24/7 News Coverage
December 17, 2023
CLIMATE SCIENCE
Countries risk 'paying polluters' billions to regulate for climate: UN expert



Paris (AFP) Dec 15, 2023
An "explosion" of multibillion-dollar claims by fossil fuel and extractive firms through shadowy investment tribunals is blocking action on climate and nature, the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights and Environment has warned, with developing nations increasingly targeted. After countries agreed this week at UN climate talks on a "transitioning away from fossil fuels", governments are likely to come under heightened pressure to boost regulation and reject further expansion of oil, gas and coal p ... read more

WHITE OUT
Freezing temperatures in northern China trigger alert
Beijing (AFP) Dec 16, 2023
China on Saturday issued a low-temperature alert, warning the mercury could drop to historic lows in some areas of the country, one day after President Xi Jinping urged "all-out efforts" to ensure safety. ... more
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Organisers of deadly 2021 China ultramarathon sentenced to jail
Beijing (AFP) Dec 16, 2023
Organisers of a 2021 ultramarathon in northwest China during which 21 runners died in extreme weather conditions have been sentenced to years in prison for their roles, state media reported. ... more
AFRICA NEWS
Anti-tank mine kills 4 soldiers in Senegal's Casamance
Dakar (AFP) Dec 15, 2023
Four Senegalese soldiers were killed when their vehicle ran over an anti-tank mine in the southern region of Casamance, where separatist rebels operate, the army said on Friday. ... more
DEMOCRACY
Hong Kong pro-democracy media mogul Jimmy Lai to go on trial
Hong Kong (AFP) Dec 16, 2023
Jailed pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai will go on trial in Hong Kong on Monday for national security crimes, facing life in prison in a case that has sparked international condemnation. ... more
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SPACEWAR


EUCOM, AFRICOM, Space Force activate new service component command

EARTH OBSERVATION
China's civil military dual-use space strategy
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Dec 18, 2023
China has taken another significant step in enhancing its space-based Earth observation (EO) capabilities with the successful launch of the Yaogan-41 satellite. This latest addition to China's satel ... more
ICE WORLD
Russia's isolation takes toll on Arctic climate science
Longyearbyen (AFP) Dec 17, 2023
Glaciologist Andrew Hodson used to collaborate with his Russian colleagues in the Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic, but snowmobile excursions to see them have come to a halt since the war in Ukraine. ... more
ICE WORLD
Third Pole's expanding glacial lakes pose greater flood risks, research reveals
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Dec 18, 2023
In a compelling illustration of the escalating impacts of climate change, a recent study has brought into sharp focus the growing threat posed by Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOFs) in the Third Po ... more
FLORA AND FAUNA
Colombia confirmed as host of next UN biodiversity talks
Montreal (AFP) Dec 15, 2023
Colombia was officialy confirmed Friday as the host of the the UN's next biodiversity summit to be held in late 2024 after Turkey backed out. ... more
ABOUT US
North America's first people may have arrived by sea ice highway
San Francisco CA (SPX) Dec 18, 2023
One of the hottest debates in archeology is how and when humans first arrived in North America. Archaeologists have traditionally argued that people walked through an ice-free corridor that briefly ... more

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FROTH AND BUBBLE


Pakistan uses artificial rain against smog for first time

FROTH AND BUBBLE
California children sue US govt over pollution
Los Angeles (AFP) Dec 15, 2023
Children in California are suing the US government over its failure to curb pollution, the latest in a series of legal actions by young people around the world worried about climate change. ... more
FARM NEWS
Beef farming that keeps cattle on lifelong grass diets may have higher carbon footprint
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 18, 2023
Beef operations that keep cattle on lifelong grass-based diets may have an overall higher carbon footprint than those that switch cattle to grain-based diets partway through their lives. Daniel Blau ... more
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
13 dead in Argentina as club roof collapses in storm
Buenos Aires (AFP) Dec 17, 2023
A powerful storm led to the deaths of at least 13 people Saturday in the Argentina port city of Bahia Blanca when the roof of a sports club collapsed, authorities said. ... more
SHAKE AND BLOW
Northeastern Australia hit by 'life-threatening' flooding
Sydney (AFP) Dec 17, 2023
Near-record rain levels in north Queensland have caused "life-threatening" flooding, Australian authorities said Sunday, forcing the closure of Cairns airport. ... more
WHITE OUT
Accurate snow mapping achieved in Switzerland through innovative AI-satellite technology
Zurich, Switzerland (SPX) Dec 18, 2023
Switzerland's majestic mountains, a haven for winter sports enthusiasts and a critical area for hydropower generation, are now subject to a novel method of snow depth measurement. This fresh approac ... more
FIRE STORM


A new tool to better model future wildfire impacts in the United States

PILLAGING PIRATES
Senegal navy seizes cocaine worth at least $210 mn
Dakar (AFP) Dec 16, 2023
The Senegalese navy has seized three tonnes of cocaine worth at least $210 million from a seven-crew boat moored off the coast, the force said on Saturday. ... more
DEMOCRACY
UK painter's pop art highlights 'silencing' of Hong Kong youth
London (AFP) Dec 16, 2023
For two decades, British artist Martin Lever took his inspiration from Asia and his adopted home of Hong Kong. ... more
DEMOCRACY
'Never surrender': Hong Kong democracy leader's memoir protests censorship
Taipei (AFP) Dec 15, 2023
From a homeless child to a leader of Hong Kong's struggle for democracy, 79-year-old Reverend Chu Yiu-ming tells all in a new memoir - except for 30 pages blanked out to protest official censorship. ... more
FLORA AND FAUNA
A new force of nature is reshaping this planet
Baltimore MD (SPX) Dec 15, 2023
In a compelling synthesis of interdisciplinary research, Erle Ellis, Professor of Geography and Environmental Systems at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), provides a comprehensive ... more
SHAKE AND BLOW
A hurricane-proof town? Florida community may be a test case
Babcock Ranch, United States (AFP) Dec 15, 2023
When Hurricane Ian churned past her home in southwest Florida last year, Mary Frisbee shrugged off worries. She watched TV and surfed the internet. ... more
EARTH OBSERVATION
ESA forges ahead with Destination Earth
Paris (ESA) Dec 15, 2023
The second phase of the European Union's Destination Earth initiative has been approved at ESA Council. Destination Earth, also known as DestinE, will build digital models of Earth allowing greater ... more
EARTH OBSERVATION
Sidus Space enhances geospatial data processing with AI integration in LizzieSat
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 13, 2023
Sidus Space (NASDAQ: SIDU), a leader in satellite technology, has recently announced significant advancements in its integration of Edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) into i ... more
ICE WORLD
Tropical ice cores offer deeper insights into Earth's temperature record
San Francisco CA (SPX) Dec 15, 2023
A new study suggests ice recovered from high tropical mountains can reveal key insights about Earth's past climate changes. Led by scientists at The Ohio State University, the study showed that oxyg ... more
FARM NEWS
Once the enemy, majestic condor wins hearts of Colombian farmers
Cerrito, Colombia (AFP) Dec 14, 2023
A group of condors rip into the carcass of a calf at the top of a Colombian mountain which rises 4,200 metres above sea level. ... more
TECH SPACE
US begins review that could spell trouble for PVC
Washington (AFP) Dec 14, 2023
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Thursday announced a review that could eventually lead to the end of PVC plastic production - impacting everything from records to rubber ducks. ... more
CARBON WORLDS
COP28 fails to regulate the Wild West of carbon credits
Paris (AFP) Dec 15, 2023
Two weeks of relentless negotiating at COP28 failed to produce an agreement on carbon credit sales, relieving non-profits that had opposed the proposals on the table while stoking fears the regulatory void could escalate greenwashing. ... more
ROBO SPACE
Snail-inspired robot could scoop ocean microplastics
Ithaca NY (SPX) Dec 05, 2023
Inspired by a small and slow snail, scientists have developed a robot protype that may one day scoop up microplastics from the surfaces of oceans, seas and lakes. The robot's design is based o ... more
FLORA AND FAUNA
US-Mexico border wall threatening rare wildlife
Sasabe, United States (AFP) Dec 15, 2023
Jaguars don't understand borders, but where the United States meets Mexico, they are having to adapt to them. ... more
ENERGY NEWS
Asia's climate activists lukewarm on COP deal that 'falls short'
Manila (AFP) Dec 14, 2023
Far from the standing ovation delivered by delegates in Dubai, activists in some of Asia's most climate-vulnerable nations responded to the COP28 agreement with disappointment on Thursday. ... more
ENERGY NEWS
China, climate in focus at Japan-ASEAN summit
Tokyo (AFP) Dec 15, 2023
Leaders from Southeast Asia and Japan will hold talks this weekend on boosting security ties with an eye on China, as well as Tokyo's contentious efforts on energy cooperation. ... more
DEMOCRACY
US, UK hit out at Hong Kong bounty offers for 5 wanted activists
Hong Kong (AFP) Dec 14, 2023
Hong Kong police offered bounties on Thursday for information leading to the capture of five overseas activists accused of national security crimes, drawing prompt rebukes from the United States and Britain. ... more
ENERGY NEWS
'Where is the money?' COP28 deal throws spotlight on funding
Paris (AFP) Dec 14, 2023
After COP28's landmark call for the world to move away from fossil fuels, experts say the pressure is on to fast-track - and fund - the global energy transition. ... more
ABOUT US
To counter effect of facial biases in legal system, researchers suggest new training
Washington DC (UPI) Dec 14, 2023
Researchers at Columbia University are recommending a new form of training to eliminate facial biases that could lead to more severe punishments for defendants with "untrustworthy" features. ... more
WATER WORLD
Debt-laden UK utility giant Thames Water names new boss
London (AFP) Dec 14, 2023
Struggling UK utility firm Thames Water on Thursday announced that Chris Weston, a former senior executive at British Gas owner Centrica, will be the new boss charged with solving its financial problems. ... more
ROBO SPACE
DeepSouth: Western Sydney University Unveils Neuromorphic Supercomputer
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Dec 13, 2023
Researchers at the International Centre for Neuromorphic Systems (ICNS) at Western Sydney University have unveiled a groundbreaking development in computational technology: DeepSouth, the world's fi ... more
AFRICA NEWS
Dozens killed in jihadist attack in central Mali: Local sources
Dakar (AFP) Dec 14, 2023
An attack in central Mali this week, blamed on jihadists, left dozens of soldiers and civilians dead, local sources said Thursday. ... more
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