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Jury awards $218 mn to farmers in Syngenta GMO corn lawsuit![]() Chicago (AFP) June 23, 2017 A US federal jury on Friday ordered Swiss agribusiness giant Syngenta to pay nearly $218 million to 7,000 Kansas farmers after selling them genetically-modified corn seeds not approved for export to China. The farmers suffered profound economic damage in 2013 when Chinese authorities refused imports of corn grown with Syngenta's bioengineered seeds, causing prices to plummet, according to a lawyer for the plaintiffs. "The verdict is great news for corn farmers in Kansas and corn growers througho ... read more |
ChemChina completes $43 bn takeover of SyngentaShanghai (AFP) June 28, 2017 ChemChina has completed its $43 billion takeover of Swiss pesticide and seed giant Syngenta, the companies said, in the biggest overseas acquisition so far by a Chinese firm. ... more
Fighting a destructive crop disease with mathematicsCambridge UK (SPX) Jun 28, 2017 An international team of researchers has used mathematical modelling to understand new ways of combating maize lethal necrosis, an emerging disease that poses a serious threat to food security in su ... more
French PM says ban on 'bee-killer' pesticide will go aheadParis (AFP) June 26, 2017 French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe weighed in on a row between his environment and agriculture ministers on Monday to rule that a pesticide found harmful to bees would be banned in 2018 as scheduled. ... more
Lake harvests are likely more fruitful than we knewChicago IL (SPX) Jun 28, 2017 Harvests from freshwater fisheries such as the Great Lakes could total more than 12 million tons a year globally and contribute more to global food supplies and economies than previous estimates ind ... more |
Weakening Typhoon Fung-wong exits Philippines after displacing 1.4 million
Super Typhoon Fung-wong makes landfall in Philippines Over 1 million evacuate as deadly Super Typhoon Fung-wong nears Philippines Dam reservoir levels drop below 3% in Iran's second city: media Philippines evacuates one million, woman dead as super typhoon nears Japan observes tiny tsunami following 6.7 magnitude quake Philippines evacuates hundreds of thousands as super typhoon nears Tornado kills six, injures 750 as it wrecks southern Brazil town Winds, rain lash Philippines as super typhoon nears Tornado kills six, wrecks town in Brazil |
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| Previous Issues | Jun 28 | Jun 27 | Jun 26 | Jun 23 |
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Water exists in two distinct liquid phasesWashington (UPI) Jun 26, 2017 Water differs from other liquids in a variety of ways, many of which make it essential for life. New research has identified another unusual property: water exists in two distinct liquid phases. ... more
Small scale, big improvementsNewark DE (SPX) Jun 16, 2017 Methods to improve water purification or build better batteries are problems that have challenged scientists for decades. Advances have inched forward, but rising demand moves the finish line furthe ... more
Bubbling Chinese market centre-stage at world wine festBordeaux (AFP) June 22, 2017 With a middle-class increasingly thirsty for reds, whites and Italian bubbly, China is the hot ticket for wine traders looking for opportunities at this year's Vinexpo industry extravaganza. ... more
Starvation looms as food runs out in drought-hit EthiopiaWarder, Ethiopia (AFP) June 22, 2017 The Somali people of Ethiopia's southeast have a name for the drought that has killed livestock, dried up wells and forced hundreds of thousands into camps: sima, which means "equalised". ... more
Shots fired in Australia's war on food wasteSydney (AFP) June 18, 2017 Australia's first recycled supermarket is giving food destined for landfills a second chance, as the government embarks on a major push to cut down on waste costing the economy Aus$20 billion (US$15 billion) a year. ... more
Highly safe biocontainment strategy hopes to encourage greater use of GMOsHiroshima, Japan (SPX) Jun 21, 2017 Use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) - microorganisms not found in the natural world but developed in labs for their beneficial characteristics - is a contentious issue. For while GMOs ... more |
![]() China 'backyard' pig farmers squeezed as sector scales up
Starvation looms as food runs out in drought-hit EthiopiaWarder, Ethiopia (AFP) June 22, 2017 The Somali people of Ethiopia's southeast have a name for the drought that has killed livestock, dried up wells and forced hundreds of thousands into camps: sima, which means "equalised". ... more
Growers at Bordeaux winefest unite against climate changeBordeaux (AFP) June 21, 2017 This is the wine industry's new normal: heavy rains, floods, hailstones, drought and sometimes even frost. ... more
China opens gates to US beef importsBeijing (AFP) June 21, 2017 China opened its gates to US beef imports this week, giving American cattle farmers much sought-after access to the country's massive market following a 14-year ban. ... more
Waste not, want notWashington DC (SPX) Jun 21, 2017 Making a living raising cattle isn't as simple as just buying a herd and turning it out to pasture. Cattle require specific diets to maintain proper nutrition and weight gain. And how to do this in ... more |
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Washington DC (SPX) Jun 28, 2017
Dating back to the first century, scientists, philosophers and reporters have noted the occasional occurrence of "bright nights," when an unexplained glow in the night sky lets observers see distant mountains, read a newspaper or check their watch.
A new study accepted for publication in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union, uses satellite data to prese ... more Melbourne FL (SPX) Jun 28, 2017Harris Corporation Delivers Advanced Weather Satellite Instrument to South Korea Leicester UK (SPX) Jun 28, 2017Satellite data to map endangered monkey populations on Earth Lancaster UK (SPX) Jun 28, 2017Ozone recovery may be delayed by unregulated chemicals |
Paris (AFP) June 22, 2017
The European Space Agency signed a contract with a German-British consortium Thursday to build eight more satellites for its Galileo satnav system, an alternative to America's GPS, the agency said Thursday.
The deal was signed at the International Paris Air Show with German company OHB as the prime contractor, and Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd in charge of navigation systems.
The ESA s ... more Denver CO (SPX) Jun 28, 2017Second Lockheed Martin GPS-3 satellite assembled as full production begins New Delhi (Sputnik) Jun 28, 2017India's Answer to GPS Runs Into Serious Technical Failures Washington (UPI) Jun 26, 2017Lockheed Martin nears completion of GPS III satellite |
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Ottawa (AFP) June 27, 2017
The United States slapped a new anti-dumping tax on Canadian softwood lumber Monday, the latest escalation in a trade dispute that began with an initial set of duties on exports from America's northern neighbor.
The US Commerce Department announced preliminary findings from an anti-dumping probe that Canadian lumber was 7.72 to 4.59 percent below normal prices.
US customs officers will n ... more Washington (UPI) Jun 22, 2017Iconic New Zealand Christmas tree has Australian roots Warsaw (AFP) June 24, 2017Thousands protest logging in Poland's ancient forest Warsaw (AFP) June 21, 2017Poland says primeval forest should not be UNESCO natural heritage site |
Chicago IL (SPX) Jun 28, 2017
Farmers earn more profits when there is demand for corn for biofuel instead of for food only. This can lead some to convert grasslands and forests to cropland. This conversion, also called indirect land use change, can have large-scale environmental consequences, including releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere.
To penalize the carbon emissions from this so-called indirect land use ch ... more Adelaide, Australia (SPX) Jun 27, 2017New catalyst paves way for carbon neutral fuel Champaign IL (SPX) Jun 22, 2017Corn better used as food than biofuel Stanford CA (SPX) Jun 22, 2017Discovery could lead to sustainable ethanol made from carbon dioxide |
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Durham NC (SPX) Jun 28, 2017
Global solar energy production is taking a major hit due to air pollution and dust.
According to a new study, airborne particles and their accumulation on solar cells are cutting energy output by more than 25 percent in certain parts of the world. The regions hardest hit are also those investing the most in solar energy installations: China, India and the Arabian Peninsula.
The study ... more Wesel, Germany (SPX) Jun 26, 2017SOVENTIX and Gentec EPC sign a joint venture agreement to develop solar hybrid projects across Nigeria Washington DC (UPI) Jun 24, 2017Pacific island nations get renewable energy support Zurich, Switzerland (SPX) Jun 28, 2017ABB microgrid to power Aruba and support transition to renewable energy |
Bristol UK (SPX) Jun 22, 2017
With over 20 years in sustainable investment, Thrive Renewables, (previously Triodos Renewables) has provided mezzanine loans for two wind farms in Scotland that will have a combined total capacity of 11.5MW which will generate and deliver clean, smart energy to the UK grid. Once built, these projects will be able to generate enough green electricity for 7,760[1] homes.
In partnership with ... more Beijing, China (SPX) Jun 12, 2017It's a breeze: How to harness the power of the wind Washington (UPI) Jun 5, 2017ADB: Asia-Pacific growth tied to renewables Anaheim, CA (SPX) May 28, 2017GE Energy Financial Services Surpasses $15 Billion in Renewable Energy Investments |
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Sydney (AFP) June 26, 2017
Rio Tinto Monday recommended shareholders accept a new improved offer from Yancoal for its Australian coal assets, after the China-backed firm trumped a fresh bid from Swiss commodities giant Glencore.
Rio, the world's second-largest miner, said in January it was selling Coal & Allied to Yancoal Australia - majority-controlled by China's Yanzhou Coal - for US$2.45 billion.
But Glencore ... more Sydney (AFP) June 26, 2017Glencore makes new bid for Rio's Australia coal assets Sydney (AFP) June 20, 2017Rio backs Yancoal over Glencore for Australia coal minesw Tomsk, Russia (SPX) Jun 12, 2017Coal waste fuel may reduce anthropogenic emissions |
Hong Kong (AFP) June 27, 2017
When Xi Jinping lands in Hong Kong on Thursday for the first time since becoming China's president, he will step into a deeply divided city uncertain of its future.
The visit marks 20 years since Hong Kong was handed back to China by Britain and comes at a time when many fear the semi-autonomous city's freedoms are being lost to an ever more assertive Beijing.
Protests are expected duri ... more Beijing (AFP) June 28, 2017Hong Kong's allure fading in mainland China Shanghai (AFP) June 23, 2017'Pee Park'? China tries to correct bad translations Beijing (AFP) June 27, 2017China rejects US criticism over Nobel laureate's treatment |
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Washington DC (SPX) Jun 26, 2017
Researchers have developed an exoskeleton system that provides personalized support for its user. In healthy volunteers, the optimized exoskeleton reduced energy expenditure during walking by 24%, on average, compared to when the system was not providing personalized support.
Exoskeletons can help enhance human abilities, for example by allowing people to lift greater weight or expend less ... more Redwood City CA (SPX) Jun 22, 2017Numenta demonstrates machine intelligence algorithm for real-time anomaly detection Pasadena CA (JPL) Jun 26, 2017AI Will Prepare Robots for the Unknown Washington (UPI) Jun 20, 2017Snake robot could help maintain space station, explore moon |
Washington (UPI) Jun 21, 2017
When marine biologist Craig Downs first visited the turquoise-blue waters of Trunk Bay in the Virgin Islands National Park in St. John in 2005, he arrived on a crucial mission: Find out why the health of the park's coral reefs was declining.
Downs, part of a team of experts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the University of Central Florida and the University of ... more West Tabir, Indonesia (AFP) June 21, 2017Risky gold rush: Indonesia tackles illegal mining boom Firozabad, India (AFP) June 25, 2017Facing ruin, India's ancient glass artists blame the Taj Athens (AFP) June 22, 2017Athens rubbish piles up as Greeks protest contracts |
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Madrid (AFP) June 27, 2017
A wildfire that threatened a nature reserve in southern Spain designated as a World Heritage site has been brought under control, officials said Tuesday after evacuating over 2,000 people including tourists.
The blaze near Huelva in the Andalusia region has affected a vast area but not yet the Donana National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site well known for the extensive biodiversity of its ... more Pasadena CA (JPL) Jun 27, 2017Lightning Sparking More Boreal Forest Fires The Hague (AFP) June 23, 2017Huge fire razes large area of Dutch nature reserve Mazagon, Spain (AFP) June 26, 2017Spain firefighters gain upper hand over blaze near nature reserve |
Stockholm, Sweden (SPX) Jun 28, 2017
We normally consider liquid water as disordered with the molecules rearranging on a short time scale around some average structure. Now, however, scientists at Stockholm University have discovered two phases of the liquid with large differences in structure and density. The results are based on experimental studies using X-rays, which are now published in Proceedings of the National Academy of S ... more Berkeley CA (SPX) Jun 28, 2017Could this strategy bring high-speed communications to the deep sea? Tel Aviv, Israel (SPX) Jun 29, 2017Seagull carried out an autonomous end-to-end unmanned Mine Counter Measure mission Washington (UPI) Jun 26, 2017Water exists in two distinct liquid phases |
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Berlin (AFP) June 22, 2017
Heavy summer storms in northern Germany killed two people and crippled railway services Thursday while a tornado was seen near Hamburg.
Gale-force winds, torrential rains and hail damaged rail tracks and power lines, forcing trains to be halted between Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, Kiel and Hanover, national railway company Deutsche Bahn said.
A 50-year-old man died while his wife was injured ... more Paris (AFP) June 22, 2017France marks hottest post-war June day as Europe sizzles Paris (AFP) June 21, 2017Heatwave scorches Europe, from London to Siberia Dhaka (AFP) June 20, 2017Lightning kills 22 in Bangladesh |
Beijing (AFP) June 30, 2017 An indicator of Chinese manufacturing activity beat forecasts in June but analysts warned that Friday's surprising result belied a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy.
The reading comes as the country loses momentum with policymakers putting the brakes on lending following years of debt-fuelled investment that has raised fears of a financial crisis that could blow out globally. ... more Hong Kong (AFP) June 27, 2017Best foot forward: Hong Kong's military-style youth groups Beijing (AFP) June 23, 2017China regulator inspects loans to major firms: Wanda Beijing (AFP) June 27, 2017China to meet growth targets, says Li |
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Washington DC (UPI) Jun 24, 2017
New analysis of plasma clouds ejected by the sun suggest solar eruptions behave like a sneeze.
Until now, astronomers looked at cloud-like structures of coronal mass ejections as single entities. The latest research - detailed in the journal Scientific Reports - suggest CMEs are more like a sneeze or dust cloud, a collection of millions of individual plasma parcels, each acting indepe ... more Los Angeles, CA (SPX) Jun 26, 2017Eclipse Expectations Excite Escapades for Enlightenment Washington (AFP) June 22, 2017Rare US total solar eclipse excites Americans coast-to-coast Washington DC (SPX) Jun 23, 2017NASA Prepares for Aug. 21 Total Solar Eclipse with Live Coverage, Safety Information |
Washington (AFP) June 23, 2017
Grizzly bears native to Yellowstone National Park and the surrounding area are being removed from the endangered species list, the US government said Thursday, calling efforts to replenish the population a major success.
Conservation groups were however quick to criticize the move, saying dropping federal protections would again put grizzly bears at risk.
The grizzly bear was first place ... more Washington (UPI) Jun 26, 2017Panda conservation offers broad ecological benefits, research shows East Lansing MI (SPX) Jun 28, 2017Bacterial organizational complexities revealed Leeds UK (SPX) Jun 28, 2017Scientists create better tools to study the processes of life |
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