American and Chinese Competition
It was already heated, but the incoming Trump administration has left little doubt about how they will address trade relations between the world’s two largest economies. Already China has been scrambling to circumvent existing tariffs. One practice has been incorporating new companies in countries like Vietnam or Singapore and moving production there so the goods will not technically be “Chinese.” Xi has also been forced into the ironic stance of promoting free trade. But with the Chinese economy on the back foot, dismal population demographics, and the certainty that Washington will not be backing down, there are not many other options. Massive stimulus packages are being pumped into their economy. Xi recently presided over the opening of a massive port in Peru, one of the many infrastructure projects China has financed to facilitate trade with its BRICS partners and others. Still, there is no substitute for the American market and we will be closely watching how this dispute unfolds.
All Trans Squad
A soccer team in Spain consisting entirely of “trans men” (born female) has been federated, officially accepted by the league, albeit regionally and into a low tier. It is the first of its kind in Europe. The Catalan men’s league in which the team competes already allowed women to play, so many issues regarding gender were avoided. Their first game resulted in a loss with a score of 19-0.
A Map to Noah’s Ark
A Babylonian clay tablet from the 5th century BC has made headlines recently. Discovered in the late 1800’s, the artifact is housed in the British museum. An additional fragment was discovered in 1995. One side has the oldest known map in the world and the other is text only. The cuneiform writing has been a puzzle, but recent breakthroughs have led to the conclusion that it contains directions to what we would call Noah’s Ark! There is a Babylonian flood tradition that is very similar to what we are familiar with from the Bible. The text gives travel directions, including distances. It also mentions the mountain “Urartu,” the Assyrian equivalent of “Ararat,” where the Ark is recorded as grounding.
When Parrots Attack
A town in Argentina has faced a growing, seasonal invasion of parrots. Locals estimate their numbers peaked at 50,000 last winter, or five times the human population. Parrots are beautiful and intelligent birds but they are also extremely loud and possess fearsomely strong beaks, not to mention that thing they do on cars. Beyond the nuisance and mess there has been real destruction, like biting the insulation off of power lines and causing them to short out. Efforts to get them to relocate have so far proven futile.
Asylum for Women
The European Union has ruled that being a woman from Afghanistan is enough to qualify for asylum. This in response to the severe restrictions that have been imposed since the Taliban retook control of the country. The new rules include being forced out of many professions, banned from higher education, enforcing strict dress codes, and many travel restrictions.
Fawzia Amin Sido
…is the name of a girl recently rescued by Israeli forces in Gaza. Unlike other hostages, Fawzia had been in captivity for ten years. She was abducted in Iraq by ISIS at the age of 11 before later being taken to Gaza. Thousands of other children faced similar horrors at the hands of ISIS, being stolen from their homes, abused, and sold into slavery. Her path to freedom began when the man who had purchased her, a member of Hamas, was killed.
Controversial Migrant Plan
Italy has negotiated a deal with Albania to accept and process up to 3,000 of the migrants that arrive on Italian shores each year. In addition to relieving pressure on their systems and facilities, the plan is expected to serve as a deterrent as migrants typically try to reach wealthier countries with more robust social programs. A limited number have already been transferred to Albania. However, many of those have been sent back to Italy after activist Italian judges deemed their countries of origin, such as Egypt, “unsafe.” This infuriated the current government, which believes the designation is not deserved in many instances and is only being applied to undermine the scheme. A similar agreement between the UK and Rwanda was canceled after the new Labor government took power.
Columbus!
DNA testing claims to have settled the dispute over the heritage of Christopher Columbus. Samples were taken from his remains as well as those of his son. The results indicate Columbus was a Sephardic Jew from somewhere in southern Europe. There have been many competing theories as to his origins over the centuries. Ferdinand and Isabella, the Spanish monarchs who hired Columbus, are also the ones who required all Jews to convert to Catholicism or leave the country. This likely contributed to some of the ambiguity around Columbus’ roots.
La Casa Del Cuy
That’s Spanish for, “The House of the Guinea Pig” and it is the name of a restaurant located in New York City. Guess what they specialize in? Guinea pigs are commonly eaten in countries like Ecuador and Peru, to which they are native. The bulky rodents reproduce rapidly with up to four litters a year. The meat is also said to be lean, though it is certainly not among the “clean” animals listed in Leviticus 11. It is also rather alarming to see the furry, pet store staple, shaved and roasted whole on a spit, looking for all the world like the biggest barbecued rat in history. Which it may well be.
China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition
The week long event showcases civil and military manufacturers and results in tens of billions of dollars worth of sales. Weapons and drones factor in, as does China’s first domestically produced airliner, which they hope can begin to compete with dominant American and European manufacturers. The J-35 fighter jet is of great interest. It looks much like the American F-35 but little is known about its performance and weapons capabilities. China plans to use a modified version on its nascent fleet of aircraft carriers. An advanced Russian fighter, the SU-57, is also present in a show of solidarity. Other products on display include helicopters, submarines, and an unmanned space plane China intends to use to supply their space station.
Iron Beam
Israel has signed a contract to augment its famed Iron Dome missile defense system. The Iron Beam is a high powered laser capable of taking out missiles, drones and rockets. It has the advantage of not requiring expensive munitions to operate, though it is not intended to replace the traditional projectiles that have so successfully protected Israel from aerial threats.
Diet and Depression
Edinburgh University is taking a new angle to understand and treat conditions such as bipolar depression. They are advocating for it to be understood as an issue with the body’s underlying processes rather than just an emotional problem. They have opened a “Hub for Metabolic Psychiatry” that will further investigate how our basic needs, like diet and sleep, affect these diseases. An early study showed over 30% of participants with bipolar depression reporting significant improvement after 8 weeks on a Ketogenic diet, which excludes carbohydrates. While the results are encouraging, they hope to understand why some respond to these types of treatments while others do not.
