Jakarta (AFP) Sept 5, 2024 Pope Francis appealed for religious unity Thursday as he addressed tens of thousands of people at a football stadium after meeting faith leaders at Southeast Asia’s biggest mosque. “I encourage you to sow seeds of love, confidently tread the path of dialogue, continue to show your goodness and kindness… and be builders of unity and peace,” he told more than … Continue reading Pope appeals for religious unity at stadium mass in Indonesia

London, UK (SPX) Sep 05, 2024 One million Amur Falcons (Falco amurensis) can consume two billion termites in just over fifteen days. This is according to a paper published in the newest issue of the Journal of Raptor Research. These numbers are big, and the conclusions are even bigger – Northeast India provides a crucial stopover site for these falcons as they prepare to cross … Continue reading Two billion termites in two weeks: How Amur falcons cross the Arabian Sea

Beijing (AFP) Sept 3, 2024 China said Tuesday it would launch an anti-dumping probe into Canadian canola and chemical products, in apparent retaliation for Ottawa’s new restrictions on imports of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last month announced tariffs of 100 percent on Chinese EVs, accusing Beijing of “not playing by the same rules as other countries” in areas like environmhttp://dlvr.it/TClnMJ Continue reading China to launch anti-dumping probes into Canadian canola, chemicals

Sydney (AFP) Sept 3, 2024 Australia just sweltered through its warmest August on record, meteorologists have confirmed, with temperatures smashing the long-term average by more than three degrees Celsius. Bureau of Meteorology data showed that last month was the hottest August since records began in 1910, with several parts of the continent logging their highest-ever maximum and minimum temperatures. The area-avhttp://dlvr.it/TCln62 Continue reading Australia sees record August temperatures, second-warmest winter

Niamey, Niger (AFP) Sept 1, 2024 Torrential rains in Niger have killed at least 15 more people, regional authorities said on Sunday, the latest casualties of the downpours lashing the African nation. Heavy rains have been drenching Africa’s Sahel region since June and the latest victims in Niger come on top of at least 217 people who have died across the country in that time, … Continue reading Torrential rains in Niger kill 15 more people; as floods kill 25 in southern India

Manila (AFP) Sept 2, 2024 Floods and landslides killed 11 people after a fierce tropical storm dumped heavy rain on the Philippines for a second day, officials said Monday. Tropical Storm Yagi slammed into the main island of Luzon on Monday after brushing past the Bicol region southeast of Manila overnight Sunday, with more heavy rain forecast which the state weather service said could cause … Continue reading Tropical storm triggers landslides in Philippines; One dead as storms hit Australia’s southeast

Beijing (AFP) Sept 2, 2024 Swathes of China logged the hottest August on record last month, the weather service said, as Japanese authorities announced that 2024 had been its warmest summer since records began. China is the leading emitter of the greenhouse gas emissions scientists say are driving global climate change. Beijing has pledged to bring planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions to a peak by 2030 … Continue reading Swathes of China, Japan log record summer temperatures

Sydney, Australia (SPX) Sep 01, 2024 Testing for microplastic contamination in marine plankton is being conducted by researchers at Flinders University to develop better methods for assessing and managing the escalating global pollution problem. The team investigated the effects of five different chemical digestive aids on various types of plastics, using low, medium, and high concentrations of zooplankton. The findings havehttp://dlvr.it/TCdBBZ Continue reading Assessing microplastic contamination in marine plankton to mitigate global pollution

Paris, France (SPX) Sep 01, 2024 From monitoring the health of the world’s vegetation to mapping regions struck by natural disasters and supporting urban planning, the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites are key to observing and understanding our planet. The Sentinel-2 satellites capture data of all of Earth’s major land surfaces, coastal areas, and inland waters every five days. The twin satellites fly in the same orbit … Continue reading What you should know about Sentinel-2 climate satellites

Tokyo (AFP) Aug 31, 2024 Two ageing pandas at a Tokyo zoo will be returned to China next month for medical care, the city’s governor said, with visitors queuing on Saturday to catch their last glimpse of the couple. The pandas Ri Ri and Shin Shin arrived at Ueno Zoo in 2011 and were due to stay until February 2026, but Japan and China agreed … Continue reading Panda pair in Tokyo to return to China