NOW LIVE ON WhoWhatWhy
Shocker Court Ruling: Cut Carbon Emissions to Save Humanity From Climate Change
By Brent Gregston
For the first time ever, a court has ordered a government to protect its citizens from climate change. A court in the Netherlands has mandated carbon emissions cuts of 25% by 2020. Could a legal strategy work in the United States also—to finally drive meaningful action?
WHO
America’s Secret Partner in Iran
Haaretz sheds light on the backchannel cooperation between Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani and the U.S.—a relationship that dates back to the occupation of Iraq. He leads Iran’s elite Quds Force and the impact of sanctions relief on the elite unit’s access to weapons remains a contentious part of nuke deal. The White House denies any direct linkage, but it is quite obvious that the enemy of ISIS is definitely a friend of the Obama Adminstration.
SPIEGEL Interview with Julian Assange: ‘We Are Drowning in Material’
Wikileaks recently ramped up its efforts with a big release of Saudi documents and two more releases showing NSA spying on French and German officials. A defiant Assange details the problems Wikileaks has faced, including attacks on its technical infrastructure and funding issues that led to a 40% pay cut for staff. They’ve found ways around the blockade, which Assange says make them “a bit like Cuba.” But don’t expect anything like this anytime soon.
WHAT
The End of Capitalism has Begun
POINT: The world is entering a “post-Capitalist Era.” This transformation began with the 2008 crash, which wiped 13% off global production and 20% off global trade. Now, technology and the sharing economy are catalyzing that process. But it’s not bad news. The rosy scenario hinges on the idea that information is a “public good” that could lead to a fairer, more thoughtful economic system. This echoes Marx’s predictions about the end of capitalism and portends a much-needed social transformation.
Is Capitalism Ending?
COUNTERPOINT: It is not true that capitalism is dying. Instead, it is “evolving.” In fact, the market-based world is alive and well. Work is still necessary. Transnational corporations are not fading. And a “new type of human being” is a utopian fantasy
WHY
A Cocktail of Common Chemicals Can Cause Cancer
One of the great flaws in chemical safety research has been the search for one-to-one cause and effect relationships between chemicals and cancers. Test chemical X to find cancer outcome Y. But that simplistic equation ignores the deadly “cocktail” effect in which seemingly safe chemicals interact to create cancerous outcomes.
Dogs Are Even More Like Us Than We Thought
Dogs are people, too. Or is it that people are dogs, too? Considering how long humans and dogs have lived and worked together, it may be a chicken-or-egg argument. Either way, another study shows how much we share in common, including an affinity for social eavesdropping, staring off ponderously into space and shunning those who mistreat our loved ones. Perhaps unlike humans, dogs are actually outsmarting technology.
Sign up
Like what you see? Sign up here to subscribe to this newsletter—our daily headlines roundup. You can also sign up for our weekly summary of all things WhoWhatWhy.
