Environment

Friday, April 5th 2019 - 08:58 UTC
Pressure on Russia to release juvenile whales in small pens; apparently to be sold to Chinese marine parks

International pressure is growing for the Russian government to release nearly 100 juvenile whales which have been kept in small pens in the far east for seven months. French marine scientist Jean-Michel Cousteau and other experts are meeting government officials in Moscow. They plan to visit the so-called “whale jail” near Nakhodka on Saturday.
Wednesday, April 3rd 2019 - 08:55 UTC
Eight-meter sperm whale found dead in Sardinia with 22kgs of plastic in its belly

An eight-meter sperm whale was found dead off the Italian island of Sardinia with 22kg of plastic in its belly, AP reported on Tuesday. The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) sounded the alarm over plastics in the Mediterranean Sea following the finding.
Tuesday, April 2nd 2019 - 06:35 UTC
Argentina authorizes early opening of squid season north of parallel 44

Argentina's Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) decided to authorize the early opening of the northern squid sector, as it has been the case since 2016 on recommendations from the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (INIDEP).
Monday, April 1st 2019 - 09:00 UTC
Another Vale mining dam collapsed: no deaths reported and “no contamination”

Brazil has suffered another mining dam collapse, though this time there are no reports of dead or missing. The Rondonia state environment secretary says the dam in Oriente Novo gave way after a waterspout damaged its structure on Friday.
Saturday, March 30th 2019 - 08:04 UTC
EU bans use of plastic cutlery and cottons buds by 2021

Single-use plastic items such as straws, forks and knives as well as cotton buds will be banned in the European Union by 2021 following a vote by EU lawmakers last Wednesday as the bloc pushes manufacturers to step up their recycling efforts.
Thursday, March 28th 2019 - 09:15 UTC
Falklands' fleet will incorporate state of the art trawler in 2021

The Falkland Islands will add to its registered fleet a state of the art trawler which should be operational by 2021 belonging to a local joint venture company, Petrel Fishing Company Ltd. In early 2019, the Board of Fortuna Ltd approved the construction of a new trawler to join their current fleet of five trawlers. The vessel will be owned and operated by Fortuna Joint Venture Company - “Petrel Fishing Company Ltd”.
Monday, March 25th 2019 - 09:18 UTC
Bolsonaro: Brazil owes nothing to the world regarding the environment

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said his country “does not owe the world anything” when it comes to the environment. The far-right leader, who is critical of the Paris climate change accord, was speaking in Chile following Friday’s launch of the Forum for the Progress of South America (PROSUR), a conservative-minded group of South American leaders.
Saturday, March 23rd 2019 - 09:21 UTC
Africa's cyclone Idai batters 1.7 million people: now outbreaks of cholera and malaria

A week after the flooded Mozambican port of Beira was hit by Cyclone Idai, cases of cholera have been recorded, a humanitarian aid group said on Friday. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warned of the risk of other outbreaks, already noting an increase in malaria.
Thursday, March 21st 2019 - 09:13 UTC
Ocean sunfish washed up on an Australian beach becomes viral

Pictures of a giant, odd-looking fish have gone viral after it washed up on a beach in South Australia. Identified as an ocean sunfish by experts, the 1.8m-long specimen was first spotted by a group of fishermen driving along the sand.
Thursday, March 21st 2019 - 08:59 UTC
A 12 sq. km lagoon, one hour's drive from Santiago, goes completely dry

The cows and horses would have come for the last blades of grass. Now their bones are scattered on the cracked earth, victims of drought that wiped Santiago's weekend playground Lake Aculeo from the map.