World Rat Day was founded by an Internet mailing list in 2002


World Rat Day was founded in 2002 by the Internet mailing list Ratlist as an annual celebration of pet rats. 

Photo by L0nd0ner/Pixabay.com

April 4 (UPI) -- World Rat Day, celebrated annually on April 4, began with an online news group in 2002 as a means to celebrating pet rats around the globe.

The holiday was first celebrated in 2002, when members of the Ratlist, an online mailing group for owners of pet rats and other appreciators of the species, discussed the possibility of an annual day to celebrate the intelligent rodents.

The group members chose April 4, the day of the mailing list's founding, for World Rat Day.

The holiday is celebrated internationally today, with groups dedicated to pet rats holding meet and greet events around the world.

A YEAR LATER THE REMAKE WAS RELEASED

Other holidays and observations for April 4 include Hug a Newsperson Day, International Carrot Day, Jeep 4x4 Day, 404 Day, Vitamin C Day and National Cordon Bleu Day.

THE ORIGINALS

  

 Nevada toad declared endangered at site of geothermal plant

By SCOTT SONNER

 In this photo provided by the Nevada Department of Wildlife, a Dixie Valley toad sits atop grass in Dixie Valley, Nev., on April 6, 2009. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service temporarily listed a rare northern Nevada toad as endangered on an emergency basis partly because of threats a geothermal plant in the works poses to its habitat in the only place its known to live in the world about 100 miles east of Reno. (Matt Maples/Nevada Department of Wildlife via AP, File)


RENO, Nev. (AP) — In a rare emergency move, the U.S government temporarily declared a northern Nevada toad endangered Monday, saying a geothermal power plant in the works could result in its extinction.

The Fish and Wildlife Service announced it is formally proposing a rule to list the Dixie Valley toad as an endangered species subject to 60 days of public comment under the Endangered Species Act’s normal rulemaking process.

But it said the emergency listing goes into effect immediately and will continue for eight months while more permanent protections are considered for the toad at the only place it is known to exist in the world.

It marks only the second time in 20 years the service has listed a species as endangered on an emergency basis.

“Protecting small population species like this ensures the continued biodiversity necessary to maintain climate resilient landscapes in one of the driest states in the country,” the agency said.

It wasn’t immediately clear how the toad’s listing might affect construction of the power plant about 100 miles (160 kilometers) east of Reno. Conservationists and tribal members are trying to block the project in a lawsuit currently before the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

The dispute is among a growing number of conflicts over wildlife protection and tribal rights on federal lands that the Biden administration faces as it pursues its agenda to combat climate change by replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy.

Officials for Reno-based Ormat Technologies Inc., which broke ground on the power plant last month, have said they don’t believe a listing would impact the project because the company spent six years developing a mitigation plan to offset any potential environmental impacts.

“Ormat long recognized the importance of conserving the Dixie Valley toad, regardless of its legal status,” Ormat Vice President Paul Thomsen said Monday in an email to The Associated Press.

“Ormat will coordinate with relevant agencies to ensure that any additional required process is met while we continue our work on this important renewable energy project,” he said.

Geothermal power is generated from hot water deep beneath the earth.

The Dixie Valley toad lives in wetlands around hot springs next to the construction site. In addition to geothermal development, other primary threats to one of the smallest toads in the western U.S. include disease, predation by non-native frog species, groundwater pumping for human and agricultural uses and climate change, the service said.

The agency agreed last month to expedite consideration of a federal listing of the toad as part of a settlement with conservationists and the Fallon Paiute-Shoshone Tribe, who are suing to block the power plant. The Nevada tribe says the site is sacred to its people who have lived there for thousands of years.

The Center for Biological Diversity first petitioned for the toad’s listing in 2017.

Monday’s decision “comes just in the nick of time for the Dixie Valley toads, which are staring down the barrel of extinction,” said Patrick Donnelly, the center’s Great Basin director.

“We’ve been saying for five years that the Dixie Meadows geothermal project could wipe out these tiny toads, and I’m thankful those concerns have been heard,” he said in a statement emailed to The Associated Press.

The center for Biological Diversity and the tribe won a federal court order in Reno in January temporarily blocking construction of Ormat’s project on U.S. Bureau of Land Management land east of Fallon.

But the 9th U.S. Circuit of Appeals stayed that order Feb. 4 pending full consideration of Ormat’s appeal. The San Francisco-based appellate court is considering hearing arguments on the appeal in June.

The last time a species was declared endangered on an emergency basis was in 2011, when the the Obama administration took action on the Miami blue butterfly in southern Florida. Before that, an emergency listing was granted for the California tiger salamander under the Bush administration in 2002.

Other species listed as endangered on an emergency basis over the years include the California bighorn sheep in the Sierra Nevada in 1999, steller sea lions in 1990, and the Sacramento River winter migration run of chinook salmon and Mojave desert tortoise, both in 1989.

Deadly bird flu strains batter U.S. poultry industry

With Easter just weeks away, the U.S. poultry industry is battling the contagious bird flu that has killed millions of chickens and turkeys this year. File Photo by stux/Pixabay

April 4 (UPI) -- With Easter just weeks away, the U.S. poultry industry is battling the contagious bird flu that has killed millions of chickens and turkeys this year.

More than 22.8 million birds have been affected, according to a report released Monday from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza are sweeping through 24 states, including Wyoming, Maine and the particularly hard-hit Iowa.

Some counties in Iowa, which produces over 1 billion eggs annually, have declared disaster in light of the outbreak.

RELATED WHO notified after rare case of bird flu transmission in England

About 5.3 million birds in Iowa's Buena Vista County have caught avian flu, federal data shows.

In the United States, more than 15 million chickens and 1.3 million turkeys have been euthanized since January.

In December, bird flu cases were also discovered in parts of Europe, India, Canada and east Asia.

RELATED Two new outbreaks of bird flu reported at farms in northern Israel

The bird flu isn't known to cause major health concerns in humans. Properly cooked poultry is safe for consumption, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC announced in March that the current strains lack the changes seen in previous strains that put humans at greater risk for infection and severe illness.

Only one asymptomatic United Kingdom-based bird owner is known to have caught one of the current strains.

RELATED Bird flu spreads throughout Europe, other regions

The infection can spread to ducks, geese, wild birds and other poultry through saliva, feces and nasal secretions. Experts say how the disease spreads makes it tough to contain.

Officials at the state level are urging owners of commercial and backyard flocks to keep their birds indoors.

The bird flu's deadly impacts are hurting the poultry industry and the pockets of consumers fueling the seasonal demand for the Easter and Passover holidays.

Data from the USDA shows chicken breasts cost an average of $3.63 per pound in the United States last week, compared to an average of $2.42 a year ago.

Air quality is poor for 99% of the world's population, WHO says

By HealthDay News

The World Health Organization said air quality is the worst in the Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia regions, but 99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds air quality limits and contains disease-causing particles. 

Image by Ralf Vetterle from Pixabay

Almost no one in the world is breathing good air, according to a new World Health Organization report, which issued a call for reducing the use of fossil fuels.

Air quality is the worst in WHO's Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia regions, but 99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds air quality limits and contains disease-causing particles. Air quality is also especially poor in Africa.

"After surviving a pandemic, it is unacceptable to still have 7 million preventable deaths and countless preventable lost years of good health due to air pollution," said Dr. Maria Neira, head of WHO's Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.

"Yet too many investments are still being sunk into a polluted environment, rather than in clean, healthy air," Neira said in a news release from the United Nations health agency.

Dangerous particles in the air can penetrate deep into the lungs and enter the veins and arteries, causing disease. These particulates come from transportation, power plants, agriculture, waste burning, industry and natural sources such as desert dust.

The WHO database included PM2.5, PM10 (particle matter 2.5 and 10 micrometers small) and now ground measurements of nitrogen dioxide, the latter of which is generated through burning of fuel and is common in urban areas. WHO found the highest concentrations in the eastern Mediterranean region.

Nitrogen dioxide exposure can contribute to asthma and cause symptoms including coughing, difficulty breathing and wheezing.

"Particulate matter, especially PM2.5, is capable of penetrating deep into the lungs and entering the bloodstream, causing cardiovascular, cerebrovascular [stroke] and respiratory impacts," WHO said. "There is emerging evidence that particulate matter impacts other organs and causes other diseases as well."

Major change is needed to curb air pollution, Anumita Roychowdhury, an air pollution expert at Centre for Science and Environment, a research and advocacy organization in New Delhi, told the Associated Press.

That would include a shift away from fossil fuels, massive scaling up of green energy, separating types of waste and using electric vehicles, she said.

In India, more than 60% of PM2.5 loads are from households and industries. Tanushree Ganguly, who heads the program on air quality for the Council on Energy, Environment and Water, a New Delhi think tank, cited the need for action on reducing emissions from industries, automobiles, biomass burning and domestic energy.

"We need to prioritize clean energy access for households that need it the most and take active measures to clean up our industrial sector," Ganguly told the AP.

More information

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has more on air pollution.

Copyright © 2022 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

F U 

Manchin sends letter to SEC opposing climate disclosure rule

Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) speaks at a press conference called to announce the Banning Russian Energy Imports Act on Capitol Hill on March 3. 

File Photo by Jemal Countess/UPI | License Photo

April 4 (UPI) -- Sen. Joe Manchin has sent a letter to the Securities and Exchange Commission opposing a proposed rule that would require companies to report their greenhouse gas emissions and other climate-related measures.

Manchin, who represents West Virginia, is one of the most conservative Democrats in the Senate, and has received nearly $1 million in campaign donations from oil and gas firms, according to financial contribution watchdog Open Secrets.

"The most concerning piece of the proposed rule is what appears to be the targeting of our nation's fossil fuel companies," Manchin wrote in the letter. "Not only will these companies face heightened reporting requirements on account of their operations, but they will also be subjected to additional scrutiny."

The comments from Manchin, who accused the SEC of politicizing the financial assessments of companies, comes just hours after the United Nations released a 3,675-page report urging countries to make "immediate and deep emissions reductions" or face devastating climate change consequences.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which included 278 of the world's top economic and scientific researchers from 65 countries, provides details in the report on the last remaining paths to stop irreversible damage to the planet.

If the global emissions of greenhouse gasses are not reduced, it will lead to worsening natural disasters and the destruction of ecosystems among other threats to humanity.

"Enacting rules that are seemingly duplicative in nature -- particularly for our nation's energy companies -- may add additional burdens that are both timely and costly for publicly traded companies and may also serve to create unnecessary confusion for investors," Manchin said.

"Ultimately, I am interested in the implementation of rules that are rational and ensure that the system is fair. Reassessing the responsibilities of our nation's energy companies within these disclosures is a critical component to reaching that fairness."

Manchin argued that the proposed disclosures are unnecessary because most companies in the Russell 1000 Index already publish sustainability reports and so "the proposed rule aims to solve a problem that does not exist."

He added that not all companies have the resources or ability to assess the data required to be disclosed, particularly for Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions which are indirectly caused by a company's supply chain.

"The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency collects such information from fossil fuel companies through its Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program and shares its public reports in October of each year," Manchin said.

Gary Gensler, chairman of the SEC, said when announcing the proposed disclosures March 21 that the new rule would standardize information about a business' climate risks for investors.

"If adopted, it would provide investors with consistent, comparable, and decision-useful information for making their investment decisions, and it would provide consistent and clear reporting obligations for issuers," he said.

"Today, investors representing literally tens of trillions of dollars support climate-related disclosures because they recognize that climate risks can pose significant financial risks to companies, and investors need reliable information about climate risks to make informed investment decisions."

A KICK STARTER

Biden administration announces $500M in grants for school energy efficiency


Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday announced a $500 million grant program to help public schools improve HVAC systems and other energy needs. 

File Pool Photo by Samuel Corum/UPI | License Photo

April 4 (UPI) -- The Biden administration on Monday announced a $500 million grant program aimed at improving energy efficiency in schools.

Vice President Kamala Harris detailed the program, which makes funds from the bipartisan infrastructure law available to all public schools to improve their heating, ventilation and air conditioning, or HVAC systems, and other energy upgrades.

In remarks at Neville Thomas Elementary School in Washington, D.C., Harris said the funds will be directed primarily to underserved communities and can be used to install energy-efficient windows, solar panels and better insulation.

"For decades, our country has chronically underinvested in our public schools and far too many of our school districts have gone without important repairs and upgrades to buildings and to classrooms," Harris said.

She also noted that classrooms in schools with outdated HVAC systems often are too cold in the winter and too hot in the spring and approaching summer, leading to poor air quality that can trigger allergies and asthma attacks.

The White House noted that public K-12 districts spend about $8 billion a year on energy bills, representing their second-largest expense after teacher salaries.

"These grants will help schools reduce their energy costs significantly, savings that can be reinvested in the school to hire more teachers, to make long needed repairs or to invest in new technology to support learning," Harris said.

"And at the same time these grants will create good-paying union jobs for electricians, carpenters, painters and more."

Also Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency said it would deploy new online guidance for $5 billion included in the bipartisan infrastructure law to help school districts invest in electric school buses.

"Every day millions of children ride on diesel school buses, breathing toxic fumes that can harm their health," Harris said.

The White House noted that studies have shown that diesel exhaust exposure is linked to an increase in school absences.

"Reducing pollution will provide better health and educational outcomes, particularly in low-income communities of color that face underinvestment and high pollution," the White House said.

NEO-LIBERAL

Costa Rica: President-elect Chaves wants to 'improve' deal with IMF


Costa Rican President-elect Rodrigo Chaves offers a press conference one day after being elected in the second round, in San José, on April 4, 2022. (AFP/Luis ACOSTA) (Luis ACOSTA)

Moises AVILA, David GOLDBERG
Mon, April 4, 2022

Costa Rica aims to improve its deal with the IMF, president-elect Rodrigo Chaves said Monday, a day after his election as the Central American nation's next president.

He was referring to the deal signed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the outgoing government for a loan of more than $1.7 billion.

"The IMF is not a source of resources for government financing needs. We see it as an instrument to give confidence to those who have to lend us money, (as proof) that Costa Rica will be able to honor its debts," said Chaves, a former World Bank executive for nearly 30 years.

"The Fund needs to be grateful to us for more ambitious public policy measures in terms of economic recovery and fiscal responsibility" in order to allow Costa Rica to have access to funding from other bodies, he said.

"We are not going to relax the commitment (made to the IMF) for sound and responsible public finances," he stressed.

At the end of March, the IMF approved the second installment of $284 million provided for in the agreement signed on March 1, 2021, while giving Costa Rica more time to carry out the reforms agreed to in order to reduce its public deficit.

The IMF demanded in particular the adoption of a law on pensions and public employment in order to reduce public spending.

Costa Rica ended fiscal year 2021 with a deficit of 5.18% of GDP, compared to 8.03% in 2020. Public debt stands at over $42.4 billion (over 70% of GDP).

mav/mdl/caw

Pro-Market Economist Wins Costa Rica Presidential Election

Michael McDonald
Mon, April 4, 2022



(Bloomberg) -- Former World Bank economist Rodrigo Chaves won Costa Rica’s presidential election pledging to cut the deficit and attract foreign investment.

His rival Jose Maria Figueres conceded, and Chaves led with 53% to 47% for Figueres, with 98% of the votes tallied on Sunday night.

Long an oasis of stability in a region plagued by violence, Costa Rica had a choice of president between two investor-friendly candidates, setting it apart from neighbors led by fiery radicals such as El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega.

Chaves, 60, promised to boost growth with more foreign investment and higher levels of tourism. The U.S.-educated president-elect has pledged to reduce the government’s fiscal deficit and said he favors a close relationship with the International Monetary Fund. The government signed a $1.8 billion extended fund facility with the multilateral lender last year.

In his victory speech Chaves said he would modernize the state, create jobs and govern with “transparency and austerity.”

Living Standards

Costa Rica has long enjoyed some of the best living standards in Latin America, but has more recently suffered from mediocre economic performance and seen its growth rate lag behind peers such as the Dominican Republic and Panama.

The nation’s economy expanded 3.9% last year and will grow 3.5% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. Consumer prices in February rose 4.9% from a year earlier, above the bank’s 2-4% inflation target range.

Costa Rica’s dollar-denominated bonds traded higher on Monday, with those due in 2045 at 99.8 cents on the dollar. The nation’s bonds have returned 1.4% this year versus an average loss of 9.5% across emerging markets, according to data compiled by JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Chaves, who earned a Ph.D. in economics from Ohio State University, promised to cut red tape to foster an environment where entrepreneurs can thrive and said he can promote a low interest rate environment to spur investment.

He worked 27 years at the World Bank, becoming country director for Indonesia in 2013. During the campaign, he came under fire over sexual harassment allegations made while he worked at the bank. He denied any wrongdoing, and attributed the accusations to misunderstandings caused by cultural differences.

Chaves served six months as Costa Rica’s finance minister under President Carlos Alvarado before stepping down in May 2020 over what he said were differences with Alvarado on spending cuts. Chaves will be sworn in as president on May 8.

Prominent Egyptian dissident Abdel-Fattah launches hunger strike in prison

Egyptian activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, a key figure in the country’s 2011 revolution, began a hunger strike in prison over the weekend, his mother Laila Soueif said Monday.

© Khaled Desouki, AFP

“He refuses to eat, because his prison conditions must change,” Soueif told AFP, adding that her son has been placed under “heavy supervision, in solitary confinement”.

“He is not allowed books or exercise, and this prison is known for not respecting any laws,” she continued.

Abdel Fattah was sentenced in December to five years in prison after he was convicted along with two others of “broadcasting false news”.

He had already been in pre-trial detention in Cairo’s Tora prison since September 2019 before the sentencing.

Abdel Fattah’s sister, Mona Seif, announced the hunger strike in a Twitter post earlier on Monday.

“Today was @alaa’s visit, he told me he is on hunger strike since 1st day of Ramadan, Saturday,” she wrote.

Seif added that he “returned all food we brought him. Only took medication, tea and personal hygiene products”.

Abdel Fattah has spent the better part of the past decade behind bars, having also been arrested under former presidents Hosni Mubarak and Mohammed Morsi.

His latest arrest came in September 2019 in the wake of rare protests called for by an exiled dissident businessman against President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi.

Rights groups say Egypt is holding some 60,000 political prisoners, many facing brutal conditions and overcrowded cells.

(AFP)

Opinion: Russian invasion is a chance to reinvigorate the climate fight

Humanity has shown an incredible capacity to react to a crisis on our doorstep. We should channel that energy and tackle our most dangerous crisis of all, writes Alistair Walsh.

The Ukraine invasion has laid bare Europe's continued reliance on fossil fuels

Vladimir Putin's horrendous war in Ukraine has revealed just how united and decisive we can be in the face of a crisis.

Europe has once again flung open its doors to refugees fleeing destruction. Rousing gestures of humanity are seen every day. 

And the global west has banded together in staggering solidarity to sanction Putin's regime, help Ukraine fight against criminal injustice, and protect the ideals of peace, democracy and freedom.

What seem like insurmountable barriers have been quickly and efficiently overcome.

And this is despite the enormous economic costs — energy bills are surging, public money is pouring into Ukraine, sanctions are biting here as well as Russia. But it's the right thing to do and we know it.

This is how humanity should work — banding together and gritting our teeth to achieve a common goal.

Let's do the same for the planet

So why can't we do the same when faced with crises that threaten the existence of everyone on the planet? Without hyperbole, climate change and the rapid loss of biodiversity pose existential threats for everyone on earth.

And yet we continue to drag our feet. The February Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report — which revealed how climate change is already affecting the lives of billions of people and dangerously disrupting nature — was largely ignored in wider public discourse. The latest IPCC reporton mitigating the crisis may face similar indifference. 

DW's Alistair Walsh

Leaders have made promises to try and keep warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, but we are still changing the climate too fast to adapt. 

Meanwhile, a long-delayed effort to cobble together a global deal to stave off the sixth mass extinction is proceeding at a glacial pace with minimal political support.

If we approached these crises with the urgency that was shown in the face of the Ukraine invasion, and made the sacrifices that we were willing to take in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, we would have a fighting chance at stopping the destruction. 

This takes political bravery and perseverance, but we have shown that we are capable of this. 

An opportunity for change

The invasion of Ukraine has laid bare Europe's continued reliance on fossil fuels. Europe seems willing to sanction everything and everyone close to Putin — except his fossil fuels. 

Instead, European money has funded Putin's crimes through its continued purchase of blood-stained gas. Its hesitance to react to one crisis has hampered its ability to respond to others.

As Europe promises to wean itself off Russian gas, there is a remarkable opportunity for renewed vigor in the fight against climate change.

Instead of switching to even-more-polluting gas shipped from across the Atlantic, this is a chance to reignite the energy transition.

We are starting to see some of the political will required to transition to 100% renewable energy. Germany has brought forward its renewable target to 2035, which is a promising sign. But parts of the bloc, particularly in central and eastern Europe are lagging behind and need help kicking their habit.

The European Commission is currently drafting a plan to cut Russian gas use by two-thirds this year and end it entirely by 2027. But why limit it to Russian gas? Why not expand it to all fossil fuels? It's drastic, it might inflict short-term economic pain, but this is the sort of vision that is needed to ensure we don't all end up as fossils on a dead planet. 

And we must apply this thinking to all polluting sectors, all nature-destroying activities, and do everything in our power to save the planet. 

The solutions are there, we just need to undertake them with the requisite sense of urgency. Keep fossil fuels in the ground, stop deforestation, protect and restore natural ecosystems, reform agriculture, tax emissions at their actual cost over the entire supply chain, switch to sustainable transport, fund green research, ban polluting activities and toxic chemicals, end nature-destroying subsidies, enforce climate-friendly building codes, install insulation — we know what needs to be done. 

If we treat these crises with the urgency that we are capable of, then we can stop climate change and the destruction of nature before it's too late.

Edited by: Rob Mudge

DECRIMINALIZE DRUGS!

'We will be forced to steal': Taliban bans poppy cultivation

Afghanistan is the world's biggest producer of opium poppies, the sap of which is used to produce heroin, in an industry that accounts for tens of thousands of jobs and a substantial proportion of the country's GDP. But now, the ruling Taliban has said it plans to put an end to poppy cultivation, leaving farmers fearing for their future in a country whose economy is in freefall.