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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."
The mine that funds Congo's rebels and feeds the tech industry
Under the watchful eyes of M23 rebels, in the hills surrounding the Congolese city of Rubaya a line men in rubber boot ferry sacks of crushed stones up winding paths cut in to the slopes.
Coltan, a mineral which powers modern technology, is being hauled by the workers. The ore is loaded onto motorbikes, and then shipped thousands of kilometers to Asia. The ore is then processed into tantalum - a heat resistant metal which fetches over $300 per kilogram. It's in demand by manufacturers of mobile phones and computers as well as aerospace components and gas engines.
Rubaya is responsible for 15% of all the coltan produced in the world. Coltan is mined by hand, and locals earn just a few dollars a day. The control of this mine is at the heart of a long-running war in this nation in central Africa.
M23, the rebel group backed by Rwanda's government, took over the area in April 2024. The heavily-armed M23 rebels, who claim to be fighting for the overthrow of the Kinshasa government and the safety of Congolese Tutsi minorities, have captured more mineral-rich land in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo this year.
M23 and DRC pledged to sign an agreement in Doha, Qatar, at a ceremony this month. The United States mediates parallel talks between Congo, Rwanda and a potential investment of billions in the event that hostilities end.
The United States Treasury sanctioned on Tuesday other alleged participants of minerals smuggling, including PARECO FF, a progovernment Congolese milita that the U.S. claimed controlled the Rubaya mine site from early 2024 to 2022, before M23 took over.
PARECO-FF was not available for comment.
A senior U.S. official was asked at a briefing by the press why Washington targeted PARECO-FF and not M23. He noted that sanctions have been placed on M23 since 2013 because it has fuelled conflict in the area.
John K. Hurley said that the Treasury Department would not hesitate to act against groups who deny the United States or our allies the access to critical minerals essential for our national security.
Jason Stearns is a former U.N. inspector in Congo. He said that the fact that M23 wasn't targeted by the new mining sanctions was surprising.
M23's advances pose the greatest threat to Kinshasa's government in the last two decades. The conflict stems from the 1994 Rwandan genocide in which around one million members of Rwanda's Tutsi group were killed by Hutu-led militias.
The Rwandan government has denied for years that it is involved in the trade of coltan, looted by its neighbor, or that it supports M23. Rwanda's ruling Tutsi majority party shares the same concern as M23 about the alleged threat of rival Hutu groups in eastern Congo. According to a U.N. document reviewed by the Associated Press on July 3, Rwanda had deployed between 1,000 and 1,500 troops into rebel-controlled Congo areas as of April.
M23 controls two important Congolese towns - Goma, and Bukavu on the Rwandan border. U.N. Investigators claim that Congolese minerals, which are often transported illegally to Rwanda through these cities, are mixed with Rwandan coltan before being exported.
M23, the Rwandan government and the Congolese government did not respond to comments. Congolese officials accuse Rwanda of fomenting conflict in order to plunder Congo’s mineral wealth.
A U.N. December report stated that the size of the trade increased after M23 captured Rubaya. U.N. report: The rebels established a parallel government that controlled mining, trade, transportation, and taxation on the minerals produced in Rubaya.
Reporters visited Rubaya, in March of this year. M23 officials told them that the rebels had levied a 15% tax on the coltan the mineral traders purchased from the informal miner's who worked the area. According to a U.N. report from December, M23 collected $800,000 per month from levies on coltan mined in eastern Congo.
MUD AND MOTORBIKES
Rubaya is a beehive of pits that are so vast and complex, it's a huge undertaking to reach them. Journalists who visited the mines in March were forced to abandon their Land Cruisers when they became stuck on a muddy road leading from Goma. The journalists walked for 5 km (3 miles) in order to get to the town, and then they hopped onto motorcycles with rebel officials so that they could reach the mines.
The activity in Rubaya starts before dawn when thousands of miner descend into the pits cut in the rolling hills of Congo’s North Kivu Province, where many work in 12-hour shifts.
Tunnels can reach a depth of up to 15 meters (49 feet). Porters transport the ore fragments to shallow basins filled with water dug by laborers. Other workers, including children and women, then wash and separate the ore from debris and sand before laying it out in the sun to dry.
The journalists were closely supervised by M23 personnel who were unarmed throughout their stay in the mining area. Reporters saw rebel officials jotting in a notebook the number of sacks that each porter, covered in fine white dust, carried to each collection point. Once the ore has dried, it's stacked onto motorbikes and transported to Rubaya where it is sold by traders.
Pascal Mugisha Nsabimana (32), a miner from Congo, was told by a M23 chaperone that it is better to work under rebel occupation than to labor under the supervision and control of the Congolese military or its allies who fled the area when M23 invaded the region last year.
In the past, "there was a lot of harassment, a lot of taxes and we, as diggers, often were not paid." The miner added that even when they did get paid, it was not enough. He said that under M23, his day rate has at least tripled.
According to over a dozen sources, including former and current smugglers as well as miners and businessmen, in the months immediately following the M23 takeover of Rubaya, Congolese troops remained along the border. Smugglers then used motorcycles to sneak ore into Rwanda by using backroads. According to two former smugglers, who transported coltan in this manner until last year, the journey could take a whole day. The two ex-smugglers said that they would load their bikes with three bags of 50 kilograms each time and receive about $34 per trip for delivering the coltan to traders.
Nine of these people stated that M23's changes have been a game changer for efficiency. Motorcycles are not the main means of transportation anymore, and they are only used to transport the coltan to Rubaya from the mine. According to the U.N. report and the people, ore is then loaded into SUVs, pickups, and other vehicles that can haul anywhere between two to twenty tons. It is also faster. Coltan trucks are now able to pass through Goma on paved roads, since M23 has taken control of the border city and driven Congolese forces out. This, according to people, has shortened transport times.
Experts at the United Nations and human rights activists warn that illegal mining profits are used to fund conflict. The trade, they say, has not brought much wealth to the locals and child labor is very common. At least 12 children were seen working in the Rubaya Mine: Boys entered the shafts and hauled out the ore, then carried it to basins where the girls washed and dried the coltan alongside the adults.
Gregory Mthembu Salter, former U.N. expert in Congo, who is now a consultant on conflict minerals said that efforts made by the mining industry and U.N. agencies, as well as non-government organisations, to clean the supply chain of the region and prevent human right abuses, which began around 2010, have failed.
Mthembu Salter, Phuzumoya Consulting's director, said: "The same thing has happened 15 years after."
U.S. INVESTORS LOOK AT RUBAYA RICHES
Some U.S. investors have also targeted Rubaya's riches in coltan as President Donald Trump tries to broker a deal to end conflict and promote the development of the mineral wealth of the region. These riches in Congo include cobalt reserves, gold, diamonds, copper, and lithium. The formal mining sector of the country is currently dominated by Chinese firms.
According to a source with direct knowledge, Texas hedge fund manager Gentry beach, who is the chairman of America First Global, and raised funds for Trump's 2016 election campaign, was part of a group that sought to negotiate the rights to Rubaya Mine. Gentry Beach's interest in Congo coltan was first reported by The Financial Times.
Sources told us that Beach's Group had proposed the Congolese Government to take a majority stake, while Kinshasa retained a 30% share.
Beach expressed his interest in a project but refused to give any additional details.
Some U.S. legislators are pushing back. In a letter sent to Trump and U.S. secretary of state Marco Rubio on August 8, more than 50 Democratic members of congress criticized the lack of transparency of the DRC negotiations by the Trump administration. The Democratic congress members also expressed concern about a possible conflict of interest if a Trump ally was angling to obtain rights to develop Rubaya Mine.
Anna Kelly, White House Deputy press secretary, said in an email statement dated 5 August that the agreement Trump arranged between Congo and Rwanda has the potential of leading to lasting peace in the region. The president's vision is a "win-win outcome where all parties benefit--economically and politically--through cooperation and shared prosperity," the statement said. She did not answer a question about the letter sent by congressional Democrats.
The U.S. State Department made no comment. In a statement released on August 1, the State Department stated that it would support efforts made by Rwanda to promote security and economic co-operation. According to the statement which didn't go into detail, heads of state will be invited to Washington soon for a summit.
The U.S.-backed agreement does not include the M23. The rebel group is a part of a parallel, separate mediation that Qatar has led to try and end hostilities. Success in the Doha talks is crucial to a lasting peace and to making Rubaya a safe place for Western mining interests.
Some analysts and diplomats are unsure about the chances of a quick resolution.
Congo and the M23 rebels agreed in Doha that a deal would be reached by August 18th. The U.N. says that the U.S. has a responsibility for the deaths of 319 civilians last month in eastern Congo.
Could not independently confirm these killings. M23 leader Bertrand Bisimwa said to the news agency that the group would investigate. He also suggested reports of atrocities were a "smear" campaign against the insurgent.
The U.S.-brokered agreement calls for Rwandan soldiers to withdraw from Congo. Last month, Rwandan President Paul Kagame stated that he wasn't sure if the agreement would stand.
Kagame stated that the Congo must first fulfill its promise to defeat the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, an ethnic Hutu group based in eastern Congo and linked to the Rwandan Genocide. Kigali views the FDLR as an existential danger.
Josaphat Muamba, a Congolese Ph.D. student at Ghent University, Belgium, said that suppressing the militias would be a difficult task for the DRC military, as it is not present in vast swathes M23-controlled land.
Musamba stated that it was difficult to neutralize FDLR while M23 were still in place and the Congolese Army had not been redeployed. He called both peace initiatives "piecemeal efforts" that don't deal with "the realities on the ground."
A senior diplomat, who closely follows the events in Rubaya, stated that another formidable task would be to transform Rubaya's crude system for coltan extraction.
The diplomat stated that "no one speaks about the feasibility of granting these mining concessions or running these concessions. Especially since the entire mine is artisanal" done almost exclusively by hand.
(source: Reuters)