Latest news with #Blight
Hamilton Spectator
25-05-2025
- Science
- Hamilton Spectator
Snowy owl's threatened status an 'alarm bell' for a changing Arctic, scientist says
MONTREAL - A scientific committee's decision to assess the snowy owl as threatened is yet another concerning sign of the changes shaping Canada's Arctic, two experts say. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada, an advisory body to the federal government, announced earlier this month it was recommending a change of status for the emblematic northern species, which is also Quebec's official bird. That recommendation has been passed on to the federal government, which will decide whether to list the snowy owl as threatened under the Species at Risk Act. Louise Blight, co-chair of the subcommittee overseeing birds, said snowy owl observations have declined about 40 per cent over the last three generations, or 24 years. She says climate change — as well as direct threats such as vehicle strikes and poisoning — are to blame. 'Not only does this species nest in a region with one of the fastest-changing climates on the planet, but when it heads south for the winter it faces additional threats — collisions, electrocution, rodenticide poisoning, and diseases like avian influenza,' she wrote in a news release. Blight, who is also an adjunct associate professor at the University of Victoria's School of Environmental Studies, said in a phone interview that climate change reduces sea ice, which the birds use for resting and hunting. It has also led to increased shrub cover in the wide-open tundra habitat where the owl breeds, and there have been suggestions the population cycles of lemmings — its main prey — are being affected, she said. She said it's hard to measure the specific impacts of climate change on the owls, in part because the habitat changes are happening so quickly. 'I talked to a colleague a couple of years ago who works in the comment was, 'the Arctic is changing so fast we can't even keep track of it,'' Blight said. The owl, she said, is one of many species that are declining at 'really concerning rates' for a number of different reasons, including habitat change, invasive species and climate change. 'I find them all alarming comments on the state of nature,' she said. David Rodrigue, biologist and Executive Director of the Ecomuseum Zoo west of Montreal, said the committee's recommendation should be a 'rallying cry' to accelerate efforts to protect Canada's biodiversity. He says Quebec has yet to begin its own formal process to assess the status of its official bird. Rodrigue says a government decision to designate the species as threatened would trigger measures to help it, including an obligation to create a recovery plan and some habitat protection. He said more can also be done to help the birds when they migrate south, including limiting the use of certain rodent poisons. In Canada, 'threatened' means a species is likely to become endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to its disappearance. Rodrigue said the Ecomuseum has had snowy owls in its care, and visitors are always drawn to the beautiful snow-white birds that shot to global fame when they were featured in the 'Harry Potter' franchise. 'They're extremely striking,' he said. Rodrigue believes the snowy owl's population decline sends a 'huge signal' about the vulnerability of the Arctic, and believes everyone should take notice. 'The Arctic in many ways is extremely important for, literally, human survival as well,' he said. 'And we don't see what's happening there. People don't realize that things are so bad there that you've got species like that that are crashing.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
25-05-2025
- Science
- Winnipeg Free Press
Snowy owl's threatened status an 'alarm bell' for a changing Arctic, scientist says
MONTREAL – A scientific committee's decision to assess the snowy owl as threatened is yet another concerning sign of the changes shaping Canada's Arctic, two experts say. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife In Canada, an advisory body to the federal government, announced earlier this month it was recommending a change of status for the emblematic northern species, which is also Quebec's official bird. That recommendation has been passed on to the federal government, which will decide whether to list the snowy owl as threatened under the Species at Risk Act. Louise Blight, co-chair of the subcommittee overseeing birds, said snowy owl observations have declined about 40 per cent over the last three generations, or 24 years. She says climate change — as well as direct threats such as vehicle strikes and poisoning — are to blame. 'Not only does this species nest in a region with one of the fastest-changing climates on the planet, but when it heads south for the winter it faces additional threats — collisions, electrocution, rodenticide poisoning, and diseases like avian influenza,' she wrote in a news release. Blight, who is also an adjunct associate professor at the University of Victoria's School of Environmental Studies, said in a phone interview that climate change reduces sea ice, which the birds use for resting and hunting. It has also led to increased shrub cover in the wide-open tundra habitat where the owl breeds, and there have been suggestions the population cycles of lemmings — its main prey — are being affected, she said. She said it's hard to measure the specific impacts of climate change on the owls, in part because the habitat changes are happening so quickly. 'I talked to a colleague a couple of years ago who works in the Arctic…her comment was, 'the Arctic is changing so fast we can't even keep track of it,'' Blight said. The owl, she said, is one of many species that are declining at 'really concerning rates' for a number of different reasons, including habitat change, invasive species and climate change. 'I find them all alarming comments on the state of nature,' she said. David Rodrigue, biologist and Executive Director of the Ecomuseum Zoo west of Montreal, said the committee's recommendation should be a 'rallying cry' to accelerate efforts to protect Canada's biodiversity. He says Quebec has yet to begin its own formal process to assess the status of its official bird. Rodrigue says a government decision to designate the species as threatened would trigger measures to help it, including an obligation to create a recovery plan and some habitat protection. He said more can also be done to help the birds when they migrate south, including limiting the use of certain rodent poisons. In Canada, 'threatened' means a species is likely to become endangered if nothing is done to reverse the factors leading to its disappearance. Rodrigue said the Ecomuseum has had snowy owls in its care, and visitors are always drawn to the beautiful snow-white birds that shot to global fame when they were featured in the 'Harry Potter' franchise. 'They're extremely striking,' he said. Rodrigue believes the snowy owl's population decline sends a 'huge signal' about the vulnerability of the Arctic, and believes everyone should take notice. 'The Arctic in many ways is extremely important for, literally, human survival as well,' he said. 'And we don't see what's happening there. People don't realize that things are so bad there that you've got species like that that are crashing.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 25, 2025.
West Australian
02-05-2025
- Automotive
- West Australian
Blight chasing more success at Kalgoorlie International Speedway
With two national titles and years of experience on a tough US circuit up his sleeve, Kye Blight has literally seen and done it all — but he maintains that nothing quite matches the thrill of competing on WA's regional tracks. Katanning-raised Blight, who is based in Albany, has turned to old-fashioned family values while chasing a big performance in Saturday night's Red Dirt Rumble at Kalgoorlie International Speedway. Joining Blight on the Goldfields trip for his 2024-25 season finale are his father and grandfather. 'The first time I ever went to Kalgoorlie was in 2008-09, when we won a production sedan State championship, so I have very fond memories of the place,' Blight said. 'It's been sporadic since — we usually try and get to the Red Dirt Rumble, but a lot of that time has been taken up with racing in America over the past three or four seasons. 'I won it just before COVID hit but haven't been back since, so I'm looking forward to it.' Blight's annual US stints generally spanned from May to September, dating back to 2017. 'But it's tough other there and very humbling because those guys do it for a living,' he said. 'It's definitely very different to how we do things in Australia and the fun aspect in the US, to be honest, isn't really there (because) it's all business. 'That's why I'm pretty rapt to be back here in WA.' Blight returned from his latest overseas venture in October, and has revelled in familiar surroundings. 'There's obviously going to be some really good cars there (at KIS),' he said. 'But we've been really good since we got back and our car has been really fast. 'Hopefully, that equates to ending-up in the top three. 'But the red dirt plays a big role because we don't get to race on the clay very often and it throws us a loop (because) early on in the night, it starts off with a lot of traction and is very sticky when it's wet. 'Then it dries off very quickly and becomes quite abrasive. 'The trick at Kalgoorlie is to stay on top of your adjustments and make sure your car is good at the start of the night and good at the end of the night.'
9 News
29-04-2025
- Business
- 9 News
Banking details of thousands of Aussies stolen by cybercriminals
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here The compromised banking details of more than 30,000 Aussies have been found online, security experts say. Research from Aussie tech security firm, Dvuln said the compromised data, found from the last four years, relates to "multiple major banks". But rather than the credentials being stolen from the banks, they were swiped from customer's devices by criminals using "infostealer malware infections". Details from 10,000 customers of one bank found on "infostealer logs" where criminals can share and sell the data, it says, and another had 7000. (iStock/Getty) Dvuln warned the data shows only a "fraction" of what's going on. Details from 10,000 customers of one bank were found on "infostealer logs" where criminals can share and sell the data. Another bank had 5000 details found, and another again had 4000. The information of customers from Australia's big four banks, including Commonwealth Bank, NAB, ANZ and Westpac was among the details found. Dvuln warns multi-factor authentication, which is now common to get onto banking apps or websites, is "not a complete defence". "The infections targeted individual user devices and harvested their credentials, rather than compromising banking infrastructure directly," the report said. It said "coordinated" action is needed, from financial institutions, government, cybersecurity professionals and the public "to close the gap between endpoint compromise and financial abuse". The report said infostealer malware, which is short for malicious software, is "one of the most pervasive yet underreported threats facing Australia's financial sector." Australian Banking Association CEO Anna Bligh confirmed the issue that's been identified relates to data being accessed from personal devices such as phones and laptops, and not from any breach of bank security systems. "Keeping customers secure online is the top priority for Australia's banks," Blight said. "They continue to invest security defences to help keep customers safe, including using advanced intelligence systems to monitor both open and dark web sources for compromised customer credentials. Australian Banking Association boss Anna Bligh. (AAP) If a bank becomes aware that a customer's credentials may have been compromised, they take steps to secure their account and advise them on how to prevent further activity. "If customers have any concerns about their account details, they should get in touch with their bank as soon as possible." CommBank also advised customers to create unique, strong passwords and change them regularly, install and maintain reputable anti-virus software, monitor their accounts and enable transaction notifications, and contact them if they notice suspicious activity. An Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) spokesperson said the agency is "persistently working to counter the cybercriminal threat targeting Australia". "Cybercriminals use Information-stealing malware to steal and exploit valid user credentials and system information, then reselling this information for monetary gain," the ASD spokesperson said. "Cybercriminals are using information stealers to undermine the security and wellbeing of Australian organisations. "Information stealers pose a serious problem as they provide cybercriminals legitimate user credentials which could lead to gaining initial access against other targets." Government agency Australia Signals Directorate, part of Australia's national security community received over 87,400 cybercrime reports in 2023-24. The most common was identity fraud. banks scam Australia national Technology Tech finance CONTACT US Property News: The Perth suburbs where residents rarely leave.
Yahoo
29-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Performance, museums, history: Trump's cultural power grab
Washington's Smithsonian is a sprawling chain of museums dedicated to both celebrating and scrutinizing the American story -- and the latest cultural institution targeted by President Donald Trump's bid to quash diversity efforts. His recent executive order to excavate "divisive ideology" from the famed visitor attraction and research complex follows a wave of efforts to keep culture and history defined on his terms, including his takeover of the national capital's prestigious performing arts venue, the Kennedy Center. And it's got critics up in arms. "It's a declaration of war," said David Blight of Yale University, who leads the Organization of American Historians. "It is arrogant and appalling for them to claim they have the power and the right to say what history actually is and how it should be exhibited, written, and taught," Blight told AFP. Trump's latest order also says monuments to the historic Confederate rebellion, many of which were removed in recent years in the wake of anti-racism protests, might soon be restored. His order even mentioned the National Zoo -- which is operated by the Smithsonian and recently welcomed two pandas from China -- as potentially needing a cleanse from "improper, divisive, or anti-American ideology." And Trump says a number of Smithsonian museums, including the distinguished National Museum of African American History and Culture, espouse "corrosive ideology," and are trying to rewrite American history in relation to issues of race and gender. Critical observers say the exact opposite is true. Margaret Huang -- president of the nonprofit Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate -- called Trump's order "the latest attempt to erase our history" and "a blatant attempt to mask racism and white supremacy as patriotism." "Black history is US history. Women's history is US history. This country's history is ugly and beautiful," Huang said. For critics like Huang and Blight, Trump's push to tell a rose-tinted history of "American greatness" is a disservice to museum-goers in a complicated country built on values including freedom of speech -- but whose history is rife with war, slavery and civil rights struggles. "What's at stake is the way the United States officially portrays its own past, to itself, and to the world," Blight said. - 'Stories about ourselves' - Trump is a 78-year-old Frank Sinatra fan with a penchant for Broadway -- he's spoken particularly fondly of the 1980s-era musical "Cats," the fantastical tale of a dancing tribe of felines. But his brand of culture war is much bigger than personal taste: in his second term, the president appears intent on rooting out what he deems too "woke." The executive crusade is part of a broader effort to strip American society of efforts to promote diversity, equity and inclusion that institutions nationwide have vied to incorporate in recent years, purging culture of anti-racism and LGBTQ+ support. Critics say Trump's extension of his grip to the Smithsonian represents an eyebrow-raising incursion into the programming independence of the more than 175-year-old institution. Founded in the mid-19th century, the Smithsonian "has transformed along with our culture and our society," said Robert McCoy, a history professor at Washington State University. The complex -- including the zoo, 21 museums and 14 education and research centers -- is approximately two-thirds federally funded, with the rest of its approximately billion-dollar-budget stemming from sources including endowments, memberships and donations. Its Board of Regents includes the vice president. But, similarly to the Kennedy Center, until now it operated largely above political lines, especially when it came to programming. - 'Meaning and belonging' - "It's become more diverse. The stories it tells are more complicated. These are people who are attempting to help us broaden what it means to be an American -- what it means to tell us stories about ourselves that are more accurate and include more people," McCoy told AFP. "When you lose that, you begin to marginalize a lot of different groups." McCoy fears the White House's bid to clamp down on the Smithsonian's work could prompt resignations, a concern Blight echoed: "If they stay in their jobs, they're in effect working for an authoritarian takeover of what they do. That will not be acceptable." Trump's attempts at cultural dominance in federal institutions are part of a broader package of control, McCoy said, a pattern that echoes research on how authoritarian regimes seize power. "It's not just political and economic institutions," he said. "It's also the institutions that provide people with a sense of meaning and belonging -- that they're American." mdo-es/dc/
