International

Recently, with the continuous occurrence of extreme high temperatures in many parts of the world, the urban heat island effect has once again attracted public attention. After all, as countries move towards modernization, cities also play a role in population agglomeration. In the current context of intensified climate change, how to build more livable cities has sparked thinking and exploration. The urban heat island effect has been highlighted since the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere, with many areas experiencing continuous high temperatures and scorching. After the record for the hottest June was set, July is expected to become the hottest month on record. UN Secretary General Guterres recently warned that "the era of global warming has come to an end, and the era of global boiling has arrived." At the same time, given the urban heat island effect, the challenges faced by urban residents seem to be even more severe. When it comes to the urban heat island effect, people often believe that it refers to a significant increase in urban temperatures

According to foreign media reports, on July 31, UNESCO again recommended that Venice and its lagoon be included in the endangered The World Heritage List list, arguing that Italy had not done enough to protect Venice from climate change and excessive tourism. This is not the first time Venice has been given an ultimatum. What challenges is this renowned "water city" facing? On July 31st, UNESCO issued a statement stating that Venice is facing a series of "irreversible" damages, with cities and buildings being destroyed. This is caused by a series of human intervention issues, including the sustained development of Venice, climate change, and excessive tourism. The organization also stated that the Italian government has made little significant progress in addressing these issues and "lacks a comprehensive and holistic strategic vision.",

According to Bloomberg, insiders have revealed that US Commerce Secretary Gina Raymond plans to visit China in late August. This is part of the Biden administration's efforts to ease tensions between the two major economies. External analysis suggests that if Raymond's visit is successful, it will be the fourth senior Biden administration official to visit China in the near future, demonstrating the momentum of high-level exchanges between China and the United States, which is conducive to economic and trade exchanges between the two countries. However, based on Raymond's previous comments, it is expected that she will exert efforts in promoting trade with China and curbing technology in China. Bloomberg repeatedly expressed its willingness to visit China, citing anonymous sources who revealed that Raymond plans to travel to Beijing during the week of August 21st. However, the specific date has not been finalized and may be subject to adjustment. Regarding the Minister of Commerce's visit to China, this is not the first time the US has let the wind down

Since the coup in Niger on July 26th, the aftermath of the political earthquake has continued. On July 31st, coup soldiers arrested several ministers and senior members of the ruling party. On the same day, the transitional governments of Burkina Faso and Mali issued a joint statement stating that any military intervention in Niger would be equivalent to declaring war on both countries. This statement directly points to the Western Community's option of "military intervention" in Nepal. At a time of stalemate among all parties, a series of issues have attracted high attention from the international community: what stage is the situation in Niger? Will military intervention and countermeasures be imminent? What impact will the coup bring to the region? The collapse of the lighthouse in Niger, a landlocked country in West Africa, declared independence from French colonial rule in 1960. Since independence, the country has experienced four coups and multiple attempted coups, which is a coup in contemporary world history

US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated on August 1st that the United States has officially invited Wang Yi, who has been reappointed as China's Foreign Minister, to visit Washington. During the high-level official meeting, Reuters invited Wang Yi, a senior Chinese diplomat who previously served as a State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs. He is currently a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Working Committee. Last week, Qin Gang was dismissed from his position as Foreign Minister, and Wang Yi was appointed as Foreign Minister. Miller stated that on July 31st, Assistant Secretary of State for Asia Pacific Affairs Conda of the United States Department of State and Senior Director of China Affairs at the White House National Security Council, Bessaran, held working consultations with Yang Tao, Director of the US Department of Foreign Affairs of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during which they issued the aforementioned invitation. It is said that the US had previously sent an invitation to Qin Gang, but now it has turned to Wang Yi. Miller did not indicate whether the Chinese side would accept the invitation, "We..."

Due to concerns about the level of governance and fiscal situation in the United States, international rating agency Fitch Ratings decided on August 1st to downgrade the default rating of long-term foreign currency issuers in the United States from AAA to AA+. According to US media, this is the second time in US history that the credit rating has been downgraded, which may have a widespread impact on domestic and foreign commercial and financial activities. At the same time, the Biden administration criticized Fitch's decision and shifted the blame to the Republican Party. The level of governance continues to decline. According to reports, after Fitch downgraded the credit rating of the United States from AAA to AA+, the credit rating of the United States is now comparable to countries such as Austria and Finland, but not as good as Switzerland and Germany. Fitch gave two reasons when announcing this decision. On the one hand, "over the past 20 years, the level of governance in fiscal and debt issues in the United States has continued to decline," especially

On August 1st local time, former US President Trump was criminally charged with attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. This is the third criminal charge faced by Trump in four months as he seeks to return to the White House. However, despite Trump's current legal troubles, his poll approval rating has increased instead of decreasing. Analysis suggests that legal difficulties may help Trump consolidate his fundamentals and bring him closer to the Republican presidential candidate in the 2024 US election. According to foreign media reports such as Reuters, Trump faces a total of four criminal charges according to the indictment submitted on August 1st: conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct official proceedings, obstruction and attempt to obstruct official proceedings, and conspiracy to infringe on the rights of others. This 45 page indictment states that despite Trump's total

Just as her fate suddenly changed when she was detained two and a half years ago, two and a half years later, Aung San Suu Kyi, who was sentenced to 33 years in prison, unexpectedly received an amnesty order, and her fate seemed to have ushered in a new turning point. On August 1st, the Myanmar National Management Council issued an amnesty order, pardoning nearly 8000 prisoners. Myanmar's former State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi and former President Win Min have received a reduction of 6 and 4 years in prison, respectively. For the first time in nearly a month, Aung San Suu Kyi has been granted permission to meet with foreign officials, transitioning from being imprisoned to being placed under house arrest in government residences, and now receiving amnesty and reduced sentence. Her situation seems to be gradually shifting from tight to relaxed. How did this series of changes occur? Does it indicate that the domestic situation in Myanmar is undergoing subtle changes since the political upheaval in February 2021? Is the rope loosening? Since the beginning of this year, the Myanmar National Management Committee has issued multiple regulations

On August 2nd local time, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregor Trudeau announced through social media that they had officially separated. This seems to mean that this couple's 18 year long marriage is coming to an end, which is surprising and regrettable. Previously, the seemingly exemplary image of the couple was a popular topic in public opinion and became a bonus in Trudeau's career as Prime Minister. At a time of uncertainty in Trudeau's political career, this unusual decision has attracted attention. On a sad day, Trudeau and Sophie respectively expressed on social media that after "multiple meaningful and difficult conversations," they finally made the decision to separate. However, the two will still treat each other as family, "for everything we have established and will continue to establish.". Finally, the two also expressed that for their

According to Reuters, on August 2nd local time, Mongolian Prime Minister Oyun Erden met with US Vice President Harris. Both sides stated that they will expand their strategic partnership, with a focus on strengthening economic cooperation. This is the first visit to the United States since Aoyun Erdeng took office. Both sides have agreed to sign an "Open Skies" civil aviation agreement and will deepen cooperation in rare earths and key minerals. What agreements are signed? According to the joint statement released after the meeting, the United States and Mongolia stated that they are jointly expanding their strategic partnership and focusing on deepening economic cooperation. Both sides seek cooperation in the fields of minerals, clean energy, food security, and digital economy. Among them, the "Open Skies" civil aviation agreement that the two countries will sign has attracted considerable attention from the outside world. It is reported that the agreement will be based on the air transportation agreement reached by both parties in January this year

Thailand was originally scheduled to hold a new round of voting on the Prime Minister candidate on August 4th, but due to the Constitutional Court's need to rule on the second round of the Far Progressive Party candidate Pita's candidacy for Prime Minister, the parliament announced a postponement of the vote. The specific date is yet to be determined. This news adds a new footnote to the "difficult production" of the new Thai government. Previously, after his path to the position of Prime Minister was blocked, the leadership of the cabinet was handed over to the Thai party, which also belongs to the Eight Party Alliance. However, on the eve of the vote, the Thai party announced a breakup with the Far Progressive Party and instead formed a new political alliance, intending to nominate real estate tycoon Saita as the candidate for prime minister. This operation means that the Far Progressive Party, the largest party in the House of Commons, will not come to power, but will become an opposition party. At the same time, the Thai party stated that former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted by the military government and exiled overseas, plans to return on August 10th

Saudi Arabia announced on August 3rd that it will once again extend the voluntary reduction in daily oil production of 1 million barrels starting from July until the end of September. Afterwards, it is possible to extend the production reduction measures again and increase the magnitude of the reduction. On the same day, the Russian side also stated that they would voluntarily reduce oil production in September, with an average daily reduction of 300000 barrels. Affected by this, crude oil futures prices have risen in response. Saudi Arabia and Russia announce continued production cuts. On August 3, Saudi Arabian news agency quoted the Saudi Ministry of Energy as saying that after the production reduction measures are extended again, Saudi Arabia's daily oil production in September will be around 9 million barrels. According to sources, the voluntary production reduction measures this time are an additional production reduction on the basis of Saudi Arabia's voluntary production reduction measures announced in April, aimed at supporting the "OPEC" formed by OPEC member states and non OPEC oil producing countries

According to US media reports, the US military is considering deploying troops on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to prevent Iran from seizing them. But public opinion is concerned that this "unprecedented" deployment will bring the US and Iran closer to direct confrontation. "Unprecedented" On the 3rd, the Associated Press quoted multiple US officials as saying that the US military is considering deploying troops on commercial ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz to prevent Iran from detaining them. According to informed officials, this proposal has received support from senior officials in the Biden administration and may soon be implemented. Some personnel from the US Marine Corps 26th Expeditionary Force have flown to Bahrain for relevant training. Meanwhile, other members of the unit are about to arrive in the Middle East. The US Navy's amphibious assault ship Badan and the landing ship Carter Hall they boarded departed from Virginia on July 10th, and

Two days after being charged with attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, on August 3, former US President Trump appeared in a federal court in Washington to plead not guilty to the criminal charges. This is his third "arrest" within four months and he has declared himself innocent. On one hand, the Trump team has repeatedly called for justice and claimed that this is a series of political conspiracies, while on the other hand, the investigation team is tightly pressing, and Trump's approval rating is still rising against the trend. When Trump marched towards the White House, was the lawsuit "storm" throwing honey or poison? On August 1st, Trump was once again criminally charged after being charged with the "sealing fee" and "confidential door" cases. A federal grand jury has raised four charges against him for allegedly attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election

On August 4th, Nikkei News reported that since India implemented a ban on rice exports last month, concerns about global food inflation have intensified in the market, and rice prices have reached a new high in 11 years. Rice, which used to have stable prices, now faces increasing risks of agricultural inflation, just like expensive wheat. The impact is even more profound than 15 years ago. On the 20th of last month, the Indian government announced a ban on the export of rice, except for steamed rice and Indian fragrant rice, to ensure domestic market supply. The public opinion generally believes that India will hold general elections next year and regional elections this year, and controlling inflation has become the top priority of the Modi government. Therefore, the "rice bag" is used as an article. However, India's move has caused waves worldwide. Sherry Mustafa, a rice market analyst at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, believes that the ban in New Delhi coincides with global food security risks

Since entering the Vietnamese market in 2013, American coffee chain giant Starbucks has been farming in the area for ten years. However, surveys have shown that in this coffee loving Southeast Asian country, Starbucks has been slow to expand, highlighting the American coffee chain giant's dissatisfaction with the local environment. For many years, the growth potential of the Asia Pacific market has continued to attract overseas enterprises to invest. In February of this year, Starbucks announced that it would open over 400 stores in the Asia Pacific region, marking the company's largest expansion in the region in five years. Specifically, this American coffee chain giant plans to open new stores in India, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos, and the Philippines, and plans to expand its business beyond major cities in these countries. Additionally, for markets like Laos, Starbucks only started last year

A few days ago, after Russia and Ukraine launched a drone attack on each other's capital, on August 5th, Russian civilian oil tankers were hit by Ukrainian unmanned boats in the Kerch Strait, marking the second such attack on Russia in less than 24 hours. On the same day, multiple areas including Kiev were attacked and exploded, and air defense alerts were sounded throughout Ukraine. As the "war drama" between Russia and Ukraine unfolds repeatedly, a "diplomatic drama" related to the Ukrainian issue also appears on stage. From the 5th to the 6th, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia held an international conference on Ukraine, in which Chinese representatives were invited to participate, with the aim of playing a constructive role in promoting a political solution to the Ukrainian crisis. What kind of competition is going on between Russia and Ukraine? What are the things worth looking forward to at the Ukraine Conference? On the 5th, a Russian oil tanker disguised as a "Black Sea regulars" was attacked by a Ukrainian unmanned boat in the Kerch Strait. Russia

During his tenure as Foreign Minister in the Koizumi government, he was the first politician to propose the "China threat theory". He also has a famous saying - Taiwan

On August 6th, American entrepreneur Musk announced on his social media platform that his duel with another tech guru, Zuckerberg, will be broadcast live on Facebook, but did not disclose specific information. Zuckerberg responded, "I'm ready.". Since the two of them engaged in a standoff over a month ago, a new storyline has emerged in this Silicon Valley peak showdown. Although it remains to be seen whether Musk and Zuckerberg will eventually meet on the fighting field, their every move is enough to attract public attention. "Ready," Musk said on the same day that his duel with Zuckerberg would be live streamed on the Twitter platform, and the proceeds would be donated to veterans. At present, this tweet has received over 60000 reposts and over 600000 likes from netizens. Musk also stated that despite being busy with work, he has been taking time to practice weightlifting recently

On the 6th, Asahi Shimbun quoted several Japanese government sources as saying that the Japanese government plans to officially decide on the date for the discharge of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water into the sea after the US, Japan, and South Korea summit on August 18th, with the earliest possible start at the end of August. In recent days, the international community has been constantly questioning and opposing Japan's discharge into the sea. Research experts have pointed out that the outside world has seen some insufficient radiation and ecological impact assessments, and is very concerned that once Japan initiates emissions, it will no longer be able to "put monsters back in the bottle.". According to Asahi Shimbun, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida plans to attend the US, Japan, and South Korea summit on August 18th. During this time, he will have separate meetings with US President Biden and South Korean President Yoon Seok yeol. Kishida plans to explain the Fukushima nuclear contaminated water discharge plan to the two during the meeting, and on their return day

In recent days, the uncertain fate of a West African country has touched the nerves of all parties. A coup nearly two weeks ago pushed Niger into unpredictable waters. On July 30th, the Economic Community of West African States issued an ultimatum demanding that coup soldiers surrender power and restore their elected presidential powers within a week, or else take all measures, including military intervention. August 6th is the deadline. On the day of the Niger coup, military personnel claimed that the country was facing the threat of external military intervention and announced the closure of its airspace. The Western Community has not yet responded and there are no signs of sending troops so far. "The deadline has passed, war, mediation, or silence?" The New York Times expressed concerns about the next steps in the situation. Is there no turning arrow when bowing? Since the arrest of President Bazum on July 26th and the sudden change in the situation in Niger, the two sides have been engaged in a struggle and have been at odds with each other

On August 5th, the Academic Conference on Latin American Studies in Asia and Oceania was held at the Baoshan Campus of Shanghai University. At the meeting, about a hundred Chinese and foreign scholars had in-depth exchanges on issues such as the political and economic situation in Latin America and China Latin America relations. The "Pink Wave" swept through the attendees, and scholars believed that the current political and economic situation in Latin America presents some new characteristics. At the political level, a prominent phenomenon is the resurgence of left-wing political forces in Latin America, leading to a new round of "pink waves". At the beginning of this year, with Brazil's left-wing President Lula taking office, Brazil became the eighth left-wing country in Latin America to rule since 2018. Some scholars believe that in some Latin American countries, left-wing forces only have a slight advantage and are easily constrained by right-wing political forces. The governance dilemma has not improved with the change of political power. Scholars have also pointed out that left-wing governments often

Recently, a team of Chinese and British researchers published a research report in The Lancet: Planet Health, stating that air pollution is likely one of the reasons for the continued exacerbation of antibiotic resistance worldwide. This study presents new possibilities for identifying the culprits leading to antibiotic resistance and is expected to provide new solutions for curbing antibiotic resistance. Antibiotics were first proposed as a "weapon" for eliminating pathogens at the beginning of their birth. However, in recent years, the rapid growth of antibiotic resistance worldwide has attracted attention. As more and more bacterial infections become untreatable with antibiotics, infected individuals face a greater risk of death. According to a study published by The Lancet in December last year, there were approximately 1.27 million people worldwide in 2019 alone

When it comes to Bollywood movies in India, what do you first associate with? Is it a graceful girl who lights cinnabar, an enduring "Three Sweat Heavenly King", or a passionate song and dance that is "everywhere"? But if someone tells you that Bollywood is now a battlefield, would you feel a bit surprised? Observers have recently discovered that as India's general election takes place next year, Bollywood is increasingly becoming a "political battlefield" - multiple new films are "closely following" the political agenda of the ruling party, indicating that the Modi administration dominates ideology and strives to influence voters. With the increasingly prominent trend of turning box office into politics in election years, this phenomenon has also sparked more reflection. The popular Nikkei News article on the 8th stated that over 20 films have been released in Bollywood in the past two years that closely follow the agenda of the ruling Indian People's Party. In the eyes of the opposition party, Bolei

Following the launch of the Indian lunar probe "Luna 3" last month, Russia also plans to send the "Luna 25" probe to the South Pole of the Moon on August 11th. The last lunar landing of the Russian lunar probe can be traced back to 1976's Lunar 24. Why did Russia return to the moon after nearly half a century, and why did it choose to land at the south pole of the moon? After 47 years of resuming lunar exploration, Russia will once again resume its long dormant lunar exploration activities. According to the Russian National Space Corporation, the Russian "Luna 25" probe is scheduled to take off from the Dongfang Space Launch Site in the early hours of August 11th Moscow time. The main task of this launch is to send the probe to the South Pole of the Moon, explore water ice and other resources, and verify soft landing technology. The last Russian explorer to arrive on the moon

This will be TSMC's first factory opened in Europe. However, it has been proven that building TSMC factories overseas is not an easy task. On the same day, TSMC, the main battlefield, announced its decision to build a factory with three European technology companies: Bosch, a German automotive technology and service provider, Infineon, a large German chip manufacturer, and NXP, a Dutch semiconductor company. It is reported that TSMC will invest 3.499 billion euros in its subsidiary, European Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, and hold a 70% stake. Three European technology companies will each hold a 10% stake. The new factory will be located in Dresden, the capital of Saxony, Germany. It is reported that Saxony is located in East Germany

Japan has recently released a release of contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant as early as the end of this month. As the discharge deadline approaches, people's doubts, concerns, and anger are also increasing day by day. According to Japanese media reports, from Japan to Jeju Island in South Korea, from neighboring countries and regions such as China to Pacific island countries, they are all on high alert. Concerns have been ignored since the Japanese government announced plans in 2021 to discharge treated nuclear contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea. Cuisine Takeshi Inoue has been anxiously checking the news almost every day to get the latest news. Inoue comes from the coastal city of Iwaki in Fukushima Prefecture, which was the hardest hit area by the 2011 March 11 earthquake and tsunami. In 2016, Inoue resigned from his previous job as a salesperson and switched to making traditional Pancheng cuisine. Inoue told Nikkei Shimbun that he

Recently, Japan's move to advance its security strategy has been dazzling. Following the release of the Defense White Paper and joint air force exercises with Italy, Japanese media revealed on the 8th that the Japanese Ministry of Defense plans to apply for a defense budget for the 2024 fiscal year, exceeding 7 trillion yen, setting a new historical high. Analysis suggests that Japan's move aims to implement the direction established in last year's security policy document, provide more financial support for "turning defense into attack", and have a clear intention to respond to China. Japan's pursuit of breakthrough military development has caused strong concern in the international community, and even Japanese citizens question whether their country is "dedicated to defense" or "dedicated to war"? A "down payment" has been made, which is in line with NATO's Kyodo News Agency. According to relevant sources on the 8th, the Ministry of Defense is coordinating the 2024 fiscal year budget application compiled by the end of August and plans to submit more than 7 proposals

Recently, the number of cases infected with COVID-19 variant strain EG. 5 has been on the rise in many parts of the world. On the 9th, the World Health Organization listed EG.5 as a "variant that needs attention.". However, experts and scholars generally believe that EG. 5 will not pose a serious threat to public health. The mutated strain that needs attention, due to naming differences, appears to be a new strain of EG.5. In fact, it is not the case. Like strains such as XBB.1.16, EG. 5 is also a member of the Omicron family. This means that compared to other recently popular Omicron variants, the changes in EG. 5 are relatively limited, unlike the leap from Delta to Omicron. However, EG. 5 is also constantly evolving and currently has its own branch, EG. 5.1. In terms of symptoms, compared with other COVID-19 strains

In the increasingly polarized United States, the issue of political violence is also intensifying. According to Reuters on August 9th, an increasing number of cases indicate that political violence in the United States has reached its most severe level since the 1970s, causing friends to turn against each other and neighbors to turn against each other. The poll results also show worrying signs: an increasing number of Americans support using violence to "make society better", while 65% of respondents worry about being subjected to violent behavior due to political beliefs. On November 5th of last year, when Kristen King's husband Anthony was shot three times in the head and collapsed in the yard, dying from a political standpoint, the 911 operator asked Kristen: Do you know who the killer is? What is the motive behind the killer? Christine sobbed and replied, "The attacker is her neighbor." His name is Austin Cooms. ",