Latest news with #Herbst
DW
a day ago
- Business
- DW
Germany slashes development aid to boost defense spending – DW – 06/30/2025
Germany is ramping up defense spending — while cutting funds for development cooperation. Aid organizations warn of the consequences for millions of people in a world beset by wars and crises. Germany's draft federal budget for 2025 includes sweeping cuts. The Economic Cooperation and Development Ministry (BMZ) is set to receive €10.3 billion ($12.1 billion) — nearly €1 billion less than in 2024. It's the second consecutive year that the budget has been reduced. A glance back at 2022 underscores the scale of the decline: At that time, Germany was still spending €13.8 billion on development aid. Michael Herbst, chair of the umbrella organization VENRO, which represents about 140 development NGOs in Germany, illustrated the human cost of these dramatic cuts amid growing global conflict. "More than 100 million people are displaced," Herbst said. "At the same time, more and more donor countries are pulling back." That's why, he said, Germany needs to ensure stable funding for development cooperation and humanitarian aid. But the opposite is occurring. Germany's cuts come at a time when US President Donald Trump, early in his second term, has also initiated deep reductions in development aid, reportedly slashing about 80% of funding. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed at its recent summit on June 25, 2025, that each NATO member state should spend 5% of its gross domestic product on defense annually. Against this backdrop, the global decline in development aid stands out all the more. The consequences are already becoming clear, especially in the field of humanitarian assistance. The United States has completely withdrawn its support for the UN-administered relief fund. Faced with sweeping international cutbacks, emergency aid coordinator Tom Fletcher says he is being forced to shut down numerous programs for the world's poorest. Weeks ago, Fletcher warned that the impact on people in need and suffering from hunger would be devastating. Instead of the originally projected $44 billion, Fletcher now expects just $29 billion to be available for distributing food, water, medicine, shelter, and other essential aid. Fletcher said the reduced funding would enable 114 million people to be reached — down from the 180 million originally planned. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Because of the sharp reduction in the BMZ budget, Germany's official development assistance ratio fell below its self-imposed goal of 0.7% of gross national income in 2024. It had consistently remained above that threshold since 2020. Humanitarian emergency aid is being slashed by 53%, to about €1 billion. VENRO chair, Herbst, says the move is short-sighted: "As the world's third-largest economy, Germany can and must take responsibility here. It cannot continue cutting budgets in these areas." However, his push for a reversal was unsuccessful. As an export-driven nation, Germany depends on strong international ties and global stability. "The German economy benefits from a solid reputation and reliable relationships in countries of the Global South. That helps secure jobs here at home, as well," Herbst points out. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The NGOs Welthungerhilfe and Terre des Hommes give the federal government a poor overall assessment. However, the coalition agreement between the governing center-right Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and center-left Social Democratic Party describes the cuts to development and humanitarian aid as "appropriate." In response, the aid organizations counter: "That contradicts the government's own stated goal of ensuring sustainable humanitarian funding — especially at a time when other donor countries are pulling out." All the same, Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan, a Social Democrat, said Germany remained committed to its global responsibilities — "despite painful budgetary constraints on development spending imposed by the coalition agreement."While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.
DW
2 days ago
- Business
- DW
To prioritize defense, Germany to cut development aid – DW – 06/30/2025
Germany is ramping up defense spending — while cutting funds for development cooperation. Aid organizations warn of the consequences for millions of people in a world beset by wars and crises. Germany's draft federal budget for 2025 includes sweeping cuts. The Economic Cooperation and Development Ministry (BMZ) is set to receive €10.3 billion ($12.1 billion) — nearly a €1 billion less than in 2024. It's the second consecutive year that the budget has been reduced. A glance back at 2022 underscores the scale of the decline: At that time, Germany was still spending €13.8 billion on development aid. Michael Herbst, chair of the umbrella organization VENRO, which represents about 140 development NGOs in Germany, illustrated the human cost of these dramatic cuts amid growing global conflict. "More than 100 million people are displaced," Herbst said. "At the same time, more and more donor countries are pulling back." That's why, he said, Germany needs to ensure stable funding for development cooperation and humanitarian aid. But the opposite is occurring. Germany's cuts come at a time when US President Donald Trump, early in his second term, has also initiated deep reductions in development aid, reportedly slashing about 80% of funding. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The North Atlantic Treaty Organization agreed at its recent summit on June 25, 2025, that each NATO member state should spend 5% of its gross domestic product on defense annually. Against this backdrop, the global decline in development aid stands out all the more. The consequences are already becoming clear, especially in the field of humanitarian assistance. The United States has completely withdrawn its support for the UN-administered relief fund. Faced with sweeping international cutbacks, emergency aid coordinator Tom Fletcher says he is being forced to shut down numerous programs for the world's poorest. Weeks ago, Fletcher warned that the impact on people in need and suffering from hunger would be devastating. Instead of the originally projected $44 billion, Fletcher now expects just $29 billion to be available for distributing food, water, medicine, shelter, and other essential aid. Fletcher said the reduced funding would enable 114 million people to be reached — down from the 180 million originally planned. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Because of the sharp reduction in the BMZ budget, Germany's official development assistance ratio fell below its self-imposed goal of 0.7% of gross national income in 2024. It had consistently remained above that threshold since 2020. Humanitarian emergency aid is being slashed by 53%, to about €1 billion. VENRO chair, Herbst, says the move is short-sighted: "As the world's third-largest economy, Germany can and must take responsibility here. It cannot continue cutting budgets in these areas." However, his push for a reversal was unsuccessful. As an export-driven nation, Germany depends on strong international ties and global stability. "The German economy benefits from a solid reputation and reliable relationships in countries of the Global South. That helps secure jobs here at home, as well," Herbst points out. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The NGOs Welthungerhilfe and Terre des Hommes give the federal government a poor overall assessment. However, the coalition agreement between the governing center-right Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union (CDU/CSU) and center-left Social Democratic Party describes the cuts to development and humanitarian aid as "appropriate." In response, the aid organizations counter: "That contradicts the government's own stated goal of ensuring sustainable humanitarian funding — especially at a time when other donor countries are pulling out." All the same, Development Minister Reem Alabali Radovan, a Social Democrat, said Germany remained committed to its global responsibilities — "despite painful budgetary constraints on development spending imposed by the coalition agreement."While you're here: Every Tuesday, DW editors round up what is happening in German politics and society. You can sign up here for the weekly email newsletter, Berlin Briefing.
Scroll.in
08-06-2025
- Science
- Scroll.in
The enigmatic wild ancestors of domestic tabbies
The Afro-Asiatic wildcat (Felis lybica) is the world's most widely distributed wildcat, but experts and information on the species are scarce. The species' range is immense, stretching across most of Africa, Southwest and Central Asia, India, China and Mongolia. But Arash Ghoddousi, lead author for F lybica 's 2022 IUCN species conservation assessment, says the study team found 'few people [who] knew anything about the cats'. That seeming lack of human curiosity is surprising, considering the domestic tabbies we keep as pets and lavish billions of dollars on annually are descended, and still closely related to, the Afro-Asiatic wildcat. One researcher who has shown intense interest is Marna Herbst, now a regional ecologist for South African National Parks. Previous research on F lybica had been based on opportunistic sightings and scat and stomach analysis. Herbst changed that, spending roughly four years and 10-12 hours nightly observing the cats in the harsh unforgiving landscape of the southern Kalahari Desert for her PhD research, published in 2009. She was the first (and remains the only) scientist to conduct such a long-term study on the species documenting its behaviors and population genetics. Searching for the wildcat Herbst carried out her study in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, a known African wildcat habitat straddling the borders of South Africa and Botswana. The small wildcats there were assumed to be far enough from urban areas to still be genetically pure, not having interbred with domestic cats (deemed one of the wild species' greatest risks). Sighting the little wildcats relatively often, Herbst hoped they would also be relatively easy to catch, collar and track. They weren't. Twenty years later, she recalls the challenges. The small cats are shy and elusive, taking cover in fox or aardvark holes and under tree roots; on farms, they hide amid tall, dense corn stalks. Adding to her difficulties, the cat is nocturnal and practically impossible to study in its habitat without aid of radio telemetry. To accomplish that, they must first be caught. Herbst recalls that in trying, she captured lots of other stuff. Jackals in particular were attracted to the chicken-baited cage traps. But over time, she succeeded in catching and collaring numbers of the elusive cats. Another hazard of low-budget research on a noncharismatic species: Herbst's hand-me-down 4×4 vehicle, in which she spent countless hours alone rumbling in the dark over roadless terrain, took a terrible beating. But those nights rewarded her with sights few ever see, encountering the park's big cats, including the famed black-maned lion (Panthera leo leo), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and leopard (P pardus). Once in the dark, while sipping coffee inside her 4×4, she was startled by a full-grown hyena that nonchalantly sniffed the side-view mirror. They're 'much bigger than you think', she says. Over time, Herbst came to know the Afro-Asiatic wildcat as 'a really special little species that plays a vital role in ecosystems'. Small cat, big adaptability You could be forgiven for mistaking an Afro-Asiatic wildcat for a family pet. They're the size of a large domestic cat (F catus), but with longer legs. Their coloration varies by region from reddish, sandy and tawny brown, to greyish. They sport faint tabby stripes or spots, more pronounced in humid areas, and paler and darker in drier climes. Their tails are slim and tapered with a dark tip. A distinguishing feature, Herbst says, is the pinkish-orange tint of their ears. Afro-Asiatic wildcats are highly adaptable to landscape (especially bush and steppe), season and prey availability. They prefer hunting small rodents but dabble in reptiles and invertebrates. Herbst recalls male cats taking down spring hares roughly the same size as they were. Cats with waterholes in their territories became bird-hunting specialists. One female was great at hunting sandgrouse as they came to drink. The stomach of an Afro-Asiatic wildcat from Oman contained beetles, grasshoppers, lizards, mammal fur and a date pit. The species is mostly solitary and roams widely. In the United Arab Emirates, a collared cat had a larger home range (52.7 square kilometers or 20.3 square miles), far larger than that reported in the more optimal habitat (around 3.5 km² or 1.4 mi²) of the Kalahari, where food and water are relatively easy at hand. Ghoddousi says the wildcat's remarkable adaptability to various habitats, tolerance of different elevations and climates, plus its capacity to coexist with larger predators make it very special – allowing it to spread over two continents. Because they're so widely distributed, with incidental sightings reported from many locations, the species is considered relatively stable and 'of least concern'. But Ghoddousi warns this might not reflect the species' true state in the wild. Due to lack of research, and therefore lack of data, the real-world trend for far-flung Afro-Asiatic wildcat populations remains unknown. Ghoddousi says the big risk is that, as global change escalates, the species could slip away before science notices and conservationists can take action. Ranging over such a wide area, the Afro-Asiatic wildcat goes by many regional names. It's the African wildcat to some, the Asiatic wildcat to others, and the Indian desert cat to still others. Scientifically, the Afro-Asiatic wildcat is divided into three evolutionarily similar subspecies. The first, F lybica lybica, occurs in Eastern, Western and Northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The second, F lybica cafra (the topic of Herbst's PhD), occurs in Southern Africa. The third, F lybica ornata, is found in Southwestern and Central Asia, Pakistan, India, Mongolia and China. The precise boundaries of subspecies' ranges are unclear. Until 2017, these three subspecies were lumped together with the European wildcat and considered subspecies of F silvestris. But further investigation demanded a split: Now, populations that roam from the steppes and bush of Africa and Asia are classified as F lybica, while the European wildcat is classified as a separate species (with its bushy tail and more distinctive coat markings, F silvestris occurs in fragmented populations across Europe, Turkey and the Caucasus. These geographically separated cat populations mixed things up genetically at various points in time, due to natural changes or, sometimes, thanks to people. Thousands of years ago, this long-term and complex intermingling process birthed the first domestic cat. Domestication Paleogeneticist Claudio Ottoni wouldn't describe himself as a cat person, and his work takes place far from the wild. But under his microscope, the ancient lives and movements of the Afro-Asiatic wildcat come to life, revealing hints to the tantalising mystery as to how it long ago threw in its lot with humanity to evolve into today's domestic cat species. Paleogeneticists, it turns out, find the small wildcat just as elusive as field biologists. Compared with other domesticated animals, hypotheses about early cat domestication remain grounded in scant evidence and open questions. Ancient cat bones are scarce, and distinguishing differences between wild and domestic skeletal features is challenging. But Ottoni has been a dogged researcher, puzzling for years over perplexing data, embracing and developing a hypothesis, then revising the shape of that hypothesis as new technology and data become available to move toward a more robust theory. An early theory, published in 2017, was that farmers in southwest Africa had domesticated cats and brought them to Cyprus in the early Neolithic period (at least 7,000 years ago) to control rats and mice that damaged stored grain. This origin story was based on clues found in the DNA of 352 long-dead felids. Researchers analysed maternally inherited mitochondrial DNA in bits of cat bone and teeth, as well as skin and hair samples found at archaeological sites. The oldest samples included a complete cat skeleton, dated to roughly 7500 BCE, found buried with a man on Cyprus, suggesting the hypothesis that domestication started here. Other samples included six skeletons, dating to around 3700 BCE, found in an elite Predynastic Egyptian cemetery. Still other examples were found in archaeological digs at the Roman-Egyptian port of Berenike on the Red Sea. Ottoni also compared the ancient cat DNA samples with modern wildcat samples from Bulgaria and Eastern Africa. Together, the DNA seemed to indicate that the domestic cat's worldwide conquest began in the Fertile Crescent (perhaps on Cyprus some 7,000 years ago), then gained momentum during Classical Antiquity about 2,500 years ago, when the Egyptian cat successfully spread throughout the Old World along land and sea trade routes. This analysis seemed to confirm that while the Afro-Asiatic wildcat was the ultimate source of the domesticated cat, its evolution and spread wasn't simple: Though the North African/Southwest Asian F lybica was a source, both the Near Eastern and Egyptian F lybica populations also contributed to the domestic cat's gene pool at several points in history. New tech, better theory Since 2017, new technology and more data have modified, added detail and complicated this storyline. While earlier work relied on mitochondrial DNA analysis, researchers were able to analyse nuclear DNA for an updated theory in 2025. This higher-resolution analysis reveals the full genetic code of individual cat specimens, including not only the maternal, but also the paternal inherited DNA. It provides 'the actual ancestry,' Ottoni says. And this new data punched an unexpected hole in the previous theory of cat domestication. For one, domestication happened thousands of years later than thought, and then was probably not due to African farmers who traveled to Cyprus. 'Evolutionarily speaking, it's a very peculiar case,' Ottoni says of the discordance between the 2017 and 2025 DNA findings. The new data showed what scientists call 'mitonuclear discordance,' where analyses using mitochondrial DNA markers yield different conclusions than those using nuclear DNA markers. Surprisingly, samples that the researchers thought were F. lybica turned out to be those of the European wildcat. So, while wildcats were indeed taken to Cyprus, Ottoni explains, this might have been an isolated attempt of Neoolithic people to domesticate European wildcats, rather than wildcats brought from Africa. The evidence now suggests that European wildcat and African wildcat distribution probably overlapped in the past, perhaps due to climatic shifts or other natural causes. Because both species are interfertile, they sporadically bred, leading to a mixed population living in Turkey. According to the updated theory, domestic cats with a lybica genome only appeared in Europe about 2000 years ago, during Classical Antiquity, Ottoni says, but then adds, 'We can't say precisely when the domestication process that led to the cat dispersal started.' Perhaps, and more likely, domesticated cats did come first from Egypt, where cats were buried in the Hierakonpolis (the ancient Egyptian royal residence). But whatever the exact origin story, we do know that 'in evolutionary terms, [the domestic cat is] one of the most successful mammal species in the world,' Ottoni says. Domestic cats today are found on every continent except Antarctica. (They were introduced to sub-Antarctic Marion Island in 1949 to control mice, but were later eradicated due to negative impacts on native birds.) Researchers have also learned that the close genetic kinship shared by domesticated and wild felids species really matters: The widespread prevalence of F catus, and its capacity to interbreed with F lybica, is among the most serious threats to the Afro-Asiatic wildcat's survival. Big challenges Hybridisation with domestic cats is widespread across the Afro-Asiatic wildcat's range, though some studies, including Herbst's work, have shown that wildcat populations in South Africa at least, especially in protected areas, appear to remain genetically pure. However, according to the 2022 IUCN species assessment, there's insufficient information on the level of hybridisation with domestic cats in other parts of the range, and therefore, this threat should not be underestimated or ignored. As such, Herbst points to responsible pet ownership as key to Afro-Asiatic wildcat survival. That includes spaying by pet owners of their domestic cats that aren't being bred, and also community spaying of feral cats (especially in urban areas bordering protected areas where wildcats live). Education is important, too, she notes. Though spaying is an important conservation measure, spayed domestic cats can still seriously impact wildcat food sources. The IUCN assessment points out that feral domestic cats compete with wildcats for prey and space, and there is also a high potential for disease transmission between them. Other threats include the risk of roadkill and poisoning and conflicts with farmers and local people due to attacks on poultry by wildcats leading to retaliatory killings. Another serious threat, Ghoddousi says, is lack of information, causing scientists to underestimate the risk a species faces. Unfortunately, that is always the case when you don't have enough data, he says. You can't make a meaningful judgment about a species status if you simply do not know.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Russia severely limited after attack: Ex-Ukraine ambassador
(NewsNation) — Peace talks between Ukraine and Russia are taking place in Turkey following a series of surprise attacks by Ukraine over the weekend. Ukraine says the drone attacks reportedly disabled 40 bombers, or a third of Russia's bomber fleet, though Russia disputes those claims and says only a few of its planes were hit. 'This means Russia's ability to strike into Ukraine will be severely limited,' John Herbst, former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, said. 'It's also good news to the United States, because those long-range bombers are nuclear weapons-capable.' Herbst said if Ukraine's estimates are correct, then it's a plus for American nuclear security. He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin believes time is on his side in the three-year conflict and that he will be able to gain control over Ukraine and later other surrounding NATO nations if western support for Ukraine stops over time. Michael Cohen: Trump will 'go after Elon's money next' 'This is Putin's game, and sadly, weak Western leadership has proved him right with his war on Georgia in 2008, his seizure of Crimea in 2014 and the not-quite adequate Western response to the big invasion in 2022,' Herbst said. 'So he's hoping Trump's going to stop American military supplies to Ukraine. I think that may be a bad bet to Putin.' Herbst said the war is a life-or-death matter for Ukraine, and just as Israel also does not notify the U.S. of major military initiatives it takes, Ukraine is doing the same thing to protect itself. He added Russia realizes a major blow has been dealt to it, but it is downplaying the impact of the strike. 'It undermines the narrative that Russia will inevitably win this war,' Herbst said. 'If American military supplies continue to Ukraine, or they have support from other European nations, Ukraine will not lose this war. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Citizen
16-05-2025
- The Citizen
Two KZN South Coast towns ranked as ‘safest'
Here's some positive news for a change. Margate and Port Shepstone have been ranked as two of the five safest towns in KwaZulu-Natal. This is according to an article published by the Newcastillian News. The article's research ranks Margate in third place. Number one is Ballito, followed by Amanzimtoti in second place. Margate's key crime problems are burglary and minor assault. The reason it is safe is due to the town being popular with retirees and tourists, well-policed, economically stable, and socially cohesive. Port Shepstone comes in at fourth position, with key crime problems being burglary and petty theft. The town is safe due to it being an administrative hub with strong law enforcement presence and diversified local economy. Number five is Durban's charming seaside village, Salt Rock. Stephen Herbst of Tidy Towns Shelly to Margate said this great news doesn't come as a surprise as Margate is the Eiffel Tower of the KZN South Coast, and is the original destination for holidaymakers. Herbst said the emphasis has been on dealing with petty crime and enforcement of bylaws, and this all goes hand-in-hand. 'If you take care of the petty crime, the serious crime takes care of itself. Reg Horne has been instrumental in that kind of philosophy.' He said the South Coast deserves this, and a huge pat on the back to every individual involved from the Community Police Forum, security companies, Margate Saps and Ray Nkonyeni Municipality's Law Enforcement team. ***CLICK HERE TO SIGN***: Petition To Fix Margate Beach 'This shows the unity that has been formed among the private and public security sectors in Margate,' he said. Herbst believes the coast is poised for greatness and huge investment in the future. To add to all the 'feel good vibes', Herbst added there are plans to fix the paving at the beachfront. This particular area (outside the Wimpy) was badly damaged from the last flood. *The Newcastillian News team used the Saps' third-quarter crime statistics for 2024/2025, alongside insights from Stats SA, private security firm Secura, and expat platform Expatica to formulate the report. HAVE YOUR SAY Like the South Coast Herald's Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and Instagram At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
