NUNZIUM

News That Matters

30/07/2022 ---- 10/08/2022

The US government has just approved investments for a total of 280 Billion dollars in order to ramp up the internal production of semiconductors and boost research in robotics and wireless communications through the National Science Foundation. Some journals report the news as an attempt in weaking the Chinese economy due to the current tension in Taiwan, which is indeed a world leader in the semiconductor industry.

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09.08.2022
THEME: ENVIRONMENT

Seoul faces the heaviest rainfall since decades

Record rainfalls hit Seoul, South Korea's capital, submerging vehicles and flooding homes and subway stations. The situation is critical with at least 8 people dead so far and many more injured. Seoul's Dongjak district recorded more than 141.5 mm of rain per hour - the highest rate since 1942, according to Korea's Meteorological Administration (KMA) - the highest rate since authorities began keeping records. The Korea Meteorological Administration said up to 300 mm of more rain is forecast for the capital area through Thursday, with southern Gyeonggi Province likely to see rains surpassing 350 mm. Wether or not this results from climate change, it reminds us that the force of nature is not to be taken lightly.

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A health official in New York State has announced that there could be hundreds or even thousands of undiagnosed cases of polio there. It follows an announcement last month that an unvaccinated man had been paralysed by the virus in Rockland Country, New York. The vaccination is the only weapon against this virus. We should be all vaccinated, especially our children. In some areas of US the access to health care and therefore vaccination are limited due to the high cost of health insurance. Unfortunately, there are still many countries where vaccination is not mandatory and still many children are not vaccinated against polio. The position of the World Health organization is clear and states that "All children worldwide should be fully vaccinated against polio, and every country should seek to achieve and maintain high levels of coverage with polio vaccines in support of the global commitment to eradicate polio."

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Colombian President Gustavo Petro was elected for a fresh global strategy to combat illegal drugs trafficking. Mr Petro told a crowd of his supporters in Bogota that it is time for a new global convention that "accepts the war on drugs has failed.It has left a million dead Latin Americans during 40 years," he said, "and it leaves 70,000 North Americans dead by overdose each year.”

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08.08.2022
THEME: ENVIRONMENT

Extreme water shortage hits the EU

Multiple European countries are experiencing historic drought conditions amid low precipitation and high temperatures made more likely due to climate change. Water shortage, cause of allert in EU nations during the whole summer, is now showing its most concrete effects. More than 100 towns in France have no more drinking water and must receive deliveries by truck. In Italy the waters of Italy's River Po are running so low they revealed a previously submerged World War Two bomb. Scientists believe such conditions will be the "new normal".

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Ukrainian forces have put civilians in harm’s way by establishing bases and operating weapons systems in populated residential areas, including in schools and hospitals, as they repelled the Russian invasion, Amnesty International reported on August 4. Oksana Pokalchuk, head of Amnesty International Ukraine, said in a Facebook post late Friday that the report “became a tool of Russian propaganda”. Similar accusations appeared in many western news, while Russians media reacted with praise and vindication over Amnesty's report. It is worth to note that Amnesty's report strongly condemn the invasion and does indicate that Russia committed war crimes.

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Great Barrier Reef is in trouble. Two-thirds of Australia's Great Barrier Reef showed the largest amount of coral cover in 36 years, but the reef remains vulnerable to increasingly frequent mass bleaching. Another mass bleaching event is occurring after the two recorded before 2016. Authorities must intervene seriously to protect and preserve the most biodiverse ecosystems in the world. Life on earth relies on life in oceans.

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05.08.2022
THEME: WORLD

Missiles fired across Taiwan strait

Japan lodged a formal protest with China after five projectiles landed in Japan's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Statements from the US and the Chinese government continue to rise in tension. In the meantime eastern news report proof of PLA's Taiwan lockdown ability. Japan PM Kishida discusses these issues with US House Speaker Pelosi.

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Shortly after the Illinois state department, the US government has declared the monkeypox outbreak a public health emergency following a spike in cases, 6600 according to health officials. Officials in the US and elsewhere have recommended that people at the highest risk of exposure - including some gay and bisexual men, as well as some healthcare workers - should get the jab on a priority basis.

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04.08.2022
THEME: TECHNOLOGY

Pig organs partially revived hour after death

An improvement for organs transplant? A study published on the scientific journal Nature shows that the technology called OrganEx was able to partially restore the functionality of pig organs an hour after death. This technology could help to preserve human organs for longer therefore allowing more peoples to receive transplant. Let’s hope that this is going to work soon!

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Kerala government on Monday confirmed the first fatality for monkeypox in India (a 22 year old man who died on July 30). At the same time a state of emergency has been declared in US Illinois, and cases continue to increase worldwide as declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) already in May. It is worth to note that 98% of cases so far are among men who have sex with men, therefore mainly impactin gthe LGBT+ community.

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After the visit to Taiwan of White House Speaker Pelosi the chinese government announced military drills, which have now started. Military excercises are intended to show that the PLA (People Liberation Army) is capable of blockading the entire island and of resolving the Taiwan question through non-peaceful ways. While western news report the drills as mere excercises without evidence of such power, eastern journals present them more seriously as a "rehearsal of unification operation", suggesting that if such drills continue it will constitute a substantial blockage of Taiwan. The situation is supposed to not change for at least the next five days. Live-fire is expected across the Taiwan strait thorugh the eastern side of the island.

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China has suspended imports of several categories of food from Taiwan including fish and seafood, edible oils, citrus fruits and biscuits and cakes, hitting publicly listed companies such as instant noodle and soy sauce producer Ve Wong and Chi Mei, which makes frozen foods. China also announced fresh military drills near Taiwan.

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The famous trial between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp concluded positively for the interpreter of the famous captain Jack Sparrow. Further, Amber Heard bid for new trial with Johnny Depp has been rejected, making the verdict final. The star of "Aquaman" has been sentenced to pay defamation damages and trial expenses for a total amount of several millions dollars.

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It is well recognised nowadays that eating processed food can increase the risk of obesity, cancer, cardiovascular problems and diabetes. A recent study presented Monday 1st august at 2022 Alzheimer’s Association international Conference in San Diego shows that people who consumed more than 20% of daily calories from processed foods had a 28% faster decline in global cognition and a 25% faster decline in executive functioning compared to people who ate less than 20%. If you want to preserve your brain: start to cook your own food!

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Nancy Pelosi's visit to Taiwan is being discussed since days. Not supported officially by the White House, her visit could be sparkling further tensions with China over Taiwan. The situation is not promising as Chinese and Russian journals already describe this visit as an unacceptable provocation. Will the governments of US, China, and Russia understand that a peaceful interaction is the only one acceptable in 2022? Let's hope so, to be verified in the next few months.

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01.08.2022
THEME: ECONOMY

EU braces for the upcoming energy crisis

European nations prepare for the likely upcoming energy crisis. Some nations are approving the extraction of resources from owned land, so far avoided for environmental reasons. Those (like Switzelrand) who are entirely dependent on the neighboring nations are working to secure purchase deals and have contingency plans in case the supply does not meet the demand. Overall, all nations are preparing themselves to face scarcity of gas supplies.

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01.08.2022
THEME: WORLD

Grain crisis has been averted

Russia and Ukarine have reached the very first agreement from the beginning of the conflict. After the signature in Instanbul, the first Ukrainian ship has finally left its port towards the black sea. Grain export is resuming, famine for millions people has been averted.

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