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‘Global Weirding’: Climate Whiplash Hitting Biggest Cities, Study Reveals (Maria)
The author writes, “Climate whiplash is already hitting major cities around the world, bringing deadly swings between extreme wet and dry weather as the climate crisis intensifies, a report has revealed. Dozens more cities, including Lucknow, Madrid and Riyadh have suffered a climate ‘flip’ in the last 20 years, switching from dry to wet extremes, or vice versa. The report analyzed the 100 most populous cities, plus 12 selected ones, and found that 95% of them showed a distinct trend towards wetter or drier weather.”
RFK Jr. Asks Quack Cure Activist for Help With Deadly Measles Outbreak (Sean)
From The Daily Beast: “Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was reportedly part of a phone call last week with an activist in Texas helping distribute holistic and unproven remedies to families affected by the measles outbreak along the state’s border with New Mexico. The activist and historian, Tina Siemens, spoke to Mother Jones in an interview published Monday, where she revealed that she had a phone call with Kennedy and a doctor from a clinic she is working with to distribute the remedies, Dr. Ben Edwards of Veritas Wellness, to discuss the health challenges affecting the Mennonite community amid the measles outbreak.”
Rahm Emanuel Is Gearing Up to Run for President (Russ)
From Politico: “Rahm Wants to Run. Yes, that Rahm. And, yes, for that office — the presidency. ‘I’ve only been back two months, I have no idea what I’m doing,’ Rahm I. Emanuel, operative-turned-politician-turned-diplomat told me before adding his stock line since returning from serving as ambassador to Japan. ‘I’m not done with public service and I’m hoping public service is not done with me.’ Ignore that evasion. Rahm Emanuel is voting with his feet.”
BP Blames ‘Misplaced’ Faith in Green Transition for Its Renewed Focus On Fossil Fuels (Laura)
The author writes, “BP has abandoned its green ambitions in favour of ramping up fossil fuel production as its boss claimed that optimism over the pace of the green transition had been ‘misplaced.’ In a major strategy shift, the energy company will increase its investment in oil and gas to $10bn (£7.9bn) a year while slashing more than $5bn from its previous green investment plan. The radical overhaul means BP will be ‘very selective’ about investing in low-carbon options while producing 2.4m barrels of oil and gas a day by 2030 – about 60% higher than the figure in its net zero plan set out five years ago.”
Michael Dukakis, a Political Lion in Winter, Reflects on His Life and Service (Reader Steve)
From The Boston Globe: “‘So I didn’t become president, but that’s the way it goes.’”
Confirmed at Last: Barnard’s Star Hosts Four Tiny Planets (Dana)
The author writes, “Following decades of disproven claims, four small exoplanets have been confirmed to orbit Barnard’s Star, the second-closest star system to Earth after Alpha Centauri. Just 6 light-years away, Barnard’s Star is a well-studied 10-billion-year-old M dwarf with a mass of 0.16 solar mass. Finding exoplanets around Barnard’s Star has been something of a white whale for astronomers for more than half a century; starting in the 1960s, researchers have claimed to have spotted various planets around Barnard’s Star, from distant Jupiter-mass companions to close-in super-Earths. Each of these claims has been refuted. Now, the white whale appears to have been caught at last.”
