ISIL destroy a second historic site in Iraq

Posted on March 7, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Daily Mail reports on the recent destruction of a second historic site in northern Iraq by ISIL:

Islamic State extremists have continued their attack on Iraq’s cultural and historical heritage by bulldozing a second ancient site, officials say.

Officials in the northern city of Mosul, which is under the control of the terror group, reported jihadists have begun destroying the archaeological site of Hatra in northern Iraq.

It comes after fanatics went on a rampage in the Assyrian city of Nimrud in northern Iraq, destroying the 3,000 year-old winged statues placed at the gates of the Palace of Ashurnasirpal.

Days earlier, the group targeted a museum in Mosul, toppling statues, and using power drills and sledgehammers to destroy artefacts – as part of a wider plan to rid its territory of symbols they say promote idolatry.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.newmessage.org

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Libya chaos deepens as Isil strikes threaten to halt oil production and government bombs Tripoli airport

Posted on March 5, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Telegraph reports on developments in the conflict in Libya:

Libya may cease oil production after recent attacks on 3 of its oilfields, suspected to be the work of Isil militants. Image credit: africa on freedigitalphotos.net

Libya may cease oil production after recent attacks on 3 of its oilfields, suspected to be the work of Isil militants.
Image credit: africa on freedigitalphotos.net

Libya may be forced to cease all oil production after suspected Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isil) jihadists attacked three oilfields and the national army bombed an airport in the capital Tripoli.

Libya’s National Oil Corporation has declared 11 of its oilfields non-operational, opting for a force majeure clause that exempts the state from contractual obligations.

The move came after fighters from the Islamic State-dominated city of Sirte attacked the al-Dhahra oilfield on Wednesday. They also captured facilities in Bahi and Mabruk on Tuesday. Located south of Sirte, the two fields had been shut for weeks, in part due to security concerns.

The state-run oil company has blamed Islamist-dominated authorities in Tripoli for failing to protect the oilfields, and warned that it could be forced to shut down production nationwide.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Study finds lamprey decline continues with loss of habitat in Oregon

Posted on March 3, 2015 by Jim Brennan

Phys.org details a study carried out on the decline in lamprey numbers:

A new study aimed at understanding habitat needs for Pacific lamprey in western Oregon found this once-abundant fish that is both ecologically and culturally significant prefers side channels and other lower water velocity habitats in streams.

However, because of the legacy of historic land uses in the Northwest – including human settlement and activities – these habitats are much less common than they were in the past. And that may explain why populations of lamprey have declined over the past several decades – not only in western Oregon, but throughout the Pacific Northwest.

(Break)

“The lamprey decline has probably been going on for the past half century, but it wasn’t until the last 15-20 years that it has been recognized by many in the scientific community,” said Luke Schultz, a research assistant in Oregon State University’s Department of Fisheries and Wildlife and lead author on the study. “Today lamprey populations are at about 5 to 10 percent of the 1960s totals at Bonneville Dam, and the story is much the same elsewhere.

(Break)

When lampreys are abundant, they reduce predation by a variety of species – especially sea lions, but also sturgeon, birds, bass and walleye – on juvenile salmon and steelhead. It may not be an accident that salmonid numbers have declined at the same time lamprey populations have diminished.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.GreatWavesofChange.org

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China and India perform badly in deforestation ranking

Posted on March 1, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Guardian reports on the results of a study on deforestation carried out by the Global Canopy Programme:

Many corporations and governments, particularly the governments of India and China, scored poorly in a recent study on deforestation. Image credit: mapichai on FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Many corporations and governments, particularly the governments of India and China, scored poorly in a recent study on deforestation.
Image credit: mapichai on FreeDigitalPhotos.net

While we are all complicit in global tropical deforestation through the everyday products we buy, there are 500 key governments, companies and investors who together have the power to put a halt to the destructive practice. So far, however, they have largely failed to do so.

This is the conclusion of a major study by think tank Global Canopy Programme (GCP), which says only 7 of the 400 companies and investors it studied (and none of the 100 governments ranked) gained maximum points in its zero deforestation index.

Even worse was the record of 150 key investors, none of which have a commitment to zero deforestation for “forest risk” commodities such as soya, palm oil, beef, leather, timber, pulp and paper, which are found in more than half of supermarket packaged products.

(Break)

While Latin American countries ranked highest on average, China, which is responsible for importing more than a fifth of the value of all forest risk commodities, and India, a key importer of palm oil, achieved low scores.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Ebola becoming endemic in west Africa remains a risk, scientists warn

Posted on February 26, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Guardian reports on the potential threat posed to world health if the Ebola virus were to become endemic in West Africa:

Scientists are warning of a real risk that the Ebola virus disease could become endemic in west Africa if efforts to end the epidemic slacken as the number of cases falls.

All previous outbreaks of Ebola were stamped out within months and the virus disappeared from the human population each time. Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia, however, have been in the grip of the virus for more than a year. While the numbers of cases dropped dramatically in December and early January, they have now plateaued and there are fears that the disease may not be totally eradicated.

“There is that risk,” said Prof Mike Turner, head of infections at the Wellcome Trust. “You can’t quantify how great that risk is but that risk is there. It is not going to be a smooth ride.”

(Break)

If Ebola were to become endemic, said Turner, the virus would have to mutate a little. At the moment, it does not linger in human hosts but causes severe illness very rapidly and goes on to kill at least half of them, which does not help its survival.

The difference between the current epidemic and those in the past is one of scale. Previous Ebola outbreaks affected a few hundred people, but more than 23,000 people have been infected in west Africa, of whom more than half will have died. “There has been more exposure of the virus to humans and a greater chance that it will adapt to a virus that will remain in humans,” said Turner.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Australia storms: Army deployed in massive clean-up

Posted on February 24, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The BBC reports on the situation in northern Australia after the area was hit by tropical storms:

Australian soldiers have been deployed in Queensland to help clean up after a powerful tropical cyclone caused widespread damage in coastal areas.

It is estimated 1,500 homes were damaged and 100 families left homeless after Cyclone Marcia struck on Friday.

About 50,000 homes and businesses are still without power in the towns of Rockhampton and Yeppoon.
Meanwhile, a state of emergency has been declared in the Northern Territory after Tropical Cyclone Lam on Friday.

Lam brought winds of more than 200km/h (124mph) and heavy rainfall to isolated communities in Top End, in the far north of the state.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.newmessage.org

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Balkan dam boom threatens Europe’s last wild waterways

Posted on February 22, 2015 by Jim Brennan

EurActive reports on the threat posed to river ecosystems in the Balkans by a current drive in dam construction being stimulated by foreign investment:

More is known about rivers in the Amazon than Europe’s last wild waterways in the Balkans. But these unique ecosystems in southeast Europe could soon be gone, along with endangered species such as the Balkan lynx, if plans for over 2,000 dams go ahead, conservationists warn.

Western financial institutions have ploughed hundreds of millions of dollars into building dams in the region, arguing that hydropower is a green energy source that offers poor countries a way out of energy insecurity.

(Break)

“What we have here in the Balkans at the moment is a gold rush on the rivers,” says Ulrich Eichelmann, the director of RiverWatch, an Austria-based NGO. “I sometimes think the western countries that are financially supporting this degradation process have no idea what they are destroying. There is nothing in Europe remotely like this river system.”

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Brazil finally gets some rain, but rationing still looms

Posted on February 19, 2015 by Jim Brennan

Reuters reports on developments in Brazil’s drought:

Brazil's recent rainfall is unlikely to ease water rationing. Image credit: leonardobc on freeimages.com

Brazil’s recent rainfall is unlikely to ease water rationing.
Image credit: leonardobc on freeimages.com

Heavy rains during Brazil’s four-and-a-half-day Carnival holiday offered the first relief in months for the country’s drought-stricken and economically crucial southeast, but was unlikely to end fears of water and electricity shortages.

A cold front along Brazil’s southeastern coast near the two principal cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro brought heavy rains on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday to most of the region and the neighboring center-west, home to much of the country’s farm belt.

(Break)

Despite the recent rains, precipitation will need to continue at above-average levels for months to refill nearly empty drinking water and hydroelectricity reservoirs to sustainable levels.

Water levels in reservoirs run by Sabesp, which manages most water and sewage services in the state of Sao Paulo, rose 0.8 percent from Tuesday to Wednesday but remained at only 20.4 percent of their total, Sabesp said.

Sabesp’s Cantareira reservoir system, which serves many of the nearly 20 million people in metropolitan Sao Paulo, rose 0.6 percent but remains at only 8.9 percent of capacity. The levels remained critically low despite above-average rainfall so far this month in Sao Paulo.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Egypt seeks UN mandate for Libya Islamic State intervention

Posted on February 17, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Egyptian president Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has called on the UN to mandate international intervention in Libya, reports the BBC:

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has called for a United Nations resolution allowing international forces to intervene in Libya.

There was no other choice, he told French radio. “We will not allow them to cut off the heads of our children.”

Egyptian jets bombed IS targets on Monday in response to a militant video of the apparent beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.newmessage.org

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Pakistan May Face a Water Shortage

Posted on February 14, 2015 by Jim Brennan

The Diplomat reports on a possible water shortage in Pakistan:

Following a blackout that left 80 percent of the country in total darkness and an attack by Baloch rebels, Pakistan now could face a major water shortage. Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif has said that a water shortage is imminent in Pakistan. Asif delivered his remarks to a seminar in Lahore.

If the minister’s predictions prove true, criticism of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government would likely intensify. Prior to January’s blackout, the Sharif government deal with a major fuel shortage in Pakistan despite plummeting global oil prices. The crisis forced Sharif to cancel planned international travel to deal with the domestic fallout of the fuel shortage.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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