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17/08/2022 ---- 20/08/2022

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20.08.2022
THEME: ENVIRONMENT

Heat wave continues in the northern hemisphere. Are nations prepared?

This summer EU, US, and China have been hit by scarcity of rainfalls and record high temperatures. Photographs from satellites show major rivers have been drying up considerably (see CNN): Colorado (US), Yangtze (China), Rhine (Germany), Po (Italy), Loire (France), Danube (Romania). Water rationing is already in place in some municipalities of Italy, while more than 100 municipalities in France are short of drinking water and need to receive shipments. In Germany boat transport has now a reduced capacity, impacting pricing and supply chain of essential materials (such as coal). Even in the Netherlands the government had to introduce restrictive measures for agriculture. Analogous measures are in place in south China to guarantee the autumn harvest. Climate change and unsustainable water management are leaving lakes dried up all over the Middle East and beyond, but the Israeli government is hopeful it has a solution: it plans to pump water from the Mediterranean sea. Israel, already a water-insecure nation since decades, has learned to treat sea water at scale to produce drinking water. This strategy has issues - one above all it is energy intensive - but it may be the best future option for many if the weather conditions of the past few months become the standard in the future. Since desalinization takes energy, it is even more important now to improve sustainable energy production. Experts’ analysis of the consequences on the economy are not bright: on one hand the current conflicts exacerbate the energy pricing, at the same time the supply chain is negatively impacted and slows down operations.

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20.08.2022
THEME: POLITICS

Kim Yo-jong slams South Korea’s “audacious initiative”

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol proposed, in his first Liberation Day speech marking the 77th anniversary of the end of Japanese colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula, that Seoul offer economic aid to Pyongyang in exchange for the North taking steps toward denuclearization. This was referred to as an “audacious initiative”. Unfortunately this attempt added to an already long list of failed negotiations - with a very short notice. The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has rejected the proposal saying that Yoon's plan is “the height of absurdity" as it is unpractical. She added that Yoon should “shout his mouth” and that “although he may knock on the door with a large plan in the future, his 'bold plan' does not work. We make it clear that we will not sit face to face with him”. South Korea's Unification Minister Kwon Young-se has expressed regret over the reaction and added that her criticism is a disservice to North Korea as well as peace on the Korean Peninsula.

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19.08.2022
THEME: POLITICS

“Asian block” nations cooperation grows as Russia-China relationship strengthens

As tensions with US over Ukraine and Taiwan continue, it is no surprise that Russia-China relationships grow stronger. The two nations declared recently a “no limits” partnership. Besides economic agreements on energy import, they are now organising joint military drills in Vostok. At this event - taking place from August 30 to September 5 - more nations will be present: Belarus, Mongolia, Tajikistan, and India. Despite India-China relationship is tense due to border issues, their current talks are aimed at setting a long term collaboration. All these nations constitute a large block - the majority of Asia - and their relationships are currently strengthening. The G20 in Bali, taking place in November, will see the leaders of these nations face to face with EU and US leaders for the first time since the Ukraine war started.

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18.08.2022
THEME: HEALTH

Dog infected with monkeypox prompts isolation warning

Monkeypox was declared a global public health emergency by the WHO in July. Currently, around 35,000 cases have been confirmed around the world, with most in Europe and north and south America. There have been 12 deaths linked to the outbreak. It has been reported in the Lancet journal the first case of human-to-dog transmission of monkeypox in Paris. The dog has been infected after catching the virus from his owner. There are no evidences the dogs can transmit the virus to other dogs or even humans. However, the big concern is if the virus gets into animals in countries that don't normally have monkeypox - then those creatures could become a long-term source of infection.

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18.08.2022
THEME: WORLD

Ukraine war: a summary of recent events

Ukraine war is continuing. After the agreement to unlock grain transportation in the Black Sea, tension is still escalating. Military activity near the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southeastern Ukraine has caused increasing concern in recent days as cases of shelling rise and experts warn that the risks of a serious nuclear incident are very real. In the meantime, attacks on Russian military sites in Crimea show that Ukraine is refusing to resign itself and instead choosing a tactic that could force the hand of its aggressor. In the meantime economic sanctions continue and are now impacting the ordinary Russia population with travel restrictions in EU. Overall, the Russian economy is shrinking, but it’s not the only one.

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17.08.2022
THEME: WORLD

Menstruation: a good start for a mindset change?

Menstruating women in India still have to live under several restrictions - they are considered impure and are excluded from social and religious events, sometimes even their own kitchens. In some rural and tribal communities, women have to stay in separate menstrual huts when they get their period. Recently, some young women have begun displaying their "period charts" on the walls or doors of their homes. The charts, that mentions the dates and duration of their periods, are not only helping them keep track of their monthly cycles - they are also helping break walls of shame that surround the topic in the country. A different idea is coming from Scotland which became the first country to make period products free. It may take time for mindsets to change but this can be a good start to make the difference.

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