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Every day our editors collect the most interesting things they find from around the internet and present a summary “reading list” which will include very brief summaries (and sometimes longer ones) of why each item has gotten our attention. Suggestions from readers for “reading list” items are gratefully reviewed, although sometimes space limits the number included.
Every day our editors collect the most interesting things they find from around the internet and present a summary “reading list” which will include very brief summaries (and sometimes longer ones) of why each item has gotten our attention. Suggestions from readers for “reading list” items are gratefully reviewed, although sometimes space limits the number included.
This feature is published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday in the late afternoon New York time. For early morning review of headlines see “The Early Bird” published Monday through Friday in the early am at GEI News (membership not required for access to “The Early Bird”.).
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Most of this column (“What We Read Today”) is available only to GEI members.
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Topics today include 23 articles and 13 graphics:​
- Major Health Study Shows Benefits of Combating Climate Change
- The Lancet Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health and Climate Change
- Now we know: Air Pollution Makes You Stupid
- The impact of exposure to air pollution on cognitive performance
- Sixth-Century Misery Tied to Not One, But Two, Volcanic Eruptions
- Why 536 was ‘the worst year to be alive’
- Newfound Object Is the Farthest Solar System Body Ever Spotted
- Amazon Spurts Ahead in Apparel Sale
- The ghosts of 2007 are all around us
- AP Explains: What happens in a partial government shutdown
- Corker: Breakthrough reached in shutdown stalemate
- Supreme Court upholds block on Trump’s asylum ban
- Read James Mattis’ resignation letter to Trump: ‘We must be resolute and unambiguous’ toward Russia and China
- Gains in Income Have Become More Evenly Distributed Recently
- Dow’s worst week since 2008 financial crisis; Nasdaq closes in bear market
- EU heading for recession within TWO YEARS: German bank gives MAJOR warning
- Number of babies born in Japan in 2018 lowest since records began; population decline the highest
- And More
Articles about events, conflicts and disease around the world
U.S.
- AP Explains: What happens in a partial government shutdown (Associated Press) Many agencies, including the Pentagon and the departments of Veterans Affairs and Health and Human Services, are already funded for the year and will continue to operate as usual, regardless of whether Congress and the president reach agreement this week. In all, about 75% of discretionary spending for the budget year that began Oct. 1 has already been approved by lawmakers and signed by Trump.
Still, the dispute could affect nine of 15 Cabinet-level departments and dozens of agencies, including the departments of Homeland Security, Transportation, Interior, Agriculture, State and Justice, as well as national parks and forests. More than 800,000 federal employees would see their jobs disrupted, including more than half who would be forced to continue working without pay.
- Corker: Breakthrough reached in shutdown stalemate (The Hill) Sen. Bob Corker (R, TN), emerging from a meeting in Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R, KY) office, said Friday that Senate leaders have an “agreement” on how to proceed on a House-passed measure funding President Trump’s border wall. Corker cautioned that it’s an agreement on process only, but expressed hope it could ultimately lead to a deal to avoid a partial government shutdown set to begin at the end of the day Friday. McConnell and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (NY) are expected to enter into the agreement on the Senate floor.
- Supreme Court upholds block on Trump’s asylum ban (CNN) The Supreme Court on Friday upheld a federal judge’s order blocking the Trump administration’s new asylum restrictions. Chief Justice John Roberts sided with the four liberal justices in the 5-4 ruling. The administration’s policy, signed on November 9, would temporarily bar migrants who illegally cross into the US through the southern border from seeking asylum outside of official ports of entry. A federal judge in California quickly blocked the order, and the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals agreed. Steve Vladeck, CNN Supreme Court analyst and professor at the University of Texas School of Law, said:
“It’s a major blow to the Trump administration and sends a strong signal that there are at least five justices who agree with the district court that the asylum ban exceeds the President’s statutory authority.”
- Read James Mattis’ resignation letter to Trump: ‘We must be resolute and unambiguous’ toward Russia and China (CNBC) This is a hsitoric document. It will be in history books in future years and possibly for several generations.
- Gains in Income Have Become More Evenly Distributed Recently (The Daily Shot) Household income increases have been relatively broad over the past few years.
- Dow’s worst week since 2008 financial crisis; Nasdaq closes in bear market(CNN) The Dow just suffered its deepest weekly plunge since 2008 and the Nasdaq is officially in a bear market. The miserable performance reflects deepening fears on Wall Street of an economic slowdown and overly-aggressive Federal Reserve. The Dow closed 414 points, or 1.8%, lower on Friday. The Nasdaq plummeted 3%, closing in its first bear market since the Great Recession. And the S&P 500 shed 2.1%.b For all thre market details see 21Dec2018 Market Close: Wall Street Fades Once Gain Hitting Fresh Lows On Economic Worries, Dow Dives Closing Down 414 Points Worst Week In 10 Years, Government Shutdown Weigh On Investors.
EU
- EU heading for recession within TWO YEARS: German bank gives MAJOR warning (Express) Dire warning:
Deutsche Bank says a combinations of disastrous events across member states as well as protests in France and the next European Commission elections will have a disastrous impact on the bloc’s economy over the next two years. German publication Wirtschafts Woche blamed Brexit, which they report could trigger an economic meltdown across the EU’s remaining 27 member states, as well as French President Emmanuel Macron breaching EU spending rules to soothe the Paris yellow vest protests. David Folkerts-Landau, Deutsche Bank’s top economist, told the publication that Europe’s economy could slide into recession in two years’ time due to an unregulated Brexit, as well as negative developments in France. He also said the possible consequences of the forthcoming European elections could significantly slow down the growth of gross domestic product (GDP).
Japan
- Number of babies born in Japan in 2018 lowest since records began; population decline the highest (The Japan Times) The estimated amount of babies born in Japan this year has dropped to the lowest number since comparable data became available in 1899, government figures showed Friday. The figure for the year is estimated at 921,000, down 25,000 from a year earlier, staying below the 1 million mark for the third straight year, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. Deaths during the year totaled an estimated 1.37 million, a postwar record high, with a natural population decline of 448,000, the largest ever. The data showed the pace of population decline is picking up amid the falling birthrate, suggesting it is increasingly difficult for the government to attain its goal of raising the total fertility rate to 1.8 by the end of fiscal 2025. For where this could be headed see Documentary of the Week: Will the Japanese Become Extinct?
China
- How China’s Elite Hackers Stole the World’s Most Valuable Secrets (Wired) Hackers have focused on managed serviuce providers to access company secrets across many companies and many countries. With a single initial intrusion, Chinese spies could leapfrog to industries as varied as banking and finance, biotech, consumer electronics, health care, manufacturing, oil and gas, telecommunications, and more.
- Time to Buy Chinese Stocks? (The Daily Shot) China’s stocks look cheap relative to global shares. But, of course, this could change: Stocks in other markets could come down in price..
Brazil
- Brazil prosecutors charge 42 people in alleged Petrobras bribery scheme (Reuters) Brazilian prosecutors leading the so-called “Car Wash” probe on Friday charged 42 people for their role in an alleged corruption scheme involving a construction contract for state-run oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro in the state of Bahia.
Mexico
- U.S. plan to keep asylum seekers in Mexico sows confusion (Reuters) Mexican and U.S. officials charged with carrying out a radical new change in U.S. immigration policy to process asylum seekers in Mexico say they have not been informed about how the plan will work in practice.
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