Latest news with #GreatLakes
Zawya
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Zawya
Trump plan near success as Congo, Rwanda initial peace deal
The negotiating teams from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda have initialled the text of a prospective peace agreement between the two countries, signalling the success of the US-led mediation in ending their long-standing tensions. The teams approved the text in the presence of US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker and will now await the ministerial signing of the peace agreement on June 27, 2025, in the presence of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the US State Department announced on Wednesday. Initialling a document signals that discussions are complete and that both parties are satisfied with the provisions in the text. However, this does not constitute a commitment to implementation until the formal signing by senior diplomats designated by the respective countries. One key area on which the two sides have agreed is the conditional reintegration of non-state armed groups, returning to a solution that Congo has tried before but which has previously collapsed due to mistrust. Rwanda and the DRC have blamed each other over the past decade for fuelling rebellion targeting their respective administrations. President Felix Tshisekedi has accused Rwanda of supporting the M23 rebel group, which has now seized large swathes of territory in eastern Congo. But, Kigali denies the allegations and also blames Kinshasa for shielding the FDLR, the remnants of the perpetrators of the 1994 Rwandan genocide. From the outset, the peace deal is predicated on the premise that both sides will eject foreign fighters and cease backing rebels targeting each other. However, it is unclear whether the steps to end the conflict will differ from previous attempts, such as the initial integration of the M23 into the army, which ultimately failed. They accused the government of marginalisation. Washington dealThe Washington deal was drafted during three days of constructive dialogue on political, security and economic interests. The initialling towers earlier suspicions that some sides were leaking documents to the public, which saw Rwanda initially threaten not to sign. It also includes the establishment of a joint security coordination mechanism incorporating the Conops (concept of operations) of 31 October 2024, and the facilitation of the return of refugees and internally displaced persons, as well as ensuring humanitarian access. There is also a framework for regional economic integration. This information was also disclosed by Tina Salama, spokesperson for President Tshisekedi. Representatives from Qatar were also involved in the discussions, and their efforts have successfully led to the peace process between the M23 rebels and the DRC government. Qatar's presence at the discussions between Rwanda and the DRC was intended to ensure that the two countries' initiatives aimed at promoting dialogue and peace in the region were complementary and aligned. Tensions have been further exacerbated by the presence of former President Joseph Kabila in Goma, with the Kinshasa authorities seeking his arraignment for alleged treason. © Copyright 2022 Nation Media Group. All Rights Reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
The Independent
a day ago
- Health
- The Independent
Why Americans who live near coastlines and lakefronts may face heightened ALS risk
If you live near bodies of water frequently impacted by harmful algal blooms, you may be at an increased risk of dying from ALS, new research reveals. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the debilitating neurodegenerative disease commonly known as 'Lou Gehrig's Disease,' is influenced by genetics and environmental factors. It dramatically slashes the patient's life expectancy, with people typically passing away within two to five years of diagnosis. Some 5,000 are diagnosed with ALS each year in the U.S. Now, researchers at the University of Michigan Medicine say toxins produced by algal blooms in lakes and along American coasts could influence disease progression. 'While there is still limited research into the mechanism by which cyanobacteria toxins affect neurodegenerative diseases, our findings suggest that living near or participating in activities in these water bodies may influence the progression of ALS,' Dr. Stephen Goutman, the school's Harriet Hiller research professor, director of the Pranger ALS Clinic, and associate director of the ALS Center of Excellence, said in a statement. Goutman is the senior author of the study which was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Specifically, the researchers have found a toxin produced by the bloom cyanobacteria in brain and spinal fluid cerebral spinal fluid samples of people with ALS. It's known as ß-methylamino-L-alanine. Increasingly driven by human-caused climate change and nutrient pollution, the blooms are caused when cyanobacteria grows dense and out of control. Cyanobacteria produce several toxic agents that are linked neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. They surveyed participants who were seen at the University of Michigan Pranger ALS Clinic, many of whom lived within three miles of a harmful algal bloom. They measured the duration and extent of their exposure using satellite data from the Cyanobacteria Assessment Network and their residential and health histories. Ultimately, they found that living near blooms -- especially if swimming or boating -- was associated with dying of ALS nearly one year sooner. The people with the most significant exposures both lived near harmful blooms and used a private well as their water source. People in the Midwest may be particularly threatened partially due to pervasive industrial and agricultural productions in the region. Michigan's Lake Erie is frequently impacted by these blooms. 'If exposure to cyanobacteria toxins is a meaningful risk factor for ALS, the large number of inland lakes from to such bacteria in the Midwest may partly explain why the disease incidence is much higher than other parts of the country,' Dr. Stuart Batterman, first author and professor of environmental health sciences at the university's School of Public Health, said.
CBS News
a day ago
- Climate
- CBS News
What to know about the Fraser tornado and why it moved so fast
Wednesday's tornado in Macomb County, Michigan, resulted in a tornado warning, but it was in a location not covered by an existing National Weather Service tornado watch. The CBS Detroit NEXT Weather team has seen spin-up tornadoes in Michigan in the past, and said that's what happened Wednesday. The tornado warning that was issued June 18, 2025, in Macomb County, Michigan. National Weather Service "Not uncommon, but unpleasant, and very, very fast," said CBS News Detroit chief meteorologist Ahmad Bajjey about spin-ups. As the tornado threat moved into the Great Lakes region Wednesday, the National Weather Service placed some counties in Southwest Michigan under a tornado watch. The next watch announcement issued in Michigan was for severe thunderstorms. But before the Metro Detroit area officially was placed in that severe thunderstorm watch, a tornado warning was issued for part of Macomb County at 1:12 p.m. While the National Weather Service said in its notice that the warning was "radar indicated," videos shared by witnesses helped confirm that indeed a tornado had formed. It was Michigan's 29th tornado of the year. This particular funnel wasn't associated with the main line of storms that was still yet to arrive in Southeast Michigan, Bajjey said. "What happened is a warm front was lifting north and baking us," he said. "In an environment like yesterday, any individual cells that kick off can turn tornadic along a warm front very quickly. It was a risk, and ended up happening." The National Weather Service in Detroit is working on surveys to determine how strong the tornado was and confirm its path. In another example from Southeast Michigan, a spin-up tornado later rated at an EF-1 struck in Livonia on June 5, 2024. A 3-year-old boy was killed and his mother critically injured when a tree fell on their home from that storm. As CBS Detroit meteorologist Karen Carter explained at the time, "This particular tornado was a spin-up tornado. It is difficult to forecast and to warn due to its sudden spin-up feature. Most tornadoes form within supercells, where one can see the development of a possible tornado and give better warning. This particular spin-up tornado was shown for only one swipe of the radar."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Weather pattern flips hit Canada's summer for July and August
Summer weather has been sporadic so far across Canada. Parts of the country have already experienced record heat, drought, devastating wildfires and widespread smoke. Meanwhile, other areas are still waiting for consistent warm weather. However, mid-June has featured a dramatic pattern reversal. Much cooler spring-like conditions have returned to areas that have already endured record breaking heat. Meanwhile the areas that have been waiting for warmth are seeing a sudden flip to mid-summer-like heat. Will summer continue to play hide and seek, with dramatic but temporary appearances or will we finally settle into a more consistent pattern? Please read on for an update on what we expect during the months of July and August across Canada. RELATED: The official first day of summer is Friday June 20th. However, the first week of summer will be a tale of two seasons across Canada. The graphic below shows the temperature anomalies that we expect for the first official week of summer. The various shades of blue highlight cooler than normal temperatures, which will be widespread from southern B.C. to Labrador. This region will feel more like spring for several days with single-digit high temperatures for parts of the Prairies this weekend and substantial snow for alpine regions in the Rockies. However, across northwestern Canada and from the Great Lakes to the Maritimes, hot weather will dominate during the first week of summer. This will include a couple of days of record-breaking heat and humidity across southern and northeastern Ontario and southern Quebec. However, this pattern will be temporary. During the final days of June and the first week of July, we expect that the focus of heat will slowly shift back to western Canada, while Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada will trend cooler—closer to seasonal. While the weather will still be changeable at times, we expect that this will become the dominant pattern for most of July and August and even into the first half of September. So, despite the chilly start to the season, we still expect a very hot summer across the Prairies and the interior of B.C. From Ontario to Atlantic Canada, temperatures will be more changeable, with some hot days, but there will be periods of cooler weather as well. We certainly can't rule out another heat wave later in the summer, but we do not expect consistent heat during July. Daytime temperatures are expected to balance out to near normal, but warmer nights (due to higher than normal humidity) will cause parts of the region to tip warmer than normal overall. The more changeable conditions across eastern Canada will also be associated with a more frequent threat of showers and thunderstorms, which should result in near-normal or above-normal precipitation totals for most of the region. While western Canada is seeing much-needed (and even excessive) rain during June, we expect that a much drier pattern will return for July and August. Keep in mind that below-normal precipitation does not mean that there won't be any rain or storms. Thunderstorms with localized torrential rain will still occur, but the storms will be less frequent and less widespread than what we typically see during summer. Unfortunately, below-normal rain totals in combination with warmer-than-normal temperatures can have a negative impact on agriculture and result in an increasing wildfire danger. And, as we have already seen this year, smoke from wildfires can spread across most of Canada and impact places that are experiencing a much cooler and wetter summer. Click here to view the video
New York Times
3 days ago
- Climate
- New York Times
Severe Weather Threatens a Large Part of the Midwest on Wednesday
Much of the central United States, from Texas through Missouri and up into the Great Lakes region, will again be under the threat of severe weather on Wednesday, with the potential for powerful winds, large hail and even a few tornadoes. The risk is highest in an area that includes parts of southern Michigan, northwest Ohio, most of Indiana, Southern Illinois and southern Missouri. There's a chance for more isolated severe storms in the Southern Plains. An area along the East Coast from Washington to just south of New York could also see heavy rain and strong thunderstorms. 'The biggest threat for the entire risk area is damaging winds of up to 60 to 70 miles per hour,' said Andrew Lyons, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center. Winds of this speed can knock over trees. Severe weather has persisted across the region all week, but the storms on Wednesday were likely to be less organized and more scattered than those that had been forecast on Tuesday, Mr. Lyons said. Strong thunderstorms bringing a range of threats are typical across the central and eastern United States for this time of year. Flash flooding in San Antonio last week left at least 13 people dead, and a toddler and at least five other people were killed in West Virginia last weekend. The area at risk for tornadoes on Wednesday includes Chicago, but the threat is most likely away from the city and east of Lake Michigan, Mr. Lyons said. St. Louis, which experienced a deadly tornado outbreak last month, is also under some risk, but the conditions are expected to be different and far less severe than what they were then, he said. The storms will also bring a chance of heavy rain that could lead to flash flooding to portions of the South and Midwest, especially a large section of Michigan. On Thursday, the threat of thunderstorms is expected to lessen overall but will shift east into the Mid-Atlantic States and southern New England. How to prepare Flash flooding can be deadly. Here's what to do. What to do when there's a tornado warning. What to pack in a bag and grab at a moment's notice.
