Latest news with #JamesRobinson
Rhyl Journal
2 days ago
- General
- Rhyl Journal
RSPB warns hen harriers killed or missing is at new high
Hen harriers are known for their acrobatic 'skydancing' courtship display over the uplands, such as Forest of Bowland in Lancashire and the Yorkshire Dales. Categorised as red-listed in terms of conservation concern, they are considered to be at high risk of extinction. Between 2020 and 2024, there were 102 incidents of killing or missing birds recorded, according to a report from the RSPB released today (June 26). The majority of these incidents occurred on or near grouse moors in northern England, where grouse shooting takes place, it said. The charity is calling on the Government to introduce licensing of grouse shooting in England, as has happened in Scotland, to act as a meaningful deterrent to wildlife crime. The hen harrier is the most intensely persecuted of all the UK's birds of prey. It once preyed on free-range fowl, which gave it its present name. It's a slim, medium-sized bird, with males distinguished by their blue-grey colour above, with a paler underside and black tips to their wings. Females are mainly brown, with a streaked body and wings, and bars on their tails. Over the last 25 years, conservationists rolled out several initiatives to support the endangered species and the population increased between 2016 and 2023. But 2023 became the worst recorded year for persecution with 34 birds confirmed to have been killed or disappeared under suspicious circumstances, according to the RSPB. There was a 43% decline in the number of chicks fledging in 2024 when compared to 2023 figures, the report said. The illegal killing of Hen Harriers has hit a devastating new high. ⚠️ A new RSPB report reveals 102 incidents in just five years - with the majority on, or near, grouse moors. A thread… The number of breeding females recorded in 2024 also dropped from 50 in 2023 to 34 in 2024 – a 32% fall. The charity said the current UK population estimate represents a quarter of the potential population that their ideal habitat can support, and in England, it is less, at about 10%. The RSPB report contains details of hen harriers being shot, their chicks being stamped on, and one bird having its head pulled off while still alive. Despite being legally protected, multiple studies and reports have found that criminal activity is the main factor limiting the species' recovery. Recommended reading: 7 hidden butterflies and moths to spot in No Mow May garden What is the best time of day to mow your lawn? Expert shares tips Alan Titchmarsh's simple tips to get the perfect lawn – from moss to bald patches No one in England has ever been convicted of an offence, the RSPB said, adding that most crimes take place in remote areas. Dr James Robinson, the RSPB's director of operations, said: 'This species will not recover until the criminal activity stops, and for this to happen we need regulation of the grouse-shooting industry, specifically the introduction of a licensing system for shoots in England, so estates proven by the police and Natural England to be linked to raptor persecution would simply lose their licence to operate.' Andrew Gilruth, chief executive of the Moorland Association, disputed the RSPB report, saying the data has been assembled without independent checks and that the allegations 'poison perceptions of gamekeepers'.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- General
- The Herald Scotland
RSPB warns hen harriers killed or missing is at new high
Categorised as red-listed in terms of conservation concern, they are considered to be at high risk of extinction. Between 2020 and 2024, there were 102 incidents of killing or missing birds recorded, according to a report from the RSPB released today (June 26). The majority of these incidents occurred on or near grouse moors in northern England, where grouse shooting takes place, it said. The charity is calling on the Government to introduce licensing of grouse shooting in England, as has happened in Scotland, to act as a meaningful deterrent to wildlife crime. What is a hen harrier? The hen harrier is the most intensely persecuted of all the UK's birds of prey. It once preyed on free-range fowl, which gave it its present name. It's a slim, medium-sized bird, with males distinguished by their blue-grey colour above, with a paler underside and black tips to their wings. Females are mainly brown, with a streaked body and wings, and bars on their tails. How rare is a hen harrier? Over the last 25 years, conservationists rolled out several initiatives to support the endangered species and the population increased between 2016 and 2023. But 2023 became the worst recorded year for persecution with 34 birds confirmed to have been killed or disappeared under suspicious circumstances, according to the RSPB. There was a 43% decline in the number of chicks fledging in 2024 when compared to 2023 figures, the report said. The illegal killing of Hen Harriers has hit a devastating new high. ⚠️ A new RSPB report reveals 102 incidents in just five years - with the majority on, or near, grouse moors. A thread… — RSPB (@Natures_Voice) June 26, 2025 The number of breeding females recorded in 2024 also dropped from 50 in 2023 to 34 in 2024 – a 32% fall. The charity said the current UK population estimate represents a quarter of the potential population that their ideal habitat can support, and in England, it is less, at about 10%. The RSPB report contains details of hen harriers being shot, their chicks being stamped on, and one bird having its head pulled off while still alive. Despite being legally protected, multiple studies and reports have found that criminal activity is the main factor limiting the species' recovery. Recommended reading: No one in England has ever been convicted of an offence, the RSPB said, adding that most crimes take place in remote areas. Dr James Robinson, the RSPB's director of operations, said: 'This species will not recover until the criminal activity stops, and for this to happen we need regulation of the grouse-shooting industry, specifically the introduction of a licensing system for shoots in England, so estates proven by the police and Natural England to be linked to raptor persecution would simply lose their licence to operate.' Andrew Gilruth, chief executive of the Moorland Association, disputed the RSPB report, saying the data has been assembled without independent checks and that the allegations 'poison perceptions of gamekeepers'.
Geek Dad
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Dad
Review-Los Monstruos #2- Mysteries and Mummies
Los Monstruos #2 Writer: James Robinson Artist: Jesus Merino Colorist: K.J. Diaz Letterer: Jim Campbell Cover Artist: Jesus Merino It is 1950 and a mystery is unfolding at Los Monstruos (The Monster′s city), haven for all our nightmares, home and resting place for vampires, werewolves, snake gods and many other forms of nightmarish terror. Werewolf P.I. Perry Cutter is looking for a vamp. Her old boyfriend, a human now almost dead, wants to know her whereabouts before he is gone forever. They lost contact when the partition firmly put monsters on one side of the fence and humans on the other. However, rumor has it that this gal was once the lover of mob boss and casino owner Ramses Ra himself. Ramses Ra agrees to meet with Cutter, only to give him another mission he will not be able to refuse: when the vampire girl left Ramses, she eloped with a particularly important ledger. The vampire gang, the Blood Boy, is also involved to add danger to the mission. The mystery deepens. Also, will the werewolf detective have a date with Rosie, the vampire diner waitress of his dreams? After paying a visit to his ex-partner, one who has more stitches than seem possibly comfortable on a huge man like him…everything can happen. Ah, Los Monstruos, what a city! Los Monstruos #2 is on sale since June 18, 2025. Genre: Horror, Fantasy, Occult & Supernatural Crime/Mystery Format: FC, 32 pages; Miniseries Price: $3.99 Age range: 16+ UPC: 7 61568 01405 1 00211
RTÉ News
5 days ago
- General
- RTÉ News
40th anniversary of Air India disaster remembered in Cork
A memorial service to mark the 40th anniversary of the Air India plane crash is taking place in west Cork. Air India Flight 182 was en route from Montreal to New Delhi when a bomb exploded as it was flying off the southwest coast of Ireland on 23 June 1985, killing all 329 people on board. Many of their relatives have travelled to the village of Ahakista to pay their respects. Ahakista village, near Bantry, is the nearest point on land to where the plane exploded. This year, the 40th anniversary of the worst aviation disaster in Irish and Canadian history, around 60 relatives of the victims are expected to attend the annual commemoration which will begin with a minute of silence at 8.13am - the exact time the bomb planted by Sihk terrorists, exploded. The families of the victims have been joined by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, senior government ministers from Canada and India, as well as both country's ambassadors to Ireland. Many of those who took part in what was the biggest search and recovery operation ever mounted by the State are also at the ceremony to pay their respects. A retired Irish Navy captain said he is still impacted today by what he witnessed in 1985. James Robinson was the Lieutenant Commander on Le Aisling - one of five ships at the scene - said the vessel was fairly close to the Kerry coast when they picked up a radio message from Valencia to say a plane had gone missing from radar screens. Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, he said the crew had been preparing for a rescue mission and were getting soup ready for survivors before they got to the scene, when they quickly realised the mission was going to be a recovery one. At the time they just got on with the job, he said, and the enormity of what had taken place only dawned on them later. I felt great pride in my crew, he said, they were young Irish people who did a remarkable job and asked for nothing in return.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Everyone's using AI at work. Here's how companies can keep data safe
Companies across industries are encouraging their employees to use AI tools at work. Their workers, meanwhile, are often all too eager to make the most of generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT. So far, everyone is on the same page, right? There's just one hitch: How do companies protect sensitive company data from being hoovered up by the same tools that are supposed to boost productivity and ROI? After all, it's all too tempting to upload financial information, client data, proprietary code, or internal documents into your favorite chatbot or AI coding tool, in order to get the quick results you want (or that your boss or colleague might be demanding). In fact, a new study from data security company Varonis found that shadow AI—unsanctioned generative AI applications—poses a significant threat to data security, with tools that can bypass corporate governance and IT oversight, leading to potential data leaks. The study found that nearly all companies have employees using unsanctioned apps, and nearly half have employees using AI applications considered high-risk. For information security leaders, one of the key challenges is educating workers about what the risks are and what the company requires. They must ensure that employees understand the types of data the organization handles—ranging from corporate data like internal documents, strategic plans, and financial records, to customer data such as names, email addresses, payment details, and usage patterns. It's also critical to communicate how each type of data is classified—for example, whether it is public, internal-only, confidential, or highly restricted. Once this foundation is in place, clear policies and access boundaries must be established to protect that data accordingly. 'What we have is not a technology problem, but a user challenge,' said James Robinson, chief information security officer at data security company Netskope. The goal, he explained, is to ensure that employees use generative AI tools safely—without discouraging them from adopting approved technologies. 'We need to understand what the business is trying to achieve,' he added. Rather than simply telling employees they're doing something wrong, security teams should work to understand how people are using the tools, to make sure the policies are the right fit—or whether they need to be adjusted to allow employees to share information appropriately. Jacob DePriest, chief information security officer at password protection provider 1Password, agreed, saying that his company is trying to strike a balance with its policies—to both encourage AI usage and also educate so that the right guardrails are in place. Sometimes that means making adjustments. For example, the company released a policy on the acceptable use of AI last year, part of the company's annual security training. 'Generally, it's this theme of 'Please use AI responsibly; please focus on approved tools; and here are some unacceptable areas of usage.'' But the way it was written caused many employees to be overly cautious, he said. 'It's a good problem to have, but CISOs can't just focus exclusively on security,' he said. 'We have to understand business goals and then help the company achieve both business goals and security outcomes as well. I think AI technology in the last decade has highlighted the need for that balance. And so we've really tried to approach this hand in hand between security and enabling productivity.' But companies who think banning certain tools is a solution, should think again. Brooke Johnson, SVP of HR and security at Ivanti, said her company found that among people who use generative AI at work, nearly a third keep their AI use completely hidden from management. 'They're sharing company data with systems nobody vetted, running requests through platforms with unclear data policies, and potentially exposing sensitive information,' she said in a message. The instinct to ban certain tools is understandable but misguided, she said. 'You don't want employees to get better at hiding AI use; you want them to be transparent so it can be monitored and regulated,' she explained. That means accepting the reality that AI use is happening regardless of policy, and conducting a proper assessment of which AI platforms meet your security standards. 'Educate teams about specific risks without vague warnings,' she said. Help them understand why certain guardrails exist, she suggested, while emphasizing that it is not punitive. 'It's about ensuring they can do their jobs efficiently, effectively, and safely.' Think securing data in the age of AI is complicated now? AI agents will up the ante, said DePriest. 'To operate effectively, these agents need access to credentials, tokens, and identities, and they can act on behalf of an individual—maybe they have their own identity,' he said. 'For instance, we don't want to facilitate a situation where an employee might cede decision-making authority over to an AI agent, where it could impact a human.' Organizations want tools to help facilitate faster learning and synthesize data more quickly, but ultimately, humans need to be able to make the critical decisions, he explained. Whether it is the AI agents of the future or the generative AI tools of today, striking the right balance between enabling productivity gains and doing so in a secure, responsible way may be tricky. But experts say every company is facing the same challenge—and meeting it is going to be the best way to ride the AI wave. The risks are real, but with the right mix of education, transparency, and oversight, companies can harness AI's power—without handing over the keys to their kingdom. This story was originally featured on
