentiment dips on worries about affordability: UMichigan survey CFO Dive
AI
No Signs of AI Payoff Outside the Tech Sector Apollo
Block’s new voice AI sounds eerily human, sparking awe and scam fears CoinDesk
Banks Preparing for Aftermath of Unprecedented Catastrophe Caused by AI Futurism
Medical AI Can Now Read Your Face. The Business Is Racing Ahead Global Brands
Unitree ramps up push for AI breakthroughs China Daily
The Bezzle
Inside a Cambodian cyber scam compound Marketplace
Guillotine Watch
The 10 Most Expensive Cat Breeds in the World 😱 https://t.co/lhRv2yMkIJ
— We don’t deserve cats 😺 (@catsareblessing) April 25, 2026
Antidote du jour (via)
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here
