International

Thursday, January 16th 2020 - 08:51 UTC
Secret operation in Australia to save prehistoric species “dinosaur trees”

A secret operation by specialist firefighters has saved the world's last stand of Wollemi Pines, a pre-historic species known as “dinosaur trees”, from Australia's unprecedented bushfires, officials said.
Thursday, January 16th 2020 - 08:47 UTC
Past decade the hottest on record, but higher temperatures can be expected

The past decade has been the hottest on record, the UN said on Wednesday warning that the higher temperatures were expected to fuel numerous extreme weather events in 2020 and beyond.
Wednesday, January 15th 2020 - 09:50 UTC
Bolsonaro says documentary on the downfall of ex president Rousseff is rubbish

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday dismissed an Oscar-nominated Netflix documentary about the 2016 impeachment of leftist ex-leader Dilma Rousseff as “rubbish.”
Wednesday, January 15th 2020 - 09:34 UTC
Australian Open tennis qualifying disrupted by poor air quality as smoke blankets Melbourne

Australian Open qualifying was disrupted for a second successive day due to poor air quality on Wednesday as smoke from bushfires continued to blanket Melbourne in an acrid haze. Organizers of the year's first Grand Slam said practice had been suspended at Melbourne Park until 11am and qualifiers would not get under way until 1pm.
Wednesday, January 15th 2020 - 09:16 UTC
Benedict trying to distance himself from a controversial book with passages on celibacy

Retired former pope Benedict XVI sought to calm a dispute within the Vatican on Tuesday, claiming his name was erroneously attributed as co-author to a new book with a conservative cardinal.
Wednesday, January 15th 2020 - 09:11 UTC
Australia fires’ smoke expected to circle the world, NASA satellites confirm

The vast clouds of smoke from Australia's historic bush fires are expected to circle the Earth and return to the country, Nasa says. The US agency said satellites have been monitoring the movement of the smoke high in the atmosphere as it swirled east towards South America and beyond.
Wednesday, January 15th 2020 - 09:05 UTC
US-China sign Phase One of trade deal, but some tariffs to remain until completion of Phase Two

The United States will maintain tariffs on Chinese goods until the completion of a second phase of a United States-China trade agreement, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Tuesday, a day before the two sides are to sign an interim deal.
Wednesday, January 15th 2020 - 09:00 UTC
Leading Chinese auto makers planning to produce vehicles in Mexico

At least three Chinese automakers are preparing to produce vehicles in Mexico or expand existing operations, the Mexican ambassador to China earlier this week, in what would be a boost to one of the Latin American country’s top export industries.
Wednesday, January 15th 2020 - 09:00 UTC
Women who have frequent sex delay entering menopause

Women approaching menopause who have frequent sex are less likely to cross that threshold than women of the same age who are not as active sexually, researchers said on Wednesday.
Tuesday, January 14th 2020 - 09:51 UTC
Last year, the warmest on record for the world's oceans long term trend

Last year was the warmest year on record for the world's oceans, part of a long-term warming trend, according to a study released on Monday. “If you look at the ocean heat content, 2019 is by far the hottest, 2018 is second, 2017 is third, 2015 is fourth, and then 2016 is fifth,” said Kevin E. Trenberth, a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, NCAR, and an author on the study.