Kuno cheetah deaths: Could radio collars be killing the big cats in India?

Geeta Pandey - BBC News, Delhi
Wed, July 19, 2023

Cheetahs are housed in Kuno national park in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh

Could radio collars, the crucial electronic devices that help track the movement of protected animals, be harmful for them?

That is the question many are asking after the deaths last week of two cheetahs who were among the 20 big cats brought to India with much fanfare last year. Cheetahs, that were declared extinct in 1952 in India, were reintroduced as part of the world's first intercontinental relocation of a large carnivore. They are housed in Kuno national park in the central state of Madhya Pradesh.

Until now, eight cheetahs, including three cubs born in March, have died.

Some of the deaths have been caused by unavoidable reasons, such as cardiac failure precipitated by stress or mating injuries.

But several wildlife experts and veterinary doctors have told the BBC that the last two deaths were caused by maggot infestations following skin infections. And they say one of the reasons could be the radio collars that the animals are made to wear for their own protection.

It's a theory the environment and forests ministry has strongly rejected. In an official statement, the ministry insisted that the adult cheetahs all died "due to natural causes" and said reports blaming radio collars were "speculative and lacking in scientific evidence". The BBC also reached out to Mr Rajesh Gopal, chairman of the cheetah project, but he hasn't responded yet.

Wildlife experts, however, say such injuries are not uncommon among other big cats too, especially during India's humid rainy season.

Alok Kumar, former chief conservator of forests in Madhya Pradesh, told the BBC that the deaths among big cats could be due to many reasons but radio collars - although key to their survival - could be a factor too.

"These collars carry chips that send information about the wearer through satellites and are necessary to monitor the movement of the animal for their safety and protection," Mr Kumar said, adding that he "has seen infections caused by collars even in tigers".

Yadvendradev Jhala, veteran conservationist and one of the experts who planned and oversaw the translocation project, told the BBC that the wounds may be caused by the animal scratching the area around the collar because of humidity.

Twenty cheetahs were brought to India with much fanfare last year

"This is the first monsoon for the cheetahs who have come from the jungles of Africa which are dry zones and they are still trying to acclimatise to Indian monsoon," he said.

The cheetahs "have a very heavy under-fur" - thick hair under their neck - which absorbs a lot of moisture in very damp weather and that makes it soft and tender and itchy.

"And when the animal scratches, if the skin breaks, then flies lay eggs there and a maggot infestation happens which leads to a bacterial invasion and causes septicaemia, leading to death," he added.

A lot of prestige is attached to the cheetah project in India - Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself had travelled to Kuno last September to release the first batch of eight cheetahs from Namibia into the national park. (Twelve big cats were brought in from South Africa earlier this year.) So it's no surprise that every death - and birth - makes headlines.

Inside India's plan to bring back extinct cheetahs


The world's fastest cat is returning to India

The death of the cubs from "malnourishment and dehydration" had led many to ask why the authorities didn't intervene in time to ensure their survival. Similar questions are being asked now after last week's deaths.

One veterinarian who has seen a video of one of the two bodies said on condition of anonymity that "it was covered with thousands of maggots from head to toe".

"It takes several days for an animal to die from a maggot infestation, so how come no-one noticed?" he asked.

The last cheetah to die was Suraj who was spotted last Friday by a monitoring team "in a lethargic state" with "a fly around its neck", the Indian Express reported. Three hours later, Suraj was found dead.

A wildlife official said "initial investigation found the cause of the feline's death to be wounds on the neck and back".

The paper quoted Madhya Pradesh principal chief conservator of forests JS Chauhan - who has since been removed from his position - as saying that another male cheetah, who had died a few days earlier, had similar injuries. Mr Chauhan said that "one of the causes could be the satellite collars".

On Wednesday, reports said at least three other cheetahs were sick with similar wounds, with wildlife experts calling on the authorities to investigate the role of radio collars in the deaths.

Officials say radio collars and are necessary to monitor the movement of the animal for their safety and protection

Mr Jhala says the only way to deal with the situation is to check all the remaining cheetahs to see if any of them have any lesions.

"And if they find any, then they have to treat them. The collars, of course, can't be put back on until an animal has fully healed, which means that the cheetahs will have to be brought back into protected enclosures for their safety," he adds.

The action plan for the reintroduction of the cheetah in India had anticipated a 50% mortality rate in the first year of the project.

Mr Jhala says it was anticipated that the deaths would be from snaring and poaching, accidents involving vehicles and in conflict with leopards.

"It's very positive that the anticipated causes haven't happened," he said. "On the other hand, the deaths that have taken place have been a learning experience, a very expensive learning experience."

Mr Kumar says that projects like these are expected to have a long gestation period.

"Cheetah is a new species in our home. It may take five to 10 years to settle them in the Indian subcontinent," he said. "We are taking lessons every day, learning how to manage and protect them."

Canada wants US skilled workers - and they are interested

Sam Cabral and Nadine Yousif - BBC News, Washington and Toronto
Wed, July 19, 2023 

Leon Yang says the US needs to update its immigration policies if it wants people like him to stay.

When Leon Yang was 16, he moved by himself from Xi'An, China to the US, to study in a country where he believed that, if he worked hard every day, he could get where he wanted.

Fascinated by airplanes and everything else that flies in the air, he developed a passion for aerospace that took him from high school in Greenville, South Carolina to New York University (NYU).

With a mechanical engineering degree under his belt, he is now responsible for the soil compactor line at a construction equipment company in Atlanta, Georgia.

But nine years on from his life-altering decision, he has lost faith that he is still competing on a level playing field.

"For the past three years, I've had recruiters from major companies reach out to me, 10 to 20 a week," he claims.

As soon as they find out he is on a visa in the H1-B specialty occupation category, however, "most of them walk away", he said.

The H1-B allows foreign-born, US-educated individuals to work in the country for three to six years, but requires sponsorship by an employer and often provides no meaningful path to permanent residency.

This week, Mr Yang, now 25, submitted his application for a new Canadian programme that offers open work permits, for up to three years, to H1-B visa holders and their immediate family members.

The measure, a temporary effort to attract skilled and high-tech US workers to the country, only opened on Monday morning. By Tuesday, it had already reached its initial cap of 10,000 applicants.

Canada's immigration minister Sean Fraser announced the new work permit programme in June.

The burst of applications is a sign of mounting frustrations among skilled workers in the US who feel trapped in the limbo of a legal immigration system that they see as outdated and unfriendly.

When his visa expires, Mr Yang says he will have few options. He fully intends to move to Canada if he is accepted by the programme.

"I will be treated not equal, but fair compared to other competitors in the job market and that's one of the things I've missed so much in the past three years," he told the BBC.

Mr Yang is hardly alone in feeling that way. Thousands of skilled foreign nationals either fail to make the cut for the H1-B visa or, when chosen, spend years waiting for a chance at the permanent residency green card.

Demand for the visa category "massively" outstrips supply, said Madeline Zavodny, a University of North Florida economics professor who studies immigration and the future of the US labour market.

When it was established by the US Congress in the year 1990, only 65,000 foreign nationals could apply for the visa each year.

That limit has since been raised only once - to 85,000 - which Ms Zavodny says is "way too small".

"Employer demand has risen, immigration has become much more common and the US workforce hasn't grown enough to keep up with employer demand," she said.

The crush of applicants also prompted US immigration authorities in 2014 to switch from a first-come, first-serve process to a randomised lottery system.

The result, according to Ms Zavodny, is that the US is losing graduates of its own universities who want to stay but are forced to return to their home countries or go elsewhere for employment.

"The impressive thing about Canada is how nimble and flexible they are," she said. "They are constantly innovating their immigration policies, while the US has not for decades."

Why Canada aims to bring in 1.5m immigrants by 2025


Canada adds million to population inside a year

It remains to be seen whether Canada will extend the cap for its work permit programme or seek to make it permanent.

But a spokesperson for its ministry of immigration told the BBC it believed there were likely more than 400,000 eligible applicants at any given time.

"This temporary policy is intended to facilitate career development and mobility for tech workers, expanding the range of opportunities available for skilled workers to advance their career in the North American tech sector," communications advisor Julie Lafortune said.

"The immense interest in Canada's new H1-B application stream is a strong indication of just how competitive Canada is on the global stage."

Ron Hira, a research associate with the non-partisan Economic Policy Institute think tank, says the H1-B programme is "a mixed bag" that sometimes rewards "the best and brightest" but largely benefits workers with skills already abundantly available in the US.

His research also suggests employers, like technology and outsourcing companies, are exploiting the visa category to hire migrant workers they routinely underpay and place in poor working conditions.

And if terminated, workers on the visa have only 60 days to secure new employment.

"It's not a big surprise that some H1-B workers want to escape and maybe think that Canada will be a better option for them," Mr Hira said.

"If we want immigrants," he added of the US, "we should be offering them green cards, not placing people in situations where the employer controls them."

A Canadian citizenship ceremony

He warns that it is far too early to know if Canada has made a good decision, in spite of the optics, and points to its lack of screening criteria for the open work permit as well as mass layoffs in the US tech industry.

"We don't know what mix of workers have applied," he said.

"It could be that some of them are very highly skilled. It could be that some of them have ordinary skills and they're just trying to escape a bad situation."

In fact, the longer that H1-B visa holders remain in the US, the more their concerns of getting a raw deal may intensify.

Those who seek green cards run up against the limited quotas allotted by nationality.

"The wait is so long now that, functionally, a new applicant from India is not going to get a green card in their lifetime," said David Bier, the associate director of immigration studies at the libertarian Cato Institute think tank.

The problem is compounded for those with families, as their children lose eligibility for the green card as dependents when they reach the age of 21 and must leave the country.

"If your kids are having to leave the country, you might want to consider going to a country that would welcome you and your family," said Mr Bier.

"The Canadian offer is: you come, immediately get to work for any employer you want and you're going to have a clear path to permanent residency to stay. That is a very attractive offer."

Soumya, 42, a financial services employee in New Jersey, is one Indian national who has applied for the Canadian work permit.She claims the stress and anxiety borne out of the green card "waiting game" is "killing a lot of the enthusiasm that people initially came [to the US] with".

"If people live in a country for 10 years, and they're still not sure whether they'll get to stay, that's not the feeling someone should have," she said.

B.C. boy, 9, dies from asthma ‘exacerbated’ by wildfire smoke: How smoke impacts asthma

As hundreds of wildfires keep burning, we spoke to a respirologist about the impact of smoke.

Karla Renic
·Lifestyle Editor
Wed, July 19, 2023 


Carter Vigh was just nine years old when he died from asthma attack that was worsened by wildfire smoke. (Facebook/Amber Vigh; Getty)

This article is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Contact a qualified medical professional before engaging in any physical activity, or making any changes to your diet, medication or lifestyle.

A nine-year-old boy from British Columbia has died from an asthma attack, which his parents say was worsened by smoke from wildfires.

Carter Vigh died in an emergency room on July 11, after long-lasting CPR attempts by staff.

His mom, Amber Vigh, told CBC hospital staff "tried everything" in a Monday interview near 100 Mile House, B.C.

"I just stood there and just told him that I loved him and just to breathe... This time was just different."

As reported by CBC, Vigh said Carter had asthma his whole life and always had a puffer with him.

That day, he was at a birthday party, "when the air was clearer," and showed no signs of struggling. In the evening, he began coughing and it eventually became worse until his mom took him to the hospital. According to the broadcaster, Carter later lost consciousness and staff "performed CPR for 25 minutes before the boy was declared dead."

Vigh and her husband James told CBC they were told their son likely had a severe asthma attack exacerbated by smoky air.

Fires still burning

Wildfires have been burning across Canada for over a month, in what was declared as the worst wildfire season on record for the country.

As of Wednesday, there are more than 880 wildfires burning — majority out of control — including more than 370 in B.C. alone.

Special statements for poor air quality were issued in B.C., Alberta, Yukon, Quebec, the Northwest Territories and parts of Saskatchewan.

Expert weighs in on wildfire smoke impact on children

Dr. Chung-Wai Chow tells Yahoo Canada smoke exacerbates the symptoms of pre-existing lung conditions, in both children and adults.

However, children are of a higher concern because they have smaller lungs and less developed airways.

Children have smaller lungs and less developed airways. (Getty)
How common are chronic lung conditions?

Chow, a transplant respirologist at the University Health Network in Toronto, said asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are the third most common health issues facing Canadians.

A 2021 report from Asthma Canada outlined more than 3.8 million Canadians are affected by asthma, and about 250 people die from it each year.

According to Chow, "we will see more and more cases of asthma" in the country.

"I fully expect, unfortunately... chronic diseases like asthma and COPD will become a greater and greater percentage of our healthcare problems in the years to come."
Impact of smoke on the lungs

Chow said there are two ways in which human lungs are impacted by the smoke: acute exposures and chronic exposures.

Air pollutants from smoke linger in the air, she said, leading to poor air quality even after smoke — and they travel with the wind.

"There's an irritant effect because these particles, they're a little bit toxic, so people who breathe that in will get a sore throat, get stinging eyes, a cough," Chow explained. "Some people get a sensation of burning in their throat or have a sense of shortness of breath."

Hundreds of wildfires are burning in B.C. alone. (AP Photo/Noah Berger, File)

For children, the impact can be more severe.

"Our airways and our lungs continue to grow and develop into our late teens and early 20s," Chow said.

"Healthy young children, if they're exposed over long periods of time, will end up with smaller lungs and smaller airways and fewer lumbar airways than someone who has not been exposed."

Older patients are also at higher risk, she added, as the immune system becomes less active and people become more susceptible to respiratory symptoms.

Another impact is that air pollution (including particles from smoke) is "associated with the transport of respiratory pathogens, viruses and bacteria," Chow claimed.

Overall, the long-term impact "increases infection and decreases the immune response to our ability to actually respond to these infections appropriately."

Cough, sputum and allergies are common symptoms of wildfire smoke and pollution impact. (Getty)

As far as short-term impacts, Chow said what's currently presenting is cough, sputum and allergies. But, she emphasized though wildfires have been only happening now for two months, they reoccur every year.
Impact of smoke on those with asthma

Smoke can impact healthy lungs, but adding a chronic lung condition into the mix means "exacerbations," Chow said. With asthma, that means more asthma attacks.

Chow said asthma is a "reversible disease" by definition.

"One of the concerns is that with repeated episodes of exacerbations, is that the reversibility decreases."

The respirologist explained patients with asthma who are exposed to irritants — such as smoke — can have an immediate reaction, or a delayed one.

Since the start of the summer, and the wildfire season, Chow said it's evident in emergency departments there are more people coming in with respiratory symptoms.

"They were well-maintained, on the current medications, and then with the really bad pollution in the summer, people are actually having more symptoms."

Vancouver has been in under air quality statements through much of July. (Getty)
What parents of children with asthma can do

According to Chow, the best move to protect yourself from smoke is "avoidance," though acknowledging it can be difficult for those living in polluted areas.

"Keeping yourself or your children from being exposed means [being] in a climate controlled environment."

She recommends investing in HEPA filters. But, that's not enough.

"We all want our kids to play and exercise, and I hate sort of giving this advice, but I think it's necessary. On days when the air quality is bad is to keep your kids and yourself inside.

When the air quality is bad is to keep your kids and yourself inside.Dr. Chung-Wai Chow

For those who must spend time outdoors when air quality is low, she recommended wearing an N95 mask that can filter pollutant particles.

Specifically with asthma, Chow reminded parents to make sure maintenance puffers are being used regularly. It "will do a lot in terms of protecting them from getting more symptoms, even if they are exposed."

Loud music festivals could reduce some bats’ activity by almost 50% – study

Claire Hayhurst, PA
Wed, July 19, 2023 

Loud music festivals could reduce the nightly activities of bats by almost 50%, according to a study.

Researchers from the University of Bath and the University of the West of England have presented the first evidence of the impact of such events on bat activity.

They found loud music playback alone – without factors associated with festivals such as lighting and habitat change – was enough to disturb several species of bat.

The study is published in the British Ecological Society Journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence.

It found nightly bat activity along woodland edges for the Nyctalus/Eptesicus species declined by 47% when loud music was played.

Bats from the more tolerant P. pipistrellus species decreased their activity by 32% during periods of music playback.

The creatures were played music to reflect a number of genres, ranging from Bootylicious by Destiny’s Child to heavy metal tune War Pigs by Black Sabbath.

Jack Hooker, a postgraduate researcher at the University of the West of England, said: “Our study is an important addition to a sparse evidence base detailing the impacts of this type of noise pollution on UK wildlife, that will hopefully aid in the implementation and enforcement of policies relating to noise levels.”

Nocturnal species are reliant on sound to glean information about their environment for their lives, including navigation, finding food, mating and avoiding predators.

Mr Hooker added: “Given that music festivals have become ubiquitous in the UK and are increasingly being held in places that are important for local wildlife, it is imperative that guidance relating to their planning and implementation is evidence-based and fully protects local biodiversity from any potential negative impacts if we are to share these habitats with wildlife in a sustainable manner.”

In the study, authors selected 10 sites in south-west England and South Wales between August and September in 2021.

They chose dark, semi-natural landscapes located along woodland edges adjacent to grassland or pasture habitats to resemble the conditions of festivals.

Music by Destiny’s Child was among songs played by researchers to test the activity of bats (Anthony Harvey/PA)

The experiment was conducted over two nights – a quiet night and a night with loud music playback at volumes reaching 100 decibels, comparable with noise levels at such events.

Five songs were stitched together to provide 10 minutes of music medley, with noise alternating between this and 10 minutes of ambient background noise for two hours after sunset.

Bat activity was recorded at the woodland boundaries roughly 2m from the speakers, and at additional distances of 20m and 40m to study noise disturbance impacts at a range of distances and volumes.

Dr Emma Stone, lecturer at the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath, said: “Music festivals undoubtedly affect bat activity, but steps such as making quiet hedgerows available could really make a difference in reducing negative impacts.”

The five songs played to the bats were: Bootylicious by Destiny’s Child, Untold Stories by C3B, War Pigs by Black Sabbath, Life Gets Better by Ed Solo & Skool of Thought, and Seventeen by Sharon Van Etten.

SPACE RACE 2.0

UK’s mission to become ‘global power in space’ back on track, ministers say

WHEN WAS IT EVER ON TRACK

Nilima Marshall, PA Science Reporter
Wed, July 19, 2023 

Britain’s mission to become a “global power in space” is back on track after the first meeting of the Government’s reignited space council, ministers have said.

The National Space Council, which aims to co-ordinate all aspects of the UK’s space strategy, met for the first time since its reinstatement.

It was set up in 2020 to provide ministerial leadership on developing the UK’s space sector but was disbanded under the Liz Truss government.

The council was re-established after the move drew criticism from MPs.

Co-chaired by Chloe Smith, Secretary of State for Science and Technology, and Ben Wallace, Secretary of State for Defence, the meeting was attended by other Cabinet ministers as well as British astronaut Tim Peake.

Ms Smith said: “Space is critical to modern life: global telecoms, weather forecasting, and our national security all rely on satellites, and as the importance of space grows, so must our ambitions for the UK.

“Our reinstated National Space Council will ensure the Government moves in lockstep with the sector to deliver our ambitions to grow the space economy.

Secretary of State for Science Chloe Smith (Victoria Jones/PA)

“The UK is perfectly placed, whether geographically, economically or as a product of our world-class skills base, to be not only a European leader but a global power in space.”

Along with ensuring the UK has a thriving space sector that can create jobs, the council also aims to develop strategies to strengthen the nation’s defence capabilities.

Mr Wallace said: “The war in Ukraine has highlighted just how critical space is to military operations.

“My department continues to work closely with DSIT (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology) to deliver the UK’s ambition for space to ensure we have the capabilities we need to protect and defend this critical domain and to exploit the opportunities it offers for operations into the future.”

The meeting was attended by British astronaut Tim Peake (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

The meeting coincided with a new National Space Strategy in Action by the DIST, which outlines the Government’s plan for how the UK can become a leading player in the space race, keeping pace with the US, India and China.

Dr Paul Bate, chief executive of the UK Space Agency, said: “The National Space Strategy in Action highlights the significant progress made towards delivering the Government’s ambition to make the UK one of the most innovative and attractive space economies in the world.

“By catalysing investment into UK businesses, increasing our involvement in major space missions and championing the power of space to improve lives, the UK Space Agency is playing a major role in accelerating the growth of the UK’s thriving space sector.”

Ben Bridge, chairman of Airbus Defence and Space UK, said: “We welcome this report and commend the Government on progress and commitment to further developing the space sector.


“We look forward to the next phase of implementing the National Space Strategy, and the publication of the Space Sector Plan, to help the Government deliver on its ambitions for unlocking growth through building and expanding national space capabilities.”

Mark Dankberg, chairman and chief executive of internet service provider Viasat, said: “I’m glad to support the United Kingdom’s goals within the National Space Strategy to unlock economic growth, investment, trade and scientific opportunities in the New Space Age.”

Greg Clark, chairman of the Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, made up of cross-party MPs, said last year that the disbanding of the National Space Council under the Truss government was “clearly a step in the wrong direction”.

His comments accompanied a report by the committee that criticised UK space policy as “uncertain and disjointed”.

The committee has since acknowledged the reinstatement of the council but said in its latest report, published earlier this month, there was “not a moment to lose if the UK is to realise the full potential of this extraordinary sector”.

Toronto & GTA

In first motion as mayor, Chow gets unanimous support for refugee shelter response

Jordan Omstead
Published Jul 19, 2023 • 

Newly elected Mayor Olivia Chow waves to the crowd at council chambers during her Declaration of Office Ceremony, at Toronto City Hall on July 12, 2023. 

PHOTO BY TIJANA MARTIN /The Canadian Press

Olivia Chow placed Toronto’s asylum seeker shelter crisis at the top of the agenda on Wednesday, securing unanimous approval on a motion to tackle the issue during her first city council meeting as mayor.

Chow billed the motion as the first concrete steps taken under her leadership to open up shelter spaces for asylum seekers and move more people to permanent housing.

“This is a down payment. It’s a beginning,” Chow, who was elected in a byelection last month, said during Wednesday’s city council meeting.

The motion — Chow’s first as mayor — directs staff to immediately open up 150 shelter spaces for refugee claimants, primarily by renewing shelter hotel contracts, and to find 100 more spaces in the coming days.

Chow indicated support for those spaces would in part come from the $97 million in federal funding earmarked for Toronto on Tuesday to help shelter asylum claimants.

Chow and Ontario Premier Doug Ford welcomed Ottawa’s funding announcement but said it still fell short of the $157 million the city needed to help shelter the roughly 3,000 asylum claimants who make up about a third of Toronto’s shelter capacity.

“We are calling on the federal government to build on its stop-gap funding by fully funding the supports needed to shelter and care for these refugees and asylum seekers in the city,” Ford and Chow wrote in a joint statement Wednesday.


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Ottawa has recognized the issue demands collaboration but has said housing and support for asylum claimants is a matter for the city and province.

Chow made the issue of sheltering refugee claimants and asylum seekers a focus of her first week in office, holding meetings with senior officials across levels of governments and lobbying for additional support.

The issue took on elevated urgency as some claimants were left to sleep on city sidewalks outside a homeless support centre in recent days as different levels of government wrangled over funding, while frontline advocates and community groups stepped in with support.

A controversial city policy, brought in under Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie before Chow was elected, has seen asylum claimants looking for a spot in non-refugee-specific Toronto shelters directed toward federal programs.

Chow’s motion, seconded by McKelvie, included a line that everyone, regardless of immigration status, would be able to access the city’s shelter system “as space becomes available.”

“This is just the first step of many to come,” McKelvie said Wednesday. “We want to be a home that welcomes refugees, we want to be a Toronto for everyone, but we need support to do that.”

Chow’s motion also saw council approve a one-time $6.67-million top up to a rental housing subsidy program, matched by the provincial government.

In the joint statement Wednesday, Ford and Chow said the combined funding would immediately provide permanent housing to upwards of 1,350 households.

They called on the federal government to step up with another $26.7 million for the program, saying historically the federal government funds two-thirds of the program.

“We must do more and do more quickly to fix this crisis. We urgently call on the federal government to join us in supporting these vulnerable newcomers,” the joint statement read.

The motion approved by council Wednesday includes a number of other measures, including a direction to city staff to develop an outreach strategy to pair refugee claimants eligible for the subsidy with property owners with suitable rental accommodations.

It also gives city staff the authority to enter into agreements to help establish a federally funded reception centre for refugee claimants arriving at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport.

Chow says agencies have pushed her to advocate for a centralized location where refugees can connect with service providers as soon as they reach Toronto.

Is Toronto about to get a makeover? Chow could set new tone with council appointments: experts

CBC
Wed, July 19, 2023 

Mayor Olivia Chow is seen during a ceremony at Toronto City Hall, officially taking office as mayor of Toronto, on July 12, 2023. (Alex Lupul/CBC - image credit)

Is Toronto City Hall on the cusp of a serious makeover?

Newly-elected Mayor Olivia Chow has signaled that change is coming to key committees and appointments, and it looks like she'll be applying more than just a fresh coat of paint.

A motion coming to council this week, which will be one of Chow's key items at her first meeting, kickstarts the work.

Chow said she's been busy talking with members of council about their priorities since she won the city's top job last month.

Among those priorities, she said, are a "deepening housing crisis, a sense of unease in our communities, and a transit system that is less reliable."

"It is through these conversations that I have been made even more hopeful for the future of our city because I can see clear common ground across city council."

If passed, Toronto's clerk will continue the discussions the new mayor started with councillors about where they'd like to be appointed to committees, local boards, city corporations and other agencies. That will be followed by a report recommending a new slate of appointments for council's consideration, potentially as early as September.

Appointments may reflect approach of past mayors

The appointments matter.

Council committees are key pinch-points that can speed up or slow down a mayor's policy agenda. So, understandably, mayors tend to wield the power they have to appoint the chairs and members of those committees to make their lives easier.

Former councillor John Filion said Chow's motion suggests she may being trying to strike a more conciliatory tone than just installing key allies. It might also mean that when she unveils her choices, they'll reflect councillors across the political spectrum, he added.

Filion said former mayors Mel Lastman and David Miller did to try to keep the peace at council. Chow herself was appointed by Lastman as the city's child advocate even though the two differed in their politics.

"I expect that she will be including everybody who's willing to work with her and move the city ahead together," he said.

Filion said the appointments process also has the potential to establish, or deepen, good working relationships among councillors themselves, he added. Chow will want to minimize dysfunction at city hall to pass her agenda, he said.

"When people are fighting, especially when they're fighting over nothing, it just uses up so much time and energy," he added.

Former councillor Joe Mihevc said Chow has two aims with the appointments: to strike a balance of power on council and to keep people happy. Neither is easy.

"She needs at least 15 or 16 people that are happy and that will support her in her agenda," he said.

There's a lot more on the council agenda, which you can find here, and CBC Toronto has taken a deeper dive into some of the topics. You can also watch the meeting live on the city's YouTube page or attend in person should your schedule allow.

Drinking in parks

Yes, once again, city council will debate the merits of cracking a cold beer (or whatever alcoholic beverage you prefer) in a local park.

In a proposed pilot project, some councillors have nominated several parks while others have not. It's also worth pointing out, based on the report, that the city hasn't issued a single ticket for this bylaw offence this year.

Snow-clearing concerns

Snow-clearing has been the subject of two auditor general reports and a variance report shows the city spent some $26 million more than anticipated on the service last winter.

Councillors have been critical of that service, so expect more at council.

A leaf-blower ban?

Perhaps more in season than snow-clearing, council will debate a proposed ban on leaf-blowers.

Stiffer rules for running for office

If you followed the hoopla around 102 candidates running for mayor in the last byelection, you might want to keep an eye on this motion, which aims to change some of the eligibility rules.

Alberta moves to decentralize health-care delivery, 15 years after centralizing it 

SAME CULPRITS INVOLVED

The Canadian Press
Tue, July 18, 2023 



EDMONTON — Alberta's new health minister has been given the green light to decentralize the entire health-care delivery system — 15 years after the province completed a multistage, multiyear process to centralize it.

In a mandate letter, Premier Danielle Smith directs Health Minister Adriana LaGrange to reform the management and structure of Alberta Health Services to spread out decision-making to improve front-line care.

The decision sets in motion a reversal of government policy that began almost 30 years ago when then-premier Ralph Klein collapsed more than 200 health boards and agencies into 17 regional health authorities.

Those 17 authorities were later rolled into nine boards and then, in 2008, into the current stand-alone Alberta Health Services, better known as AHS.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, former premier Jason Kenney said the unified management structure allowed Alberta to get faster access and better prices for scarce supplies.

But Smith has sharply criticized AHS as being too slow to respond to front-line needs, particularly during the pandemic, and last year fired its board and replaced it with a single administrator.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2023.

The Canadian Press

PM HARPER'S LEGACY

Opponents of telescope development in Hawaii urge UN to hold Canada accountable

The Canadian Press
Tue, July 18, 2023 


OTTAWA — Canada is under fire for its support of a controversial telescope slated for development on Hawai'i Island, the largest island in the state, over allegations the project violates Indigenous rights.

A group of academics and advocacy organizations asked the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination last Friday for early warning and urgent action on the Thirty Meter Telescope development.

"The government of Canada is a major partner and supporter of the TMT project, which for decades Native Hawaiians have challenged legally and opposed physically," said Uahikea Maile, the director of Indigenous-led research group Ziibiing Lab and a professor at the University of Toronto.

"We must not tolerate the status quo of Canadian human-rights violations against Indigenous Peoples, whether in or beyond its borders."

The telescope is slated to be built on Mauna Kea, a place researchers say has ideal observation conditions because it's located above 40 per cent of the Earth's atmosphere and has a climate favourable for capturing sharp images.

The summit of the volcano also holds cultural importance for the Kanaka Maoli, the Indigenous Peoples of Hawaii, some of whom have staunchly opposed its development.

The National Research Council, which provided some of the $30 million Canada contributed to construction costs, says it is reviewing the petition and notes the federal government stands by the principles of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, which came into force in Canada in 2021.

In 2015, the previous Conservative federal government pledged another $243 million to help fund the telescope project over 10 years.

Petitioners argue Canadian astronomical organizations wilfully misrepresented getting the consent of Indigenous Hawaiians, despite some having policies in place stating they would not proceed without it, and that Canada is violating Indigenous political self-determination as well as civil and political rights.

Dr. Robert P. Kirshner, the executive director of the TMT International Observatory, of which Canada is a member, said those opposed to the project "contribute to an important conversation" about its future on Mauna Kea. He said through discussions, the people of Hawai'i and Native Hawaiians will decide whether the project goes forward.

It isn't the first time the project has been the subject of criticism.

In 2019, the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs penned an open letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Hawaii's governor calling for TMT's construction plans to be halted and for Canada to withdraw support for the project, which they said impacts Mauna Kea’s geology and endangered wildlife as well as cultural practices vital to the Kanaka Maoli.

Also in 2019, elders, known as kūpuna, who were protesting the telescope's development were met by police resistance and arrest. That led one University of Toronto professor and founding TMT project director in Canada to issue a letter saying their "institutional values are quite fundamentally opposed to the construction and operation of research facilities through police and military force."

Kirshner said TMT's approach to community engagement has changed since 2019 and, led by a Hilo-based team, it has held "genuine and in-depth conversations with hundreds of people who protested against TMT."

While Canada is the subject of this plea to the United Nations, other countries are also involved in the development of the telescope, including the U.S., Japan, China and India.

Still, those involved with the letter want the UN to hold Canada accountable for "violations of Indigenous rights" during its upcoming session.

Vincent Wong, a member of the Transnational Law and Racial Justice Network and a lawyer who helped in the letter's submission to the UN, said Canada has unique international human rights obligations to fulfil through its adoption of UNDRIP.

Wong pointed to Article 32 of the declaration, which is the right for Indigenous Peoples to "determine and develop priorities and strategies for the development or use of their lands or territories and other resources."

The question Wong has now is whether Canada will take steps to ensure it's in compliance with UNDRIP and cease its participation in the "ongoing rights violations" of Kanaka Maoli by divesting from the project.

"That course correction needs to be made," said Wong.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2023.

Alessia Passafiume, The Canadian Press

Early humans used expert woodwork skills to make hunting weapons – study

Nina Massey, PA Science Correspondent
Wed, July 19, 2023 


A 300,000-year-old hunting weapon has shed new light on early humans as woodworking masters, researchers have said.

The double-pointed wooden stick was produced by Middle Pleistocene humans using sophisticated techniques and was likely used for throwing during hunts, experts suggest.

Analysis of the stick, found in Schoningen in Germany three decades ago, shows it was scraped, seasoned and sanded before being used to kill animals.

According to researchers, the findings indicate early humans’ woodworking techniques were more developed and sophisticated than previously understood.

The findings also suggest group hunts of medium and small animals may have been enabled by the creation of lightweight weapons.

The use of throwing sticks as hunting aids could have involved the entire community, including children, researchers say.

Dr Annemieke Milks, of the University of Reading’s Department of Archaeology, led the research.

She said: “Discoveries of wooden tools have revolutionised our understanding of early human behaviours.

“Amazingly, these early humans demonstrated an ability to plan well in advance, a strong knowledge of the properties of wood, and many sophisticated woodworking skills that we still use today.

“These lightweight throwing sticks may have been easier to launch than heavier spears, indicating the potential for the whole community to take part.

“Such tools could have been used by children while learning to throw and hunt.”

Co-author Dirk Leder said: “The Schoningen humans used a spruce branch to make this aerodynamic and ergonomic tool.

“The woodworking involved multiple steps including cutting and stripping off the bark, carving it into an aerodynamic shape, scraping away more of the surface, seasoning the wood to avoid cracking and warping, and sanding it for easier handling.”

The 77cm-long stick, which was found in 1994, is one of several different tools discovered in Schoningen, including throwing spears, thrusting spears and a second similarly sized throwing stick.

According to the study, published in the Plos One journal, the double-pointed throwing stick was most likely used by early humans to hunt medium-sized game like red and roe deer, and possibly fast-small prey including hares and birds that were otherwise difficult to catch.

Principal investigator Thomas Terberger, said: “The systematic analysis of the wooden finds of the Schoningen site financed by German Research Foundation provides valuable new insights, and further exciting information on these early wooden weapons can be expected soon.”

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Climate and violence hobble Nigeria's push to rely on its own wheat after the hit from Russia's war


Wed, July 19, 2023 

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Abubakar Salisu was terrified when he discovered arid sand in the middle of his farmland, rendering a broad strip unfit for crops. Now, extreme heat is killing his wheat before it is ready for cultivation.

Wheat normally requires heat, but in the last three years, farmers in Nigeria’s far north, part of Africa's Sahel region that largely produces the country's homegrown food, have seen an “alarming” increase in heat — much more than required, said Salisu, a local leader of wheat farmers in Kaita, Katsina State. Plus, rain is irregular.

“The unpredictable rain pattern is affecting us because wheat is planted immediately after the rainy season, but sometimes we will plant it thinking the rain has stopped, only to have it start again, thereby spoiling the seeds,” said Salisu, 48.

The vicious heat and rain cycle, worsened by climate change, has contributed to his wheat yield dropping in half.

He is not alone — others in northern areas ripped apart by violence suffer even more. Conflict and climate change are driving a food security crisis in Nigeria, exacerbated by supply disruptions tied to Russia's war in Ukraine. It means people are spending more for food in Africa’s largest economy as it becomes more reliant on imported grain, which is priced in U.S. dollars, and its currency weakens.

Nigeria is trying to become self-sufficient: The government has launched programs to provide loans to farmers and boost domestic grain production. But extreme weather and violence from both gangs and farmers and cattle herders clashing over resources have hindered those efforts. It's left Nigeria unable to produce enough wheat to bridge a gap in supply of more than 5 million metric tons.

Russia's decision this week to back out of an accord allowing Ukraine to ship grain from the Black Sea could make things worse. Ukraine had announced a plan this year to send more wheat to the West African country at expected lower prices, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Now, that initiative in doubt.

The Nigerian program providing loans to growers “worked to a reasonable extent, but corruption played a part, as did the failure of farmers to repay the loans as climate change and insecurity undermined their production,” said Idayat Hassan, senior Africa program fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Wheat is one of Nigeria’s most consumed grains, and it imports largely from the U.S., South America and Europe, according to the Trade Data Monitor. Russia was a key source of affordable wheat, but its shipments have dwindled to almost nothing amid the war.

The loan program for growers failed to help increase local wheat yields, so the government has introduced new initiatives to boost how much land is harvested and distribute high-yielding seeds, pesticides and equipment to wheat farmers.

The flour milling industry, which struggles with Nigeria's weakening currency and high costs like diesel fuel, has also made a deal with farmers to source more wheat locally at competitive prices, potentially encouraging growers to increase production.

With the new efforts, the USDA projects Nigeria’s wheat production to increase 42% in the 2023-2024 trading year over the year before. But the agency warned that “the challenges outweigh the opportunities.”

Besides climate change creating irregular rainfall, extreme heat and dry land, “security challenges across the wheat-producing region restricts farmers’ access to fields," the USDA said in this year's Nigeria grain report.

The same problems will also decrease production of rice and corn, the department said.

“Of course, insecurity is affecting our activities because sometimes we can’t go to our farms even if we plant, and some of our colleagues have completely stopped farming, while some of us have reduced the number of our farmlands,” said Sama’ila Zubairu, a wheat farmer in Katsina’s Faskari area ravaged by violence.

Gangs control vast swaths of the north's rural areas, carrying out killings and abductions for ransom. There also are perennial clashes between farmers and cattle herders competing for land and water.

Zubairu has not seen his land degrade like Salisu, but he said “climate change affects me in two ways: excessive heat and rain patterns, which affect my turnout."

He harvested enough wheat to fill 20 bags last year and 18 most recently — down from 35 two years ago.

“And I am not alone,” Zubairu said.

Farmers being unable to reach their fields amid the violence triggers “both human security and food security crises,” said Hassan of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Consumers are struggling with food inflation of 24%, with wheat-based staples like bread and pasta nearly doubling in price.

“The price surge has affected me because I have to double the costs of what I normally buy, and I would still not be able to buy enough,” said Chinedu Edeh, cooking gas retailer and installation technician in Nigeria's capital, Abuja. “Pasta has gone from 370 (naira) to 550 per unit."

He avoided the coarse wheat flour semolina in his last trip to the market and bought cheaper cassava flakes instead.

Last week, President Bola Tinubu released a policy statement on food and agriculture acknowledging rising food costs and declaring “a state of emergency,” with a commitment to include food and water availability in the government’s national security system.

Spokespeople for the president and the ministry of agriculture declined to comment or did not send answers to questions.

The government should “appreciate the full extent of how climate change fuels insecurity and food crisis and localize climate plans so that they affect real people who actually produce food for the country,” Hassan said.

___

Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Taiwo Adebayo, The Associated Press