Europe Suffers Heat Wave as Climate Officials Meet in Berlin
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Ministers from forty countries are attending a climate conference (The Guardian) in Berlin as a heat wave scorches Europe. The heat wave has caused wildfires (Politico) across France and Spain, reportedly killed more than 650 people in Portugal, and prompted the United Kingdom to issue its most extreme heat warning in history as temperatures are expected to top 40℃ (104℉) in the country.
The conference, the Petersberg Climate Dialogue, aims to lay the ground for agreements during November’s UN climate summit in Egypt, but many countries have stalled on following through on their climate commitments due to inflation and high energy prices. UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged countries to take action, saying half of humanity is already in the “danger zone” of floods, droughts, extreme storms, and wildfires.
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“Mayors and city leaders would do well to appoint [chief heat officers] and empower them to do the hard and necessary work to help populations survive deadly rising temperatures and tack toward a cooler future,” the Atlantic Council’s Kathy Baughman McLeod writes for Foreign Affairs.
“Prospects for [November’s UN climate conference] have dimmed considerably in recent months, as energy and food price rises have engulfed governments in an inflationary cost-of-living crisis, prompted in part by the gradual emergence from the Covid-19 pandemic, and exacerbated by the war in Ukraine,” The Guardian’s Fiona Harvey writes.
CFR’s Alice C. Hill and Madeline Babin visualize how countries can adapt to extreme heat.
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Japanese, South Korean Foreign Ministers to Address Historical Disputes
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In Tokyo, the ministers are expected to discuss (Kyodo) matters related to Japan’s 1910–1945 colonial rule of Korea, including Japan forcing Korean women to work in military brothels.
For Foreign Affairs, Victor Cha and Christopher Johnstone argue that Japan and South Korea can no longer let history thwart cooperation.
China: Authorities instructed banks (SCMP) to provide credit to help real estate developers finish stalled projects. The move comes after thousands of homebuyers threatened to stop paying mortgages for unfinished residential properties.
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EU’s Von Der Leyen Visits Azerbaijan to Seal Gas Deal
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European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is in Azerbaijan, where she is expected to finalize a deal (Euronews) to increase natural gas exports from the country to the European Union (EU).
Pakistan: Former Prime Minister Imran Khan called for snap parliamentary elections (FT) after his party won by-elections in Pakistan’s most populous province.
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Middle East and North Africa
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U.S. Disputes UAE Account of Former Khashoggi Lawyer’s Detention
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) sentenced Asim Ghafoor, the former lawyer of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, to three years in prison on charges of money laundering and tax evasion. The UAE said it coordinated Ghafoor’s arrest with the United States, while the U.S. State Department said it had not sought (AP) the arrest.
Israel/Morocco: Israel’s army chief will explore potential defense deals (Reuters) with Morocco in his first official visit to the country since it normalized ties with Israel in 2020.
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Ghana Confirms Outbreak of Marburg Virus
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Ghana reported two confirmed cases (Al Jazeera) of the highly infectious virus, which is similar to Ebola. Authorities are isolating contacts of those who were infected.
Sudan: Protesters in the capital, Khartoum, held a demonstration (Reuters) blaming the military government for stoking violence in Blue Nile State, where more than thirty people have reportedly been killed in clashes since last week.
For the Africa in Transition blog, CFR’s Michelle Gavin looks at the persistence of Sudan’s pro-democracy movement.
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Zelenskyy Fires Top Law Enforcement Officials Over Alleged Collaboration With Russia
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired (NYT) the country’s prosecutor general and the head of its intelligence agency, saying they had failed to effectively root out criminals working for Moscow’s interests.
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U.S., Mexico Begin Extradition Process for Captured Crime Boss
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On Friday, Mexican law enforcement captured (AP) Rafael Caro Quintero, who is wanted in the United States for the 1985 killing of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent.
This timeline traces the history of U.S.-Mexico relations.
Chile: Seventy-four percent of Chileans surveyed by polling firm Cadem said they would support drafting a new constitution (MercoPress) if the current draft fails in a September 4 referendum. President Gabriel Boric said he would support a fresh drafting process.
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Probe: 376 Police Officers Were on Scene at Uvalde School Shooting
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Council on Foreign Relations
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