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10/08/2022 ---- 22/08/2022

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22.08.2022
THEME: POLITICS

Singapore to make LGBT relationships legal

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Sunday that Singapore will decriminalise sex between men but has no plans to change the legal definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman. A small but important step for LGBT rights in a nation where homosexual relationships are still "de facto" illegal. LGBTQ groups welcomed Lee's decision to repeal Section 377A of the penal code, but also expressed concern that ruling out same-sex marriage would help to perpetuate discrimination. Singapore is the latest place in Asia to move on LGBT rights, after India, Taiwan and Thailand. In recent years, other parts of Asia have also moved to legalise gay marriage. Taiwan became the first place to do so in 2019, and in June Thailand approved draft legislation allowing same-sex unions. Curiously enough, anti-homosexual laws were inherited from the English legislation during colonialism. While nowadays in the UK homosexual families are free and equal to heterosexual ones, many Asian governments are still struggling to accept such societal changes.

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21.08.2022
THEME: TECHNOLOGY

Uncrewed surface vessel maps Pacific underwater volcano after historical eruption

On January 15 the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai (HTHH) volcano erupted with a record global impact: it sent a tsunami racing around the world, set off a sonic boom that circled the globe twice, and it released into the atmosphere a record amount of hot vapor. Experts hypothesized that such event could impact the global ozone layer and provoke an average raise in the Earth’s surface temperature. The eruption was the largest since Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines blew in 1991, and the biggest explosion ever recorded by instruments. For this reason an international mission led by New Zealand's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) and funded by the Nippon Foundation of Japan is now in place to monitor and understand the volcanic activity. The Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) Maxlimer is part-way through mapping the opening of the underwater HTHH volcano. The data collected so far has confirmed earlier reports of continuing volcanic activity from HTHH. Sharon Walker, Oceanographer at NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory said: “Early data shows ongoing activity within the caldera, though it is too early to tell if it is due to continuing eruption but at a reduced intensity, or hydrothermal venting driven by cooling lava, or both.” Robotic, remotely controlled boats are likely to be the future of maritime operations. When surveying a dangerous area such as the active HTHH volcano, remote control ensures no crew are put in harm's way.

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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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16.08.2022
THEME: POLITICS

Aung San Suu sentenced to more prison as Myanmar’s coup strengthens

Aung San Suu Kyi is one of the world’s most prominent political prisoner. As secretary of the National League for Democracy she played a vital role in Myanmar’s transition to momentary democracy a decade ago. In 1991 she was awarded the Nobel Prize “for Peace for her non-violent struggle for democracy and human rights”. She is now detained since the military coup in 2021 and she has already been sentenced for a number of charges to 11 years. Today her prosecution continues and she has been sentenced to additional 6 years in prison in a trial held with closed doors. The trials handing down one guilty sentence after another to the Nobel Peace Prize laureate are widely seen as an attempt by the military to remove her from politics in view of the promised elections next year.

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15.08.2022
THEME: ENVIRONMENT

Leaders meet to try to pass a UN treaty to protect oceans

World leaders meet at the UN in New York for more talks to save the world's oceans from overexploitation. The UN High Seas Treaty has been through 10 years of negotiations but has yet to be signed. If agreed, it would put 30% of the world's oceans into conservation areas by 2030. Campaigners hope it will protect marine life from overfishing. Moreover, human activities like deep-sea mining and the access to marine genetics resources (MGR) will be regulated. The treaty would place parts of the world's oceans into a network of Marine Protected Areas. We hope such treaty will be signed (and enforced).

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14.08.2022
THEME: POLITICS

Women protest in Afganistan after 1 year of Taliban’s government

About one year ago the US army was completing its caotic exit from Afganistan. Since then a new Taliban government took place and enforced their interpretation of Islam. So far, it meant a lot to women’s rights and freedom. In a short time the government instructed women to cover their faces in public and government employees to grow beard, blocked secondary school for girls, established days when women can visit public parks (only days when men don’t). On Saturday about 40 women protested in Kabul demanding right to work, education, and political participation. Taliban forces fired shots in the air to disperse the group. Allegedly, some protesters have been detained.

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13.08.2022
THEME: SPORT

Bill Russell dies at 88. In his honour the NBA retired his N.6 jersey throughout the league

The National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced today that they will honour the life and legacy of 11-time NBA champion and civil rights pioneer William Felton Russell by permanently retiring his uniform number 6 throughout the league. The iconic Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer will be the first player to have his number retired across the NBA. Born in Louisiana in 1934, Russell's life was marked by an uphill battle against racism and controversial actions and statements in response to racism. His life was impacted by racism since he was a child. Later, his basket skills earned him a place in the Boston Celtics where he won 11 championships and became the league's first black (playing) coach, marking several NBA records. He leveraged this unique position in favour of civil rights and he was active in the Black Power movement. A prominent civil rights activist, he marched with Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963, condemned racial segregation and advocated for Muhammad Ali's refusal to be drafted in the Vietnam War. Ex US president Barak Obama awarded to him the Medal of Freedom in 2011.

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12.08.2022
THEME: ENVIRONMENT

Climate Change is happening and damage will be huge, experts say

In the last month several articles reported record atmospheric events. Experts say that these are linked to the ongoing climate change effects, and that in the future such events will be the "new normal". Reported events include arctic melting faster than predicted, record high temperatures in England and China, arctic storms, record rainfalls in Korea, extreme drought in EU. As pointed out by some articles, the climate risks are expected to have effects much worse than the recent economic crisis seen in the past (including pandemic and the energy crisis caused by war).

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12.08.2022
THEME: HEALTH

Homemade baby food contains as many toxic metals as store-bought options, report says

Researchers tested 288 foods bought at stores and farmers markets across the United States including grains, fruits, vegetables, snacks, teething foods, and family items that babies eat, such as cereals and rice cakes for lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium. Those heavy metals are among the World Health Organisation’s top 10 chemicals for infants and children. Results showed 94% of manufactured baby foods, family foods and homemade purees made from purchased raw foods contained detectable amounts of one or more heavy metals. So… what can we do to avoid that? The pediatrician Dr. Mark Corkins, chair of the Committee on Nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests to feed baby with as many different types of foods as possible. “If you spread foods out, and offer a wide variety of options, you'll have less toxicity," Corkins said. "And nutritionally that's always been the right thing to do to get the most micronutrients from the food you eat."

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11.08.2022
THEME: ENTERTAINMENT

Japan’s Ghibli Park about to open its doors

Ghibli’s anime movies made history of children’s entertainment. They arguably are the equivalent of Disney’s for the oriental culture. Ghibli Park is located on the site of the 2005 Expo Memorial Park in Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture - two hours from Kyoto. Tickets are now for sale and the opening is foreseen in early November.

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11.08.2022
THEME: HEALTH

North Korea's Kim Jong Un declares victory against Covid

North Corea leader Kim Jong declared a shining victory against the virus. He ordered restrictions to be lifted since North Corea has not reported any new suspected cases since July 29th. However,international observers say the country has limited testing. Moreover, the country has one of the world's worst healthcare systems with few intensive care units and no Covid treatment drugs or vaccines. The country has not rolled out any vaccination programme during the pandemic, relying instead on lockdowns, homegrown treatments, and what Mr Kim has called the "advantageous Korean-style socialist system".

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10.08.2022
THEME: TECHNOLOGY

US government invests 280 Billions in semiconductor high tech

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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