The Guardian
Murder of two journalists leads to arrest of Indonesian palm oil boss
Police say businessman masterminded killing of reporters who were helping local people in dispute with his company
An Indonesian palm oil executive has been arrested for allegedly ordering the killing two activist journalists who were mediating a land dispute between his company and local residents.
Maraden Sianipar’s body was found last week in a ditch near a palm plantation in Labuhan Batu in North Sumatra province. Police found the remains of his colleague Maratua Siregar in the same area a day later. Both had been stabbed multiple times.
Continue reading...The flood waters may be receding, but anger rises in weary Doncaster
Driving north on a foggy Saturday morning on the M1, the signs say “Derbyshire flooding”. It sounds like the present continuous tense, ominous and ongoing. Twenty-four hours earlier, the body of Annie Hall, a former high sheriff of the county, had been found. She had been swept away by the River Derwent at Darley Dale, not far from Matlock.
If that fatality lends a tragic note to the floods that hit the east Midlands and northern England on Friday, the streets are awash with many more mundane stories of hardship. Though the flooding has now subsided in most areas, in Doncaster people are still struggling to cope with the aftermath.
Continue reading...Kangaroo Island: pioneering research examines health of sea lions – in pictures
For the first time, a colony of sea lions in Australia is being treated with a topical anti-parasitic and monitored for health and survival. The research, led by Dr Rachael Gray, from the School of Veterinary Science at the University of Sydney, is investigating the effects of hookworm, environmental pollutants and human-associated bacteria on the mortality of sea lions in the first 18 months of their lives. Photographer Louise Cooper accompanied the team as they set up the trial on Kangaroo Island, South Australia. ‘Populations will continue to decline if we don’t do something to save these charismatic and iconic marine mammals,’ says Gray.
Continue reading...Callum Roberts: ‘Sharks do bite people, they do kill people, but it's more error than intention'
The marine biologist’s new book describes his lifelong love affair with the oceans, and the grave threat undersea life faces
Callum Roberts is professor of marine conservation at York University and was chief scientific adviser on Blue Planet 2. His new book, Reef Life, details a life spent in the oceans studying the marine ecosystem.
How was your first dive?
It was in the north of Scotland, where I grew up. I dived out of Scrabster harbour near Thurso and I had no idea then just how bruised and trashed and scraped the whole sea had become, and how much life had been removed from it over the centuries. I was in a wetsuit that I’d glued together at home. A wetsuit should hug every curve, but this one didn’t. It was bloody cold.
Warren and Booker lead candidates at environmental justice forum
- National Black Caucus of State Legislators hosts event
- Booker defends support for nuclear power
Only six candidates turned out for the first ever presidential forum on environmental justice, at South Carolina State University on Friday night.
Related: Michael Bloomberg: billionaire eyes centre lane in Democratic presidential race
Continue reading...Giant Greta Thunberg mural to watch over San Francisco's downtown
Project by Argentinian artist Andrés Iglesias is poised for completion next week in eco-conscious city
San Francisco, a city that prides itself on its eco-consciousness, will soon have a giant likeness of Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg gazing upon its downtown, reminding residents to respect the planet.
The Argentine muralist Andres Iglesias, who signs his art with the pseudonym Cobre, is expected to complete the project in the central Union Square neighborhood by next week, SFGate reported. Cobre also painted a revered mural of the comedian Robin Williams that has since been demolished.
Continue reading...Waste export ban revealed by environment ministers but 'devil in the details'
Environment ministers sign off on timeline after Scott Morrison promises to tackle plastic waste in oceans
A ban on the export of waste glass, plastic, paper and tyres will be phased in from mid next year after environment ministers agreed to a timetable for changes in the way Australia deals with recyclable material.
The federal environment minister, Sussan Ley, and state and territory environment ministers signed off on the timeline, which will see the export of all of these waste materials banned by no later than 30 June 2022.
Continue reading...Woman dies as floods devastate Midlands and north of England
Police pull body from river in Derbyshire as torrential rain causes major disruption
A woman died and homes were evacuated as widespread flooding left a trail of devastation across swathes of the Midlands and northern England on Thursday evening and Friday.
Some parts of England got more rainfall in just 24 hours than they normally would in a single month, with more than 100 flood warnings issued – including six warning of a risk to life.
Continue reading...Top officials at Trump's EPA are impeding investigation into chief of staff, says watchdog
Andrew Wheeler’s top agency lawyer argues political staffers have leeway to decide what information to provide to investigation
Top political appointees at Donald Trump’s environment agency are hindering an investigation into the agency’s chief of staff, who pressured a prominent scientist to alter her congressional testimony to make it more favorable for the agency, according to an ethics watchdog.
In the latest development of the fight, the inspector general of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has forced the agency’s head, Andrew Wheeler to explain his position in a letter to Congress. Wheeler’s top agency lawyer is arguing that political staffers have leeway to decide what information to provide to the watchdog, while investigators are warning that agency leaders are trying to subvert their legally mandated independence.
Continue reading...The week in wildlife – in pictures
Red squirrels, a laughing kookaburra and a dehydrated koala
Continue reading...'Death of a river': the ruinous design flaw in a vast Amazon rainforest dam
Operator faces choice of weakening 14km barrier or potentially devastating a biodiversity hotspot
The biggest hydroelectric project in the Amazon rainforest has a design flaw that poses a “very serious” threat to human life and globally important ecosystems, according to documents and expert testimony received by the Guardian.
The new studies suggest engineers failed to anticipate the impact of water shortages on the Pimental dam at Belo Monte, which is forcing the operators to choose between a structural weakening of the 14km-wide compacted-earth barrier and an reallocation of water in the reservoir or on the Xingu river, which is home to indigenous communities, fishing villages and some of the world’s most endangered species.
Continue reading...Questions raised over UK's state-backed fund for electric car charging
Labour criticises tender as firm running £400m investment fund awards millions to company it part-owns
The private equity firm appointed by the government to manage as much as £400m in investment in electric car charging points has awarded millions of pounds to a company in which it holds a controlling financial interest.
Zouk Capital is the largest shareholder in charge point builder Instavolt, having made an £18m investment in the company. Now Zouk has chosen Instavolt as the charge point fund’s first beneficiary, a decision criticised by the Labour party.
Continue reading...UK flooding: people stranded overnight in Sheffield shopping centre as more rain forecast for Yorkshire and Midlands – live news
Met Office says 117 flood warnings in place after downpours continued through the night
- Floods force Sheffield shoppers to spend night in Meadowhall
- Have you been affected? Share your stories, pictures and videos
10.25am GMT
Villagers in South Yorkshire have described how they suffered “almost biblical” amounts of rainfall overnight.
Kathleen Overton, a Post Office worker in Toll Bar, a village near Doncaster, told PA news agency: “It must have started at around 9am yesterday when I was taking my grandson to school, and then it just didn’t stop.
10.06am GMT
In Derbyshire, locals are bucketing water out of their cars this morning. The BBC’s Heidi Booth reports from Darley Dale:
Residents are bucketing water out of their cars in Daley Dale this morning. Properties and businesses are also affected. More on @BBCDerby throughout the morning. #flooding #Derbyshire pic.twitter.com/KslJiZFtyt
Live in Darley Dale this morning, the A6 here is inpassable and it seems like the water is rising. #floods #Derbyshire @BBCDerby pic.twitter.com/AKz3XGNETA
The carpark at @premierinn in Darley Dale is completely submerged as well. @BBCDerby pic.twitter.com/iMbrdUVVeE
Continue reading...'Greta Thunberg effect' driving growth in carbon offsetting
NGOs report fourfold increases in investments in carbon-reducing projects in developing countries
Growing concern about the climate crisis and the “Greta Thunberg effect” are driving huge increases in individuals and businesses choosing to offset their emissions by investing in carbon-reducing projects in developing countries.
NGOs and organisations involved in carbon offsetting have seen as much as a fourfold increase in investment from people who want to try to mitigate their carbon footprints.
Continue reading...Have you been affected by flooding in Yorkshire and the Midlands?
Help us build a picture of how people are affected in the north of England and the Midlands by sharing stories, pictures or video
Torrential rain has caused flooding in Yorkshire and the Midlands. On Thursday hundreds of shoppers were trapped in shopping centres in both Sheffield and Rotherham.
Many homes have been forced to evacuate and 116 flood warnings remain in place, the majority of them in Yorkshire. The Met Office predicts flooding rains will clear, moving south-east by lunchtime. But, as the clean-up operation begins, flood warnings are expected to remain in place for several days.
Continue reading...'We had to buy blankets': floods force shoppers to spend night in Meadowhall
Sheffield shopping centre cut off by rising waters as torrential rain deluges large areas and Met Office warns of more to come
Dozens of people have been trapped in Sheffield’s Meadowhall shopping centre overnight after torrential rain caused flooding throughout the city and transport chaos across large parts of northern England.
Heavy rain across the region on Thursday made roads impassable and forced the cancellation of train services, while 35 homes were evacuated in Mansfield after a mudlside.
Continue reading...Africa poised to lead way in global green revolution, says report
Continent is set for massive urbanisation but can avoid relying on fossil fuels, says IEA
Africa is poised to lead the world’s cleanest economic revolution by using renewable energy sources to power a massive spread of urbanisation, says an IEA report.
The IEA, or International Energy Agency, predicts that solar energy will play a big role in supporting the continent’s growing population and industrialisation over the next 20 years.
Continue reading...Bird of the year 2019: tense wait for finals spot as round one vote deadline approaches - live
The galah and the wedge-tailed eagle are locked in a battle for the final spot in the top 10. Which will go forward to the second round?
Cast your vote for the Australian bird of the year
Full story podcast: what’s the big deal about bird of the year?
10.29pm GMT
There is huge, huge buzz for the cassowary. It’s now only 14 behind the carnaby’s! half an hour ago, it was 38 behind. Social media is lighting up.
It’s surging, and it’s coming for 12th. The only issue – 12th is still over 300 votes away from 10th. Is it too little too late?
10.24pm GMT
If you’re a parrot or galah voter, email me or tweet on the #birdoftheyear hashtag.
I want to know how confident you’re feeling, your last-minute campaign tactics. And, if worst comes to worst, who you will be voting for in round 2 if your candidate doesn’t get up.
Continue reading...Heavy rainfall floods streets of Sheffield – video
Hours of torrential rain in parts of northern England have caused a stream to burst its banks, engulfing nearby cars. The heavy downpour has left the streets of Sheffield flooded and earlier trapped hundreds of people in a shopping centre
- North of England floods: trapped shoppers allowed to leave mall
Pollutionwatch: Africa increases its reliance on fossil fuels
Continent is embarking on a huge expansion of power stations, most of which will burn coal
Last week the UN secretary general, António Guterres, called for an end to new coal-fired power plants. Many European countries including the UK and Germany are decreasing their dependence on coal, but this is not the case everywhere. Across Africa many people rely on standby diesel generators to supplement erratic electricity supplies, leading to local air pollution problems and high emissions of climate-heating carbon dioxide.
Although Africa is in a unique position to leapfrog dependence on fossil fuels and utilise abundant renewable sources such as wind and solar, the continent is embarking on a massive expansion of fossil fuel electricity. More than 200 new power stations are planned, the majority of which will burn coal. Power ships – vast floating power stations, some burning highly polluting bunker oil – are already moored in Ghana, Sierra Leone and Mozambique.
Continue reading...