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International Coalition Calls Out Three Chinese Companies Over Hacking Campaign (Maria)

The author writes, “An unusually broad coalition composed of the U.S., its traditional English-speaking allies and other nations, including Germany, Italy and Japan, is calling out three Chinese companies for alleged hacking activity. The countries accused the firms — Sichuan Juxinhe Network Technology, Beijing Huanyu Tianqiong Information Technology and Sichuan Zhixin Ruijie Network Technology — of providing ‘cyber-related products and services to China’s intelligence services, including the People’s Liberation Army and the Ministry of State Security.’”

Remember Springfield, Ohio? Trump’s Racist Haiti Lies Are Killing It (Dana)

From The New Republic: “It’s been almost a year since President Donald Trump targeted Springfield, Ohio, with racist lies that Haitian immigrants had begun eating their neighbors’ pets in order to stir up his voter base. Now, the city’s Haitian immigrants, who helped revive Springfield’s struggling economy, are being chased out by Trump’s anti-immigrant policies. Springfield is currently home to an estimated 10,000-15,000 Haitian immigrants, but The New York Times reported Friday that dozens have already fled the city — and more are sure to follow.”

America Is the Only Country Reported To Be Facing a Tourism Decline — And It Could Cost the US $29B. Expert Blames Trump for ‘Putting up Closed Sign’ (Sean)

The author writes, “While tourism is booming in many countries, the US is falling behind. A recent report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) found that the US is the only country forecasted to see a decline in international visitor spending in 2025. In March, international travel to the US fell 14% compared with the same period last year, according to the US Travel Association. Tourism from Canada has had the sharpest decline — Canadian visits in May decreased by 38% by car and 24% by air compared to the same month in 2024, according to the US National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO). Travel from Western Europe is also declining, falling nearly 5% in 2025.”

In One Area, Trump Is Praised on the Left, Bashed on the Right (Reader Jim)

The author writes, “A strange dynamic is playing out in regard to President Trump’s new moves on the economy — he and liberal Sen. Bernie Sanders are fully in sync. After the Vermont independent backed the idea of the US acquiring a stake in Intel and other chipmakers, Reuters observed that the ‘unusual alignment between Sanders and President Trump on government ownership stakes in private companies highlights a marked shift by Trump toward policies of state intervention in the economy that are typically associated with the left.’ And the Intel deal is far from a one-off.”

Federal Judge Rules Alabama Senate District Violates Voting Rights Act, Orders New Map (Reader Steve)

From ABC News: “A federal judge on Friday ordered Alabama lawmakers to draw new state Senate districts after ruling the state violated the Voting Rights Act by diluting the influence of Black voters around the capital city. US District Judge Anna Manasco blocked the state from using the current map in the 2026 elections and said a new map must be put in place that creates a new district in Montgomery where Black voters ‘comprise a voting-age majority or something quite close to it.’ ‘The appropriate remedy is a redistricting plan that includes either an additional majority-Black Senate district in the Montgomery area, or an additional district there in which Black voters otherwise have an opportunity to elect a senator of their choice,’ Manasco wrote in the 261-page ruling. The ruling said the court will redraw the districts if the state does not do so in time for the 2026 elections.”

The Air Conditioning Dilemma: Cooling Homes Heats the Planet (Laura)

From Context: “As temperatures soar around much of the world, people are cranking up the air conditioning, but blasting icy air into buildings fuels global warming, which increases demand for more cooling, creating a vicious circle. Climate change, rapid urbanisation, rising incomes, and population growth are driving huge demand for air conditioners (AC) globally, but particularly in developing countries. Access to cooling is crucial for health, reduces heat-related deaths, helps children study in school and boosts workers’ productivity. But air conditioning’s high energy consumption and impact on the climate is often overlooked.”

A Place Where They Haven’t Raised the Rent in 500 Years (Russ)

The author writes, “The Fuggerei doesn’t advertise its rental listings, but if it did, it might read something like this: 1 BR/1 BA in historic gated community close to downtown, with private church and biergarten. Rent: €0.07 ($0.08)/month, forever. Founded in 1521 in Augsburg, Germany, by Jakob Fugger, a wealthy banker and devout Catholic, the Fuggerei might just be the world’s oldest affordable housing project. And it is seriously affordable. The rent of one Rhenish guilder a year — the medieval currency in use in Europe when the Fuggerei was founded — is set by charter, and it hasn’t ever increased. In today’s money, that works out to 0.88 euros ($1.00) in yearly rent. The goal, then as now, is to let poor people get on with their lives.”