The United States briefly halted some flights on its west coast after North Korea test-launched a ballistic missile, its second weapons test in less than a week, officials said Tuesday.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed it had “temporarily paused departures at some airports along the west coast” on Monday evening local time after the launch, which South Korea’s military warned showed clear signs of “progress” from last week’s test.The launch came as the UN Security Council met…
RIP, Magawa: Cambodia’s hero rat who detected landmines dies at age of 8
A landmine-hunting rat that was awarded a gold medal for heroism for clearing ordnance from the Cambodian countryside has died, his charity said on Tuesday.Magawa, a giant African pouched rat originally from Tanzania, helped clear mines from about 225,000 square metres (56 acres) of land over the course of his career.After detecting more than 100 landmines and other explosives, Magawa retired in June last year.We are grateful for the incredible work he’s doneThe APOPO charityMagawa died …
Climate change: Last 7 years ‘warmest on record’ globally; linked to fire, flood, pollution disasters
The last seven years have been the hottest on record globally “by a clear margin”, the European Union’s climate monitoring service reported on Monday, as it raised the alarm over sharp increases in record concentrations of methane in the atmosphere.Countries around the world have been blasted by a relentless assault of weather disasters linked to global warming in recent years, including record-shattering wildfires across Australia and Siberia, a once-in-1,000-years heatwave in North America…
Ofgem to be appointed as new heat networks regulator
The UK government has announced plans to appoint Ofgem as the new heat networks regulator for Great Britain, as part of its efforts to transition to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Natural disasters cost Asia-Pacific US$50 billion last year, of which just US$9 billion was covered by insurance, says Munich Re
Natural disasters caused economic losses of US$280 billion globally in 2021, making it the second-costliest year on record, according to Munich Re, the world’s largest reinsurer.Less than half this amount was covered by insurance, the company said. The Asia-Pacific region, though its losses were modest, lagged the rest of the world on this metric – only a fraction of its losses were insured.Last year’s US$280 billion figure was substantially higher than the US$210 billion in 2020 and the US$166…
Blaze at Bangladesh Rohingya refugee camp leaves more than 5,000 homeless
Thousands of people were left homeless after a fire gutted parts of a Rohingya refugee camp in Bangladesh, police said on Sunday.About 850,000 of the persecuted Muslim minority, many of whom escaped a 2017 military crackdown in Myanmar that UN investigators concluded was executed with “genocidal intent”, live in a network of camps in Bangladesh’s border district of Cox’s Bazar.“About 1,200 houses were burnt in the fire,” said Kamran Hossain, a spokesman for the Armed Police Battalion, which…
Coronavirus: New year, old problem for Thai tourism as Omicron punctures hope
With each new coronavirus wave, Naowarat Khakay has been forced to let go more workers from her restaurant, hotel and apartment businesses across the Thai resort island of Pattaya.“I’ve lost over 100 employees now,” said the 65-year-old businesswoman, taking a moment to hold back tears.A short walk down to the beach, Yuttana Leebamrung, 30, looks on at the smattering of Russian tourists taking in the sun on a virtually empty expanse of sand but ignoring the chance to rent his two jet skis.“I…
Chinese-American man brutally attacked in NYC dies
An elderly Chinese-American man who was brutally attacked in April while collecting cans in East Harlem has died of his injuries, and his case is now deemed a homicide, police said Saturday.Yao Pan Ma, 61, died December 31, police said. The attack drew national attention as part of a rise in anti-Asian hate crimes in New York and around the country. The investigation continues.Jarrod Powell, 49, of New York City, was previously charged with attempted murder, felony assault and hate crime…
Indonesia’s huge China-backed ‘green’ industrial estate raises deforestation, environment fears
When Indonesian President Joko Widodo officiated the groundbreaking ceremony last month on what has been touted as the world’s largest green industrial estate, he said it would spur the country’s “economic transformation” from raw material exporter to a significant player in the global supply chain.But concerns have been raised about the China-backed project’s green credentials, as rainforest will have to be cut down and biodiversity threatened to build the five hydroelectric dams that are…
Plastic packaging tax
A new tax on plastic packaging manufactured in, or imported into the UK, that does not contain at least 30% recycled plastic is being introduced from 1 April 2022.