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In today's newspaper roundup, we review three files that intersect with politics, economics, and health, from the possibilities of a return to the trade confrontation between the United States and China, through the White House's preparations for a stage in which Donald Trump may lose control of Congress, all the way to medical warnings about a disease that affects the thyroid gland in women, the symptoms of which may go undiagnosed for years.
We start from The Guardian newspaper, and an analysis by Eduardo Porter entitled “The trade war between the United States and China may escalate again” sheds light on the trade competition between the United States and China.
The writer believes that the impression that Beijing and Washington are moving towards an open economic confrontation has given way to other concerns.
But this sense of calm is “misleading.”
The writer believes that out of the spotlight, the world is sliding into an economic war, which historical experiences indicate could easily extend into a real confrontation.
Porter says that although a truce was reached in that trade dispute, which led to a reduction in tension between China and the United States, neither of them did much to establish mutual guarantees that could limit the outbreak of a new round of confrontation.
On the contrary, the writer believes that the focus of Washington and Beijing is on achieving superiority in what appears to be another inevitable round, and within a confrontation that both parties consider a priority related to national security, and necessary to ensure economic, technological, and military superiority.
The difference this time, according to the writer, is not competing to manufacture weapons that would allow one of them to destroy the other, but Porter explains that both parties are focused on ensuring the continuation of the international supply chains on which each of them depends, in exchange for restricting the opponent’s access to the supply chains necessary to achieve economic and technological superiority.
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What does that mean?
The writer says that the Trump administration is pumping hundreds of millions of dollars into projects to extract and process rare earth metals and other vital minerals, in the hope of reducing the gap with China, and at the same time Washington is doubling its efforts to limit Beijing’s access to advanced semiconductors, and prevent it from purchasing the equipment needed to manufacture them.
In turn, China announced a set of restrictions on advanced technology exports, including areas such as artificial intelligence chips and solar energy technologies. It threatened to punish countries that work to reduce their dependence on their mineral inputs.
The writer says that this situation may be painful for Brussels and Washington, but it is not worth fighting a war over, while warning, on the other hand, that China will have to accept that its economic strategy based on protectionist trade tendencies is not sustainable for the rest of the world.
“The combination of massive growth in exports and no growth in imports is not a sustainable situation,” concludes Eduardo Porter.
“Trump’s defeat may plunge Washington into a political stalemate.”
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And to the Daily Telegraph newspaper, and an article written by the newspaper’s chief correspondent in Washington, Conor Stringer, entitled “Trump will bypass a Democratic-controlled parliament,” saying that White House lawyers are making plans to test the limits of the president’s powers if the Republicans lose the midterm elections.
Stringer said that senior White House officials spent months preparing a plan that would allow Trump to continue passing laws without Congress' approval.
The writer believed that Trump's defeat in the elections may plunge Washington into a state of political stalemate, because Trump will find himself facing a Democratic majority and difficulty in passing legislation.
Stringer indicated that Trump intends to rely on his executive powers if the Democrats sweep the midterm elections.
The newspaper quoted an insider as saying that federal agencies had submitted proposals and legal reviews regarding steps the administration could take unilaterally.
Stringer stated that the White House refused to talk about the possibility of a Republican loss, and accused the media of promoting a false narrative, and that Trump held election rallies across the country in an attempt to maintain Republican control of Congress, even while his aides were “secretly preparing for a completely different political landscape in 2027,” the writer said.
He continued, saying that Democrats may also refuse to pass legislation supported by Trump, but the latter can use his veto power against Democratic legislation that he does not like, and it is unlikely - according to Stringer - that the Democrats will have a sufficient number of votes in the House of Representatives to override a presidential veto.
Thousands of women may suffer from thyroid problems
And to the newspaper "The Mail on Sunday" and a report on thyroid problems in women, signed by Dr. Ellie Cannon.
The author says that thyroid problems, specifically Graves' disease, affect hundreds of thousands of women in Britain, and that some family doctors do not have sufficient knowledge about this condition.
Dr. Ellie believes that there are countless women across Britain who have been receiving the wrong treatment for months or years.
She explains that the thyroid gland produces a hormone called thyroxine, which determines the speed of almost everything the body does: from heart rate and digestion, to the menstrual cycle and fertility.
She points out that if this hormone decreases, everything in the body slows down, and this condition is known as “hypothyroidism.” If it increases, everything accelerates, and this is known as “hyperthyroidism.”
Cannon says that hypothyroidism is very common, and family doctors spend much more time treating it. Symptoms include: fatigue, feeling cold, weight gain, mental fogginess, moodiness, and dry skin.
She adds that its treatment is relatively simple, relying on tablets containing manufactured thyroxine.
Hyperthyroidism is discussed much less often, according to the author.
She continues, saying that Graves' disease is the most common cause of hyperactivity of the gland, and it occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the gland. It is five to ten times more common among women than men, and usually affects women under the age of 50.
The doctor points out that the most common symptom of this disease is weight loss, which - unlike weight gain - is not bothered by most patients at first. There are many other symptoms, such as stress, anxiety, and heart palpitations, that are easy to misdiagnose as symptoms of stress resulting from a busy and stressful woman's life, the author says.
Other signs, such as hot flashes, insomnia and menopause, are often seen as the beginning of perimenopause, she says.
Cannon met Graves' patients who said they had received hormone replacement therapy to no avail, adding that middle-aged women are accustomed to hearing that the cause of everything they suffer is due to hormones, stress, or menopause. The doctor explains that this is often true, but she points out that not every hot flash is the result of menopause, and not every rapid heartbeat is caused by anxiety.
“If you feel something is wrong, ask for a simple blood test,” she concludes. “It could change everything.”
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