The U.S. pulls Japan and South Korea closer
President Biden will host Prime Minister Fumio Kishida of Japan and President Yoon Suk Yeol of South Korea at Camp David today to take a major step toward a three-way military and economic partnership.
It will be the first stand-alone summit between the leaders of the three nations as well as the first time that Biden has invited world leaders to Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland that has been the venue for some of the most important U.S. diplomatic events.
This major step would have been nearly inconceivable before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, especially considering the tense and sometimes hostile relationship between Japan and South Korea. Now, Tokyo and Seoul are trying to move past disputes over their bitter history.
Moscow’s attempt to seize Ukraine by force has sharpened the focus on Beijing’s threats against Taiwan. It has also raised concerns about the growing alignment among China, Russia and North Korea, all nuclear powers.
Analysis: The U.S. has tried for decades to get Japan and South Korea to work together on security issues. One of this meeting’s key goals is to embed cooperative mechanisms “in the DNA” of the three governments that will be difficult to reverse, said Rahm Emanuel, the U.S. ambassador to Japan.
From Opinion: For the summit to have maximum impact, it must make clear that the relationship is defined as more than just an alliance against China, Daniel Russel writes.
Israeli officials and the State Department said yesterday that the U.S. had approved the request to sell the Arrow 3, which was developed by Israel Aerospace Industries and its subsidiaries and Boeing of the U.S., in cooperation with the missile defense agencies of the two countries.
Once the details of the agreement are finalized and approvals from both the Israeli and German Parliaments are obtained, a full contract will be ready to sign by the end of 2023, according to an Israeli government statement.
Details: The Arrow 3 is considered a crucial element of Israel’s effort to defend itself against enemies like Iran. It received substantial funding from the U.S. and includes the Iron Dome and David’s Sling systems, which intercept shorter-range rockets like those fired into Israel from Gaza.
Background: Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Germany has made a U-turn in its military-averse policy. It has set up a 100 billion-euro fund to modernize its armed forces, and last year announced that it would buy U.S.-made fighter planes to update its air force.
Rising chaos as Ecuador prepares to vote
Elections in Ecuador on Sunday have drawn the world’s attention since Fernando Villavicencio, a leading candidate, was assassinated last week.
His killing has left the country of 18 million reeling, helping to make security a top concern among voters. Ecuador has struggled for years with drug trafficking, but recently the situation has worsened, and waves of extraordinary violence have transformed life for millions.
Also being decided on Sunday: whether the country will ban oil operations in a section of the Amazon that is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.
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Nothing like Ozempic or the other new drugs that treat obesity has existed before, and much about them remains shrouded in mystery. Researchers discovered by accident that exposing the brain to a natural hormone at high levels elicited weight loss, but they really don’t know why.
Scientists are hopeful this lucky success will help lessen some of the stigmas that obese people face, among them that they aren’t trying hard enough to lose weight. “The era of ‘just go out and diet and exercise’ is now gone,’” said a professor of diabetes research.
ARTS AND IDEAS
Bring back the parasol
As climate change sends temperatures soaring around the world, people who are not used to dealing with heat are learning to cope. My colleague Apoorva Mandavilli, who grew up in southern India, took a closer look at some helpful practices from regions that have faced hot weather for generations.
Some of the tricks and strategies are perhaps a bit counterintuitive, especially for those who are just now having to accept the idea of steadily warmer seasons. For example: An umbrella isn’t only for rainy days; it can also help shield you from the sun. Likewise, don’t shed those layers the moment it gets hot; a thin, gauzy layer of cloth can protect you from the direct sun.
