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Monday Was the Hottest Day Ever Recorded By Humans: European Scientists (Maria)
The author writes, “Monday was the hottest day ever measured by humans, beating a record set the day before, as countries across the globe continue to feel the heat, according to the European climate change service. Provisional satellite data published by Copernicus early Wednesday showed that Monday broke Sunday’s mark by 0.1 degree Fahrenheit. Climate scientists say the world is now as warm as it was 125,000 years ago because of human-caused climate change.”
Netanyahu Wanted to Project Strength. His Trumpian Speech Did the Opposite. (Dana)
The author writes, “Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to Congress on Wednesday was meant to rally American sentiments in his favor; instead, it showed how much Netanyahu has broken the promise of a Jewish democracy and fractured the pro-Israel movement. Timing has not been on Netanyahu’s side this year — his offensive in Gaza is now in its 10th month with no end of Hamas in sight; each day without a cease-fire kills what little hope the Israeli hostage families have of seeing their loved ones alive; and the onset of famine keeps the Palestinian death toll front and center in the global narrative. Plus, when he first planned to address Congress, Netanyahu ostensibly had the full-throated support of a U.S. president who was running for re-election.”
ICJ Ruling Confirms What Palestinians Have Been Saying for 57 Years (Laura)
From The Intercept: “The United Nation’s top court filed a ruling [last] Friday that echoed what Palestinian advocates have been saying for decades: Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land, including its settlements in the West Bank, is illegal and must end. The International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion also called for reparations for Palestinians who have lived under Israel’s occupation since it began in 1967, an unprecedented step for the court. The court also notably declared Israel’s mistreatment of Palestinians to be a form of segregation and apartheid. It further ruled that nations cannot offer aid in support of the illegal occupation without violating international law, and upheld the Palestinians’ right to self-determination.”
JD Vance Is Going After Higher Ed Despite Benefiting From It (Reader Steve)
From The Boston Globe: “Without Yale Law School, JD Vance would be just another hillbilly. With it, Vance became a hillbilly with the academic contacts and credentials to write a book about his family roots in Appalachia and scarred childhood growing up in Ohio. Hillbilly Elegy became a bestseller that was praised by liberals, and the celebrity that went along with that gave Vance entrée to the world of politics, first as a US senator from Ohio — and harsh critic of Donald Trump — and now as Trump’s running mate — and harsh critic of elite institutions of higher learning.”
Wall Street Journal Fires Hong Kong Reporter Who Headed Embattled Press Club (Russ)
The author writes, “A Hong Kong-based reporter for The Wall Street Journal was terminated by the newspaper soon after she was elected as chair of the Hong Kong Journalists Association. The HKJA, a press advocacy association, has been accused in recent weeks by state-backed and state-run media outlets in Hong Kong and China of destabilizing the city. Selina Cheng, the reporter, said in a news conference Wednesday that she believes the termination is related to her role as chair of the organization. She said she came under pressure from her employer to quit the association.”
Scientists Plan Climate Engineering Experiment in Ocean Off Cape Cod (Sean)
From WBUR: “Scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are seeking a federal permit to experiment in the waters off Cape Cod and see if tweaking the ocean’s chemistry could help slow climate change. If the project moves forward, it will likely be the first ocean field test of this technology in the U.S. But the plan faces resistance from both environmentalists and the commercial fishing industry. The scientists want to disperse 6,600 gallons of sodium hydroxide — a strong base — into the ocean about 10 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard. The process, called ocean alkalinity enhancement or OAE, should temporarily increase that patch of water’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the air.”
Despite Minimum Wage Hike, Fast-Food Hiring Hits Record High in SoCal (DonkeyHotey and Dana)
The author writes, “Despite the dire warnings of the business community, the recent increase to fast-food workers’ minimum wage doesn’t seem to be impacting hiring. In April, minimum wage for fast-food workers jumped to $20 per hour, but despite that, ‘Employment Development Department numbers show [Southern California] had 361,500 fast food workers in June — an all-time staffing high for these dining establishments that employ 4.5% of all Southern California’s workers,’ Jonathan Lansner noted in an Orange County Register column.”
