Conservationists try to help 60 whales trapped near Kyle of Durness, suspected as same group from Outer Hebrides in May A rescue operation has been launched to save up to 60 pilot whales which have become stranded in a remote sea loch in the Highlands. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, which has sent a team to the area near the Kyle of Durness, said there is a chance that the pod is the same one that became stranded in the Outer Hebrides in May , leaving two whales dead. Local residents said the whales may have followed sand eels or salmon in to the remote bay near Cape Wrath and had become stranded as the tide receded. One man from a local B&B, who asked not to be identified, said there were six boats in the loch apparently trying to guide the whales towards a narrow channel where they could be kept until the tide rises again. A small number of them had already beached, he said. “When the tide is out, it goes right back. The Kyle totally dries. It’s just a huge expanse of sand … It’s happening right in front of us. Two or three of them have beached. It’s dreadful.” The man said he understood that a team of bomb disposal experts from a nearby MoD firing range, who were divers, were helping in the rescue. Aberdeen Coastguard said they first got a call at about 11.45am from a member of one of the coastguard teams in the area. “At first it was thought there were 40 minke whales but now it is thought there is up to 60 long-finned pilot whales,” said a spokesman. “They are stuck in rock pools and the tide is receding.” Danny Groves of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society said the pod could be the same one involved in a stranding near South Uist in May. In that incident, 60 of the mammals swam into a narrow and rocky sea loch on the island’s coast prompting fears that dozens could be killed in a mass beaching. Two were found dead as the pod eventually left Loch Carnan, on the north-east corner of South Uist. A post-mortem examination carried out on one whale suggested it died of infection. Rescuers later said a second whale was found dead in the loch. At the time, officials in Ireland were warned to watch out for a mass stranding on their shores. The previous year, 35 pilot whales that appeared to be in danger of beaching in Loch Carnan left South Uist intact but less than a week later, 33 of the pod were found dead on a deserted island off County Donegal. “It could well be (the same pod),” said Groves. “That’s the group mentality. The last time, back in May, we thought one or two may have been injured. They operate in a very social group. Rather than leave, the others would come in and follow the injured.” Groves said other possible reasons for stranding behaviour could be noise pollution from sonar or drilling. Until a whale died and a post-mortem was carried out, it was difficult to say what the cause might be, he added. Whales Conservation Animal behaviour Animal welfare Scotland Kirsty Scott guardian.co.uk
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Groups may have swung crucial vote on ambitious carbon target, says energy and climate change minister Chris Huhne has ordered a private inquiry into which fossil fuel lobbyists “got to” the Conservative MEPs who defied David Cameron and voted down an ambitious carbon emissions target in the European parliament on 5 July. “I have asked for a full analysis of what happened,” said the energy and climate change minister, speaking at an event in parliament. “We thought the vote was going to be close, but it was not close. We want to see which lobby groups managed to get to the MEPs.” New research by the Guardian and Greenpeace into lobby groups and businesses seen by Tory MEPs in 2010 reveals there were more than four times as many meetings with fossil fuel companies, carmakers and others against stronger action on global warming than with green businesses and those pushing for deeper cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. Huhne, a Liberal Democrat, has caused a storm by comparing Tory campaigning tactics on the AV referendum to those of the Nazis and by repeatedly challenging Cameron at a cabinet meeting on the issue. By investigating the EU climate vote, he risks further increasing tensions within the coalition. “It is extraordinary for Huhne to instigate an investigation into his coalition partners,” said Luciana Berger , Labour’s shadow minister for climate change. “It shows Lib Dems and Conservatives are too busy squabbling with each other to take decisive action to reduce carbon emissions.” Huhne had been successful in gathering support from other countries to increase the EU’s 2020 greenhouse gas target from 20% below 1990 levels to 30%, arguing it was in the UK’s best economic interests. But Tory MEPs were key in carrying a vote against the plan, despite Cameron promising to intervene after their intention was revealed by the Guardian. “I’m happy for Huhne to investigate whatever the hell he likes. I just wish he’d spend more time investigating the huge economic damage that his green policies will do,” said Tory MEP and climate sceptic Roger Helmer. He added: “The prime minister is in no position to ‘bring Conservative MEPs into line’. I vote in what I conceive to be the best interests of my country and my constituents: the party whip comes a poor third.” Martin Callanan, leader of the Conservatives in Europe and an environment spokesman, said: “Our position on [deeper emission cuts] has not been influenced by lobbyists and has remained unchanged since the idea was first mooted. “Europe already has the world’s most ambitious targets and, in the absence of a worldwide agreement, forcing business and industry to pay more for their CO2 emissions in Europe will merely result in them relocating outside of the EU.” But a spokesman for No 10 said: “Government policy is, and remains, to persuade the EU to adopt the 30% emissions reduction target.” Callanan said any discussions he had with No 10 were confidential but he added: “Conservative MEPs are the most open and transparent UK members. We publish details of all lobbying meetings.” Chris Davies, the Lib Dem environment spokesman in Europe, said: “The prime minister’s promises to lead the greenest government ever sound very hollow indeed when his own party fails to walk the walk on cutting carbon emissions.” The research by the Guardian and Greenpeace ( January to June and July to December ) shows that the 25 Tory MEPs met at least 300 representatives from fossil fuel businesses and their lobbyists in 2010 at more than 200 meetings, compared with about 70 representatives from green industries or lobby groups. The latter includes meetings on climate change, renewable energy and similar issues, but excludes meetings about unrelated issues such as agriculture and biodiversity. The research also found the Tory MEPs attended at least 100 meetings with gas and oil companies and 75 meetings with car manufacturers last year. Ford was one of the most hospitable companies, enjoying meetings with at least nine of the MEPs, most of them more than once. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders was also popular, alongside Jaguar Land Rover. The UK’s Association of Electricity Producers, which has strongly opposed any increase in carbon emissions cuts, was well-represented among the numerous fossil fuel energy lobbyists, along with oil industry groups such as the UK Petroleum Industry Association . Meetings with green lobbyists, aside from the many devoted to issues such as the common agricultural and fisheries policies, were far fewer, with WWF figuring a handful of times and Greenpeace once. Several renewable energy companies enjoyed a little more success, including First Solar which met three of the MEPs. One member, Giles Chichester, Tory MEP for southwest England and Gibraltar, met the European Wind Energy Association but only at a large energy dinner. Several green companies also attended a large dinner on food security and climate change attended by Chichester and fellow MEP Julie Girling last December, and a small number of other dinners. By contrast Helmer had four meetings in six months about beer. “The Conservative party in Europe is in the pocket of big oil,” said Berger. “The prime minister needs to get a grip of his
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One in five 16- to 24-year-olds are unemployed with huge numbers staying in education to avoid dole, reports ONS There are fewer young people working than at any time in the past two decades, according to new figures which show that one in five 16- to 24-year-olds are unemployed. Figures from the Office for National Statistics show the “inactive” population – which comprises young people who are neither working nor unemployed – stands at nearly 3 million, the highest level since the data was first collected in 1992. The new analysis says two-thirds of these 16- to 24-year-olds are staying on in education, perhaps to stave off unemployment. This is the first time that the inactive population – which includes people who are in education, looking after family, retired, or sick and disabled – has been broken down and analysed in this way. It shows that 77.4% of them are now students, up nearly 3% on the same time in 2008 just before the recession hit. ONS statistician Jamie Jenkins says the number of 16- to 24-year-olds in the inactive group is now so high it has pushed up the traditional unemployment percentage rate by making the workforce smaller. “The difference has widened because of the recession,” he said. “And the reason is a lot more young people have chosen to stay in education.” Meanwhile, 40% of those working are in what the ONS defines as “elementary” or “service jobs”, ie working in bars or shops. The total number of young people not in education, employment or training is also at a record high and nearing a million. The figures show also that Wales has the highest proportion of unemployed young people, 22.5% of 16-24s. The picture for 16- to 17-year-olds is bleaker still. When Labour came into power in 1997, around half of 16- to 17-year-olds were working. Now it’s just 23.3%, the lowest since figures were collected. The government has been criticised for its abandonment of the Educational Maintenance Allowance (EMA), which helps poorer students into further education with a £30 per week grant. The Education Select Committee reported this month that the cuts and its replacement by a new bursary, were “rushed and ill-thought through reforms”. The NUS president, Liam Burns, says the figures show the rise in tuition fees and the scrapping of the EMA will “slam the door of education shut to those who could benefit most, when very few other doors remain open”. Unemployment Unemployment and employment statistics Economics Office for National Statistics Young people Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) Job hunting Simon Rogers guardian.co.uk
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National weather service warns people to stay indoors and electricity companies warn of power outages A swath of America from the Mexican border to Boston suffered under dangerously hot temperatures on Friday, as a heatwave that has killed at least 22 people continued into the weekend. The combination of high temperatures and excessive humidity has triggered health warnings across the country. At least 50 cities hit 110F (43C) on the heat index on Thursday. On Friday, Washington DC, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Buffalo in New York and other cities’ temperatures climbed into the triple digits by noon. The national weather service said excessive humidity would make it feel even hotter. With the heat index, Washington reached 113 degrees by 11am. Nearby Richmond and Baltimore were on track to reach 120 degrees. At least six people died in heat-related deaths on Thursday. Many of the victims have been in the midwest, including a cook in Michigan who suffered a heart attack when he was sent home from work. The heatwave has also triggered a spate of medical emergencies. A girl scout group was treated for heatstroke at a camp in Connecticut. In Pittsburgh, a man fixing the roof at his cousin’s home was stuck in the blazing sun for nearly two hours because of the melting tar, Associated Press reported. With no relief until Sunday, the national weather service issued a series of warnings, advising people to stay indoors in an air-conditioned environment and reschedule strenuous activities. Residents in several cities were warned to watch out for poor air quality. “Do not take this threat lightly,” the weather service said in a statement on its website, noting the extreme temperatures are particularly dangerous for the elderly and the very young. “The length of this heatwave will pose a very real and dangerous health risk to these already at-risk groups and those that do not have access to air-conditioning,” the statement added. Local authorities in several cities opened cooling centres. Manhattan sent a water truck to cruise the city streets. Philadelphia cancelled summer school programmes. The extreme heat was also bearing down on the electric grid, as people on the heavily populated east coast turned up their air conditioners to try to keep cool. Electricity companies in a number of localities warned of possible power outages. In New York City, meanwhile, people hoping to beat the heat with a swim outdoors were advised to stay away from city beaches after a fire in a water treatment plant sent raw sewage cascading into the Hudson river. United States Natural disasters and extreme weather Suzanne Goldenberg guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Are Oslo Bombings, Shooting Retaliation For Charges Against Islamist Cleric?
July 22, 2011 No CommentThis morning we were greeted with the news of a massive car bombing at a government building in Oslo, Norway. We don’t know who was behind the bombing, but Norway’s intelligence agency said in February that Islamic extremism was a major threat to the country . Now officials report that a group called ‘Helpers of Global Jihad’ claims responsibility for the Oslo attack: NORWAY police urged residents of Oslo today to avoid big gatherings and stay home after a powerful bomb rocked government and media buildings in the capital, causing deaths and injuries. Police said a bomb caused the explosion, and Norwegian media reported that at least two people had died and several were injured. In a separate incident, a man disguised as a police officer opened fire at a youth meeting of the ruling Labour Party in Utoeya, an island on the outskirts of the capital Oslo, state television NRK reported. Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg had at one point been scheduled to attend the event, police said. The death toll was believed to be two people, but authorities feared it would rise. Police said a bomb was behind the explosion and Norwegian media reported that at least two people died. Islamic extremism is “our main priority and our main concern,” PST chief Janne Kristiansen said at the time, while presenting the agency’s annual risk assessment report. The report said: “Although few people in Norway support Islamic extremism, there are activities within some groups that could contribute to heightening the security risk in 2011.” NATO member Norway, which counts some 500 troops in Afghanistan, has never suffered an attack at home by Islamic extremists. However, police last year arrested three Muslim men based in Norway suspected of planning an attack using explosives in the Scandinavian country. Norwegian prosecutors earlier this month also filed a terrorism charge against Mullah Krekar, founder of the Kurdish Islamist group Ansar al-Islam, who was accused of threatening a politician with death over his potential deportation from the country. Krekar had warned that “Norway will pay a heavy price” if he were deported. Norwegian F-16 fighter jets are also participating in air strikes in Libya, though the country has said it will withdraw its forces from the Libya operations on August 1. The Norwegian military said in May that it had been the victim of a serious cyber attack at the end of March on the day after its jets for the first time carried out bombings in Libya .
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RMT union leader renews plan to combine with TSSA over threatened cuts, but critic brands move a Gordon Gekko-style takeover Bob Crow may increase his power over the rail industry after the RMT trade union announced merger talks with its closest rival, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA). A combined RMT and TSSA would have 110,000 members and cover all roles across the rail network from train drivers to signallers. One prominent critic of trade union activism labelled the move a “Gordon Gekko-style takeover” that threatened disruption for commuters. The merger talks, long-mooted in labour movement circles, have taken on renewed urgency in the wake of a report into cutting industry costs by Sir Roy McNulty, former chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, which threw down the gauntlet to trade unions by calling for reform of working practices and an end to inflation-busting pay increases. The industrial temperature was raised further this week when Network Rail, the owner of Britain’s rail tracks and stations, indicated it will shed 4,000 signallers over the next decade. The RMT said: “The McNulty review has forced the pace on this. It has focused attention on the fact that we are facing the biggest attack on the railways since privatisation.” Crow, RMT general secretary, welcomed a “historical day” for the trade union movement while his TSSA counterpart, Gerry Doherty, said bringing the unions together would “protect workers in the very uncertain future that they currently face”. However, a Conservative MP who has led calls for stronger regulation of trade unions warned that a successful merger would increase the threat of strike action on the railways and the London Underground. “This will be a Gordon Gekko-style takeover by Bob Crow, not an act of fraternal solidarity,” said Dominic Raab MP. “With TSSA and RMT spoiling for a fight, it is an attempt to strengthen union opposition to vital reforms to UK rail infrastructure – and it heightens the risk of strike action for passengers.” A rail industry source admitted that “a certain amount of nervousness” could be sensed among rail industry executives, amid expectations that if the merger talks are successful Crow will emerge as leader of the combined entity because the blue-collar RMT has about 80,000 members compared with 30,000 at the more moderate and white-collar TSSA. “Barely a month goes by when the RMT does not threaten industrial action somewhere, whereas the TSSA tends not to take such an aggressive approach to strike action,” said the source. One trade union source said a merger faced significant hurdles, as indicated by the unions’ respective attitudes towards strike action. “Politically, both unions are poles apart,” said the source, pointing to the TSSA’s close links with the Labour party, whereas the RMT was expelled by Labour in 2004 for its links with the Trotskyist Scottish Socialist party. The source stressed that the official statement also referred to both unions working together through a “federation structure” that would allow much closer co-operation “with a view to moving towards a merger”. The RMT and TSSA have worked together recently, despite tough rules on joint walkouts, by staging joint strike action on the London Underground. Nonetheless, trade unions are being driven into mergers for financial as well as strategic reasons. According to the Office for National Statistics, trade unions lost 179,000 members last year, leaving a total membership of 6.5 million. Britain’s largest trade union, Unite, is launching cut-price memberships for students and the unemployed as it seeks to widen recruitment from workplaces to local communities. The former head of Unite, Tony Woodley, has also warned that the union movement’s finances are being hit by falling membership. Against that backdrop, the RMT is a success story, having gained around 30,000 members since Crow was elected leader a decade ago. In contrast, the TSSA has flatlined, staying at 30,000 members since the middle of the last decade. Rail transport Bob Crow Trade unions Transport policy Dan Milmo guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …RMT union leader renews plan to combine with TSSA over threatened cuts, but critic brands move a Gordon Gekko-style takeover Bob Crow may increase his power over the rail industry after the RMT trade union announced merger talks with its closest rival, the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA). A combined RMT and TSSA would have 110,000 members and cover all roles across the rail network from train drivers to signallers. One prominent critic of trade union activism labelled the move a “Gordon Gekko-style takeover” that threatened disruption for commuters. The merger talks, long-mooted in labour movement circles, have taken on renewed urgency in the wake of a report into cutting industry costs by Sir Roy McNulty, former chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority, which threw down the gauntlet to trade unions by calling for reform of working practices and an end to inflation-busting pay increases. The industrial temperature was raised further this week when Network Rail, the owner of Britain’s rail tracks and stations, indicated it will shed 4,000 signallers over the next decade. The RMT said: “The McNulty review has forced the pace on this. It has focused attention on the fact that we are facing the biggest attack on the railways since privatisation.” Crow, RMT general secretary, welcomed a “historical day” for the trade union movement while his TSSA counterpart, Gerry Doherty, said bringing the unions together would “protect workers in the very uncertain future that they currently face”. However, a Conservative MP who has led calls for stronger regulation of trade unions warned that a successful merger would increase the threat of strike action on the railways and the London Underground. “This will be a Gordon Gekko-style takeover by Bob Crow, not an act of fraternal solidarity,” said Dominic Raab MP. “With TSSA and RMT spoiling for a fight, it is an attempt to strengthen union opposition to vital reforms to UK rail infrastructure – and it heightens the risk of strike action for passengers.” A rail industry source admitted that “a certain amount of nervousness” could be sensed among rail industry executives, amid expectations that if the merger talks are successful Crow will emerge as leader of the combined entity because the blue-collar RMT has about 80,000 members compared with 30,000 at the more moderate and white-collar TSSA. “Barely a month goes by when the RMT does not threaten industrial action somewhere, whereas the TSSA tends not to take such an aggressive approach to strike action,” said the source. One trade union source said a merger faced significant hurdles, as indicated by the unions’ respective attitudes towards strike action. “Politically, both unions are poles apart,” said the source, pointing to the TSSA’s close links with the Labour party, whereas the RMT was expelled by Labour in 2004 for its links with the Trotskyist Scottish Socialist party. The source stressed that the official statement also referred to both unions working together through a “federation structure” that would allow much closer co-operation “with a view to moving towards a merger”. The RMT and TSSA have worked together recently, despite tough rules on joint walkouts, by staging joint strike action on the London Underground. Nonetheless, trade unions are being driven into mergers for financial as well as strategic reasons. According to the Office for National Statistics, trade unions lost 179,000 members last year, leaving a total membership of 6.5 million. Britain’s largest trade union, Unite, is launching cut-price memberships for students and the unemployed as it seeks to widen recruitment from workplaces to local communities. The former head of Unite, Tony Woodley, has also warned that the union movement’s finances are being hit by falling membership. Against that backdrop, the RMT is a success story, having gained around 30,000 members since Crow was elected leader a decade ago. In contrast, the TSSA has flatlined, staying at 30,000 members since the middle of the last decade. Rail transport Bob Crow Trade unions Transport policy Dan Milmo guardian.co.uk
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Pilot whales, thought to be of same pod which became stranded in Outer Hebrides in May, find themselves stuck in sea loch A rescue operation has been launched to save around 60 pilot whales which have become stranded in a sea loch in the Highlands. The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, which has sent a team to the area near the Kyle of Durness, said there is a chance that the pod is the same one that became stranded in the Outer Hebrides in May, leaving two whales dead. The coastguard was alerted late on Friday morning to say that a pod of whales appeared to be in difficulty on the remote coastline. Aberdeen coastguard said it had two teams on site, with a third on its way. A spokesman said: “We got a call at about 11.45am from a member of one of our coastguard teams up there. At first it was thought there were 40 minke whales but now it is thought there is up to 60 long-finned pilot whales. They are stuck in rock-pools and the tide is receding.” British Divers Marine Life Rescue is also en route to the scene. The BDMLR said it had received reports of 15 pilot whales trapped in rock pools. “We are scrambling as many people there as possible,” a spokesman said. Danny Groves of the conservation society said the pod could be the same one involved in a stranding near South Uist in May. In that incident, 60 of the mammals swam into a narrow and rocky sea loch on the island’s coast prompting fears that dozens could be killed in a mass beaching. Two were found dead as the pod eventually left Loch Carnan, on the north-east corner of South Uist. At the time, officials in Ireland were warned to watch out for a mass stranding on their shores. Last year, 35 pilot whales that appeared to be in danger of beaching in Loch Carnan left South Uist intact but less than a week later, 33 of the pod were found dead on a deserted island off County Donegal. “It could well be (the same pod),” said Groves. “That’s the group mentality. The last time, back in May, we thought one or two may have been injured. They operate in a very social group. Rather than leave, the others would come in and follow the injured.” Groves said other possible reasons for stranding behaviour could be noise pollution from sonar or drilling. Until a whale died and a post-mortem was carried out, it was difficult to say what the cause might be. Whales Marine life Conservation Scotland Kirsty Scott guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Ministers send prosecutors new guidelines against families who send young girls abroad to undergo the brutal procedure New guidelines to target families that take young girls abroad to undergo female genital mutilation are being sent to prosecutors by the government. Ministers want to encourage more action against those who inflict the brutal procedure on their children and relatives amid concerns that the current approach serves as little deterrent. Female genital mutilation is an illegal procedure in the UK with those convicted risking 14 years’ imprisonment. The Female Genital Mutilation Act of 2003 also allows for the prosecution of British citizens who breach the provisions of the act and perform the procedure abroad. But while the law seems strict on paper, it seems to have limited effect in practice. Campaigners say 22,000 girls are at risk each year. However, MPs were this week told that there has yet to be a single conviction, despite 100 investigations being carried out over two years by the Met. By contrast the French authorities have successfully prosecuted in 100 cases. Fears are currently acute because the long school summer holidays are when many girls are flown to Africa, the Middle East and parts of the far east, oblivious to what has been planned for them. Outlining the new approach to the House of Commons, the Home Office minister Jeremy Wright said: “There are a number of things we can do. We should look not only to punish those who are responsible for committing these offences but to improve the guidance available to prosecutors so that they can prosecute more often. If there are difficulties with prosecuting, they might be to do with the types of information and understanding that crown prosecutors need to have and later this summer the CPS will therefore be issued with new guidelines to assist.” Advice compiled by the Home Office, Foreign Office, the education department and the health department will also be sent to teachers and GPs, the minister said. “We need to broaden awareness more generally and have sent out some 40,000 leaflets and 40,000 posters to schools, health services, charities and community groups, because wider society needs to understand what is happening,” he added. “We also need to assist victims, which we are doing with 15 specialist NHS clinics offering a range of services, including so-called reversal surgery. Women can go to those centres direct and do not need to be referred.” The minister was responding to Jane Ellison, the Tory MP for Battersea, who made an impassioned plea for the issue to be taken more seriously. She described genital mutilation as “a brutal crime perpetrated against those who are least able to protect themselves: little girls and young women. In every case, the health of the girl or woman is damaged, often irreparably. What is most shocking of all is that a great many of these criminal acts are perpetrated against girls aged 10 and under, right down to infants.” Ellison quoted figures from the Foundation for Women’s Health, Research and Development (Forward), which suggest that around 66,000 women and girls in England and Wales have already been subject to genital mutilation and well over 22,000 should be considered as “at risk”. “In some areas of London, about 5% of women giving birth present with signs of mutilation,” she told the house. “Headteachers have described to me happy and outgoing young girls who have returned from their summer holidays withdrawn and distressed. I struggle to understand why the systematic and brutal wounding of young girls is not considered a national scandal. I know that right honourable and honourable members would not tolerate a situation in which little British girls were taken abroad and returned missing their fingers. Likewise, we should not tolerate female genital mutilation.” Two weeks ago the Met and the charity Kids Taskforce launched a teaching aid for schools: a short documentary made by pupils in south London with assistance from journalists from ITN and one of the producers of Come Dine With Me. Sharon Doughty, the founder of Kids Taskforce, said they hope to raise awareness among teachers but also pupils themselves. “Any move towards a prosecution would be a fantastic development. We need a prosecution. It would send an important message.” Video: Watch Guardian Films’ investigation into the issue Women Human rights Children Crime Gender Middle East Africa Hugh Muir guardian.co.uk
Continue reading …Here’s What Listening To Grover Norquist Gets Us: Cuts To Energy Aid During Massive Heat Wave
July 22, 2011 No Comment
enlarge It’s that no-tax pledge of Grover Norquist’s that coerced elected officials into placing cuts, cuts, cuts above their oath of office and actually looking out for the health and welfare of our citizens: SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Many states hit hardest by this week’s searing heat wave have drastically cut or entirely eliminated programs that help poor people pay their electric bills, forcing thousands to go without air conditioning when they need it most. Oklahoma ran out of money in just three days. Illinois cut its program to focus on offering heating money for the winter ahead. And Indiana isn’t taking any new applicants. When weighed against education and other budget needs, cooling assistance has been among the first items cut, and advocates for the poor say that could make this heat wave even more dangerous. “I’ve never seen it this bad,” said Timothy Bruer, executive of Energy Services Inc., which administers the federal Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program in 14 Wisconsin counties. The group has turned away about 80 percent of applicants seeking cooling assistance. The sizzling summer heat comes after a bitterly cold, snowy winter in many places and at a time when unemployment remains stubbornly high. The cuts began after Congress eliminated millions of dollars in potential aid, forcing state lawmakers to scale back energy assistance programs. The agencies that distribute the money are worried that the situation could get even worse next year because the White House is considering cutting the program in half. Joyce Agee, a retired secretary from South Beloit, Ill., said she typically receives about $300 in utility assistance each summer and up to $600 for the winter to supplement her Social Security income. After running her air conditioner constantly, she’s worried about her next electric bill. “I’ve cut back on what I eat so that I can pay my light bills and everything else,” she said.
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