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19/08/2022 ---- 25/08/2022

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25.08.2022
THEME: ENVIRONMENT

Unprecedented heatwave continues in China

The world's second-largest economy has experienced over 70 days of heatwaves, flash floods and droughts - phenomena that scientists say are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change. Dazhou, a city that is home to more than 5.3 million people in the Southwest, has seen particularly high temperatures. The heat reached up to 43 degrees Celsius on Tuesday, the highest on local meteorological records since 1953. The extreme weather is also testing Dazhou’s power generation capacity. Some counties and rural areas have suffered prolonged and irregular power outages, which has affected both the lives of local residents and business production. Power shortages have been a problem for many areas across the country recently, notably in Sichuan and its neighbouring city Chongqing due to the extremely hot weather. Reports of extreme conditions also came from Chinese social networks: due to 40 reported Covid cases, in Chongqing authorities ordered more than 10 million people in the city's central urban districts to undergo mandatory tests. The highest temperature in Chongqing soared past 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) and some posted their exasperation during the long waiting in the queues. The regions affected by such extreme conditions also happen to be major grain-producing areas that satisfy a substantial percentage of the yearly need (more than 25%). The rapid expansion of drought, combined with heat waves, poses a serious threat to autumn grain harvest - the Ministry of Agriculture said on Tuesday. The Chinese government is continuously allocating more funds to support autumn harvest and help drought relief that is threatening crop growth.

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24.08.2022
THEME: ENVIRONMENT

Dugong is declared extinct in China

Known as the ocean's most gentle giant, the dugong is a unique character of the sea. Weighing in at almost half a tonne and it is the only vegetarian marine mammal. Scientists at Zoological Society of London (ZSL) and the Chinese Academy of Science reviewed all historical data on where dugongs had previously been found in China. They found there had been no verified sightings by scientists since 2000. Moreover, the researchers turned to citizen science to interview 788 community members living in those coastal regions identified, residents reported not having seen a dugong for 23 years. Only three people had seen one in the past five years. Researchers concluded that this beautiful mammal, related to the manatee and inspiration of the ancient tales of mermaids and sirens, is now irreversibly extinct in China. It still exists elsewhere in the world but it is a vulnerable species as defined by WWF. Dugongs are threatened by sea grass habitat loss or degradation because of coastal development or industrial activities that cause water pollution.  If there is not enough sea grass to eat then the dugong does not breed normally. This makes the conservation of their shallow water marine habitat very important. They also often become victims of bycatch, the accidental entanglement in fishing nets.

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23.08.2022
THEME: WORLD

More than 5000 farmers protest against Modi in New Delhi

Farmer’s protests in India are causing public security issues throughout the country. This Monday farmers organizations have once again taken to the streets in protests and called for a 'mahapanchayat' (public meeting) at Jantar Mantar in the national capital New Delhi. Despite the national guard was preparing since days to the event, more than 5000 protesters broke barricades with banners and flags and marched through the streets shouting anti-Modi government slogans. They demanded president Modi take the actions he announced last November, when he said he would repeal three farm laws aimed at agricultural deregulation. Farmers claim the laws allow big companies to exploit them and demand a law guaranteeing minimum price on their crops. The protesters were also demanding the release of a group of farmers who were arrested by the police last year in connection with farmers’ agitation.

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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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