USA News Hub

In Brazil, termites have built a sprawling megacity the size of Britain SCMP

Lightning striking the Grand Canyon and a magical dive into an abyss: The stunning winners of the panoramic photography awards revealed Daily Mail. Some stunning shots.

Quebec literary prize on hold after Amazon sponsorship controversy Montreal Gazette

It’s World Toilet Day, and there is a new standard defining what a toilet should do. Treehugger. Posting this a day late….

Will shrinking aeroplane toilets stop fat people flying? Guardian

Researchers hope a ‘robo-nose’ could give K-9 officers a break Phys.org

California Burning

Rain will bring much-needed relief to California fires, but also new dangers CNN

Deadly California fires prompt bold thinking about prevention: Shelters, strict zoning, buyouts LA Times

California needs to reinvent its fire policies, or the death and destruction will go on MIT Technology Review

These Prisoners Are Paid a Dollar an Hour to Battle California Fires TruthOut. Hesitated whether to file this under this heading, or under Class Warfare.

Is a New Toxic Danger Threatening California? Capital & Main

Syraqistan

In Yemen, cities spared from war fall prey to climate change Asia Times

Syria – Back In The Arab Fold Moon of Alabama

Trump administration hawks putting US on course for war with Iran, report warns Independent

Report: Saudi royals turn on king’s favourite son after killing Al Jazeera

American Politics Could Use More Conflict Jacobin. Absolutely! Must read.

How Congress Can Take Back Foreign Policy Foreign Affairs. From the Council on Foreign Relations house organ.

Making American Foreign Policy Unexceptional American Conservative

Brexit

Brexit: the revolution eats its children EUReferendum.com

Brexit deal: Government to publish analysis comparing impact of Theresa May’s plan with remaining in EU Independent

Spain threatens to reject May’s Brexit deal over Gibraltar Guardian

2018 Post Mortem

Legal Blue Wave? New Democratic AGs Could Change the Face of Climate Fight Climate Liability News. Don’t underestimate the power of state AGs– they brought us the tobacco Master Settlement Agreement.

Big Brother IS Watching You Watch

Facial Recognition’s Growing Adoption Spurs Privacy Concerns WSJ

India

RBI Board Meeting Ends in Tentative Truce With Central Bank Agreeing To Ease Liquidity The Wire

RBI move boosts Indian banks’ lending ability by up to $42 billion: sources Reuters

Japan

Japan is using cultural diplomacy to reassert its place in the world – but is the message too exclusive? The Conversation

Nissan shares slide after Carlos Ghosn’s arrest shocks Japan – business live Guardian

Ghosn arrest sparks fears for global car alliance FT

Democrats in Disarray

Sixteen dissident Democrats vow to oppose Pelosi as next speaker WaPo

Set Up to Fail? How High Schools Aren’t Preparing Kids for College Governing

Hungry to Learn Chronicle of Higher Education. More on the struggles many college students face.

Class Warfare

Opioid Industry Fights Efforts to Make It Pay for Crisis WSJ

Will Progressives Ever Think About How We Structure Markets, Instead of Accepting them as Given? Counterpunch. Dean Baker.

France’s ‘yellow vest’ protest enters third day as fuel depots are blocked The Local

Germany scuppers grand French plans for euro zone budget Handelsblatt

Facebook Fracas

Zuckerberg blamed Sandberg for Cambridge Analytica fallout: report The Hill. I link to this account for those readers without access to the WSJ. For those that do, here’s the original WSJ story.With Facebook at ‘War,’ Zuckerberg Adopts More Aggressive Style.

Health Care

Paul Krugman explains why single-payer health care is entirely achievable in the U.S. — and how to get there AlterNet. And the Quora session: Session with Paul Krugman

Our Famously Free Press

White House correspondents ditch comedians, ask biographer to speak at annual dinner Politico Does this spell curtains for the nerd prom?

Trump Transition

Whitaker is Unfit to be Attorney General, Acting or Otherwise American Conservative

Trump likely to give U.S. troops authority to protect immigration agents Reuters

Judge bars US from enforcing Trump asylum ban AP

Ajit Pai isn’t saying whether ISPs deliver the broadband speeds you pay for Ars Technica

The Case Against WikiLeaks Is a Crisis for the First Amendment Foreign Policy in Focus

Trump Starts to Fix Clinton’s Catastrophic Crime Bill Mess American Conservative

Sentencing Reform: Real Change Or Placebo? Above the Law

Antidote du Jour:

See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.