Politics
The damning statistics that reveal the true cost of Brexit, five years on | The Independent
As January marks five years on from Britain leaving the EU, Alicja Hagopian and Kate Devlin explore its impact
How a Mole Infiltrated the Highest Ranks of American Militias — ProPublica
ProPublica is an independent, non-profit newsroom that produces investigative journalism in the public interest.
How ‘Stop the Steal’ Became a Protest Slogan in South Korea - The New York Times
Right-wing YouTubers helped President Yoon Suk Yeol get elected. Now that he’s been impeached, they’re rallying his supporters with conspiracy theories.
Media
The Internet Is Worse Than a Brainwashing Machine - The Atlantic
A rationale is always just a scroll or a click away.
Mark Zuckerberg’s Fact-Checking Announcement Is Worse Than You Think - Slate
Meta’s return to political content, looser moderation rules, and Trump-friendly policies look a lot like Musk’s vision for X.
Climate Change
California's deadly fires pit climate crisis against an insurance crisis
California's deadly fires illuminate an insurance industry ill-prepared for the climate crisis.
‘Completely Dry’: How Los Angeles Firefighters Ran Out of Water - The New York Times
As wildfires roar into residential neighborhoods, firefighters in California and elsewhere are finding that water systems can’t keep up with the demand.
L.A. Fires Show the Reality of a World with 1.5°C of Warming | TIME
The planet crosses an important temperature threshold while wildfires ravage southern California.
Health/Biotech
Why everyone has a gnarly stomach bug right now, explained in one chart | Vox
This year’s no good, very bad norovirus season.
Annual ‘winners’ for most egregious US healthcare profiteering announced - The Guardian
Selling body parts without consent and billing desperate parents $97,599 for air transport among worst examples
Culture
Inside Zildjian, a 400-year-old cymbal-making company in Massachusetts | Vermont Public
Drummers across the globe know the Zildjian name because it’s emblazoned on every shiny cymbal they make. What’s less known is that the family has been making their famous cymbals, with a secret process, for more than four centuries.