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In record numbers, hungry bears invade US West homes and shops
Matt Errico, sitting on his toilet in Colorado, heard noises. After a brief stare-off, they bolted out of the front door. After a?staring match, the two bears bolted from the front door. Errico had seen bears in his garbage before, but this was the first time. Errico, a small mountain town located about 57 miles (92 kilometers) northwest of Denver, said, "I've never heard of cubs being inside someone's home." Black bears have been spotted also in a Granby vapor shop. They are among the thousands of black bears that are heading to towns and cities in the U.S. West at record numbers. According to bear experts and state wildlife agencies, bears wandered around a Santa Fe school, New Mexico; climbed trees near a Denver farmers' market and surprised people in other places across the nation after the driest, most arid winter in history wiped out the plants, grasses and nuts which make up 90% of their diet. Animals' amazing sense of smell draws them to food. According to wildlife agencies, this is leading to record-breaking bear deaths as hundreds of them are killed, shot, or electrocuted when they interact with humans. Testing the Bears With West's aridification predicted to continue, experts are concerned that bears could become habituated to eating human food or even stop hibernating if winters get too warm and food becomes scarce. Black bear expert Jon Beckmann explained, "It is like testing the bears and humans in a new way. People have moved into areas that bears once used to hunt for food. In states such as Nevada, where they were nearly wiped out a century earlier, bear populations are on the rise. According to Colorado authorities, black bears are the most healthy of the eight bear species in the world. There are between 17,000 and 20.000 bears living there. Colorado Springs, Vail and other cities in that state are now surrounded by bears because of the increase in human population. Colorado, home to only black bears, had 7,000 bear sightings last year, according to the wildlife agency of the state. This is more than the previous record set in 2019. At least six bear attacks have occurred in the state. Jonathan Livingston, spokesperson for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, says that between 1.5% and 2% of sightings result in euthanasia. Bears are usually killed when they're deemed dangerous. For example, when they attack people or break into houses. Wildlife agencies need to do more to avoid conflicts, say conservation groups such as the Colorado Bear Coalition. Livingston said that if people report bears to authorities early, officials are able to avoid euthanasias by scaring the animals away. New Mexico wildlife agency reports that officials and landowners have killed 187 black bears, the highest number since 2011. The agency has relocated 36 adults and 16 cubs. Police reported that a bear attacked a man last week in New Mexico, the first such attack in the state in 25 years. Utah authorities have reported that they have euthanized a total of 39 animals this year, a record number for any full year. The wildlife agency of Montana said that sightings in Montana are too many to count. Grizzlies have been moving into areas where they had not visited for decades. According to the wildlife agency, 24 grizzlies died in 2014. Most of them were killed by attacking livestock, people, or cars. A grizzly killed a man in Montana's Glacier National Park last May. Few fatal bear attacks are reported in the West each year. BEARMAGGEDON? Authorities are urging residents to use bear resistant garbage bins and not leave trash cans on the streets for long periods of time. They also urge them not to put bird or pet food within reach of animals. Livingston explained that many clashes begin with someone dumpster diving. They can end up with a black bear weighing 200 to 400 pounds (91-181 kilograms) with razor-sharp claws of 3 to 4 inches (8-10 cm). Heather Reich, a Nevada bear expert, hopes that drought conditions will ease and the animals will return to the wilderness. She fears that bears are just starting to gain weight in preparation for hibernation. We can't imagine how September and October will look. It's going to be Armageddon," said Reich. A former bear manager at Nevada's Wildlife Agency, Reich now sells doormats that emit an electric charge to keep bears out of homes. (Reporting from Andrew Hay in New Mexico, Editing by Donna Bryson & Mark Porter)
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Sources: Gunfire and explosions at Niamey's airport and perimeter of the presidency in Niger
According to two witnesses, gunfire and explosions were heard in several parts of the capital city, Niamey on Saturday morning. The cause of the explosions and gunfire is not known. The city, and more specifically the complex that houses the international airport, and the military airbase, experienced major unrest for the third time this year. This highlights the persistent insecurity of the military-led regime which took power in a 2023 coup, promising to restore order. Security sources reported that "terrorists'" attacked the Diori Hamani International Airport and tried to breach the perimeter security around the presidency. Witnesses reported hearing heavy gunfire near the presidency. Bana Wagana Ibrahim is a member of Niger’s Bureau of the Consultative Council, and a delegate in the Alliance of Sahel States Parliament (AES). He said on Facebook that attackers targeted the military base, Base 101, but security forces had recovered control. Ibrahim wrote: "Another cowardly assault on Base 101? and once again, our defence forces and security forces made sure... situation under control." A witness, however, reported that there was 'further gunfire and heavy explosions at the airport in the early morning hours following Ibrahim's posting. Another security source said that security forces launched massive operations, and that attackers were "neutralized", while others fled. We could not independently verify Ibrahim's and the sources of security. The military government of Niger was not available to comment immediately. NIGER IS KEY URANIUM PRODUCER Since a coup in July 2023 that removed President Mohamed Bazoum, the Niger has been ruled militarily. Despite promises by its military leaders to improve security, Burkina Faso continues to fight islamist insurgencies that are linked to?al Qaeda or Islamic State. West Africa's al Qaeda -affiliated group claimed responsibility for a?attack in June on the airport at Niamey, five months after Islamic State Sahel Province had targeted the site. Since gaining power, Abdourahamane Tiani’s?junta shifted away Western partners, deepened ties to Russia, and broke with the regional ECOWAS group, joining Mali, Burkina Faso, and forming the AES breakaway bloc. Niger's unrest comes at a time when authorities are tightening control over the country's uranium industry, after seizing assets from France Orano. Niger was a major supplier of nuclear fuels to Europe, with about 15% of Orano’s uranium at full capacity. According to a government decree, last week the government redistributed former Orano uranium and GoviEx permits to state-backed firms.
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The risk of a lake bursting near the China-Nepal border disaster area is decreasing
Chinese authorities reported on Saturday that the threat of a large lake forming after a 'glacier collapse' near the border between China and Nepal, where a deadly flood occurred earlier this week, has diminished. Satellite images taken from Thursday morning to Saturday morning show that the water flowing through the lake, which straddles the China-Nepal boundary at the confluence two rivers, has been decreasing the reservoir slowly, according to state broadcaster CCTV, citing the Water Resources Ministry. Satellite images of the lake surface at Purepu Tsangpo River showed that it was around the size 14 football fields combined on Saturday morning. This is a 21,000 sqm reduction compared to Thursday's images. A massive glacier slide on Wednesday sent a torrent of rocks, ice, and debris down the Himalayan river systems, washing away a complex of border ports linking China's Tibet with Nepal. Hundreds were killed, while thousands are still missing. Authorities and experts have warned of the high risk of secondary disasters, particularly from the lake formed by glacier debris. This could endanger rescue operations downstream. China Anneng, a state-owned engineering and safety enterprise, has been monitoring Lake Tai since Thursday. On Friday, a 15-member group was sent with reconnaissance drones and portable satellite stations, as well as mobile surveillance cameras, to collect more information about the lake. A lake overflow on Friday temporarily stopped rescue efforts until further assessment determined that the risks were manageable. Authorities have also marked another large body of water below the collapsed glacier. The depth of the mudslide is not known, said Chen Hongqi a senior engineer with the Geological Disaster Technical Guidance Center of Ministry of Natural Resources. An official from Nepal's Disaster Management Authority said that flood risks would?remain" until the two lakes had been completely drained. According to CCTV, in a 'bleak rainy morning on Saturday, more than fifty rescue workers searched through the grey rubble and mud of boulders looking for any survivors and calling out. On Friday afternoon, a first team of search and rescue dogs had arrived at the location of the Gyirong Border Crossing Complex. They described it as nothing but ruins. Xinhua, the state news agency, said that the Chinese relief efforts continue to be challenged by the dangerous conditions in the main disaster area, which are made more complicated because roads and communications have been cut off. China's death toll from the disaster grew to seven early on Saturday morning, with 554 people still missing. Xinhua reported that a total of 555 tourists, including nearly 500 villagers, construction workers and all 555 tourists, have been evacuated from the affected area.
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Foreign Minister says Nepal needs assistance in technical areas and not in search and rescue.
Nepal is in need of foreign assistance in areas such as search and rescue and specialised technical fields, which are not its expertise, following the devastating flood that struck its Himalayan border area with China last week. The collapse of a glacier on Wednesday released a torrent of rocks, ice, debris and mud into the Himalayan river systems. Nearly 600 people were killed in Nepal, China, Tibet, while more than 2,000 are still missing. Shisir khanal stated that Kathmandu needed foreign assistance in areas like rescuing people trapped in tunnels, opening communication and transport services where bridges were destroyed, identifying?dead bodies, DNA testing, and storing corpses for longer periods. Khanal, late Friday night, said that "we have already requested such specialised services as well as technical assistance in the areas where we lack expertise and know-how." The giant neighbours India and China, between whom this poor Himalayan nation is wedged, were asked to allow bailey bridges in the disaster-hit region, where two dozen bridges had been destroyed, to reopen as soon as possible. On Friday, the Nepalese foreign ministry said that Kathmandu was able to manage rescue efforts on its own and had declined foreign involvement. Khanal, when asked about the stance taken by his government, said that there was no need for?assistance in general?search and rescue?which was being done?by Nepali rescuers. He said, "We don't think this needs to be repeated."
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Trump: U.S. oil deal with Venezuela.
On Friday, U.S. president Donald 'Trump' said that the U.S. entered into an oil agreement with Venezuela. Trump said on Truth Social that Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of war Pete Hegseth had secured the majority U.S. ownership of more than 65 BILLION BARRELS of proven oil reserves in Venezuela. This was done at no cost to American taxpayers. Trump claimed that the agreement would double American oil reserves. The U.S. has been promoting American investments in the deteriorated Venezuelan energy industry since January when it?captured? and removed? former President Nicolas Maduro. The Trump administration is under pressure to lower gasoline prices ahead of the midterm elections later this year. This could be achieved by reducing oil supply costs and increasing production. The U.S. has also been searching for ways to?replenish the Strategic Petroleum?Reserve (the oil stockpile), including the possibility of swapping crude with U.S. producers. Reporting by Costas Pittas and Christian Martinez, Editing by Jasper Ward & CaitlinWebber
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Moody's changes Nigeria's outlook from 'negative' to 'positive'
Moody's ?on Friday revised Nigeria's outlook ?to "positive" from "stable", citing the country's improved ability ?to withstand ?external shocks ?due to ?its increased foreign exchange reserves and stronger-than-expected economic growth. Africa's third largest economy, which is also a major oil exporter, has benefited from the rise in crude prices caused by the Middle East conflict, as well as the increase in refined petroleum products exported, boosting its current account surplus. Moody's expects that the West African nation's excess "will?remain substantial even with materially lower oil prices." The World Bank projected Nigeria's economy to grow by 4.2% in 2026. They also said that fiscal discipline, tighter monetary policy, and higher oil revenues could help to?strengthen the macroeconomic stability of Nigeria and contain inflation. Moody's has confirmed the country's rating at "B3", as it reflects fiscal pressures due to limited revenue generation?capacity and weak debt affordability. In May, S&P Global Ratings upgraded Nigeria's sovereign rating from "B-" to "B", citing improved creditworthiness and sustained structural reforms. A month earlier, Fitch had affirmed Nigeria's "B" rating with a stable outlook.
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Gold falls 3% after Fed Warsh comments increase rate hike bets
Gold prices reversed their course on Friday and fell over 3% as traders increased bets that interest rates would rise after Federal Reserve Chairman Kevin Warsh made remarks about curbing inflationary forces. By 01:44 pm EDT (1744 GMT), spot gold had fallen 2.9% to $4,567.23 an ounce, its lowest price since August 20. U.S. gold futures for December delivery settled ?2.9% lower at $4,529.9. Bullion is down 2.9% after today, a drop from its more than three-month high price of $4,696.18 on Tuesday. "Gold is being slapped as Chair Warsh confirms that inflation isn't slowing meaningfully and the Fed still has work to do." It may be once again a case of'speak out loud and carry a short stick,' but this will make the price of the September meeting look like a coin toss," said independent analyst Tai Wong. The traders increased their bets for a rate hike in September after Warsh stated that the Fed would "have to work" if they are not confident the underlying inflation will return to the 2% target. This is the closest Warsh has come to admitting interest rate increases may?be necessary to ease the price pressures. According to the CME FedWatch tool, traders now expect a U.S. interest rate increase in September. This is up from 36% before Warsh's remarks. They also see an 89% likelihood of an increase in December. In an environment of high interest rates, gold tends to lose its appeal as it provides no yield. Dollars rose to a record high of over a week, increasing the price of greenback bullion for holders of other currencies. This week, gold discounts in India fell as the market grew sceptical that the government might consider rolling back a recent increase in import duties. Spot silver dropped 3.5% to $66.21 per ounce. Platinum was down 0.6% to $1,835.07 while palladium rose 5.3% to $1422.25 an inch.
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Author of new study calls the myth that Robusta coffee is climate resilient a "myth".
In an interview, the lead author of the study called the widespread belief that Robusta coffee was more resistant to climate change than other varieties an "internet myth" that was based on flawed studies that ignored the crop's vulnerability and its inability to tolerate drought. Robusta coffee is often viewed as a cheap filler when compared to arabica beans. However, each year, millions of bags are shipped worldwide, with the majority coming from Brazil and Vietnam. The findings published in the Wiley journal Sustainable Development late Thursday are a challenge to those who advocate robusta as an alternative way of coping with 'climate change' in the coffee industry. Any reassessment on robusta's climate resilience will have implications for farmers, traders, and consumers as the demand for robusta increases around the globe. A Vietnamese coffee official said earlier this month that adapting climate change is no longer an issue for the future but a 'urgent necessity' to protect output. The robusta plant's high heat tolerance is often cited by the media, farmers, and researchers as the "coffee industry"s answer to climate change. However, a new paper published in Sustainable Development has found that these previous assessments are at best provisional. The paper cited errors in research, such as treating irrigated farmland as the best growing area. Aaron Davis, the lead author of the paper and senior research leader for crops and global changes at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, said that the "internet myths" about Robusta being more resilient to climate change emerged a decade or so ago. Davis stated, "I found that it was troubling that some people were not interpreting science correctly and were advocating robusta to save the coffee industry from climate change." "Robusta can tolerate more heat than arabica but is not drought-tolerant." The paper concluded that Brazil, Vietnam, and India do not have the right climate to grow robusta. It recommended irrigation as a way to make sure the plants get enough water to be profitable. Previous?studies sought to highlight the robusta's resistance, suggesting that the beans were more resistant to a?drought. They also suggested that they are a boon to farmers. The paper stated that any expansion of robusta production must take into account the crop's vulnerability. It added that "growers" in certain regions already face serious problems with water availability for irrigation. The study concluded that relying solely on irrigation to ensure robusta's survival and profitability is fraught with inherent dangers. Davis stated that "the global coffee supply must undergo major structural and systematic changes if it is to survive for the long-term."
How AI has sabotaged clean-air initiatives in one of America’s most polluted city
Barbara Johnson, an organizer for Metropolitan Congregations United in North St. Louis' mostly Black neighborhoods, has been fighting coal pollutants for decades. The group is one of many activist groups that are campaigning for cleaner pollution in a city with some of the dirtiest air in the nation.
Johnson believed that things would get better because the federal soot standard, adopted by Biden in 2024, was scheduled to take effect in 2027. This meant that plants had to reduce emissions or close. Ameren Labadie Energy Center, one of the region's largest polluters, would have been forced to reduce its soot emission by half in order to remain in business. Johnson's hopes were dashed in February when the Trump administration, under President Donald, scrapped the standards prior to their implementation as part of an effort to ensure that the grid could meet the surge in demand from data centres. She wonders now if she will ever see the changes that she has been fighting for from her youth.
Johnson, 75, said: "You take two steps forward and four steps back." "I'm used to this backwards tendency, but how many generations before these positive changes become permanent?" Trump's rollbacks on AI are a reversal of U.S. environment policy, and a painful reality for America's environmental activists. After years of pushing coal to the sidelines, the rise in power-hungry power centers has pushed the most polluting source of electricity back onto the stage. Trump issued a presidential executive order titled "Reinvigorating America’s Beautiful Clean Coal Industry", which stated that coal-fired energy was essential to meet the increase in electricity demand caused by the construction artificial intelligence data centers. Since then, he has provided funding for old plants to continue operating, issued orders delaying plant retirements and rolled back the environmental regulations regarding mercury and other toxic substances to save plants from expensive upgrades.
In an email statement, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency stated that affordable baseload energy, including coal, was essential to keep the lights on in American homes and heat them. "EPA is dedicated to ensuring that all Americans have clean air, regardless of their race, gender or creed."
U.S. Department of Energy predicts artificial intelligence and the growth of data centers will generate 50 gigawatts of electricity by 2030. This is a nearly 4 percent increase over the 1,300 gigawatts of electricity produced by U.S. power stations in 2025.
For this article, we interviewed 20 air-quality activists and health-advocates. All of them agreed that the AI boom and policies supporting it are the greatest threat to U.S. Air Quality due to the need for energy from dirty sources such as coal. According to EPA data, over the last decade, the number U.S. coal power plants that provide energy for the grid and other 'industrial operations' has dropped from 400 to 200. This pace of growth has now slowed dramatically.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, only four plants with a combined capacity of 2.6 gigawatts will be retired in 2025, while 94 plants that produced 15 gigawatts did so in 2015. This is because the DOE issued an emergency order keeping these plants online. Farmers, environmentalists, and homeowners are united in their opposition to data-center expansion, out of fear for the impacts. These include higher power bills, reduced water supply, or even a liability for Republicans during November's midterm elections. Trump has secured voluntary agreements with big tech companies that will pay for their power requirements and shield American consumers against higher bills. However, his administration has yet to announce steps to address health effects from increased pollution.
According to interviews and data from the government, St. Louis is likely to be one of the U.S. Cities most affected by regulatory rollbacks. This is primarily because it has poor air quality, and its proximity to the massive?Labadie facility.
According to the Air Quality Index of the EPA, only one third of the time in the past year did metro St. Louis residents breathe "good" quality air. St. Louis ranked 475th out of 501 large and small U.S. metropolitan areas in terms of air quality. According to EPA and scientific studies, the Labadie Energy Center has a major contribution.
According to EPA statistics, the plant is a sprawling facility located around 40 miles west of the city. It produces the most sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxidation among U.S. Coal Plants.
According to an analysis of the EPA’s Co-Benefits Risk Assessment tool (COBRA), pollution costs up to $5.5 billion per year. Residents of St. Louis are responsible for about $820 millions of these costs.
COBRA measures the cost of health care, such as hospital visits, and how much people are willing to collectively pay for cleaner air, which lowers their risk of dying prematurely.
The analysis was shown to two experts outside the company - Bryan Hubbel a senior researcher at the non-profit group Resources for the Future, and John Graham a scientist with the environmental research group Clean Air Task Force. Both agreed that the figures were correct.
Ameren Corp., the utility based in St. Louis that owns Labadie, has not contested the analysis of EPA data.
Ameren stated that the plant is operating within federal pollution limits. Ameren says Labadie's operation will continue for another decade, as the demand for artificial intelligence-driven data centres outpaces cleaner energy.
Craig Giesman said that Ameren employees "live here, raise their families here, and rely on energy like our neighbors." "This is only one of the many reasons why we are committed to operating responsibly, protecting public health, and providing reliable power, especially during times when it's most needed."
The EPA declined comment on a COBRA analysis, but stated that it is updating its cost-benefit modelling tools.
According to a scientific study conducted by researchers from the University of Washington, and published last year in the Journal of the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology, St. Louis was the city that would be most affected by the delay of tougher standards for U.S. coal plant emissions. Biden's regulation could have forced Labadie, to remain in operation, to reduce its soot emission by over half. According to EPA's cost-benefit analysis for 2023, these soot limitations would have resulted in net benefits to public health of up to $3 billion by 2037.
Since then, the EPA has reversed its course. The agency said that the estimates of the Biden administration were exaggerated and that current standards provide an "ample margin of safety" to protect public health.
St. Louis Clean Air activists have a different perspective.
Darnell Tingle is the director of United Congregations of Metro-East - another activist network. "We're trying to prepare our communities for these data centres and minimize their impact on them."
Cheap Power
North St. Louis' predominantly Black neighborhoods already have some the worst air pollution in the city. According to an analysis of data tracked and analyzed by the EPA, tiny particles of soot that can penetrate the brain or lungs regularly exceed federal safety standards in North St. Louis. This is due to pollution from industrial sources, as well as pollution from nearby highways, and rail operations.
According to the NAACP 78% of African Americans reside within 30 miles of coal-fired plants, compared with 56% of white non-Hispanics. According to a study published in Environmental Science & Technology, soot pollution caused by power plants kills African Americans 25% more than the average.
The logic is that the United States needs cheap electricity. If you consider the increase in healthcare costs in the St. Louis region, this isn’t cheap," said Patricia Schuba. Schuba runs a local environment group that monitors Labadie, as well as three other coal-fired plants.
Ameren was forced to upgrade Labadie due to stricter pollution standards. Ameren upgraded Labadie about a decade back to meet the Obama-era limits on soot.
Ameren, in a letter to the EPA requesting an exemption for March 2025, said that older controls would have had to be retrofitted on the remaining boilers. Ameren refused to answer any questions regarding the cost of upgrading the plant.
As developers begin to build major data centers around St. Louis and the region, regional electricity demand is increasing.
Ameren said that it had signed service contracts for an additional 2.3 Gigawatts in peak demand potential from data centers, roughly equivalent to the Labadie Plant's output. It also stated that there are more requests coming. Amazon Web Services has proposed a 1,000-acre data center project in rural Montgomery County about 55 miles away from Labadie. Ameren would provide the power.
Amazon has declined to comment.
Data Center Coalition, the trade group for the data center industry, said that its members were among the largest purchasers of clean power but that utilities and grid operators ultimately are responsible for what consumers use.
The data center industry has a strong interest in supporting the development of a 21st century electrical grid. However, it is important to remember that decisions about resource planning and generation are made by grid operators and policymakers and not large load users like data centers.
(source: Reuters)