Friends, the time has come for us to bring Extra! Extra! to a close. I know Natalie, Rachel and I have really valued the space this column has afforded us over the last eighteen months to share our thoughts and ruminations, our hopes and frustrations about everything that’s happening in the world. More than that, I’ve learned so much from so many of you, who have thoughtfully and kindly shared your knowledge about the news and politics of what’s happening where you live and the work you do.
Even though this chapter of our news and politics coverage is drawing to a close, I know that Natalie and I will be back here in other ways, in other forums and venues to discuss these issues with you. I imagine it would be impossible for either of us not to. And so, on that note, I leave you with one final round up of some of the news from the last month.
Science Confirms: the Climate Catastrophe Is Upon Us
Five key excerpts from the United Nations’ climate change report
IPCC report’s verdict on climate crimes of humanity: guilty as hell
Island nations react to devastating U.N. climate change report: “We are on the edge of extinction”
How climate change fueled the devastating floods in Germany and northwest Europe
Environmental Activists in Cambodia Are Resorting to Disguises to Avoid Arrests
Big Tech, Destroying Lives Globally and Personally
Private Israeli spyware used to hack cellphones of journalists, activists worldwide
The Pegasus Project was a massive uncovering of how governments around the world are using an app called Pegasus to surveil civilians, political opponents, activists, journalists — you name it. In addition to this piece by the Washington Post that provides the overall context, the deep dives from the Guardian about how specific countries have used the app have been incredibly horrifying. This is probably among the most unsettling things I’ve read in a while and sadly, it seems, that after the news broke media and political coverage have largely moved on.
Amazon Denied a Worker Pregnancy Accommodations. Then She Miscarried.
Op-Ed: End the City’s ShotSpotter Contract
Gun Violence
‘Blackpilled’ Gunman Kills 5 in UK’s Worst Mass Shooting in 11 Years
At Least 430 People Killed in 915 Shootings Across U.S. in a Single Week in July
The Fall of American Democracy
America is full of ‘democracy deserts’. Wisconsin rivals Congo on some metrics
Texas Senate outlasts 15-hour filibuster by Sen. Carol Alvarado to pass GOP voting-restrictions bill
Delta COVID Ravages
How Ron DeSantis’s Covid response became the model of what not to do
Oops. Canadian Province That Acted Like COVID Was Over Just Realized It Isn’t
Thousands In Germany Thought They Had Their Vaccine. It May Have Been Saline Instead
WHO calls for halting COVID-19 vaccine boosters in favor of unvaccinated
Chaos and confusion: Back to school turns ugly as Delta rages
States cutting unemployment benefits didn’t get people back to work, study finds
An estimated 4 million people died of COVID in India, and while that count is from the beginning of pandemic, I don’t think it’s false to presume that a staggering majority of those deaths probably happened in spring 2021 when the Delta variant first appeared and ravaged India. I cannot even begin to put in words how incredibly maddening it has been to watch the rampant spread of Delta in America and in the West because, simply put, too many people refuse to get vaccinated. The Western world has had the audacity to hoard vaccines (and is now even talking of issuing booster shots) and then not use them, while the rest of the world dies en masse. Shameful is really the only word that comes to mind.
And Other Recent International News
China sentences Canadian to 11 years in case tied to Huawei
Belarusian Sprinter Is Granted Polish Humanitarian Visa After Refusing A Flight Home
US deserves big share of blame for Afghanistan military disaster
As Taliban Forces Close In, Women Journalists Fear For Their Lives
A Little Bit of Good News
NYC’s Non-Police Mental Health Pilot Increasing Rate of Those Getting Aid, Data Show
I’ve really appreciated having these round-ups, i hope something like them will continue. Thank you!
I also wanted to tell you that I value a lot this colum and all the work you put into it. Thank you!
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i will so miss this column. thank you for everything you each poured into it.
How do we not collapse into tiny puddles of despair? (Thank you for this column.)
I’m going to miss this column- y’all helped me focus on and contextualize all the bonkers current events of the last year +. Thank you!
So grateful for the work and care you all put into this column. Your analysis has been so helpful in making a bit more sense of things in the midst of so much. Thank you <3
I will miss this feature, although I know it is a huge amount of work for you. Thank you!
Thank you all for your incredibly hard work on this column!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank goodness that beach will be returned. Thank you for all the work you did for this column, it will be missed.
I’m going to really miss this column!
Thanks so much everyone! I’m glad you all enjoyed the column! Onwards!
Thanks so much everyone! I’m glad you all enjoyed the column! Onwards! 犀利士ptt