A huge fire broke out between two monasteries at the monastic state of Mount Athos in Greece.
One of the most valuable monasteries of Athos – the Docheiariou monastery (Greek: Μονή Δοχειαρίου) , which has a very valuable library with hundreds of manuscripts and books, as well as wall paintings and icons by ancient masters, is threatened.
A large-scale operation is underway to extinguish the fire, in which three helicopters, three planes and 33 firefighters are involved.
The goal is to stop the fiery element before it reaches the walls of the monastery.
The fire broke out in cultivated land next to the monastery cloister and engulfed a dense forest that is in close proximity to the monastery.
There is no danger for the monks, as well as for the visitors of the Holy Mountain, reports the Civil Defense.
Being present across European countries and in direct contact in the streets, markets, any kind of shops, associations, schools, administrations, and agencies, with the youth, parents and the populations at large gives the right and objective data on how the European population perceives and behave facing the drug problem.
This extents from:
-the young lady who was smoking with friends a “joint” of cannabis for ten years before she realised that her behaviour was slowly changing,
-the desperate old mother whose son is going to the shooting room instead of the rehabilitation centre,
-the father who at the info-stand, in front of his teenage daughter, testified that driving after a party with friends, he had been tested drug positive by the police, lost his driving license and then realised his wrong-doing and hardly stopped the drug use,
-the monitor of a driving school who had students under drug influence, to be less stressed,
-school professors are happy to have access to educational materials on drugs to enlighten their students,
-an hospital nurse in favour of drug prevention actions instead of this “harm reduction”,
-school professors asking for lectures on drugs to their students and enjoying their positive feedback,
-this former cocaine user who explained the hell he had to go through before getting out of the addiction and how good he feels now,
-and many more… about the harmful effects and dreadful results of drug use, in accordance with these words from Ron Hubbard in the sixties:
“Research demonstrates that the single most destructive element present in our current culture is drugs”.
All these people have a common viewpoint regarding drug use: they did not know when they started how harming the drugs could be and that they were never told about the dwindling spiral they were engaging into, “otherwise they will never start in the first place”. And alcohol is part of the picture, starting with the adolescents and the binge-drinkings !
ground cannabis on clear plastic bag
This is in the middle of the last century, popularised by the Beat Generation, the Hippie movement and artists that started the rock culture of drug experimentation such as with the Beatles (Day Tripper-1965, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds-LSD-1967); Jimmy Hendrix (Purple Haze-Cannabis-1970); J.J. Cale (Cocaine-1976); Eric Clapton the guitar legend addicted to heroin in the 1970, the movie actors as Marilyn Monroe (died in 1962 at age 36 of an overdose), Judy Garland in 1969, and Bruce Lee in 1973, etc., also writers as William Burroughs (Junkie-1953, heroin), Aldous Huxley (The Doors of Perception-1954, mescaline), Jack Kerouac, a Beat writer (On The Road-1957, benzedrine), Hunter S. Thompson (Fear and Loathing-1972, all drugs), Stephen King, Paulo Coelho…, that the recreational use of drugs became the symbol of the youth rebellion, uprising, protest and social upheaval, and of political dissent. And since then, drug use has drastically increased, pervading all society levels.
Today, in the 2022 Drug Report of the European Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), the Director summarised the drug trends by: “Everywhere, Everything, Everyone”. Indeed, health, education, the justice system, social welfare, economy, political system, governments, and communities are concerned by the drug problem, and in its wake are found: war, corruption, crime, misery, and lost lives.
In addition, within the EU (European Union), EMCDDA reports that drug problems interfere with and complicate the resolution of other vital issues such as homelessness, the management of psychiatric disorders and self-harm (suicide), the reduction of youth criminality, the exploitation of vulnerable people meanwhile greater levels of violence and corruption are observed.
EUROPEAN STATISTICS
Across the EU the EMCDDA (Report 2022) estimated that some 83.4 million or 29% of the people aged 15 to 64 have used illicit drugs in the last year, compared to the 284 million people worldwide (UNODC Report 2022).
In Europe:
the cannabis is the most widely used by 22.2 million people (584 tonnes of resin and 155 tonnes of herbal were seized in 2020 );
then the stimulants with 3.5 million of cocaine users (213 tonnes were seized in 2020). An increased use of crack cocaine is noted in Belgium, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal and Germany. In 2021, the highest loads of crack cocaine residues in the waste waters of 13 European cities were found in Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Antwerp (Belgium);
2.6 million of people are MDMA (ecstasy) users;
2 million for amphetamines, and,
1 million of heroin or opioid users. Opioids account for the greater harm in the illicit drug use and are present in 74% of the fatal overdoses reported.
Is noted that people with drug problems use a range of illicit substances, medicinal products and other non-controlled psychoactive substances.
During the COVID-19 measures and restrictions, the European illicit drug market reacted fast with a rapid bounce back in drug supply and use, returning to a business-as-usual model.
As a result, it is estimated that some 6 500 overdose deaths (mean age of 41 years) occurred in the extended European Union in 2020. They are due to polydrug toxicity, illicit opioids and medicines (such as benzodiazepines, methadone, buprenorphine, oxycodone, fentanyl) and alcohol. There are also signs of increased harm among young people with the use of hallucinogenic and dissociative drugs such as ketamine, GBL (industrial solvent, addictive) and GHB (a powerful sedative) both known as “rape drugs” and the nitrous oxide (N2O-the laughing gas can become a neurotoxic with repeated uses).
Facing drugs, the young people are the most vulnerable. They are exposed to drugs earlier than ever due to their easy availability, the aggressive promotions, the multiplication of shops and dealers, the innovations in the digital illicit drug market and above all the lack of factual data, information and education on the subject ! This is crystal clear when talking across Europe with youth, students and even parents, themselves eager to know more on the harming effects of drugs, to be able having facts to dialogue efficiently with their young children and educate them preventively on this subject.
WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT DRUGS?
First, we need to keep in mind that the natural drugs found either in plants or small animals are secondary metabolites, poisons, whose only function is to protect them against predators -including humans!- thus ensuring the survival of the species.
Then, all the psychoactive drugs/substances are fat-soluble (liposoluble). The human brain is a well blood-irrigated organ which contains nearly 60% of lipids (dry weight). This explains that the psychoactive drugs are able to cross fast the hemato-encephalic barrier and interfere with the release/reuptake of the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) in the neurons of the nucleus accumbens (NAc) part of the complex “reward and pleasure system” in the mesolimbic area of the brain. The NAc is also involved in the reinforcement functions (Bassareo and Di Chiara, 1999) for food search and incentive motivation at the origin of the addiction problem by self-administration. So, any substance that modifies the DA release/reuptake is a candidate for abuse.
The main characteristics of a drug as a psychoactive substance, besides the toxicity and dependence, are the alteration of perceptions, the capacity to think, memory and of the state of consciousness. This last point (alteration) is not valid for tobacco smoking. Note however that in Europe, 9 out of 10 lung cancers are caused by tobacco leading to the European Commission’s Beating Cancer Plan (June 2022).
FACING THE DRUG PROBLEM
To regulate the development and the availability of the drug, the International Drug Control Conventions of 1961, 1971 and 1988, and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), were ratified. The protection of the populations in the EU is subjected to the European Social Charter (1961 & 1996), the Charter of Fundamental Rights (2000/C 364/01) and for the youth to the European Charter of the Rights of the Child ( 1979, Rec.874 – 17.4 b).
Despite these Conventions and Charters, despite the Europol, South Eeast Law Enforcement Center, Frontex, Customs, and other agencies, drugs are circulating in full illegality.
The active pro-drug legalisation organisations are omitting to learn from the catastrophic health results after marijuana legalisation in countries as States of Colorado and Washington (2012), Massachusetts (2013) in USA, Uruguay (2013) and in Canada (2018) with now 21% of addicted. This is a good business for pharmaceutical firms and the mental health sector.
“Alcohol and nicotine provide poor models for legalisation. The tax revenues reaped from these drugs are dwarfed by their social and health costs. The same is true for marijuana and any other illegal drug” comments the Institute for Behavior and Health (USA).
Too many European politicians/governments are under the powerful lobbying of organisations and firms with vested interests in the production and/or sale of drugs (or precursors). Indeed, they never consider the subsequent costs generated by illegal drug and alcohol abuse.
Only for hospital-based treatment in then 21 EU member states, this was estimated according to a 2014 study (Lievens D. et al) to be 7.6 BILLION euros.
But there are also expenditures for harm reduction, shooting rooms with doctors, nurses and supplies, berthings, more accidents in the workplaces, on the road (25% by drivers under alcohol influence and 15% for other drugs), misdemeanours and crimes, school droppings, various related illnesses, to say a few. And all these of course supported by the taxpayers!
A positive point from the European Commission is the implementation of the new EU Drugs Strategy 2020-2025 with: “… the aims to ensure a high level of health promotion, social stability and security and contribute to awareness raising” as well as for the 2021-2030 EU Strategy on Road Safety concerning all illegal psychoactive substances, including alcohol.
NEVER EVER GIVE UP!
Today, when the THC (psychoactive substance) of the cannabis resin reaches 21% and in the herbal 11%, prevention is more than ever needed to help to avoid the early initiation of drug use with the linked health and mental disorders and the further reaches to other drugs.
“Care starts with evidence-based prevention and addressing perceptions and misperceptions of risk, including by taking a hard look at the message our societies are sending to young people.” said the UNODC Executive Director in the World Drug Report 2022.
Photo by Blaz Erzetic
The key point is to preventively raise the awareness of the youth and parents on what drugs are and do. “It is ignorance that blinds and misleads us. Open your eyes, O miserable mortals!” said Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519).
And this starts at school at an early age until ideally the twenties with an age-adapted education on the drug subject included in school curricula. And as “It Takes a whole village to educate a child” (an old African proverb), this education must also involve the families, all the community leaders, official organisations and authorities, and youth associations, with the care and economic support of the States, and with no one left behind.
“By closing schools, you will open prisons,” said the writer-humanist Victor Hugo, let’s do the opposite!
Educate and Inform
Educate and inform: this is what, as like-minded associations, the Foundation for a Drug-Free Europe and its hundred of Say No To Drugs associations and groups, with the support of the Foundation for a Drug-Free World, are doing across Europe with their prevention campaign named “The Truth About Drugs”.
The drug problem is not a fatality and the “war on drugs” is not yet lost! “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing,” said Edmund Burke (1729-1797).
As reported by the Baháʼí Community in Brussels (BIC), the “quiet campaign to strangle the Baháʼí community is now taking a more overt violent turn, reminiscent of the earlier days of the Revolution in Iran”.
On July 31, according to this religious minority, “there were raids on the homes or businesses of 52 Baháʼís across Iran and the detention of 13 individuals including three former members of the long-disbanded, seven-member, informal leadership group of the Baháʼís of Iran. Each of the seven, including the three detained on July 31, already served a ten-year prison sentence beginning in 2008”.
Sina Varaei, Policy Officer of the BIC in Brussels, told The European Times that on August 2, “the Iranian government escalated the persecution by targeting the village of Roshankooh in Mazandaran province, where a large number of Baháʼís live. Approximately 200 Iranian government officials sealed off the village and used heavy earthmoving equipment to demolish homes of Baháʼís”.
Developments retaking from June
In June, 44 Baháʼís were arrested, arraigned, sentenced, or imprisoned. This total included 26 people in the city of Shiraz who, as reported by Varaei “were sentenced to a combined 85 years in prison for, according to the authorities, ‘causing intellectual and ideological insecurity in Muslim society’. The Baháʼís had, in fact, been gathering in Shiraz as part of their efforts to address local community needs and to assess the severity of the region’s water crisis. More than twenty Baháʼís in 4 cities, Shiraz, Tehran, Bojnourd, and Yazd, were arrested, jailed, or subjected to home searches during the first three weeks of July 2022″.
“In isolation, these actions over the last two months are troubling enough” sentences Brussels activist. “However, when one combines them with system-wide actions taken in the last 18-24 months, including the endorsement by appellate courts of real property confiscations from anyone who is a Baháʼí, the significant expansion of state-sponsored hate propaganda to over 950 articles and videos (from roughly 22 per month in 2010-2011) posted on the internet or broadcast per month, and the enactment of amendments to Articles 499 and 500 of the Iranian Penal Code, which effectively criminalize any activity in support of any unrecognized religious minority, one sees an emergent pattern that strongly suggests a deliberate, systematic effort to substantially increase the persecution of the Baháʼís of Iran”.
One of the most devastating insect pests infesting fruits and vegetables in Mexico has been eradicated in the state of Colima, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
In cooperation with IAEA and the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), scientists there were able to use an UN-developed nuclear-based sterile insect technique (SIT) to eradicate the medfly, more commonly known as the fruit fly.
The Colima outbreak, detected in April 2021 in the country’s largest port, Manzanillo, posed an immediate risk to crops, including guavas, mangoes, papaya, and oranges.
If not managed promptly, Mexico – the world’s seventh-largest producer and exporter of fresh fruits and vegetables – could have faced quarantine restrictions imposed by States free from this pest.
It would have been a significant blow to trade across the sector overall, which generates over €8.8 billion, or more than $9.2 billion, annually in exports as well as millions of local jobs.
Ready assistance
After receiving an emergency assistance request that April, the IAEA and FAO immediately dispatched experts to help set up and evaluate how SIT could be deployed.
“This is one more example where SIT has been successfully used to prevent, suppress and eradicate invasive insect pests, contributing worldwide to food security and safety,” said FAO/IAEA entomologist, Walther Enkerlin Hoeflich, on the UN atomic agency’s technique developed for Member States through the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture.
Unsplash/Sahil Muhammed
Close-up of a medfly, more commonly known as a fruitfly.
SIT success
When medfly females lay eggs in ripe fruit the quality of products can be impacted, making them inedible and unfit to be sold.
To control the outbreak, Mexico designed and implemented an emergency action plan with the assistance of FAO/IAEA experts, delivered through the IAEA technical cooperation programme.
Scientists released more than 1,450 million sterile male flies in Colima with the environmentally-friendly SIT insect pest control method, that uses irradiation to sterilize insects.
When the males mated with wild females after their release, no offspring were produced – eventually leading to the eradication of the insects.
“Mexico has managed to maintain its status as a country free of the Mediterranean fly,” said Francisco Ramírez y Ramírez, General Director of Plant Health of the National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) of Mexico at the event declaring the eradication of the pest in the State of Colima.
Sterilization lab
In cooperation with FAO, the world’s second-largest Mediterranean fruit fly facility opened earlier this year with IAEA support in Mexico’s Chiapas state on its southeastern border with Guatemala.
It is the second largest in the world with a production capacity of one billion flies a week to help keep the country’s growing agriculture pest free.
It focuses on the mass production of sterile insects and, together with the El Pino facility in Guatemala, helps maintain the containment barrier that prevents the introduction and spread of the pest to northern Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States.
Rising acute food insecurity in Somalia has caused more than 900,000 people to flee their homes in search of humanitarian assistance since January last year, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned.
Due to drought and lack of livelihood support, people living in eight areas of the country could be experiencing famine by September. “We cannot wait for famine to be declared; we must act now to safeguard livelihoods and lives,” Rein Paulsen, Director of the FAO Office of Emergencies and Resilience said, following a recent visit to the country.
More than three million animals essential to Somalia’s pastoral communities have died so far and crop production has substantially dropped due to unprecedented poor rainfalls and intense dry conditions.
The continuing death of livestock, key commodity prices rising further and humanitarian assistance failing to reach the most vulnerable, have forced many people living mostly in rural areas, to move to displaced persons camps.
In order to assist 882,000 people across 55 districts with immediate lifesaving and livelihood support, FAO Somalia urgently requires $131.4 million. But famine prevention efforts in Somalia are only 46 per cent funded, and the 2022 Somalia Humanitarian Response Plan is just 43 per cent funded, as of 4 August.
The latter is part of the FAO’s wider Horn of Africa Drought Response Plan, which also covers Kenya, Ethiopia and Djibouti. “We have urgent problems with funding,” Mr Paulsen said.
FAO has been “ringing the alarm bells” since April last year and the failure of successive rains, but a response “hasn’t happened at the levels needed”. This has led to vulnerable farmers being “forced to move as livestock are dying and crops failing. Now everyone has to mobilize quickly and at scale” he added.
Impact of drought
“We are deeply concerned about the drought situation and how vulnerable households are being affected,” Mr Paulsen said, describing how one family of seven travelled over 100 kilometres to reach the displaced persons camp seven months ago.
“They came here because their livestock had died. They came here because they had no means to survive in the rural areas,” he explained.
Agricultural intervention
Agriculture accounts for up to 60 per cent of Somalia’s gross domestic product, 80 per cent of its employment, and 90 per cent of its exports.
Mr Paulsen underlined how it was vitally important to understand that agriculture is a frontline humanitarian response. “Not only does it meet needs, but it also reduces the drivers of those needs effectively. Agriculture needs more attention and more funding to enable timely action in response to agricultural seasons,” he said.
Scale up response
According to Mr. Paulsen, the response in rural areas must be scaled up to help vulnerable people “where they are” as this is “more effective [and] more humane”.
He called for “multi-sectoral responses” to support livelihoods but warned that “more funding from donors,” needed to come in. The focus is on supporting livelihoods, Mr Paulsen explained.
This involves providing cash to allow people to buy food and keep their animals alive with emergency feeding, vet treatments, and water supplies. Farmers must be able to plant, particularly in riverine areas where cropping with irrigation is feasible.
Food prices dropped significantly in July, marking the fifth consecutive monthly decline since hitting record highs earlier in the year in the wake of the war in Ukraine, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) reported on Friday.
The UN agency has published its latest eagerly awaited Food Price Index, the barometer that tracks monthly changes in the international prices of five food commodities: cereals, vegetable oils, dairy products, meat, and sugar.
The index averaged 140.9 points in July, nearly nine points down from June. The decline was led by double-digit percentage drops in the cost of vegetable oils but also cereals, with the recent UN-brokered deal on Ukrainian grain exports a contributing factor.
“The decline in food commodity prices from very high levels is welcome, especially when seen from a food access viewpoint,” said Maximo Torero, FAO Chief Economist.
“However, many uncertainties remain, including high fertilizer prices that can impact future production prospects and farmers’ livelihoods, a bleak global economic outlook, and currency movements, all of which pose serious strains for global food security.”
In July, FAO’s Vegetable Price Index decreased by 19.2 per cent compared to June, marking a 10-month low. International quotations for all oil types fell, the agency said, with palm oil prices declining due to prospects of ample export availability out of Indonesia, for example.
Additionally, sunflower oil prices also dropped markedly amid subdued global import demand, despite continued logistical uncertainties in the Black Sea region. Vegetable oil values were also pushed down by lower crude oil prices.
Black Sea export deal
The Cereal Price Index also reflected an 11.5 per cent decline last month, though remaining 16.6 per cent above July 2021. Prices of all cereals in the index declined, led by wheat.
World wheat prices dropped by as much as 14.5 per cent, FAO said, partly in reaction to the Russia-Ukraine deal on grain exports from key Black Sea ports, and also because of seasonal availability from ongoing harvests in the northern hemisphere.
July also saw an 11.2 per cent decline in coarse grain prices. Maize was down 10.7 per cent, again due in part to the Black Sea Grain Initiative and increased seasonal availabilities in Argentina and Brazil. Additionally, international rice prices also declined for the first time this year.
Sweet news
The Sugar Price Index fell by nearly four per cent, amid concerns over demand prospects due to expectations of a further global economic slowdown, a weakening in Brazil’s currency, the real, and lower ethanol prices resulting in greater sugar production there than previously expected.
The downward trend was also influenced by indications of greater exports and favourable production prospects in India. Meanwhile, the hot and dry weather in European Union countries also sparked concerns over sugar beet yields and prevented sharper declines.
FAO further reported that the Dairy Price Index decreased 2.5 per cent “amid lacklustre trading activity”, yet still averaged 25.4 per cent above last July.
While the prices of milk powders and butter declined, cheese prices remained stable, boosted by demand in European tourism destinations.
Mixed picture for meat
Meat prices also continued the downward trend, dropping by half a per cent from June due to weakening import demands. However, poultry prices reached an all-time high, boosted by firm import demand and tight supplies due to Avian influenza outbreaks in the northern hemisphere.
The FAO Meat Price Index was also down in July, by 0.5 percent from June, due to weakening import demand for bovine, ovine and pig meats. By contrast, international poultry meat prices reached an all-time high, underpinned by firm global import demand and tight supplies due to Avian influenza outbreaks in the northern hemisphere.
When we share a home with our adorable meowing animals, their happiness is paramount. After all, owners are responsible for keeping purring animals safe. A number of feline health problems can occur due to stress. So we need to make sure we provide the right environment for the cuddly pet.
What can we do to improve the quality of life of our domestic cat? We give you 10 ideas.
It probably didn’t take long after you brought home your first kitten to realize how important cat scratching posts are. If you value your belongings, you know that you have two choices – you can either say goodbye to your favorite sofa or buy a scratching post.
Cats need different scratching surfaces to sharpen their claws, play, spread scent or stretch their backs. Different materials include sisal rope, cardboard or scratch mats. Each of these materials provides a different feel for the pet to caress for, so your cat can exercise its natural instinct to scratch.
2. Cozy nooks for a nap
We all know that cats love a good place to nap. Some purring animals prefer to have secluded places to nap, while others don’t mind being outdoors and even a noisy place in the home. These cats can fall asleep just about anywhere after a long grooming session, whether it’s a cozy plush cat bed in the corner or a hammock on the windowsill.
3. Adventure and exploration
All cats love a good adventure now and then. When a cat is too bored, it will do mischief just to make up for it. Even if you can’t let your cat explore nature, you can still provide plenty of entertainment at home.
Thanks to the ever-growing pet toy market, there are so many great ideas for entertainment such as:
• Mice and balls
• Cat caves
• Wall mounts
• Suspension bridges
• Shelves
• Cat tree
• Catnip toys
4. Delicious, appetizing treats
What cat would turn down a tasty treat? Not many, that’s for sure. Every time your cat behaves well or responds to your command – you should reward it with a treat. These small, tasty treats show your kitty that you love them and are there to pamper them. However – be careful with the quantities, as treats are very high in calories and before you know it, your pet is already a few kilos more than it should be.
5. Quality food and fresh water
Having a source of fresh water and a regular feeding schedule is extremely important when you have a cat. They rely on consistent feeding and deserve to have clean water that prevents the growth of bacteria and potential disease.
If the purring friend eats from unsanitary bowls, it can cause some diseases, which will not make you or your cat happy.
6. Games
Cats really can entertain themselves for the most part. But that doesn’t mean they don’t want to play with you every now and then. It is very important to give your purring pet time to play, preferably every day. This is how you become closer to your purring friend.
7. Variety of toys
If cats have the same old boring toys day after day, they will lose interest and start looking for fun with other objects that are not meant for that. Change the cuddly companion’s toys, and if you want, you can even make him balls or toys using corks for your cat to have fun with. Shoe boxes are also much loved by purring animals.
8. Love and attention
Some cats are incredibly sweet and never seem to want to give you a moment of peace. Others, however, are more remote and self-contained and don’t require as much attention. Regardless of the nature of the purring pet – you need to make sure that you show it attention and affection.
9. Clean environment
Failure to keep your cat’s litter box, food and water bowls, and resting areas clean can lead to a series of behavioral problems that can be difficult to correct. Cats are happy when their objects and especially their litter box are kept clean.
10. Keep them good company
Compatibility between pets and people is essential. Your cat wants a calm environment. It doesn’t matter if it’s the family dog stressing out your cat or a screaming baby. If your cat spends most of its time in stress – it is unlikely to be happy. Some purring animals are very happy when they have a companion, so if your cat is like that – consider a second or perhaps a dog to have fun with.
Keeping your cat happy is really not a big challenge – we need to watch what he likes, provide enough entertainment, games with us and take the necessary care.
Having a pet is one of the most rewarding things that can happen to a person, there’s no doubt about that. If you conduct a survey among four-legged owners, the results will certainly confirm that for a large number of them it is difficult to imagine life before their furry companions. And it can’t be otherwise – our dear dogs give us their sincere, unconditional love, loyalty and are always by our side, no matter what. Do you reciprocate your pet?
• 1) You can only fall asleep peacefully when your dog is also around – comfortably settled in his bed.
• 2) All your family photos include your pet.
• 3) You only go on vacation to dog-friendly places and hotels.
• 4) You call the quadruped by diminutive names.
• 5) When you travel without your dog, you stop at pet stores to get him a “souvenir”.
• 6) Your dog has its own account on one of the social networks.
• 7) Pamper your pet with high-quality accessories and fun additions such as bow ties or bandanas.
• 8) You keep seeing your puppy on Skype or Facetime when you’re apart.
• 9) ou talk to your dog as if he/she were a person.
• 10) Say words like “walk” or “dinner” only when it’s time for the specific activities so the dog doesn’t get overly excited.
• 11) You don’t mind curling up on one side of your bed while the pet is contentedly stretched out on ¾ of it.
And in order to become an even more awesome owner in the eyes of your pet, we offer you several ways to make dog walks more fun.
All dog owners know that they should take their pets out at least twice a day, for a minimum of 30 minutes. Of course,
we all have times when going outside in the company of our four-legged friend is far from our most preferred activity. Doing the same thing every day inevitably gets boring, and the mandatory walk of your furry companion is no exception.
At the same time, however, we know that it is important to stick to the animal’s daily routine. We have good news for you – there is a way to combine the useful with the pleasant!
An easy way to diversify your furry friend’s walk is to let him decide where to go. Instead of taking your standard route – let your pet navigate the direction and guide you. Of course, in most cases the animal will probably stick to the well-known path, but this game is a great way to give your four-legged friend a chance to show you what is interesting to him.
• Let your pet sniff around
Walks are primarily physical exercise, but they are also a great way to keep your dog mentally stimulated.
Since most four-legged friends are at home all day while we’re at work, a walk is the only time of day they have a chance to explore the world outside. If you’re not a fan of stopping every two steps, schedule a few “sniff breaks” during your outing.
• Go to a nearby park
If a walk in your own neighborhood seems boring and tedious, why not go to a nearby park? Exploring new paths, smells and noises can be unexpectedly fun for your pet, and for you too! You can meet new friends with four legs, and this will have a good effect on the socialization of both of you.
• Invite a friend
When was the last time you invited a friend to go for a walk together? You will be surprised how much more fun and enjoyable a walk in the park can be if you communicate with a loved one in the meantime and share what happened to you “face to face” and not through social networks. As a bonus – the extra attention will make your pet happy too!
• Change the tempo
What pace do you keep while walking your dog? Are you a brisk walker, jogger, or fan of the slower, more pleasant moments outside? Try switching up your pace every now and then – it’s a really good and fun way to add some variety where speed is a key component.
• Add training
While walking your dog is a good time to make things a little more fun by adding a few quick exercises. You can repeat and reinforce basic commands – your pet has been proven to focus and keep his attention outside more easily if he has previously tired himself out.
• Get goodies as an incentive
You can try some fun games outside by bringing along some of your furry friend’s favorite treats. Throw them in the grass and have fun together until the animal finds them. Activities that involve nose work sharpen your furry companion’s natural abilities and instincts. In this way, on the one hand, you make the time outside more pleasant, and on the other hand, you offer the animal additional mental stimulation.
• Set goals and make a game out of it
Decided you need a little more physical activity this week? Or do you think there are places in your neighborhood that for one reason or another you haven’t yet had the chance to visit with your pet? The goals related to your dog’s daily walk can be the most varied, the only rule is to stick to them and always note your progress!
Nearly a year ago, the UN chief released his report, Our Common Agenda (OCA), a blueprint for global cooperation moving forward, and reinvigorated multilateralism. On Thursday, he updated the General Assembly on progress made so far, saying the need for the report’s proposals “has only increased.”
“In addition to the triple planetary crisis of climate breakdown, air pollution and biodiversity loss, and the immense suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts are raging across the world”, said Secretary-General António Guterres.
The ripple effects of the war in Ukraine, are contributing to surging food and energy prices, which are hitting vulnerable developing countries the most”, he added, “but while the problems before us are unprecedented, they are not insurmountable”.
Mr. Guterres painted a grim picture of “unabated and growing” global shocks, and a world economy in which “developing countries are being squeezed dry” as new COVID variants again disrupt lives, throwing “the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) …further off course”.
Meanwhile, the climate catastrophe is “mounting by the day” as global greenhouse gas emissions are “at their highest levels in human history – and rising”.
And the risk of nuclear confrontation is “more acute than it has been for decades”.
“Business as usual will almost certainly guarantee a future of constant crises and devastating risks,” stated the UN chief.
‘Have we woken up?’
The report provides a framework and opportunity to “unite the international community around solutions to this situation,” he said.
“Our Common Agenda was intended as a wake-up call. One year on, we must ask ourselves: have we woken up?”.
It proposes a new global deal to divide up differently power and resources and re-establish social contracts to better manage future shocks and global crises.
The UN chief updated Member States on parts of the Agenda already in motion, including “well advanced” preparations for the Transforming Education Summit in September.
“The largest-ever gathering of learners and teachers will provide an opportunity to mobilize ambition, action, solidarity and solutions; to reimagine education systems fit for the future; and to generate fresh momentum for SDG4 and the 2030 Agenda overall,” said the Secretary-General, noting that the Pre-Summit in June had been “a remarkable success”.
And in September, he will speak about reforming international financial architecture “to tackle historic weaknesses and inequalities,” which will include short-term actions for immediate relief for developing countries, and long-term measures to guarantee resilience.
Agendas for change
The UN’s “five agendas for change” are fostering a “new culture and new capabilities” in the fields of data, digital, innovation, behavioural science, and strategic foresight.
New initiatives are being launched to “unleash the potential of data for people, planet and the SDGs,” he said, pointing to UN Behavioural Science Week that engaged thousands on how to translate scientific method into impacting people and a Futures Lab to strengthen long-term outcomes of programmes.
“Last week the General Assembly adopted a historic resolution declaring the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, demonstrating your commitment to this important goal,” the Secretary-General continued.
Summit of the Future
He spoke in detail about the planned Summit of the Future, describing it as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reinvigorate global action, recommit to fundamental principles, and further develop the frameworks of multilateralism so they are fit for the future”.
Human rights and gender equality will be cross-cutting themes, with a consistent focus on a renewed social contract that includes marginalized groups.
“Inclusion of a wide range of voices is not only the right thing to do, but also the only way we will arrive at meaningful solutions,” he said.
UNHCR/Diego Moreno
Women in Rio Negro preparing the soil for planting.
Leaders’ Pact
The UN chief hoped that the Summit would yield an inter-governmentally negotiated Leaders’ Pact for the Future to “reinvigorate the multilateral system and make it fit for the challenges of today and tomorrow”.
It should re-focus efforts on existing climate commitments; address international peace and security threats; realize ambitions on human rights, international justice, and gender equality, including safeguarding rights in digital spaces.
“The Pact for the Future must demonstrate to the world that while we face daunting challenges, we can overcome them with co-operation, compromise and global solidarity,” he said.
The Secretary-General set out proposed tracks for and possible outcomes of the Pact, beginning with a New Agenda for Peace to better address “all forms and domains of threats” and prevent the outbreak and escalation of hostilities on land, at sea, in space and in cyberspace.
His second proposal, a Global Digital Compact, seeks an open, free and secure digital future and his third, a Declaration on Future Generations, includes establishing mechanisms to consider their needs as well as a dedicated envoy.
Stopping arms race in space
He hoped that the Summit would yield a high-level political agreement on the peaceful use of outer space, his fourth proposal, including a commitment to negotiate an international instrument to prevent an arms race there.
An emergency platform to manage future global crises in a “fast, coordinated way,” was his fifth proposal, saying the UN was uniquely placed to manage it.
“The world has paid a high price for our ad hoc responses to recent global shocks…No single organization exists to gather stakeholders in the event of such a global crisis”.
Despite the success of the Black Sea Grain Initiative, he stressed: “We do not yet have the mechanisms we need”.
Twin summits
In closing, he drew links between the proposed Summit of the Future, and next year’s SDG Summit in New York, to “rescue the SDGs”.
The twin summits aim to create conditions for a sustainable, inclusive future, which together with the Paris Agreement on climate change, are “our last, best chance to deliver on people’s demand for a multilateral system that manages and solves global challenges in a timely, effective and fair way”.
dangers for cats – All through the long and hard winter, summer is the only thing we think about. When it happens – we are all more than happy and can now quite calmly even start to complain about the heat. While we take care of ourselves, drink more water and wear a hat in the sun, we should not forget our pet.
Whether your purring pet lives inside or goes outside periodically, there are some risks for them during the hot months.
With the warmer weather, your cat may begin to shed the fluffy winter fur to replace it with lighter summer fur. This can lead to hairballs or more serious problems. This is a period when purring animals may ingest more fur than usual as they wash frequently. This can lead to hairballs or vomiting and even some dangerous blockages that require veterinary attention. To deal with the situation, it is important to regularly brush your pet more often than usual to remove dead fur. That way it will stay on the brush instead of going into the cat’s stomach.
2. Risk of skin burns
The good thing about this danger is that it is quite rare in domestic cats. An exception exists in the hairless representatives, such as the Sphynx, as they have no fur to protect them, which makes them a good “target” for the scorching rays of the sun.
Although you will rarely notice your cat lounging by the window in the heat of the day, still – provide enough shade or even move the purring pet to a cooler place.
3. Heat stroke
Hot temperatures are not only dangerous for us, but also for pets. Heatstroke is a scary thing, and it can look a little different in cats than you might expect. Cats don’t normally breathe with their mouths open, so any dog-like panting is a problem. Also, any lethargy or difficulty walking requires prompt veterinary attention.
If you suspect that the cat is warmer than it should be – you can use lukewarm water and spread it on the cat’s belly, paws or ears. However, if you are concerned that your purring pet is not looking well – see your vet. Older cats, kittens and those with illnesses are prone to heat stroke.
Signs of heat stroke include high body temperature, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, stumbling, lethargy, vomiting and sweaty paws.
4. Insect bites or stings
Whether a purring pet lives outdoors or indoors, the danger of insects exists. Of course, indoor cats are less likely to be bitten or stung, but the risk is there. For purring friends walking outside – the danger becomes very real. Therefore, do not miss the deworming of the pampered pet. While this alone will not save the cat from being bitten, it will protect it from possible parasites and diseases that the insect may infect it with.
Although this is the favorite season for many of us, we should not underestimate the risks of warm weather and taking care of the pet. Even if your cat stays at home – provide it with enough shade and fresh water to drink from at any time.
