中國飆升的排放量正在顛覆氣候政治

Recently The New York Times reported the following:

China’s Soaring Emissions Are Upending Climate Politics

The New York Times - By Brad Plumer and Mira Rojanasakul Nov. 19, 2024

For many years, wealthy places like the United States and Europe have had the biggest historical responsibility for global warming and have been tasked with taking the lead in stopping it.

China’s astonishing rise is upending that dynamic.

Over the past three decades, China has built more than 1,000 coal-fired power plants as its economy has grown more than 40-fold. The country has become by far the largest annual emitter of greenhouse gases in the world.

The United States has still pumped more total planet-warming pollution into the atmosphere since the 19th century, in part because the country has been burning coal, oil and natural gas for longer. But China is quickly catching up.

Last year, China for the first time passed Europe as the second-largest historical emitter, according to an analysis published on Tuesday by Carbon Brief, a climate research site.

When humans burn fossil fuels or cut down forests, the resulting carbon dioxide typically lingers in the atmosphere for hundreds of years, heating the planet all the while. That’s why historical emissions are often used as a gauge of responsibility for global warming.

China, for its part, has promised that its emissions will peak this decade and then start falling. The country is installing more wind turbines and solar panels than all other nations combined and leads the world in electric vehicle sales. But even with China’s shift to low-carbon energy, the Carbon Brief analysis found, the nation’s historical emissions are projected to approach those of the United States in the coming years.

A question of money

China’s historical responsibility for climate change has become a major point of contention in global climate politics.

This week, diplomats and leaders from nearly 200 countries have gathered at the United Nations climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, to discuss how to raise the trillions of dollars that vulnerable nations will need to shift to clean energy and to cope with droughts, heat waves, floods and other hazards of a warming planet. One big question is where that money should come from.

Traditionally, the answer has been that wealthy, industrialized countries — like the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia and most of western Europe — should pay up.

Under a United Nations framework originally written in 1992, these developed countries have been called upon to provide financial aid. Countries like China, India and Saudi Arabia, as well as every nation in Africa, are classified as developing by that framework, and have not been required to chip in.

Today, however, many wealthy nations say this distinction no longer makes sense. Leaders from both the United States and European Union have called on China to contribute more climate finance to poorer countries as part of a final deal at Baku.

“An expanded donor base has been long warranted,” John Podesta, President Biden’s international climate adviser, said last week. “This is not 1992 in terms of the economic structure of the world.”

China, for its part, has argued that it has already provided roughly $24.5 billion in climate finance to other developing countries since 2016. But European officials have said that China is not subject to the same transparency requirements and have urged the country to formalize the aid they provide under U.N. agreements. So far, China has been reluctant to do that.

In a speech last week, Ding Xuexiang, China’s vice premier, said that wealthy countries taking the lead on providing financial aid was a “cornerstone” of global climate agreements.

At the same time, other world leaders have criticized wealthy emitters like the United States and Europe for falling behind on earlier promises for climate aid and have urged them not to point to China as an excuse for inaction.

“We cannot continue to hear the same promises as small islands suffer in the absence of real action from those most responsible for climate change,” said Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda.

A different way to look at emissions

Total emissions aren’t the only metric to consider in issues of fairness. Another is emissions per person.

Because China has 1.4 billion people, its historical emissions per capita are still lower than those of the United States, European Union, Japan and Canada.

And while India is today one of the world’s largest consumers of fossil fuels, its historical emissions per person are relatively small. India is the most populous country in the world but still relatively poor, with tens of millions of people still lacking reliable access to electricity. India says it should be granted time to burn more fossil fuels as it develops.

At the same time, some affluent oil- and gas-producing nations, like Saudi Arabia and Qatar, have disproportionately large emissions per capita. American and European leaders have suggested that these countries, too, should be called on to contribute more climate finance.

How these disputes get resolved will go a long way toward determining whether negotiators from nearly 200 countries in Baku can agree to a new goal for delivering as much as $1.3 trillion per year in climate aid. Experts say it won’t be easy to strike a deal at the summit, which is scheduled to end on Friday.

Translation

中國飆升的排放量正在顛覆氣候政治

多年來，美國和歐洲等富裕國家對全球暖化負有最大的歷史責任，並肩負著帶頭阻止全球暖化的重任。

中國的驚人崛起正在顛覆這種態勢。

過去三十年來，中國興建了1,000多座燃煤電廠，經濟成長了40多倍。該國在年度上已以大距離成為世界上最大的溫室氣體排放國。

自 19 世紀以來，美國仍向大氣中排放了更多導致全球暖化的污染物，部分原因是該國燃燒煤炭、石油和天然氣的時間更長。但中國正迅速迎頭趕上。

根據氣候研究網站Carbon Brief週二發布的分析報告，去年，中國首次超過歐洲，成為史上第二大排放國。

當人類燃燒化石燃料或砍伐森林時，產生的二氧化碳通常會在大氣中停留數百年，同時使地球升溫。這就是為什麼歷史排放量經常被用來衡量全球暖化的責任。

中國則承諾其排放量將在本十年達到峰值，然後開始下降。該國安裝的風力渦輪機和太陽能電池板比所有其他國家的總和還要多，並且在電動車銷售方面處於世界領先地位。但Carbon Brief的分析發現，即使中國轉向低碳能源，該國的歷史排放量預計在未來幾年將接近美國。

錢的問題

中國對氣候變遷的歷史責任已成為全球氣候政治的主要爭論點。

本週，來自近 200 個國家的外交官和領導人齊聚阿塞拜疆Baku舉行的聯合國氣候峰會，討論如何籌集易受全球暖化影響的國家轉向清潔能源和應對乾旱、熱浪、洪水和地球變暖的其他危害所需的數萬億美元資金。一個大問題是這筆錢該從哪裡來。

傳統上，答案是富裕的工業化國家 - 如美國、日本、加拿大、澳洲和大多數西歐國家 - 應該付出洪水和地球變暖的其他危害所需的數萬億美元資金。

根據最初於 1992 年制定的聯合國框架，這些已開發國家被要求提供財政援助。中國、印度和沙地阿拉伯等國家以及非洲所有國家都被該框架歸類為發展中國家，因此不需要投入資金。

然而如今，許多富裕國家表示這種差異不再有意義。美國和歐盟領導人呼籲中國向較貧窮國家提供更多氣候資金，作為巴庫最終協議的一部分。

拜登總統的國際氣候顧問John Podesta上週表示：“長期以來，擴大捐助基礎是有必要的。” “從世界經濟結構來看，現在已經不是 1992 年了。”

中國則辯稱，自 2016 年以來，它已向其他發展中國家提供了約 245 億美元的氣候融資。但歐洲官員表示，中國不受同樣的透明度要求約束，並敦促該國將根據聯合國協議提供的援助正式化。到目前為止，中國一直不願意這麼做。

中國副總理Ding Xuexiang在上週的一次演講中表示，富裕國家帶頭提供財政援助是全球氣候協議的「基石」。

同時，其他世界領導人批評美國和歐洲等富裕排放國沒有兌現先前的氣候援助承諾，並敦促它們不要將中國作為不採取行動的藉口。

安提瓜和巴布達總理Gaston Browne表示：“當對氣候變遷負有最大責任的國家不採取實際行動而小島嶼受痛苦時，我們無法接受繼續聽到同樣的承諾。”

以不同的方式看待排放

在考慮公平問題時, 總排放量並不是唯一指標。另一個是人均排放量。

由於中國有14億人口，其歷史人均排放量仍低於美國、歐盟、日本和加拿大。

儘管印度如今是世界上最大的化石燃料消費國之一，但其人均歷史排放量相對較小。印度是世界上人口最多的國家，但仍相對貧窮，數千萬人仍缺乏可靠的電力供應。印度表示，隨著其發展，應該給予時間燃燒更多化石燃料。

與此同時，沙地阿拉伯和卡塔爾等一些富裕的石油和天然氣生產國的人均排放量卻高得不成比例。美國和歐洲領導人建議這些國家，也應該被要求貢獻更多的氣候資金。

這些爭端如何解決，將很大程幫助决定來自近 200 個國家在Baku的談判代表, 能否就每年提供高達 1.3 兆美元氣候援助的新目標達成一致。專家表示，在定於週五結束的峰會上達成協議並不容易。

              So, over the past three decades, China has built more than 1,000 coal-fired power plants as its economy has grown more than 40-fold. The country has become by far the largest annual emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. China, for its part, has argued that it has already provided roughly $24.5 billion in climate finance to other developing countries since 2016. But European officials have said that China is not subject to the same transparency requirements and have urged the country to formalize the aid they provide under U.N. agreements. So far, China has been reluctant to do that. China’s historical responsibility for climate change has become a major point of contention in global climate politics. Apparently, to achieve an agreement on how to combat global warming is not an easy task.

日本和中國在特朗普勝選前拋售美國國債

Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Japan and China Dump US Treasuries Before Trump’s Victory

Masaki Kondo and Ruth Carson

Tue, November 19, 2024 at 12:46 p.m. GMT+8·2 min read

(Bloomberg) -- Two of the world’s biggest foreign holders of US government debt offloaded a pile of Treasuries in the third quarter as they rallied before the presidential election.

Japanese investors sold a record $61.9 billion of the securities in the three months ended Sept. 30, data from the US Department of the Treasury showed on Monday. Funds in China offloaded $51.3 billion during the same period, the second biggest sum on record.

The return on Treasuries peaked at a 2-1/2 year high in mid-September before the Republican Party gained control of both houses of Congress and the White House. The securities have since dropped almost 4% from that level on concern President-elect Donald Trump’s low-tax, high tariff policies will fuel inflation.

“It’s a cocktail of banks and pension selling ahead of the US elections in Japan — the risk of a Trump win and expectations of higher US yields bruised sentiment for the bonds,” said Shoki Omori, chief Japan desk strategist at Mizuho Securities Co. in Tokyo. “Even more so in China where geopolitical risk was a real concern, and that’s spurred investors to ditch Treasuries too.”

Japan’s selling may have been in part amplified by the nation’s intervention in the foreign-exchange market on July 11 and 12 when the Ministry of Finance sold dollars to buy the yen for a total of ¥5.53 trillion yen ($35.9 billion).

The sales by China may have also been skewed due to its use of custodial accounts. Funds in Belgium, seen as a home to such accounts for the Asian nation, bought a record $20.2 billion of Treasuries in September.

Japan and China still own $1.02 trillion and $731 billion worth of Treasuries respectively, underscoring their influence over the US debt market.

Uncertainty over Trump’s pick for US Treasury secretary is also adding to the upward pressure on US yields along with paring of Federal Reserve interest-rate cut bets in the face of a resilient economy.

“We’re confirming everything we’ve started to price in — that Trump’s likely going to have inflationary policies, tariffs, and that’s going to only lead to more Treasury sales from China and Japan,” said Nick Twidale, chief analyst at AT Global Markets in Sydney. “They’ve been good defensive measures by China and Japan and that’s probably going to continue.”

Translation

日本和中國在特朗普勝選前拋售美國國債

（彭博）—全球最大的兩個美國政府債務外國持有者在第三季度拋售了大量美國國債，而它們在總統大選之前反彈。

美國財政部週一的數據顯示，截至 9 月 30 日的三個月內，日本投資者出售了創紀錄的 619 億美元證券。同期，中國基金拋售 513 億美元，創史上第二高紀錄。

在共和黨控制國會參眾兩院和白宮之前，國債回報率在 9 月中旬達到了 2-1/2 年的最高點。由於擔心當選總統特朗普的低稅收、高關稅政策將加劇通貨膨脹，該證券自該水平以來已下跌近 4%。

Mizuho Securities Co.首席日本櫃檯策略師Shoki Omori表示，「這是日本在美國大選前, 銀行和退休金拋售的混合體 - 特朗普獲勝的風險和美國收益率上升的預期打擊了債券人氣」。 「在中國更是如此，地緣政治風險是一個真正令人擔憂的問題，這也促使投資者放棄持有國債」。

日本的拋售可能在一定程度上因該國7月11日至12日對外匯市場的干預而擴大，當時日本財務省出售美元以購買日元，總額為5.53萬億日元（359億美元）。

由於使用託管帳戶，中國的出售也可能出現偏差。被視為亞洲國家此類帳戶所在地的比利時基金 9 月購買了創紀錄的 202 億美元國債。

日本和中國仍分別持有價值1.02兆美元和7,310億美元的美國公債，凸顯了它們對美國債務市場的影響力。

特朗普所選出的美國財政部長的不確定性, 也加大了美國殖利率的上行壓力，同時因面對快速恢復原狀的經濟, 而令聯準會利率有可能會被削減的押注。

AT Global首席分析師Nick Twidale表示：「我們正在確認所有一切, 我們已經開始在算成本 - 特朗普可能會實施通膨政策和關稅，而這只會導致中國和日本出售更多國債」; 「中國和日本採取了很好的防禦措施，而且這種情況可能會持續下去」。

              So, two of the world’s biggest foreign holders of US government debt  have offloaded a large amount of Treasuries before the US presidential election. Japan and China still own $1.02 trillion and $731 billion worth of Treasuries respectively, showing their influence over the US debt market. Financial experts may already have made preparation for Trump’s inflationary policies and expect that this will lead to more Treasury sales from China and Japan.

45 Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for violating national security law

Recently CNN.co.jp reported the following:

香港の民主化指導者４５人に量刑言い渡し、最長１０年の禁錮　国安法違反

2024.11.19 Tue posted at 14:42 JST

香港（ＣＮＮ） 香港の裁判所は１９日、香港で最もよく知られている民主派の４５人の被告に対し、香港国家安全維持法（国安法）違反で最長１０年の禁錮を言い渡した。この判決は、中国が４年前に国家安全保障に関わる全面的な取り締まりを実施して以降すでに縮小している香港の政治的自由にとって最大の打撃だ。

著名な元議員、活動家、労働組合員、ジャーナリストを含む４５人は１９日、４年２カ月から１０年の禁錮を言い渡された。

２０１９年に大規模な民主化デモが香港を揺るがした後、中国は反対派に対する取り締まりを強化した。

 今回の大量の判決言い渡しは、その変革がどれほど進んだかを示している。かつては抗議活動が珍しくなかった香港は、権威主義的な中国本土を映し出す鏡のような存在に変わり、反対派の有力者は収監され、その他の批判的な人々は沈黙させられたり海外に逃亡したりしている。

１４年の反政府デモを主導した法学者の戴耀廷（ベニー・タイ）被告は、中国が２０年に制定した国安法の下で言い渡された判決の中でこれまでで最も重い１０年の刑期を言い渡された。かつて盛んだった民主化運動の象徴で、学生リーダーだった黄之鋒（ジョシュア・ウォン）被告には、禁錮４年８カ月の判決が下された。

当初４７人だった被告らは、２０年に香港全体の投票で自身らの当選確率を高めるため非公式の予備選を開催したとして「転覆を共謀」した罪で起訴されていた。

香港の指導部、警察、検察は、この民主派の予備選について「香港政府を転覆させるための大規模で組織的な計画」に相当し、国安法に違反していると主張した。

裁判所は５月、容疑を否認した１４人と有罪を認めた３１人に有罪判決を下した。無罪となったのは２人だけだった。

「香港４７」の裁判として広く知られるこの訴追は、人権団体や外国政府の注目を集めてきた。人権団体などは、かつては多元的なビジネスの中心地であり、政治的抗議活動や反対派がおおむね容認されていた同都市の劇的な変化を懸念している。

Translation

45 Hong Kong pro-democracy leaders sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for violating national security law

Hong Kong (CNN) A Hong Kong court on Tuesday sentenced 45 of Hong Kong's best-known pro-democracy figures to up to 10 years in prison for violating the Hong Kong National Security Law. The ruling would be the biggest blow to Hong Kong's political freedoms, which had already dwindled since China imposed a sweeping national security crackdown four years ago.

The 45, including prominent former lawmakers, activists, trade unionists and journalists, were sentenced on the 19th to between four years and two months and 10 years in prison.

After massive pro-democracy protests rocked Hong Kong in 2019, China stepped up its crackdown on dissidents.

The massive sentences handed down this time showed how far the transformation had progressed. Hong Kong, where protests were not uncommon in the past, had become a mirror image of authoritarian mainland China, with prominent opponents jailed and other critics silenced or forced to flee overseas.

 Benny Tai (戴耀廷), a legal scholar who led anti-government protests in 2014, received a 10-year prison term, the heaviest sentence yet handed down under China's security law that was enacted in 2020. Joshua Wong(黄之鋒), a student leader and once-powerful icon of the pro-democracy movement was sentenced to four years and eight months in prison.

The defendants, originally 47 in number, were charged with "conspiring to commit subversion" for holding unofficial primaries to boost their chances of winning a Hong Kong-wide election in 2020.

Hong Kong's leaders, police and prosecutors had said the primaries held by the pro-democracy group amounted to a "large-scale and organized plot to overthrow the Hong Kong government" and violated the national security law.

A court in May convicted 14 people who denied the charges and 31 who pleaded guilty; only two were acquitted.

The prosecution, widely known as the "Hong Kong 47 people" trial, had attracted the attention of human rights groups and foreign governments. Human rights groups etc. were worrying about dramatic changes in a city that was once a diverse business hub where political protests and dissents were largely tolerated.

              So, a Hong Kong court has sentenced 45 of Hong Kong's best-known pro-democracy figures to up to 10 years in prison for violating the Hong Kong National Security Law. The ruling will be a big blow to Hong Kong's political freedoms. It has been noted that over 200,000 people have left Hong Kong since China imposed a sweeping national security crackdown four years ago.

在南美洲，特朗普已經輸掉了與中國的貿易戰 (2/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

In South America, Trump already losing a trade battle with China (2/2)

Mon, November 11, 2024 at 6:05 p.m. GMT+8·5 min read

By Marco Aquino and Eduardo Baptista

(continue)

'SINGAPORE OF LATIN AMERICA'

A beacon of the change is a new megaport 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of Lima in Chancay. It is being built by China's state-owned Cosco Shipping and promises to shorten sea routes to Asia both for Peruvian and Brazilian goods.

The Chinese-controlled port, set to be inaugurated by Xi when he is in Peru, has sparked concern from the United States over regional security, but more importantly will turbocharge the region's trade highway to China.

"We will have direct routes to Asia, particularly to ports in China, which will be cut by 10, 15, 20 days depending on the route," Peruvian Minister of Transport and Communications, Raul Perez Reyes, told Reuters at the port.

He added that it would compete with Mexico's Port of Manzanillo and eventually Long Beach in California.

"Our aim is to become the Singapore of Latin America."

The Pacific coast port is leading to other investments to boost connectivity, especially for soy producers in Brazil, who are keen to cut down shipping costs and travel time to Asia, and avoid going through the Panama Canal to the north. Peru's government is pushing a potential $10 billion rail project.

That could see more Brazilian soy transported overland to Peru and then heading for China. Brazil has seen trade with the world's no. 2 economy skyrocket in recent years.

Most local officials and diplomats, however, strike a cautious tone. They say both China and the United States are key partners. But privately, they concede that China has given more concrete attention to Latin America.

"Peru is open to do business with all countries," said a senior Peruvian official on condition of anonymity. "What China does though is concentrate its investments in Latin America and Africa" which have the resources it needs, the official said.

He added that Peru hoped to sign an agreement during APEC with China to upgrade their 2009 free trade agreement, mainly related to intellectual property, electronic commerce and customs procedures.

'SIGNALS OF ENTHUSIASM'

Brazil's ambassador in Lima, Clemente Baena Soares, said the Chancay port would be a major boost for his country's soybean farmers, cutting almost in half journey times to Asia.

He called for Peru to ease red tape for Brazilian haulers such as load limits on highways linking the countries.

Jose Tam, president of the Peru-China Chamber of Commerce, said that China was being more proactive than others in South America, helping boost its trade and investment ties.

"China is sending the clearest signals of enthusiasm in the region," said Tam, who heads the association that includes large copper mines such as MMG Ltd's Las Bambas and Aluminum Corp's Chinalco.

Mario de las Casas, corporate affairs manager for Cosco Shipping, said Peru's pivot towards China wasn't political and it was open to investors from everywhere. The trend was purely business, with less U.S. investment on offer.

"Let the United States come to invest, it has not done so for many years," he said, adding that Peru was well positioned to benefit from any global trade tensions. "Here there are no good or bad guys, here there are only interests."

Translation

在南美洲，特朗普已經輸掉了與中國的貿易戰 (2/2)

（繼續）

“拉丁美洲的新加坡”

變革的希望例子是位於利馬以北 80 公里（50 英里）的Chancay的一個新的大型港口。它由中國國有企業中遠海運集團 (Cosco Shipping) 建造，承諾縮短秘魯和巴西貨物通往亞洲的海上航線。

這個由中國控制的港口將於習近平訪問秘魯時揭幕，引發了美國對區域安全的擔憂，但更重要的是，它將加速該地區通往中國的貿易高速通道。

秘魯交通和通訊部長Raul Perez Reyes在港口對路透社表示：「我們將開通直達亞洲的航線，特別是直達中國港口的航線，根據航線的不同，班期將縮短10 天、 15 天、20 天。

他補充說，它將與墨西哥的Manzanillo港競爭，並最終與加州的長灘競爭。

“我們的目標是成為拉丁美洲的新加坡。”

這個太平洋沿岸港口正在引發其他投資，以促進連通性，特別是對於巴西的大豆生產商來說，他們渴望降低前往亞洲的運輸成本和運輸時間，並避免通過在北面的巴拿馬運河。秘魯政府正在推動一項可能耗資 100 億美元的鐵路項目。

這可能會導致更多的巴西大豆通過陸路運輸到秘魯，然後運往中國。近年巴西與世界第2經濟體的貿易快速發展。

然而，大多數地方官員和外交官都表現出謹慎的態度。他們表示，中國和美國都是重要合作夥伴。但私下里，他們承認中國對拉丁美洲給予了更具體的關注。

一位不願透露姓名的秘魯高級官員表示:「秘魯對與所有國家做生意持開放態度」。這位官員表又示，“中國所做的是將投資集中在拉丁美洲和非洲”，這些地區擁有中國所需的資源。

他補充說，秘魯希望在APEC期間與中國簽署升級2009年自由貿易協定的協議，主要涉及智識產權、電子商務和海關程序。

“熱情的信號”

巴西駐利馬大使Clemente Baena Soares 表示，Chancay港將大大促進巴西大豆種植者的發展，將前往亞洲的行程時間縮短近一半。

他呼籲秘魯放寬對巴西運輸公司的繁文縟節，例如連接兩國的高速公路的載重限制。

秘魯中國商會會長Jose Tam表示，中國比南美洲其他國家更積極主動，幫助促進其貿易和投資關係。

Tam說: 「中國正在該地區發出最明確的熱情信號」。他是一個協會的首脑, 該協會的成員包括MMG Ltd 旗下的Las Bambas 和Aluminium Corp 旗下的Chinalco 等大型銅礦。

中遠海運集團企業事務經理Mario de las Casas表示，秘魯轉向中國並不是政治性的，它對世界各地的投資者開放。這一趨勢純粹是商業性的，美國的投資減少了。

他說：「讓美國來投資，它已經很多年沒有這樣做了。」他補充說，秘魯處於有利地位，可以從任何全球貿易緊張局勢中受益。 “這裡沒有好人或壞人，這裡只有利益。”

So, Peru as the world's no. 2 copper exporter now has a new mega port in Chancay. It is being built by China's state-owned Cosco Shipping and it will shorten sea routes to Asia both for Peruvian and Brazilian goods. It will provide direct sea routes to Asia, including ports in China, and the travelling time will be cut by 10, 15, 20 days depending on the route. Apparently, the US has to do more if it wants to counteract the presence of China in the region.

The key to preventing brain aging is "small accumulations," including foreign languages ​​and playing musical instruments

Recently Yahoo New on-line picked up the following:

脳の老化防ぐカギは「小さな積み重ね」、外国語や楽器演奏も

2024.11.08 Fri posted at 16:48 JST

（ＣＮＮ） 脳の老化による認知機能の低下を遅らせる生活のカギについて、魔法の一手があるわけではなく、さまざまな「小さい要因の積み重ね」だとする研究結果が報告された。例として外国語を話すことや、楽器を演奏することも挙がっている。

英スコットランドにあるエディンバラ大学のサイモン・コックス氏が、スコットランドで１９２１年生まれと３６年生まれの高齢者グループを長期間追跡したデータに基づき、７日付の米医学誌にレビュー論文を発表した。

追跡研究では、対象者全員に１１歳の時点で認知テストが実施されていた。さらに７０代、８０代、９０代で認知能力と体力がチェックされた。

同氏らのチームは対象者が７３歳になった時点で脳のＭＲＩ検査を実施し、個人差の大きさに驚いたという。同じ年でも、３０～４０代と変わらないほど健康な脳に見える人がいる一方、一部の対象者では神経線維が集まる白質に、認知機能の低下に関連する大きな委縮や損傷がみられた。

同氏によると、高齢になってからの認知力のばらつきのうち約半分は、１１歳でのテスト結果で説明がつくと考えられる。

その一方で、生活習慣にかかわるさまざまな条件も、少しずつだが検出可能な影響を及ぼし、時にはオーバーラップしていることが分かった。こうした条件を合わせると、７０～８２歳でみられるばらつきの約２０％が説明できるという。

コックス氏は例として、身心の活発な活動、血圧やコレステロール値、喫煙習慣、ＢＭＩ（体格指数）などで示される心血管系の健康、第二言語での会話、楽器演奏などを挙げている。

チームはさらに、脳の老化のさまざまな側面が、特定のリスク要因の部分集合によって引き起こされるかどうかを調べているという。

Translation

(CNN) Research results had reported that there wes no one magic trick to slow down the decline in cognitive function caused by brain aging, but rather a "accumulation of various small factors." Examples given included speaking a foreign language and playing a musical instrument.

Simon Cox of the University of Edinburgh in Scotland published a review paper in a US medical journal on the 7th based on data from a long-term follow-up of elderly groups born in Scotland in 1921 and 1936.

In this tracking study, cognitive tests were conducted on all subjects at the age of 11. In addition, cognitive ability and physical strength were checked in their 70s, 80s, and 90s.

His team conducted MRI scans of the brains of the subjects when they were 73 years old, and were surprised at the large individual differences. Even at the same age, there were people whose brains seemed to have no change and was as healthy as those in their 30s ~ 40s, while some of the subjects had white matter concentrated at the nerve fibers, showed significant shrinkage and damage related to cognitive decline.

According to Cox, about half of the variation in cognitive ability in later life could be explained by test results at age 11.

On the other hand, a variety of lifestyle factors, little by little, might also cause detectable effects, and sometimes overlapping effects. Together, these factors explained about 20% of the variation seen in people aged 70 to 82.

Cox gave examples in factors included active physical and mental activity, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking habits, BMI (Body Muscle Index) etc. that could demonstrate cardiovascular health, speaking a second language, and playing an instrument.

The team was also investigating whether different aspects of brain aging were caused by specific subsets of risk factors.

So, research results have been reported that there is no one magic trick to slow down the decline in cognitive function caused by brain aging, but rather an "accumulation of various small factors." Examples given included speaking a foreign language and playing a musical instrument. Based on this survey we know how to slow down our brain aging.

在南美洲，特朗普已經輸掉了與中國的貿易戰 (1/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line reported the following:

In South America, Trump already losing a trade battle with China (1/2)

Mon, November 11, 2024 at 6:05 p.m. GMT+8·5 min read

By Marco Aquino and Eduardo Baptista

LIMA/BEIJING (Reuters) - In South American copper giant Peru, the incoming Donald Trump White House will find itself already on the losing side in a trade battle with China, part of a bigger power realignment around the resource-rich region in Washington's backyard.

Peru, the world's no. 2 copper exporter, is set to host Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders this week, with China's President Xi Jinping expected to attend and inaugurate a major new Chinese-built port in the country. Outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden is also on the guest list.

Peru reflects a wider challenge for the White House around South America, where China's presence has grown rapidly given its huge appetite for the region's main exports: corn, copper, soy, beef and battery-metal lithium.

That's made Beijing the go-to trade partner from Brazil to Chile and Argentina, eroding Washington's regional political clout, a trend that widened under Trump's 'America First' inward turn during his first administration and again under Biden.

"The strategic value is that this is the United States' backyard," said Li Xing, professor at the Guangdong Institute for International Strategies, adding it helped counter U.S. presence around the Indo-Pacific and offset trade war risks.

"China can't start by building military bases there because it's too sensitive and will make China's conflict with the United States too pronounced... So it has made inroads with economic ties first."

Peru demonstrates the dramatic shift. China's trade lead there over the United States widened to $16.3 billion last year, UN Comtrade data show, a stark reversal of just a decade ago when Washington was the dominant player. That's come hand-in-hand with investment from energy to mining.

China overtook the United States in 2015 on trade with Peru, widening the gap under Trump's previous administration from 2017-2021, and again under Biden.

"China has entered the region aggressively, is learning quickly, and is prepared to remain for the long term," said Eric Farnsworth, a former State Department official now at the Council of the Americas and Americas Society.

"Unless the United States meaningfully prioritizes regional economic policy in a new and more effective way, the region will continue to tilt toward Chinese interests."

The U.S. embassy in Lima did not respond to a request for comment. Washington officials have repeatedly warned publicly that Chinese investment in the region comes with strings attached and said the United States is a more reliable partner.

(to be continued)

Translation

在南美洲，特朗普已經輸掉了與中國的貿易戰 (1/2)

利馬/北京（路透社） - 在南美銅業巨頭秘魯，即將上任的特朗普政府將發現自己在與中國的貿易戰中已經處於失敗的一方，這是圍繞華盛頓後院資源豐富地區進行的更大權力調整的一部分。

秘魯，世界第二大銅出口國將於本週接待亞太經合組織領導人，中國國家主席習近平預計將出席並為該國一個中國新建的主要港口舉行落成儀式。即將離任的美國總統拜登也在嘉賓名單上。

秘魯反映出南美地區白宮面臨的更廣泛挑戰，鑑於中國對該地區主要出口產品（玉米、銅、大豆、牛肉和電池金屬鋰）的巨大需求，中國在該地區的影響力迅速擴大。

這使得北京成為從巴西到智利和阿根廷的首選貿易夥伴，削弱了華盛頓的區域政治影響力，這一趨勢在特朗普第一屆政府期間的「美國優先」向內轉向, 和拜登領導下再次擴大。

廣東國際戰略研究院教授Li Xing表示:「戰略價值在於，這裡是美國的後院」，這有助於對抗美國在印太地區的出現，抵消貿易戰風險」。

“中國不能從在那裡建立軍事基地作開始，因為這太敏感了，會讓中國與美國的衝突變得太明顯……所以它首先建立經濟關係。”

秘魯展現了巨大的轉變。聯合國商品貿易統計資料庫 (UN Comtrade) 數據顯示，去年中國對比美國對秘魯的貿易領先優勢擴大至163億美元，與十年前華盛頓佔主導地位的情況形成鮮明對比。這與中國從能源到採礦業的投資並進。

2015年，中國與秘魯的貿易超越了美國，在2017年至2021年特朗普政府領導下, 以及拜登領導下, 再次擴大了與美國的差距。

現加入了美洲理事會和美洲協會的前國務院官員Eric Farnsworth說:「中國已經積極進入該地區，正在快速學習，並準備長期留在該地區」。

“除非美國以新的、更有效的方式切實優先考慮區域經濟政策，否則該地區將繼續向中國利益傾斜。”

美國駐利馬大使館沒有回應置評請求。華盛頓官員多次公開警告稱，中國在該地區的投資帶有附加條件，並表示美國是更可靠的合作夥伴。

（待續）

掃描幫助解開埃及3000 年前一個高地位女性之謎 (2/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Scans help solve a 3,000-year-old mystery of a high-status Egyptian woman (2/2)

Ashley Strickland, CNN

Sat, November 9, 2024 at 10:46 p.m. GMT+8·8 min read

(continue)

Solving a coffin mystery

Lady Chenet-aa lived about 3,000 years ago during the 22nd Dynasty in Egypt.

The new scans helped scientists estimate that the high-status woman died in her late 30s to early 40s, while wear on her teeth shows that the food she ate contained grains of sand rough on the enamel.

Stuffing was placed in her trachea to ensure her neck wouldn’t collapse, and artificial eyes were placed in her eye sockets to guarantee she had them in the afterlife, Drake said.

“The additions are very literal,” Brown said. “If you want eyes, then there needs to be physical eyes, or at least some physical allusion to eyes. They’ll put a prosthetic in to make sure that you’ve got everything you need when you go to the afterlife.”

Lady Chenet-aa was wrapped in expensive layers of linen before being placed in a decorated cartonnage coffin, or a papier-mâché-like funeral box. But the biggest mystery about the Egyptian was how she was placed in the box in the first place.

There were no visible seams, and only a tiny opening at the feet — not wide enough to accommodate sliding the body into the box.

The new scans revealed the cartonnage’s underside for the first time, showing that the box was essentially laced shut at the back before being plastered over to create a seamless aesthetic, Brown said.

The team said that embalmers stood the mummy upright and that the cartonnage was softened with humidity to make it flexible so they could closely mold it around the body. A slit was cut at the back of the cartonnage so the body could be placed inside, and then it was closed up and laced shut.

While a CT scan can’t detect colors, it revealed the artistic designs etched into the top of the cartonnage, including indents for the knees.

The team also took a closer look at Harwa, a mummified individual who lived around 3,000 years ago and was a granary’s doorkeeper. Analysis of scans shows he was in his early to mid-40s when he died. From all appearances, he had a high social status and lived a comfortable life.

“We started looking at these two individuals primarily just to see a better idea of age and sex and any obvious pathologies or things we might see,” Drake said. “One thing that we are seeing is pretty extensive wear on their teeth because they’re living next to the desert, and there’s going to be a lot of sand in their food, or they’re using stone to grind their food. But we’re not seeing a lot of wear on the body for these two individuals in particular who were higher status and likely not conducting a lot of physical labor.”

The CT scans help scientists understand any chronic conditions individuals may have had, but the technology also aids in correcting cases of mistaken identity. While Harwa and Lady Chenet-aa both clearly had coffins made just for them, not every mummified individual was as fortunate.

One of the coffins is etched with hieroglyphics that indicate a priest was buried inside, but the individual was a 14-year-old boy much smaller than the coffin.

“We know that sometimes people really wanted to be mummified but didn’t necessarily always have the best means to do so,” Drake said. “You could get a discount coffin by borrowing or using someone else’s.”

Caring for mummified persons

In the late 19th century as archaeologists uncovered mummies in Egypt’s deserts, they would unwrap them to see what they could learn. Now, the emphasis is on protecting mummified individuals to help them last for thousands of more years, Brown said.

Today, practices around mummified individuals have shifted to show respect for how human remains are presented and displayed in museum settings, Drake said. The Field Museum also had conversations with Egyptian representatives about returning the mummies to Egypt, but those officials requested that the mummies remain on display at the Chicago museum, she said.

Harwa’s adventurous afterlife is one example of how things have changed. In 1939, he became the first mummified person to fly on an airplane, and he was taken to a Broadway show upon his arrival in New York City. On display at the New York World’s Fair for two years, he then returned to the Field Museum after getting lost in the luggage and being sent to San Francisco.

“It’s maybe not what we would consider ethical anymore,” Drake said. “One of the big things for these ancient Egyptian individuals is how you continue to live after death. And that is part of his story and his journey.”

The museum wants to convey the idea that mummies are people, rather than art objects, Brown said.

“We are trying to understand them as people so that we can share those stories and insights with the general public to kind of rehumanize and shift the narratives to be more respectful and give some more dignity to these mummified individuals,” Drake said.

Translation

 掃描幫助解開埃及3000 年前一個高地位女性之謎 (2/2)

（繼續）

解開棺材之謎

Chenet-aa 女士生活在大約 3,000 年前的埃及第 22 王朝時期。

新的掃描幫助科學家估計這位地位較高的女性死於 30 歲末至 40 歲出頭，而她牙齒上的磨損表明她吃的食物有沙粒而令琺瑯質表面粗糙。

Drake說，她的氣管中被放置了填充物，以確保她的脖子不會塌陷，並且在她的眼窩中放置了人造眼睛，以確保她在來世仍擁有它。

Brown說: 「這些填充物有非常字面意思」; 「如果你想要眼睛，那麼就需要有叫眼睛的物體，或至少有一些暗示眼睛的實體。他們會安裝人造的身體部位，以確保你在來世時擁有所需的一切」。

Chenet-aa女士被包裹在昂貴的亞麻布中，然後被放入裝飾精美的紙質棺材或紙漿狀葬禮盒中。但關於埃及人最大的謎團是她最初是如何被放入盒子裡的。

沒有明顯的接縫，只有在腳部有一個很小的開口 - 不夠寬去把屍體滑入盒子。

Brown說，新的掃描結果首次揭示了紙箱的底面，表明盒子基本上是在背面用帶子綁緊，然後再用灰泥覆蓋以創造出無縫的美感。

研究小組表示，防腐人員將木乃伊直立起來，並用濕度軟化了紙箱，使其變得柔韌，以便他們可以把它圍着屍體緊密地包裹。在紙箱的背面切開一條縫，以便將屍體放入裡面，然後將其封閉並用帶子綁緊。

雖然 CT 掃描無法檢測顏色，但它顯示了蝕刻在紙箱頂部的藝術設計，包括膝蓋的凹痕。

研究團隊也仔細觀察了Harwa，這是某人木乃伊個體，生活在大約 3000 年前，是糧倉的看門人。掃描分析顯示，他去世時年僅 40 歲出頭。從表面上看，他的社會地位很高，生活也很安逸。

Drake說：「我們開始研究這兩個人，主要是為了更好地了解年齡和性別，以及我們可能看到的任何明顯的疾病或事物」; 「我們看到的一件事是，他們的牙齒磨損相當嚴重，因為他們生活在沙漠旁邊，食物中會有很多沙子，或者他們用石頭磨食物。但我們沒有特別地看到這兩個人的身體受到很大的磨損，他們的地位較高，可能沒有進行過大量的體力勞動」。

CT 掃描可幫助科學家了解個人可能患有的任何慢性疾病，而該技術還有助於糾正身份錯誤的情況。雖然Harwa和Chenet-aa女士顯然都有專門為他們製作的棺材，但並不是每個木乃伊個體都那麼幸運。

其中一個棺材上刻有像形文字，顯示裡面埋著一位牧師，但棺材裡埋的是一名 14 歲的男孩，比棺材小得多。

Drake說: 「我們知道，有時人們確實想被製成木乃伊，但並不總是會得到最佳方法來做到這一點」; 「去借用或使用別人的棺材可以有折扣」。

照顧木乃伊

19 世紀末，當考古學家在埃及沙漠中發現木乃伊時，他們會打開它們，看看能學到什麼。Brown說，現在的重點是保護木乃伊個體，幫助它們再存活數千年。

Drake說，如今，有關處置木乃伊的做法已經轉變，在博物館環境中, 對陳列和展示的人類遺骸會表達尊重。她說，菲爾德博物館也與埃及代表就將木乃伊歸還埃及進行了對話，但這些官員要求將木乃伊繼續在芝加哥博物館展出。

Harwa的來世冒險就是事情怎樣改變的一個例子。 1939年，他成為第一個乘坐飛機飛行的木乃伊人，抵達紐約市後，他被帶到了百老匯會演。他在紐約世界博覽會上展出了兩年，然後在行李中迷路, 並被送往舊金山後回到菲爾德博物館。

Drake說: 「這可能不再是我們認為有道德的行為」; 「對這些古埃及人來說，最重要的事情之一就是死後如何繼續生活。這是他的故事和旅程的一部分」。

Brown說，博物館希望傳達這樣的理念：木乃伊是人，而不是藝術品。

Drake說：「我們試圖將他們作為人來理解，這樣我們就可以與公眾分享這些故事和見解，從而使這些木乃伊個體重新人性化，並改變敘述方式，使其更加被尊重並給予這些木乃伊更多的尊嚴」。

So, scientists have peered beneath the wrappings of ancient Egyptian mummified human remains so as to uncover new details about their identities and how they were prepared for the afterlife — all without removing a single piece of linen. The CT scans help scientists understand any chronic conditions individuals may have had and aids in correcting cases of mistaken identity. Through these scanning we can also tell their stories when they were alive some 3,000 years ago. In the late 19th century when archaeologists uncovered mummies in Egypt’s deserts, they would unwrap them to see what they could learn. Now, the emphasis is about protecting mummified individuals to help them last for thousands of more years.

掃描幫助解開埃及3000 年前一個高地位女性之謎 (1/2)

Recently Yahoo News on-line picked up the following:

Scans help solve a 3,000-year-old mystery of a high-status Egyptian woman (1/2)

Ashley Strickland, CNN

Sat, November 9, 2024 at 10:46 p.m. GMT+8·8 min read

Scientists at Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History have peered beneath the wrappings of ancient Egyptian mummified human remains to uncover new details about their identities and how they were prepared for the afterlife — all without removing a single piece of linen.

In September, staff members rolled 26 of the mummies on display at the museum on specially built carts to the parking lot to be put through a mobile CT scanner. The nondestructive technology resulted in thousands of X-rays of the mummies and their coffins. When stacked together, the X-rays created 3D images that revealed the skeletons and artifacts inside.

The new insights are helping to shed light on Egyptians’ mortuary practices more than 3,000 years ago as well as what they thought was important to carry into the afterlife.

While the scans took about four days to complete, the processing and analysis of the 3D renderings may take up to three years, said JP Brown, senior conservator of anthropology at the museum.

In addition to providing insights about the best methods to preserve the mummies for generations, the scans also offer a chance to understand the individuality and personal details of each mummified Egyptian in a respectful way.

“From an archaeological perspective, it is incredibly rare that you get to investigate or view history from the perspective of a single individual,” said Stacy Drake, human remains collections manager at the Field Museum. “This is a really great way for us to look at who these people were — not just the stuff that they made and the stories that we have concocted about them, but the actual individuals that were living at this time.”

Preparing for the afterlife

“Inside Ancient Egypt” is one of the most popular exhibits at the museum and includes a three-story replica of a type of tomb called a mastaba. The tomb’s burial chambers, dated to 2400 BC, contain 23 human mummies and more than 30 animal mummies.

Ancient Egyptians believed that the soul remained inside the body after death, so embalmers mummified bodies to preserve the spirit for the afterlife, according to Field Museum scientists.

The spiritual and biological ritual of mummification could take 70 days, including removing internal organs except for the heart because it was thought to be the soul’s home. Embalmers used salt to dry the bodies, then wrapped them in linens, sometimes writing prayers or including protective amulets. A ceremonial burial would be the final step to send the mummified person on to the afterlife.

Any internal organs removed during the process were typically placed in canopic jars, each featuring an iconographic lid with one of the four sons of the Egyptian god Horus to protect each organ. Imsety was the human-headed god who protected the liver, while Hapy had the head of a baboon and protected the lungs. Jackal-headed Duamutef protected the stomach, and falcon-headed Qebehsenuef watched over the intestines.

But the new CT scans revealed that some embalmers chose to make packets for the organs and reinsert them within the mummies. Within the packets were wax statues of the sons of Horus responsible for protecting the organs. The statues helped the museum scientists identify the organs in each packet, Brown said.

Ancient Egyptians viewed the afterlife in a similar way to how modern people think about retirement savings, according to Brown.

“It’s something you prepare for, put money aside for all the way through your life and hope you’ve got enough at the end to really enjoy yourself,” he said. “You want to be living your best afterlife.”

Not every ancient Egyptian was mummified, but the restricted practice apparently was common among the upper middle class and those of high status, Brown said.

Burials for pharaohs, the rulers of ancient Egypt, were comparable to the status of a top-of-the-line automobile. Meanwhile, Lady Chenet-aa, one of the museum’s most popular mummified individuals, had a burial on the scale of a high-end luxury car, Brown said.

(to be continued)

Translation

掃描幫助解開埃及3000 年前一個高地位女性之謎 (1/2)

芝加哥的菲爾德自然歷史博物館 的科學家們在古埃及木乃伊人類遺骸的包裹下面進行了觀察，以發掘出關他們身份以及他們如何為來世做準備的新細節 - 所有這些觀察都沒有移動何一塊包裹亞麻布。

在9 月，工作人員用特製的推車將博物館展出的 26 具木乃伊推到停車場，以便通過移動 CT 掃描儀。用無損技術對木乃伊及其棺材進行了數千次 X 射線檢查。當 X 光片堆疊在一起時，會產生 3D 影像，顯示出裡面的骨頭和文物。

這些新見解有助於揭示 3,000 多年前埃及人的葬禮的做法，以及他們認為要帶往來世的重要東西。

博物館人類學高級管理員 JP Brown 表示，雖然掃描大約需要四天才能完成，但 3D 呈現圖的處理和分析可能需要長達三年的時間。

除了提供有關世代保存木乃伊的最佳方法的見解之外，掃描還提供了一個機會，以尊重的方式了解每具埃及木乃伊的個性和個人細節。

菲爾德博物館的人類遺骸收藏經理Stacy Drake 表示：“從考古學的角度來看，以個别人的角度來調查或審視歷史是極其罕見的” 。“這對我們來說, 去了解這些人是誰是一個很好的方式 - 不僅僅是他們製作的東西和我們編造的關於他們的故事，而是生活在這個時代的真實個體。”

為來世做準備

「在古埃及在裡」是博物館最受歡迎的展品之一，其中包括一座三層樓高叫做mastaba的墳墓複製品。該墓的墓室可追溯至西元前 2400 年，內有 23 具人類木乃伊和 30 多具動物木乃伊。

菲爾德博物館的科學家表示，古埃及人相信人死後靈魂仍留在體內，因此防腐者將屍體製成木乃伊，為來世保存靈魂。

的靈魂上和生物上的木乃伊化儀式可能需要 70 天，其中包括除去心臟以外的內部器官，因為心臟被認為是靈魂的棲身處。防腐人員用鹽擦乾屍體，然後用亞麻布包裹屍體，有時寫下祈禱文或附上護身符。儀式性的埋葬是將木乃伊入送往來世的最後一步。

在此過程中取出的任何內臟通常都會放置在卡諾皮克罐中，每個罐子都有一個帶有圖案的蓋子，蓋子上刻著埃及神Horus的四個兒子之一，以保護每個器官。Imsety是人頭神，保護肝臟，而Hapy則是狒狒頭神，保護肺。豺頭的Daumutef保護胃，鷹頭的Qebehsenuef守護腸道。

但新的 CT 掃描顯示，一些防腐師選擇將器官裝入製成的袋，然後將其重新放入木乃伊體內。包裹內有負責保護器官的Horus兒子的蠟像。Brown說，這些雕像幫助博物館科學家辨識了每個袋中的器官。

Brown表示，古埃及人看待來世的方式與現代人看待退休儲蓄的方式類似。

他說:「這是你要做好準備的事情，在你的一生中存下錢，並希望你最終有足夠的錢來真正享受自己」; 「你想要過最美好的來世」。

Brown說，並不是每個古埃及人都被製成木乃伊，但這種非普遍的做法顯然在中上階級和地位較高的人中很常見。

古埃及統治者法老的墓葬相當於一輛頂級汽車的地位。同時，Brown說，博物館最受歡迎的木乃伊之一Chenet-aa女士的墓葬規模相當於一輛高端豪華汽車。

（待續）

Note:

Canopic jars (卡諾皮克罐) are containers that were used by the ancient Egyptians during the mummification process, to store and preserve the large organs for the afterlife. The earliest and most common versions were made from stone, but later styles were carved from wood. The ritual use of the jars dates as far back as the Old Kingdom and stayed in practice until the Late Period or the Ptolemaic Period, by which time the large organs were simply wrapped and placed with the body. Canopic jars of the Old Kingdom were rarely inscribed and had a plain lid, but by the Middle Kingdom inscriptions became more usual, and the lids were often in the form of human heads. By the Nineteenth Dynasty each of the four lids depicted one of the four sons of Horus, acting as guardians for the respective organs in each jar. (Wikipedia)