*‘Only 100 meters apart’: Ukrainians and [Putin forces] face off in Donetsk.*

I read that the Putin forces' persistent focus on taking Bakhmut is that it is the next step toward capturing 100% of the Donetsk oblast. If they take Bakhmut, and then take Kramatorsk and Sloviansk, they could boast of holding 100% of one of the regions that Putin claims to have annexed this year.

In military terms, this would be worth nothing, but that's the sort of irrationality that tends to happen under an absolute ruler.

An extremely corrupt Kansas City thug faces charges of collaborating with a drug gang to force 73 women into slavery and prostitution. He is also accused of raping people to intimidate them, and a series of frame-ups.

The whole thug department knew about his pattern of crime, and stood behind their fellow thug.

Ayatollah Khamenei is badly ill and may be dying. If he dies, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is likely to take power.

The writer speculates that the IRGC might give Iranians personal freedoms, to reduce resistance to their rule, but not democracy, and expects power rivalries to continue unchanged.

I would rejoice to see Iranians have somewhat more freedom. I hope that the US and Iran can make peace some day.

*Court Orders U.S. to Examine California Shipping Lanes' Role in Endangered Whale Deaths.*

Biden has taken significant steps towards releasing all the prisoners remaining in Guantanamo. That would enable the US to put an end to its national shame.