Leiria, Portugal (AFP) Sept 13, 2022 Five years after Portugal’s deadliest wildfire, which claimed 63 lives, a court on Tuesday acquitted 11 people accused of negligent homicide over the tragedy. The fires broke out in the central Leiria region during a heatwave in June 2017 and burned for five days, destroying 240 square kilometres (90 square miles) of hillsides covered with pine and eucalyptus trees. … Continue reading Portugal court acquits all in homicide trial, 5 years after worst wildfire

London (AFP) Sept 14, 2022 The late Queen Elizabeth II was patron of numerous good causes, as is her son King Charles III, but he will now look to redistribute them among the Royal Family. The queen, who will lie in state from Wednesday until her funeral Monday, was patron of 600 causes including the British Red Cross humanitarian group and the Royal Society science … Continue reading King Charles mulls patronages after queen’s death

Sydney (AFP) Sept 12, 2022 Australia’s crafty, sulphur-crested cockatoos appear to have entered an “innovation arms race” with humans, scientists say, as the two species spar over the rubbish in roadside bins. The white birds, which can grow nearly as long as a human arm, initially surprised researchers by devising an ingenious technique to prise open household bin lids in Sydney and other areas. Now, … Continue reading Bin-opening cockatoos enter ‘arms race’ with humans

Jakarta (AFP) Sept 12, 2022 Indonesia and Norway signed a deal Monday to reward deforestation reduction months after the collapse of a similar $1-billion agreement that was part of a UN-backed global initiative criticised for its ineffectiveness. Protecting trees is key to meeting climate goals but environmentalists blame Indonesia – home to the world’s third-largest rainforest area – for a deforestation free-for-allhttp://dlvr.it/SYBbPg Continue reading Indonesia, Norway ink deal to reward rainforest protection

Beirut (AFP) Sept 12, 2022 The Egyptian government has severely restricted environmental groups’ work, leaving activists fearful of publicly scrutinising authorities ahead of the country hosting a crucial global climate summit, Human Rights Watch said Monday. The UN’s annual Conference of the Parties (COP) involves nearly 200 countries, with hundreds of observers, NGOs and – very often – mass demonstrations designedhttp://dlvr.it/SYBbPN Continue reading Egypt environment groups in ‘fear’ ahead of COP27: HRW

Port Moresby (AFP) Sept 12, 2022 The death toll from a massive earthquake in Papua New Guinea rose to seven Monday and is expected to grow as rescuers begin to reach remote landslide-hit communities. Police Commissioner David Manning said the victims of Sunday’s 7.6-magnitude quake had been found across the central north of the country, where there is widespread damage to homes and infrastructure. “The … Continue reading Papua New Guinea quake toll rises to seven

Hatra, Iraq (AFP) Sept 11, 2022 Strolling along the ancient ruins of Hatra in Iraq’s north, dozens of visitors admired the site, where local initiatives seek to turn over a new leaf after a brief but brutal jihadist rule. Designated an endangered world heritage site by UNESCO, Hatra dates back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC. It is a two-hour drive from Mosul, the … Continue reading Iraq ancient ruins open up to tourism after IS atrocities

Los Angeles (AFP) Sept 11, 2022 California’s latest wildfire has spread rapidly in the US state’s central mountains, just as firefighters were bringing a big blaze south of Los Angeles under control, authorities said Sunday. The Mosquito Fire has now swept through an area of more than 41,000 acres (16,600 hectares) in the Sierra Nevada range northeast of San Francisco in just four days, the … Continue reading New wildfire spreading in central California mountains

Hemet, United States (AFP) Sept 9, 2022 Firefighters battling a growing blaze outside Los Angeles were bracing Friday for mudslides and flooding as a storm barrels into burn areas. The remnants of a hurricane that hit Mexico were bringing strong winds that are likely to fan the Fairview fire, prompting wider evacuation orders. The 27,000-acre (10,000-hectare) fire, which erupted on Monday at the midpoint of … Continue reading Firefighters brace for mudslides as storm moves into California

Hemet , United States (AFP) Sept 11, 2022 California firefighters were able to beat back a massive wildfire outside Los Angeles after a tropical storm brought rains and cooler temperatures, US authorities said on Saturday. The Fairview Fire was 40 percent contained as of Saturday evening after forcing evacuation orders and leaving two people dead, fire officials said. The blaze erupted on Monday at the … Continue reading Massive California fire eases with rains