This and that for your Thursday reading.

– Seva Gunitsky notes that the same culture of elite impunity is behind both the Epstein files and Donald Trump’s Russian connections. And Alan Elrod writes that the Trump regime’s war on the arts can be traced to its general aim of destroying empathy. 

– Damian Carrington reports on a new expert analysis indicating that current models are grossly underestimating the financial damage we can expect from the climate crisis. Aaron Thierry comments on the politics behind the choice of victims of climate change. And Matthew Hoffmann writes about the challenge of trying to develop coordinated global action to reduce the impact of a climate breakdown when the concept of rules-based international relations is being destroyed. 

– Meanwhile, Dan Gearino discusses how the transition to electric vehicles will change our retail landscape as gas stations become non-viable and unnecessary. And Tik Root reports on a new analysis showing that the conversion to EVs is already having a noticeable positive effect on air quality in California and elsewhere. 

– Mia Maldonado reports on the results of an Oregon pilot program showing that modest income security can work wonders in helping homeless youth to find permanent housing. But Niko Block observes that the financialization of housing is pushing stability out of reach for far too many. 

– Finally, Ashley Aimone laments Mark Carney’s failure to live up to rhetoric about a well-being economy and society as he instead imposes yet another round of austerity and corporatism.