New Orleans

Data: U.S. Census, Wikipedia; Visual: Will Chase, Jacque Schrag, Tory Lysik/Axios

We know that Louisianans, and Americans, are struggling to get passports renewed on time given the unprecedented backlog.

If international travel isn't in your future, may we suggest a trip around the world — without leaving Louisiana? 

Driving the news: The U.S. is filled with towns and cities that were named after foreign places: You can take a trip to Naples, New York, or Paris, Illinois.

In fact, there are so many of these cities that you could go on a world tour without ever leaving the U.S. 

The big picture: In Louisiana you can take a trip around the world with at least 11 stops, from Europe to Asia. 

There's Gretna, the Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge, Lisbon and Jena if you'd like to "visit" Scotland, Myanmar, Portugal and Germany. 

There's Sorrento, Kolin and Delhi if Italy, the Czech Republic or India are more your speed. 

Be smart: Sorrento was named by a German immigrant in 1909 who built the railroad through the region. He chose the name after the Italian city where he and his wife went on their honeymoon, according to the town.

Jena, Louisiana, came to be when "Hemps Creek" was renamed by James Forsythe after his hometown Jena, Illinois, which had been named for Jena, Germany. 

Go deeper: Plan your "international" vacation within our nation's borders

Go deeper: Plan your "international" vacation within our nation's borders.

How to travel the world without leaving Louisiana

The U.S. is filled with towns and cities named after foreign places.

Louisiana

Animated illustration of US passports filling the screen.

We know that Louisianans, and Americans, are <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="struggling" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2023/07/27/louisiana-passport-backlog" data-vars-content-id="4024166e-8e66-425c-aee2-71c72a192378" data-vars-headline="How to travel the world without leaving Louisiana" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2023/07/27/louisiana-passport-backlog" target="_self">struggling</a> to get passports renewed on time given the unprecedented backlog.<ul><li>If international travel isn&#x27;t in your future, may we suggest a trip around the world — without leaving Louisiana? </li></ul>Driving the news: The U.S. is filled with towns and cities that were named after foreign places: You can take a trip to Naples, New York, or Paris, Illinois.

Things to Do

National

Data: ISAF, Nature and U.S. Census; Graphic: Tory Lysik and Maura Losch/Axios

Shark attacks appear to be on a steady rise in recent years, according to data from the International Shark Attack File.

What's happening: People are interacting with sharks more frequently than ever before. More people are living near oceans, and improvements to transportation systems have made it easier to access coastlines, according to Danielle Haulsee, the Chief Science Officer at Hubbs SeaWorld Research Institute.

Alert systems have become more accessible too. Drones are being used to alert beachgoers when a shark is close to shore.

Why it matters: Although human and shark interactions are on the rise, shark populations are still very much suppressed. 

"Many shark species have been overfished, in fact on average we are killing 11,000 sharks per hour," Haulsee said. And that's a bad thing—"Healthy ocean ecosystems depend on healthy shark populations."

The bottom line: Humans will always share the ocean with sharks. "We should respect them for the role they play in maintaining ecosystem balance and for their incredible adaptations to live in all oceans and many different environmental conditions! They were here first after all."

Charted: Humans vs. sharks

People and sharks are interacting more than ever before.

Data graphics

Energy & Environment

Seattle

Axios Seattle

Whats Next

Axios What's Next

Data: Climate Central; Chart: Tory Lysik/Axios Visuals

Wednesday's somewhat mild weather on the first day of summer may not make Seattleites feel like they're in for a hot one. Yet temperature data shows Seattle summers have trended warmer over the past 50 years.

Driving the news: The city's average summer temperatures increased by almost 3°F between 1970 and 2022, per a new analysis by climate research group Climate Central.

Zoom in: Average temperatures in Seattle from June 1 to Aug. 31 were 66.7°F in 2022, compared to 64°F in 1970.

That made last summer the seventh hottest on record locally.

Why it matters: Extreme heat is a serious health risk, leading to both immediate acute effects (such as exhaustion and heat stroke) as well as longer-term complications due to reduced air quality.

A particularly deadly "heat dome" phenomenon in 2021 was linked to dozens of deaths across the Pacific Northwest, including more than 30 deaths in King County, lending fresh urgency to the problem of rising city temperatures.

The big picture: Nationwide between 1970 and 2022, summer temperatures rose by 2.4°F on average across nearly 230 locations — 95% of the locations Climate Central analyzed.

What's happening: Cities nationwide are hiring "chief heat officers" to head up efforts to mitigate urban heat, as Jennifer A. Kingson has reported, including through the use of "smart surfaces" and increasing tree cover (and thus shade).

Seattle hired its first chief resilience officer — a position with responsibilities that include preparing for heat waves — in 2017.

Plus: For the past year, King County has been developing its first extreme heat mitigation strategy with a focus on areas that are heavily paved, something that keeps those places from cooling down as much at night.

These "urban heat islands" tend to be more common in low-income neighborhoods, making them a key socioeconomic issue for cities to tackle.

What's next: Seattle city officials hope their efforts to boost the city's tree canopy will help cool down some of the city's neighborhoods.

The parks department is also working to add air conditioning to community centers in neighborhoods most impacted by heat, according to the mayor's office.

Seattle summers are almost 3°F warmer than in 1970

Last summer was the seventh hottest on record locally, on the heels of a deadly heat wave in 2021.

Weather

A line chart showing increasing average summer temperatures in Seattle from 1970 to 2022, with the trend line at about 63 degrees Fahrenheit in 1970 compared to about 66 degrees Fahrenheit in 2022. 

Wednesday&#x27;s somewhat mild weather on the first day of summer may not make Seattleites feel like they&#x27;re in for a hot one. Yet temperature data shows Seattle summers have trended warmer over the past 50 years.Driving the news: The city&#x27;s average summer temperatures increased by almost 3°F between 1970 and 2022, per a new<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" analysis" data-vars-click-url="https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2023-summer-package" data-vars-content-id="8451ed6b-cf2b-49f4-8a57-c24117aa4b85" data-vars-headline="Seattle summers are almost 3°F warmer than in 1970" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.climatecentral.org/climate-matters/2023-summer-package" target="_blank"> analysis</a> by climate research group<a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text=" Climate Central" data-vars-click-url="https://www.climatecentral.org/what-we-do" data-vars-content-id="8451ed6b-cf2b-49f4-8a57-c24117aa4b85" data-vars-headline="Seattle summers are almost 3°F warmer than in 1970" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.climatecentral.org/what-we-do" target="_blank"> Climate Central</a>.

Climate

The next El Niño will supercharge ocean temperatures, spelling trouble for coral reefs, a major component of the ocean's ecosystems.

Why it matters: Coral reefs provide shelter for over 25% of ocean animals, and are economically key to over half a billion people's livelihoods.

Data: NOAA and GCRMN; Chart: Tory Lysik and Erin Davis/Axios Visuals

Charted: El Niño is bad news for coral reefs

Coral reefs are important for ocean life and local economies.

El Niño

The next El Niño will supercharge ocean temperatures, spelling trouble for coral reefs, a major component of the ocean&#x27;s ecosystems.Why it matters: Coral reefs provide shelter for over 25% of ocean animals, and are economically key to over half a billion people&#x27;s livelihoods.

Data: Axios research; Chart: Tory Lysik and Simran Parwani/Axios

Last night's GOP presidential debate featured multiple jabs from the eight White House hopefuls toward President Biden and former President Trump. 

The big picture: The eight Republican presidential candidates took 21 shots at Biden compared to seven at Trump, who skipped the debate in Wisconsin for a pre-recorded interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. 

Out of the eight debaters, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis took the most jabs toward Biden. 

Burgum attributed inflation in the U.S. to the president during his closing debate remarks, saying: "I understand why America's hurting — Biden's inflation is choking us."

DeSantis was quick to criticize Biden's response to Maui's devastating wildfires, saying: "Biden was on the beach while those people were suffering. He was asked about it, and he said 'no comment.' Are you kidding me?"

Former Vice President Mike Pence, Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley attacked Biden three times each.

Between the lines: Trump, who will surrender to authorities Thursday at Georgia's Fulton County Jail over his fourth criminal indictment, received far less criticism during the debate compared to Biden. 

Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and Haley made it a point to criticize Trump more than once. 

Christie, a vocal critic of Trump, did not raise his hand when candidates were asked by the debate moderators if they would support the former president as the GOP nominee, regardless of his legal woes, which include 91 federal and state charges. 

Hutchinson also chose not to raise his hand. 

Go deeper: In Trump's absence, Ramaswamy drives the GOP debate

In Trump's absence, Ramaswamy drives the GOP debate

How GOP candidates treated Biden vs. Trump at the first debate

Doug Burgum and Ron DeSantis took the most jabs toward Biden.

Presidential debates

2024 Elections

Last night&#x27;s GOP presidential debate featured multiple jabs from the eight White House hopefuls toward President Biden and former <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="President Trump" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" data-vars-content-id="dd03f907-8fbb-4626-8f4d-377c65e363c9" data-vars-headline="How GOP candidates treated Biden vs. Trump at the first debate" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/politics-policy/donald-trump" target="_self">President Trump</a>. The big picture: The eight Republican presidential candidates took 21 shots at Biden compared to seven at Trump, who <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="skipped the debate in Wisconsin" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/23/trump-republican-debate-tucker-carlson" data-vars-content-id="dd03f907-8fbb-4626-8f4d-377c65e363c9" data-vars-headline="How GOP candidates treated Biden vs. Trump at the first debate" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2023/08/23/trump-republican-debate-tucker-carlson" target="_self">skipped the debate in Wisconsin</a> for a pre-recorded interview with former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.

President Biden has made the COVID-19 crisis and a post-Trump return to national unity and traditional democratic ideals his top priorities. From vaccinations to stimulus to schools, Biden is seeking bipartisan compromise while showing a willingness to use executive authority and bare Democratic majorities in the U.S. House and Senate to implement his policies. Republican leaders are navigating deep party divisions over if and how to move beyond former President Trump.

Tory Lysik

Stories

How to travel the world without leaving Louisiana

How GOP candidates treated Biden vs. Trump at the first debate

Charted: Humans vs. sharks

Charted: El Niño is bad news for coral reefs

Seattle summers are almost 3°F warmer than in 1970