Thai parties that have little in common except supporting various sorts of strongmen formed a coalition to block the party that campaigns for more freedom and democracy out of power:

the Guardian

The Guardian view on Thaksin’s return to Thailand: dodgy deals can’t replace democracy | Editorial

Editorial: Voters chose progress in May’s elections. Instead, they’ve been handed a fragile political bargain between longstanding foes

A study of many scientific articles found that combinations of non-medical measures — typically mask requirements, distancing, and limitations on gathering — were effective for slowing the spread of Covid-19 and saving lives:

the Guardian

Lockdowns and face masks ‘unequivocally’ cut spread of Covid, report finds

Royal Society review looks at non-pharmaceutical interventions when applied in packages of several measures

In the future we should make sure to be ready to call for use of high-quality masks, such as N95, which protect uninfected wearers as well as blocking the spread from coughs and sneezes.

Some kinds of tree leaves could become too hot to be able to conduct photosynthesis, researchers warn:

the Guardian

Tropical forests face ‘massive leaf death’ from global heating, study finds

Some kinds of tree leaf could become too hot to be able to conduct photosynthesis, researchers warn

Those species would be wiped out.

Everyone: call on Sonic to stop using styrofoam take-out containers: https://environmental-action.webaction.org/p/dia/action4/common/public/?action_KEY=55436

Fossil fuels being subsidized at rate of $13m a minute, says IMF:

the Guardian

Fossil fuels being subsidised at rate of $13m a minute, says IMF

Oil, gas and coal benefited from $7tn in support in 2022 despite being primary cause of climate crisis

Low levels of sea ice around Antarctica killed most of the emperor penguin chicks, in a large part of that continent. They can't survive if the sea ice melts:

the Guardian

Emperor penguins: thousands of chicks in Antarctica die due to record-low sea ice levels

Breeding failures in the Bellingshausen Sea ‘without precedent’ as multiple colonies across large region all fail in a single season

As global heating eliminates sea ice, it may eliminate emperor penguins too. To save them - and to save ourselves - we need to curb global heating.

Ecuador's referendum demonstrates that the people may vote to shut down production in an oil field:

the Guardian

The message from Ecuador is clear: people will vote to keep oil in the ground | Jonathan Watts

People were overwhelmingly in favour of stopping oil drilling in Yasuní national park. Can this success be replicated elsewhere in the world, asks...

UPS workers win wage increases, air conditioning in new union contract:

Grist

UPS workers win wage increases, AC in new union contract

"This is the template for how workers should be paid and protected nationwide."

Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of Wagner, is reported to have been on a small plane that crashed, or (some say) was shot down by the Russian army:

the Guardian

Yevgeny Prigozhin onboard plane in fatal crash, says Russia

Officials say Wagner chief behind June mutiny was on jet that crashed in Tver region, killing all 10 onboard

I wouldn't take any of this as certain. But if Prigozhin is alive but in hiding for the long term, he won't be able to run Wagner effectively, so for most practical purposes it would be equivalent to his death. If Prigozhin was indeed killed by that crash, it means the end of Wagner too.

Suggesting that army officers in Niger held a coup because the president had passed a law, which European countries had pushed for, that cut off the flow of bribes to those officers:

the Guardian

Niger observers link coup to president’s support for EU migration policies

Experts say army received bribes from people smuggling until 2015 law associated with Mohamed Bazoum

I don't know enough to gauge whether this is true, or to have an opinion about that law.