Tortoise engraving suggests Middle Eastern religion from 37,000 years ago EuroNews
World’s oldest living crocodile celebrates 124th birthday Ynet
Why world’s economic powers could find 2025 a year of great struggle FT
Climate
Startups Begin Geoengineering the Sea IEEE Spectrum
* * * New York to charge fossil fuel companies for damage from climate change AP
A (successful) test of the state-by-state approach! Bill McKibben, The Crucial Years
* * * The planet’s melting glaciers are releasing a treasure trove of ancient artifacts CBC
Syndemics
Metapopulation heterogeneities in host mobility, productivity, and immunocompetency always increase virulence and infectiousness PNAS. From the Abstract: “Our general theory reveals that, when host populations experiencing different local conditions are linked by movement networks, more virulent and infectious pathogens evolve than in a corresponding homogeneous population. We show that the greater the variation in host mobility, productivity, and immunocompetency, the more virulent and infectious pathogens become. Worse still, when multiple such heterogeneities are positively correlated, the evolution of higher virulence is boosted: For example, for positively correlated heterogeneities in movement and birth rates, the evolved virulence increases to nearly 200%. Our theory provides insights into aggravating risks for the emergence of more virulent pathogens in our highly connected heterogeneous world.” Cf. Norman, Bar-Yam, and Taleb’s prescient January 2020 paper: “It will cost something to reduce mobility in the short term, but to fail do so will eventually cost everything—if not from this event, then one in the future.”
* * * Genetic Sequences of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Viruses Identified in a Person in Louisiana Avian Influenza (Bird Flu), CDC. “The analysis identified low frequency mutations in the hemagglutinin gene of a sample sequenced from the patient, which were not found in virus sequences from poultry samples collected on the patient’s property, .” And in English–
CDC says H5N1 bird flu sample shows mutations that may help the virus bind to cells in the upper airways of people STAT News. The deck: “The mutations likely developed post-infection, the agency said.”
* * * BMC Genomics: Evidence of an Emerging Triple-reassortant H3N3 Avian Influenza Virus in China Avian Flu Diary
China?
China’s industrial profits decline at slower pace in November South China Morning Post
* * * China Stuns With Heavy Stealth Tactical Jet’s Sudden Appearance (Updated) The Warzone
Chinese firm unveils world’s first ride-on robot dog for all-terrain adventures South China Morning Post
* * * Why China Isn’t Scared of Trump Foreign Affairs
Worst enemy of the U.S. is itself, says Chinese spokesperson CGTN
* * * How a Mao-era system creates second-class citizens in modern China FT
Prosecutors find workers in ‘slavery like’ conditions at Chinese car company site in Brazil AP
The Koreas
South Korea’s acting president Han Duck-soo impeached, stirring new political chaos Agence France-Presse
Unlikely political ‘Thor’ emerges from South Korea’s martial law crisis Al Jazeera
Syraqistan
Is Israel Really Building an Empire Across the Middle East? Haaretz
WHO chief says he was metres away from Israeli attack on Yemen airport Al Jazeera
The US says it pushed retraction of a famine warning for north Gaza. Aid groups express concern AP
‘Squad’ Dems demand end to US investigation into anti-Israel weapons embargo FOX
Advocates launch legal push for Argentina, Chile to arrest Israeli soldier Al Jazeera
Africa
Ugandan runner due to arrive in London after 516 days and 7,700 miles on the road Guardian
New Not-So-Cold War
Aviation experts say Russia’s air defense fire likely caused Azerbaijan plane crash as nation mourns AP
‘Azerbaijani plane downed by Russian air defense system’: First semi-official version from Baku JAM News. “For the Azerbaijani side, involved in the investigation, the situation is absolutely clear. No one claims it was done intentionally.”
* * * Putin rejects peace plan proposal being crafted by Trump team – ISW Ukrainska Pravda
A Pathway to Peace in Ukraine Foreign Affairs
Devoted to “weaker” Russia, exiting Biden team finds “strength” in Ukraine Aaron Maté
* * * Trump wants 5% Nato defence spending target, Europe told FT
Ukraine war shows NATO’s biggest problem isn’t its strategy, think tank argues Business Insider
* * * ‘Security through obscurity’: the Swedish cabin on the frontline of a possible hybrid war Guardian
A Newly Declassified Memo Sheds Light on America’s Post-Cold War Mistakes Slate
Global Elections
2024 Was a Year of Angry Elections Foreign Policy
Realignment and Legitimacy
The two major problems with Luigi Mangione case that could torpedo trial Daily Mail
Read the NYPD’s Mangione report the media won’t publish Ken Klippenstein
* * * Indian immigration is great for America Noahpinion. Commentary:
Tucker Carlson Calling Out The H-1B And Other Visa Scams
“Who gets hurt? Well, among others, the college graduates who took on huge amounts of student loan debt only to be dumped into a system where their foreign replacements get preference over them.” pic.twitter.com/8Kz9WSbyu7
— The Columbia Bugle 🇺🇸 (@ColumbiaBugle) December 26, 2024
If Elite Composition Matters, Skilled Immigration Matters The American Conservative
Vivek Ramaswamy Dragged After Wild Rant on How American Workers Suck The New Republic
How & Why Government, Universities, & Industry Create Domestic Labor Shortages of Scientists & High-Tech Workers Institute for New Economic Thinking. From 2017, still germane.
Spook Country
Chicago man asks justices to clarify when officers can search your cellphone at the border SCOTUSblog
Antitrust
Lina Khan’s Christmas Gift: Limits on Annoying Fees by Hotels and Ticketing Services Matt Stoller, BIG
Healthcare
Medicare $2,000 prescription drug cap starts Jan. 1 Axios
Medicare Advantage: National Carriers Expand Market Share While Regional Carriers Without Affiliation Decline, 2012–23 Health Affairs
Digital Watch
Elon Musk’s ‘social experiment on humanity’: How X evolved in 2024 BBC
Apple called on to ditch AI headline summaries after BBC debacle The Regioster
Meta envisages social media filled with AI-generated users FT
Zeitgeist Watch
Housing
19 Unhinged Homeowner’s Associations That Went Way, Way Too Far In 2024 Buzzfeed
Class Warfare
More Starbucks Unfair Labor Practices Matt Bruenig, NLRB Edge
Musk’s rise is symptomatic of our neo-feudal capitalist times Al Jazeera
Wealthy Dad Surprises Child With Tree House He Can Airbnb For Passive Income The Onion
Kafka’s Screwball Tragedy: Investigations of a Philosophical Dog The MIT Press Reader
Antidote du jour (Giles Laurent):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
