Countering China’s Shipbuilding Prowess | In Texas, Vaccine-Choice Activists Are Ascendant | Los Angeles Mayor Ousts Fire Chief for Response to Deadly Fires, and more

Los Angeles Mayor Ousts Fire Chief for Response to Deadly Fires  (AP /VOA News)
Six weeks after the most destructive wildfire in city history, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ousted the city’s fire chief Friday amid a public rift over preparations for a potential fire and finger-pointing between the chief and City Hall over responsibility for the devastation.
Bass said in a statement that she is removing Chief Kristin Crowley immediately.
“Bringing new leadership to the Fire Department is what our city needs,” Bass said in a statement.

Nearly 100 Cases of Measles Reported in Texas, New Mexico   ((AP /VOA News)
The measles outbreak in rural West Texas has grown to 90 cases across seven counties, the state health department posted online Friday, and 16 people are hospitalized.
Most kids will recover from the measles if they get it, but infection can lead to dangerous complications like pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.
The vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella is safe and highly effective in preventing measles infection and severe cases of the disease.
There is no link between the vaccine and autism, despite a now-discredited study and health disinformation.

Mexico Eyes Constitutional Reform After U.S. Terrorism Designations  (Frances Vinall, Washington Post)
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her party has proposed reforms to the country’s constitution to better protect its sovereignty in response to the United States designating six Mexican organized-crime groups as foreign terrorist organizations. The U.S. State Department on Thursday upgraded the designation of cartels including Mexico’s Sinaloa and Jalisco Nueva Generación, which together dominate fentanyl manufacturing and importation into the United States, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. “This cannot be an opportunity for the United States to invade our sovereignty,” Sheinbaum said at a news conference Thursday, adding that Mexico would collaborate on combating organized crime but would not accept “subordination.”

US Declares Tren De Aragua, Other Cartels Are Global Terrorist Organizations (Ted Hesson, Reuters)
The United States on Wednesday designated Tren de Aragua, the Sinaloa Cartel and other drug cartels as global terrorist organizations, according to a Federal Register notice, a move that comes as President Donald Trump steps up immigration enforcement against alleged gang members in the U.S. The notice issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the groups pose a risk to U.S. national security, foreign policy and economic interests. Trump, a Republican, issued an executive order after taking office on January 20 that called on officials to evaluate whether any criminal cartels or transnational gangs should be designated as terrorism groups.

In Texas, Vaccine-Choice Activists Are Ascendant  (Economist)
Amid a measles outbreak they are lobbying for more “medical freedom.”

Only Asia Can Help America Counter China’s Shipbuilding Prowess  (Economist)
But will Donald Trump let it?