newsmart – Environment

theguardian.com | 3 hrs. 56 min. ago

‘I use disposable cups’: Chris Minns backflips on takeaway coffee cups after media and business backlash

Legislation requiring mugs to be offered when people drink at cafes, to be scrapped with environment minister stating ‘we need to clear this up’Follow our Australian politics live blog for latest updatesGet our daily political email, free app or daily news podcastThe New South Wales government has backflipped on its plan to force cafes to offer customers who dine in the option of mugs and glasses instead of takeaway cups.The Chris Minns government will also ditch a law that would have required businesses to participate in a reusable cup scheme or risk a fine up to $110,000.

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scmp.com | 6 hrs. 42 min. ago

How Hong Kong went from a yuan gateway to a complete currency ecosystem

In September, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled the city’s first five-year plan along with his policy address, highlighting Hong Kong’s strategic role in promoting the greater use of the yuan outside mainland China as a key priority. In the second part of a four-part series on the globalisation of the yuan, Daisy Wu examines Hong Kong’s evolution from an offshore reservoir into a self-sustaining yuan ecosystem.

Of the hundreds of thousands of people who cross the border between mainland...

timesofindia.indiatimes.com | 8 hrs. 59 min. ago

Australian court upholds A$99,382 award over neighbour's blocked drain flooding backyard and pool

In a significant legal victory, an Australian homeowner triumphed over his neighbor who contributed to ongoing flooding that devastated his land and pool. The New South Wales Court of Appeal upheld the initial ruling, assigning liability to the uphill property owners for inadequate drainage. They were ordered to compensate A$99,382.01 and to execute necessary repairs to avert further flooding.

theguardian.com | 9 hrs. 15 min. ago

Rosebank oilfield would not breach UK emission targets, say government insiders

Emissions from exported oil would not count against carbon budget, insiders say – reasoning likely to draw dismay from climate campaignersThe giant Rosebank oilfield can be approved without breaching the UK’s emission targets, according to government insiders, in a boost to those in the cabinet who are pushing for it to be given the go-ahead.The Guardian revealed last week that Miatta Fahnbulleh, the energy secretary, was leaning towards rejecting the project, but her position has put her at loggerheads with cabinet colleagues, including the chancellor, John Healey, who are lobbying for an approval.

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theguardian.com | 13 hrs. 4 min. ago

Reader Q&A: After Lula’s sensational victory in Brazil’s presidential election, the Guardian’s Latin America correspondent answers your questions

Having lost the first round of Brazil’s presidential election to far right rival Flávio Bolsonaro, incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva spectacularly triumphed in the second. What comes next for Brazil? The Guardian’s Tom Phillips is answering your questions now.Ask a question: log in or sign up here to comment, or email conversations@theguardian.comPatric Mauz says: How can Brazil ‘shore up’ the democratic process against outside influences? The natural resources that Brazil stewards is a massive amount and it is so very obvious that wealthy outside parties would very much like to have a say in that.

Datacentres and natural resources are more important than the Amazon rainforest or local native tribes to those who have the wealth and power. It will only get worse and that is terrible for future generations.Tom: I think the key answer to this question is in the first speech Lula gave after the result was announced on Sunday night.

“This was an election in which we had to overcome outside interference, through digital platforms, which we are going to have to regulate,” Lula told us at the São Paulo hotel where he was following the vote count. “It is unacceptable that we don’t recognise that crimes committed in the digital world must be treated the same as real-life crime.

We cannot have monstrously huge corporations making millions and billions, paying zero taxes in this country, and trying to steer the outcome of its elections,” Lula went on.Clearly – not just in the lead-up to this election, but stretching back several years – social networks in Brazil and elsewhere – have been skewing their output in favour of far-right candidates and movements.Tom: Yes, there has been a historic reduction of deforestation, not just in the Amazon but also in the Cerrado savannah at the heart of Brazil.

This has been the result of a major push by Lula’s government, under the leadership of former environment minister Marina Silva, who may now return to government having failed to win election to the senate. Lula’s efforts came after four years of destruction under Jair Bolsonaro, who governed from 2019 to 2022, and set about dismantling Brazil’s environmental protection agency, Ibama, and other efforts to protect the environment.

Back then, environmental officials were effectively banned from talking to journalists like me. They were grim times for the environment.When I spoke to Marina Silva on Sunday night she was overjoyed that Lula’s efforts to protect the environment could continue now he had secured a second term.

“My heart is happy and filled with gratitude to God and the Brazilian people,” she told me. “The thing I most feared was that our Indigenous territories would be invaded again [under another Bolsonaro government]. Now, I am certain that they will be preserved and that there is no risk of illegal miners returning to destroy these populations.”

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timesofindia.indiatimes.com | 13 hrs. 8 min. ago

California river restoration project attracts salmon within days of completion

A remarkable effort in California involved restoration crews who revitalized a section of the Lower Tuolumne River, focusing on creating vital salmon habitats and enriching local biodiversity. The project saw the introduction of over 24,000 cubic yards of gravel and 80 boulders, which collectively improved spawning conditions.

Almost immediately after the work was completed, salmon flocked to the newly established habitats, showcasing the project's success.

yahoo.com | 16 hrs. 45 min. ago

No one won Monday's Powerball. Now $716 million is up for grabs.

Someone could win an estimated $716 million in Wednesday’s Powerball drawing after no ticket matched all six numbers on Monday.The jackpot has gone for more than 30 drawings without a winner, since Aug. 12, when a single ticket sold in Illinois won $1.04 billion. Monday still produced a couple of big winners.

Two tickets, one sold in Florida and one in Georgia, matched all five white balls and won $1 million each.What are the odds of winning Powerball?The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.To put that into perspective, the National Weather Service estimates the odds of being struck by lightning in a given year at about 1 in 1.2 million.

That means you’re roughly 240 times more likely to be struck than to win the jackpot with a single ticket.A ticket is far more likely to win a smaller prize. The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.9.What are the biggest Powerball wins?The most recent jackpot winner, who chose to remain anonymous, won $1.04 billion on Aug.

12, the eighth-largest Powerball prize since the game began in 1992. Illinois law allows lottery winners of over $250,000 to keep their identities hidden. The largest jackpot ever won, $2.04 billion, went to Edwin Castro, who bought the winning ticket at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, Calif., in 2022. Castro has generally kept a low profile, but the Wall Street Journal reported in 2025 that he spent about $10 million on 15 lots in his hometown after devastating wildfires in January 2025.Top 10 Powerball jackpots:$2.04 billion, Nov.

7, 2022, California$1.817 billion, Dec. 24, 2025, Arkansas$1.787 billion, Sept. 6, 2025, Missouri and Texas$1.765 billion, Oct. 11, 2023, California$1.586 billion, Jan. 13, 2016, California, Florida and Tennessee$1.326 billion, April 6, 2024, Oregon$1.08 billion, July 19, 2023, California$1.04 billion, Aug. 12, 2026, Illinois$842.4 million, Jan.

1, 2024, Michigan$768.4 million, March 27, 2019, WisconsinHow much could the $716 million Powerball jackpot winner actually take home?There are two ways for potential winners to claim a jackpot — either in a one-time lump-sum payment or an annuity paid out over 29 years. A jackpot winner who selects the annuity will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year, the Powerball website states.

However, both options are subject to federal and jurisdictional taxes.The $716 million figure is for the annuity option, paid in yearly installments. The lump sum cash value is $307.2 million, according to the Powerball website.Lump sum winners will then face a 24% federal withholding tax plus additional federal taxes from being in the top tax bracket, bringing the total to as high as 37%.

A lump-sum winner would be left with roughly $193.5 million before state taxes.This article originally appeared on Yahoo News at https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/article/no-one-won-mondays-powerball-now-716m-is-up-for-grabs-114106917.html

yaleclimateconnections.org | 17 hrs. 53 min. ago

Why whales are climate heroes — who also need our protection

A leading marine scientist and conservation strategist explores the surprising relationship between whales, ocean health, and climate change – and what their recovery can teach us about protecting the planet.

thehindu.com | 17 hrs. 54 min. ago

At SCO meet, Rajnath calls for dismantling the entire ecosystem of terrorism

There is no place for those who finance, support, or provide safe havens to terrorists, says Defence Minister; India supports adoption of action plan for trade and economic cooperation among SCO members

theguardian.com | 17 hrs. 55 min. ago

Want to know what you’re really like? Just ask the people who see you twice a year

Zoe Williams | Apparently, I’m the person who turns up soaking wet, sucking Haribos. Who needs lifelong friends who know you inside-out when acquaintances tell it like it is?The worst kind of professional relationship is with the person you see twice a year, in a variety of different locations, because whatever they notice about you from that tiny observational sample, that’s what you’re like.

So on the first rainy day in folk memory, the opening bars of Storm Austen, I turned up to a job with a photographer, soaked. I’d been on my bike and had tucked my trousers into my socks, so the accumulated water in the ankle area had seeped upwards, giving me a confusing wet leg-warmer effect, then a couple of dry inches, then an unbelievably wet rest of body.

I was so wet that when I went to hug the studio’s labrador, he backed away from me like I was trying to give him a bath.“You were really wet last time!” the photographer exclaimed, remembering our previous meeting back in March. “Well, it’s a wet country,” I replied, before the person we were there to shoot chipped in: “It’s actually in unprecedented drought, but fine.”

Then the photographer asked, “Have you thought about getting some wet-weather clothes, if you’re going to cycle?” and I said, “Obviously this is the first time that’s occurred to me, otherwise it would have happened at some point between March and now,” except she didn’t hear me because I had my mouth full of Haribo chewy sours.

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theguardian.com | 18 hrs. 33 min. ago

AI-driven disinformation running rampant on social media before US midterms, experts warn

Social media companies including Meta have pulled back on efforts to protect voters from election-meddling liesSocial media feeds are awash with an unprecedented flood of AI-driven disinformation ahead of November’s US midterm elections, according to experts, who warn many posts are likely “slipping through the cracks”.As tens of millions of Americans prepare to cast their vote, social media companies have scaled back their efforts to protect voters from lies meant to manipulate elections.

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koreatimes.co.kr | 19 hrs. 33 min. ago

Lee, Lula swap warm words after Brazil election

Two former child factory workers who rose to become presidents exchanged warm messages following Brazil’s presidential election. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva thanked President Lee Jae Myung on Monday (local time) for congratulating him on his election victory, saying the two leaders share goals ranging from workers’ rights to environmental protection.

“My dear friend President Lee Jae Myung, I sincerely thank you for your message,” Lula wrote in Portuguese on X, formerly Twitter, in response to Lee’s post a day earlier. “We will continue defending dialogue between nations, social justice, workers’ rights and environmental protection,” he wrote.

“The future we want to build must offer dignity and opportunities to everyone.” He added, “I know these are goals we share. I hope we meet again soon.” Lee congratulated Lula on Monday after the Brazilian leader won a runoff election Sunday, securing an unprecedented fourth presidential term.

“My dear friend and comrade President Lula, I couldn’t be happier to congratulate you on your election victory,”

koreatimes.co.kr | 22 hrs. 4 min. ago

Lula responds to Lee's congratulations on 4th presidential win

Two former child factory workers who rose to become presidents exchanged warm messages following Brazil’s presidential election. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva thanked President Lee Jae Myung on Monday (local time) for congratulating him on his election victory, saying the two leaders share goals ranging from workers’ rights to environmental protection.

“My dear friend President Lee Jae Myung, I sincerely thank you for your message,” Lula wrote in Portuguese on X, formerly Twitter, in response to Lee’s post a day earlier. “We will continue defending dialogue between nations, social justice, workers’ rights and environmental protection,” he wrote.

“The future we want to build must offer dignity and opportunities to everyone.” He added, “I know these are goals we share. I hope we meet again soon.” Lee congratulated Lula on Monday after the Brazilian leader won a runoff election Sunday, securing an unprecedented fourth presidential term.

“My dear friend and comrade President Lula, I couldn’t be happier to congratulate you on your election victory,”

euronews.com | 22 hrs. 22 min. ago

Europe must prepare for a 3°C warmer world, EU climate chief warns

As Brussels warns that Europe must prepare for increasingly extreme weather, new EU rules will require governments to clarify who is responsible for climate preparedness – but no new funding is being offered to help households adapt.

theguardian.com | 22 hrs. 53 min. ago

Landowners could scupper free Land Registry access plans, campaigners warn

Proposed lifting of paywall would reveal who owns vast majority of land in England and WalesPlans by the government to give the public free access for the first time to information on who owns England’s land are at risk of being scuppered by landowners, campaigners have said.On Tuesday the government set out its proposals to lift the paywall on the Land Registry, arguing that opening it would help the UK build more houses, protect nature and improve strategic planning.

The plans will be open to public consultation for eight weeks. Continue reading...

theguardian.com | 1 days ago

Man found dead in Queensland floods named as former councillor and One Nation candidate

Fraser coast mayor described James Hansen as ‘always ready to help others, contribute to the community and advocate strongly’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJames Hansen, a former Queensland councillor, has been identified as the man who died in flooding on the state’s Fraser Coast.Hansen, 57, was a dairy farmer and fourth-generation resident of the area.

He served as a counselor for the Fraser Coast regional council between 2012 and 2024 Continue reading...

scmp.com | 1 days ago

Anthropic’s IPO filing shows explosive growth, risks and staggering costs

Anthropic disclosed steep losses and explosive revenue growth on ⁠Monday as the Claude parent moved closer to a potentially record-breaking IPO, betting on AI’s ability to reshape the global economy. The listing is shaping up to be a major test of appetite for AI from investors who are increasingly scrutinising the returns on billions of dollars of investments and questioning the sustainability of sky-high valuations.

“Anthropic’s IPO will certainly establish a benchmark for valuing leading AI...

theguardian.com | 1 days ago

Tell us: have you been affected by Storm Boelo and Storm Austen

We’d like to hear from people who’ve been affected by the UK storms at the weekendTens of thousands of properties are still without power on Monday after Storm Boelo and Storm Austen battered the UK at the weekend causing flooding and damage. Two people were killed by falling trees on Sunday.We’d like to hear from people who’ve been affected by the storms at the weekend.

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scmp.com | 1 days ago

Discovery of baby orangutans in India exposes booming illegal pet trade

The villagers who first spotted the five baby orangutans in a casuarina forest in India in early September were puzzled by their reddish hair and unfamiliar faces. The three males and two females, aged six to eight months – were left on a plantation in eastern India’s Odisha, over 2,700km (1,700 miles) from their native rainforests in Borneo and Sumatra, evidence of a growing illicit trade of apes being trafficked into India.

They are now at an Indian zoo, where keepers reportedly have been...