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29/12/2022 ---- 06/01/2023

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06.01.2023
THEME: ENVIRONMENT

Exceptional temperatures are occurring in Europe: a trend with potentially serious consequences

While the US is dealing with the consequences of the century winter storm, the situation is diametrically opposite in Europe. National temperature records for January have been established in eight countries. For instance, in Warsaw, the temperature reached 18.9C, while in Spain, it went even further to over 25C on January 1. In Switzerland, temperatures hit 20C in Geneva, and the warm weather has affected ski resorts across the Alps due to the absence of snow. Switzerland's Alps are renowned as the water bank of Europe. According to recent studies, Swiss glaciers are melting at an unprecedented and increasing speed. They have lost more than half their volume in less than a century. With the temperature increase in recent years, the volume loss is accelerating. Comparing topographic images of glaciers from the 1930s to those from the last ten years establishes a link between ice loss and global warming. Furthermore, after the heatwaves involving the whole Northern Hemisphere last summer, regions of ground that were covered by ice for thousands of years became exposed due to melting. Ice measurements last summer were off the chart, showing three times more mass loss over one year than the average over the previous ten years. Glaciers are often referred to as the water towers of Europe. They store the winter snow and release it gently over the summer, providing water for Europe's rivers and crops, and cooling its nuclear power stations. Last summer, severe droughts hit Europe, provoking several issues, such as the need to transport drinking water in dry regions. Considering these recent events, the current high temperatures and accelerated melting glaciers are no good news for the old continent. It is uncertain how some large European areas would survive without a constant mountain water source.

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03.01.2023
THEME: WORLD

The first death from brain-eating amoeba infection was reported in South Korea

South Korea has reported its first-ever case of, and subsequent death by, the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria Fowleri. The patient, who died on December 21, had been suffering from meningitis symptoms caused by the pathogen, the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) confirmed Monday. In a statement, the KDCA said the patient had experienced fever, headache, vomiting, neck stiffness, and loss of the ability to speak, having returned home recently from a four-month trip to Thailand. N. Fowleri is typically found in freshwater, lakes, rivers, and hot springs. It is the only species of Naegleria that infects humans, and while infections are rare, they are often fatal – the death rate is over 97%. The amoeba enters the body via the nose. It then travels to the brain, where it can cause primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), an infection characterized by the destruction of brain tissue, brain swelling, and eventually death. The organism mainly thrives in warm water and heat and grows best in high temperatures up to 115°F (46°C) but can sometimes survive warmer temperatures. As of 2018, 381 cases have been reported worldwide, mainly from US, India and Thailand. While currently reported cases of this deadly amoeba are rare, as climate change and global warming heat the planet, this heat-loving amoeba may thrive, making infections common.

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02.01.2023
THEME: WORLD

A few facts marking the end of 2022 and the start of 2023

2022 was undoubtedly a year that will be remembered. We have seen the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, but at the same time, growing global inflation and a steep deterioration of international relationships. War in Ukraine started earlier in February and is still ongoing while the Taiwan crisis grows. Moreover, exceptional atmospheric events occurred in the northern hemisphere, both in summer and winter. In the few final days of 2022, two famous characters died, marking the end of the year. From the world of sport, more specifically soccer, it was Edson Arantes do Nascimento - who died on 29 December 2022 at 82 - known by his nickname Pelé. He was regarded as one of the greatest players of all time and labelled "the greatest" by FIFA. In 1999, he was named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee. He was included in the Time list of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century. His 1,279 goals in 1,363 games are recognised as a Guinness World Record. After retiring in 1977, Pelé was a worldwide ambassador for football and made many acting and commercial ventures. In 1995, he became the Brazilian minister for sport. Just two days after Pelé death, a pope of the Catholic Church died too. Pope Benedict XVI - born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger - died on December 31 at 95. He became famous among popes for somewhat controversial facts and opinions. After his election in 2005, Benedict chose to be known by the title "pope emeritus" upon his resignation, and he retained this title until his death. It was the first time a pope spontaneously retired since 1294. During his short reign, he became known for his anti-LGBT positions and was called homophobic by many. He was also accused of failing to adequately take action against clerics in four cases of alleged abuse while he was Archbishop of Munich and Freising from 1977 to 1982. The first positive news of 2023 comes from the world of international politics as Croatia adopted the euro currency and entered Europe’s passport-free Schengen zone starting January 1 - after nearly a decade since joining the European Union.

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29.12.2022
THEME: WORLD

Covid cases surge in China while international tensions grow due to the Taiwan crisis and new travel restriction

Just a month ago, China faced rising socioeconomic pressure due to rigid restrictions against Covid. Lockdowns were frequently in place to limit the virus spread and maintain the sanitary situation under control. However, such measures' economic and social costs have been incredibly high, so the government has recently decided to ease the grip on the virus. The National Health Commission announced that the management of COVID-19 will be downgraded from Class A to Class B from January 8. It means that there will be no more quarantine for people entering the country, and there will be no isolation of COVID-19 cases and the designation of high-risk areas. The government will gradually resume the entry and exit of passenger transport through water and land ports. International passengers coming into the country should still take a nucleic acid test 48 hours before departure. It is worth noting that most countries already have similar measures in place for months. However, immunization in the Chinese population is very low, and most Chinese people have never come in contact with the virus. For this reason, significant pressure on hospitals is already taking place and is expected to grow. The World Health Organization expressed concern about reports of severe disease in China. Around Baoding and Langfang outside Beijing, hospitals have run out of intensive care beds and staff as severe cases surge. Several countries, including Italy, Japan, India and US, are already implementing restrictions for all inbound travellers from China, who now need to show a negative molecular test to travel. The reaction of the Chinese government to such rules is of disappointment, accusing Western countries of disproportionate and inappropriate response to a crisis that, they say, is under control and managed based on a comprehensive analysis. In the meantime, the European and US administrations justify the restrictions with fear of new variants. Every new infection offers a chance for the coronavirus to mutate, and the virus is spreading rapidly in a country with over 1.4 billion people. International relations are also under pressure due to the increasing intensity of the Taiwan crisis. New Chinese military drills came after US President Joe Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2023, which marked the first time the US government will finance weapons for the island of Taiwan. The intensity of the drills surpassed those in August. They showed that the Chinese army could organize large-scale exercises repeatedly and at any time. To make things even worse, at the same time, China and Russia were holding joint naval drills in the East China Sea, proving the capability of the Chinese to conduct multiple major military activities in various regions simultaneously. Not the best premises for the upcoming year 2023, in which, hopefully, major powers will learn to collaborate instead of continuously raising international tension.

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