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Moroccans pray for rain as 'mercy from God'![]() Sal�, Morocco (AFP) Nov 24, 2017 "We beg for God's mercy," said 10-year-old Hassan, wearing a long white tunic, as Moroccans across the parched country on Friday held prayers for rain under a royal decree. The faithful gathered in Sale, opposite the capital Rabat, to take part in the ancient tradition. "People pray to call for God's mercy and pardon. The Prophet (Mohammed) and his companions would pray for rain every time it became scarce," said Mohamed Boutarbouch, head of the ulema Muslim scholars of Sale who organised the ev ... read more |
Spain, Portugal struggle with extreme droughtMadrid (AFP) Nov 21, 2017 Spain and Portugal are grappling with a devastating drought which has left rivers nearly dry, sparked deadly wildfires and devastated crops - and experts warn that prolonged dry spells will become more frequent. ... more
Brazil exports murder-tainted illegal logging: GreenpeaceRio De Janeiro (AFP) Nov 22, 2017 Endangered Amazon hardwood trafficked by a Brazilian exporter allegedly behind the massacre of nine farmers this year is being sold unimpeded around the world, according to environmental pressure group Greenpeace. ... more
New physical model explains the origin of Earth's waterSao Paulo, Brazil (SPX) Nov 21, 2017 Equipped with Newton's law of universal gravitation (published in Principia 330 years ago) and powerful computational resources (used to apply the law to more than 10,000 interacting bodies), a youn ... more
Archaeologists find earliest evidence of winemakingToronto, Canada (SPX) Nov 21, 2017 Excavations in the Republic of Georgia by the Gadachrili Gora Regional Archaeological Project Expedition (GRAPE), a joint undertaking between the University of Toronto (U of T) and the Georgian Nati ... more |
Typhoon Kalmaegi hits Vietnam after killing 140 in Philippines
Vietnam evacuates thousands from coast ahead of Typhoon Kalmaegi Philippine death toll tops 140 as typhoon heads towards Vietnam CORRECTED: Philippine death toll tops 140 as typhoon heads towards Vietnam Camels replace cows as Kenya battles drought Jamaica still 'digging out' from hurricane, but Red Cross hopes toll stays low Death toll tops 100 as Philippines digs out after typhoon Typhoon death toll soars past 90 in the Philippines Typhoon death toll climbs to 66 in the Philippines CORRECTED: Typhoon Kalmaegi kills 66 in Philippines: civil defence office |
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| Previous Issues | Nov 24 | Nov 23 | Nov 22 | Nov 21 | Nov 20 |
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Crunch time for food securityNottingham UK (SPX) Nov 21, 2017 Feelings often run high where insects are concerned, with many people even squeamish to look on them, let alone touch or swallow them. And yet insects present a huge nutritional opportunity as an in ... more
Intercropping formula promises food security in Sahel AfricaWashington DC (SPX) Nov 22, 2017 Two crops or one? Sometimes, growing two crops simultaneously on the same piece of land - called intercropping - can benefit farmers. But it needs careful planning and resource management. In ... more
Urbanization may have a positive effect on the soilsMoscow, Russia (SPX) Nov 21, 2017 Soil scientist from RUDN University (Russia) and his colleagues modeled how the expansion of the boundaries of the city of Moscow would affect the rural landscape in the next 30 years. Scientists ca ... more
Spain, Portugal struggle with extreme droughtMadrid (AFP) Nov 21, 2017 Spain and Portugal are grappling with a devastating drought which has left rivers nearly dry, sparked deadly wildfires and devastated crops - and experts warn that prolonged dry spells will become more frequent. ... more
Portuguese cattle farmers desperately wait for rainAlpalhao, Portugal (AFP) Nov 21, 2017 Antonio Granadeiro, a cattle farmer who has already lost 20 cows this year, surveys with sadness the fields of his ranch in Alentejo in central Portugal, which have yellowed from the lack of rain. ... more
Colorado River's connection with the ocean was a punctuated affairEugene OR (SPX) Nov 20, 2017 The Colorado River's initial trip to the ocean didn't come easy, but its story has emerged from layers of sediment preserved within tectonically active stretches of the waterway's lower reaches. ... more |
![]() Neutrons probe oxygen-generating enzyme for a greener approach to clean water
Why does hot water freeze faster than cold waterMadrid, Spain (SPX) Nov 20, 2017 The researchers, who have recently published the findings in Physical Review Letters, have confirmed how this phenomenon occurs in granular fluids, that is, those composed of particles that are very ... more
Alibaba takes $2.9 billion stake in food retailerBeijing (AFP) Nov 20, 2017 Alibaba said on Monday it would take a major stake in one of China's top food sellers for $2.9 billion as the e-commerce giant expands further into the retail world. ... more
Peruvian farmer scores small win in court over German energy giantHamm, Germany (AFP) Nov 13, 2017 A Peruvian farmer won a small but significant legal victory Monday when a German court said his appeal against energy giant RWE, which he accuses of contributing to climate change that is threatening his Andean home, had merit. ... more
Weed-killer prompts angry divide among US farmersLittle Rock, United States (AFP) Nov 13, 2017 When it comes to the herbicide dicamba, farmers in the southern state of Arkansas are not lacking for strong opinions. ... more |
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Greenbelt MD (SPX) Nov 23, 2017
High in the atmosphere, above weather systems, is a layer of ozone gas. Ozone is Earth's natural sunscreen, absorbing the Sun's most harmful ultraviolet radiation and protecting living things below. But ozone is vulnerable to certain gases made by humans that reach the upper atmosphere. Once there, they react in the presence of sunlight to destroy ozone molecules.
Currently, several NASA a ... more Paris (ESA) Nov 23, 2017Forty years of Meteosat Beijing (XNA) Nov 27, 2017China launches remote sensing satellites in multiple launches Washington DC (SPX) Nov 22, 2017Groundwater depletion maybe major source of atmospheric carbon dioxide |
Paris (ESA) Nov 22, 2017
Europe's next four Galileo navigation satellites and the Ariane 5 rocket due to lift them into orbit are being readied for their 12 December launch from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.
Tuesday saw Galileo satellites 19-22 declared ready for flight, along with their Ariane. Combined activities are now under way, culminating in the satellites meeting their rocket in the Final As ... more Beijing (XNA) Nov 27, 2017China's GPS network Beidou joins global rescue data network Beijing (XNA) Nov 10, 2017China's BeiDou Navigation Satellite System Expands Into a Global Network Melbourne FL (SPX) Nov 10, 2017Harris develops fully digital navigation payload for future GPS III sats |
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Rio De Janeiro (AFP) Nov 22, 2017
Endangered Amazon hardwood trafficked by a Brazilian exporter allegedly behind the massacre of nine farmers this year is being sold unimpeded around the world, according to environmental pressure group Greenpeace.
The group said Tuesday that the purchase of products by importers from as far apart as Japan and the United States illustrates lack of control over a logging industry ravaging the ... more Edinburgh UK (SPX) Nov 22, 2017Amazon's recovery from forest losses limited by climate change Warsaw (AFP) Nov 21, 2017Poland says compliant with EU court order against ancient forest logging Hanover NH (SPX) Nov 21, 2017How to manage forest pests in the Anthropocene? Bring theory |
St. Louis MI (SPX) Nov 22, 2017
Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have traced the paths of three water channels in an ancient photosynthetic organism to provide the first comprehensive, experimental study of how that organism uses and regulates water to create energy.
Photosynthesis is the chemical conversion of sunlight into chemical energy via an electron transport chain essential to nearly all life on ... more Surrey UK (SPX) Nov 21, 2017Surrey develops new 'supercatalyst' to recycle carbon dioxide and methane London (AFP) Nov 20, 2017Coffee set to power London buses in green initiative Livermore CA (SPX) Nov 13, 2017Sandia speeds transformation of biofuel waste into wealth |
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Saint Petersburg, Russia (SPX) Nov 21, 2017
Scientists from ITMO University suggested a new solar cell coating that combines features of an electrode and those of a light-trapping structure. The coating enabled researchers to cut down on reflected light and avoid solar cell overheating, thus increasing its overall efficiency by 20%.
Moreover, the suggested method may be attractive for industrial applications due to its relatively lo ... more Fukuoka, Japan (SPX) Nov 21, 2017Expanding wavelength range for solar energy conversion Toronto, Canada (SPX) Nov 22, 2017Artificial photosynthesis gets big boost from new catalyst Guelph, Canada (SPX) Nov 17, 2017Recurrent Energy secures debt financing for 20 MW California solar project |
Washington (UPI) Nov 22, 2017
Norwegian energy company Statoil said Wednesday its Dudgeon wind farm off the British coast is now feeding the grid from its 67 wind turbines.
The Dudgeon wind farm is about 25 miles off the coast of Norfolk. Its turbines, with a combined capacity of 402 megawatts, can meet the energy demands of around 410,000 average households at its peak. The Norwegian company, one of the main energy ... more Washington (UPI) Nov 15, 2017End tax credits for wind energy, Tennessee Republican says Washington (UPI) Oct 26, 2017New York sets high bar for wind energy Canberra, Australia (SPX) Oct 20, 2017Construction to begin on $160 million Industry Leading Hybrid Renewable Energy Project |
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Bonn (AFP) Nov 16, 2017
A score of mostly wealthy nations banded together at UN climate talks Thursday to swear off coal-fired power, a key driver of global warming and air pollution.
To cap global warming at "well under" two degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) - the planet-saving target in the 196-nation Paris Agreement - coal must be phased out in developed countries by 2030, and "by no later than 2050 in ... more Bonn (AFP) Nov 16, 2017Anti-coal drive at UN climate talks stalked by pro-coal White House Hambach Coal Mine, Near Niederzier, Germany (AFP) Nov 5, 2017Protest at open-pit coal mine near Bonn ahead of UN climate talks Washington (UPI) Oct 17, 2017Coal still holds a slight edge as U.S. power source |
Shenyang, China (AFP) Nov 21, 2017
When Xiaoxiong and her lesbian lover wanted to hide their relationship from their parents, they decided to find men willing to marry them. They had a specific type in mind: Gay.
Searching out suitors for such a marriage of convenience proved difficult, so she created an online matchmaking forum to help others like her conform with family and societal pressures in China, where same-sex marria ... more Beijing (AFP) Nov 22, 2017Three dead, six wounded in rare shooting in China Beijing (AFP) Nov 21, 2017Chinese human rights lawyers jailed for two years Shenyang, China (AFP) Nov 21, 2017Secrets and wives: Gay Chinese hide behind 'sham marriage' |
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San Diego CA (SPX) Nov 22, 2017
Electrical engineers at the University of California San Diego have developed a faster collision detection algorithm that uses machine learning to help robots avoid moving objects and weave through complex, rapidly changing environments in real time. The algorithm, dubbed "Fastron," runs up to 8 times faster than existing collision detection algorithms.
A team of engineers, led by Michael ... more Waterloo, Canada (SPX) Nov 22, 2017New technology makes artificial intelligence more private and portable Geneva (AFP) Nov 17, 2017Calls mount for action on 'killer robots' after UN talks Washington DC (SPX) Nov 21, 2017New Challenges Await Competitors in NASA's 25th Annual Human Exploration Rover Challenge |
Tucson AZ (SPX) Nov 23, 2017
Five years of advanced satellite images show that there is more artificial light at night across the globe, and that light at night is getting brighter. The rate of growth is approximately two percent each year in both the amount of areas lit and the radiance of the light.
An international team of scientists on Wednesday reported the results of a landmark study of global light pollution an ... more Omoa, Honduras (AFP) Nov 24, 2017'Trash islands' off Central America indicate ocean pollution problem Tabarja, Lebanon (AFP) Nov 26, 2017Clean-up dives, recycling: Lebanese respond to garbage crisis Miami (AFP) Nov 22, 2017Energy-saving LEDs boost light pollution worldwide |
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Lisbon (AFP) Oct 30, 2017
The European Union is re-thinking civil protection assistance, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker said Monday, after a request from Portugal which this year suffered several deadly forest fires.
"We will consider, at Portugal's request, the reorganisation of civil protection in Europe," Juncker said at a press conference alongside Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. ... more Lisbon (AFP) Oct 24, 2017Portuguese govt survives no confidence vote over forest fires Lisbon (AFP) Oct 18, 2017Portugal interior minister resigns after deadly wildfires Lisbon (AFP) Oct 19, 2017Portugal forest fires death toll rises to 43 |
Swansea UK (SPX) Nov 27, 2017
Writing in the Journal Fish and Fisheries, Dr Richard Unsworth of Swansea University (together with colleagues at Cardiff University and Stockholm University) examine the global extent to which these meadows of underwater plants support fishing activity.
"Wherever seagrass exists in proximity to people, our research finds that it's used as a key targeted fishing habitat" said Dr Unsworth, ... more Washington (UPI) Nov 22, 2017Ocean acidification harms young mussels Austin TX (SPX) Nov 22, 2017New research could predict La Nina drought years in US Sydney (AFP) Nov 26, 2017Coral transplant raises Barrier Reef survival hopes |
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Los Angeles (AFP) Nov 22, 2017
The southwestern United States was gripped by a heat wave on Wednesday as experts warned of temperatures that would smash century-old records over the Thanksgiving weekend.
Temperatures are expected to rise to 91 degrees Fahrenheit (33C) in parts of southern California on Wednesday and Thursday, while Phoenix, Arizona, is predicted to swelter in 88F heat - about 20 degrees above seasonal n ... more Honolulu HI (SPX) Nov 14, 2017Heatwaves have at least 27 ways to kill you Berlin (AFP) Oct 30, 2017Central Europe storms leave seven dead Los Angeles (AFP) Oct 25, 2017California roasts under record-setting temperatures |
Paris (AFP) Nov 24, 2017
Billions of euros will change hands over Black Friday weekend sales across Europe, but despite increasingly accepting the US import, the promotions will be marked by strikes, protests and concerns about over-consumption.
Here is how the sales, which stretch four days from Black Friday to Cyber Monday, are expected to fare in some of the continent's big spenders:
- France -
After sta ... more Manila (AFP) Nov 20, 2017Philippines offers China chance to run third telecom service Hong Kong (AFP) Nov 21, 2017Got a spare $71m? How about a single Hong Kong apartment? Washington (UPI) Oct 20, 2017Studies suggests link between testosterone, stock market instability |
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Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Nov 22, 2017
Using more than half a century of observations, Japanese astronomers have discovered that the microwaves coming from the Sun at the minimums of the past five solar cycles have been the same each time, despite large differences in the maximums of the cycles.
In Japan, continuous four-frequency solar microwave observations (1, 2, 3.75 and 9.4 GHz) began in 1957 at the Toyokawa Branch of the ... more Greenbelt MD (SPX) Nov 20, 2017NASA detects solar flare pulses at Sun and Earth Greenbelt MD (SPX) Nov 16, 2017FIREBIRD II and NASA mission locate whistling space electrons' origins Greenbelt MD (SPX) Nov 15, 2017Proposed NASA mission would investigate where space weather begins |
Seattle WA (SPX) Nov 23, 2017
Think, for a moment, about the last time you were out in nature. Were you in a city park? At a campground? On the beach? In the mountains?
Now consider: What was this place like in your parents' time? Your grandparents'? In many cases, the parks, beaches and campgrounds of today are surrounded by more development, or are themselves more developed, than they were decades ago.
But to y ... more Minneapolis MN (SPX) Nov 27, 2017Carbon emissions by plant respiration will have large impact on climate Exeter UK (SPX) Nov 27, 2017Plant respiration could become a bigger feedback on climate than expected Paris (AFP) Nov 22, 2017Raging debate: Does culling wolves curb poaching? |
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