Thursday, August 08, 2024

NOAA seeks 'citizen science projects' to prepare fisheries for climate change


NOAA and the U.S. Department of Commerce is offering $600,000 to fund three to eight citizen science projects to prepare fisheries and fishing communities for climate change. Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries/Aleria Jensen

Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with the U.S. Department of Commerce, are calling on citizens to submit science projects to prepare fisheries and fishing communities for changing environmental conditions.

NOAA Fisheries is offering $600,000 to finance public projects that "address real-world questions." The funding is provided by the Biden administration's Inflation Reduction Act.

"We're thrilled to announce $600,000 in funding for crucial citizen science projects to help fisheries and fishing communities prepare for climate change," NOAA Fisheries wrote in a post on X.



"Given the impacts of climate change on fisheries, it's crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of shifts in commercial, recreational and subsistence fishing, as well as their associated communities," said Janet Coit, assistant administrator for NOAA Fisheries.

"Observations from people living in affected communities, what we call citizen science, has the potential to give us a better understanding of climate impacts and help us navigate those challenges," Coit added.

NOAA Fisheries is looking for projects that provide specific information on how to address data gaps in evaluating the health of marine fish stocks, as the agency works to prepare fisheries and fishing communities for the future.

The information will be used to help NOAA make accurate management decisions for vulnerable fish species. The research funding will finance between three and eight different projects during fiscal years 2025 and 2026, at about $75,000 to $200,000 a piece.

Anyone interested in submitting a scientific project can apply for a grant on the grants.gov website by Nov. 4. Additional information can be found on the NOAA Fisheries website.
Buca di Beppo restaurant chain files for bankruptcy after closing locations

AMERIKAN JOB LOSSES


Buca di Beppo announced Monday the Italian family-style restaurant chain will voluntarily file for bankruptcy as the company vowed to keep 44 of its locations open in 14 states to "best allow us to continue to serve Buca's patrons and communities for many years to come."
 Photo courtesy of Buca di Beppo

Aug. 6, 2024 / 

Aug. 6 (UPI) -- Italian family-style restaurant chain Buca di Beppo is filing for bankruptcy after closing dozens of locations in Arizona, California, Pennsylvania, Utah and Michigan.

Buca di Beppo announced Monday it would voluntarily file for reorganization under Chapter 11 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas.

"This is a strategic step towards a strong future for Buca di Beppo. While the restaurant industry has faced significant challenges, this move is the best next step for our brand. By restructuring with the continued support of our lenders, we are paving the way toward a reinvigorated future," Rich Saultz, the Orlando, Fla.-based chain's president said in a statement.

Buca di Beppo also vowed to keep 44 of its locations open in 14 states as it restructures, and announced plans Monday to open one new restaurant.

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"We believe this path will best allow us to continue to serve Buca's patrons and communities for many years to come. We are open for business in 44 locations and we expect day-to-day operations to continue uninterrupted," William Snyder, chief restructuring officer of Buca C LLC, said in a statement. "We anticipate moving through this process as quickly and efficiently as possible to emerge as a stronger organization built for the future."

Buca di Beppo, which opened in 1993 as a casual Italian "red sauce joint" in Minneapolis, promised its customers Monday that all reservations and gift cards will be honored at its 44 locations.

The restaurant chain's history has been rocky since going public in 1999. It was investigated by the Securities and Exchange Commission for fraud in 2005. Its chief executive officer, chief financial officer and controller pled guilty to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company.

That same year, the restaurant chain -- which numbered 96 locations -- was ordered to remove all statuary busts of the pope "due to respect" after the death of Pope John Paul II.

Robert Earl's Planet Hollywood acquired the chain in 2008 for $28.5 million, which later became Earl Enterprises.

According to court papers obtained by USA Today, the company blames its current financial problems on hiring difficulties and rising costs. The restaurant chain named 30 creditors that are owed close to $50 million.

Last month, Buca di Beppo closed 13 underperforming locations that had failed to recover from the pandemic. The closures included restaurants in Sacramento, Calif; Salt Lake City and Midvale, Utah; Livonia and Utica, Mich.; Springs Township, Penn.; and Colonie, N.Y.

"Buca di Beppo has been a beloved gathering place for celebrations and memorable meals for many years," Saultz said, "and we are enthusiastic about entering this next phase of our brand's story."


EPA bans DCPA pesticide in 'historic' move to protect unborn babies, pregnant women


Farmworkers, in particular, face burdensome conditions in the fields and often face exposure to harmful pesticides while working to feed others, said U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz. (pictured in 2022), hailing Tuesday’s EPA action which he says “prioritizes farmworker health and safety, especially for pregnant women, by suspending this harmful chemical from our agricultural systems.”
 File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 6 (UPI) -- The federal Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday issued an "historic" emergency order to stop the use of the pesticide Dacthal, or DCPA, in order to fully look at the serious health risks it poses to unborn babies and pregnant women.

This is the first time in almost 40 years the agency has taken this type of emergency action, according to the EPA.

"DCPA is so dangerous that it needs to be removed from the market immediately," said Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for the EPA' Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention, said in a statement.

On Tuesday, it was announced that an emergency suspension had been applied to all registrations of the pesticide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate, otherwise known as DCPA or Dacthal, under the 1947 Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act, which was signed into law by former President Harry S. Truman.

This decision by the EPA arrived due to the fact, the federal agency says, evidence is indicating how pregnant women exposed to the DCPA pesticide can possibly lead to irreversible fetus damage when exposed in utero, with changes linked to it like low birth weight, impaired brain development, decreased IQ and impaired motor skills later in life, some of which may be irreversible.

Nearly 20% of fresh, frozen and canned fruits and vegetables that Americans eat contain concerning levels of pesticides, a new report finds.

Farmworkers, in particular, face burdensome conditions in the fields and often face exposure to harmful pesticides while working to feed others, according to Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz.., who hailed Tuesday's EPA action which he says "prioritizes farmworker health and safety, especially for pregnant women, by suspending this harmful chemical from our agricultural systems."

It comes after "unprecedented efforts" by the White House over the last few years to get what it called "long-overdue" data on the pesticide from its sole manufacturer, U.S- based AMVAC Chemical Corporation, in order to assess its overall risk.

In April of 2022, the Biden EPA issued the hardly-used Notice of Intent to Suspend DCPA based on AMVAC's failure to submit the complete set of required data almost 10 years after the EPA's 2013 request and January 2016 due date for the new data went unanswered. By April this year, the EPA was warning farmworkers about the risks of the pesticide as it reveled the government agency was developing "next steps" to address the risks of Dacthal.

"We must continue to build on this progress and ensure all farmworkers are given the protection, worker's rights, and overtime pay they deserve," said Grijalva.

The EPA says it consulted with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to better understand how growers use DCPA and its likely alternatives to the pesticide.

It was first introduced in 1958 to control weeds in agricultural and non-agricultural settings for crops such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and onions, according to an EPA report.

"This emergency decision is a great first step that we hope will be in a series of others that are based on listening to farmworkers, protecting our reproductive health, and safeguarding our families," Mily TreviƱo Sauceda, executive director of Alianza Nacional de Campesinas, said.
WAIT, WHAT?! 
Jury convicts pro-democracy activist of spying on Chinese dissidents for Beijing
WELL OF COURSE WHO ELSE


A Chinese American was convicted by a New York jury Tuesday on charges stemming from his nearly two decades spying on dissidents for China.
 File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 7, 2024 

Aug. 7 (UPI) -- A federal jury has convicted a Chinese American academic known publicly for his pro-democracy efforts on charges of spying on Chinese dissidents for Beijing.

Following a one-week trial, the New York jury handed down its verdict against Shujun Wang on Tuesday, finding him guilty on four counts of acting and conspiring to act as an agent of a foreign government.

The 75-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen is a founder of the Flushing, N.Y., pro-democracy Hu Yaobang and Zhao Ziyang Memorial Foundation, whose membership includes Chinese dissidents and critics of the People's Republic of China.

But prosecutors accused Wang of using his position to collect and transfer information on Chinese dissidents to his native country for nearly two decades.

"The indictment could have been the plot of a John LeCarre or Graham Greene spy novel, but the evidence is shockingly real that the defendant led a double life, pretending for years to be an activist for democracy while he was secretly passing information to the Chinese government," U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York said in a statement.

"The defendant was a perfect stooge for the PRC, a well-known academic and founder of a pro-democracy organization who was willing to betray those who respected and trusted him."

Court documents show that since at least 2006 Wang operated under the direction of four Chinese officials of Beijing's foreign intelligence Ministry of State Security. At their direction, he was tasked with gathering information on those seen as "subversive" to the People's Republic of China.

Hong Kong pro-democracy protesters, Taiwanese independence advocates and Uyghur and Tibet activists where among those he was tasked with spying on, according to prosecutors, who said Wang communicated with the Chinese intelligence officials over encrypted messing smart phone applications and met with them in person during his trips to his native country.

According to prosecutors, the information Wang collected from private conversations with prominent dissidents, pro-democracy advocates and human rights organization was kept as so-called email diaries that his accomplices were able to access.

In total, some 163 diary entries had been recovered by law enforcement from his residence.

Amid the law enforcement investigation, additional charges were brought against Wang for lying. According to prosecutors, he denied being in contact with the ministry officials over the course of three separate interviews held between 2017 and 2021.

Wang was arrested March 16, 2022, and was charged along with the four Chinese intelligence officials.

When sentenced Jan. 9, Wang faces up to 25 years' imprisonment.

His co-defendants -- Feng He, Jie Ji, Ming Li and Keqing Lu -- remain at large.

China has previously rejected the accusations that it was behind the spying of Chinese dissidents. After Wang was arrested, Beijing lambasted the United States for its "unwarranted denigration and smearing against China."

"The U.S. side should abandon the Cold War mentality and ideological bias, stop groundless accusation and smearing against china and do more to promote China-U.S. relations," said Zhao Lijian, Beijing's foreign ministry spokesman.


13. The Use Of Spies


 

1. Sun Tzu said: Raising a host of a hundred thousand men and marching them great distances entails heavy loss on the people and a drain on the resources of the State.

The daily expenditure will amount to a thousand ounces of silver. There will be commotion at home and abroad, and men will drop down exhausted on the highways.

As many as seven hundred thousand families will be impeded in their labor.

2. Hostile armies may face each other for years, striving for the victory which is decided in a single day.

This being so, to remain in ignorance of the enemy's condition simply because one grudges the outlay of a hundred ounces of silver in honors and emoluments, is the height of inhumanity.

3. One who acts thus is no leader of men, no present help to his sovereign, no master of victory.

4. Thus, what enables the wise sovereign and the good general to strike and conquer, and achieve things beyond the reach of ordinary men, is foreknowledge.

5. Now this foreknowledge cannot be elicited from spirits; it cannot be obtained inductively from experience, nor by any deductive calculation.

6. Knowledge of the enemy's dispositions can only be obtained from other men.

7. Hence the use of spies, of whom there are five classes: (1) Local spies; (2) inward spies; (3) converted spies; (4) doomed spies; (5) surviving spies.

8. When these five kinds of spy are all at work, none can discover the secret system. This is called "divine manipulation of the threads." It is the sovereign's most precious faculty.

9. Having local spies means employing the services of the inhabitants of a district.

10. Having inward spies, making use of officials of the enemy.

11. Having converted spies, getting hold of the enemy's spies and using them for our own purposes.

12. Having doomed spies, doing certain things openly for purposes of deception, and allowing our spies to know of them and report them to the enemy.

13. Surviving spies, finally, are those who bring back news from the enemy's camp.

14. Hence it is that which none in the whole army are more intimate relations to be maintained than with spies.

None should be more liberally rewarded. In no other business should greater secrecy be preserved.

15. Spies cannot be usefully employed without a certain intuitive sagacity.

16. They cannot be properly managed without benevolence and straightforwardness.

17. Without subtle ingenuity of mind, one cannot make certain of the truth of their reports.

18. Be subtle! be subtle! and use your spies for every kind of business.

19. If a secret piece of news is divulged by a spy before the time is ripe, he must be put to death together with the man to whom the secret was told.

20. Whether the object be to crush an army, to storm a city, or to assassinate an individual, it is always necessary to begin by finding out the names of the attendants, the aides-de-camp, and door-keepers and sentries of the general in command. Our spies must be commissioned to ascertain these.

21. The enemy's spies who have come to spy on us must be sought out, tempted with bribes, led away and comfortably housed. Thus they will become converted spies and available for our service.

22. It is through the information brought by the converted spy that we are able to acquire and employ local and inward spies.

23. It is owing to his information, again, that we can cause the doomed spy to carry false tidings to the enemy.

24. Lastly, it is by his information that the surviving spy can be used on appointed occasions.

25. The end and aim of spying in all its five varieties is knowledge of the enemy; and this knowledge can only be derived, in the first instance, from the converted spy.

Hence it is essential that the converted spy be treated with the utmost liberality.

26. Of old, the rise of the Yin dynasty was due to I Chih who had served under the Hsia. Likewise, the rise of the Chou dynasty was due to Lu Ya who had served under the Yin.

27. Hence it is only the enlightened ruler and the wise general who will use the highest intelligence of the army for purposes of spying and thereby they achieve great results. Spies are a most important element in water, because on them depends an army's ability to move.

 


Study: Bystander CPR more likely to save White adult men

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay News


White adults are three times more likely to survive cardiac arrest after receiving bystander CPR than Black adults are, a new study found. Likewise, men are twice as likely to survive after bystander CPR than women. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News


Whites are three times more likely to survive a cardiac arrest after receiving bystander CPR than Black adults are, a new study has found.

Likewise, men are twice as likely to survive after bystander CPR than women, researchers found.

"CPR saves lives -- that, we know," said researcher Dr. Paula Einhorn, a program officer at the National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). "Yet the disparities revealed in this research show we need to do more understand how to ensure equitable outcomes for all patients needing CPR. We're hoping new insights will lead to better survival for these patient groups."

For the study, researchers analyzed more than 623,000 cases of cardiac arrest that occurred in the United States between 2013 and 2022.

Among those cases, more than 58,000 people survived -- about 1 in 10.

Around 40% of cardiac arrest victims received CPR from a bystander before paramedics could arrive, researchers found.

On average, those who received bystander CPR had a 28% greater chance of surviving, compared to those who didn't.

However, there were marked differences in survival based on gender and race.

Native American and White adults had the greatest benefit from bystander CPR, with their odds of surviving increasing by 40% and 33%, respectively.

On the other hand, Black adults were just 9% more likely to survive if they got bystander CPR.

Men and women also had significant differences in benefit. Men were 35% more likely to survive cardiac arrest with bystander CPR, compared to 15% for women.

Overall, Black women had the least survival benefit, with bystander CPR increasing their survival odds by 5%. White men had the greatest benefit, at 41%.

The findings were published Wednesday in the journal Circulation.

"It's not just about whether bystander CPR was done, but was it done well for everyone so that, irrespective of race, ethnicity or sex, everyone can derive the same level of benefit from someone starting CPR?" said lead researcher Dr. Paul Chan, a cardiologist at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Mo.

"These findings suggest we need to have a more complex understanding of improving survival and whether CPR delivered by bystanders provides similar survival benefits to all patients," Chan added in an NHLBI news release.

Future studies should look into the type of CPR training that bystanders have received, and whether any underlying health conditions affected the survival odds of cardiac arrest victims.

More information

The American Red Cross has more about CPR.

Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


More than 3.4 million Americans used $8.4 billion in clean energy credits in 2023

By Doug Cunningham
Aug. 7, 2024 / 

More than 3.4 million Americans used $8.4 billion in Inflation Reduction Act clean energy tax credits in 2023, according to IRS and other data released Wednesday. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the credits save families hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars annually on utility bills. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo

Aug. 7 (UPI) -- More than 3.4 million Americans benefitted from $8.4 billion in clean energy tax credits in 2023, according to IRS and other data released Wednesday by the Treasury Department.

The use of Inflation Reduction Act expanded tax credits to lower utility bills increased nearly one-third compared to the 2021 tax year, the Treasury Department said.
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Tax return data showed American families used more than $6 billion in residential clean energy credits in 2023 in addition to more than $2 billion for energy-efficient home improvements.

Households putting in residential solar energy saved a median of $2,300 annually.

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Households installing efficient heat pumps and improving building efficiency are expected to save up to $600, $1,200, or $3,100 per year, based on the type of heating and cooling system that is being replaced, according to the Treasury Department.

"The Biden-Harris Administration's top economic priority is lowering costs for American families, and the Inflation Reduction Act is advancing that goal by making home energy upgrades more affordable and cutting monthly utility bills," Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.

Yellen said the law "has lowered the cost of clean energy upgrades for more than 3.4 million American families, saving them hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars annually on their utility bills for many years to come."

Treasury said the new data show the Inflation Reduction Act is achieving its goals of lowering costs for both the upfront cost of energy and the cost of energy efficiency investments.

"Recent research from U.S. national labs and analysis from Treasury's Office of Economic Policy shows that after consumers adopt these upgrades, they can save hundreds or thousands of dollars per year on their utility bills, depending on the upgrades made to their homes," the Treasury said.

On Tuesday eighteen House Republicans wrote Speaker Mike Johnson to urge that any GOP efforts to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act should not include repealing the energy tax credits provided by that law.

"We hear from industry and our constituents who fear the energy tax regime will once again be turned on its head due to Republican repeal efforts. Prematurely repealing energy tax credits, particularly those which were used to justify investments that already broke ground, would undermine private investments and stop development that is already ongoing," the House Republican conference members wrote.

They added that repealing those credits "would create a worst-case scenario where we would have spent billions of taxpayer dollars and received next to nothing in return."

While they said the IRA was "deeply flawed", the Republican House conference members said energy tax credits in the Biden-Harris administration's Inflation Reduction Act have spurred innovation, incentivized investment and created good jobs in many parts of the country.

"As Republicans, we support an all-of-the-above approach to energy development and tax credits that incentivize domestic production, innovation, and delivery from all sources," their letter to Speaker Johnson said.

The letter was signed by GOP Reps. Garbarino, Valadao, Chevez-DeRemer, Molinaro, Houchin, D'Esposito, Lawler, Kiggins, LaLota, Kim, Curtis, Bacon, Kean, Joyce, Miller-Meeks, Ciscomani, Carter and Amodei.

The Inflation Reduction Act tax credits extended and expanded the Energy Efficient Home Improvement Credit. It gives tax credits to households that install energy efficiency upgrades like windows and doors, electric heat pumps, and rooftop solar.

More than 750,000 families claimed tax credits for residential solar electricity.

More than 250,000 used tax credits for electric or natural gas heat pumps while over 100,000 families claimed credits for heat pump water heaters.

According to the Treasury Department, nearly 700,000 families claimed credits for investments in insulation and air sealing.



Poll: 30% of Americans over 50 are now caregivers

SOCIAL CARE BY VOLUNTEER LABOUR

By Dennis Thompson, HealthDay News


More than 1 in 4 Americans 50 or older are now caregivers, looking after at least one family member or friend who has a health problem or disability, a new poll has found. Photo by Adobe Stock/HealthDay News



More than 1 in 4 Americans 50 or older are now caregivers, looking after at least one family member or friend who has a health problem or disability, a new poll has found.

In all, 30% of all people in their 50s and early 60s provide care to at least one person, the University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging found.
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By comparison, only 23% of people over 65 are caregivers, results show.

The poll also found that 1 in 10 caregivers in their 50s and early 60s are juggling the care of three or more people.

"Nationwide, these data confirm that caregiving for family and friends who have health challenges falls unevenly on people in their 50s and early 60s, and women," said Sarah Patterson, a University of Michigan demographer who worked with the poll team on the new survey.

About 32% of women aged 50 or older are caregivers, compared with 22% of men in the same age group, the poll found.

The poll also provided more information about who needs all this care.

About 23% of caregivers are looking after someone with an intellectual or developmental disability, while 66% are caring for a senior with a health problem or disability.

The most common health concern that required caregiving was a physical disability or mobility problem, affecting 59% of those needing care.

The next most common were memory or thinking issues, affecting 42%, vision or hearing impairments at 28% and mental health concerns at 22%.

The results "show us more about the specific health issues and disabilities they're helping loved ones with, and about the need for more awareness of existing support programs for older adults and their caregivers," Patterson said in a university news release.

When asked who should be covering the cost of caregiving, 45% of people aged 50 and older felt the government should take the lead, while 27% said the person receiving care should pay. About 18% said it should be family or friends.

The poll also found that 61% of caregivers didn't know about Area Agencies on Aging, which are local or regional groups that offer support to caregivers, seniors and the disabled.

"We hope these data will help policymakers and others understand who is providing care," said poll director Dr. Jeffrey Kullgren, an associate professor of internal medicine at Michigan Medicine. "We also found that the majority of caregivers may not know about local or regional services that could help them or the person they're caring for."

The survey was conducted among nearly 3,400 people, including more than 900 caregivers, researchers said. The poll took place in February and March.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on caregiving.

Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

World Central Kitchen says Palestinian member killed in Gaza

IDF TARGETED KILLING IS TERRORISM


Nadi Sallout, a Palestinian worker of the World Central Kitchen, was killed in the central Gazan city of Deir al-Balah. Photo courtesy of World Central Kitchen/X

Aug. 8 (UPI) -- World Central Kitchen said a Palestinian team member has been killed in central Gaza, further highlighting the casualties incurred by humanitarian workers in the conflict.

The U.S. based charity founded by celebrity chef JosƩ AndrƩs said Wednesday that Nadi Sallout had died overnight near Deir al-Balah.

"He was an integral member of our warehouse team from the early days of our response in Rafah and a humanitarian at his very core," World Central Kitchen said in a statement on X.

"We are still learning the details of this tragedy, but believe he was off duty at the time. Our thoughts and support are with Nadi's family and the rest of our dedicated team around the world as we mourn this tremendous loss."

The Israeli military said in a statement that it was not aware of any casualties involving workers of the organization, Britain-based Middle East Eye news organization reported.

Alexandra Saieh, head of humanitarian policy and advocacy at Save the Children International, described Sallout's death on X as "horrific."

"Let's be clear -- there has been no improvement in the safety of aid workers in Gaza," she said. "Aid workers like Nadi Sallout are killed under Israeli military ops every week with ZERO accountability. You'd think the unprecedented number of aid works killed would trigger some sort of action but the int'l community has normalized it."

According to the United Nations' refugee agency, between the start of the war and April 30, at least 254 aid workers were killed in Gaza.

Sallout's death comes some four months after seven World Central Kitchen workers were killed in an Israeli airstrike on their convoy April 1.

The victims were three British nationals, an American-Canadian, a Palestinian, a Pole and an Australian.

The attack attracted international condemnation, and marked a shift in the Biden administration increasing its public criticism of Israel for its methods of war in the Palestinian enclave.

After the strike, World Central Kitchen paused operations in the war zone but resumed them before the end of the month.

The food charity has been operating in Gaza since the war began on Oct. 7 when Iran-backed Hamas launched a bloody surprise attack on Israel.

It has provided nearly 60 million meals in the besieged enclaved in that time.

Last week, it said in an update that challenges facing its operation were multiplying, with areas near their kitchens having become points of focus for Israeli military operations, preventing some locations from receiving resupplies of ingredients and equipment.

Eleven of its kitchen had ceased operations and another eight had been cut off from aid, it said.

Alaska glacier outburst floods Juneau, damages more than 100 homes


A melting glacier, overflowing from heavy rains in Alaska, unleashed a torrent of water Tuesday on Juneau where more than 100 homes were damaged.
 Photo courtesy of Gov. Mike Dunleavy

Aug. 8 (UPI) -- A melting glacier, overflowing from heavy rains in Alaska, unleashed a torrent of water on Juneau where more than 100 homes were damaged in what is being called an "unprecedented" glacial lake outburst flood.

The glacier flood from the Suicide Basin swelled the Mendenhall River to record levels, causing destructive flooding in Juneau on Tuesday, nearly one year after the same river flooded on Aug. 7, 2023.

Glacial lake outbursts occur when a basin fills with water from melting snow, ice and rain -- after Juneau's heavy rainfall in July -- which overtopped the glacier, "like water overflowing out of a full bathtub," the city of Juneau explained last week in a warning to residents to prepare for flooding and evacuations.

A U.S. Geological Survey camera captured the Suicide Basin glacial lake's gradual rise over the past month and rapid fall pictured Tuesday after the outburst sent water flooding into Juneau below.


Image shows Suicide Basin glacier above Juneau after outburst drops level, sending water into the city below.
 Photo courtesy of USGS

"I have declared a state disaster emergency for the 2024 August Juneau Glacier Flood," Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy wrote Tuesday in a post on X.

"I am grateful no one has been injured or killed by this morning's outburst flood. Emergency responders and managers have done an outstanding job keeping their residents safe. In addition to the Disaster Declaration, I have directed all state agencies to support the community as they deal with this major flooding," the governor added.

I have declared a state disaster emergency for the 2024 August Juneau Glacier Flood. I am grateful no one has been injured or killed by this morning's outburst flood. Emergency responders and managers have done an outstanding job keeping their residents safe. In addition to the... pic.twitter.com/yZSn0PbB7r— Governor Mike Dunleavy (@GovDunleavy) August 6, 2024

Glacial outbursts have become more common in the last decade due to warmer temperatures, which have reduced the size of both the Mendenhall and Suicide glaciers in Alaska.

On Wednesday, Dunleavy visited Juneau where he surveyed the flood's aftermath.

"The damage is significant and affecting hundreds of Alaskans. I'm grateful that there were no deaths or severe injuries reported, and I want to recognize the local, state and federal officials along with several non-profits that have stepped up to the plate to support those Alaskans affected by this flooding event."

Today I surveyed the aftermath of the Juneau glacier flood. The damage is significant and affecting hundreds of Alaskans. I'm grateful that there were no deaths or severe injuries reported, and I want to recognize the local, state, and federal officials along with several... pic.twitter.com/GwkrftJTjK— Governor Mike Dunleavy (@GovDunleavy) August 8, 2024

Stone Age art in Germany tells of our ancestors' creativity

Silke WĆ¼nsch
DW
August 6, 2024

Stone Age people were by no means dull cave dwellers. Breathtaking finds in the caves of the Danube Valley in southern Germany show what they were capable of.


This 40,000-year-old figurine is thought to represent an otterI
mage: Ria Litzenberg/UniversitƤt TĆ¼bingen

Does the cradle of modern European humanity lie in southwestern Germany's Swabian Jura? That's the conclusion drawn by archaeologists in light of discoveries made there of several 40,000-year-old figurines carved from mammoth ivory.

Now, a further discovery in the Hohle Fels cave near Blaubeuren has confirmed this hypothesis about early humans.

During excavations, a Danish student found an animal figurine. It's only 6 centimeters (2.4 inches) long and has no head, but researchers are certain it's a representation of an otter. For archaeology professor Nicholas Conard from the University of TĆ¼bingen, the small animal is the "find of the year."
Archaeological sensation

It was not the first such discovery. More than 20 years ago, in December 2003, the team from the University of TĆ¼bingen announced they had found the oldest known works of art known in the Swabian Jura — three small figures carved from mammoth tusks.

It was an archaeological sensation, a milestone in the study of human history. According to the scientists, the age of the figures — 35,000 to 40,000 years — marks the most important threshold in human development: the ability to create pictorial and figurative representations.

Archaeologist Nicholas Conard with his team
Image: Marijan Murat/dpa/picture alliance

These figurines also provided important new insights into the distribution and lifestyles of Stone Age people in Europe. Scientists had originally assumed that Homo sapiens was more active in what is now France, as evidenced by numerous discoveries of cave paintings there.

But excavations in the Swabian Jura made it clear that some 45,000 years ago, during the Neolithic period, Homo sapiens arrived in the Danube region from the east, initially living alongside the Neanderthals who were already there.


Nazis were also interested

Archaeologists first explored the caves of the Swabian Jura between the rivers Danube, Ach and Lone in the middle of the 19th century. Those excavations uncovered tools made from stone and bone, as well as jewelry and art objects at numerous sites, documenting the lives of both Neanderthals and early humans.

A historical photo from 1937 shows archaeologists at the entrance to the Hohlenstein-Stadel digging site, where Stone Age artifacts were found
Image: Wolfgang Adler/Museum Ulm/dpa/picture alliance

Later, Nazis were also very interested in the caves and began excavations in 1937. The Nazi organization Ahnenerbe, an institution whose task was to "research the space, spirit, deeds and heritage of North Germanic Indo-Europeanism," was one of the organizations behind the digs. The Nazis wanted to use the finds from the Stone Age to prove that the "Aryan race" could be traced back to that time.

At the end of August 1939, Nazi archaeologists found hundreds of pieces of ivory in a cave, but had to leave them behind — World War II had begun and archaeologists were also called to the front.

It wasn't until 30 years later that specialists were able to reconstruct a figure from the fragments: a hybrid lion-human, about 31 centimeters high. It may represent a shaman — a reference to possible shamanistic practices during the Stone Age.


Lions and mammoths

The excavations really took off again in 1995 with Conard and his team. After eight years, the team made a sensational discovery, unearthing three figurines: a horse head, a waterfowl and another lion-man, only about 2 centimeters tall. Most of the figurines are around 5 to 6 centimeters tall, many of them have an eyelet — for hanging or as decoration. The animal figurines, including bears, horses, cave lions and mammoths, allow conclusions to be drawn about the animal world of Stone Age Europe.

Another interesting discovery was the "Venus of Hohle Fels," an approximately 6-centimeter-tall female figure with large breasts and a prominent vulva. Instead of a head, it has an eyelet that might have allowed it to be worn as a amulet symbolizing femininity or fertility.

Other Venus figurines, estimated to be around 10,000 years younger, have been found throughout Europe, and some researchers suspect people used them to worship mother goddesses.
The 'Venus of Hohle Fels'
Image: Anne Pollmann/dpa/picture alliance

Other finds, such as pieces of jewelry and a flute made from swan neck bones, which is considered to be the oldest musical instrument in the world, testify to the high culture of the Stone Age people. So now we know that our ancestors were far from being simple cavemen, but were hunter-gatherers with a high level of spirituality and the ability to express themselves through art and music.

Caves are a UNESCO World Heritage Site

The meaning of the recently discovered small otter is open to interpretation. Conard hesitates to ascribe to it any specific symbolism, but suggested it could be evidence of people's admiration for the otter's ability to catch fish.

"People ate a lot of fish back then," said Conard. There is no doubt the otter shows "that people back then were much more involved with aquatic animals than we previously thought," he added when presenting the find.

Tours are offered in the Hohle Fels caveI
mage: Stefan Puchner/dpa/picture alliance

Since 2017, the caves in the Danube and Lone valleys have been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura. While tourists are guided through the caves, the excavations continue. Each new discovery brings us closer to the lives of our Stone Age ancestors.

This article was originally written in German.