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February 15 - Japanese police said on February 15 local time that a stabbing incident occurred in Dotonbori, Chuo Ward, Osaka City in the early hours of the day, resulting in the death of one victim. Police have taken a male suspect in his 20s into custody.On February 15th, it was reported that on February 14th local time, the U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to members of Congress explaining the redacting of documents in the Jeffrey Epstein case. The letter outlined the types of redacting and provided a detailed list of numerous prominent or "politically sensitive" individuals mentioned in the documents, even though they had no direct contact with Epstein or his ex-girlfriend and accomplice Maxwell, but were mentioned in news clippings and other sources.February 15th - According to statistics released by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), in January 2026, banks settled 2.0048 trillion yuan in foreign exchange and sold 1.4457 trillion yuan; banks foreign exchange receipts on behalf of clients totaled 5.4722 trillion yuan, while their payments totaled 4.8974 trillion yuan. Li Bin, Deputy Director and Spokesperson of SAFE, explained that in January, both the banks foreign exchange settlement surplus and the net inflow of cross-border funds from non-bank sectors such as enterprises and individuals declined compared to the previous month. This was mainly due to seasonal factors; while corporate receipts and settlements increased rapidly, the growth slowed recently as demand gradually increased. "Overall, my countrys foreign exchange market is active, expectations are stable, and cross-border capital flows are becoming more stable," said Li Bin.On February 15th, a netizen raised a question on social media: SpaceX is shifting its focus from Mars to the Moon and plans to build an autonomous city on the Moon within ten years, but why is it making this change? Musk responded: "It needs to be clear that we will continue to advance the Mars program. I believe this adjustment will not affect the timeline for the autonomous development of a Martian city by more than five years, and may even accelerate the development process on Mars."February 15th - According to Iranian media reports on February 14th, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Baghae stated in a media interview that the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy is Irans inherent and inalienable right, and no form of political pressure can undermine this right. Baghae stated that as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Iran enjoys the right to peaceful use of nuclear energy. Iranian President Peshichiyan recently stated that Iran does not seek nuclear weapons and is prepared to accept any form of inspection, but will not back down in the face of excessive demands and injustice. The United States has recently continued to pressure Iran, deploying multiple warships, including the aircraft carrier USS Lincoln, in the Middle East and threatening military intervention. A new round of US-Iran talks will be held on February 17th in Geneva, Switzerland, with Omani representatives coordinating the contacts between the two sides.

Plastic Consumption Is Projected to Nearly Double by 2050, According to Studies

Haiden Holmes

Feb 27, 2023 14:08

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According to research published on Monday, plastic consumption in G20 nations is on track to nearly double by the middle of the 21st century unless a comprehensive and legally binding global treaty to reduce consumption is drafted.


According to Back to Blue, a research group operated by the Economist Impact think-tank and the Nippon Foundation, existing initiatives to increase recycling or reduce single-use plastic consumption have "barely scratched the surface" and a more comprehensive global plan is required.


In Uruguay, the United Nations began negotiations on an agreement to combat plastic pollution in November, with the goal of drafting a legally binding treaty by the end of the following year. 175 countries have joined up for the negotiations.


Nonetheless, if negotiations fail, annual plastic production in G20 nations could reach 451 million tonnes by 2050 based on current development rates, according to Back to Blue - an increase of nearly 75 percent from 2019.


The research group stated, "There should be no illusions that the treaty negotiations will be anything but difficult and treacherous." "The likelihood of failure is high, both in terms of no treaty emerging and a treaty that is insufficient to reverse the plastic tide."


It called for a stricter ban on single-use plastic, as well as increased production taxes and mandatory programs to hold companies accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products, including recycling and disposal.


Back to Blue stated that the combined measures could limit annual consumption to 325 million tonnes by 2050, but that would still be a 25 percent increase from 2019 and the equivalent of 238 million garbage vehicles.


Brazil, the United States, Indonesia, and Turkey are among the G20 countries that have yet to introduce national prohibitions on single-use plastic products, according to the report.


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