China touts its Belt and Road infrastructure lending as an alternative for international development

LETS GET THEM TO BUILD HIGH SPEED RAIL IN CANADA!

Tue, October 10, 2023 


BEIJING (AP) — China is touting its 10-year-old Belt and Road Initiative as an alternative model for economic development, releasing a government report that praises the program while glossing over criticism that it has saddled poor countries with too much debt.

The program championed by Chinese leader Xi Jinping has financed construction of ports, power plants, railroads and other projects around the world.

“Over the past 10 years, the fruitful results of building the Belt and Road together and the growing circle of friends have fully proved that the Belt and Road does not engage in a closed and narrow circle, transcends the old mindset of geopolitical games and creates a new paradigm of international cooperation,” Li Kexin, the Foreign Ministry's director for international economics affairs, told reporters in Beijing.

Since it was launched, the Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI, has backed projects carried out mostly by Chinese construction companies, financed by loans from Chinese development banks.

Its official goal is to boost trade and investment by improving China's transport links with the rest of the world. Analysts credit the program with directing needed funding to poor countries but say that came at a cost.

A study released Monday by Boston University's Global Development Policy Center said the BRI had delivered more than $330 billion in loans to developing country governments through 2021, lending more than the World Bank in some years.

“On some level, China has added a World Bank to the developing world, and that is no small feat and very appreciated by developing countries,” said Kevin Gallagher, the center's director.

But the same study noted that many recipients of Chinese loans are now struggling with their overall debts. Also, Chinese-funded power plants are emitting about 245 million tons of carbon dioxide a year, adding to emissions of climate altering greenhouse gases.

The Chinese government report highlighted railway projects including a 590-kilometer (370-mile) route from Nairobi to the port of Mombasa in Kenya and the opening of a 1,035-kilometer (643-mile) railway in 2021 from the city of Kunming in southwestern China to the capital of Laos.

China filled a gap as the World Bank and other lenders pulled back from infrastructure projects because criticism of their impact on the environment and displaced local communities, Gallagher said.

But China in turn has come under similar criticism and is now shifting its initiative toward a new focus that includes smaller projects and renewable energy.

“We do not have these massive multimillion dollar infrastructure projects anymore, but rather smaller projects, the official term is ‘small and beautiful,’ ” said Christoph Nedopil, the director of the Asia Institute at Griffith University in Australia.

They include solar and wind farms, factories to make electric vehicle parts and batteries and mines for lithium and other minerals needed for electric vehicles, Nedopil said.

China's development lending has slumped in recent years, in part because China has learned from the debt crises in multiple countries and also because it has less money to lend as its own economy slows down.

Cong Liang, a senior official of China's main planning agency, said during the release of the BRI report that the country would adhere to “the principle of sustainable debt” and work with indebted countries toward “a sustainable and risk-controllable investment and financing system.”

The Belt and Road Initiative is part of China's efforts to raise its international stature and push back against U.S. criticism of Communist Party rule and Beijing's human rights record.

China’s leaders accuse the U.S. of trying to impose their principles on everyone else — including China. They say their system offers a different approach that accepts other countries as they are.

In contrast, a delegation of U.S. senators in China this week said they stressed to Chinese officials that they would promote "freedom and democratic principles and vigorously defend our values.”

The BRI report says the program transcends differences in ideologies and social systems, offering an alternative to the current path of globalization that Beijing says has just widened the gap between rich and poor countries.

"It is no longer acceptable that only a few countries dominate world economic development, control economic rules, and enjoy development fruits,” the report said.

Next week, China is expected to host a forum showcasing the BRI program.

Ken Moritsugu, The Associated Press

 Rare ‘cuckoo’ creature — not seen locally in 65 years — found in Canada, officials say 

ANOTHER AMAZING FIND IN THE MUSEUM STORAGE ROOM

BY BRENDAN RASCIUS OCTOBER 03, 2023 

While cataloging a collection of insect specimens, a museum curator in Canada came across something rather buzzworthy. An extremely rare bee — once thought extinct and not seen locally in decades — was sitting in front of him. “It was pretty exciting,” Cory Sheffield, of the Royal Saskatchewan Museum, said in a Sept. 27 news release. 

The small insect, known as the Macropis cuckoo bee, is “one of the most uncommon bees in Canada,” Sheffield said. The museum specimen was collected near Saskatchewan’s Grasslands National Park by Wood Mountain, situated on the Montana border, in 2013, officials said. It then went overlooked in storage for years. 

“For insects collected by museum researchers, it sometimes takes a long time to process and identify all that you’ve captured,” Sheffield said. 

A cuckoo bee, once thought to be locally extinct, was discovered in Canada, officials said. Photo from Saskatchewan government 

Prior to the discovery of the museum specimen, the cuckoo bee hadn’t been recorded in Saskatchewan, a province roughly the size of Texas, for over 65 years.

 In fact, the bee went undetected for so long that it was believed to be extinct throughout Canada until several specimens were found in Nova Scotia in the 2000s. Now, it’s considered to be endangered in the country.

 In the U.S., too, the cuckoo bee is extremely uncommon. Only one female was documented in Connecticut in 2006, according to a 2011 report from the Canadian government, leading the bee to be called “one of the rarest bees in North America.” 

The black, wasp-like bugs are parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other bee species, where their larvae consume food intended for other bees. The cuckoos are also totally reliant on the oil produced by one flower, the fringed loosestrife, which is native to Canada and the United States. The discovery of the museum specimen is significant because it indicates that populations of the cuckoo bee might still exist in Saskatchewan, Sheffield said.

Four key Bee species ‘imperiled’ because government failed to protect them, center says

Olivia Lloyd
Mon, October 9, 2023 

Gemma Evans via Unsplash

The loss of these buzzing creatures could have “disastrous consequences,” the Center for Biological Diversity said.

So, the center says it will sue the United States government for the protection of four species of bees, according to a pending lawsuit.

The center announced Oct. 5 its intent to sue the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services over their failure to respond to petitions to list the four species on the Endangered Species Act.

The agencies declined to comment to McClatchy News.

“The Biden administration has failed to step up for pollinators, but we won’t let them go extinct without a fight,” said Jess Tyler, a scientist at the center.

The center seeks protection for the American bumble bee, the Southern Plains bumble bee, the variable cuckoo bumble bee and the blue calamintha bee.

FWS is supposed to issue an initial finding 90 days after a petition is filed to list a species as endangered, according to Section 4 of the Endangered Species Act. If the finding yields evidence suggesting the species is endangered or threatened, the agency has 12 months to issue a finding determining whether the species will ultimately land under the protection of the act.

“Your parents’ generation may have seen American bumble bees all over their yards, but now trained biologists spend their summers looking and can’t find any,” Tyler said. “The loss of one of our most common bumblebees is a scary prospect.”

The findings for all four species are past due, the center says. One petition was filed in 2015, two were filed in 2021, and the fourth was filed in July 2022. The first three have been awaiting results of the 12-month finding, and the fourth petition is awaiting results of a 90-day finding.

It’s been over two years since FWS said it would issue a 12-month finding on several species, including the American bumble bee. The service said it would conduct that finding on Sept. 29, 2021.

The American bumble bee population has seen a near 90% decline in recent decades relative to other bee species, mostly affecting the northern edges of their range, according to FWS.

“The loss of this species on the landscape could have devastating impacts on pollination of the many native plants they are known to use, as well as agricultural crops,” FWS said.

As pollinators, bees are important players in the food crop cycle. Pollinators add an estimated $18 billion in value to crop production, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Pesticide use, habitat loss and disease contribute to declining bee populations, the center says.

The Endangered Species Act establishes protection and recovery programs for species listed as threatened or endangered, according to FWS.

FWS has failed to make sure these four species of bees were “timely protected to avoid an increased risk of extinction,” the center says.

Rare ‘cuckoo’ creature — not seen locally in 65 years — found in Canada, officials say

New mission to metal-rich asteroid Psyche has scientists 'psyched'

CBC
Mon, October 9, 2023 

This illustration depicts NASA's Psyche spacecraft. Set to launch Oct. 12, the Psyche mission will explore a metal-rich asteroid of the same name that lies in the main asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU - image credit)

Hot on the heels of the sample–return mission from an asteroid named Bennu, NASA is preparing to launch a spacecraft to yet another asteroid.

The Psyche mission — named after the asteroid it's planning to study — is set to blast off on Thursday atop a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral, Fla., where it will begin a six-year journey to its home in the asteroid belt.

Once it arrives, it will continue to orbit Psyche for two years, where it will study things such as its composition, age and topography.

So why is NASA heading to yet another asteroid?

As always, to better understand Earth.

Earth is made up of three layers: The crust, the mantle and the core. But because the core lies so deep within the planet, we know virtually nothing about it.

But out in the asteroid belt, home to a million objects or more, all left over from the formation of our solar system 4.5 billion years ago, may lie clues in the form of metal-rich asteroids. And Psyche is just one of those objects.

To date, astronomers have only been able to get information about the asteroid, offically named 16 Psyche, from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the now-retired airborne Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) telescope.

But from that they've learned that the 280–kilometre wide, potato-shaped asteroid is likely metal-rich, unlike any asteroid we've ever visited.

"We have probably two million or more objects in our solar system," said Lindy Elkins-Tanton, principal investigator of the Psyche mission. "We get kind of focused on the big planets, but there's an awful lot more of these smaller objects. And they come in all different flavours and types. And they tell us different parts of the solar system story."

In particular, scientists want to understand how the cores of rocky planets like Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars formed and what they might look like.

"If you want to find out about metal cores, this is our very best bet," said Elkins-Tanton, who is also a professor at Arizona State University's school of Earth and space exploration.

"Because we cannot go to the cores of any of our rocky planets — way too hot, way too much pressure — but they make these magnetic fields that keep our atmosphere safe and give us guidance and have a really important aspect of habitability."

There are two leading theories as to how Psyche formed. One, is that it was in the stage of potentially forming as a planet, called a planetesimal, but another body slammed into it, stripping away its upper crust leaving behind a metal core.

Another theory is that it was left over from the formation of our solar system and migrated outwards from the sun where it now resides in the asteroid belt.

But scientists may be wrong about both theories.

"Psyche is so cool, because we still don't really know what it is," said Zoe Landsman, a research scientist at the University of Central Florida, and chief scientist at the Center for Lunar and Asteroid Surface Science (CLASS).

Though not involved in the mission, Landsman has studied Psyche in depth and is excited about what surprises may lie in store with this mission. Psyche may not even look like we think it does.

"There's really nothing that beats actually sending a spacecraft to the object. And I think every single time that we've gone to a new world, there's something that completely subverts our expectations, and you learn something tremendously valuable about the solar system."

Worth $10,000 quadrillion

In 2017, Elkins-Tanton calculated just how much Psyche might be worth, coming in at a whopping $10,000 quadrillion USD, should we ever have the resources to mine it.

But, she noted while speaking with CBC, there are some caveats.

"We have no technology for bringing Psyche back to Earth. There isn't any way to do that. And then if we did, it would probably be a really bad day on Earth, because we also have no technology for putting it into a stable orbit," she said. And then, even if we could do that, we would have flooded the market and it would be worth nothing."

While space mining may seem like science fiction, such as seen in the cult-favourite book and television series The Expanse, scientists imagine it happening one day.

Space mining is certainly something currently discussed in the space industry — there's even a newly formed Canadian Space Mining Corporation, though many space mining companies have come and gone.

This artist's illustration depicts Psyche, a metal-rich asteroid that resides in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter.

This artist's illustration depicts Psyche, a metal-rich asteroid that resides in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU)

"I do think that we could have people mining in the asteroid belt," Elkins-Tanton said. "In a lot of weird ways that is a plausible future."

Gordon Osinski, a planetary geologist at Western University in London, Ont., who is not involved in the Psyche mission, but who is the principal investigator for Canada's first lunar rover, agreed, though he wonders about the timing.

"I think it's inevitable," he said. "It's a question of when. I think it will happen on the moon first, because of its proximity, and it will be water." Specifically, he said, the mining of resources in situ, or in the place you are visiting, would be practically necessary in order to build bases on planets or moons.

He also noted that Natural Resources Canada mentioned the future of space mining it a recent report titled The Canadian Minerals and Metals Plan.

However, he believes the mining of asteroids is much further away, but there could be a lot of good reasons to try, including the mining of valuable platinum group elements, or PGEs, which are used in such things as batteries, solar panels, and even pacemakers and magnets.

But no matter what the future holds in terms of further space exploration and mining opportunities, Elkins-Tanton said she's pumped about the upcoming mission, but she'll feel better once it's safely on its way to the asteroid

"I'm totally psyched about Psyche," she said. "And I hope that everyone is psyched about Psyche. It's been really fun to get so much support from around the world. People are very intrigued by this mission."

NASA's Hubble spots a mysterious flash in the middle of nowhere that defies science

Marianne Guenot
Tue, October 10, 2023 

Scientists have spotted a mysterious flash of blue light, and they don't know what is causing it

.NASA, ESA, NSF's NOIRLab, Mark Garlick , Mahdi Zamani

A blinding burst of blue light flashing from seemingly empty space is puzzling astronomers.

Scientists had previously thought Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transients were caused by dying stars.

But this new flash's location is nowhere near where a dying star should be.

A bright flash of blue light appearing in the middle of seemingly empty space has scientists confused.

The brilliant flash — thought to have burned at about 36,000 degrees Fahrenheit —is a rare explosion known as a Luminous Fast Blue Optical Transient (LFBOT). These are some of the brightest and most unpredictable known visible-light events in the universe, NASA said in a statement about the findings Thursday.

Scientists previously thought they knew what could cause such a bright burst of energy. But the latest observation, first spotted in April this year, is causing them to rethink what may be happening.

"The more we learn about LFBOTs, the more they surprise us," Ashley Chrimes, an author on a paper about the discoveries and European Space Agency Research Fellow, said in the press release.

A bright flash where it shouldn't be

Because these flashes are so brilliant and short-lived — LFBOTs turn off in a matter of days — scientists had previously concluded they must be caused by a specific type of event called a core-collapse supernova.

Supernovae usually shine for months. By contrast, core-collapse supernovae, which occur at the death of the biggest of stars, release a burst of energy that only lasts a few days, which is in line with what was being seen during an LFBOT, per the press release.

The problem is that this latest LFBOT, nicknamed the "Finch," happened 15,000 light years from the nearest galaxy. That's much too far for a core-collapse supernova to travel.

Supernovae come from stars, which are born inside galaxies. Because big stars don't live long, it's very unlikely a star that big would have had the time to travel that far before bursting into a core-collapse supernova, per the press release.

"We've now shown that LFBOTs can occur a long way from the center of the nearest galaxy, and the location of the Finch is not what we expect for any kind of supernova," said Chrimes in the press release.

An unidentified black hole or two traveling stars crashing?

So it's back to the drawing board to try to understand what is causing the LFBOTs.

There are a few more hypotheses for what could cause the bright blue flashes. But they are a bit weirder.

One possibility is a black hole is swallowing up stars. In that case, you'd expect to see a globular cluster of stars around it, which hasn't been spotted yet. But it may be the case that the telescopes pointed at the area so far aren't powerful enough. The new James Webb Space Telescope, with its extended capabilities, could provide more answers, per the press release.

Another possibility is that two rogue neutron stars have been traveling through space at breakneck speeds, and they happened to crash into each other creating a kilonova, an explosion 1,000 times more powerful than a standard nova.

An artist's impression of a kilonova

NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center/CI Lab

"The discovery poses many more questions than it answers," said Chrimes in the press release. "More work is needed to figure out which of the many possible explanations is the right one."

The findings were shared ahead of publication on a pre-print server and are expected to be published in the peer-reviewed journal The Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society shortly.

France's Arianespace launches 12 satellites into space

Clyde Hughes
Mon, October 9, 2023

France's Arianespace launched a rocket Sunday night that delivered 12 satellites into space. Photo courtesy Arianespace

Oct. 9 (UPI) -- The French-based Arianespace successfully launched a rocket with 12 satellites into space.

Arianespace's 100-foot-tall Vega rocket took off from Kourou, French Guiana on Sunday and deployed the satellites into space about one hour later in the rocket's first mission of 2023.

The European Space Agency said the package of satellites included an Earth-observing THEOS-2 satellite and a meteorological satellite Triton.

THEOS-2, an acronym for the Thailand Earth Observation System-2, is an observation satellite manufactured by Airbus for the Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency of Thailand. Officials said information from the satellite will be used to monitor water resources, weather and land use for planning and management.

The Triton, formerly known as FORMOSAT-7R, is a Taiwan Space Agency satellite that will collect signals that bounce off the sea surface to help scientists calculate wind field over our oceans.

Taiwanese officials said that information will be shared with Taiwan's Central Weather Administration, contributing to the forecast of typhoon intensity and their trajectory.

The rocket also released what the ESA called "10 smaller secondary satellites."

The ESA said the satellites were released in a sun-synchronous orbit, meaning they will fly over the same spot on Earth at the same time each day - following the sun.

Russian module on ISS springs coolant leak

It is the third leak at ISS in less than a year.

Sheri Walsh
Mon, October 9, 2023 

A Russian laboratory module, called "Nauka," at the International Space Station has sprung a coolant leak. It is the third leak at ISS in less than a year. 

Photo courtesy of NASA

Oct. 9 (UPI) -- A Russian module on the International Space Station has sprung a coolant leak, the third leak at the ISS in less than a year as officials reassured Monday that the crew is not in danger.

The leak was reported Monday afternoon by Mission Control Center at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston to NASA space station crew member Jasmin Moghbeli, the commander of the SpaceX Crew-7 mission and current ISS flight engineer.

"We're seeing flakes outside. Need a crew to go to the cupola, look toward the aft side, we think windows five or six, and confirm any visual flakes," mission control instructed the crew.

"Yeah, there's a leak coming from the radiator on the MLM," Moghbeli replied, as she revealed the source of the leak.

The MLM is the Multipurpose Laboratory Module, also called "Nauka," which means science, that launched on a Russian Proton rocket in July 2021.

Moghbeli was then instructed to close the cupola shutters in the module to prevent its windows from becoming covered by the spilling coolant.

The U.S. side of the space station was also instructed to close its gym and lab shutters. ISS Commander and European Space Agency astronaut Andreas Mogensen confirmed to Mission Control, about 20 minutes later, that the shutters were closed.

According to a translated version of a message posted on social media after the leak was found, "The main thermal control circuit of the module operates normally and provides comfortable conditions in the living area of the module. The crew and the station are not in danger."

Monday's leak is the third leak to hit the Russian side of ISS in the past year.

In December, there was a leak from the rear of a docked Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft, believed to have been caused by a small space rock. The space ship returned to Earth unmanned, forcing two Russians and an American to stay aboard ISS for a year before another vehicle safely returned them to Earth on Sept. 27.

In February, another leak was found in the Russian Progress MS-21 cargo ship, while it was docked at ISS.

The Russian space team Roscosmos has discounted concerns about a manufacturing flaw and concluded instead that the leaks were caused by micrometeoroids or orbital debris.

California becomes first US state to ban 4 potentially harmful chemicals in food

Story by By Chris Boyette, Kristen Rogers and Andi Babineau, CNN •

California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a landmark law aimed at banning red dye No. 3 and other potentially harmful food additives in consumer goods.

On Saturday, the Golden State became the first in the country to forbid the use of the ingredients found in many popular candies, drinks and more, according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental health organization that cosponsored the law with Consumer Reports.

Also known as the California Food Safety Act, Assembly Bill 418 — introduced by Assemblymembers Jesse Gabriel and Buffy Wicks in February — prohibits the manufacture, sale or distribution of food products in California containing red dye No. 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil or propylparaben.

Potassium bromate is added to baked goods to help dough strengthen and rise higher. In some beverages, brominated vegetable oil emulsifies a citrus flavoring, preventing separation. Propylparabens are used for antimicrobial food preservation.

Nearly 3,000 products use red dye No. 3 as an ingredient, including sweets such as Skittles, Nerds and Trolli gummies; protein shakes; instant rice and potato products; and boxed cake mixes, according to the Environmental Working Group’s Eat Well Guide.

In his letter, the governor pointed to Skittles’ availability in the European Union, calling it “demonstrable proof that the food industry is capable of maintaining product lines while complying with different public health laws.”

Newsom’s move brings the United States slightly closer to a food environment like that of the EU, where these chemicals are banned “due to scientific studies that have demonstrated significant public health harms, including increased risk of cancer, behavioral issues in children, harm to the reproductive system, and damage to the immune system,” according to Gabriel’s March news release.


“Signing this into law is a positive step forward on these four food additives until the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews and establishes national updated safety levels for these additives,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom in a letter to the California State Assembly Saturday.

CNN has reached out to the FDA for comment.
Food safety in practice

The bill won’t be implemented until 2027 — “significant time for brands to revise their recipes to avoid these harmful chemicals,” Newsom added. “Californians will still be able to access and enjoy their favorite food products, with greater confidence in the safety of such products.”

The National Confectioners Association, a trade organization based in Washington, DC, said in a statement that “Newsom’s approval of this bill will undermine consumer confidence and create confusion around food safety” by acting independently of the FDA, and called on the FDA to weigh in on the topic.

Currently in the US, these chemicals can be used in foods because of a loophole in the FDA’s Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act that’s known as the Generally Recognized as Safe, or GRAS, rule, which allows manufacturers to use the ingredients in a way or amount the FDA has previously determined to be safe.

Because of the size of California’s economy, “this groundbreaking law may affect food across the country, not just in California, so all Americans will likely benefit from the ban,” according to a news release from Consumer Reports. “It is unlikely manufacturers will produce two versions of their product — one to be sold in California and one for the rest of the country.”

Until then, if you want to avoid consuming red dye No. 3, for foods you can check ingredients lists for “FD&C Red #3,” and for medications, look for dyes in the “inactive ingredients” section.

CNN’s Nadia Kounang contributed to this report.

A bill that became known as the 'Skittle ban' is now California law. Here's what it does:

Eric Lagatta, USA TODAY
Updated Mon, October 9, 2023

California became the first state in the nation to ban the use of four food additives commonly found in thousands of products across the United States, including cereals, sodas and candies.

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday signed the law misleadingly known as the "Skittles ban," which will prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate, propylparaben and Red Dye 3. The four chemicals are used in as many as 12,000 food products across the country despite never having been approved for consumption by the Food and Drug Administration, according to the Environmental Working Group.

Advocates have long expressed concerns about the potential health problems that can be caused by eating products containing the additives, which other countries have already banned.

In a signing message, Newsom said the law is a "positive step forward" until the FDA reviews and establishes national regulations on the use of the four additives. The law takes effect in 2027 to give companies time to revise their recipes to exclude the "harmful chemicals," Newsom said.

"Californians trust that the food products they consume are safe," Newsom said in his statement. "I appreciate the author and stakeholders for working on amendments, which advance our shared public health objectives while maintaining consumer choice."

California lawmakers have banned five chemical food additives over health concerns including the coloring agent used in Skittles candy.

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Health concerns prompt opposition to additives in food

Most chemicals added to food and packaging are meant to enhance flavor or appearance or are simply to preserve freshness.

While most are safe to eat, Consumer Reports and other advocacy groups say the four food chemicals included in the California Food Safety Act have been linked to a number of serious health concerns. Red Dye 3, for instance, has been found to cause cancer in animals, although there is not enough research linking the additive to cancer in humans.

But the use of Red Dye 3 − banned from cosmetics in the U.S. since 1990 − in food has elicited opposition nonetheless.

Consumer Reports, an advocacy and research nonprofit, earlier this year called on the maker of Peeps candies to stop using Red Dye 3 in its products. Additionally, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a consumer food safety organization, was among 24 groups and scientists that joined Consumer Reports in starting a petition last fall calling on the FDA to formally remove Red Dye 3 from the list of approved color additives in foods, dietary supplements and oral medicines.

The chemicals banned by the California Food Safety Act haven’t been reviewed by the FDA for 30 to 50 years, if ever, according to Consumer Reports, which co-sponsored the bill with the Environmental Working Group.

“We’ve known for years that the toxic chemicals banned under California’s landmark new law pose serious risks to our health,” Brian Ronholm, director of food policy at Consumer Reports, said in a statement. “California has taken an important stand for food safety at a time when the FDA has failed to take action."

California law became known as the 'Skittles ban'

The legislation became known as the "Skittles ban" because an earlier version also targeted titanium dioxide, a coloring agent found in candies including Skittles and M&Ms, as well as some dairy products such as Kraft fat-free shredded cheddar cheese.

Last year, a California man sued Skittles manufacturer Mars Inc., saying the candy is "unfit for human consumption" because it contains the substance. Mention of titanium dioxide was removed, however, when the legislation was amended in September.

Democrat Assemblyman Jesse Gabriel, who wrote AB 418, praised the bill's passage into law as "a huge step in our effort to protect children and families in California from dangerous and toxic chemicals in our food supply.”

“It’s unacceptable that the U.S. is so far behind the rest of the world when it comes to food safety," Gabrial said in a joint statement with Consumer Reports. "This bill will not ban any foods or products − it simply will require food companies to make minor modifications to their recipes and switch to safer alternative ingredients that they already use in Europe and so many other places around the globe."

But not all were happy about Newsom's decision to sign the bill, which will impose fines of up to $10,000 for violations.

Associations representing business interests have for months opposed the restrictions. And after it became law, the National Confectioners Association released a statement accusing California lawmakers of "once again making decisions based on soundbites rather than science."

"Governor Newsom’s approval of this bill will undermine consumer confidence and create confusion around food safety," the statement read. "This law replaces a uniform national food safety system with a patchwork of inconsistent state requirements created by legislative fiat that will increase food costs."

Gov. Gavin Newsom attends a memorial last week in San Francisco for California Senator Dianne Feinstein. California became the first state in the nation to prohibit four food additives found in popular cereal, soda, candy and drinks after Newsom signed a ban Saturday.

Other California news: Starbucks announces seven store closures in San Francisco. Critics question why
Law could affect consumers across the country − not just Californians

Advocacy groups say the law probably will change how manufacturers produce products in not just California, but across the nation.

"Given the size of the state’s economy, it is unlikely manufacturers will produce two versions of their product − one to be sold in California and one for the rest of the country," according to Consumer Reports.

Meanwhile, other states have already started to follow California’s lead. A similar bill making its way through committee in the New York legislature also seeks to ban the same four chemicals, along with titanium dioxide.

The Environmental Working Group has signed two petitions being considered by the FDA that would be a blanket ban on the use of titanium dioxide and Red Dye No. 3 in food.

“These petitions offer the FDA a chance to step up to the plate and do its job to protect Americans from toxic food chemicals,” Scott Faber, the group's senior vice president for government affairs said in a statement. “We urge the FDA to take action on these petitions and protect the health of all consumers across the country."

European regulators have already largely banned additives

All four additives have already been banned by European regulators, with the narrow exception of Red Dye 3 in candied cherries, according to Consumer Reports.

The European Union's ban came in 2008 after it launched a full review of the safety of all food additives.

Rebuking the misnomer of "the Skittles ban" for the law, Newsom pointed out in his statement that the popular candy continues to be sold in places like the European Union despite existing bans on a number of chemical additives and colorants.

"The food industry is capable of maintaining product lines while complying with different public health laws," Newsom said. "Californians will still be able to access and enjoy their favorite food products, with greater confidence in the safety of such products."

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at elagatta@gannett.com

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New California law won't ban Skittles, but could change food additive

Wab Kinew’s Bold Bet on Health Care: A Game Changer in Manitoba Politics

Story by Sakchi Khandelwal • BNNBLOOMBERG

Provided by BNN Breaking

Wab Kinew, the premier-designate of Manitoba, has flipped the script on the typical campaign strategy by boldly focusing on the usually avoided topic of health care. Kinew’s daring commitment to health reform could be seen as a gamble, but it may just be the game changer that Canadian politics needs.

A New Approach to Campaigning

The decision to focus heavily on health care throughout the campaign was a risky move. In the realm of politics, the subject of health care is often considered a high-risk, low-reward topic. It is a complex issue that is difficult to distill into clear and simple campaign messages. Therefore, politicians tend to shy away from it, especially during election campaigns where mistakes can be costly. Yet, Kinew decided to defy the conventional wisdom and chart a different course.
The Health Care Promises

Kinew’s platform was studded with sweeping health care promises. His party committed to reopening closed emergency rooms, adding hospital beds, hiring more nurses and physicians, and improving access to abortion services, among others. These promises were specific, and backed by comprehensive costing, with a total price tag running into billions of dollars.

The Importance of Tone

While the promises themselves were significant, the manner and tone in which they were delivered added another layer of importance. Rather than presenting these commitments as mere political promises, Kinew expressed a hopeful and supportive attitude towards health workers. He positioned himself and his party as allies to the health workers, and framed his health care promises as a much-needed lifeline for the struggling health care system.

Lessons for Other Premiers

As Kinew’s bold strategy resonates with the electorate, it offers important lessons for other premiers. It shows that it is possible to tackle complex issues head-on, and to reap political dividends from it. However, it remains crucial to approach these issues with sincerity, transparency, and a clear plan of action.

The success of Wab Kinew’s campaign strategy also suggests a shifting political landscape where voters are increasingly concerned about substantial issues like health care, and are willing to reward politicians who demonstrate the courage to address them head-on.

Indigenous Fire Safety Conference sparks calls for national strategy

Story by The Canadian Press •

 by Patrick Quinn

As still smouldering fires are left for the changing seasons to extinguish, Indigenous firefighters and emergency coordinators across Canada are looking back at this summer’s disastrous wildfires to improve future responses. 

These discussions were a focus at this year’s Indigenous Public Safety Conference, held September 14-15 in Montreal. It was organized by the National Indigenous Fire Safety Council, which was created last year to support the development of safety measures and resiliency in Indigenous communities. 

At the conference, Cree Nation regional fire marshal Lee-Roy Blacksmith spoke with Quebec’s Indigenous Affairs Minister Ian Lafrenière about how fires impacted Eeyou Istchee. Blacksmith suggested that the initial response was hindered by poor communication, which improved after a core working group was established. 

“Day one of the inland fires, the communication part wasn’t really there,” explained Blacksmith. “We had two or three firms having their own meetings about tactics. When we requested to have one core working group, we were all on the same page. It was good to meet them face-to-face finally.”

In the coming weeks, Blacksmith will meet with fire chiefs from across the Cree Nation to begin planning for next year. Following the integration of several Cree firefighters with SOPFEU units this summer, they will discuss expanding training before next summer.

“If SOPFEU can’t do it, we’ll probably look into other forest fire agencies across Canada,” said Blacksmith. “SOPFEU used to put first response equipment on the towers along the highway or Chisasibi access road. They would notify the community you can pick up the water pump or hoses. That’s a communication I’ll be having with SOPFEU [to reconsider] down the road.”

Conference speakers shared emerging tools for mitigating blazes, the roles of various organizations and strategic safety measures. Anthony Jumeau spoke about building sustainable capacity for prevention and protection techniques like drones and sprinkler systems. 

“We’re trying to get structure specialists that understand mitigation year-round,” Jumeau told the Nation. “When there’s no pre-plans, you can’t expect a fire department that shows up out of nowhere to understand exactly what’s going on. It all starts with assessing your community’s priorities to protect and how to do that.”

Jumeau emphasized that the results justify the costs of loss reduction assessments. For example, analysis of Alberta’s 2016 wildfire in Fort McMurray, the costliest Canadian disaster ever at nearly $10 billion, found that about three-quarters of the damages could have been avoided by having prevention methods in place. 

Existing programs can simplify this capacity building. A not-for-profit agency called Project Safe Canada offers advanced drone licensing to Indigenous communities, which can help map community surroundings to identify vulnerable areas and vegetation. Jumeau suggested that removing low brush for fire breaks can be coordinated with ecological conservation. 

“It has to be holistic, done simultaneously with the right people,” asserted Jumeau. “Everyone’s doing their part – you’ve got industry, community, emergency preparation specialists, the parks. From that point, there’s a plan with realistic timelines. Maybe it’s feasible that within a year we can have a risk reduction plan to help mitigate the next wildfire.”

Jumeau a network of mitigation specialists who work between communities could reduce the need to call in the military or international firefighters. When thousands of recruits arrived from around the world this summer, Indigenous firefighters like Elaine (E-buzz) Trudeau wondered why they weren’t called first.

“We never went out at all this year even though we’re trained and ready to go,” said Trudeau. “I wrote a 15-page letter to the Minister of Natural Resources, then had a meeting with her, advocating for Indigenous firefighters to fight these fires in Ontario and out of province but nothing’s come out of it.”

As wildfire risk increases across the country, the crew leader from Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island hopes to begin training sessions earlier in the season and have firefighting equipment closer at hand instead of bringing it from Thunder Bay. With particularly high interest in refresher courses this year, locals were eager for the call.

“Is it because we’re Indigenous?” asked Trudeau. “I get it, there are a lot of Indigenous people who have addictions, and some are heavy-set. Being out on the land 14 days keeps them away from their addictions, motivated to do something. I feel it gives them that sense of belonging, of being human. I’m thinking of writing another letter to the ministry.”

Jeremy Shanush, Eastmain’s firefighting team leader, said many Cree forest firefighters were asking similar questions: “We’re here, this is our backyard – why don’t you ask us for help?”

According to Jennifer Kamau, communications manager for the Canadian Interagency Fire Fighting Centre, “the discussion around utilizing existing Indigenous firefighting power would have to be initiated by the federal, provincial and territorial governments.”

Canada’s recently appointed minister of emergency preparedness, Harjit Singh Sajjan, told the Nation that he wants to leverage Indigenous knowledge and firefighting capacity to mobilize immediate emergency response. He said over 125 Indigenous fire guardians have been hired and trained, combining fire prevention with forest management.

“As this emergency season dies down, it will hopefully allow us to start identifying folks and which system to put them into,” said Sajjan. “Where do they reside, how do they get called up, who will be responsible for that. When your community is not under threat and others are, you can go help one another.”

Sajjan said it’s crucial that these training systems are standardized so crew additions can “plug and play” quickly. While forest and fire management are provincially controlled, this year’s extraordinary blazes prompted calls for a national firefighting service – and greater management by the First Nations who have been disproportionately impacted by wildfires. 

“Hopefully our leadership sits down with SOPFEU to maybe have a branch that protects people’s bush camps,” said Shanush. “Maybe things will change after this year. Sometimes you need that scare.”

Patrick Quinn, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Nation