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Komodo Dragons Have Iron-Coated Teeth, Scientists Discover (Maria)
The author writes, “With their huge size, venomous bite and the fantastical connotations of their name, Komodo dragons seem like the stuff of legend. Now, that status has been elevated further: Scientists have discovered that their teeth are coated with a layer of iron that helps keep their serrated edges razor sharp. It is the first time such a coating has been seen in any animal.”
Trump Media Quietly Enters Deal With a Republican Donor Who Could Benefit From a Second Trump Administration (Gerry)
From ProPublica: “This month, former President Donald Trump’s media company announced it was making its first major purchase: technology to help stream TV on Truth Social, its Twitter-like platform. There was a mystery at the center of the deal: One of the companies on the other side of the transaction, which went unmentioned in Trump Media’s press release but was named in securities filings, is an obscure entity called JedTec LLC. Based in a North Louisiana village, the company has virtually no public footprint and no website, and it is unknown to streaming technology experts. Interviews and public records reveal that the man behind JedTec is Louisiana energy magnate James E. Davison. A major Republican donor, he is known for his immense influence in state and federal government.”
Highly Infectious Poliovirus Found in Gaza Sewage Samples (Laura)
The author writes, “The poliovirus has been found in sewage samples from Gaza putting thousands of people living in crowded displaced persons’ camps at risk of contracting the highly infectious disease that can cause deformities and paralysis. The Gaza ministry said tests carried out with the UN children’s agency, Unicef, ‘showed the presence of poliovirus’ in the territory that has endured a devastating Israeli military offensive since the 7 October Hamas attacks. The Israeli health ministry said poliovirus type 2 was detected in Gaza sewage samples tested in an Israeli laboratory. It said the World Health Organization had made similar findings.”
Elon Musk Posts Deepfake of Kamala Harris That Violates X Policy (DonkeyHotey)
From The Verge: “Elon Musk shared a deepfake video spoofing Vice President Kamala Harris on X. Despite owning the platform, the post appears to violate the platform’s own policies against synthetic and manipulated media. The video Musk shared on Friday alters a recent campaign video Harris released, one that makes it sound like the presidential candidate said things she didn’t. The manipulated clip has Harris saying things like she is ‘the ultimate diversity hire’ and that she ‘had four years under the tutelage of the ultimate deep state puppet, a wonderful mentor, Joe Biden.’ The original account that had posted the video labeled it, ‘Kamala Harris Campaign Ad PARODY,’ a disclaimer that might prevent it from violating X’s policies. But this context did not appear in Musk’s repost.”
Donald Trump’s Nephew Fred Endorses Kamala Harris for President (Dana)
The author writes, “Donald Trump’s nephew Fred C. Trump III has endorsed Kamala Harris for president days after making bombshell allegations against his uncle. During a Tuesday, July 30, appearance on The View to promote his memoir All in the Family: The Trumps and How We Got This Way, Fred told host Joy Behar about his thoughts on the upcoming election. Fred, 61, [said]: ‘I believe in policy over politics and without question, Kamala Harris’ policies are what I get behind, so I will be voting for Kamala Harris. And if I’m asked, I will campaign for her without hesitation.’”
‘Atomic Bomb Hell Must Never Be Repeated’ Say Japan’s Last Survivors (Sean)
From the BBC: “It was early in the day, but already hot. As she wiped sweat from her brow, Chieko Kiriake searched for some shade. As she did so, there was a blinding light – it was like nothing the 15-year-old had ever experienced. It was 08:15 on 6 August 1945. ‘It felt like the sun had fallen – and I grew dizzy,’ she recalls. The United States had just dropped an atomic bomb on Chieko’s home city of Hiroshima. … Chieko is now 94 years old. It is almost 80 years since the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and time is running out for the surviving victims — known as hibakusha in Japan — to tell their stories.”
What’s in a Name? Republican Vice Presidential Nominee JD Vance Has Had Many of Them (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “When it comes to Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance’s name, it’s complicated. The senator from Ohio introduced himself to the world in 2016 when he published his bestselling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, under the name J.D. Vance — ‘like jay-dot-dee-dot,’ he wrote, short for James David. In the book, he explained that this was not the first iteration of his name. Nor would it be the last.”
