Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons

Covid mask and vaccination mandates aren't Christian persecution

Nothing in the Bible says you can’t wear a mask. But religious objectors know that.

THEY WANT CHOICE THEY DENY WOMEN OVER ABORTION

A demonstrator protests mask mandates at a meeting of the Jefferson County Public School Board in Louisville, Ky., on July 27.Jon Cherry / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Aug. 31, 2021, 2:30 AM MDT
By Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons, fellow, Faith and Progressive Policy Initiative, Center for American Progress

Are mask mandates a form of Christian persecution? That’s the argument a California man is making after his two teens were sent home for violating their high school’s mask policy.

“The Bible says we’re made in the image of God and Satan tries to cover that up. A mask is a sign of oppression,” Gary Nelson told NBC News. And then it gets worse. He claimed that Muslims and Jews would have been accommodated but that the school administrators “feel safe” persecuting Christians.

When conservative Christians start mandating nudity, then they might have a claim about not covering up what God has created.

These claims are laughable. Nothing in the Bible says you can’t wear masks. And you don’t see anti-masker Christians arguing against wearing clothing or hats or sunglasses. When these conservative Christians start mandating nudity, then they might have a claim about not covering up what God has created.


The Nelson family isn’t alone in making this absurd claim. A Catholic school in Lansing, Michigan, has sued the state over its mask mandate and claimed that “because God created us in His image, we are masking that image.” Last year, a Republican legislator in Ohio refused to wear a mask, arguing in a Facebook post that the U.S. was founded on “Judeo-Christian Principles” that include “we are all created in the image and likeness of God.”
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The first part of his argument is a dangerous but common form of Christian nationalism; the second is a core tenet of both the Jewish and Christian religions. Where he goes into cringe-worthy territory is when he argues that “that image is seen the most by our face.” That’s simply not part of the biblical story in Genesis, and it has been manufactured out of whole cloth to serve an anti-masker agenda.

Author and pastor explains why as a Christian he got vaccinated

AUG. 18, 20211


It’s important to note a key distinction here between political beliefs and religious ones. No major religious groups in the U.S. are telling people not to get vaccinated or wear masks. The National Association of Evangelicals and Pope Francis have both voiced their support for vaccination efforts. Even Christian Scientists — the religious group perhaps the most doctrinally opposed to modern medical treatment — have encouraged members to “cooperate with measures considered necessary by public health officials.” Orthodox Jewish and Muslim leaders, as well as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, have also voiced their support for the vaccines.

So why, then, are we seeing new news stories about (mostly conservative) religious communities pushing back against public health initiatives? Liberty University, an evangelical Christian school in Virginia, for example, is under a temporary campuswide Covid-19 quarantine because of a spike in cases. The school lifted building capacity restrictions and distancing and masking requirements for the fall, and it doesn’t require vaccination, unlike many other colleges trying to return to in-person teaching.

Liberty University’s reluctance to enact Covid-19 protocols has little to do with the Bible, however — and everything to do with politics. Evangelical Christians report some of the highest rates of vaccine hesitancy of any major religious group. And this is closely connected to their allegiance to former President Donald Trump and the GOP.


Sister Deirdre Byrne, who spoke in her nun’s habit at last year’s Republican National Convention, is now spreading lies about the Covid-19 vaccines. At an anti-vaccination conference, she said the vaccines are “diabolic” and claimed that the fight against them is a “battle between Our Lord and the devil.” That certainly sounds like a religious argument. But Byrne isn’t following church leaders on this issue — she’s following the conservative outrage machine.

I’ve watched the debate around religion and public health closely since the beginning of the pandemic. And I haven’t seen a single reasonable religious argument against masking, vaccinations or other public health orders. Instead, we’ve seen a steady stream of fringe arguments that distort religious doctrines in the service of conspiratorial political thinking. Far from there being a need for religious exemptions to Covid-19 measures, the world’s religions have a common obligation to do all we can to save lives during this pandemic. Thankfully, that’s also been the resounding message from most religious leaders, save a few outliers.

Besides political leanings, the other big factor driving conservative Christianity’s anti-mask and anti-vaccination movements is a shared persecution complex. Conservative Christians continue to claim persecution in the U.S., even when 7 out of every 10 Americans is Christian. The playbook looks familiar whether the specific issue is the design of Starbucks’ holiday cups, nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people or insurance plans that cover contraception. There’s a narrative of Christian persecution that has become so powerful that it’s now a central theme of the religious right’s political strategy (again, emphasis on political).

So no, obviously, the Bible doesn’t say protecting your nose from a virus is a sin. But the cultural narrative that makes that argument appealing to a fringe few is no laughing matter. Instead of trying to use religion to avoid a commonsense scientific solution to a deadly pandemic, I hope religious Americans (and nonreligious Americans) can instead focus on how we can protect one another and save lives. Because the Bible does have a lot to say about that.

Related:
Christian nationalism's Covid vaccine doubt threatens America's herd immunity

When Covid-19 rules are flouted by ultra-Orthodox Jews, it isn't anti-Semitism to call it out

Coronavirus exposes evangelical Christianity's flaws. But the church can be a force for good.

Breathing wildfire smoke can affect the brain and sperm, as well as the lungs
The Conversation
August 31, 2021

FILE PHOTO: Firefighters battle a fast-moving wildfire that destroyed homes driven by strong wind and high temperatures forcing thousands of residents to evacuate in Goleta, California, U.S., early July 7, 2018. REUTERS/Gene Blevins

Wildfires burning in the western U.S. are sending smoke into communities far from the fires themselves, creating hazardous air for days or weeks at a time. A lot of people are wondering: What does breathing all that smoke do to our bodies?

Wildfire smoke is a mix of chemicals and tiny particles that are small enough to evade the body's defenses and directly affect the lungs. But the damage may not stop there.

As environmental toxicologists, we have been investigating the health effects of wildfire smoke on humans, including on parts of the body that you might not expect: sperm and the brain.

Given the large number of people now breathing wildfire smoke each summer – numbers that are likely to increase as wildfire conditions worsen in a warming world – it's important to understand how wildfire smoke can harm your body and how to protect yourself.

Pollution can change sperm's genetic material

Urban air pollution, which has a slightly different chemical profile than wildfire smoke, has already been linked with harmful effects to the male reproductive system. Studies have shown how air pollution produced from sources like industrial stacks and automobile exhaust can affect sperm shape, their ability to swim and the genetic material they carry. However, few studies have looked at wildfire smoke as an independent source of toxicity.

One recent study found that baby rats born to parents that had been exposed to wood smoke could end up with behavioral and cognitive problems. That prompted our team at Boise State University, in collaboration with researchers at Northeastern University, to look closer at what happens to sperm of mice exposed to wildfire smoke.

Our goal was to look for small changes at the cellular level that might show us how negative effects could be passed from parents to the next generation. Mice aren't humans, of course, but damage to their systems can provide clues about potential harm to ours.

We simulated a wildland fire in the laboratory by burning Douglas fir needles and chose a smoke exposure amount similar to what a wildland firefighter with 15 years of service would experience. We found that this exposure in a mouse resulted in changes in sperm DNA methylation. DNA methylation is a biological mechanism that can regulate how a gene is expressed, kind of like a dimmer switch on a light bulb. Environmental factors can influence DNA methylation, and this can be harmful if it occurs at the wrong time of life or at the wrong gene.

We were surprised to find that the effects of wood smoke were similar to the effects of cigarette and cannabis smoke exposure on sperm. Much more work is still needed to understand if and how these changes in sperm affect the offspring they create, and what the effect is in humans. Studying populations with extreme levels of smoke exposure, like wildland firefighters, would help to answer these questions. However, very little data currently exists for long-term exposure monitoring and health tracking in this group of workers.

Links to Alzheimer's and other ways smoke affects the brain

Wood smoke exposure has also been linked to poor brain health, including conditions like Alzheimer's disease. There is data that suggests wood smoke exacerbates symptoms of cognitive decline such as loss of memory or motor skills.

In a recent review article in the journal Epigenetics Insights, we outlined the latest research showing how wildfire smoke particles or the inflammatory signals released by the immune system after exposure might reach the brain and contribute to these health problems.

One possibility is for very small particles to be inhaled into the lungs, escape into the blood stream and travel to the brain. A second possibility is the particles stay in the lungs but generate inflammatory signals that travel in the blood to the brain. Lastly, evidence suggests that particles may not need to travel to the lungs at all, but rather could get to the brain directly from the nose by following nerve bundles.

DNA methylation changes are especially crucial in brain areas like the hippocampus that are involved in learning and memory. If environmental exposures are changing DNA methylation, that may help to explain why Alzheimer's disease can affect only one identical twin even though their genetic code is exactly the same.

What can you do to stay safe?

The potential impact of breathing wildfire smoke on lungs alone should be concerning enough to make people think twice about their level of exposure. Now, we're seeing the potential for additional risks, including to the sperm and brain. Other research suggests connections between wildfire smoke and heart inflammation and the risk of pre-term births.

Read more: What's in wildfire smoke? A toxicologist explains the health risks and which masks can help

So, what can you do to lower your health risk during wildfire season?

Start by staying alert to wildfire smoke warnings. The Environmental Protection Agency and companies like PurpleAir have robust air monitoring networks with interactive maps that can show you how bad or good the air quality is in your area. You can also find low-cost air quality monitors.

In your home, change the filter on your furnace and air conditioner regularly and make sure it is the proper size. Portable HEPA air purification units in the rooms you spend the most time in can help, too.

Face masks can be a great tool when used properly. A mask labeled N-95 or higher is designed to filter out 95% or more of the harmful particles that get deep into the lungs, but only if they have the proper fitment. While cloth masks can help stop the spread of COVID-19, they do not do a good job of filtering out wildfire smoke particles. This is partly because they don't seal well on the face and because the material is not designed to capture dangerously small smoke particles.

As the planet warms and the West continues to dry, wildfire smoke is likely to become a common feature of summer. It's important to understand the health risks so you can protect yourself.

By Luke Montrose, Assistant Professor of Community and Environmental Health, Boise State University and Adam Schuller, Researcher in Biomolecular Sciences, Boise State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Apocalyptic videos show devastation near Lake Tahoe as California struggles to contain raging wildfire
Agence France-Presse
August 31, 2021



Thousands of people were ordered to evacuate Monday as a huge wildfire loomed over a major US tourist spot, filling the air with choking smoke.

The Caldor Fire has already torn through more than 270 square miles (700 square kilometers), razing hundreds of buildings.

On Monday it was roaring towards South Lake Tahoe, the main resort town in the popular holiday area that straddles the California and Nevada border.

"The firefighting conditions, the fuels, are historic," said Cal Fire Incident Commander Jeff Veik, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. "We will put this fire out. (But) it's not going to be today."

The western United States is burning at an alarming rate, with over 2,700 square miles blackened by late August in California alone -- more than double the area consumed by this time in an average year.

The fires are being driven by a historic drought that has left swathes of the region parched, as man-made climate change takes a visible -- and painful -- toll, and people living in the area are forced to flee.

"I got a knock at 10 pm last night with a warning to be ready," South Lake Tahoe resident Corinne Kobel told the Sacramento Bee newspaper.

"At 10 am this morning, it was the sheriffs kicking us out. I am freaking out."

Kobel was among the 22,000 people ordered out of their homes on Monday morning, joining tens of thousands of others trying to escape the fire's relentless march.

- Traffic jam -

An AFP journalist witnessed streams of traffic leaving the city, with cars and RVs clogging the main roads.

Among those stuck on the road was Mel Smothers, 74, who was whiling away the time spent in a traffic jam by playing his violin.

Smothers, who has lived in Tahoe since the 1970s, said this was the first time wildfires had chased him out. But it wouldn't be the last.

"This is paradise, but you know with the recent fires, Lake Tahoe changed," he told AFP.

"This is the way it's going to be from now on. Every year now we have these fires.

"August is beautiful but probably it's going to be smokey from now on."

 

On Sunday as the fire tore through the Twin Bridges area, there were incongruous scenes as flames raged around ski lifts.

Snow cannon -- usually used to help keep the pistes covered in winter -- were turned on to try to keep the area wet.

Cal Fire director Thom Porter, said the fire had grown by more than 30 square miles overnight after the air above it cleared.

"When air clears, it's taking the lid off your pot of boiling water; all of a sudden there's that plume of heat and steam that comes out," he said, according to the Sacramento Bee.

"Same thing happens on a fire. Also sucks in oxygen from all directions, puts fire and spot fires in all directions."

- Winter sports spot -

The Caldor Fire began on August 14, and quickly spread through the Eldorado National Forest.

Smoke from the blaze has been threatening tourist spots around Lake Tahoe for a week, filling the air with a choking haze.

The alpine lake is known for its clear waters, and the areas surrounding it boasts spectacular scenery, including some of the most popular winter sports resorts in the western United States.

The blaze is one of scores across the region that are stretching the resources of local firefighters.

Further north, the huge Dixie Fire has ripped through more than 1,100 square miles in the six weeks since it erupted.

Thousands of firefighters and other emergency personnel are involved in battling the fires, which are fanned by gusting winds and fed by tinder-dry fuel.

Meet 'Big John': World's biggest triceratops on sale in Paris
Agence France-Presse
August 31, 2021

"Big John" is 66 million years old and has an eight-metre-long skeleton Christophe ARCHAMBAULT AFP

A Paris auction house will seek to sell in October the world's biggest known example of the dinosaur triceratops, known as "Big John", with the spectacular skeleton on show to the public beforehand, organisers said Tuesday.

The triceratops is among the most distinctive of dinosaurs due to the three horns on its head -- one at the nose and two on the forehead -- that give the dinosaur its Latin name.

"Big John" is the largest known surviving example, 66 million years old and with a skeleton some eight metres long.

It will be on display starting October 18 at the Drouot auction house in Paris, where it will be offered by the specialist auctioneers Giquello on October 21.

It is estimated that it will sell at 1.2 to 1.5 million euros ($1.4-$1.8 million), though dinosaur auction sales have proved very unpredicable in the past.

The dinosaur will be on display starting October 18 at the Drouot auction house in Paris Christophe ARCHAMBAULT AFP

The dinosaur has an export licence and there are a dozen possible buyers, said Alexandre Giquello of the Giquello house.

The two-metre-wide skull, some 200 bones and large horns of the animal were being assembled Tuesday behind the windows of a Drouot exhibition gallery in central Paris.

A unique specimen with the skeleton more than 60-percent complete -- including 75 percent for the skull -- Big John was discovered in 2014 in the US state of South Dakota by geologist Walter W. Stein Bill. Its restoration was carried out in Trieste in Italy.

This sale comes amid continued enthusiasm for dinosaur skeletons, with prices often reaching records that leave public museums and research centres unable to outbid private buyers.

The sale of "Big John" comes amid continued enthusiasm for dinosaur skeletons, with prices often reaching records Christophe ARCHAMBAULT AFP

In October, a rare allosaurus skeleton, one of the oldest dinosaurs, was auctioned in Paris to an anonymous bidder for over three million euros, twice its estimate.
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A few weeks before, a 67-million-year-old T-Rex skeleton was sold in New York for $31.8 million, smashing records for a dinosaur and far surpassing an estimate of $6 to $8 million.

In 2020, however, several dinosaurs offered in Paris did not find takers after minimum prices were not reached.

© 2021 AFP

WATCH: Woman goes on profane tirade against 'demonic entities' during school board meeting on masks
Travis Gettys
August 31, 2021

Concerned parent Melissa addresses Lee County School Board. (Twitter/Screenshot)

A woman unleashed a profane tirade about demons during a Florida school board meeting where a fistfight also broke out over masking rules for children.

The woman, who claimed to be a registered nurse and mother of two daughters, accused Lee County School Board members -- and others nationwide -- of being "demonic entities" because they were voting to require masks for 30 days as new cases of COVID-19 explode.

"These are demonic entities, and we need to stick together," said the woman, who identified herself as Melissa. "Remember, we have authority in Christ Jesus. These are demonic entities in all the school boards of all the United States of America, and all of us Christians are sticking together to take them all out."

Melissa, who was wearing a badge that read "mass non-compliance is the only way to end this nightmare," then appeared to issue a threat against police officers.

"All the police officers that kick us out for our First Amendment right will also be going down with them," she said. "Do you understand?"

She then appeared to argue that children should be allowed to catch the potentially deadly virus to confer natural immunity.

"I'm a nurse, infectious disease, 13 years -- masks don't work," Melissa said. "These doctors that were sneering at us like we're scumbags, they need to go back to f*cking medical school."

School board members issued a last warning to the woman for cursing and briefly cut off her microphone.

"They need to remember," Melissa said, once her microphone was restored, "natural immunity is best. You are all demonic entities, you are going to be taken down."

Her audio was shut off again and she continued shouting as a police officer escorted her away from the microphone.

 

   

Canada Can’t Risk Erin O’Toole

Like every other Conservative, Erin O’Toole has the wrong plan for Canada.

Canada Can’t Risk Erin O’Toole (cantriskotoole.ca)

A history behind Panjshir Valley and why it's yet to fall to the Taliban

20 AUG 2021



'My father was the first to negotiate with the Taliban'

Ahmad Shah Massoud: the man who saw tomorrow

Youth wave can alter the outcome of the upcoming Afghanistan polls

The Taliban is killing fewer civilians but a worrying new trend is emerging


Tucked away in the mountains, the region has withstood forces wishing to tame its population for 200 years. The Taliban are the only ones who've got a second chance.

Holed up in the last remaining region of Afghanistan not to be captured by the Taliban, rebel commander Ahmad Massoud implored for help, in a recent op-ed, that he's engaged in a fight for the "fate of Afghanistan but also for the West."

Whether "the West" wants to fund Massoud's mujahideen remains to be seen. But he was speaking from one of the most well-defended geographic positions in the country that has become synonymous with resistance: the Panjshir Valley.

Located in eastern Afghanistan, near the Afghan-Pakistan border, the Panjshir Valley has been a place that has garnered an almost mythical status when others have tried to take it.

In the 19th century, the region was untouched by the British Empire as they attempted to conquer Afghanistan. On a side note, the broader British occupation of Afghanistan was also a failure like America's today.

Panjshir Valley, which also means the 'five lions', also proved to be a formidable place for the Soviets to conquer during their occupation of the country in the 1980s.

During this time, the invading Russians encountered fierce fighters from the then resistance led by a man known as the "Lion of Panjshir." Headed by Ahmad Shah Massoud during the ten years of war that the country experienced, the Panjshir Valley remained unconquered.

"The Lion Tames the Bear in Afghanistan" was how one book described Shah Massoud's defence of this strategic region.

Today the son of Shah Massoud, Ahmad Massoud, wants to lead a similar resistance but this time against the Taliban.

Retreating to the family's safe haven and surrounded by the Taliban, the younger Massoud is seeking to rally an armed opposition by stirring the memory of his father and the region's history.

Described by travel writers as a place of high mountains and outstanding natural beauty, the place has earned an important status in the minds of people in Afghanistan.

It was there also that Shah Massoud led his resistance towards the Taliban between 1996-2001, who were also unable to take over the region.

During that period and bringing together different Afghan factions, Shah Massoud created the Northern alliance, which controlled the Easter and northern part of the country.

At its height, the Northern Alliance accounted for more than 30 percent of the country's population. By holding out against the Taliban for several years, the US worked with those ground forces to occupy the rest of the country and toppled the Taliban from power following the 9/11 contacts.

Shah Massoud was assassinated two days before the September 11 attacks, which were blamed on Al Qaeda.

The Panjshir Valley over and again has robbed outside conquerors of the ability to monopolise their rule, a thorn in the side of those trying to indicate that their rule over the country is absolute.

As long as one region held out and frustrated those trying to hold Kabul, the fear any new ruler may have is that resistance undermines the perception of power.

Today, however, this Panjshir Valley, which, unlike previous times, is now entirely surrounded by the Taliban, is seeking to mount yet another resistance.

The Americans or the Russians, two superpowers that have now been defeated in Afghanistan, are unlikely to start meddling again so soon.

During the time of the Northern Alliance, the Iranians were also supporting this grouping against the Taliban. Now the Iranians have come to terms with the Taliban.

Without backing and with the Taliban's lighting takeover in the country is indicative that Ahmad Massoud will have fewer resources than even his father to mount a resistance.

In his op-ed, he said, "We have stores of ammunition and arms that we have patiently collected since my father's time because we knew this day might come."

However, if the Taliban mount a military attack, Ahmad Massoud said, "our military forces and logistics will not be sufficient. They will be rapidly depleted unless our friends in the West can find a way to supply us without delay."

Having just made history after the American withdrawal and with the ghost in their sails, the Taliban may be tempted to knock another prized victory and tame the 'five lions.'

 

‘Conflict within conflict’: Wild animal attacks rise in Kashmir

Nearly 200 people have been killed and more than 2,000 others wounded in man-animal conflict in the region since 2011.

Leopard attacks have increased in Indian-administered Kashmir during the COVID-19 pandemic 

[Basit Zargar/Al Jazeera]

By Mir Seeneen

29 Jun 2021

Srinagar, Indian-administered Kashmir – For more than two weeks, hunter Shabir Ahmad clutched his weapon – a bore gauge gun that can shoot up to 80 pellets at a time – close to his heaving chest and scanned the lush forests of Indian-administered Kashmir like a hawk.

The hunter was looking for a leopard that mauled a five-year-old girl earlier this month while she was playing on her lawn in the Himalayan region’s Budgam area.

The child’s family heard her scream and ran outside, only to find her doll and footwear lying in the mud.

Ahmad works for the local wildlife department, which set up a wild animal nursery in Budgam, from where the leopard prowled out on June 4 and killed the girl, whose mauled body was found at dawn the next day.

Mourners carry the coffin of a five-year-old girl mauled to death by

 a leopard in Budgam [Basit Zargar/Al Jazeera]

Ahmad, who said he has rescued nearly two dozen leopards from different localities across the Kashmir valley and relocated them to wildlife sanctuaries or protected reserves, was hired to capture the leopard.

“But the man-eater who later turned out to be a full-grown female had perhaps sensed a massive hunt,” he told Al Jazeera.

“She surfaced closer to human habitations before we finally laid a trap for her.”

It was not an isolated incident. There has been a rise in human encounters with wild animals in the territory, with many calling it a “conflict within conflict”.

Kashmir is claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan, who rule over parts of it.

An armed rebellion to demand independence from India or a merger with Muslim-majority Pakistan began in the early 1990s and has since claimed tens of thousands of lives, making Kashmir one of the bloodiest conflict zones in the world.

Now, the man-wild encounters are creating new anxieties in the restive region already grappling with the decades-old conflict.

Earlier this year, the region’s main city of Srinagar was rattled when an adult leopard sneaked into a housing colony. Black bears have also been seen roaming in the residential areas.

The surge in such encounters with wild animals spiked during the coronavirus lockdowns when people were confined indoors and the streets were empty. Those living in the vicinity of the green belts have been told by the authorities to be cautious.

According to official data, nearly 200 people have been killed and more than 2,000 others wounded in man-animal conflict in the region since 2011. Until June this year, at least 10 people have died and 141 injured in such conflicts.

More and more leopards are being captured and shifted to sanctuaries in Kashmir 

[Basit Zargar/Al Jazeera]

Experts blame deforestation for the rising attacks.

“It is a man-made disaster,” Kashmiri environment activist Raja Muzaffar Bhat told Al Jazeera.

“There has been massive deforestation in the Pir Panjal forest division in the last few years,” he said, referring to three forest ranges that saw most of the attacks by wild animals.

The wildlife authorities say they are trying to implement safety measures, particularly in residential areas near forests.

“As soon as we get a call regarding the presence of a leopard somewhere, the first course of action is to send the team on ground with a response time of not more than 10-20 minutes,” senior wildlife warden Altaf Ahmed told Al Jazeera.

“After scanning the whole area, our team looks for evidences like pugmarks or faecal matter and further establishes the most normal routine tract followed by the animal. Once the team picks their spots, they install automatic trap cages.”

The cages would contain a bait – a dog or sheep – to entice the leopard. “And that is exactly how the Budgam man-eater was caught,” said the warden.

Environmental experts link the crisis with climate change in the region, calling it an inevitable cause for the decreasing habitat for animals.

“As the climate changes, the floral biodiversity gets disturbed, creating a scarcity of food in the forests which compels the wild animals to take to streets,” Nadeem Qadri, a noted environmental lawyer from Kashmir, told Al Jazeera.

“There is also a misnomer among people that only deforestation leads to the degradation of their habitat. Going for the extraction of a rare medicinal herb, on which some mammalian species are dependent for food, is equally a reason for the conflict.”

Hunter Shabir Ahmad during the chase to find the leopard in Budgam forests

 [Courtesy: Abrar Matoo/Kashmir Dispatch]

The region’s wildlife department is planning to plant 80 percent of fruit and fodder trees to help the herbivorous animals get their food within the jungles. This, they believe, will help the carnivores get their prey inside the jungle itself.

“There is no need to panic as humans and animals are supposed to coexist,” wildlife official Rashid Naqash told Al Jazeera.

“But while animals have been sharing space with the humankind since the early times, the present crisis has been triggered by a lot of small green vegetations that have come up very close to the human habitations, offering a conducive environment for the leopards. And that’s how they adapted to this lifestyle and started to throng the urban areas.”

Naqash said there has been a significant change in land use in the region in the last 30 years, with human settlements going deep inside the forests, and orchards and crop fields overtaking wild spaces. And that is how, he said, the habitat of animals was disturbed.

“Humans have encroached upon the corridors and buffer areas that used to be between the forest area and settlement zones,” the wildlife official said. “Since animal-human interface has gone high, so has the conflict.”

Wild animals are usually more aggressive during the morning and evening hours and can even resort to killing humans during those times. That explains why the Budgam girl was attacked in the evening.

“A leopard would usually attack a small child since it would get an impression that it matches the size of its prey [sheep and dog] and can drag it easily,” Naqash said.

Authorities have also set up 22 control rooms to attend to SOS calls and have launched awareness programmes for the residents.

“The wildlife department cannot stop these incidents but we are trying to minimise damages by using electronic and print media to make people aware of the possible threats,” Naqash said.

Meanwhile, given the anger and anguish over the killing of the Budgam girl, hunter Ahmad said he was expected to go only for the kill.

“But we need to understand that leopards are designated endangered animals and only 14,000 are estimated to be left in the whole of India,” he said.

“While proper action has to be taken to prevent leopards from coming towards human settlements, encroachment of jungles and deforestation should be stopped on a war-footing to prevent these wild attacks.”

Nike gives extra week off to HQ office staff as UK unions call for more bank holidays

The holiday was granted only to head office employees, so all Nike staff in shops and other offices will have to carry on working as normal

Nike Inc has given an extra week off to office staff at its US headquarters, while UK unions have called for more bank holidays.

The athleisure designer let its Oregon workers take time off until next week “to unwind, destress and spend time with your loved ones" after a tough year, head of insights Matt Marrazzo posted on LinkedIn.

READ: Bumble closes for a week to help employees with workplace stress

“In a year (or two) unlike any other, taking time for rest and recovery is key to performing well and staying sane. This past year has been rough - we're all human! and living through a traumatic event!,” he said.

“It's not just a "week off" for the team... it's an acknowledgement that we can prioritize mental health and still get work done.”

However, all Nike staff in shops and other offices will have to carry on working as normal.

The move comes after similar initiatives from dating app Bumble Inc (NASDAQ:BMBL) and social media network LinkedIn, which gave employees a week off in June and April respectively citing mental health reasons.
More bank holidays

Meanwhile, UK unions said English and Welsh workers should get as many bank holidays as their counterparts.

The current number is for fewer than the European average and half of what’s granted in Japan.

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) noted the huge gap between the August Bank Holiday and Christmas and said it’s because “we get is so stingy compared to other nations".

"The August Bank Holiday will be a welcome break for everyone working hard to get us through the pandemic - especially those on the front line,” TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady was reported as saying by the BBC.

However, a government spokesman said: "The current pattern of public and bank holidays is well established and whilst an additional bank holiday may benefit some communities and sectors, the cost to the economy of an additional bank holiday is considerable."

WRASSLING

NOTHING FAKE
WWE fans convinced Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax had a real fight during match on RAW, Mick Foley reacts: ‘WTF?’

Alex McCarthy
31st August 2021, 

Professional wrestling doesn’t always go according to plan and that was certainly the case with Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax on Monday Night Raw.

The women met in a non-title match last night and Twitter has been lit up with clips from the match that featured a series of obvious and, in most cases, painful errors.


Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax traded some stiff blows

WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley is more qualified than the fans to know what was going on in that matchup and even he was bemused.
Foley tweeted: “Just wondering…WTF was up with that #CharlotteVsNia match?”

As you can see from the clips below, the ladies were not on the same page.

A moonsault from Flair to the outside saw a waiting Jax eat a boot to the head. Whether Jax should have been closer in order to ‘base’ for Flair – which essentially means break her fall – isn’t clear.

Jax also went to land a shoulder breaker on the RAW Women’s champion, but ended up dropping Flair on her head.

With both women failing to get on the same page, things broke down in the middle of the match where they started just slapping each other about and it looked extremely messy.

Fans on Twitter believed that Flair and Jax might really have gotten into it:

Charlotte then tried to run the ropes and presumably get into the next spot, but Jax held her in the Samaon Drop position and clearly neither woman really knew what was going to happen next.

Eventually, Jax got the win over the champion – which is annoying in and of itself, but a trademark WWE habit at this point – and it seems to suggest she’s in line to face Flair for the title.

It’s hard to know exactly what happened here and it’s unlikely either woman will make a comment on it.


The struggle between Charlotte Flair and Nia Jax appeared real


Nia Jax would pick up the victory over the champion

Chances are things just didn’t click in the ring on the night. If there are to be more Jax and Flair matches, it will be interesting to see what direction they go in and if indeed that will remain the plan.

Alexa Bliss is also feuding with Flair at the moment with an eye on the title, so they could pivot away with Jax if needed.

Scotland a world leader on climate change? Absolutely not, says Greta Thunberg

Michiel Willems

The 18-year-old was also sceptical of the Scottish Government’s new power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens which will bring Green representatives into government for the first time in the UK.

Scotland should not be seen as a world leader on climate change, as the Scottish Government claims, according to climate activist Greta Thunberg.

The Swedish teenager said she has not yet decided whether she will travel to COP26, the global UN climate conference in Glasgow next month, but will do if it is “considered safe and democratic” – including ensuring participants from poorer countries are fully vaccinated and able to travel.

Questioned this morning by BBC Scotland on whether Scotland is a world leader on climate change, she said: “No… I mean, there are some countries that do a bit more than certain others, but then if we look at it from a broader perspective then I think we can safely say there are no countries – at least in the global north – that are even doing close to what would be needed.”

Scotland’s climate change legislation includes a target to reach net zero by 2045, which the Scottish Government has said is “world-leading”.

Also Read:
Cop26 is our last chance to tackle climate change as extreme weather takes hold

The 18-year-old was also sceptical of the Scottish Government’s new power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens which will bring Green representatives into government for the first time in the UK.

Thunberg told the broadcaster: “Of course there might be some politicians that are slightly less worse than others. That was very mean, but you get the point.”

“It’s a hopeful sign that people want something that’s more ‘green’ – whatever ‘green’ means – but in order to solve this, we need to tackle this at a more systemic approach,” she added.

Return to school

Having returned to school after a year out leading young people in school strikes for climate change, Thunberg said the conference falls in her school holidays, and if she does attend she plans to travel by train.

On whether the conference should be in person or virtual, she said: “We get much more results when we meet in person, it’s hard to argue against that, but of course if it’s not considered safe then we have to go for the safest option.

“To be honest, I don’t think that either one will lead to much results. A physical meeting will probably bring more results, but still nowhere close to what’s needed.”

Asked if she was optimistic for the future, she said: “I don’t know whether ‘optimistic’ is the right word, but it gives me at least hope to see we have a huge potential of achieving change.

“We know that change will not come from the Cop, from within these negotiations. The change will come when there are enough people outside on the streets demanding change.”

Questioned on the controversy over plans for the new Cambo oil field west of Shetland, she said: “I think that maybe summarises the whole situation we are in – the fact that these kind of countries who are actually hosting the Cop is planning to actually expand fossil fuel infrastructure, to open up new oil fields, and so on.

“But also it’s a bit strange that we are talking about single individual oil fields.

“It’s not just that we need to stop future expansions. We also need to scale down existing ones if we are to have a chance of avoiding the worst consequences.”

Sturgeon deal with Scottish Greens brings green politicians into govt for first time in UK


Michiel Willems

Sturgeon said the “historic cooperation agreement” between the two parties was founded on “a shared drive to work together in the Scottish Government to build a greener, fairer, independent Scotland”. (Getty Images)

The Scottish Government’s new power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens will bring Green representatives into government for the first time anywhere in the UK.

Nicola Sturgeon plans to set out details of her government’s deal with the Greens as Holyrood returns after the summer recess.

The first day of business is also expected to see Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater formally appointed as junior ministers in the Scottish Government, the first time ever Greens have held such positions anywhere in the UK.


It comes after a co-operation agreement between the two pro-independence parties was endorsed by the members of both organisations this weekend.

As a result, Harvie will become the minister for zero carbon buildings, active travel and tenants’ rights, while Slater – a renewable energy expert who was became an MSP in May – will take on the role of minister for green skills, the circular economy and biodiversity.

Sturgeon said the “historic cooperation agreement” between the two parties was founded on “a shared drive to work together in the Scottish Government to build a greener, fairer, independent Scotland”.
Independence debate

Meanwhile SNP MSP Neil Gray said the deal could see the people of Scotland given the chance to vote again on the issue of independence.

He stated: “Our Scottish Parliament was built on the founding principles of working together and collaborating and we should all come together for the future of Scotland.


“As we recover from the pandemic we can focus on creating good, green jobs to support our just transition.

“We can build a social security system that is built for the people of Scotland, not against them. And we can give the people of Scotland a choice over their future in an independence referendum.”

But Scottish Conservatives have vowed to vote against the appointment of the two Green Party co-leaders to the government.

Tory Covid recovery spokesman Murdo Fraser said: “In the middle of the biggest economic crisis in our lifetime, it’s deeply worrying that Nicola Sturgeon is turning to anti-jobs, anti-business extremists.

“It is pure economic vandalism to hand power to Green MSPs who have admitted they want tolimit growth and hold back Scotland’s economy.

He added: “Nicola Sturgeon is taking a nationalist gamble with people’s jobs. She is bringing in radicals, all in the hopes of ramping up her push for another divisive referendum.

“Only the Scottish Conservatives will stand up and challenge this divisive coalition of chaos and provide a real alternative to end the obsession with independence.”

Percentage of Americans who say they won't get vaccinated drops to record low in new poll

BY DOMINICK MASTRANGELO 

- 08/31/21 

The percentage of Americans who say they will never get vaccinated against the coronavirus has dropped to a new low, according to a new poll.

The Axios-Ipsos poll published on Tuesday found 20 percent of Americans said they either are not very likely or not likely at all to receive a vaccine. That represents a new low in the survey and is down from a combined 34 percent in March and 23 percent two weeks ago, Axios noted.

The factors driving down vaccine hesitancy, the survey found, were a surge in delta variant cases, the return of children to schools in recent days and the Food and Drug Administration's granting of full approval for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine earlier this month.

"Schools, organizations, companies, governments implementing mandates are forcing people to deal with them," Cliff Young of Ipsos said in an analysis published with the survey's results. "That's what going on."

Overall, 68 percent of Americans with K-12 children said they have either already vaccinated their children or are likely to do so as soon as it's approved for their age group. That represents a new high in the poll, up double digits from 56 percent from the middle of July.

A total of 19 percent also indicated their employers are mandating vaccines, a slight increase from 16 percent two weeks ago.

The poll was conducted Aug. 27-30 among 1,071 respondents. It has a margin of error of 3.2 percentage points.

More K-12 parents lean toward mask mandates than oppose them: Gallup

BY LEXI LONAS - 08/31/21 



More K-12 parents support mask mandates in schools than oppose them, but support for mask mandates fails to reach a majority level, according to a new Gallup poll.

The poll shows 48 percent of parents believe students should have to wear masks regardless of vaccination status while 41 percent say no student should have to wear a mask.

Only 11 percent of K-12 parents believe only unvaccinated students should have to wear the masks.


Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask while indoors.

Mask mandates in schools have led to numerous fights across states and in courts with some parents battling against Republican governors who have banned mask mandates and some Democratic governors who have required masks in all schools regardless of their COVID-19 status.

Mask mandates also fail to reach a majority of support among parents for teachers and staff in schools.

The poll shows 48 percent of parents believe teachers and staff members should have to wear a mask and 38 percent say there should be no mask mandate for teachers.

Mask mandates for only unvaccinated teachers are supported among 13 percent of parents.

The poll shows vaccinations have risen in those above the age of 16 and above the age of 12 in the last month.

The poll comes as delta variant cases have caused spikes in states around the country and many students have had to quarantine after the first week of classes due to exposure to the virus.

However, it is shown that children have a lower death and hospitalization rate than other age groups from the virus.

K-12 parents were shown to be less concerned about people choosing not to get vaccinated than the general public with 51 percent of parents and 60 percent of the general public worried about individuals not getting vaccinated.

The poll shows 48 percent of parents are not worried and 37 percent are “not worried at all” about people in their local area not getting the vaccine.

The poll was conducted between Aug. 16-Aug. 22 with 674 parents surveyed. The margin of error is plus or minus five percentage points.