Three wild dogs have traveled farther than any African mammal Science
Network science reveals the structure and lasting impact of the Roman road system Nature Communications
Where I’ve Been Streetsblog USA
Climate/Environment
Analysis: Global fossil-fuel emissions set to fall in 2026 amid Hormuz crisis Carbon Brief
Heatwave triggers potato shortage in Europe FT
The Half of the World That Has Only Begun To Be Hit Yet: El Niño Reaches Asia 4hunger.org
El Niño Is Not Just a Monsoon Problem. It Is a Whole-Economy Risk Open Magazine
The South Can’t Shake This Record-Breaking Heat. Here’s Why Gizmodo
Pandemics
Measles Is Winning The Atlantic. On what’s likely an “enormous” outbreak in Pennsylvania.
These data are from Friday’s CDC update. We previously noted rising levels in the NYC area on Sep 7. We have been warning of the 13th wave for months and the role of COVlD in geopolitical instability for years. https://t.co/SE9H4AFAnu pic.twitter.com/kCC7Ynvu0v
— Mike Hoerger, PhD MSCR MBA (@michael_hoerger) September 16, 2026
China?
China’s top diplomat holds talks with Iranian FM Xinhua
Scott Bessent to meet He Lifeng in New York ahead of Trump-Xi summit FT
India
India stands firm on Russian oil amid US tariff threat Hindu Businessline
Syraqistan
As World ‘Pretends There’s a Ceasefire,’ Israeli Minister Doubles Down on Gaza Expulsion Plan Common Dreams
Why Israel Wants More One-Ton Bombs From the U.S. and Why the Sale Is Controversial New York Times
Footage from Beirut shows the destructive force of the U.S.-made Mark 84 bomb as Washington moves forward with a $2.8 billion weapons package that would provide Israel with 40,000 heavy bombs. pic.twitter.com/oGQNRGFBU3
— HatsOff (@HatsOffff) September 16, 2026
Ranking Member @RepGregoryMeeks announced he will not clear the Trump administration’s proposed $2.8 billion sale of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel due to concerns that those munitions would not be used in accordance with U.S. and international law. pic.twitter.com/g6mwNvUTOF
— House Foreign Affairs Committee Dems (@HouseForeign) September 16, 2026
Netanyahu announces he will propose laws to revoke citizenship of people ‘smearing’ IDF Jerusalem Post
***
U.S. officials met Iran-backed Houthis in Oman over the weekend, sources say Reuters
Trump says Iran contacts US directly, wants to make a deal TRT World
Makkah Joint Defense Agreement: Has Pakistan Quietly Activated Pact? Kathy Gannon
More goading of Turkey to enter a war it didn’t start. Of course, you may say what was @RTErdogan thinking when he signed a mutual defense pact in Mecca in the midst of a regional war? The idea that 🇹🇷 can’t act w/out parliament’s ratification is a joke. Since when did Erdogan… https://t.co/hEPmsgtfV9
— Amberin Zaman (@amberinzaman) September 16, 2026
Africa
Is The US Planning To Invade The AES?
Is the United States planning to invade the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)? Is a recent letter by a certain US Congressman to the US Secretary of State a precursor to this invasion? Do recent developments in Washington and the relentless… pic.twitter.com/sdaguZd8DY
— The Spearhead (@Spearhead_Af) September 16, 2026
Somaliland’s president puts everything on the table for Trump Semafor
European Disunion
Europe is “surrounded by enemies” and must rearm, invest and innovate – von der Leyen Intellinews
Michael von der Schulenburg – The significance of the enemy states clause for Germany BRAVE NEW EUROPE
PATRICK LAWRENCE: Swiss Neutrality & its Enemies Consortium News
What NATO leaves behind as it pulls back from Kosovo Responsible Statecraft
Pierrakakis to Handelsblatt: Greece’s experience can inspire Germany Parapolitika
German Hospitals Prepare for War, Drones and Mass Casualties Bloomberg
Ursula von der Leyen points to Hungary as proof democratic decline can be reversed Daily News Hungary
O Canada
Trump calls EU offer to Canada of associate membership ‘laughable’, while threatening tariffs The Guardian
Gulf billionaire dictators are looking to cash in on Mark Carney’s investment bonanza The Breach
Carney’s airport privatization is a looming disaster: ‘Highway 407 of the skies’ Canadian Dimension
New Not-So-Cold War
House passes Russia sanctions bill named for Lindsey Graham, sending it to Trump NBC News
Russian wheat exports are expected to “collapse” by around 60% in September compared with the same month last year, agricultural analyst Nikolai Lychev has told RBK.
Lychev claims grain shipments have increasingly been redirected towards Baltic ports, but transporting grain… pic.twitter.com/tO9VbBQzqC
— Brian McDonald (@BrianMcDonaldIE) September 17, 2026
Zelensky’s sanctioned former press secretary barred from entering European Parliament Kyiv Independent
EU ambassadors advance major defense projects plan, with Ukraine featuring prominently Kyiv Independent
L’affaire Epstein
Epstein had huge cache of child sex pics; victims sue to find out who’s in them Ars Technica
US House holds billionaire Epstein associate Leon Black in contempt of Congress France24
Judge Warns Blanche of Possible Contempt Charges Over Epstein Files Washington Sun
The Fed
‘Working Families Foot Trump’s Bill Twice’ as Fed Hikes Rates Amid Worsening Affordability Crisis Common Dreams
Trump slams the Fed rate hike, says he told Warsh ‘you might as well vote with the board’ Yahoo! Finance
Fed’s Hawkish Hike to Pressure Asian Currencies, Strategists Say Bloomberg
Treasury yields move lower after Fed kicks off hiking cycle CNBC
GOP Funhouse
US billionaires line up to bankroll Republicans’ election push FT
House to adjourn early, stave off Hegseth impeachment vote CNN
House Republican Meeting Turns Into Shouting Match: ‘This Is Fucking War!’ Washington Sun
Big Brother Is Watching You Watch
Hackers Got Inside a Flock Camera. Its Data Shows How the System Really Works Wired
BRICS
Xi Jinping health rumours swirl after Indian PM Modi ‘saw Chinese leader looking uncomfortable’ and interrupted speech to ask ‘is it ok?’ Daily Mail. Looks to be the usual unfounded Xi rumors.
Cyril Ramaphosa booked off sick after trip to India The South African
Economy
Sky-high crude and diesel prices are fuelling protests worldwide CBC
Immigration
A New Economic Boon for Rural Areas: Immigrant Detention Governing
Predictors and prevalence of support for white nationalism in the United States Nature
AI
NVIDIA’S AI Climate hoax – report Ketan Joshi
Sam Altman says trust me; Jensen Huang says everything is going to be fine; Bernie Sanders says AI is more dangerous than nukes Gary Marcus
They are titans. They may also be criminals. Early Warning
Very important point, that hasn’t made it into mainstream media coverage of AI. These agents “collaborated” because they were trained to do so. https://t.co/U00ClSpZUm
— Melanie Mitchell (@MelMitchell1) September 16, 2026
This shit is so wild. They generated 51 robot economists and they concluded “Free health care, housing, and transportation don’t provide the same kind of meaning and human value as an Earned Income Tax Credit” great work guys https://t.co/fTF5mFRIpS
— Malcolm Harris (@BigMeanInternet) September 16, 2026
The Bezzle
See The Algorithm’s Dark Gleam In The Hunter Biden-Andrew Callaghan Crypto Scam Email Whoopsie Defector
Class Warfare
The Salary You Need To Afford America’s 50 Biggest Cities While Paying Off Debt MoneyLion
Short-Staffed Slate
71% of Americans Say They’re Completely Exhausted Gizmodo
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
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