Butterflies On The Move

Around the world, ongoing environmental changes are prompting many butterfly species to relocate and search for new homes, a process referred to as species range shifts or species redistribution. 

As temperatures, rainfall and habitats change, butterflies can relocate over long distances, or even move vertically up and down mountain ranges. 

A new global study found one in ten known butterfly species has already shifted in range. So, where are they going – and why? 

Data from a collection of more than 6,180 reports (565 studies and 68 expert assessments) of butterfly range shift and which covered 1,758 species across 105 countries, showed 80% of the documented butterfly species had expanded their ranges latitudinally, meaning east to west, or longitudinally, meaning north to south. It found that 27% had reduced their range and 22% had shifted up or down slopes on hills or mountains. 

Many species showed a combination of these range changes. The public narrative is often simplistic: as the world warms, species are shifting towards cooler temperatures at higher latitudes, or moving upwards in mountains. This is happening, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. 

In fact, butterflies need more than to find new homes at the right temperature. Caterpillars often depend on specific host plants; adults need nectar, shelter and safe places to breed; and populations also require connected habitats so individuals can move easily through the landscape, meet, reproduce and breed. 

Some species show how fast changes can happen. The tawny coster (Acraea terpsicore) native to the Indian subcontinent, primarily centered in India and Sri Lanka, has expanded through Southeast Asia and into Australia. In Brazil, Godartiana byses has expanded from Rio de Janeiro and Bahia into São Paulo, a shift linked to climate warming. 

Other species show the opposite pattern. The small blue (Cupido minimus) has lost 40% of its habitat in the United Kingdom over the past 150 years. In Germany, the cranberry fritillary (Boloria aquilonaris) has lost much of its original habitat because of bog drainage. In Romania, an increase in farming has been linked to a severe range contraction of the danube clouded yellow (Colias myrmidone). 

Even range shifts along mountain slopes are not always straightforward. In Mexico, the painted lady (Vanessa cardui) shifted upslope at a rate of about 83 metres per year between 1988 and 2011. Over the same period, the queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) shifted downslope at a rate of about 32m per year. 

Together, these examples show butterfly species range shifts are not simply a story of animals moving towards the poles. 

In the comprehensive study, climate change and extreme weather events were the most common reasons why butterflies shifted their range. 

But climate change is not the only factor. Agriculture, forestry, urban development and habitat destruction are also reshaping where butterflies can live and reproduce. These disturbances destroy host plants and breeding sites, and fragment large habitats into patches too small to sustain a healthy population. 

It is important to note that butterflies are part of the living fabric around us. Adult butterflies contribute to pollination. Caterpillars feed birds, spiders and other insects. When butterflies disappear, it can signal the plants, grasslands or woodlands once visited by butterflies are also changing. 

This matters for conservation. Many protected areas are based on maps of where species lived in the past. But if butterflies and other species are moving, those maps quickly become outdated. 

The message is simple. Conservation cannot only protect habitats where species once lived – it must include the places where they will relocate, and the wildlife corridors they will use to get there. If not, we may keep protecting yesterday’s nature while tomorrow’s nature has nowhere left to go.

China's Swimmers Endure Envy and Enmity

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On July 31, 2024, China's Pan Zhanle glided past an accomplished pool of swimmers to take the gold medal in the men's 100m freestyle, with a record-smashing time of 46.40 seconds, more than a full second ahead of Australia's silver and Romania's bronze medal winners, i.e. 47.48 seconds and 47.49 seconds respectively.

 

Four days later, Pan and fellow swimmers (Xu Jiayu, Qin Haiyang and Sun Jiajun) not only won gold but they ended the United States’ decades-long reign in the men’s 4x100 meters medley at the Olympics. They finished the relay in a time of 3 minutes and 27.46 seconds versus the US time of 3 minutes and 28.01 seconds. France came in third with a time of 3 minutes and 28.38 seconds.

 

Twenty-two minutes later, the Chinese women's team clinched the bronze in the same event with a time of 3 minutes and 53.23 seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During the subsequent award ceremonies, the swimmers from different countries gathered on the podium to celebrate and take selfies, marking the end of the swimming competition at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Despite the smiles and flashing cameras, a smear campaign against the Chinese quickly bubbled over.

 

Australian Olympian-turned swimming coach Brett Hawke questioned the legitimacy of Pan Zhanle's feat, claiming the world record time was "not humanly possible".

 

Swimmer Adam Peaty whose UK relay team finished fourth in the said 4x100m medley – their timing: 3:29.60 – hit out at cheating Chinese swimmers.

 

And a July 30 article by The New York Times, which quoted two anonymous sources "with direct knowledge of the matter", as saying that two Chinese swimmers "tested positive in 2022 for a banned steroid" including one who was named to be in the Olympic team in Paris. It viciously hinted that the swimmer used drugs and was unqualified for the ongoing Olympics.

 

These parties are desperately eager to pounce on any opportunity to disparage Chinese swimmers by linking them to doping and in the process, maliciously smear China's credibility and reputation.

 

The international governing body for swimming, World Aquatics, had even been obliged to highlight that China's 31 swimmers in Paris had been the most tested athletes at the Paris Olympics, with each being tested an average of 21 times since January 01, which was the highest among the eight largest national swimming delegations. The number was significantly higher compared to the average of six times for American swimmers, four times for Australian swimmers and five times for Italian swimmers, World Aquatics revealed on July 23.

 

 

And Pau Gasol, a member of the IOC Athletes' Commission, said the high frequency of doping tests that Chinese swimmers have been subjected to had been "unfortunate".

 

Persistent doping tests conducted "7 times a day" were definitely to blame for China's subpar performance in the pool, China's diving star Gao Min had said.

 

Catherine Ordway, an associate professor of sport at the University of Canberra and an anti-doping expert said no one had challenged Australian swimmers in Paris when they broke Olympic records, and that no country should subject foreign athletes to a level of scrutiny "that we would find completely repugnant and unacceptable for ourselves".

 

An insider told the Global Times that China has maintained a strict stance against doping violations, with an enforcement rigor that is arguably the highest in the world and recognized internationally as a high standard. China's punitive measures are also unique, involving severe administrative penalties for those who violate doping regulations. It can be said that China has been genuinely committed to anti-doping efforts over the years.

 

Between 2014-2016, there was a stark increase in applications for therapeutic use exemption (TUE) with 63% of those issued being to just 3 countries: USA, Australia and France. It must be said that China's requests for TUEs are notably few. This is also largely because doping has long been a zero-tolerance issue in China, the insider noted.

 

The anti-China tactic by Westerners, supposedly shrouded in a veneer of concern for fair play, appears more like a Machiavellian move to undermine China's sporting achievements. 

 

The West are disgusting as well as they are pathetic!

The 3 Unhappiest Countries in the EU

Bulgaria is the unhappiest country in the EU, according to statistics published by the bloc’s official agency, Eurostat. With an overall life satisfaction score of 5.6 out of 10, it was the only one of the 27 member nations polled where residents, on average, rated themselves as dissatisfied rather than satisfied. 

 

Germany is the second-most miserable on the continent, with a rating of 6.5 – a sharp drop from its score last year of 7.1. While the survey did not ask respondents to give specific reasons for their self-evaluation, multiple polls conducted this month showed widespread dissatisfaction with the German government, which are facing a financial crisis and a crisis of confidence, problems many believe are entirely of the government’s own making.

 

Greece rounded out the top three unhappiest nations, with an average life satisfaction rating of 6.7. 

 

And the happiest country on the continent is Austria, where residents rated their happiness at 7.9. Finland, Poland, and Romania are tied for second happiest with scores of 7.7. 

 

The ratings appeared to support the cliche that money cannot buy happiness, as neither of second-place scorers Romania or Poland enjoyed a high average per capita income in 2022, and Romanians even made less on average than their much more miserable neighbors in Bulgaria. 

 

While five out of the ten top finishers in the 2023 World Happiness Report, published in March, were EU member countries, only Finland, which came in at number one, was among the high scorers on both lists. 

 

Denmark, the second-happiest nation in the world in that report, was also the only European country that managed to decrease its consumption of antidepressants(!) in the last decade. It ranked seventh on life satisfaction in Eurostat’s report.

 

My two cents:

 

 

Ukraine Bombs Site of Zaporizhzhia NPP

The International Atomic Energy Agency have warned of a “nuclear disaster” at the Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant situated near the city of Enerhodar, on the southern shore of the Kakhovka Reservoir on the Dnieper river in Zaporizhzhia Oblast, “Ukraine”. Unless fighting stops. 

FYI, Ukraine has been bombing the site of  the nuclear facility – this was confirmed by its president, [V]olodymyr [Z]elenskiy, in a video address on Saturday – and concerns persist about the shelling occurring around the facility, with the potential to damage critical infrastructure, including the reactors. 

Also, reactors need to be constantly cooled by water passing through them. If that water stream is cut out, cut down, cut off in some fashion, then the reactor could lose cooling, and the fuel will start melting. It will sort of create high pressure, and the thing can explode. 

And in the immediate aftermath of an explosion, there will be invisible radioactive clouds being released – and some experts have speculated on the radius of radiation contamination: 

I must point out I don’t know if this is a valid proposition though. 

Anyway, rather than a reactor core explosion, experts are more concerned about damage to systems that cool the spent fuel pool and the reactors. If the cooling fails, this could lead to an uncontrolled heat build-up, a meltdown and a fire that could release and spread radiation from the containment structures. 

A radiation release is just as scary. It’s unpredictable; you won’t know where the plume (containing radioactive material) would go. It can go anywhere really, depending on the weather conditions. 

Due to the power plant’s geographical location, it is said a radiation release could hit any part of the European continent. This scenario is even scarier! 

For sure, Ukraine is getting desperate and reckless! It’s sheer madness!

The Carve-up of Ukraine, According to Dmitry Medvedev

Deputy chairperson of Russia’s Security Council and former President, Dmitry Medvedev reckoned that the Ukraine of the future is likely to be reduced to just Kiev and the surrounding areas. 

On July 27, Medvedev (left) shared two maps in a Telegram post, the first one showing the country’s territories before the Ukraine crisis of 2014, which includes Crimea and the two eastern regions of Donetsk and Luhansk. 

The second map sees a vastly shrunk Ukraine, with Poland, Hungary, Romania and Russia gobbling up much of the country. As depicted on the map, Poland will annex 7 regions, i.e. Lviv, Lutsk, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, and Zhytomyr; Hungary will take over one region, i.e. Uzzhorod; Romania will arrogate two regions, i.e. Chernivtsi and Vinnytsia; and Russia occupies all the other territories except for Kiev and its adjoining areas. 

If Ukraine gets carved up the way Medvedev had described, Ukrainians can thank their president, [V]olodymyr [Z]elensky for this deliberate act of self-sabotage! 

Of course, he has a little help from his good friends, the US and the UK.

Ukrainian Borsch-preparation Makes it to List of Intangible Cultural Heritage

These days, Ukraine is so desperate to demonstrate success that just about any accomplishment, big or small that it can show off is to be celebrated! 

And so, on Friday, UNESCO announced that they have added the preparation of Ukrainian borsch (left) to their list of endangered cultural traditions.

FYI, it's really a Slavic signature soup that's rich and hearty. Today, the broadly recognized “standard” borsch is made with beetroot (Beta vulgaris), assorted veggies, meat stock and seasonings. Obviously, beets (right) give it a beautiful color and a beautiful flavor.

 

There are so many types of borsch that one can’t really point to any truly defining elements. It always contains different types of vegetables and is optimally served as a thick meal, brimming with ingredients. However, nearly everything else can be changed without losing the name.

One recipe for “Ukrainian” borsch that I came across has it containing meat, beetroots, cabbages, carrots, parsnips, onions, garlic, potatoes, tomato paste, vinegar and butter, garnished with sour cream and chopped parsley. The Ukrainian recipe, framed as a separate iteration of the standardised version, is supposedly the most well-known today. 

UNESCO put out this narrative: “Whether as part of a wedding meal, the focus of food-related competitions or as a driver of tourism, borsch is considered part of the fabric of Ukrainian society, cultural heritage, identity and tradition”. 

But they pointed out that the UN body’s designation “does not imply exclusivity, nor ownership, of the heritage concerned”. 

Of course, they were aware they had to tread carefully in their description of Ukrainian borsch as a national take on a dish that is consumed in a spread of countries such as Belarus, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania and Russia. 

Even so, the decision to add Ukrainian borsch to a list that includes Neapolitan pizza-slinging and Georgian winemaking was swiftly criticized by Moscow, with foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova accusing Kiev of trying to appropriate the soup for one nationality. “This is xenophobia”, she declared. 

The spat over borsch burst into public view in 2019 when Ukrainian chef Ievgen Klopotenko (left) – vexed by the many restaurants around the world that refer to borsch as Russian soup – launched a campaign to have UNESCO recognize Ukraine’s deep links to the dish. 

“I don’t really like to call it a war for borsch, but in fact that’s what it is”, Klopotenko told AFP in 2020. 

UNESCO admitted too they had fast-tracked the application as it became apparent that the displacement being caused by the “war” in Ukraine was “threatening the viability” of the Ukrainian tradition. A poor excuse, if you ask me!

Predictably, news of the UNESCO designation was hailed by the Ukrainian government. “Victory in the borscht war is ours”, Ukraine’s culture minister, Oleksandr Tkachenko (right), trumpeted on Telegram. “Be sure that in both the war for borsch and in this war, we will win”. 

Now we know UNESCO favor Ukraine!

Visit Ukraine 2022

It would seem that even a country at “war” can become a popular destination and attract travellers, especially from Europe and North America! 

Consider Ukraine – although I must clarify that this country is mired in a military conflict with a neighbor, rather than being actually caught in a full-blown war, as Western media would like to portray. If Russia really goes to war, would VIPs ("Very Idiotic Persons") dare to step foot into a country where death and destruction is all around? 

Indeed, the country is luring those who want to be seen to "stand with Ukraine" and in the process, bask in the media limelight. This explains why an endless stream of visitors can’t wait to turn up there and I can tell you, thus far, the guest line-up is pretty impressive! 

In March, Ukraine hosted Czechia’s prime minister Petr Fiala, together with Slovenian prime minister Janez Jansa, and Polish prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki and his deputy Jaroslaw Kaczynski. 

In April, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, European Council President Charles Michel, and European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen were all in Ukraine at one time or another. So too, Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer, Romanian prime minister Nicolae Ciucă, Bulgarian prime minister Kiril Petkov, Swiss leader of the House of Representatives Irène Kälin and fellow parliamentarians, Lithuanian prime minister Ingrida Šimonytė, UK prime minister Boris Johnson, and Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen along with her Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez. Not forgetting, from the US, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. 

In May, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, his deputy Chrystia Freeland and foreign minister Mélanie Joly paid Ukraine a visit. So too, the foreign ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Eva-Maria Liimets, Edgars Rinkēvičs and Gabrielius Landsbergis respectively. And from the US, came House speaker Nancy Pelosi, and a posse of Democratic Reps, Gregory Meeks of New York, Jason Crow of Colorado, Jim McGovern and Bill Keating of Massachusetts, and Adam Schiff and Barbara Lee of California. Also, actor and United Nations special envoy Angelina Jolie and even first lady Jill Biden. Not to mention Irish singer-songwriter of U2 band, Bono.

I don’t think the above listing is exhaustive – but you get my drift! 

Ukraine is most certainly, 2022’s No. 1 travel destination!

181 Million Cases and A Covid Blow to Israel

The world’s Covid caseload is now 181 million. 

Romania is the latest country to have reached one million cases – a total of twenty-eight countries are all in the same boat. 

And Mongolia is country #97 to have joined the C100K grouping. 

Of course, these days, Malaysians are not likely to raise their eyebrows that the country climbed another rung – and we’re now #36 among countries with the highest number of Covid-19 infections. We are not in a good shape and yes, it can still get worse! 

Yesterday, the Israeli health ministry re-imposed a requirement for masks to be worn in enclosed public places following a surge in Covid cases since it was dropped eleven days ago. 

The spike in new infections is a blow for a country which has prided itself on one of the world’s most successful vaccine rollouts. 

The head of Israel’s pandemic response taskforce, Nachman Ash (left), told public radio the requirement came after four days of more than 100 new cases a day, with 227 cases confirmed Thursday. 

FYI, some Israeli quarters have claimed the country has already achieved herd immunity after it vaccinated roughly 80 percent of its adult population. Note: Children aged 12-15 are just starting to receive jabs. 

Dr. Eyal Zimlichman, deputy director general at Sheba Medical Center, Israel's largest hospital said that at least 70% of Israeli citizens now have immunity to the virus, either through vaccines or natural infection – the latter from the 830,000 people who have tested positive for the virus in the past and which should give them some natural immunity. 

However, Dr Sarah Pitt (left), a virologist at UK’s University of Brighton, urged "extreme caution" in concluding that herd immunity had been reached – something she believes will be difficult even at high vaccination rates.  

I shall repeat, vaccines are not magic bullets.

Covid-19 May Never Go Away

The coronavirus "may never go away"! 

WHO emergencies director Dr. Mike Ryan (left) on Wednesday cautioned against trying to predict when the virus would disappear. 

He said even if a vaccine is found, controlling the virus will require a "massive effort". 

He noted that there are other diseases, such as measles, that still haven't been eliminated despite their being vaccines for them. And Covid-19 may become embedded in populations in the same way that HIV has.

WHO epidemiologist Dr. Maria van Kerkhove (left) added: "We need to get into the mindset that it is going to take some time to come out of this pandemic".

Yesterday, Russia registered 10,028 coronavirus infections, the tenth consecutive day that number has been above 10,000 cases. 

With the tally at 242,271, the country is a virus hotspot – the third highest in the world after the US and Spain.

On Wednesday too, Malaysia’s next door neighbour is not faring too well. The number of Covid-19 cases in Singapore has exceeded 25,000; the only consolation is that the death toll remains low.

The last country in Africa left unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic, Lesotho, announced its first case, AFP reported. The patient is a Lesotho national studying in Saudi Arabia who had only just returned to the country. 

Meanwhile, Canada’s death toll surpassed 5,000.

And on Tuesday, both Romania and Indonesia saw their fatalities surged past 1,000.

Donald Trump's Deadly Covid-19 Treatments

Donald Trump (left) had previously hyped a malaria medication, hydroxychloroquin – despite a lack of clinical evidence it helps treat Covid-19 and concerns it can even be detrimental. 

He has since remained silent on the drug. 

But on Thursday, Trump hypothesized about the possibility of using a "tremendous ultraviolet" or "just very powerful light" on or even inside the body as a potential treatment. 

Then in quick succession, he made a second suggestion. "And then I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in a minute. One minute", Trump said. "And is there a way we can do something like that, by injection inside or almost a cleaning?” 

He continued: "Because you see it gets in the lungs and does a tremendous number on them, so it'd be interesting to check that". 

On Friday, Trump told journalists: "I was asking a question sarcastically to reporters like you just to see what would happen". A bare-faced lie if you watch the video.

Whatever, the US president's comments have created a groundswell of social media chatter – and even caused well-known cleaning brands to trend on social media. 

But doctors have warned that the president's suggestion(s) could bring fatal results. 

There must have been serious concern about Trump’s remarks because Reckitt Benckiser, which own brands including Dettol, Lysol and Cillit Bang, issued a strong warning – also on Friday – not to use their products on the body.

The disinfectant producer said "under no circumstance" should their products be injected or ingested. 

"Our disinfectant and hygiene products should only be used as intended and in line with usage guidelines. Please read the label and safety information", the company said in a statement. 

Meanwhile, Dr. Donna Farber (left), an immunologist at Columbia University, told the BBC that Trump's proposition of using ultraviolet (UV) light were "not practical". 

"UV doesn't really penetrate very far", she said. "So even if you were to put it inside or outside, it's not going to even get to the lung... we just get a suntan or sunburn, and it causes DNA damage". 

She also added that any radiation that would penetrate deeply enough "would cause so much damage that you're better off with coronavirus". 

Donald Trump, the coronavirus quack.

The US has by far the highest death toll and case count in the world. 

Already, the country's virus death toll surpassed 50,000 on Friday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, in what is the world's deadliest Covid-19 outbreak. 

The Top 7 Countries by Coronavirus Deaths:

Info add-ons: On Wednesday, Austria and Romania recorded 510 and 524 deaths respectively and the day after, the latter reported 10,096 new cases. On Thursday, Turkey reached 101,790 cases and yesterday, Brazil documented 52,995 new cases.