Caracas (AFP) Aug 18, 2023 Yusmary spends as much as half her weekly wage for water. Isora must go to the black market to get gas cylinders so she can cook. Rodrigo, weary of blackouts, bought portable generators for his home and business. Public utilities offer erratic service in Venezuela, and citizens pay steeply to make up for the shortcomings. When power shuts off and … Continue reading Daily challenge for Venezuelans: Obtain water, power, cooking fuel

Paris (AFP) Aug 17, 2023 France’s government held a crisis meeting Thursday to discuss measures to tackle a heatwave in which temperatures could climb beyond 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) this weekend. Senior civil servants from Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne’s office as well as the interior, health, agriculture and transport ministries attended the meeting, the office told AFP. Paris has been stepping uphttp://dlvr.it/StqkhF Continue reading French government holds crisis meeting as heatwave mounts

Seoul (AFP) Aug 18, 2023 North Korean leader Kim Jong Un visited typhoon-hit farms and oversaw military helicopters spraying pesticides in a bid to salvage key crops, state media said Friday. Tropical Storm Khanun made landfall last week in the North, a country where natural disasters can be devastating due to weak infrastructure and widespread deforestation, which increases vulnerability to flooding. The visithttp://dlvr.it/Stqkgk Continue reading North Korea’s Kim visits typhoon-hit farms amid food shortages

Berlin, Germany (SPX) Aug 17, 2023 Satellite technology is providing a unique perspective on a fundamental question of marine biology – the nutrient limitations of phytoplankton, the microscopic plants that influence ocean life and the Earth’s climate. Researchers have used space technology to observe these limitations across vast oceanic expanses in a matter of days, instead of the more localized, point-in-time observations typihttp://dlvr.it/Stmyp4 Continue reading Satellite data offers new insights into phytoplankton

Oldenburg, Germany (SPX) Aug 17, 2023 Microplastic particles are present in the marine atmosphere even in remote parts of the world. These tiny particles come from land sources but are also re-emitted into the atmosphere from the sea, a study by a team of German and Norwegian researchers led by Dr Barbara Scholz-Bottcher of the University of Oldenburg has shown. The scientists analysed air samples … Continue reading Oceans release microplastics into the atmosphere

Washington DC (UPI) Aug 16, 2021 Tropical Storm Hilary continues to gain strength in the Pacific, and forecasters Wednesday said they expect it to become a hurricane within a day. The storm is not a current threat to land, but it becomes the third major storm system in the Pacific, joining Tropical Storm Greg and Hurricane Fernanda, both of which are expected to weaken in … Continue reading Tropical Storm Hilary joins 2 other Pacific Ocean weather systems

Reykjavik (AFP) Aug 16, 2023 Iceland’s meteorological office on Wednesday declared that the volcanic eruption near the country’s capital Reykjavik was officially over as no activity had been observed for 10 days. “Ten days have passed since activity was last measured in the Litli-Hrutur crater. There is no longer any deformation observed in the area and seismic activity has decreased considerably,” the Icelandic Meteorohttp://dlvr.it/StmWtY Continue reading Volcanic eruption in southwest Iceland ends: met office

Baghdad (AFP) Aug 17, 2023 Climate change has impacted the Middle East and North Africa where summer is already very hot. Many in Iraq, Syria, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia still labour in the heat. – A tool of the trade in Syria – Heat is a tool of the trade for blacksmith Murad Haddad in the city of Idlib in northwest Syria. “We make everything … Continue reading Where summer heat hits hard: Mideast and North Africa

Washington (AFP) Aug 14, 2023 There is a nearly 50 percent probability that 2023 will be the warmest year ever recorded and next year could be even hotter, US government climate experts said Monday. “2023 to date has been the third warmest on record,” National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) chief scientist Sarah Kapnick told reporters. “It is virtually certain – over 99 percent chance … Continue reading 50 pct chance 2023 will be warmest year on record: NOAA

Caracas (AFP) Aug 14, 2023 The Colombian government and ELN guerillas began a fresh round of peace talks in Venezuela Monday, with both sides calling for humanitarian assistance for violence-hit areas. Bogota and the National Liberation Army (ELN) last week kicked off a six-month ceasefire as negotiations aiming to end decades of armed conflict continue. The talks in Venezuela are the fourth round of discussionshttp://dlvr.it/StkKMG Continue reading Both sides in Colombian peace talks call for humanitarian aid