Photo : Mediterranean Heat Waves Monitoring Service/Euronews
By Advik S Mohan and Samruddi Pathak
THE EU
Mediterranean Sea records highest temperature in history
On 16 August, the surface temperature of the Mediterranean Sea reached its highest with a median of 28.9 degrees Celsius. The previous record occurred on 24 July 2023 which had a median value of 28.7 degree Celsius. Since the record is of 15 August 2024, the maximum surface temperature of a water body was recorded on the Egyptian coast of Al-Erish. The readings came from the satellite data of the European Copernicus Observatory. The summer of 2024 has been recorded as the warmest in Spain after 2023. Justino Martinez, a researcher at the Catalan Institute of Research for the Governance of the Sea, said that it is concerning how two consecutive summers have been the hottest. The surface temperature recorded the highest during the 2003 heatwave before 15 August 2024. The Mediterranean region is the hotspot of climate change. The sea has been absorbing excess heat released from human activity since the beginning of the industrial age. The heat continues to accumulate due to the release of greenhouse gases. It has an intense impact on aquatic life. It threatens fish stock and food security. Warmer oceans are also less capable of absorbing pollutants. (“Mediterranean Sea reaches highest surface temperature ever recorded,” France24, 16 August 2024)
EU warns to treat Mpox with caution as cases spread
On 16 August, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the infectious disease control agency of the European Union (EU) advised countries to prioritise Mpox vaccinations for individuals visiting virus-affected areas. The ECDC stated that Europe would likely witness more cases of the dangerous clade I variant Mpox after Sweden reported the first case. According to the ECDC, while there are low chances of the variant spreading amongst the wider population, it still poses a moderate risk to individuals with underlying conditions. However, in contrast to the earlier mpox outbreak on the continent in 2022; countries have enough vaccines now and have been proactive with their public health messaging. Health Service Executive, the publicly funded healthcare system of Ireland stated that it had access to enough supplies of the Imvanex shot supplied by Danish drugmaker Bavarian Nordic. The governments of Italy, Spain, and Czechia have also confirmed that they have enough vaccine supplies to meet potential demand. At the same time, the Government of the United Kingdom has issued an “urgent public health message” to public health providers to ensure staff are trained and have access to protective equipment. According to the European Commission, its Health Security Committee will meet on 19 August to plan a coordinated response between member states; while the ECDC stated they would review the mpox response in Africa to learn lessons. (Mari Eccles and Rory O’Neill, “Heightened mpox vigilance urged by EU as deadly virus spreads,” Politico, 16 August 2024)
EU enquires about LGBTQ+ propaganda law
On 16 August 2024, Helena Dalli, the EU Commissioner of Equality, sent a letter to the Bulgarian Minister of Education and Science asking for information on legislation passed on banning LGBTQ+ propaganda in Bulgarian schools. The Commission said that it evaluates if the law is in alignment with European values. The legislation was tabled by the Revival Party, a far-right pro-Russian party. Parties belonging to the political centre-ground also supported the bill. Bulgaria is ranked among the worst countries for the LGBTQ+ community in the EU. it also failed to respond to the EU Court’s ruling to legalise same-sex relationships. Rémy Bonny, executive director of the rights group Forbidden Colours, said that Bulgaria is prioritising “Russian values over European values.” he said that the bill resonated with the Russian law of 2013 which banned teaching of LGBTQ+ ideas in classrooms. Even Hungary was accused of copy-pasting the same law in 2021 and the EU launched a legal action against Hungary. (“Why critics want an EU response to Bulgaria’s law banning LGBTQ+ 'propaganda' in schools,” Euronews, 16 August 2024)
GenAI not disruptive amid the Russian misinformation spread says Meta
On 15 August, Meta released its Adversarial Threat Report. The report claims that GenAI had a limited role in spreading misinformation in Russian news. The EU has launched a probe against the company under the Digital Services Act of 2015. The Meta spokesperson said that the company has a “well-established process for identifying and mitigating risks on our platforms.” In the report, Meta said that Russia is trying to mimic authentic reports using artificial intelligence to make them look authentic. Russia aims to undermine Ukrainian efforts in the war. (“Meta sees limited use of GenAI in Russian disinformation,” Euronews, 16 August 2024)
THE UK
Immigration to be the top priority for UK citizens since 2016 says Ipsos poll
On 16 August, the results of a poll conducted by market research and polling firm Ipsos confirmed that immigration was the biggest issue for UK citizens. According to the Ipsos poll, 34 per cent of those surveyed regarded immigration as the main issue, ahead of other issues like healthcare, crime, and the economy. The poll comes after anti-immigration and racial violence unfolded across the UK in early August. Mark Clemence, a researcher for Ipsos said: “The impact of the recent riots across the UK is clear in this month’s data… the level of concern about crime and race relations has also surged to recent highs.” Another poll conducted by research and data analytics firm YouGov also revealed immigration as being the main issue for voters. This is the first time since the Brexit referendum of 2016 that immigration has been top of the list of major concerns for the population. (“Immigration biggest issue for Britons for first time since 2016, poll shows,” Reuters, 16 August 2024)
FRANCE
Macron to meet party leaders to form alliance
On 16 August, Emmanuel Macron, President of France, announced that he would convene all party leaders on 23 August. The spokesperson of the Élysée Palace said that Macron will hold a series of discussions with all leaders to decide upon the Prime Minister. Earlier, in July, Macron said that he would announce the Prime Minister after the Olympics 2024 concluded. The national politics of France has reached a stalemate since the elections. In June, Macron had dissolved the parliament and called for snap elections. No party can claim the majority. The spokesperson said that the aim of the 23 August meetings is to “build the broadest and most stable majority possible to serve the country.” The left-wing party, New Popular Front, emerged as the largest party and has voted for Lucie Castets as the new Prime Minister. France24 reported that Macron might push for an alliance that includes the traditional right and centre-left in the government while ruling out any chances of the hard-left party, France Unbowed, or Marine Le Pen's far-right party in the government. He has also pushed Xavier Bertrand, head of the northern Hauts de France region, to be named as Prime Minister. (“Macron convenes French party leaders for August 23 talks aimed at forming a government,” France24, 16 August 2024)
TURKEY
Wildfires pose risk to houses and war memorials
On 16 August, reports brought out the threat posed by wildfires in the northwestern regions of Turkey. According to officials, an electricity spark through forest areas started the fires. A forest fire in the western province of Izmir which began on 15 August in the Karsiyaka district, forced residents to leave their homes. Suleyman Elban, Governor of Izmir stated that the fire’s proximity to residential areas and the high winds were making containment efforts difficult. A village had already been evacuated and over 1000 firefighters were battling against the blaze. The provinces of Canakkale, Manisa, and Bolu were also subject to fires, with neighbourhoods and villages evacuated. The fire affected Canterbury Cemetery, the burial site of Allied troops from World War I, with gravestones blackened by soot. The wildfire is the latest in increasingly common ones across Turkey, with climate change blamed. (“Turkey wildfires threaten homes and war memorials,” Deutsche Welle, 16 August 2024)
Opinion in Deutsche Welle records response of major countries on the Nord Stream attack
On 16 August, Deutsche Welle outlined the response of the major geopolitical players to reports stating Ukraine was involved in the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline attack. According to Ukraine, there has been complete denial that they were involved in the attacks. Mykhailo Podolyak, Advisor to the Office of the President of Ukraine stated there was no practical sense for Ukraine to be involved in the attacks. However, the article states that Ukraine had a valid reason for being against the pipeline since it could have proved a source of funding for Russia. Similar to Ukraine, Poland has also denied any involvement in the attacks, despite a former head of the German intelligence agency claiming the same. Germany’s support for Ukraine remains strong too, with the government stating its support for Ukraine “remains independent” of the Nord Stream sabotage probe. Meanwhile, Russia blamed the West for the attacks, saying that there was no way Ukraine could have attacked without a ‘wink’ from the US. (Darko Janjevic, “Nord Stream sabotage: How are the key players reacting?,” Deutsche Welle, 16 August 2024)