The South China Sea, COP28 Outcomes, & Tesla’s Massive Recall
December 14, 2023
A Sea Of Problems On The Horizon
Last weekend, China and the Philippines accused each other of undertaking dangerous maneuvers that caused a maritime collision in the South China Sea. According to analysts, the situation in the disputed area might soon drag the U.S. into the conflict thanks to the Philippines’ defense treaty with the United States.
While Beijing claims it has “indisputable sovereignty” over almost all of the South China Sea, the area it’s asserting control over includes territory claimed by many other countries, including the Philippines, South Korea, and Japan. All of those governments were set up with U.S. involvement, and together they host dozens of U.S. military bases and tens of thousands of American troops. The U.S. has mutual defense treaties with those countries as well, which might trigger if the standoffs result in the death of a Filipino.
According to a statement by the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, a Chinese vessel attacked a Philippines vessel bringing supplies to troops on a disputed shoal. The statement says that the Chinese ship “deployed a water cannon against the Philippine supply vessels causing severe damage to (one’s) engines, disabling the vessel and seriously endangering the lives of its crew.” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning accused the Philippines of encroaching on China’s sovereign territory.
“Recent actions seem to point to the Chinese trying to probe for weaknesses to exploit and test the limit of how far Washington would go for its ally,” said an analyst from a Singapore-based think tank. “Unless (the US) moves forces into position, Beijing will see no reason to avoid escalation,” added a former director of operations at the U.S. Pacific Command’s Joint Intelligence Center. It definitely seems like the military-industrial complex is gearing up for a conflict in the area in the coming years – and China doesn’t seem too concerned.
Some Good News
- Paris Ritz finds missing €750,000 ring in vacuum cleaner bag (Guardian)
- Dr. Kwane Stewart, who cares for the pets of those experiencing homelessness, is CNN’s Hero of the Year (CNN)
We’re Living In This For The Holidays
- We’re officially in hibernation season and if you’re anything like us, you want to be cozy 24/7. If you’re looking for ultimate comfort for the holidays, look no further than MATE The Label.
- You’ll love their best-selling, 100% organic cotton sweat suits. Designed with an extra roomy fit, be prepared to live in these all winter.
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COPping A Deal
- While it was quite the bumpy road to get here, the 200 countries in attendance at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai have agreed to urge nations worldwide to transition away from fossil fuels to tackle climate change. Negotiations to get to this point have taken a full two weeks, with most resistance coming from oil-producing countries like Saudi Arabia and Russia.
- The actual wording of the agreement calls on countries to transition “away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner, accelerating action in this critical decade, so as to achieve net zero by 2050 in keeping with the science,” but stops short of calling for a full-on phase out of the energy source. The agreement’s lead negotiator, Anne Rasmussen, said the deal had some good points but called it “full of loopholes.”
A Handshake In Hanoi
- On Tuesday, China and Vietnam struck up an agreement to bolster cooperation between the two countries on a variety of issues. The pact will be a big change in relations between the two supposedly communist countries, which have been regional rivals for many years.
- Chinese Premier Xi Jinping and Vietnamese Communist Party head Nguyen Phu Trong met in Hanoi to hammer out the deal, which includes cooperation clauses on maritime patrols, trade, and crime. Chinese media called the deal a “new positioning of relations” between the two nations, and the two leaders said it would usher in a new “shared future” between Hanoi and Beijing.
- The pact comes at an interesting time for Vietnam, which also upgraded its diplomatic ties with the U.S. a few months ago. The new deal will merge Vietnam’s “Two Corridors, One Belt” program with China’s “Belt and Road” initiative, including the possibility of a cross-border railway between the neighboring countries.
Additional World News
- Ukraine war: Dozens wounded in Russian missile strikes on Kyiv (BBC)
- Newly elected progressive Thai lawmaker sentenced to 6 years for defaming monarchy (AP)
- US warship shoots down suspected Houthi drone in Red Sea, officials say (ABC)
- Argentina to devalue peso by over 50% as part of emergency economic reforms (CNN)
- Indian police arrest 4 intruders for breaching security in the Parliament complex (ABC)
Middle East Reads
- After cautious criticism by Biden, Netanyahu rallies Israel’s right wing (WaPo, $)
- Nearly one-fifth of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza died due to friendly fire and other accidents, IDF says (NBC)
- Torrential rain worsens humanitarian conditions in Gaza (CNN)
- White House adviser Jake Sullivan and Saudi crown prince MBS meet over Gaza crisis (Politico)
- Palestinian poll shows a rise in Hamas support and close to 90% wanting US-backed Abbas to resign (AP)
“He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.” – Confucius
Preparing For A Summer-y Judgement
- On Wednesday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear arguments in a case that would determine the legality of mifepristone, one of the two drugs typically used in medication abortions, which make up the majority of U.S. abortions. A decision will likely come in the summer, a few months before the presidential election.
- This marks the first time the Supreme Court will hear an abortion-related case since it overturned Roe v. Wade in June of 2022. The FDA has long approved the use of mifepristone, so the outcome of this case could affect not only abortion access but the role of the FDA overall.
Steps To Safer States
- Vice President Kamala Harris met with state legislators at the White House on Wednesday for an event focused on state-level gun control. Harris announced the new “Safer States Initiative,” which outlines steps states should take to combat gun violence, as well as two new executive actions that provide states with model legislation on safe storage and reporting lost or stolen firearms.
- Among the recommended steps are encouraging state officials to establish their own state-level gun violence prevention offices, invest in gun violence prevention, ensure there is proper support for survivors and victims, and enact legislation to strengthen background checks and ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. There have been 636 mass shootings this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive.
Additional USA Reads
- Hunter Biden, Defying Deposition Subpoena, Again Offers Public Testimony (NYT, $)
- House expected to vote to formalize GOP impeachment inquiry into Biden (NBC)
- House to vote on resolution condemning testimony by university presidents over antisemitism (CNN)
- Woman suing Kentucky over abortion laws learns her embryo no longer viable (Guardian)
- Supreme Court will hear a case that could undo Capitol riot charge against hundreds, including Trump (AP)
- FBI to exhume woman’s body after Netflix docuseries examined whether her 1969 murder was linked to Baltimore nun’s killing (CBS)
Self-Driving Hits A Speedbump
- Tesla has been forced to recall almost all of its 2 million vehicles in the U.S. after a two-year investigation by U.S. regulators. The recall will limit the cars’ Autopilot features, which the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says can lull drivers into a false sense of security, leading them to misuse the technology where it can’t safely navigate traffic.
- Tesla has leaned into the idea of self-driving cars in recent years, with its “Full Self Driving” feature allowing cars to navigate city streets at the cost of a $12,000 add-on. Its “Autosteer” helps drivers maintain speed and stay in their lane on the highway – and is included free of charge, while “Enhanced Autopilot” helps drivers change lanes, park, and navigate interchanges for $6,000 extra. To remedy the issues, the company will push updates that force drivers to be more engaged with navigation while their cars are in autopilot mode.
Additional Reads
- Doritos thinks we want nacho cheese-flavored booze (CNN)
- Hiker who survived 1,000-foot fall, being stranded for 3 days at Hawaii waterfall: ‘It’s a miracle’ (NBC)
- Oklahoma City voters approve sales tax for $900M Thunder arena (ESPN)
- 2 Men Accused of Killing 3,600 Bald Eagles, Other Rare Birds in ‘Spree’ (People)
- Terry Crews and ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ Collaborators Pay Tribute to Andre Braugher: ‘You Showed Me What a Life Well Lived Looks Like’ (Variety)
- Spain seizes 11 tons of cocaine in shipping containers. Most of the drugs found among frozen tuna (AP)