Environment

• Friday, April 1st 2011 - 01:42 UTC

  Amazon drought consequences still affect an area 3.5 times the size of Texas

  

  A new study has revealed widespread reductions in the greenness of Amazon forests caused by the last year's record-breaking drought.

• Tuesday, March 29th 2011 - 00:49 UTC

  Gold chain found off Key West; could belong to 17th century Spanish galleon

  

  Divers from Mel Fisher's Treasures in Key West, extreme south Florida, have recovered an antique gold chain believed to be from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Atocha, which sank during a 1622 hurricane. In 1985, these same treasure hunters had previously found more than 450 million US dollars in artefacts from the wreck.

• Sunday, March 27th 2011 - 05:04 UTC

  Radioactivity levels 1.250 times higher than normal in sea water at Fukushima

  

  Radioactivity levels are soaring in seawater near the crippled Fukushima Daiichi plant, Japan's nuclear safety agency said, two weeks after the nuclear power plant was hit by a massive earthquake and tsunami.

• Saturday, March 26th 2011 - 07:35 UTC

  Ecological disaster in Tristan da Cunha: penguins and lobster at risk plus threat of rats

  

  A race to rescue up to 20,000 endangered northern Rockhopper penguins from an oil spill in an isolated South Atlantic British island group was under way this week after a cargo ship ran aground.

• Thursday, March 24th 2011 - 06:19 UTC

  The world’s rarest albatross confirmed as a separate species by scientists

  

  The world's rarest albatross has been confirmed as a separate species by scientists. The genetic analysis solves 20 years of debate over the status of the Amsterdam albatross.
  Canadian researchers have proven that the birds' DNA varies significantly from wandering albatrosses, their closest living relatives.

• Thursday, March 24th 2011 - 03:50 UTC

  IAEA concerned about lack of radiation information from Japanese authorities

  

  The International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA has expressed growing concern about a lack of information on radiation levels and the situation at the crippled nuclear reactors from Japanese authorities.

• Thursday, March 24th 2011 - 03:42 UTC

  Japan estimates cost of the earthquake and tsunami could reach 300 billion USD

  

  Japan estimated the cost of the damage from its devastating earthquake and tsunami could top 300 billion US dollars (close to 6% of GDP). The first official estimate since the March 11 disaster covers damage to roads, homes, factories and infrastructure.

• Tuesday, March 22nd 2011 - 23:34 UTC

  Tepco will have to compensate farmers around Fukushima area, says Japan

  

  Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco) will have to compensate farmers for losses caused by the nuclear radiation leaking from its power plants, Japan has said.

• Tuesday, March 22nd 2011 - 20:13 UTC

  Falkland Islands’ tours are top three in South America

  

  Three Falkland Islands tours achieved the top ratings out of all South American excursions taken by Princess Cruise Line passengers during the 2010/11 season, confirmed Tourism Coordinator Samantha Marsh of Falklands Port and Shore Excursion Agents Sulivan Shipping Ltd.

• Tuesday, March 22nd 2011 - 08:32 UTC

  Fukushima nuclear plant seems ‘stabilized’ but smoke emissions continue

  

  Efforts have resumed at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant to restore electrical power and cool its overheated reactors, seriously damaged by the 11 March earthquake.