Extra, Extra
The Betrayed: For some, the failures in Iran are about more than a temporary hike in oil prices. “US President Donald Trump encouraged Iranian citizens to ‘keep protesting’ and promised on January 13 that help was on its way. Scores of Iranians who took to the streets have since been charged with treason for allegedly cooperating with Iran’s enemies. At least 34 people have been executed for taking part in the January protests. Thousands have been jailed … Iran’s security apparatus is also reaching across borders to target Iranians who protested from exile. Interviews with dozens of Iranians in Armenia, Turkey and Georgia reveal how Iran is curbing opposition abroad by threatening family members in Iran, cancelling passports and withholding consular services.” Reuters: Iran’s wartime hunt for protesters at home and abroad ushers in a new era of repression.
+ Oct 7: “Hours after some Jewish leaders denounced Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s remarks about the attacks on Israel, activists interrupted a vigil to call him a traitor to the Palestinian cause.” For Mamdani, Oct. 7 Anniversary Sets Off Anger and Bitterness. (If you missed it, I wrote about Oct 7 yesterday.)
+ Wag the Don: “The stretch of relative tranquility is coinciding with the final phase of the midterm-election campaign, and the assumption has been that President Trump will want to keep it going through November 3 so as not to remind voters of an unpopular war that is dragging Republican candidates down nationwide. But that may not be what happens.” The Atlantic (Gift Article): Trump Is Considering a Plan to Strike Iran Before the Midterms. (Given that the war is about the only thing less popular than Trump, striking before the midterms for political purposes would make absolutely no sense. But that factor has rarely impacted decision-making in this administration.)
+ Bad Rep: “Amanda Ghost, a film producer, is not a sex trafficker. Jessica Serfaty, a model and actress, is not a prostitute. And Alexa Nikolas has never been charged with a crime. But anonymous websites that accused the women of wrongdoing — allegations that the three women have said are outright lies — popped up seemingly out of nowhere, as they each faced the most bitter disputes of their lives.” How to Destroy a Reputation in Hollywood, as Told in 5 Women’s Lawsuits.
+ De Bomb: “The calls often come in from metal detectorists and magnet fishers, hobbyists who throw strong magnets into waterways to see what comes up. They surge on bank holidays, when people are out walking and notice things underfoot, or catching up on tasks such as clearing out a grandparent’s home. Not long ago, the bomb-disposal unit was called to deal with a mortar that had been used for 20 years as a paperweight.” The Guardian on the art of defusing a Second World War bomb. (Which is still a very common request.)
+ A Good Working Oeuvre: “The Canadian poet and essayist Anne Carson was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday by the Swedish Academy, which cited ‘her bold and inventive oeuvre that, in playful dialogue with the classical tradition, has created new forms for contemporary literature.'”
+ Artificial Intelligence Meets Real Cowardice: “Seventy years ago last summer, a group of scientists met at Dartmouth College to discuss a wild idea—that machines might one day be capable of humanlike thought processes. One of those scientists, John McCarthy, had suggested a name for the new field: artificial intelligence. It stuck. When you search Google Scholar for ‘artificial intelligence,’ approximately 7,420,000 results appear. The term is utterly ubiquitous. Everyone understands it. Even for people who despise AI, the least of their worries is what we call it.” Steven Levy: Trump’s Crazy AI Rebrand Was a Loyalty Test for Tech Execs—and It Worked.
+ Finally, Somewhere to Get a Cup of Coffee! “A county program that gives out licenses to micro-enterprise food and beverage businesses has led to a quadrupling of the spots since the beginning of the year. The program prohibits outdoor signage, so customers led by Instagram and word-of-mouth are lining up at the secret locations for a private-garden experience.” LA Homes Turn Into New Artisanal Coffee Spots.
