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A massive black hole is seen to eject streams of high energy particles after binging on hot gas.

One bull shark caught during November and December period along with marine turtles and rays

New South Wales shark nets caught just one targeted shark but continued to kill protected species this summer, a result environmentalists have described as “unfathomable”.

Figures released this week from a trial of shark nets on northern NSW’s beaches show they have caught a single bull shark in November and December.

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Many high street stores use plastic to protect their fruit and vegetables.

Despite administration of antivenom, 24-year-old died within an hour of being bitten on the finger in NSW backyard

A man is dead after he was bitten by a brown snake while trying to help his dog in the north-west of New South Wales.

The 24-year-old was rushed to hospital by a family member but died within an hour of being bitten on the finger in a backyard in Tamworth on Wednesday night.

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With water usage and droughts across the globe rising, the race is on to manage water more efficiently.

There's really no such thing as truly sustainable air travel, but you can do some things to reduce your impact - such as flying with airlines with newer aircraft or taking a virtual holiday. Andrew Glover, Postdoctoral research fellow, RMIT University Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Britain should follow China’s example on renewables, writes Feargal Dalton, and Ian Paul urges the UK to step up to the recycling challenge. Neil Sinclair wants a fossil fuel-free February, while Grace Hewson wants a plastic-free newspaper

In view of the appalling revelations that the UK has been shipping vast quantities of plastic to China for many years (Editorial, 8 January), would it not be a good idea to have the UK lead once more in something and have genuine recycling plants set up here in the country? I mean genuine plants to process plastic from the UK and the rest of Europe, not just depots for onward reselling as seems to have been the case. 

There are initiatives to use such waste plastic in innovative ways. For example there is a small startup company in Scotland, MacRebur, developing ways to reduce the amount of toxic bitumen in asphalt by substituting a proportion of waste plastic into the mix. Surely we should urge government and private industry to build and develop plants to deal with the problem now, before we are knee-deep in bottles?
Ian Paul
York

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In response to letters about plans for a new northern forest, a defence of the Woodland Trust’s policies from Dr James Paterson, and a prediction of more leaves on the line from Paul Birchall

The response in your letters section to the northern forest raised some useful points (Development for the north? Let them eat wood, 9 January). However, drawing parallels between the Woodland Trust’s native woodland policy and xenophobia demonstrates ignorance of the ecology and the conservation of semi-natural woodlands. Britain’s native woodlands are so diverse because of the association and dependency of species that have co-evolved over several thousand years. 

The accusation that we create “plantations of birch and rowan and field maple, producing scrub rather than woodland” couldn’t be further from the truth (and, by the way, scrub habitat has huge conservation value). We use local tree and shrub species to create diverse, functioning and resilient habitats for biodiversity and local communities.

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Theresa May's environment policy pledge is the latest step in the party's journey on the issue.

Residents say they have been pushed into taking direct action to save the 200 trees around train station in central London

A priest is to chain herself to a tree outside Euston station in central London in a protest against the felling of more than 200 trees around the station to make way for the HS2 rail line.

Dozens of giant London plane trees in Euston Square Gardens are among those earmarked to be cut down to provide temporary sites for construction vehicles and a taxi rank displaced by work at the station.

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The PM has finally made the environment a priority. But past double-dealing damages confidence in the government’s eco plan proposals

The government’s new 25-year plan conjures up an environmentalist’s dream, from huge new nature reserves to protecting our long-neglected but life-giving soils. The nation’s beleaguered wildlife, toxic urban air and polluted waters certainly need it.

The question is whether turning the plan into reality will become a political nightmare when confronted with vested interests or lack of Treasury funds. Such ghouls have shattered far less ambitious goals in the past.

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Tory politician Charles Hendry, in independent review, says he’s hopeful Swansea will receive backing for plan

Plans for a £1.3bn tidal power lagoon in Swansea could still be backed by ministers despite government indecision on whether to support it, according to the author of an independent review on the project.

Charles Hendry, a Conservative politician and former energy minister, enthusiastically supported the scheme a year ago as a source of clean power and UK jobs.

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Home and kitchenware shops report growth in sales of portable mugs as government hints at a tax on disposable cups

Sales of reusable coffee cups are soaring in the UK, retailers are reporting, as the government hints at a tax on disposable cups.

Argos, which is part of the Sainsbury’s Group, said it had sold 537% more portable cups in December 2017 than the same month the previous year. Meanwhile, kitchenware chain Lakeland reported an increase in sales of more than 100% month-on-month, homeware company Robert Dyas reported a 50% lift year-on-year.

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Campaigners say "emergency" action is needed now as the PM unveils a 25-year plastics crackdown.

Moves to cut plastic, create a new environmental watchdog and boost wildlife habitats are among the new measures

• Theresa May defends green plan amid criticism it’s too vague

One of the most heavily trailed announcements is the end of an exemption for small shops from England’s 5p plastic bag charge. The loophole was an anomaly compared with similar schemes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It was also imposed against the wishes of corner shop owners at the time, with three small business trade associations opposing being exempted on the grounds it would be confusing for customers. “Its abolition is long overdue,” said Mary Creagh, chair of the environmental audit committee of MPs. The change will affect 3.4bn bags handed out at about 200,000 stores each year.

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Environmental groups welcome ambition but say 25-year promises must be backed by force of law, money and new watchdog

Theresa May has said her government is serious about improving the environment after pressure groups gave a lukewarm response to a new 25-year green plan, praising its ambition but warning that it lacked sufficient plans for immediate action.

May’s proposals were also criticised by Jeremy Corbyn, who said her pledge to stop all avoidable plastic waste by 2042 was “far too long” to take action.

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In Switzerland, lobsters must now be stunned before being boiled - but do they really feel pain?

Ben Saunders has led 13 expeditions since 2001 and has walked around 4,000 miles in skies.

Curiosity has reached a part of the Red Planet with geology named after places across Scotland.

A discrepancy in measurements of the Universe's expansion rate has now become "pretty serious".