Links 8/16/2026 | naked capitalism

American vs. European home building

[📹 BAS Renovations]pic.twitter.com/Ha0f7JzewH

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 14, 2026

Rising US life expectancy isn’t what it seems Salon

8 reasons Japan pays attention to things no other country thinks to Quartz

Astronomers Baffled by 3 Feeding Supermassive Black Holes Packed Into Early Galaxy When the Universe Was Barely a Billion Years Old ZME Science

What can we learn from Australia’s social media ban for teens? Knowable Magazine

COVID-19/Pandemics

‘Ebola is winning’: Epidemic now killing one person every 30 minutes UN News

British journal retracts study on excess mortality after COVID-19 pandemic Adnolu Agency

Climate/Environment

Extreme weather is making work difficult for many people. This is what needs to change Phys.org

Potentially historic El Nino takes shape, with far-reaching US and global impacts expected abcnews.com

South of the Border

Has Chavismo’s Historical Cycle Come to an End? Fair Observer

Cuba: The End of an Era? New Politics

Double disaster in Colombia: Wildfires surge as emergency crews struggle in aftermath of quake Andolu Agency

China?

In China, subways and high-speed trains are used for logistics at off-peak times.

That’s why the USA should also invest in public infrastructure, like China does. It doubles as an economic growth engine. pic.twitter.com/VvCu9G9csz

— Jason Smith – 上官杰文 (@ShangguanJiewen) August 13, 2026

Why China’s Grip on Iron Ore Is a Warning for the US Navy The National Interest

China Is Moving Fast on AI. It’s Also Keeping It in Line. Barron’s

Çin öyle bir şey yaptı ki, ABD müttefiklerine taraf seçtirmek zorunda kaldı.

ABD bu ay müttefiklerine bir mesaj gönderdi.

Çin’in yapay zeka sistemine girenler bizimle çalışamaz.

İlk bakışta bir güç gösterisi gibi duruyor.

Oysa bir ülke bunu ancak elinde başka hamle… pic.twitter.com/gkP1uMJPBs

— Penguin X (@ThePenguinBTC) August 15, 2026

China’s green revolution and what it means for the world The Week

China Exports 1 Million Automobiles in a Month … Twice Clean Technica

India

India’s Modi says armed Maoists are fading, but warns threat remains from ideological supporters AP

India’s Space Sector: A Launchpad for Global Partnerships i24 News

India is emerging as a global first responder to natural disasters – opinion The Jerusalem Post

Africa

Africa Shakes Up Customs, but Trade Problems Persist Global Finance

Algeria overtakes Morocco as irregular migration to Spain shifts across North Africa Business Insider Africa

Another War is Starting in the Horn of Africa Democracy in Africa

European Disunion

EU experts on the ground in Ceuta amid fears of fresh migrant influx Euronews

Europe’s heat, drought could cut EU GDP by 1% in 2026, with France facing biggest blow The Cool Down

Europe’s Gas Storage Reaches 60%, Remains at Historic Low: GIE Tasnim News Agency

Spain has banned people who served in the IDF from returning to Spain.

— Zara Quinn (@_Zaraquin) August 15, 2026

Old Blighty

Thatcher Warned In 1989 Of A Climate Crisis. She Did Nothing. Nor Will Her Successors Scheerpost

Jason Arday, ex-Cambridge professor accused of plagiarism, found dead in UK week after investigation launched NY Post

Israel v. Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria

Israel published a video of its invading soldiers blowing up an entire town in South Lebanon.

Not military targets.

Homes. Civilian homes.

An entire town wiped off the map — and Israel is proudly broadcasting it. pic.twitter.com/EAIUUGpecy

— sarah (@sahouraxo) August 14, 2026

Palestinians besieged in West Bank village fear Israeli settlers will seize their homes AP

Palestinians widely reject Hamas disarmament before full Israeli withdrawal from Gaza: Report The Cradle

Iran says agreement reached with Oman on Strait of Hormuz shipping routes Andolu Agency

Iran-backed Houthis attack Red Sea port in Yemen with ballistic missiles; at least 1 dead The Times of Israel

Iran War

Iranian Attacks Push Hormuz Shipping Toward Tehran-Controlled Route GCaptain (Kevin W)

Houthis Strike Back, Iran’s NEW Strategy Shocks MBS Katie Halper, YouTube

Saudi Arabia launches maritime coalition amid escalation in Yemen RT

* * *

When the United States’ Blockade of Iran was reimposed on July 14th, the Rial was trading at 1,883,000:$1.

Today, more than a full month later, it is trading at 1,867,000:$1.

STRONGER by 0.85%…

That’s not the direction one would want it to go if you’re hoping for the imminent…

— Brett Erickson (@BrettErickson28) August 15, 2026

World’s largest carmakers seek to avert motor oil crisis Financial Times

* * *

🇺🇸 The story behind the USS Abraham Lincoln’s increasingly difficult deployment is becoming much clearer – and it exposes one of the hidden costs of the Iran war: logistics.

According to the NYT, the problems began almost immediately. On the first day of the war, Iranian… pic.twitter.com/rA4xsi2mlS

— The Tectonic (@thetect0nic) August 15, 2026

Why the World’s Most Powerful Navy is Losing the Logistics War Sal Mercogliano, YouTube

The Tail That Couldn’t Keep Up: How the US Navy Ran Its Own Sailors Short on Food and Soap Larry Johnson

US aircraft carrier furore is emblem of growing disquiet over Iran war Financial Times

This idea that Diego Garcia can supply 2 USN carrier fleets loaded with surplus troops for any land campaign is nuts.

Diego Garcia has no native agriculture or farming since the indigenous population was forcibly expelled.

The food has to come from elsewhere, probably India,… https://t.co/IbpmB3mTzr pic.twitter.com/4V9FATSVYI

— Kathleen Tyson (@Kathleen_Tyson_) August 15, 2026

We no longer have a carrier presence in the Pacific…

The debate about the food aboard the Lincoln and now the George Washington is largely a red herring. Arguing about food substitutes an emotional argument for a stark practical one. The real issue is how the war on Iran is…

— James R. Webb (@JamesWebb_16) August 15, 2026

YouTube has removed GANDOCRAFT because of this video❗ https://t.co/jIiZvieWUd pic.twitter.com/Qro5qicIN4

— Explosive Media (@ExplosiveMediaa) August 15, 2026

New Not-So-Cold War

Ukraine and Poland Need to Reconcile Their Looming Histories Fair Observer

Brief Frontline Report – August 15th, 2026 Marat Khairullin and Mikhail Popov

Russia, Ukraine trade overnight drone strikes targeting port, industrial facilities Andolu Agency

Ukraine’s Long Shot The Atlantic

Big Brother Is Watching You Watch

Sensing He’s in Deep Trouble, Flock Safety CEO Says It’s All Been a Big Misunderstanding Futurism

Brooklyn lawmakers join privacy advocates in push to ‘Ban the Scan’ at MSG Brooklyn Paper

Imperial Collapse Watch

Congress Is Fake The American Conservative

Homeless encampment forces Kalamazoo to once again ask: What can be done? Second Wave Media

Trump 2.0

Dick Cheney’s Heart Doctor Says Trump Is Showing Very Worrying Signs Futurism

The buck stops somewhere else: A look at Trump’s tendency to avoid blame when things go awry AP

Karoline Leavitt is FIFTH high-ranking woman to depart Trump’s inner circle as the race to replace her gets messy Daily Mail

Andy Baker, key Vance ally, to leave the White House Washington Post

ICYMI: Mark Kelly on aircraft carrier catapult order: ‘Donald Trump knows nothing about this stuff’ The Hill. Malcolm Nance discusses steam catapult technical issues starting at 29:40.

Trump heads into general election season with string of primary losses Politico

Mamdani

How are his tones so good? Did he take Chinese in college? https://t.co/eWJM7YIDSJ

— Victor Shih (@vshih2) August 16, 2026

Musk Matters

Musk says orbital compute is the only way to scale AI by 2029 Cryptopolitan

Elon Musk’s $1 Trillion Pay Package Needs Tesla to Hit an $8.5 Trillion Market Cap. Here’s What That Means for Shareholders. The Motley Fool

Musk Will Give Trump $100 Million for the Election Logos Press

Democrat Death Watch

How California’s primary election reflects the perils facing the national Democratic Party The Press Democrat

Wisconsin Dem calls out party for abandoning rural voters: ‘They’re out of touch’ NY Post

Immigration

US immigration judges are deporting people in mass hearings – some without notice The Guardian

How Trump Is Trying to Weaken Migrant Children’s Legal Defense The New Yorker

Our No Longer Free Press

Shield under fire: The battle over America’s press freedom landmark Las Vegas Sun

How Meta restricted Palestinian content in thousands of cases- study The Eastleigh Voice

Mr. Market Is Moody

Retail sales slump in July Axios

Dollar Slips to Five-Month Low as Consumer Spending Cools Rate-Hike Bets Briefs.co

Gold’s wild 2026 ride might not be over yet TheStreet

AI

AI identifies health risks from routine sleep study data Technology.org

Congressional Staffers Are So Lazy That They’re Using AI to Write New Laws Futurism

AI agents are sitting through students’ online courses, and colleges are struggling to stop them digitaltrends

The big college major rethink Axios

Teens are turning to AI chatbots for emotional support – here’s how to keep kids safe The Conversation

The Bezzle

Georgia Ponzi Schemer Sentenced To 20 Years For $380 Million Fraud Forbes

YouTuber Raids Alleged Delhi Scam Call Center With Six Dancing SpongeBobs Complex

Guillotine Watch

‘Most expensive #cookie in the world’ served up on crystal platter in NYC#NewYork#Gold pic.twitter.com/L2pK4ZfByN

— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) April 12, 2019

Antidote du jour (via)

And a bonus:

A loyal German Shepherd guards the factory gate, adopts a stray puppy that wandered in, and raises it as his own. pic.twitter.com/eMPEfI6tGQ

— Massimo (@Rainmaker1973) August 15, 2026

See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here