Global
Neither Hot war in the Middle East and ICE war in Middle America are going well, thanks to the US government being pretty much on the wrong side of both of them. It may thus be necessary to steal the upcoming elections and whip up hysteria against our current group of Americans-in-training to distract from, well, the government lacking the consent of the government, or any other legitimacy. And while they’re at it, removing the environment from the path of profit seems like a bold avenue of lunacy.
Central Ohio stands on the grounds of manufacturing plants, freight lines, and defense contractors , where generations of Columbus citizens built the city with their hands by working in factories, loading docks, and construction sites long before it was an "innovation hub." However, that legacy is harbouring a hazard often overlooked: asbestos exposure. For decades, this toxic mineral was the go-to material for insulation, machinery parts, and construction—prized for its heat resistance and durability. That widespread use came at a cost: millions of workers and many service members breathed in asbestos dust during much of the twentieth century.
Tuesday, July 21, 7 – 8pm EDT
Zoom
As some of you may be aware, July 16th marks the 81st anniversary of the Trinity Test, the world’s first explosive test of a nuclear weapon which was conducted in New Mexico. While the blast was visible up to 160 miles away, The U.S. government did not warn local communities or people living downwind of the explosion about the test or its lethal effects.
For our July Meetup, we’ll be joined by guest speaker Tina Cordova at the top of the hour (with a Q&A session afterwards). Tina is a seventh-generation native New Mexican and co-founder of the Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium, seeking justice for the unknowing, unwilling, and uncompensated victims of the Trinity Test. She was also a guest on the first episode of the Back from the Brink Podcast.
As an accomplished community organizer and nuclear abolition activist, Tina has a great deal of wisdom and insights that you will likely find helpful in your local advocacy and organizing.
America’s latest forever war continues to ravage the middle east as US forces bomb Iran for the tenth consecutive night in a series of exchanges which The New York Times reports have caused a significantly higher number of injuries to US troops than the Pentagon has acknowledged.
President Trump is saying that “Every time Iran kills an American Soldier they will pay for that killing many times over” while simultaneously guaranteeing more Iranian retaliations with the ongoing onslaught, which could of course easily end up killing more US troops.
In Donald Trump’s America it is always possible to wake up in the morning and peruse online the overnight headlines to discover something new and exciting. Over the past week it has been a medley of going to war (again) with Iran coupled with a complicated performance on other issues as President Trump apparently takes aim at his enemies in the US and elsewhere. America’s Secretary of War Pete Hegseth is fully on board with a surge in worldwide mayhem. He is looking forward to an increase in US initiated violence, ordering that male soldiers, airmen, sailors and marines be tested for their testosterone levels.
In a thrilling conclusion to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Spain emerged victorious, defeating Argentina 1–0 in extra time. While the sport will focus on Ferran Torres’s decisive 106th-minute goal, for many observers, this result carries a weight that extends far beyond the pitch at New York New Jersey Stadium.
A Stark Contrast on the Global Stage
The final match served as a symbolic intersection of diverging global politics. Argentina’s recent international posture has drawn significant criticism, most notably its position at the United Nations. In March 2026, the UN General Assembly passed a landmark resolution regarding historical accountability; notably, only three countries—the United States, Israel, and Argentina—voted against it. For those concerned with historical justice, this vote was seen as a troubling alignment with ideologies that seek to minimize or deny the enduring legacies of systemic oppression.
Following seven consecutive nights of U.S. strikes in Iran, the IRGC announced it was targeting U.S. military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan and warned other countries hosting U.S. forces of possible retaliation.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense stated that two U.S. troops were killed, one remains missing, and four others were seriously injured after an Iranian strike in Jordan on Saturday, July 7, 2026. Al Jazeera reported today that 16 U.S. service members have been killed and more than 430 others have been wounded since the outbreak of the war with Iran last February.
Iran says it will continue to resist what it describes as foreign aggression. In my view, President Trump is using the war with Iran to bury the Epstein files in much the same way that President Bill Clinton did in 1998 when he ordered the bombing of the largest pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum, Sudan.
The factory produced medicines for both human and veterinary use and employed more than 300 workers. At the time, the U.S. government claimed the factory was being used to produce VX nerve agent, according to Wikipedia.