US & China Swim In Dangerous Waters | Saudi Arabia’s Secret War | Come Home, America

“If you don’t like us, don’t accept our invitations and don’t invite us to come to see you. Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you.” – Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, November 18, 1956.

“From secrecy and deception in high places; come home, America. From military spending so wasteful that it weakens our nation; come home, America. From the entrenchment of special privileges in tax favoritism; from the waste of idle lands to the joy of useful labor; from the prejudice based on race and sex; from the loneliness of the aging poor and the despair of the neglected sick — come home, America.”- Sen. George McGovern (D-S.D.), speech accepting the Democratic nomination for president, July 14, 1972.

Rising Tides And Tensions: On September 30, an American destroyer and a Chinese warship barely avoided colliding with each other in the South China Sea. It was not an accident, but the closest call yet as the US Navy contests China’s military buildup in the disputed waterway. For the past several years Beijing has created artificial islands in the region, complete with aircraft hangers, runways, deepwater harbors and lately, short-range missiles. Protests by numerous other nations, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam, were ignored. Finally the Philippines challenged China before an international tribunal in The Hague. In 2016’s landmark case, the tribunal found China’s claim of historic rights over most of the South China Sea had no legal basis; further, it had violated international law by causing “irreparable harm” to the marine environment, endangering Philippine ships and interfering with Philippine fishing and oil exploration. Beijing ignored the ruling and continued its aggressive behavior.

In 2017 the Trump administration ordered the US Navy to send more warships to the region to remind China that the high seas are open to all. Beijing’s response was to send more planes and ships to challenge America’s dominance. Last year there were 18 unsafe incidents in the air and at sea between Chinese and American ships and aircraft. Concerns are growing that after 70 years of unquestioned power across the Pacific Ocean, American ships and crews are on the defensive, and there is no agreement on rules of conduct between the two navies. In May the head of the US Indo-Pacific Command told Congress that China controlled the South Pacific “in all scenarios short of war.” Without even a Cold War-style agreement on basic rules of conduct aimed at preventing escalation, American commanders fear the September 30 encounter is signaling a perilous new phase in confrontations.

Aging Like Fine Denial: Don’t swipe left so fast–this guy’s only 49! A 69-year-old Dutch man has petitioned a Netherlands court to legally change his birth certificate to reflect he’s 20 years younger than he actually is. He says doctors have told him he has the body of a younger man, and he only feels about 45, so if transgendered people can change their birth certificates, why can’t he? Honestly, judge, looking younger on paper would really help him with job hunting and dating—his argument, not ours. (NPR)

More On Th-that Tonight At Te-Te-Te-Ten: Attendees at China’s World Internet Conference got to see the introductory video of the world’s first virtual newsreader. A collaboration between the state news agency, Xinhua, and Sogu, a Chinese search engine, created the clone of an actual news anchor that will start presenting the news Thursday, wearing a sharp suit and intoning a somewhat robotic voice. Xinhua says the AI presenters can “work 24 hours a day” on its website and social media channels, thereby “reducing production costs.” (BBC)

Duterte v. Law: A 56-year-old lawyer who founded a group specializing in pro bono work for poor people targeted by President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs was gunned down outside his office Tuesday after leaving work. Benjamin Ramos was the 34th lawyer murdered since Duterte came to power two years ago. Colleagues said Ramos was passionately dedicated to helping the poor, environmentalists, activists and political prisoners, work that had angered local police and the military. In an August 2017 speech Duterte told the national police to ignore rights lawyers investigating the thousands of deaths of what he called drug addicts and dealers. Again referencing the lawyers, Duterte instructed police: “If they are obstructing justice, you shoot them.” (NYT)

– “Macron’s plan to pay tribute to Nazi collaborator Pétain stirs anger:Marshal Pétain was a first world war hero, but later disgraced as head of Vichy France” (Guardian)

– “Suicides Among Japanese Children Reach Highest Level in 3 Decades:A total of 250 children in elementary, middle and high schools committed suicide last year in Japan, the highest number since 1986.” (NYT)

The Violence In Yemen Continues: The besieged Yemeni port city of Hodeidah is being hit by some of the worst violence in the three year waras Saudi-UAE coalition troops edge closer to the city’s Houthi rebel-held center. Pro-government forces are trying to reclaim as much ground as possible before fighting is supposed to stop at the end of November, and UN-sponsored peace talks are supposed to resume in Sweden. Most civilians have been prevented from fleeing, either too poor to afford fuel, or trapped by Houthi roadblocks, and their deaths have risen 164 percent since June. Hodeidah is Yemen’s lifeline and the predominant entry point for most of the country’s imports. The Saudi-led coalition has had it blockaded since 2015, creating severe food shortages affecting half the country’s 28 million population. So far UN aid agencies have been able to forestall a full scale attack on Hodeidah.

But Houthis believe a coalition attack is imminent and have laid an estimated hundreds of thousands of landmines. On Tuesday fighters raided a hospital and set up sniper positions on the building’s roof. Wednesday Saudi warplanes bombarded, then secured, the main road to the city’s port, blocking any chance of Houthi reinforcements. The coalition sees retaking the city as necessary to clear a path to drive the Houthis out of the capital, Sana’a, and end the war. One Yemeni aid worker offered a possible explanation for these stepped-up efforts, despite the call for a cease fire ahead of probable peace talks. Reflecting on the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which brought on almost universal opprobrium and a diplomatic crisis for Riyadh, the aid worker said: “It seems there is a new push to end the war now from the coalition. The Saudis want to cover up their other crime.” If all of this is confusing and you’d like an overview of the war in Yemen, then check out Daily Pnut’s overview of “Yemen Explained: The War No One Understands.”

Do you often find yourself getting take out for dinner? Whether you’re just too busy, lacking inspiration, or you’ve fallen into a routine– sometimes it just seems easier than cooking. We get it… but it doesn’t have to be like that anymore. Home Chef is one of the largest meal kit brands out there which means they have a recipe for everyone. All you have to do is pick from one (or five) of their delicious recipes, and Home Chef will send you everything you need to make an easy and high quality meal.

Twelve Killed In Thousand Oaks: Wednesday night a 28-year-old gunman entered the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California, where young people were enjoying College Country Night, and opened fire. Twelve people were killed, including a Ventura County sheriff’s deputy who had responded to a 911 call. At least 16 were injured. The shooter, Ian Long, was found dead at the scene. Before entering the bar, he had shot the security guard standing outside. Long served in the US Marine Corps from 2008 to 2013, and had seen action in Afghanistan. In late April a mental health crisis team had been called to Long’s home after he was found to be acting “irate” and “a little irrationally”, but he was not taken into custody at that time. The shooting comes just 11 days after 11 people were shot and killed inside the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh. (Guardian)

– “Is Agnes Gund the Last Good Rich Person?: Ms. Gund is a wealthy white woman who spent a lifetime fighting for racial justice. At 80, she’s the homecoming queen of the philanthropy world. She’s also running out of cash.” (NYT)

– “Acting attorney general Whitaker has no intention of recusing himself from Russia probe, associates say” (WaPo)

– “The Healthiest People In The World Don’t Go To The Gym: Instead, they live in environments that constantly nudge them into moving without even thinking about it.” (Quartzy)

– “Researchers Uncover A Circuit For Sadness In The Human Brain” (NPR)

– “Should we really all fly less?: We know that climate change is happening – but there are plenty of things individuals can do to help mitigate it. Here’s your handy guide to the most effective strategies.” (BBC)-”Boudica the warrior queen: How a widowed queen became a rebel warrior, defying Roman patriarchy, and leading her people to glory even in defeat” (Aeon)

– “He Helped People Cheat at Grand Theft Auto. Then His Home Was Raided.: A gamer in Melbourne has had his assets frozen in connection with a popular video game cheat.” (NYT)

-”The Wild Freddie Mercury Stories You Won’t See in Bohemian Rhapsody” The real life admist the fantasy. (Vanity Fair)

– “America Is Divided by Education: The gulf between the party identification of white voters with college degrees and those without is growing rapidly. Trump is widening it.” (Atlantic)

– “What if the Placebo Effect Isn’t a Trick?: New research is zeroing in on a biochemical basis for the placebo effect — possibly opening a Pandora’s box for Western medicine.” (NYT)

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