World-renowned Limbo Queen Shemika Campbell pic.twitter.com/MV9WFMuGzh
— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 7, 2026
Football’s Filthy Appeal Fair Observer
Ozempic Could Fight Addiction Too – Scientists Finally Know How SciTech Daily
30-odd metaphors from Ross Macdonald Sentence first
More Gen Z say they’ll own a pet than have a child, despite valuing parenthood more Ipsos
Earth’s molten core suddenly reversed direction — and scientists don’t know why Science Daily
COVID-19/Pandemics
A New Piece of the Puzzle of Covid’s Origin The New Atlantis
Ebola cases top 4,000 in DRC as WHO urges Ervebo vaccine trial AFP
Climate/Environment
London Recorded Its First Month Without Rain Since Measurements Started 150 Years Ago ZME Science
Winemakers across Europe face the challenges of climate change France 24
South of the Border
Mexico, Brazil strengthen ties amid tension between Lula, Trump Andolu Agency
After Blocking Fuel, the US Turns to Cuba’s Food Supply Jacobin
Trump Says He Took Venezuela’s Oil. Here’s What Actually Happened Reason
China?
Let’s explore China’s various breathtaking cliff roads😎#ChinaRoadTrip #DevilsHighway #ScenicDrive #China pic.twitter.com/8B6yFfDkX9
— 扎扎江 (@fengsu48033128) August 2, 2026
President Xi never wastes a good crisis. As Iran, Ukraine and Palestine distract the world, he tightens his grip The Guardian
China’s memory-making champion smashes DDR5-8800 barrier on AMD platform — CXMT chips close the gap with SK hynix Tom’s Hardware
China’s viral ‘dream job’: tough labour market fuels rush for unconventional work SCMP
World’s Largest 12.8 GWh Battery Storage Cluster Activated in China Clean Technica
India
Microsoft opens its largest data center in India as cloud race intensifies Quartz
https://theconversation.com/india-and-pakistans-79-year-rivalry-has-made-the-dangerous-move-into-space-286966 The conversatin
India’s ‘cockroach’ protest movement keeps heat on Modi Japan Times
Africa
70 years after South Africa’s women challenged apartheid, some say their freedom isn’t complete AP
Europe Bets Billions on North Africa’s Clean Energy Potential Oilprice.com
The Dangerous Consequences of Trump’s Deadly Strikes in Africa Inkstick
European Disunion
The Last Year for Cash? EU is Cutting Limits Next Year Technology.org
Explainer: What is people smuggling – and why are EU rules to fight it still stalled? Euronews
Iceland’s small referendum with big consequences for the EU Eualive.net
Old Blighty
UK national debt could be as high as £12TRILLION – four times previous estimates, analysis finds Daily Mail
Plan to limit ‘vertical drinking’ decried by pub landlords and UK politicians AP
Israel v. Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria
Israeli media report that Israel’s bombardment and occupation have destroyed entire villages in southern Lebanon. During the latest assault, Israel’s defence minister said the campaign was modelled on the destruction in Gaza.
Al Jazeera’s Imogen Kimber reports. pic.twitter.com/svO9wdGeV2
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) August 8, 2026
Burning to death is a much worse way to die:
Bessent on the Strait of Hormuz:
The strait is never going back to the way it was because the Iranians have used, or tried to use it, as a choke point.
What we are going to see over the next two years, the strait is going to become irrelevant.
It is going to become just… pic.twitter.com/LP8evMbeJP
— Clash Report (@clashreport) August 7, 2026
Israel’s Brutal Retaliation Against Imprisoned Palestinian Doctors Seeking Legal Appeals Drop Site
Mecca Pact Implications for Israel and Washington The Times of Israel
War, terror, diplomacy: What if Israel takes Al-Aqsa Mosque? DW
Iran War
#LATEST Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, appeared in a video recording of a lesson released by Mehr News Agency on August 8. pic.twitter.com/SjebyaGVm8
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) August 8, 2026
Iran Rejects US Talks for Now as Wait for Hormuz Deal Drags On Bloomberg
Iran’s FM: NO Negotiations with U.S., Strait Of Hormuz Reopens When They Honoring MoU
Dr. Abbas Araghchi:
“We do not currently have negotiations with the U.S. What is happening is an exchange of messages through intermediaries, not negotiations.As long as the U.S. does not… pic.twitter.com/TDoZiLdD7g
— Ryan Rozbiani (@RyanRozbiani) August 9, 2026
Amid Strait of Hormuz talks, Iran publishes list of demands for US The Hill
Iran Holds Firm on the Strait of Hormuz Larry Johnson
MACGREGOR ALERT: TRUMP’S NEXT IRAN STRIKE IS ALREADY LOADED — WAR NEVER ENDED
Col. Doug MacGregor: While the official story keeps switching between “deal is close” and “we will hit them hard,” the actual situation is far colder and more dangerous. There are no talks. The war is… pic.twitter.com/zYWE9o4OFQ
— Mark (@Mark4XX) August 8, 2026
💢 🇮🇷 Iran’s crude exports appear to have stopped due to the renewed U.S. naval blockade, with no tankers loading at Kharg Island for at least a week, the Financial Times reports.
Kharg, which handles some 90% of Iranian crude exports, has been idle since July 31, but Iran had… pic.twitter.com/Dfp4b7ODUu
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) August 9, 2026
Houthis target Yemen’s al-Makha port with missiles, drones Aljazeera
New Not-So-Cold War
Ukraine’s Air Defense Crisis Turns Global as Russian Ferocity Puts Country on Brink Simplicius
NATO specialist supplies Ukraine with coordinates of Russian oil terminals — hackers TASS
Bessent on the Strait of Hormuz:
The strait is never going back to the way it was because the Iranians have used, or tried to use it, as a choke point.
What we are going to see over the next two years, the strait is going to become irrelevant.
It is going to become just… pic.twitter.com/LP8evMbeJP
— Clash Report (@clashreport) August 7, 2026
The Atlantic reveals why Elon Musk is refusing to let Ukraine use Starlink for strikes on Russian territory Ukrainska Pravda
Zelenskyy says Ukraine has practically no undamaged thermal power plants left due to Russian strikes Andolu Agency
Ukraine war briefing: Wildberries warehouse struck by Kyiv’s drones more than 2,000km from Russian border The Guardian
Big Brother Is Watching You Watch
Are Ray-Ban Meta glasses a privacy risk? Here’s what you should know engadget
Congress should make children’s privacy the on-ramp to a national privacy law for all Brookings
Imperial Collapse Watch
Grants Pass new 150-bed homeless shelter nears full occupancy OPB
Trump 2.0
Let them eat burritos: Out of touch influencers risk all for Trump war Responsible Statecraft
Behind the Curtain: Trump’s quicksand Axios
What makes Trump’s ballroom a matter of national security? ABC News
Bluster and backdown have turned Iran war into Trump’s own Groundhog Day The Guardian
Musk Matters
Elon Musk to build the biggest building in the world — spanning a colossal 100M square feet NY Post
Elon Musk says SpaceX will hit $1 trillion in revenue by 2030 and build factories on the moon Moneywise
TSLA Stock Weakens As Elon Musk’s Optimus Faces New Challengers stocktwits
Democrat Death Watch
Kamala Harris shares message of hope during final stop of Louisiana Democrats tour in New Orleans WDSU News
James Carville responds to ‘vicious’ progressive Democrats trying to drive him out of the party Fox News
Immigration
It’s Not Just Delaney. Immigration Jails Have Had Hundreds of Hunger Strikes. Scheerpost
Private prisons announce $1.4 billion in revenue as immigration detentions climb PBS
Our No Longer Free Press
Journalist Georgia Fort Seeks Dismissal of Federal Charges, Alleging False Information and First Amendment Violations MinneapoliMedia
Judge pauses fines against ex-Fox reporter Catherine Herridge during review TheDesk.net
Mr. Market Is Moody
Citi is raising its oil price forecast as U.S.-Iran nuclear talks drag on Quartz
An Inflation Quadruple Whammy, Headlined by Trumpflation, Threatens to Crush the Stock Market The Motley Fool
U.S. Unexpectedly Lost 23,000 Jobs. Here’s What It Means For Interest Rates Forbes
AI
Time Magazine Now Running Ads Meant Specifically to Influence AI Agents Futurism
AI is entertainment’s scarlet letter Axios
Chinese virtual actress in trending AI drama raises deep industry concerns and questions SCMP
The Bezzle
The Tip of the Iceberg Quillette
Landmark crypto bill stalls in US Senate despite $225mn spending push Financial Times
Cambodia, U.S. seek to jointly combat online scam centers Indo Pacific Defense Forum
Guillotine Watch
Do u brush with the most expensive toothpaste in the world Theodent 300 at $99.99 per tube? https://t.co/9AJM8zMgJJ pic.twitter.com/LskVIIVDtD
— Howard Farran (@HowardFarran) March 26, 2016
Antidote du jour (via)
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here
