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Canadian firm makes first bid for international seabed mining license

Canada's The Metals Company said Tuesday it applied to the United States to mine deep sea minerals in international waters, a world first made possible by President Donald Trump's embrace of the industry.

Kenya's desperate need for more snake antivenom

Writhing in pain on a hospital bed in a Kenyan coastal town, teenage snakebite victim Shukurani Konde Tuva faced the grim reality of his left leg from above the knee being amputated.

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UN head says high seas treaty must be 'ambitious'

United Nations chief Antonio Guterres urged countries Wednesday to agree a "robust and ambitious" treaty to protect the high seas, as time starts to run out for negotiators.

Toilet paper adding to 'forever chemicals' in wastewater: study

Toilet paper is an unexpected source of potentially harmful "forever chemicals" in wastewater across the globe and could be leaching into soils via sewage, a new study on Wednesday said.

Tree count in Africa drylands could improve conservation: study

A first count of trees in Africa's drylands has enabled scientists to calculate how much carbon they store and could help devise better conservation strategies for the region and beyond, a study said Wednesday.

Rising seas eating away at Honduran fishing village

The coastline of Cedeno, a fishing village in southern Honduras, looks like it was hit by an earthquake. Houses, businesses and clubs stand in ruins. Forsaken.

Fighting for their lives: the world's forests in figures

Forests are central to biodiversity and the fight against climate change, as well as being a big money spinner for national economies.

French court dismisses case against TotalEnergies E. Africa oil project

A French court on Tuesday dismissed a landmark case against TotalEnergies for a massive oil project in Uganda and Tanzania after several NGOs filed a suit to suspend the controversial project.

Countries meet to halt wide-ranging threats against oceans

The world's oceans and the multiple threats they face, from climate change and pollution to overfishing and mining, will be the focus of a global conference in Panama this week.

Worry, frustration as UN tries to finally agree high seas treaty

UN member states have much work to do to finally agree a treaty to protect the high seas before scheduled negotiations close in five days, participants and observers say.

Iran fears for health of rare cheetah cub

The only survivor of three Asiatic cheetah cubs born in captivity was in hospital Monday, leaving Iranians fearing for the life of the endangered animal.

China ramps up coal plant approvals despite emissions pledge: report

China last year approved the largest expansion of coal-fired power plants since 2015, according to a study published Monday, despite its vow to begin phasing down use of the fossil fuel in just three years.

War-weary Yemenis fell trees for fuel, cash

The sound of an electric saw rips through a lush mountain landscape in southern Yemen, where years of conflict and soaring prices have left people desperate for fuel and income.

Brazil storm death toll rises to 54

The death toll from floods and landslides in southeast Brazil has risen to 54 people, the authorities said Friday, as Pope Frances sent a message of condolences.

Ayahuasca, 'source of knowledge' in the heart of the Amazon

In the heart of the Ecuadoran Amazon live the Cofan Avie, masters of ayahuasca -- the powerful hallucinogenic concoction said to open the door to the "spirit" world.

Global wildlife contaminated by 'forever chemicals'

From pandas to sea lions to tigers, hundreds of wildlife species across the globe are contaminated by potentially harmful "forever chemicals", according to a review of hundreds of peer-reviewed studies.

'Always together': Brazil community mourns dead after landslides

Watching an emergency crew recover his parents' bodies from the landslide-obliterated spot in southeastern Brazil where their house used to be, Marcio managed to get just a few words out before breaking down in sobs.

Pet-lovers protest demolition of Turkey quake building

Animal lovers in a Turkish city ravaged by a deadly earthquake protested Wednesday after officials sought to demolish a damaged building thought to contain several animals, AFP correspondents saw.

Paris protest against TotalEnergies East Africa oil pipeline

Activists in Paris Wednesday called out two banks involved in the financing of a controversial fossil fuel project in East Africa, part of a coordinated protest across a dozen cities worldwide.

Energy-starved S.Africa offers tax breaks to boost green power

South Africa unveiled Wednesday new tax incentives to encourage investment in the production of clean power to help the country battle an energy crisis that has sparked worsening blackouts.

Narwhals' hungry summers as climate warms

Narwhals may not be much good at hunting in summer, according to new research that warns the unicorn-tusked whales may be dangerously reliant on their ice-bound winter habitat that could "disappear" with climate change.

Wetter storms, deforestation: Manila faces worsening floods

From her house in a Manila suburb, Rowena Jimenez can't see the bare mountains around the built-up city. But she feels the impact of deforestation every time her living room floods.

France matches dry spell record of 31 days without rain

France has matched its record dry spell of 31 days without significant rainfall, the country's weather service said Tuesday, amid concerns over water reserves in parts of Europe still reeling from last year's severe drought.

In Old Cairo, residents reconnect with their heritage

For most of their lives, children from historic Cairo's Al-Khalifa district only saw the mausoleums, mosques and madrasa schools that pepper their neighbourhood from outside heavy bronze doors.

Protecting high seas off Chile's coast depends on UN vote in New York

In international waters off the coasts of Chile and Peru, the ocean teems with plant and animal species -- some do not exist anywhere else and many are endangered.

Recycling gives Rio carnival costumes new life

Holding a dazzling jewel-encrusted crown decorated with green and orange feathers, Brazilian art teacher Regina Coeli places it on her head, making sure the fit is just right for her upcoming carnival parade.

Winter snow no barrier for cyclists in Montreal

Sporting four layers of clothing, a neck warmer pulled up to her ears, large goggles and a safety helmet, Montrealer Marie-Pierre Savard is ready to face the Canadian winter on her bicycle.

'Feedback loops' worsening climate crisis: report

Global warming melts sea ice, which leads to further warming because water absorbs more heat than ice, creating what scientists call a "climate feedback loop."

Escaped pet leopard runs amok in Pakistan capital

A pet leopard escaped from a house in the Pakistan capital and roamed the streets for hours before being shot with a sedation dart, wildlife officials said Friday.

Drought and frost batter vital potato crops in Bolivia

Dozens of furrows lie barren in a dusty field on the Bolivian highlands. It should be replete with potato plants ready for harvest, but a deadly combination of drought and frost proved too much for the crop.

Amazon pollution: the stain on Ecuador's oil boom

Lago Agrio is where it began in February 1967: Ecuador's first oil well drilled by the US Texaco-Gulf consortium to ring in an era of black gold for the Ecuadoran Amazon.

Sun sets waterfall ablaze in Yosemite 'firefall'

A spectacular "firefall" wowed nature-watchers in California's Yosemite National Park on Wednesday, with the setting sun lighting up a waterfall like a ribbon of fire.

Residents near toxic US train derailment told water 'safe' to drink

The governor of Ohio told residents living near the site of a toxic train derailment that it was "safe" to drink the water, as authorities investigate potential environmental fallout from the accident earlier this month.

David Malpass: World Bank chief pressed by climate questions

In his four years as World Bank President, David Malpass oversaw its response to crises ranging from the Covid-19 pandemic to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and food and energy shortages.

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