Getting Polished

This is The World Today [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZzF4ZDR6emFzbi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Getting Polished [Formerly DailyChatter - Why are we changing our name?](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMXBkbWw3enhvZy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) [Share Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsva2Rsd3AzdGs3aC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) [GlobalPost] [Listen to Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcnM1Nmg0bmdiNC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) [GlobalPost] [Share Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYmdzaHdpNTFsaS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) [Listen to Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZDZtc2RjM3J6Zy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) GlobalPost is an exclusive benefit for subscribers of The Charlotte Observer The Largest Daily Newsletter Devoted to World News Getting Polished THE WORLD TODAY — Monday, September 2, 2024 Getting Polished Getting Polished Need to Know Getting Polished [Botswana](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsveHg4YmcydjIzbi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) The president of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi, appeared transfixed recently as he held up the rough-hewn, 2,492-carat diamond in his hands. The rock, he said, would finance the future. “Kids going to school. Food coming in,” Masisi said at a [press conference](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsveTJqaDM5c3ptbi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). “It’s a real diamond. Coming from a real country brought out by real people impacting real people.” Diamonds and power have long been friends, especially in southern Africa. Gems in the British crown jewels, for instance, include shards of the Cullinan diamond, the largest ever found, [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbHdodHFscHF3MS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) the Washington Post. The Cullinan was a 3,106-carat stone mined in South Africa in 1905. Other shards figure in other British royal household rituals. Masisi and his allies have sought to wrest control of the diamond industry from the London-based De Beers Group and created the Diamonds for Development Fund to steer diamond revenues into local economic development, National Jeweler [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsva21jOHk2emdzZi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). He has also proposed requiring mining companies to sell a 24 percent stake in mines to local investors or the government, Reuters [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvczI4MGd5MnZweS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). Diamonds have arguably given Botswana headaches, too, however. Speaking to [France 24](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvN2YweTA3MHpydC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) at a summit of the Group of Seven in Paris, Masisi criticized the bloc’s mandate that all diamonds sold in the wealthy bloc receive certification in Belgium to prevent Russia from profiting from the diamond trade. During the same event, he said Africa should leverage its resources to produce its own vaccines rather than relying on foreign relief to maintain public health, a problem underscored during the Covid-19 pandemic and more recently the outbreak of Mpox. Masisi has maintained good relations with the US in a bid to hedge potential problems related to Russian commerce. African defense leaders recently met in Botswana, for example, to discuss security challenges on the continent, [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsveDRsaXFpYzB4eC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Voice of America. The US organized the meeting in part to counter the expansion of Russian influence in sub-Saharan Africa. The recently discovered 2,492-carat diamond was in an area that has previously produced many precious stones due to the region’s volcanic activity in the distant past. “All of the stars aligned with that volcanic eruption, and the conditions were just perfect,” diamond expert Paul Zimnisky [told](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNTUzNWdneXVlYi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) the New York Times. Even diamonds can’t solve all of Botswana’s problems, unfortunately. The value of the stone has slumped recently, dragging on the country’s economy, [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNmdlbzYyYmhxYi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Bloomberg. These shifts are tough for a landlocked nation that faces unique challenges due to its lack of access to the sea, the United Nations [noted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvb2k3bXpkbTNpeC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). Still, the country has growing clout and vigorously pushed back on Europe recently when it felt itself slighted or taken advantage of. For example, when the United Kingdom tried to make a deal to send asylum seekers landing on its shores to Botswana for processing, the country said no (Rwanda accepted the deal). Then earlier this year, European countries including Germany [pushed](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZm1vN2VqdzE3eS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) for a ban on trophies from hunting elephants and other wildlife in Africa for conservation reasons. Botswana, with the world’s largest elephant population, [reacted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvb2M4YzE1Y2lmeC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) by offering to send 20,000 elephants to Germany. “It is very easy to sit in Berlin and have an opinion about our affairs in Botswana,” Masisi [said](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvOTd0M3IxemM4Mi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZDhsMWFuMmplcC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Getting Polished ~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMnkwOW43NzZ5Zy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~ The World Briefly Political Earthquake Political Earthquake [Germany](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdjB5OTI5NjN1Yi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party scored big in two closely watched German state elections Sunday, winning in one poll and coming second in the other, an outcome that underscored widespread voter discontent with the country’s mainstream political parties and Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government, the Financial Times [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNDlmNG1wYWN1NS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). The AfD won in the central state of Thuringia with more than 33 percent of the vote, the first time a far-right party has emerged victorious in a state poll since World War II. In the eastern state of Saxony, the anti-immigrant party also came in a close second with 31.3 percent of the vote, just behind the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), which received 31.9 percent. The results were considered disastrous for Scholz’s three-party coalition – comprising of the Social Democrats (SPD), the Greens, and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) – all of which saw their support plummet to single digits in both states. Meanwhile, the new far-left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) also gained significant support, with 11.6 percent of the vote in Saxony and 14.7 percent in Thuringia. The results highlighted widespread voter frustration with the current government, which is associated with high inflation, economic stagnation, rising energy costs, and internal conflicts. The BSW’s success has also been attributed to this disillusionment, as the party shared the AfD’s skepticism towards the war in Ukraine and advocated for diplomatic solutions over military involvement. Observers noted that the outcome hinted that voters are increasingly abandoning the political center and favoring populist parties, instead. This trend also mirrors wider European concerns about the resilience of liberal democracies in the face of rising nationalist movements. Originally founded by economists opposing Eurozone bailouts, the AfD has evolved into a hardline nationalist group known for its anti-immigration stance and historical revisionism. The party’s local branches in Saxony and Thuringia are classified as “right-wing extremist” by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency. The election campaign was also overshadowed by a stabbing terror attack in the western German city of Solingen that flared up anti-immigrant sentiment and concerns about public safety in Germany, the Associated Press [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMzJ3bG05N2I4dy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). The suspect, a Syrian national with alleged ties to the Islamic State terror group, is accused of killing three people and injuring eight others. The incident prompted the government to announce new restrictions on knives and new measures to ease deportations. Analysts cautioned that the AfD’s victory could influence the political discourse in Germany as parties gear up for next year’s parliament elections. It also raises questions about the stability of Scholz’s coalition government, though early elections remain unlikely given the poor polling numbers of the coalition parties, Politico [noted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZmJ3bXdvZ2ViNC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). Still, it’s unclear whether the AfD will be able to govern in any of the states because all other parties have refused to form a coalition with the anti-immigrant group. This leaves the political landscape fragmented and complicates coalition-building, particularly in Thuringia, where forming a viable government without the AfD will be challenging. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvM3FqcXBxaGoxNi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Upping the Ante Upping the Ante [Brazil](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcndpbmZwdW5uaS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Social media platform X went offline in Brazil over the weekend after a supreme court judge ordered its suspension, a move that further escalated a months-long dispute between the Brazilian judiciary and the company’s chief Elon Musk, Euronews [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMDk5cnE1azJxOC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). Earlier last week, Brazil’s Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes set a 24-hour deadline for X to appoint a legal representative in the country, warning Musk that the platform would be blocked in Brazil if he failed to comply. After the deadline passed, Justice de Moraes ordered the platform’s suspension and a daily fine of nearly $9,000 for individuals or companies using VPNs to bypass the suspension and access X. Initially, the suspension order required both Internet service providers and app stores to block access to X. However, Justice de Moraes later narrowed the directive to target only the telecommunications regulator, Anatel, which was given 24 hours to enforce the order. The move underscores a broader conflict between the judge and Musk over issues related to free speech, the spread of misinformation and far-right content in Brazil. Musk criticized the decision and called de Moraes an “evil dictator cosplaying as a judge.” Meanwhile, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva supported the order, emphasizing that all investors, including Musk, must respect Brazilian laws and judicial decisions. Even so, the suspension has divided many in the Latin American nation, where X is used by around 40 million users – roughly one-fifth of the population. The suspension led many to migrate to alternative platforms, [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNXc5NzFveXVyNi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) to the Associated Press. However, many politicians and public figures, including supporters of right-wing former President Jair Bolsonaro, condemned the move as authoritarian and undermining freedom of expression. Some observers and officials also questioned the decision’s legal basis and enforcement: On Friday, the Brazilian Bar Association expressed concerns over the summary imposition of fines for VPN use without due process. The full bench of Brazil’s Supreme Court is expected to review the case, but no date has been set for these deliberations. The feud between Musk and Brazilian authorities also extended beyond X, with reports that Brazil’s top judge ordered a freeze on the finances of Starlink, Musk’s satellite Internet company, Axios [noted](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNG9vcDQ4amVzNS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). Starlink said that this action violated due process as enshrined in the constitution and was unjustly linked to the fines imposed on X. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbHFla3cxeHlyYy8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Getting Polished Getting Polished ~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZm9wY3ZiZHZiMC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~ Not Enough Not Enough [South Korea](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZm5rY3kzZHQzNC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) South Korea’s constitutional court ruled this week that part of the country’s climate law was unconstitutional for failing to protect the rights of future generations, a landmark decision that is considered the first climate litigation victory of its kind in Asia, the Guardian [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdnd6c3FiNG81Zi8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). The case began in 2020 when the top court began reviewing a series of complaints filed by more than 250 plaintiffs, including the Youth 4 Climate Action, a group associated with the global school climate strike movement. The plaintiffs alleged that the South Korean government’s greenhouse gas reduction goals were inadequate and violated citizens’ fundamental rights, especially those of future generations. South Korea’s Carbon Neutral Act, enacted in 2010, required a minimum 35-percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 compared with 2018 levels. The government set a goal of a 40-percent reduction, but plaintiffs argued this was insufficient to address the impact of climate change. On Thursday, the court said that it did not find fault with the 2030 goal, but noted that the lack of legally binding greenhouse gas reduction targets or the period between 2031 and 2049 violated the constitutional rights of future generations, the New York Times [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsva2l6YTNncG93dS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~). This absence of long-term targets meant that future generations would bear an excessive burden of climate change impacts, it added. In its verdict, the court also ordered the South Korean National Assembly to revise the climate law by February 2026 to include specific, long-term carbon reduction targets. Despite disappointment over parts of the ruling not being upheld, the plaintiffs welcomed the decision as “meaningful progress in protecting everyone’s rights beyond the climate crisis.” Government officials said they would respect the verdict and take follow-up measures. The decision echoes a similar 2021 ruling by Germany’s federal constitutional court, which also found that inadequate long-term climate goals violated the rights of future generations. Observers noted that the ruling is expected to influence climate litigation and policy in other Asian countries, such as Japan and Taiwan, where similar legal actions are underway. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RmaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvY2ZrMzE1dHU0NC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4JmxoX2VtPXRyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5JTQwZ21haWwuY29tVwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) Weekly Quiz ~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdGs1dGFoNHdmMC8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~ The Language of Color Discoveries The Language of Color The human eye can see millions of colors, and yet the English language only has 11 basic terms to name them: black, white, gray, blue, green, red, yellow, orange, purple, brown, and pink. To refer to other hues, adjectives are often needed. That’s not the case in some languages like Russian, which has different words for light blue (goluboy) and dark blue (siniy). Scientists have previously shown that speakers of languages with these distinctions are quicker to discern nuances. Meanwhile, recognizing a color remains an intrinsically biological feature that relies on the perception of light. “A logical next question is to what extent does your mother tongue influence your categorization of colors,” [said](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdnljZ2Y2NWhyYS8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) linguistics professor Mila Vulchanova of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Vulchanova and her colleagues carried out a [study](~/AASU4wA~/RgRouBE7P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZms4NTI3bHJuby8_bGhfYWlkPTE4ODMzJmxoX2NpZD05OWtyZGQ0NTV4VwNzcGNCCmbPPIzVZkyDPohSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~) involving 109 people who spoke either Lithuanian, Norwegian, or both. Lithuanian also has separate words for light and dark blue, respectively žydra and mėlyna. Norwegian has only one word: blå. As expected, monolingual Lithuanians could name different nuances faster than their Norwegian-speaking counterparts, while perfect bilinguals had an easier time doing so when speaking Lithuanian. The study’s innovation was a test where bilingual participants had to memorize a series of numbers while being presented with shades of blue. The numbers were spoken first in Lithuanian, then in Norwegian. Discriminating hues of blue were recalled faster when the participants had to memorize the numbers in Lithuanian than in Norwegian. “The research reveals that the language being actively used by bilingual individuals can significantly affect their perception of color,” said co-author Akvilė Sinkevičiūtė. Humans have by and large attributed the same meanings to colors – for example, red for danger. Still, the study’s findings show how differently we can also perceive our surroundings. 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