Deskilling the body Aeon
A Human Brain Gene Has Been Jumping Around Our DNA for 40 Million Years. Scientists Just Found It in a Virus ZME Science
About 120 Sick, 30 Hospitalized After Mass Illness at Tennessee Walmart Distribution Center Guessing Headlights
Climate/Environment
The strongest El Niño in a thousand years? The Climate Brink
The Grain Is There. The World’s Hungry Can’t Reach It. And El Niño Won’t Wait. Mark Roberts
IPCC is under pressure to delay publication of key global climate report The Guardian
Pandemics
When I talk to people about the ongoing impact of COVID, I find it helpful to lead with a concrete, undeniable indicator, which is that there are about 300,000 more disabled workers in the US than at pandemic onset. https://t.co/tXtrjTU4Oy
— Mike Hoerger, PhD MSCR MBA (@michael_hoerger) October 14, 2026
Japan
Russia detains Japanese journalist for alleged spying Kyodo News
Hokkaido Shimbun reporter gathered data about participants in special military operation TASS
China?
Yuyuan Tantian: China-EU Negotiations—What Is Behind the Claim That Hybrid-Vehicle Exports Will Be Cut in Half? WallStreetCN (translation via Sinocism)
Visa’s New China Pass Says More About U.S.-China Relations Than Payments George Chen
The Lives of Others Pekingnology
Syraqistan
Netanyahu’s Foreknowledge of October 7 Is Hasbara. Sinwar Outsmarted Him. BettBeat
In Israeli Election, Helping Palestinian Children Is Seen An A Major Political Scandal The Dissident
In bid to win over Saudi Arabia, Netanyahu may strike Yemen before elections Al-Monitor
The Pipeline That Was Supposed to Save Saudi Arabia Larry Johnson
Israel’s New – and Terrifying – Security Doctrine Trita Parsi
Inside Trump, Netanyahu’s dilemma: Strike Iran before elections or wait Axios
U.S. WARSHIPS IN WATERS around Iran could not dock anywhere because “all our bases were destroyed”, a Navy chief revealed yesterday.
The USS Abraham Lincoln actually ran out of food in just four months—and sailors had to rely on special rations for the next six, he added.
Shocking details of the US’s tortuous war on Iran were revealed by an unnamed Navy chief from the USS Abraham Lincoln, interviewed by California mortgage broker Jason Hall, a personal friend.
Hall’s write-up quickly got more than a million views on X, the social media platform.
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SAILORS BOO HEGSETH
Secretary for War Pete Hegseth was greeted with boos by sailors when he boarded the USS Abraham Lincoln, the senior sailor revealed.
“Hegseth went on the ship the day before they got back & was soundly booed. Said he’s never seen that.”
As for the news reports about how bad conditions were in terms of food and other supplies, “it was worse”, the Navy chief told him.
“Said he & other officers met with the Admiral of the Navy. They asked what was going on & he said he had no idea. Zero clear direction of from DoD, terrible organization, no idea of objective, no plan at all & no support. Just a total cluster & Mickey Mouse operation,” said Hall, who uses the online name Jhallito.
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NO EXIT STRATEGY
Most depressingly, the Navy chief said there was no exit strategy of any kind. “He doesn’t see any way we get out of there anytime soon. No clear path to victory,” Hall added.
The USS Abraham Lincoln was one of 85 ships in the waters near Iran—and all were from the US, as they were not getting support from any other country.
Trump’s frequent claims that Iran had no remaining air force or navy were clearly inaccurate as the US ship was under continuous pressure from the Iranians.
“He said they were under attack constantly. On defense 24 hours. Not allowed to retaliate. Complete disarray in orders from sending planes to attack one minute to blockade & babysitting ships the next. They just sailed circles for months with no clear objective,” Hall said.
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SIMILAR STORIES
Other friends and family of US military staff joined in the discussion.
“My buddy was in that huge air base in Jordan that got bombed constantly for over 6 months,” said Bill NHI from South Carolina.
“Very similar stories from his end. Constant threat of being blown up – hundreds of red alerts, sleepless nights, s**t food, zero plan, way worse than what was reported here.”
Hall said that the sailors’ efforts to follow orders in this awful situation was impressive.
“This gives me so much more respect for our military men & women. Tossed into a completely unknown position, that virtually none agreed with or wanted to do, while being extended all the time without notice & they just did the work for 11 months. I’ve never been prouder,” he added.
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— Nury Vittachi (@NuryVittachi) October 14, 2026
Africa
Africa: 800 Million Young People Face a Future Without Jobs allAfrica
Old Blighty
UK resists EU pressure to hit China with tariffs The Guardian
In other words, no?
“Is there evidence that Russia did interfere in the 2016 Brexit referendum?”
Luke Pollard: “We know they interfered with the 2019 general election. We believe its inconceivable they didn’t in the 2016 referendum..” https://t.co/hqYcNYgLhV
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) October 13, 2026
European Disunion
How Europe plans to squeeze out Starlink Politico
The EU-NATO Establishment Is Waging A Hybrid War Against Europe Moon of Alabama
New Not-So-Cold War
Zelensky Claims US Intel Cut Off as “Undetectable” Russian Missiles Bombard Kiev Simplicius
❗️Last night, the operation of Starlink terminals in Ukraine was restricted.
Connectivity began to drop when moving at speeds exceeding 160 km/h. As a result, a number of critical missions were disrupted.
SpaceX likely took these measures at the request of the Trump administration. Also last night, when Kyiv was attacked by ballistic missiles, Ukraine did not receive intelligence regarding their launch— a failure that could have led to higher casualties.
Ukraine did not attack Russian oil refineries, yet Trump has already begun imposing sanctions on my country. Meanwhile, sanctions against Russia have been eased.
— Serhii Sternenko (@sternenko) October 14, 2026
Chutzpah or TACO? Events in Ukraine
‘Make the problem and the solution bigger’: The plan to end the Ukraine war David Ignatius, WaPo. Ignatius is CIA mouthpiece.
‘Not a USA deal’: Trump downplays Russian diesel plan in the face of GOP criticism Yahoo! Finance
Drone attack sinks ship off Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, PM says Al Jazeera
Russia accuses France of ‘piracy’ over tanker seizure RT
The Russians Are Coming. Aurelien
South of the Border
People turn to free community pharmacies as medicines grow scarce AP
Colombian President Espriella signs decree barring street blockades ahead of mass protests Anadolu Agency
Meta Censors Over 1,080 Accounts Supporting Lula During Brazilian Elections Panamerican Dispatch
Trump 2.0
Officials Flagged a $580 Million Oil Bet Made Minutes Before Trump’s Iran Reversal, Then Were Told to Back Off International Business Times
Supreme Court takes on public access to DOGE records Courthouse News Service
Trump cancels deposition in BBC case, lawyers say Politico
***
Kimberly Guilfoyle Resigns as U.S. Ambassador to Greece Greek Reporter
White House Scrambles over Questions on New Press Secretary’s Background WaPo
Ambassador Thornhill, welcome to the team. I’m proud to have such a dedicated leader join us as Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons. Human trafficking is a grave human rights issue and a transnational crime exploiting men, women, and children for profit. We will continue to go after traffickers, protect survivors, and deliver justice for the American people.
— Assistant Secretary Riley Barnes (@StateDRL) October 13, 2026
Omar Raid
U.S. probe of Rep. Ilhan Omar focuses on birth date, citizenship papers, people familiar say WaPo
After Raid of Omar’s Home and Latest ICE Shooting, Ramirez Unveils Bill to ‘Dismantle’ DHS Common Dreams
Government watchdog files Hatch Act complaint over Ilhan Omar raid UPI
Midterms 2026
Exclusive: How the Military Will Hack the Election Ken Klippenstein
Inside Elon Musk’s $276 Million Midterm Rescue Mission for Republicans New York Times
The Biggest Pro-AI Super PAC Network Has Poured Millions Into Nevada Shell Companies Wired
GOP Funhouse
Ken Paxton Partied in Dubai With Fugitives Ahead of High-Stakes Texas Senate Race WSJ
Democrats Suck
Will the Democrats Blow This Election? Les Leopold
Democratic midterm gains could speed US military aid to Ukraine, lawmaker says Breaking Defense
Healthcare?
Q3 2026: UnitedHealth’s Profits Soar as it Covers Fewer People, Pays Less for Care HEALTH CARE un-covered
Imperial Collapse Watch
Patriot interceptor deliveries to Poland will be delayed, top general says Military Times
PAC-3 Edge Will Be The Most Capable Patriot Interceptor Ever The War Zone
New analysis reveals defense, data centers driving private equity’s move into manufacturing Private Equity Stakeholder Project
SS United States, Final Voyage to the Seafloor Set for November La Voce di New York
Economy
Rising Gasoline Prices Fuel Fresh Inflation Fears in the U.S. OilPrice
Port of Los Angeles Sets All-Time Cargo Record as Imports Surge gCaptain
Guillotine Watch
Pharmacy Benefit Manager Involvement in the US Opioid Crisis JAMA Health Forum
AI
OpenAI engineer arrested in bugging of executive conference room San Francisco Standard
Big Tech will Win in the AI Crash Grace Blakeley
Kroger to lay off 3K corporate employees over 3 years as it leans into AI ABC News
Class Warfare
Scammers Are Stealing Millions From Food Stamp Recipients. Congress Could Fix It — but Won’t. ProPublica
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
