The Heat

August 23, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Presidential Race

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris officially accepted her party’s nomination Thursday at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Harris delivered what may be one of the most important speeches of her political career. What are the policies she laid out and how is her rival, […]

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August 22, 2024

The Heat: Global Hunger

A recent United Nations report says the fight against global hunger has been set back 15 years, posing a real threat to the UN Sustainable Development Goal of Zero Hunger by 2030. The findings show that around 733 million people went hungry in 2023. What must countries […]

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August 21, 2024

The Heat: Middle East Crisis

Efforts to reach a ceasefire and hostage deal in the Israel-Hamas conflict is still facing serious challenges. Talks aimed at bringing about a ceasefire in Gaza have so far failed to deliver. Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. are working with Israel and Hamas on a […]

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August 20, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Democratic Convention

U.S. President Biden passed the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris at the Democratic Party National Convention. A list of speakers made the case for Kamala Harris to win the upcoming election. Issues like reproductive rights and defense of democracy were brought up in a […]

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August 16, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Politics

Immigration is a hot-button issue in this year’s U.S. presidential election. Republican Party candidate Donald Trump blames his rival Kamala Harris, for presiding over an influx of millions of undocumented migrants into the United States. But the vice president’s campaign insists she can fix what […]

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August 15, 2024

The Heat: Middle East Tensions

A new round of Gaza ceasefire talks is underway in Qatar. The death toll of Palestinians killed in Gaza since Israel’s retaliatory attack last October has now surpassed 40,000, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Meanwhile, there are growing fears that violence in the Middle […]

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August 14, 2024

The Heat: China-Brazil Ties

Fifty years after establishing diplomatic relations, China is now Brazil’s top trading partner. In 2023, bilateral trade between the two countries exceeded $157 billion U.S. dollars. There are currently more than 300 Chinese companies operating in Brazil spanning electricity, infrastructure and electric vehicles. Joining the […]

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August 13, 2024

The Heat: UK Racial Tensions

Riots erupted in England and Belfast, Northern Ireland in the wake of the July 29th murder of three young girls in the British town of Southport. Seizing on false information posted on social media about the attacker’s name, religion, and migration status, far-right rioters set […]

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August 12, 2024

The Heat: Politicization of the Olympics

The Paris Olympics Games ended with a spectacular finale. Over the past two weeks athletes from around the world came together in a celebration of the human spirit. Records were set and broken; China had its best Olympic games since 2008 winning a whopping 40 […]

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August 9, 2024

The Heat: Haiti Crisis

After months of heightened violence and years of political instability, Haiti is being called the worst humanitarian crisis in the Western Hemisphere. Nearly 580,000 people have been internally displaced and millions are facing hunger.  As Port-au-Prince looks to the international community for security assistance and […]

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August 8, 2024

The Heat: COVID-19 Summer Surge

The World Health Organization says COVID-19 is “still very much with us” and is urging governments to strengthen their vaccination campaigns. Officials warn that cases are rising globally with a high percentage of positive tests across Europe and the United States.  In Paris, at least […]

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August 7, 2024

The Heat: Global Market Turmoil

Weak jobs numbers and recent speculation about a U.S. recession contributed to warnings that this year’s stock rally may have gone too far. From New York to London and Tokyo, equities were hit hard. Wall Street’s “fear gauge” dropped from 65 on Monday to about […]

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August 5, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Politics

Kamala Harris has earned the backing of enough state delegates to clinch the Democratic presidential nomination in the United States. With two weeks to go before the Democratic National Convention, who will Harris pick to solidify the presidential ticket? Joining the discussion: Rob Long is […]

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August 2, 2024

The Heat: Global Economy

China’s economy maintained stable growth for the first half of the year, with its gross domestic product at 5%. Beijing plans to boost consumption to further improve its economic recovery.  Meanwhile, job growth in the United States slowed much more than expected in July and […]

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August 1, 2024

The Heat: Climate Change

According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, more than 1,600 places across the globe tied or broke heat records in the past few weeks. Scientists say it’s the hottest the planet has been in about 120,000 years, the result of human-caused climate change. What’s […]

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July 31, 2024

The Heat: Mideast Conflict

The political leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in Tehran. No country or group claimed responsibility for the killing, but it might exacerbate tensions in the region. Meanwhile, the Red Cross describes a scene of unbearable tragedy in Gaza. The agency says famine is […]

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July 30, 2024

The Heat: China-U.S. Trade Relations

In its latest push to showcase a commitment to further developing and enhancing trading opportunities between China and the US, the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade hosted a networking forum in New York, partnering with the Chinese Consulate in the city along […]

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July 29, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Politics

The U.S. presidential election is a virtual dead heat in the polls for now. But the ground has shifted since President Joe Biden’s poor debate performance and the emergence of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee. She has secured enough delegates to win […]

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July 26, 2024

The Heat: 2024 Paris Olympics

The Olympic Games are underway in Paris, which saw a unique citywide opening ceremony. Instead of staging it in a Stadium, the organizers used iconic landmarks along the river Seine to kick off the games.  Joining the discussion:  Mariana Mello is a Sports Planning and […]

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July 25, 2024

The Heat: Artificial Intelligence

A UN report shows China is leading the world in AI innovation. Over the past ten years, Chinese inventors have filed more than 38,000 patents.  Earlier this month, the UN also unanimously adopted a Chinese-sponsored resolution on strengthening international cooperation in artificial intelligence. It aims […]

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July 24, 2024

The Heat: Israel-Hamas Conflict

Representatives from Hamas, Fatah, and other Palestinian factions signed a joint statement with China’s mediation, agreeing to end years of divisions and form a national unity government.   According to the Gaza Health Ministry, more than 39,000 Palestinians have been killed and roughly 90,000 wounded since […]

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July 23, 2024

The Heat: China-South Asia Expo

The 8th China-South Asia Expo opened in Kunming on Tuesday. The week-long event has attracted over 2,000 exhibitors. It is showcasing a wide range of products and new technologies from several countries and is expected to boost regional integration. What will it mean for more […]

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July 22, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Politics

U.S. President Joe Biden announced his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris. Many democrats are rallying behind Kamala Harris to become the party’s nominee.  Joining the discussion: Jacquie Luqman is Member of the Coordinating Committee of Black Alliance for […]

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July 13, 2024

The Heat: NATO Summit

Beijing warns NATO against stirring up confrontation as the Western military alliance wraps up a three-day summit in Washington.

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July 9, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Politics

With less than four months until the U.S. Presidential election, we’ll discuss the key issues for the presumptive nominees: President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump.

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July 5, 2024

The Heat: UK Election

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vows to restore faith in government after his Labour party’s landslide victory. What does it mean for the UK and beyond?

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July 3, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Presidential Race

U.S. President Joe Biden works to reassure voters and members of his party after a disappointing debate. And a New York judge delays the sentencing for Donald Trump in his hush money case after a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision.

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July 1, 2024

The Heat: French Elections

Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party wins the first round of France’s parliamentary elections. What does it mean for the country and beyond?

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June 28, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Politics

International reaction continues to pour in after Thursday night’s U.S. presidential debate between President Joe Biden and his predecessor, Donald Trump.  We take a look at the aftermath of the first 2024 U.S. presidential debate with our guests:  Spencer Critchley is a two-time campaign adviser […]

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June 27, 2024

The Heat: Summer Davos

China has welcomed business and tech leaders from more than 100  countries and regions to Summer Davos in Dalian city. This year’s theme is the “Next Frontiers for Growth.” Chinese Premier Li Qiang addressed the conference, stressing the importance of global cooperation and innovation to […]

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June 26, 2024

The Heat: China-Peru Relations

Peru’s President Dina Boluarte is on her first state visit to China as both nations are looking to strengthen ties and boost bilateral cooperation after more than 50 years of diplomatic relations.   Joining the discussion:  Gustavo Ribeiro is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of “The Brazilian […]

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June 25, 2024

The Heat: Extreme Weather

Deadly heatwaves scorched cities on four continents as the Northern Hemisphere marked the first day of summer last week. In China, Beijing issued its third-highest heat warning with many other regions in northern China suffering from heatwaves and droughts. What’s behind the extreme weather making […]

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June 24, 2024

The Heat: South Africa’s Future

The African National Congress party lost its parliamentary majority in last month’s elections in South Africa. That led the ANC to form a power-sharing agreement with the Democratic Alliance and some other smaller parties.  Meanwhile, Cyril Ramaphosa was sworn in for a second term as […]

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June 21, 2024

The Heat: Israel-Hamas Conflict

According to the Gaza health ministry more than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel launched its offensive. Meanwhile, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, says more than 50,000 children in Gaza require medical treatment for acute malnutrition Joining the discussion:  Mustafa Barghouti is […]

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June 20, 2024

The Heat: Artificial Intelligence Trends

Artificial Intelligence is predicted to grow increasingly pervasive as technology develops, revolutionizing sectors from healthcare to warfare. The threat that machines will one day takeover has been the subject of science fiction movies for decades. Now some leading AI scientists are concerned that an AI […]

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June 19, 2024

The Heat: China’s Diplomacy

Chinese Premier Li Qiang is on a major three-nation tour that has taken him to New Zealand, Australia and now Malaysia. Improving diplomatic relations and developing economic ties are high on the agenda.  Joining the discussion: Victor Gao is chair professor at Soochow University.  Majid […]

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June 18, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Politics

Spouses of U.S. citizens who entered the country illegally will now be able to apply for legal residency without leaving the United States. It’s a major change to the country’s immigration policy that will offer protection to an estimated half-million people.  Joining the discussion: Rina […]

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June 14, 2024

The Heat: Global Economy

The global economy is expected to stabilize for the first time in three years, but more weakly than in previous recoveries, according to a new report from the World Bank. Inflation, higher interest rates, as well as trade and geopolitical tensions could make this decade […]

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June 13, 2024

The Heat: UN Climate Change Conference

Some 6,000 people attended the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany.  The key focus of the 10-day meeting was climate finance, as nations prepare for COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.  As some of the poorest countries are among those hit hardest by […]

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June 12, 2024

The Heat: U.S. Politics

U.S. President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden, got convicted on gun related charges. He was found guilty of lying on a form about his drug use during a 2018 handgun purchase. This comes two weeks after Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony charges […]

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