island

A single island houses 70% of the US military bases in Japan. There is a weight reason for not to come out: China

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At the end of January, in the Japan islands closest to Taiwan, Many places began to evacuate the area. The action was part of a series of drills that have been intensified in the last two years preparing for “the worst”, understanding this as An armed conflict between China and Taiwan. In fact, the most important island of Okinawa prefecture has a fact that attests to tension in the area: there is no other place in Japan with such a number of soldiers in the United States, and they have been there since World War II. Okinawa: trapped between two powers. For more than a century, Okinawa has been a territory in disputemarked by the conflict between Japan, the United States and China. Its history, which goes from being an independent kingdom to become a battlefield and military baseit reflects the weight of geopolitical decisions about the lives of its inhabitants. The island was originally The kingdom of Ryukyuan independent state that maintained tax relations with both Imperial China and with the Japanese domain of Satsuma. However, in the 1870s, Japan attached the archipelagoestablishing its control over the island. During World War II, Okinawa was the stage of One of the bloodiest battlesused as a shield to prevent US troops from reaching the main islands of Japan. After the war, instead of being returned to Japanese sovereignty, Okinawa was under control of the United Statesbecoming a military strategic point. Already in 1972, after 27 years of American occupation, The island was finally returned to Japan. However, the US military presence never disappeared. In fact, Okinawa houses 70 % of US military bases in Japandespite representing only 0.6 % of the national territory. It is estimated that there are 80,000 Americans on the island, of which 30,000 are uniformed military. The “slow” withdrawn. This week had the New York Times that the departure of those thousands of American marines has already begun, more or less, although With a delay of more than 20 years Regarding the original calendar. Before Christmas, a 105 Marines contingent that would normally have been sent to the island He was redirected to the new Camp Blaz base in Guam. This small movement marked the first trimming of military personnel in Okinawa within the agreement between Washington and Tokyo to reduce that US military presence on the island that goes back to World War II. According to the pact, 9,000 marines (almost half of the troops on the island) should be relocated at some point. However, due to the construction of replacement bases, its exit could take more than a decade to complete. United States maneuvers on the island A discontent agreement. Negotiation for the reduction of military presence It began in 1995when the case of three American soldiers who raped an okinawense girl caused massive protests on the island. This led to the United States and Japan They will agree to relieve the military load on Okinawa. As? In essence, by closing The Fuutema Air Base and the construction of a new installation in the north of the island. The first plan, signed in 1996, established a period of five to seven years for relocation, but almost three decades of that agreement, the original base remains operational and the new landing track is still 12 years after being completed. Geopolitics: the brake on the reduction. In any case, the delay in the withdrawal of US troops is due, in large part, to the growing military presence of China in the region. Recently and As we countthe Japan Ministry of Defense reported that Four Chinese warships sailed between Okinawa and a nearby islandincreasing concern in Tokyo and Washington about security in the Western Pacific. The rise of China, together with the threat of North Korea and tensions in Taiwan, has changed strategic dynamics. In fact, the times told that many in Tokyo and Washington wonder If they should really reduce the presence of marines in Okinawaespecially when the island is within the range of Chinese missiles and would be a key point in any conflict in the region. China’s hat. Although historically Okinawa maintained commercial relations with China, Beijing’s current influence on the region is seen with concern for many Japanese. The tensions between China and Japan by the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands They have fueled the fear that Okinawa can become a conflict point Between both countries. An uncertain future. For all this, and despite international pressure, the transfer of the Marines progress to slow pacealmost testimonial. Japan, meanwhile, has chosen to keep the status quoinvesting in the modernization of existing bases instead of accelerating relocation. In this regard, Camp Schwab, in the north of the island, will be the new home of the Marines relocated from Fuhenma. The construction includes an area of ​​land five times greater than the pentagon to house landing clues and hangars. It does not seem, therefore, that you think too much about an exit. For its part, Camp Fosterin the southern part of Okinawa, it is being remodeled with new barracks, schools and homes, consolidating the military presence in that area. Japan spends According to the New York Times1.5 billion dollars a year in the construction of new facilities, in addition to the 2.8 billion dollars already allocated to Camp Blaz base in Guamwhich, as we said, will house a part of the displaced marines of Okinawa. Yet, Pentagon still does not provide a clear calendar For relocation. And here we return to the exit box: in case of conflict in Asia, LTo Guam’s remoteness could represent a strategic problemsince the Marines would have to return to Japan crossing a combat zone. Thus, what is clear is that the island remains a key piece on the Indo-Pacific board, trapped between the strategic needs of the United States and Japan, and the own aspirations of autonomy of its population. Image | US Indo-Pacifi In Xataka | The Japan islands closest to Taiwan have begun to evacuate the area. They have been preparing … Read more

This strategic and tiny island has been disputed for 200 years. And the US and Canada still are not clear to whom it belongs to

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The recent one Donald Trump’s insistence on Annexar Canada as the 51st state He has given for reflections in the American political sphere. While the idea does not seem taken seriously in Washington and the Canadian government has made it clear that it has no interest in joining the United States, The New York Times performed an electoral code analysis of such a scenario revealing an unexpected consequence: the incorporation of Canada would guarantee a political advantage for the Democratic Party in future elections. Be that as it may, the only certain thing in this whole story is the eternal dispute over an islet between both nations. An island and its importance. WE TALK ABOUT MACHIAS SEAL ISLANDa small islet of 18 hectares located at the point of confluence between the Bay of Fundy and the Gulf of Maine, which represents the last territorial dispute between Canada and the United States. Although its rock size and geography are little or rather liable, its strategic value and the wealth of its waters They have maintained the latent conflict for more than two centuries. A lighthouse as a symbol of sovereignty. The history of the dispute goes back to the war of 1812when both the United States and Great Britain claimed the island and its surrounding waters due to their location on an important navigation route. In 1832, Great Britain built a lighthouse on the island To consolidate its control, and since then, Canada has maintained a permanent presence in the place through Farros that, in addition to its maritime signaling work, act as symbolic guardians of Canadian sovereignty. In this regard, Russell and Anthony Ross, Farros brothers, turn every 28 days to keep the lighthouse in operation. Isolated on the island, their work goes beyond surveillance: they receive visitors who arrive in summer and, in winter, they support the extreme climate of the Atlantic without the possibility of returning to the continent until its allocation ends. For them, the island is more than a territory in dispute: it is their temporary home and a symbol of a tradition that few still keep alive. Frailecillos on the island A sanctuary for wildlife. Despite its uncertain geopolitical status, Machias Seal Island is recognized as a sanctuary of sea birds. The reason? Thousands of Atlantic Frailecillos, Common Mergles, Arctic Charranes and Common Alcas nest there every summer, making it a reference point for scientists and bird observers. In fact, the Canadian Wild Life Service protects access to the island, allowing only the arrival of two daily tourist boats, One from Maine and Another from New Brunswickwith a limited quota of visitors. Scientists like Tony Diamonddirector of Atlantic Laboratory for Avian Research, have studied these colonies since 1995, highlighting the importance of the island’s ecosystem as a thermometer of the state of the ocean. Tourism under surveillance. To avoid major evils, the experience of tourists is rigorously controlled. So much so, that to avoid damage to nests, They must remain in wood cattleway and use small observation structures camouflaged in the landscape. Although getting to the island is not easy, most of Visitors consider the effort to be worth itsince it is one of the few places where you can see these frailecillos in their natural environment without disturbances. The dispute: Waters of the gray zone. Beyond the small islet, the true conflict between Canada and the United States is not on earth, but rather in the sea. The waters around Machias Seal Island They are known as the “Gray Zone”an area of ​​approximately 700 square kilometers where both countries claim fishing rights. Moreover, in the last decades, The growing lobster demand has turned the area into a crucial economic resource. The price of crustacean has tripled, reaching values ​​of up to 4 Canadian dollars for 400 grams, which has promoted the prosperity of fishing communities Like Grand Manan, in Canada. Live in the conflict. For many fishermen, The gray zone represents a constant income opportunityand although there are no formal agreements, they have developed a coexistence system based on mutual respect. Of course, not everything is harmony. As the lobster demand has continued to increase, The pressure on marine resources is increasing. Sector veterans warn that The overfishing could exhaust the lobster populationfollowing the same collapse pattern that affected the herring industry, background fish and scallops in the past. Uncertain future. Be that as it may, and despite the territorial dispute, so far Canada and the United States have avoided an open conflict about Machias Seal Island and the gray areamaintaining that fragile balance between the symbolic presence of Canada on the island and the joint fishing exploitation in its waters. Yet, The recent political and commercial tensions between the two countries They have generated uncertainty about the future of this enclave. In that sense, Trump’s latest statements have not helped. The inhabitants of the island, whether beareros, scientists or fishermen, continue with their lives at the same time that international policy follows its course. While the frailecillos continue to nest in the cliffs and lobster ships they slaughter in the gray area, the islet is maintained as a tiny point on the map, although not any one: one with a geopolitical, economic and ecological influence much larger than its size suggests. .Imagen | Melissa McMasters, Melissa McMasters In Xataka | The longest dispute is a 500 -year -old mystery. Spain still knows if tiny lands belong to Tenerife In Xataka | China has been claiming as its islands from Japan 130 years. So he has made a decision: surround them with buoys

‘The island of temptations’ overwhelming in February

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Finally, it has neither ‘Big Brother’ nor ‘First Dates’ nor, of course, ‘Next Level Chef’ the Mediaset bet that has planted that roller of audiences that are ‘El Hormiguero’ and ‘La Revuelta’. He has been an old acquaintance of the house (eighth year already) in the genre that I rent the most of Telecinco (the realitiesSubsection beaches and sand), and with the unexpected help of this year’s great television viral surprise: Montoya. The frightened of Montoya. Montoya’s attempt to enter the house where his girlfriend was with one of the seducers has gone around the world for his many comic elements: the overflowing passion of the contestant, the screams of Sandra Barneda asking him to return, the (possible) good Physical form of the camera that had to follow him … all that made a more than possible script scene but, fiction or not, it was exciting, which has generated Thousands of memes in everyone. We are left with Don Pico Patobut yesterday Whoopi Goldberg It was a trend in Spain Because in his morning debate program he had spoken with his Dyslate of Montoya. Good audiences. Before the final explosion of Montoya we talked that the program had not started with audiences especially high. Last week, when Montoya began to be a family name, the season had an average audience close to 16% of Share, similar to last year. But from there, he has not stopped climbing. Strategies in search of audience. The tactic that Mediaset has carried out is to chop its Monday program, first issuing an “express” edition that retains interest and competes with ‘El Hormiguero’ and ‘La Revuelta’. This past Monday was issued between 22.06 and 23.10 and reached 14.9% screen share, an absolutely unheard of Telecinco (‘Big Brother’, when it was issued in that section of coincidence, it stays at 6%) . ‘El Hormiguero’ got 14% of Share and ‘La Revuelta’ 15%, with which Montoya was only a tenth below Broncano. From that point of the night the audience of the reality He shot, reaching 21.4% and defeating their competitors: the talent culinary ‘bake off’ and the Turkish soap opera ‘Renacer’. 9 out of 10. Even before the global domination of the Montoya Meme, ‘The island of temptations’ already had a brand to show off: 9 of the 10 most viewed emissions in January belong to them. It is a space that usually dominate the afternoon snakes of La1, but Montoy Prime Timebut certainly explains the interest that this new edition has aroused. The audiences, child. Since ‘the revolt’ they have always made references to the war of audiences with ‘El Hormiguero’, not taking them too seriously (especially, because frivolizing about their value is also a form of attack to those who do value them), and This Tuesday was Lalachus the one that referred to the entrance of the new contender. Broncano finished the issue with a reference to one of the most ridiculously viral aspects of suffering from Montoya: “The battle of the decade, interrupted by a pussy in the neck.” Header | Mediaset In Xataka | Broncano, Giró and Buenafuente: the plan of the new director of TVE to put the war of audiences up

‘The island of temptations’ had been without great successes for years, but it has revived thanks to an unusual memes reef: Montoya

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‘La Revuelta’, in La1, coincides a couple of days a week with ‘The island of temptations’, the tronado reality of TV5 of couples who undergo high pressure tests to demonstrate their love. On January 29, Broncano and her guest, singer NIA, chatted for a while of the abundant plots that the Mediaset program has generated: that is the level of the eighth edition of the program, commented to In its direct competition. Or as with Retraca they recognized in one of the subtitles of the program, “the debate of ‘The island of temptations’ is in La1. TV in Spain is more complex than Marvel Multiverse” Ascent audiences. The audiences with which this edition of ‘The island of temptations’ started They were not especially high. Although it is still to see the average audience of the season, which currently is around 15.4% of Share (something less than last year), in recent weeks its audiences are exceeding 16%, as its content is viralized in networks: its maximum was obtained this last Monday, with a remarkable 18.5%. In any case, it remains far from those stratospheric audiences of 24.1%, 22.5% and 26.3% of the first three editions. What makes this edition different? Without a doubt, their contestants, who have managed to generate viral content without a price. Let’s briefly remember the rules of the contest. A series of couples come to an island, where they separate in two large groups: boys and girls will be tempted in their respective residences, and their partners will later see the images of nonsense, erotic games, dances and falls in plate in temptation. Of course, the more exaggerated the reactions of their partners seeing them “sin”, the more television it results. And thus, the Sevillian Jose Carlos Montoya has become a living meme with his exorbitant reactions to the behavior of his girlfriend Anita. What Montoya has done now. In these weeks that the eighth edition of the program has been running, there have already been criticism for the High level of toxicity of one of the couplesbut Montoya like for that imposed drama, almost an involuntary parody of the Latin character. That personality of an advertisement of colony that has led to Open several shirts to pull As a gesture of spite, literalizing so many couplets about misfortunes, passionate (not knowing that “breaks the shirt” is sometimes also a metaphor); to run aimlessly and finally collapse in the sand of the beach between shoutsas in a karaoke video; And as a great final number, break into the house of the brides to catch her In fraganti in bed, crazy whose conclusion will be seen on the night of February 5. A meme that crosses borders. Montoya’s clear precedent on the island are contestants from other editions that ranged from the cartoon jealousy (“Manué, La Manita Relajá“) or the passions that spread much further further and their weak human wrappings (that cristofer scream”Estefaníaaaaa! “In the first season and that closes the circle with the escape of Montoy Trochants Memesnext to threads that review their life out of the island and inside. But Montoya also transcended borders: It is not necessary to understand Spanish to alone in your body expressiveness of MUPPET in love. A dead end. Montoya is the perfect example of all the needs, attractions and problems of the program: it is very hilarious to contemplate its naked behavior, but we all know that it is creating show. There is an abyss between Montoya and the Primal “Who puts my leg on me“From the first edition of ‘Big Brother’, disarming in its naive ‘Blind trust’ that was crowned as the best reality Spanish of all time. Here we all know the rules of the game, and that makes it more wild, but in essence, much less human. Header | Mediaset In Xataka | Japan had a real “Truman show”. And it was starred by a man locked up, naked and forced to survive with coupons

In 1930, Japan sent rabbits to an island to test chemical weapons. A century later something is killing the creatures

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In the quiet region of the Seto Inland Sea, three km off the coast of the Japanese city of Takehara, in Hiroshima prefecture, lies Ōkunoshimabetter known as Usagi Jima or Rabbit Island. Today, the island is famous for being home to hundreds of wild rabbits that roam freely fed by tourists and living without predators. However, behind this idyllic image hides a dark past. In World War II the island was a secret center for the production of chemical weapons by the Imperial Japanese Army. The rabbits are “children” of that experiment, and now they are dying. A secret from the past. During the 1930s and 1940s, Ōkunoshima was the epicenter of the manufacture of so-called mustard gasphosgene and other chemicals used by Japan against Chinese soldiers and civilians. Estimates suggest that These toxic agents caused around 80,000 deathsand to test the effects that those experiments had a small rabbit fauna was launched onto the island which was increasing in number. To give us an idea, the strategic importance of the island was such that was removed from Japanese maps to keep their activities secret. Since then, there has been speculation that the number of current rabbits are direct descendants of those used in the poison gas testing experiments at the island’s military laboratory. According to Professor Ellis Kraussfrom the University of California, San Diego, most of the test rabbits were slaughtered by American forces after the Japanese surrender in 1945, but those that escaped their fate transformed the place. Rabbits and more rabbits. Therefore, and given that it seems unlikely that there are surviving creatures that inhabited the place during the military era, the question has always been to discern which are direct descendants and which are not, in which case, where the hell did they come from? One of the most accepted theories suggests that, in 1971, a group of students released about eight extra rabbits on the island. The absence of predators, the prohibition of hunting and the inability to keep pets such as cats or dogs have allowed the population to grow uncontrollably until it reaches approximately 1,000 individuals today. The impact of tourism. Although rabbits have made Ōkunoshima a very popular and tourist destinationthe increase in visitors has generated serious environmental and animal welfare problems. As? The practice of feeding rabbits inappropriate foods, such as cabbage, has led to digestive problems and nutritional deficiencies, reducing their life expectancy to just two yearsmuch less than in natural conditions. Besides, feeding dynamics are inconsistent: On sunny days and holidays, tourists provide large quantities of food, while on rainy days or out of season the animals are left without supplies, facing a shortage of resources, since the island’s vegetation has been devastated by overpopulation. And if all this were not enough, a mystery surrounds the island these days. They are dying without explanation. According to the Japanese authorities, More than 70 rabbits have died in circumstances not yet clarified. Last Thursday, Police arrested a man identified as Riku Hotta25, on suspicion of having kicked at least one rabbit on the island. The animal reportedly died shortly after the incident, prompting authorities to investigate whether there is a connection between Hotta and the discovery of those 77 carcasses. between November 26 and January 12. The bodies of the 77 rabbits were apparently found with unnatural injuries, such as broken bones, which has further sparked concern among authorities and tourists. Possible causes of death. As we said, despite the arrest, authorities have not yet determined a conclusive cause for the death of the creatures. However, Japan’s Ministry of Environment has indicated that Possible reasons could include: Infectious diseases, which could have spread due to the high population density and irregular diet provided by tourists. Adverse weather conditions, especially the cold of winter, could be affecting the rabbits, whose food depends largely on occasional visitors. Human factors, such as acts of cruelty or negligence, since there have been cases of visitors not following animal care guidelines. In this regard, and given that the suspect (Hotta) is not a resident of the island, but of Otsu, in Shiga prefecture, located halfway across the country, it is being investigated whether he made sporadic visits to carry out said attacks. Meanwhile, the Japanese government has stressed that is working together with veterinarians and animal welfare organizations to identify the causes of these deaths, and does so while reinforcing surveillance and monitoring of the island to prevent future incidents. Future measures. There is no doubt that in a society like Japan, where pets occupy a prominent place, the incident has prompted calls to strengthen the island’s security and improve regulations to protect rabbits from possible aggressors. Options are being studied such as the installation of surveillance cameras, access restrictions and awareness campaigns to guarantee the well-being of the animals and the sustainability of the island as a tourist destination. The paradox of an island with a dark past. Rabbit Island represents a fascinating example of how a place’s military past can be transformed into a tourist attraction. Furthermore, it also highlights the challenges of human intervention (once again) in ecosystems. Image | Chih-Wei In Xataka | Japan sent the wrong creature to eradicate snakes from an island. The disaster was so big that it took half a century to solve it In Xataka | In 1940, a creature snuck onto an island in the United States and devoured everything. Today two of the species most feared by humans coexist alone

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