International

Starting from the 22nd, as the BRICS leaders meet in South Africa, global governance will be adjusted to the "BRICS moment".This is the first time in three years that the BRICS summit has returned to offline mode, and it is also the second time in five years that it has entered Africa. The outside world is generally concerned about whether the summit with distinctive African characteristics can achieve "adding bricks" and "adding tiles" - making new breakthroughs in the expansion process and practical cooperation; Can the BRICS countries take this as an opportunity to jointly respond to the complex and changing international situation and inject positive energy into global governance. In the blink of an eye, the BRICS cooperation mechanism has been established for 17 years, opening up a new chapter in South South cooperation. From the concept initially created by Goldman Sachs economists to the present day

South Africa has once again held a BRICS summit, making this country with high crime rates the focus of the media spotlight. Li Lin went to study at Kingsoft University in Johannesburg in 2009, where she started a business with her family and pondered on her own career. Now, she is heading into the blue ocean industry of overseas security, which protects her interests. "Security is not about using violence to control violence. When gunshots sound, it indicates that the security plan is not perfect." After years of practical experience, she led her team into the sociology and anthropology fields of security consulting and crime research, becoming a unique landscape to cultivate in South Africa. At present, there are over 300000 overseas Chinese living in South Africa, and many Chinese enterprises value local resources and markets and have taken root. Behind this scene is South Africa's weak national security system construction. Li Lin introduced that it is related to China's national conditions

On the 20th, the Russian National Space Group announced that preliminary analysis results showed that due to deviations between actual and predetermined parameters, the Russian "Lunar-25" probe deviated from the predetermined orbit and collided with the surface of the moon before losing contact. At present, the cross departmental committee is investigating the cause of the accident. Although the final investigation results have not yet been released, Russian media quoted Russian aerospace scientists as suggesting several possibilities for the cause of the accident and discussed the impact of the accident on Russia's moon landing career. According to the Russian National Space Corporation, according to the flight plan, the control center should send a pulse signal to send the probe into the landing orbit on the 19th, and then the probe will descend to the moon in an elliptical orbit near the moon. However, on the afternoon of the 19th Moscow time, communication between the ground and the detector was interrupted. From the 19th to the 20th, phase

As the Japanese government plans to hold a cabinet meeting on the 22nd and is expected to finalize the time for the discharge of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water into the sea, a survey released by Kyodo News Agency on the 20th showed that nearly 90% of Japanese respondents are concerned that the discharge of Fukushima nuclear contaminated water will damage Japan's image. Amidst questioning, concerns, and opposition, the support rate of the Japanese government is also continuously declining. Nearly 90% of Japanese people believe that it is damaging to Japan's image. According to a nationwide telephone public opinion survey conducted by Kyodo News Agency on August 19-20, 88.1% of Japanese people are concerned about the discharge of contaminated water from Tokyo Electric Power Company's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea, which could lead to significant or some degree of damage to Japan's image. The poll also showed that 81.9% of respondents believe that the Japanese government's explanation of nuclear contaminated water discharge is "insufficient",

As the 2024 US presidential election begins, the Republican Party has entered the primary stage, and the first debate is scheduled to take place on the 23rd in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. However, former US President Trump confirmed on the 20th that he will not participate in this debate and may even be absent from other debates in the future. In recent months, Trump has repeatedly hinted at this, believing that his strength is exceptional and there is no need to compete on the same stage as his competitors. However, Trump's independent style is also controversial. As the 2024 US presidential election kicks off, a group of Republicans have been vying for the party's nomination. To showcase the strength of the candidates, the first debate is scheduled to take place during prime time on the evening of the 23rd in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and will be hosted by a Fox News anchor. However, the heavyweight athlete

After bringing heavy rainfall to the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico, Tropical Storm Hillary made landfall in California on the 20th, causing California to encounter a tropical storm head-on again after more than 80 years. The National Hurricane Center of the United States predicts that the storm will further move inland and gradually weaken. During the process of moving through California towards Nevada, there may be "destructive" rainfall, with parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona potentially experiencing more rainfall than in the past year. Encountering a tropical storm again after more than 80 years is a once-in-a-lifetime experience for Californians. According to records from the National Weather Service, the last time a tropical storm made landfall in the region was in 1939. The storm made landfall on Long Beach in northern Los Angeles, causing flooding that resulted in 45 deaths in Southern California and 48 people at sea

Today, the annual joint military exercise between South Korea and the United States, known as the "Shield of Freedom", kicked off. The exercise will last for 11 days until the end of this month. This is the second exercise after the renaming of the annual military exercise, aimed at strengthening the joint defense and response capabilities of South Korea and the United States to respond to North Korea's evolving nuclear and missile threats. On the day of the exercise, North Korea also released a message stating that its top leader, Kim Jong un, inspected the navy and observed strategic cruise missile launch training. This move is seen as a response to South Korea US military exercises. Analysts point out that the Camp David meeting has just come to an end, and South Korea and the United States are engaged in a major conflict on the peninsula. Moreover, this exercise is more offensive, provocative, and targeted, which is bound to trigger a strong reaction from North Korea. The alternating signs of strength from both sides will push the already tense situation on the Korean Peninsula into a more unpredictable realm. Comprehensively adjust the exercise content. Last August, after a 5-day gap between South Korea and the United States

Multiple foreign media outlets have quoted informed sources as saying that British Foreign Secretary Cleverley is expected to visit China at the end of this month. If successful, he will become the first British Foreign Secretary to visit China in five years. The analysis points out that the Sunak administration's policy towards China highlights the dual nature of cooperation with the US strategy while emphasizing its engagement with China. If the visit is successful, it may help stabilize and ease the low level China UK relationship, but the long-term improvement of the relationship is still constrained by a series of factors. Restart relations with China? Cleverley was originally scheduled to visit China at the end of July, but was unable to make the trip due to a change in the position of Chinese Foreign Minister. Now, the delayed itinerary may restart. Reuters reported on the 21st, citing a source, that Cleverley is expected to arrive in Beijing on August 29th. Two other sources stated that the visit is expected to take place at the end of this month, but did not specify the specifics

On the 20th local time, the presidential election in Guatemala came to an end. Preliminary statistical results show that the presidential candidate of Guatemala's "Seed Movement" party, Bernardo Arevalo, has won the presidential election. Public opinion believes that Arevalo can be described as the "dark horse" in this election, and his complete victory is attributed to the stance of the "anti-corruption fighter" and the public's dissatisfaction with the old and dangerous political parties. However, whether he can smoothly take power still faces challenges. On the evening of the 20th local time, the Guatemalan Supreme Electoral Court released preliminary vote counting results. In the second round of voting, Arevalo received 58.15% of the vote, significantly leading Sandra Torres, the candidate of the National Hope Union, the largest party in Guatemala with a vote share of 37.11%. This marks an unexpected achievement for the 64 year old former diplomat

On the 21st local time, former US President Trump announced that he plans to surrender himself to Fulton County Prison in Georgia before the 24th, accepting charges from the state that he attempted to overturn the results of the 2020 US presidential election. This will be Trump's fourth self surrender since the beginning of this year. On the day before surrendering, he will be absent from the first debate in the Republican primary. Despite skipping debates, voluntarily surrendering and running for president as a defendant, Trump's approval rating remains stubbornly high. "I will be going to Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday and will be arrested by radical left-wing prosecutor Fanny Willis," Trump said in a post on his self created social platform "Truth Society" on the 21st. He also reiterated that the lawsuit in Saskatchewan is political persecution aimed at undermining his participation in the 2024 General Assembly

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced on the 22nd that, at the invitation of Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao, US Secretary of Commerce Raymond will visit China from August 27th to 30th. Raymond's visit has been brewing for several months, and she will also become the fourth senior US official to visit China in the near future. According to the US Department of Commerce, Raymond's trip will discuss the US China business relationship and potential areas of cooperation. Public opinion has noticed that before Raymond's visit to China, the US government removed 27 Chinese companies and institutions from the unverified list on the 21st, lifting restrictions on them. This is seen as a goodwill signal sent by the US to China. What might we talk about? According to a report released by the US Department of Commerce on the 22nd, Raymond will visit Beijing and Shanghai on this trip and meet with senior Chinese officials and US business leaders. During his visit to China, Raymond looked forward to

After a journey of over a month, the Indian lunar probe "Luna 3" is expected to land on the surface of the South Pole of the Moon at 17:47 Indian time on August 23. If successful, India will become the first country to achieve a soft landing on the South Pole of the Moon. Not long ago, Russia also launched a similar attempt, but the Lunar-25 probe has been lost. India and Russia are not among the first, nor will they be the last, countries seeking to land on the South Pole of the Moon. According to The Guardian, similar attempts have been made by Japan, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates before, but all have ended in failure. Next, NASA plans to send astronauts to the South Pole of the Moon by 2025 through the Artemis 3 mission. China's Chang'e-7 spacecraft is also preparing to land at the south pole of the moon. So,

On Tuesday, the Iranian Ministry of Defense launched a new type of unmanned aerial vehicle, the Mirage 10, which resembles the MQ-9 Reaper drone produced in the United States. Compared to its predecessor, the Mirage 10 has a longer flight distance, longer dwell time, and a larger payload. More importantly, its strike range can cover the country's arch enemy, Israel. Reproducing the American "Grim Reaper"? On August 22nd, during the celebration of Iran's Defense Industry Day, the "Phantom" -10 was officially unveiled. "Phantom" is a series of drones manufactured by Iran since 1985, representing "immigration" in Persian. According to the Islamic Republic of Iran News Agency, the Mirage 10 has a 24-hour range and a combat range of 2000 kilometers, which means it can reach a distance of 170

When 71 year old Fukushima Prefectural fisherman Haruo Ono unloaded his catch at the small port in Shinmachi, Japan, it was already dawn. The harvest is meager. The figure of the fishermen under the dim light is like the scene in "The Old Man and the Sea". While cleaning the silver fish, Ono recalled the day when his life changed dramatically: March 11, 2011. "After 12 years, we can finally start doing some business," Ono said. "But now we have to discharge nuclear wastewater again, which is really unbearable. We are afraid we will go back to the starting point..." Angered and helpless, it's not just Ono's voice. As the Japanese government announced the discharge of pollutants into the sea on the 24th, many Japanese citizens who are deeply concerned about ecological security raised protest slogans and walked towards the Prime Minister's residence on the 22nd. However, in the face of the stubborn Japanese government, they appear powerless and helpless. instrument

On August 23rd local time, the Disciplinary Department of the Thai Ministry of Justice stated that former Prime Minister Thaksin was urgently taken to the hospital in the early hours of the same day due to health reasons. It was less than 24 hours before Thaksin returned to China and was imprisoned. Against the backdrop of months of turmoil in Thai politics, this scene is seen as the latest turning point. Public opinion has noticed that the Thai party, which has just become the ruling party and is associated with Thaksin, may help him obtain a royal pardon. The overnight transfer to the disciplinary department of the Thai Ministry of Justice stated that Thaksin developed hypertension, hypoxemia, chest tightness, and insomnia on the night of his imprisonment on the 22nd. Prison medical staff believe that in order to prevent Thaksin's life from being in danger, it is recommended to urgently send him to a larger hospital with more professional personnel and equipment. According to Thai media reports, in the early morning of the 23rd, he was taken from Bangkok Special Prison to the Police General Hospital. According to regulations

Just as the name of the South carries its own sunshine and heat, in recent years, the concept of "global South" has been constantly heating up and has become a global hotspot. At the BRICS Summit held in South Africa, "global South" also became a high-frequency term. What is the concept of "Global South"? In the eyes of many scholars, the concept of "global South" originates from the traditional concept of "Southern countries" in both past and present lives. Xu Xiujun, a researcher at the Institute of World Economics and Politics of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, pointed out that "South" is first and foremost a geographical concept, opposite to "North". Geographically, "South" refers to countries in the southern hemisphere located south of the Earth's equator, and "North" refers to countries in the northern hemisphere located north of the Earth's equator. From the perspective of development level, developed countries are mainly distributed in the northern hemisphere, while developing countries are mainly distributed in the southern and northern hemispheres

On the evening of the 23rd, the Federal Air Transport Agency of the Russian Federation announced that the founder of the Wagner organization, Prigoren, was killed in a plane crash that occurred on the same day. Russian media reported that Prigoren's body has been preliminarily confirmed, but DNA analysis is still ongoing. The new event is like a "shock bomb", instantly igniting the global public opinion field. Widely concerned by the outside world: Has Prigoren, who has repeatedly performed the "golden cicada shedding its shell," really died? Why did the plane crash occur? Where is Wagner's fate heading? According to Russian media, at 6:19 pm local time on August 23rd in Moscow, an emergency occurred on a Legacy 600 aircraft manufactured by Embraer en route from Moscow to St. Petersburg, causing it to crash in the Tver Oblast in western Russia. There are a total of 10 people on board

On the 23rd local time, the Indian lunar probe Luna 3 successfully landed at the South Pole of the Moon, making India the fourth country to achieve a lunar landing. In response, Indian Prime Minister Modi, who was attending the 15th meeting of BRICS leaders in South Africa, excitedly said, "India is on the moon. India has also reached the South Pole of the moon - no other country has achieved this." In recent years, India has been making efforts in the space field, and the successful moon landing has also given it the potential to join the club of "space powers". However, analysts point out that the political significance of this mission may outweigh the technological significance, and India's space ambitions still face many challenges. On the evening of the 23rd local time, the lander Vikram carried by the lunar rover "Luna 3" made its soft landing at the South Pole of the Moon for the first time. This made India the successor to the Soviet Union

The news of the Wagner plane crash on the 23rd is like a heavyweight bomb, and the subsequent developments of the event have touched the global attention. On the 24th, Russian President Putin made his first public statement on the plane crash incident, expressing condolences to the families of the victims. He mentioned in his speech that Wagner founder Prigoren, who is believed to have died in the accident. On the same day, Ukrainian President Zelensky clarified that it was not related to the plane crash. Russian media reported that the bodies of the victims have been transported to a storage facility in Tver Oblast, awaiting DNA testing to confirm their identity. At the same time, Wagner held an emergency meeting on the 23rd, which may activate the "contingency plan mechanism" and release the "information bomb". In addition, the Pentagon believes that there is currently no indication that the aircraft in question has been shot down by surface to air missiles. Putin said he wants to investigate to the end what happened after the plane crash at the Wagner headquarters in St. Petersburg

The Central Bank of Türkiye announced on the 24th that it would raise the benchmark interest rate by 750 basis points from 17.5% to 25%, which was much higher than expected. According to the analysis, this shows the determination of Türkiye's central bank to curb inflation, and also releases a clear signal that Türkiye is returning to more traditional economic policies. It is reported that the Central Bank of Türkiye has decided to significantly raise interest rates by 750 basis points on the 24th. This is the third consecutive interest rate hike by the Central Bank of Türkiye since it returned to the interest rate hike cycle in June, and it is also the largest interest rate hike in the cycle. Since June, Türkiye's central bank has raised interest rates by 1650 basis points. The rate hike this time is also higher than most analysts predict, that is, the central bank will raise the benchmark interest rate to 20%. Previously, analysts generally believed that the benchmark interest rate was not expected to rise to 2% by the end of the year

Since last year, the bleak side of Germany's economic situation has become increasingly prominent. Against the backdrop of energy crisis, high inflation, rising production costs and reduced orders for enterprises, and sluggish economic growth and prospects, Germany has once again been labeled as the "sick man of Europe" after 25 years, attracting attention from multiple foreign media outlets. "Germany's economic downturn evokes memories of the 'sick man of Europe' era," Bloomberg said. Given Germany's position as the largest economy in the European Union, this argument has resurfaced and attracted attention. But at the same time, some argue that 25 years later, Germany is suffering from another disease, and the current economic situation is influenced by multiple factors both domestically and internationally. The argument has resurfaced with weak economic growth, rigid job markets, and slowing export demand... About 25 years ago, Germany faced a new situation and challenges after the reunification of the two Germanys.

7.1 million US dollars, which is the funds raised as of the 26th, since former US President Trump left a photo of the suspect's head when he surrendered at Fulton County Prison in Georgia on the 24th. According to CCTV, Global Times, and Global Times, the Trump campaign team raised $4.18 million in just 25 days, setting a record for the highest single day fundraising to date. This has also brought Trump's total fundraising over the past three weeks to nearly $20 million. It is reported that most of the funds come from selling products such as mugs and T-shirts with Trump's big head photo printed on them. Although Trump referred to surrendering as a "terrifying experience," it must be said that he has turned it into an electoral tool. On August 24th, Trump arrived at Fulton County Prison on suspicion of overturning the 2020 presidential election results in the state

The Russian Federal Investigation Commission announced on the 27th local time that after genetic analysis, it has been confirmed that the founder of the Russian private military contractor Wagner Group, Prigoren, died in a plane crash on the 23rd. At this point, the question of whether Prigoren had "escaped from his shell" has basically been eliminated, but questions about the cause of the incident and Wagner's fate still linger in people's minds. Meanwhile, a series of follow-up events over the past few days have also drawn attention - Russian President Putin has signed a presidential decree requiring relevant personnel, including members of Wagner, to swear allegiance; Ukraine is launching a joint special operations operation against the Crimean Russian military... What other impacts will the plane crash have? On the 27th, the Russian Federal Investigation Commission announced that the molecular genetic analysis work in the investigation of the plane crash has been completed, and the identity of the victims has been determined

US President Biden is "too old" and "confused", former President Trump is "corrupt" and "dishonest"... When asked to describe the two candidates who may face off in next year's election, this is the adjective they use the most. This situation is reflected in a latest poll released by the Associated Press NORC Center for Public Affairs on the 28th, which also shows that the two potential presidential candidates are not preferred by the public, and their performance has caused dissatisfaction and concern among voters. The survey on "Obsolescence" and "Corruption" was conducted from August 10th to 14th, with 1165 American adults surveyed. The sampling error is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points. The poll raises an open-ended question: what do respondents think when mentioning Biden and Trump. For Biden, including Democrats and Republicans

After Biden was eager to show off earlier, the White House announced on the 28th that President Biden would visit Vietnam on September 10th. Since the beginning of this year, senior US officials have visited Hanoi one after another, and Biden's visit will push the US diplomatic offensive towards Vietnam to a climax. Analysts believe that in order to serve the needs of competition with China and promote the "Indo Pacific strategy", Biden's visit seeks to upgrade US Vietnam relations and work with Vietnam to balance China's influence in the region. However, due to differences in political system, ideology, and Vietnam's balanced and independent diplomatic path, even if the United States tries to win over, the space for further closer relations between the two countries is limited. According to a statement by press secretary Karin Jean Pierre posted on the White House website, during Biden's visit to Vietnam, he will meet with the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Nguyen Thieu, to win over his ideal target

Canadian health officials said on the 29th that Canada has detected the first case of infection with the highly mutated COVID-19 variant BA.2.86. Recently, the COVID-19 variant BA.2.86, which was first found in Denmark, has appeared in many countries around the world, including the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Israel, Switzerland, etc. Researchers believe that the highly mutated strain may lead to more breakthrough infections, but it is unlikely to trigger a new wave of severe outbreaks. According to Canadian health officials, the first patient infected with BA. 286 has appeared in multiple countries around the world, residing in the province of British Columbia and has never traveled outside of that province before. This case does not require hospitalization, and the risks faced by residents of British Columbia will not change due to the emergence of BA. 286. The statement also states that BA. 2

According to reports, the US State Department may appoint senior diplomat Mark Lambert as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for China Affairs, filling the vacancy left by former China Ziqiang since his departure in June. At the same time, due to the uncertainty in the Senate's approval of the nomination, it remains to be seen whether Lambert will take over another position that China has also held, namely, the head of the Office of China Coordination. This latest personnel change occurs at the time of the adjustment of the US policy team towards China. But some argue that the Biden administration's policy towards China will not undergo significant adjustments.Previously, this position was held by "China expert" Hua Ziqiang, but he stepped down in June this year. If obtained

As Beijing receives visiting US Secretary of Commerce Raymond, high-level contacts between China and another Western country, the UK, are also taking place simultaneously. On the 30th, British Foreign Secretary Cleverley made an official visit to China, marking the first time in five years that the British Foreign Secretary has set foot on Chinese soil. Chinese Vice President Han Zheng and member of the Political Bureau and Director of the Central Foreign Affairs Office of the Communist Party of China, Wang Yi, met with him. Analysis suggests that since Prime Minister Sunak took office, there has been significant wavering in his policy towards China, and it is necessary to send a unified signal on his policy towards China through high-level visits. The outside world expects this visit to be the beginning of the resumption of dialogue at all levels between China and the UK. However, given the continued pressure from both domestic and international sources on the Sunak government, China UK relations still face a complex situation. Restarting Contact with China Cleverley Originally Expected by the End of July

On August 30th local time, the press secretary of the Russian President, Peskov, stated that the Russian side is conducting investigations from multiple perspectives, including the possibility of murder, regarding the plane crash of the founder of the Russian private military entity, the Wagner organization, Prigoren. Peskov also stated that there will be no international investigation into the accident that occurred within Russia at present, "let's wait for the results of the Russian investigation.". Waiting for the results of the Russian investigation, Peskov stated on the same day that the Russian side is conducting investigations from multiple directions, including the possibility of murder. Public opinion has noted that this is the first time the Kremlin has explicitly raised the possibility of Prigorn being murdered. When asked if there would be any international organizations involved in the investigation, Peskov said that the Russian Investigation Commission is currently conducting an investigation and will not initiate an international investigation. Public opinion has noticed that Prigoren was riding a plane when he died

The military coup in Niger has not yet subsided, and another African country has experienced an accident. On August 30th local time, the situation in Gabon suddenly changed: some soldiers claimed to have seized power and placed the current president under house arrest, and later appointed transitional leaders. This coup is only a few minutes away from the outcome of the country's general election. This is the 8th coup in central and western Africa in three years, which has attracted international attention and concerns that the regional situation will further become unstable. The upheaval occurred just a few minutes after Xinhua News Agency, CCTV, and Global Times reported that the coup in Gabon seems to be related to the results of the presidential election. On the early morning of the 30th, the Gabonese National Election Commission announced that current President Bongo was re elected with 64.27% of the vote in the presidential election held on the 26th. Unexpectedly, just a few minutes after the announcement of the election results, the city center of Libreville, the capital