Tuesday, January 31, 2017

Philippine minister says some mines need to be shut on eve of green audit results

MANILA (Reuters) - Some Philippine mines need to be shut given the environmental harm they have caused, the minister in charge of sector said on Wednesday, a day before the government announces the results of a months-long review of the country's mineral producers.

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EU set to meet green energy goal; UK trails: document

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union is on track to meet its goal for renewables to supply up 20 percent of its energy by 2020, the EU executive said in a report seen by Reuters, although Britain, Ireland and Luxembourg are lagging behind.

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Oslo's trash incinerator shows promise in climate change test

OSLO (Reuters) - Oslo's main trash incinerator has shown promising results in the world's first experiment to capture greenhouse gases from the fumes of burning rubbish as a new way to slow climate change, officials said on Tuesday.

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Exclusive: State Grid likely to get first license for Brazil line in February - sources

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil's government expects environmental regulator Ibama to grant preliminary approval to Chinese utility State Grid in the second half of February for another power line in the Amazon forest, two government sources told Reuters on Tuesday.

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Monday, January 30, 2017

Tepco spots possible nuclear fuel debris at Japan's Fukushima reactor

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), the operator of Japan's wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, said on Monday it may have found nuclear fuel debris below the damaged No. 2 reactor, one of three that had meltdowns in the 2011 disaster.

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Clean-up begins at Dakota pipeline protest camp

CANNON BALL, N.D. (Reuters) - Dump trucks and heavy machinery rolled into the protest camp near the site of the Dakota Access Pipeline on Monday, and crews began filling large dumpsters with garbage that has accumulated, much of it now buried under snow.

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Sparks fly as culprit sought for Chile blazes

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - As Chilean authorities battle the historic blazes that have taken 11 lives, burned over 1,000 homes and wiped an entire town off the map, the theories about who may be to blame have spread as quickly as the wildfires themselves.

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Honda, GM to jointly produce fuel cell power systems in U.S. from 2020

TOKYO (Reuters) - Honda Motor Co Ltd and General Motors Co (GM) will jointly produce hydrogen fuel cell power systems in the United States from around 2020, to cut costs and ramp up output in the hope of increasing take-up of the zero-emission cars.

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U.S. will change course on climate policy, Trump official says

LONDON (Reuters) - The United States will switch course on climate change and pull out of a global pact to cut emissions, said Myron Ebell, who headed U.S. President Donald Trump's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) transition team until his inauguration.

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Pests in South Africa maize "strongly suspected" to be armyworms: scientist

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - A larvae outbreak which has damaged maize in South Africa's Limpopo and North West provinces is "strongly suspected" to be the invasive armyworm that has attacked crops in neighboring countries, a scientist said on Monday.

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German‎ watchdog suspected VW scam on CO2 emissions: report

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's motor industry watchdog raised suspicions Volkswagen was using prototype vehicles to lower carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in tests in 2015 soon after VW's manipulation of diesel emissions tests was uncovered, the Berliner Zeitung newspaper reported on Saturday.

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Putin's Russia in biggest Arctic military push since Soviet fall

MURMANSK, Russia (Reuters) - The nuclear icebreaker Lenin, the pride and joy of the Soviet Union's Arctic great game, lies at perpetual anchor in the frigid water here. A relic of the Cold War, it is now a museum.

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Tepco finds possible nuclear fuel debris below Fukushima reactor: NHK

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco), the operator of Japan's wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant, has found possible nuclear fuel debris below the damaged No. 2 reactor, one of three that had meltdowns in the 2011 disaster, public broadcaster NHK reported on Monday.

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Sunday, January 29, 2017

Tepco finds possible nuclear fuel debris below Fukushima reactor: NHK

TOKYO (Reuters) - Tokyo Electric Power has found possible nuclear fuel debris below the No.2 reactor at Fukushima Daiichi, the power plant hit by meltdowns after the 2011 tsunami, public broadcaster NHK reported on Monday.

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U.S. auto dealers look to Trump to ease vehicle emissions rules

NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - U.S. auto dealers gathered for their annual convention in New Orleans said they want President Donald Trump to ease federal regulation of vehicle emissions and consumer lending, reversing action taken by his predecessor.

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China auditor says 17.6 billion yuan of funds to fight water pollution misused: Xinhua

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's audit office found that 17.6 billion yuan ($2.56 billion) earmarked for water pollution prevention work in 2016 was not effectively used, Xinhua reported Sunday.

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Saturday, January 28, 2017

Red tape chokes off drilling on Native American reservations

FORT BERTHOLD, North Dakota (Reuters) - When the U.S. oil boom hit North Dakota a decade ago, wells sprang up quickly on the edges of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, an expanse of prairie and rolling hills three times larger than Los Angeles.

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EPA confirms White House freeze on grants, contracts ends Friday

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said that a freeze handed down by President Donald Trump's White House on new contracts and grants that has led to fears of delays in toxic pollution cleanups would be completely reversed on Friday or at latest on Monday.

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Chinese New Year fireworks spark a return to hazardous Beijing pollution

BEIJING (Reuters) - Residents of China's capital awoke on Saturday to dense, choking smog after many set off a barrage of fireworks overnight to ring in the Lunar New Year, despite limits and public admonitions against such displays in the congested city.

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Friday, January 27, 2017

Brazil plans to privatize Sao Francisco river transfer

BRASILIA (Reuters) - Brazil is studying private operation of the long-delayed Sao Francisco river transfer that will bring water to four states in the drought-stricken North East of the country when it is completed this year, a government official said on Friday.

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History of music

History of music

(EN) SteamBroker

What is "SteamBroker"?

SteamBroker service provides marketplace to trade items from digital distribution platform Steam™. Using our marketplace you can buy goods from other users or sell any items from your inventory yourself, which can be exchanged with Steam™ trade offers. For example, items from such games as Dota 2™, Counter Strike: Global Offensive™ (CS:GO), Team Fortress™, Unturned™ and so on. Also it's possible to buy and sell Steam Trading Cards and any games, presented as a Steam gifts if you already can exchange it. You will pay a price set by other users for it, so will guarantee you lowest possible prices. You can even get discounts in case of constant use of our service.

SteamBroker guarantees the absolute security for all deals. All items will be exchanged through our service Steam accounts, these accounts will be your automatic MiddleMan and will guarantee an accuracy of transferring the items to the buyer and money paid to seller.

Go to SteamBroker

SteamBroker

Что такое "SteamBroker"?

Сервис SteamBroker предоставляет площадку для торговли вещами из сервиса цифровой дистрибуции Steam. На нашей площадке вы можете купить у других пользователей или продать сами любые предметы из Вашего инвентаря, которые возможно передать через торговое предложение Steam. Например, вещи из таких игр как Dota™ 2, Counter Strike: Global Offensive™ (CS:GO), Team Fortress™ 2, H1Z1 и прочих. А так же возможна продажа коллекционных карточек Steam и даже игр, в виде подарков в инвентаре, которые так же возможно передавать. Вы можете купить вещи за ту цену, которую указывают другие пользователи, что гарантирует отличные цены без лишних наценок.

Так же Вы можете использовать наш сайт как магазин для своих предметов. Вы получите персональную ссылку которая будет отображать только Ваши предметы.

Наш сервис гарантирует абсолютную безопасность всех сделок. Товары передаются через наши сервисные аккаунты Steam, которые выступают в качестве гаранта и контролируют точность получения вещей покупателем и выплату денег продавцу.

Перейти на SteamBroker

(EN) Steam-Trader

Steam-trader.com - Trade platform Dota2, CS:GO, TF2, Gifts.

It is a unique traiding platform, allowing you to buy and sell cosmetic items of Dota 2, CS:GO, Team Fortress2 or Games (Gifts) for real money, at the best prices! Trading platform consists of four sections, which are interlinked by a shared wallet that will allow you to sell things in one section and buy them in another. Deposit and withdrawal funds available with the help of multiple payment systems. Earn - resting! Successful auction!

Go to Steam-trader

Steam-Trader

Steam-trader - Торговая площадка Dota2, CS:GO, TF2, Gifts.

Это уникальная торговая площадка, позволяющая покупать и продавать Игры или Гифты (Gift) Steam, а так же вещи Dota 2, CS:GO, Team Fortress2 за реальные деньги, без комиссии! Торговая площадка состоит из четырех разделов, которые связанны между собой общим кошельком, что позволит вам продавать вещи в одном разделе и покупать их в другом. Пополнение счета и вывод средств доступно при помощи множества платежных систем.

Выводи деньги из Steam! Зарабатывай - отдыхая!

Перейти на Steam-trader

German prosecutors open fraud inquiry into former Volkswagen CEO

BERLIN (Reuters) - German prosecutors are investigating former Volkswagen chief executive Martin Winterkorn on suspicion of fraud, looking into when he first knew that the carmaker was rigging diesel emissions tests.

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Spate of Australia shark attacks could take a bite out of tourism

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A series of shark attacks off Australia's northeast coast has given the tourism industry the shudders, prompting a controversial deployment of protective nets to save lives and guard the country's reputation as a holiday destination.

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Volkswagen ex-CEO may have known of cheating sooner: prosecutors

BERLIN (Reuters) - Former Volkswagen Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn may have known sooner than he has admitted that the carmaker was cheating on emissions tests, German prosecutors said on Friday, as they widened an investigation into the scandal.

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Thursday, January 26, 2017

Beijing smog inspectors on frontlines of war on pollution

BEIJING (Reuters) - Tougher law enforcement has reduced the number of environmental offenders in Beijing in recent years, but more companies need to adapt to the emissions standards in China's capital, its environmental inspection squad says.

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Spate of Australia shark attacks could take a bite out of tourism

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A series of shark attacks off Australia's northeast coast has given the tourism industry the shudders, prompting a controversial deployment of protective nets to save lives and guard the country's reputation as a holiday destination.

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British lawmakers urge May to tackle Trump on climate change

LONDON (Reuters) - British lawmakers have written to Prime Minister Theresa May, urging her to challenge U.S. President Donald Trump on his views on climate change when the two leaders meet on Friday.

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Beijing tells officials not to set off fireworks to stop smog

BEIJING (Reuters) - The Beijing city government has told officials to lead by example and not set off fireworks or firecrackers to welcome the Lunar New Year on Friday to help prevent smog, after the city was blanketed in choking smog earlier this month.

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Small hole caused Canadian oil pipeline spill: officials

(Reuters) - A small hole on a weld between two segments of a shallow four-inch pipe has been discovered on a pipeline that leaked some 200,000 liters (52,834 gallons) of oil onto aboriginal land in Saskatchewan last week, provincial officials said on Thursday.

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U.S. EPA aims to end freeze on contracts, grants on Friday

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has told several lawmakers it aims to end its freeze on grants and contracts by late Friday, congressional aides said.

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Volkswagen set to plead guilty in U.S. diesel emissions case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG is set to plead guilty on Feb. 24 in Detroit to three felony counts as part of a plea agreement with the U.S. Justice Department to resolve an excess diesel emissions investigation, a court filing shows.

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More turkeys culled after new bird flu virus found on German farm

HAMBURG (Reuters) - More than 15,000 turkeys were being culled on Thursday after the new bird flu subtype H5N5 was confirmed on a north German farm, authorities said, adding to concerns about the spread of different strains of the disease.

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Court rules villagers cannot sue Shell in UK for Nigerian oil spill

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's high court ruled on Thursday that two groups of Nigerian villagers cannot pursue in U.K. courts a case against Royal Dutch Shell over oil spill allegations in Nigeria.

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Seven Indian soldiers among 11 dead in Kashmir avalanches

SRINAGAR, India (Reuters) - Seven Indian soldiers and four civilians have been killed in avalanches in the heavily militarized Himalayan region of Kashmir, army and police officials said on Thursday.

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U.S. government scientists go 'rogue' in defiance of Trump

(Reuters) - Employees from more than a dozen U.S. government agencies have established a network of unofficial "rogue" Twitter feeds in defiance of what they see as attempts by President Donald Trump to muzzle federal climate change research and other science.

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Last bodies pulled from Italian avalanche hotel, death toll 29

PENNE, Italy (Reuters) - Rescuers have pulled the last two dead bodies from the wreckage of a hotel in central Italy that was razed by an avalanche last week, raising the final death toll to 29, the national fire brigade said.

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Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Chile battles devastating wildfires as international help pours in

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - The worst wildfires in Chile's modern history are ravaging wide swaths of the country's central-south regions, as a massive Boeing 747-400 Super Tanker arrived on Wednesday on loan from the United States to help extinguish the blazes.

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South, southeast face Europe's most adverse climate change impact: agency

(Reuters) - Southern and southeastern regions of Europe will face the continent's most adverse effects from climate change as heatwaves and droughts become more intense and frequent, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said on Wednesday.

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Trump administration likely to review EPA scientists' work - NPR

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientific findings by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency staff will likely face a case-by-case review by the Trump administration before being released, a spokesman for President Donald Trump's transition team told NPR in an interview published on Wednesday.

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Hungary's foie gras industry down with flu as millions of birds die

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - The price of foie gras in Hungary, one of the world's leading producers of the delicacy, has surged since an outbreak of bird flu forced farmers to cull more than 3 million fowl, mostly geese and ducks.

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UK PM May says hopes all parties stick to Paris climate agreement

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Wednesday she hoped all countries involved in the Paris Climate Agreement would ensure it is implemented.

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Tuesday, January 24, 2017

Trump administration tells EPA to cut climate page from website: sources

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has instructed the Environmental Protection Agency to remove the climate change page from its website, two agency employees told Reuters, the latest move by the newly minted leadership to erase ex-President Barack Obama's climate change initiatives.

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White House temporarily freezes EPA grants, contracts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has asked the Environmental Protection Agency to temporarily halt all contracts, grants and interagency agreements pending a review, according to sources.

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Trump to advance Keystone, Dakota Access pipelines: administration official

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump plans to sign two executive actions on Tuesday to advance construction of the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines, an administration official told Reuters.

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Powerful storm hammers eastern United States with heavy snow, wind gusts

(Reuters) - A powerful storm that killed at least 21 people in the southern United States over the weekend was expected on Tuesday to bring heavy snow and wind gusts to the Northeast, causing school closings, treacherous driving conditions and power outages.

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In message to Trump, EU says will remain top investor against climate change

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Investment Bank, the EU's lending institution, will maintain a target of investing around 20 billion dollars a year to fight climate change over the next five years, it said on Tuesday, sending a warning to climate skeptics.

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Italy avalanche death toll rises to 14

FARINDOLA, Italy (Reuters) - Rescuers working through the night pulled five more bodies from the wreck of a hotel in central Italy that was razed by an avalanche last week, bringing the death toll to 14, the national fire brigade said on Tuesday.

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Monday, January 23, 2017

More businesses must work with suppliers to curb climate change: study

OSLO (Reuters) - Too few businesses are working with their suppliers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, according to study that praised 29 companies including General Motors, Sky and Sony Corp for taking the lead.

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Trump’s new EPA transition team draws from oil industry groups

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has drawn heavily from the energy industry lobby and pro-drilling think tanks to build its landing team for the Environmental Protection Agency, according to a list of the newly introduced 10-member team seen by Reuters on Monday.

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Canada oil pipeline spills 200,000 liters on aboriginal land

CALGARY, Alberta/TORONTO (Reuters) - A pipeline in the western Canadian province of Saskatchewan has leaked 200,000 liters (52,834 gallons) of oil in an aboriginal community, the provincial government said on Monday.

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Kenya fits lion with tracking device to stop it straying into town

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Kenyan authorities have fitted a tracking device a onto one of the 36 lions that live in a wildlife park on the outskirts of the capital city, aiming to stop the animals coming into unwanted contact with people.

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Small cities unprepared for population flood, warns urban expert

TEPIC, Mexico (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - As the world's giant cities fill up, the brunt of migration to urban areas will fall on smaller cities that are not ready to deal with big influxes of people, a specialist on Latin America's cities has warned.

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Heathrow Airport cancels 100 flights due to fog

LONDON (Reuters) - Heathrow Airport [FERHT.UL] said it had canceled approximately 100 out of about 1,300 scheduled flights on Monday as foggy weather reduced visibility at Europe's busiest hub.

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Sunday, January 22, 2017

Smoggy Lunar New Year expected in northern China

BEIJING (Reuters) - China expects a smoggy Lunar New Year in Beijing and its northern industrial heartland just two weeks after it was blanketed in toxic smog which caused traffic chaos, flight disruptions and port closures.

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Residents evacuated, airport closed and power cut off in Tahiti flooding

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Heavy flooding in French Polynesia has forced many residents to evacuate, cut off power to thousands of homes, and closed Tahiti's international airport.

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G20 farm ministers seek to protect precious water supplies

HAMBURG (Reuters) - Greater global efforts should be taken to safeguard precious world water supplies to secure food production, the agriculture ministers of the group of 20 leading economies (G20) said on Sunday.

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Trump pledges aid for storm-hit Georgia, Florida and Alabama

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump pledged federal assistance for Georgia, Florida and Alabama after the southeastern states were hit by severe storms.

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China bans more than 100 golf courses to safeguard resources

BEIJING (Reuters) - China has ordered the closure of more than 100 golf courses, the powerful state planner said on Sunday, after a multi-year campaign to tackle illegal development in the sector.

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Saturday, January 21, 2017

Trump to target Obama's climate initiatives: White House website

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Donald Trump's administration is committed to eliminating Barack Obama's Climate Action Plan and other environmental initiatives to help boost the oil and gas industry, according to a statement posted on the White House website on Friday.

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North Dakota tribe formally calls on pipeline protesters to disperse

CANNON BALL, N.D. (Reuters) - A Sioux tribal council on Saturday formally asked hundreds of protesters to clear out of three camps near its North Dakota reservation used to stage months of sometimes violent protests against the proposed Dakota Access Pipeline.

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Pre-dawn tornado kills four in Mississippi, traps others

(Reuters) - A strong tornado killed at least four people in southern Mississippi and left many others trapped in their homes after touching down in the hours before sunrise on Saturday, local and state officials said.

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Friday, January 20, 2017

Canada court rejects attempt to enforce Ecuador Chevron judgment

(Reuters) - A Canadian court has rejected an attempt by Ecuadorian communities to enforce a judgment against Chevron Corp they obtained in their home country, saying the company's local subsidiary is not liable for the parent, Chevron said on Friday.

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Four children and woman rescued, two days after Italy avalanche

PENNE, Italy (Reuters) - Four children and a woman were pulled clear on Friday from the wreckage of a mountain hotel in central Italy flattened two days earlier by an avalanche, the national fire service said.

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California unveils sweeping plan to combat climate change

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California environmental officials released an ambitious plan on Friday that seeks to cut the state's output of heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030.

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10 survivors located after Italy avalanche, 2 pulled to safety: Fire service

PENNE, Italy (Reuters) - Rescuers have pulled two people to safety and found at least eight others alive two days after an avalanche flattened a mountain hotel in central Italy, a national fire brigade official said on Friday.

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Six people found alive under avalanche that hit Italian hotel: rescuers

ROME (Reuters) - Six people have been found alive under the avalanche that hit an Italian mountain hotel almost two days ago and rescuers are working to free them from the snow, fire brigade spokesman Luca Cari said on Friday.

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Al Gore rouses Sundance with climate film on eve of Trump induction

PARK CITY, Utah (Reuters) - Former U.S. vice president Al Gore delivered a rousing battle cry on Thursday to push climate change forward as an urgent matter for politicians on the eve of President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration, at the premiere of his new documentary.

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Small moth with yellowish coif named after Donald Trump

(Reuters) - A small moth with a yellowish-white coif of scales has been named after U.S. President-edit Donald Trump, in honor of the former reality TV show host and real estate magnate's signature hairdo.

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Thursday, January 19, 2017

Earthquake of magnitude 6.7 strikes off Solomon Islands in South Pacific: USGS

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the South Pacific nation of the Solomon Islands at a depth of 33 kms (20 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey said on Friday.

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Ancient warm period hints at bigger-than-expected sea level rise

OSLO (Reuters) - Sea levels could rise by a greater-than-expected six meters (20 ft) over many centuries even if governments cap global warming around current levels, scientists said on Thursday, based on clues from an ancient warm period.

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Slovenia allows hunters to kill 93 bears, 8 wolves this year

LJUBLJANA (Reuters) - Slovenia will allow hunters to kill 93 brown bears and up to 8 wolves this year in order to keep those animal populations from growing, the government said in a statement on Thursday.

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EU grants Zambia $69 million for energy projects

LUSAKA (Reuters) - The European Union (EU) has given Zambia about $69 million to expand electricity supply in the continent's second biggest copper producer, which faces a power deficit that has hit mining and agriculture.

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Argentine scientists in Antarctica tally toll of climate change

CARLINI BASE, Antarctica (Reuters) - On King George Island in Antarctica, the thunderous sound of ice sliding off the Fourcade Glacier and crashing into the icy water bordering Argentina's Carlini research base serves as a daily reminder of a warming climate.

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Iraqi sheep, locals, environment suffer Islamic State oil fires

QAYYARA, Iraq (Reuters) - Shepherds herd blackened flocks through the Iraqi desert. Locals cough and wheeze under vast clouds of smoke, and NASA images show oil threatening to encroach on the Tigris River, a major water source.

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Avalanche hits Italian hotel, many feared dead under snow

PENNE, Italy (Reuters) - A huge avalanche ploughed into a luxury mountain hotel in central Italy after a series of strong earthquakes rattled the area, and up to 30 people might be buried under the snow, officials said on Thursday.

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Rising Kenyan tea, coffee export prices to ease drought impact

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Rising prices for Kenyan tea and coffee exports will help offset the impact from a drought that has been hurting the East African nation's agriculture after poor rains late last year, according to officials and traders.

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From Al Gore to water politics, climate change heats up Sundance

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - As former U.S. vice president Al Gore filmed the sequel to his environmental documentary last year, he did not expect to be dealing with a new president who has dismissed climate change as a hoax.

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Wednesday, January 18, 2017

'Matriarch' gorilla at Miami zoo dies at age of nearly 50

(Reuters) - Zoo Miami's aging "matriarch" gorilla, Josephine, reported to be the grandmother of a male silverback slain in Cincinnati when a young boy fell into its enclosure, died on Wednesday just before reaching the age of 50.

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World temperatures hit new high in 2016 for third year in a row

OSLO (Reuters) - World temperatures hit a record high for the third year in a row in 2016, creeping closer to a ceiling set for global warming with extremes including unprecedented heat in India and ice melt in the Arctic, U.S. government agencies said on Wednesday.

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U.S. Senate panel questions Trump's EPA pick over energy ties

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic Senators quizzed Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, over his energy industry ties, during a contentious confirmation hearing on Wednesday that was occasionally interrupted by protests.

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Hemp hits new high as building material on Dutch bridge

EINDHOVEN, Netherlands (Reuters) - While plenty of cannabis goes up in smoke in coffee shops around the Netherlands, Dutch researchers have found a new use for it - as an environmentally friendly building material to rival cement or steel.

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Trump's EPA pick says he would honor timelines, intent of biofuels program

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, President-elect Donald Trump's choice to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, said on Wednesday he would honor the Congressional intent and timetables of the U.S. Renewable Fuel Standard.

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Basi, world's oldest captive panda, turns 37

BEIJING (Reuters) - Basi, the oldest giant panda living in captivity, celebrated her 37th birthday on Wednesday wearing a crown and getting a special birthday cake.

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Dakota Access company files motion to halt environmental study

HOUSTON (Reuters) - Energy Transfer Partners has filed a motion to bar the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers from initiating an environmental study for its controversial Dakota Access pipeline crossing at Lake Oahe in North Dakota.

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Earthquake of magnitude 5.4 hits northeast of Rome: EMSC

LONDON (Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 hit central Italy on Wednesday, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre said.

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Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Thirty pronghorn die trying to cross frozen Idaho river

SALMON, Idaho (Reuters) - Thirty pronghorns, close cousins to antelope, died while crossing a frozen river in south central Idaho, in a very rare event for the sure-footed mammals, state wildlife managers said Tuesday.

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Unlike Trump, Americans want strong environmental regulator - Reuters/Ipsos

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More than 60 percent of Americans would like to see the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's powers preserved or strengthened under incoming President Donald Trump, and the drilling of oil on public lands to hold steady or drop, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll released on Tuesday.

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U.S. makes $500 million grant to climate change fund: State Department

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has made a $500 million grant to the Green Climate Fund, meant to help developing nations combat climate change, the State Department said on Tuesday.

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Antarctic ice floe crack forces UK scientists to leave

LONDON (Reuters) - The British Antarctic Society is recalling scientists from its Halley VI polar research base in March after a fissure developed in the ice sheet.

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Greenpeace slams HSBC for funding destructive Indonesian palm oil firms

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Environmental group Greenpeace International on Tuesday slammed HSBC Holdings Plc for allegedly funding palm oil companies in Indonesia that it says have destroyed tropical rainforests.

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Biologists investigate deaths of 82 stranded dolphins in Florida

(Reuters) - Biologists were on Monday investigating the death of dozens of false killer whales that became stranded in Florida's Everglades National Park over the weekend, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said.

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Monday, January 16, 2017

China halts over 100 coal-fired power projects: Caixin

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's energy regulator has ordered 11 provinces to stop more than 100 coal-fired power projects, some of which are under construction, with a combined installed capacity of more than 100 gigawatts, Caixin reported on Tuesday.

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Quake of magnitude 5.7 strikes off Vanuatu: USGS

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 struck early on Tuesday about 227 km north-northwest of Santo near the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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Sunday, January 15, 2017

Australia disappointed by Japan's continued whale hunt in Southern Ocean

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia said on Monday it was "deeply disappointed" Japan had continued whaling in the Southern Ocean after anti-whaling activists published a photograph of a dead whale and two days after Australian and Japanese leaders discussed the issue.

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UK climate scientists raise concerns about Trump presidency

LONDON (Reuters) - British climate scientists asked Britain's prime minister on Monday to press U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to acknowledge climate change risks and support international action to slow global warming.

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China, Europe drive shift to electric cars as U.S. lags

DETROIT (Reuters) - Electric cars will pick up critical momentum in 2017, many in the auto industry believe - just not in North America.

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Uganda detects bird flu in wild, domestic birds

KAMPALA (Reuters) - Uganda's ministry for agriculture said on Sunday it had detected bird flu in two locations, one affecting wild birds and another hitting domestic birds, but it did not say whether it was a strain that has spread across Europe and the Middle East.

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Ice storm pelts central U.S., upper Midwest

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A winter storm brought more ice and freezing rain to a large swath of the central United States on Sunday, creating dangerous driving conditions and power outages from northeast New Mexico to central Illinois during the long holiday weekend.

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Major winter storm brings ice, freezing rain to central U.S.

(Reuters) - Freezing rain fell across much of the Great Plains and Midwest on Saturday as a major ice storm already blamed for the death of a motorist in Missouri and dozens of canceled flights threatened to wreak further havoc.

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Saturday, January 14, 2017

Ringling Bros. circus folding its tent after nearly 150 years

(Reuters) - The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus said on Saturday it will cease performances after 146 years in business, owing to what it said were declining tickets sales and high operating costs.

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More rain and pain expected as Thai flood death toll rises to 40

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand faces more hardship from unseasonable floods that have killed 40 people in its south, with more rain expected in the major rubber-producing and tourist region in coming days, a top disaster agency official said on Sunday.

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Emission probes could widen beyond Renault in France: Minister

PARIS (Reuters) - A judicial investigation into diesel emissions testing in France could widen beyond Renault after tests showed other carmakers had exceeded the authorized levels, the French environment minister said on Sunday, without elaborating.

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Croatia to cull poultry near capital due to H5N8 bird flu

ZAGREB (Reuters) - Croatia said on Saturday it had detected H5N8 bird flu among ducks on a farm some 30 km (20 miles) southeast of the capital Zagreb.

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Unilever commits to 100 percent recyclable plastic

LONDON (Reuters) - Consumer goods maker Unilever said on Saturday all of its plastic packaging would be fully reusable, recyclable or compostable by 2025.

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Magnitude 5.6 earthquake hits off Indonesia's Maluku islands: USGS

(Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 struck off Indonesia's Maluku archipelago on Saturday, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

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Beijing sets 2017 air pollution goal at more than double WHO's acceptable standard

BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing's air quality target for 2017 is more than double the acceptable standard set by the World Health Organisation (WHO), the mayor announced on Saturday in the wake of weeks of hazardous air pollution in the Chinese capital.

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Friday, January 13, 2017

U.S. top court to mull where challenges to clean water rule can be heard

(Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to resolve a dispute over what court should handle challenges to a 2015 Obama administration regulation that defines waterways protected under a federal anti-pollution law.

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Magnitude 6.2 quake strikes 224 km southwest of Fiji: USGS

BANGKOK (Reuters) - An earthquake of 6.2 magnitude struck 224 km (140 miles) southwest of Fiji on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said, but there was no immediate tsunami warning.

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EPA denies $1 billion-plus in claims from toxic Colorado mine spill

DENVER (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Friday denied $1.2 billion in claims for economic losses stemming from a 2015 toxic wastewater spill accidentally triggered by the agency at a defunct Colorado mine, that fouled waterways in three states.

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U.S. senator wants FTC probe of Fiat Chrysler diesel marketing

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A top U.S. senator asked the U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Friday to investigate whether Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV deceptively marketed its diesel-powered SUVs and trucks.

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EPA locks in 2025 fuel efficiency rules

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy on Friday finalized a determination that the landmark fuel efficiency rules instituted by President Barack Obama should be locked in through 2025, a bid to maintain a key part of his administration's climate legacy.

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It's a boy! Polar bear born in Berlin gets first check-up

BERLIN (Reuters) - A polar bear cub born at Berlin's Tierpark zoo two months ago is a male, the park said on Friday.

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Diesel cheating inquiries widen to Renault and Fiat

PARIS/MILAN (Reuters) - European carmakers were drawn into widening investigations into diesel emissions cheating on Friday, with French prosecutors examining Renault and British authorities seeking answers from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV.

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New North Dakota governor expects controversial pipeline to be built

(Reuters) - North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who took office last month in the height of tensions surrounding the Dakota Access Pipeline, said he believed the line would eventually be built and asked opponents to clean their protest camp before spring floodwaters create a potential ecological disaster.

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Storms ease California drought as reservoirs fill up

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - Several months of wet weather have dramatically eased California's years-long drought, replenishing reservoirs and parched aquifers and forcing state water officials to switch - at least temporarily - from managing shortages to avoiding floods.

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Ice storm targets central United States

(Reuters) - An ice storm heading for the central United States is threatening to take down trees and power lines and create treacherous travel conditions on Friday and into the weekend, the National Weather Service said.

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Britain braced for floods after heavy winds, snow

LONDON (Reuters) - Parts of England were preparing for severe flooding on Friday, after heavy winds, snow and rain hit the country overnight, cancelling flights, closing schools and causing disruption to commuters.

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North Japan digs out after storm dumps up to two meters of snow

TOKYO (Reuters) - Residents of northern Japan began digging out on Friday after a winter storm dumped up to two meters (7 ft) of snow and forecasters warned of further falls, including sub-zero weather in Tokyo.

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Thursday, January 12, 2017

U.S. veterans exposed to tainted water at Marine base to get benefits

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration has agreed to provide disability benefits to military veterans exposed to contaminated drinking water while at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, according to an official notice published on Thursday.

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USDA analysis says ethanol's environmental benefits better than forecast

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Thursday said that ethanol made from corn is better for the environment than previously expected in a report boosting the country's biggest biofuel a week ahead of a new administration that has some in the industry concerned.

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In Peru, a smelter's future stirs fears of its toxic past

LA OROYA, Peru (Reuters) - Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski's efforts to revive a nearly 100-year-old smelting complex could overcome a crucial hurdle at a coming auction where five companies have shown interest in placing bids.

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Oldest aardvark in captivity in the United States dies at 28

(Reuters) - The oldest aardvark held in captivity in the United States has died at 28, having outlived its species' average lifespan by a decade, the Philadelphia Zoo said.

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New York seeks to develop U.S.'s biggest offshore wind projects

(Reuters) - New York Governor Andrew Cuomo this week proposed to develop up to 2,400 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind power by 2030 capable of powering 1.25 million homes as the state seeks to lead the nation in renewable energy production.

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Malawi hit by armyworm outbreak, threatens maize crop

LILONGWE (Reuters) - Malawi, which was hit by a crippling drought last year, has become the third southern African nation to report an outbreak of armyworms, a voracious pest that devours maize and other crops.

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Rains, snow to ease in U.S. West as waterways begin to recede

(Reuters) - Heavy rain and snow will begin to ease on Thursday in the U.S. West, where swollen rivers are expected to recede, forecasters said, after flooding that has forced thousands to evacuate in recent days.

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Exclusive: EPA to accuse Fiat Chrysler of excess diesel emissions - sources

(Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday will accuse Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV of using software that allowed excess diesel emissions in just over 100,000 U.S. trucks and SUVs sold since 2014, two sources briefed on the matter said.

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London's Heathrow Airport cancels 80 flights on snow forecasts

LONDON (Reuters) - London's Heathrow Airport said it will cancel 80 flights out of the 1,350 scheduled on Thursday as it prepares for forecasts for snow later in the day.

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VW shareholders call for reforms in wake of $4.3 billion U.S. deal

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Volkswagen investors demanded greater transparency and reforms at the carmaker after it admitted to criminal offences in rigging U.S. emissions tests and U.S. prosecutors indicted six current and former managers over the scandal.

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Massachusetts judge requires Exxon to hand over climate documents

BOSTON (Reuters) - A Massachusetts judge has refused to excuse Exxon Mobil Corp from a request by the state's attorney general to hand over decades worth of documents on its views on climate change, state officials said on Wednesday.

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Global clean energy investment falls to $288 billion in 2016: research

LONDON (Reuters) - Clean energy investment worldwide fell by 18 percent to $287.5 billion last year due to sharp falls in renewable technology prices and less spending on projects by large markets China and Japan, research showed on Thursday.

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Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Trump, rising populism threaten to slow climate action, analyst says

LONDON (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Rising global populism and pressure to reduce U.S. environmental regulation are among the issues to watch in 2017 as efforts to address climate change push ahead, a sustainability expert said Wednesday.

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Brazil court extends deadline for Samarco to pay dam spill guarantee

BRASILIA (Reuters) - A Brazilian judge has extended the deadline for Samarco and its shareholders Vale SA and BHP Billiton to make a 1.2 billion reais ($375.41 million) payment related to a dam spill to Jan 19, a statement from the court in the state of the Minas Gerais said on Wednesday.

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Trump taps well of protest with calls for more drilling in national parks

(Reuters) - President-elect Donald Trump aims to open up federal lands to more energy development, tapping into a long-running and contentious debate over how best to manage America’s remaining wilderness.

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U.S. Border Patrol recruits: wild horses, tamed by prisoners

FLORENCE, Arizona (Reuters) - Long before the desert sun has had a chance to heat the dusty prison yard, some 20 inmates at an Arizona state prison begin quietly tending horses.

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Snow, rain pummel parts of California, Nevada and Oregon

(Reuters) - Heavy rain and snowfall hit parts of California, Nevada and Oregon early on Wednesday, causing roads to be closed, schools to cancel classes and widespread flooding along already swollen waterways.

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With water short, Zimbabwe's farmers turn to capturing rain

MARANGE, Zimbabwe (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - Kuziwa Matongo’s rainwater harvesting system may not look like much, but its impact is huge.

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Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Japan weather bureau sees La Nina ending soon

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's weather bureau said on Wednesday that the latest La Nina was is expected to end soon, with a 70-percent chance that normal weather patterns would continue during the spring.

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Carnegie Clean Energy sees rapid growth after embracing solar power

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Carnegie Clean Energy expects annual revenue to surge 17-fold over a two-year period, its managing director told Reuters, thanks to a push into solar power with the recent purchase of fellow Australian firm Energy Made Clean (EMC).

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Hungary, Bulgaria ban shipping on Danube as river freezes over

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary and Bulgaria have banned shipping on the Danube as the river is freezing over and floating ice poses a risk.

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Thai floods cause 200-kilometer traffic tailback; death toll up to 25

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Flash floods in southern Thailand washed out a bridge on the country's main north-south highway on Tuesday, backing up traffic for 200 km (125 miles) as the death toll from days of unseasonable rain rose to 25, media reported.

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Raised for meat in South Korea, dogs head for new homes in U.S.

WONJU, South Korea (Reuters) - "You're OK, you're OK," Lola Webber, a campaign manager with the Humane Society International (HSI), whispers to a lab-mix puppy, cradling her in a jacket as dozens of dogs bark in nearby cages.

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Texas $1 billion carbon project to curb emissions, up oil recovery

THOMPSONS, Texas (Reuters) - NRG Energy Inc and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corp said on Tuesday they had begun operations at a $1.04 billion carbon capture facility at a Texas coal-fired power plant and were using the emissions to extract crude from a nearby oilfield.

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Monday, January 9, 2017

Cuba, United States sign oil spill deal before Trump inauguration

HAVANA (Reuters) - Cuba and the United States agreed on Monday to jointly prevent, contain and clean up oil and other toxic spills in the Gulf of Mexico, as they rush to conclude deals before President-elect Donald Trump takes office.

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Undersea earthquake of 7.3 magnitude hits southeast of Philippines: USGS

(Reuters) - A major undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 struck southeast of the Philippines on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

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More rain, snow forecast as U.S. storm brings floods to California

(Reuters) - Forecasters expect another half foot of rain to soak central and northern California and the Sierra Nevada mountains through early Tuesday, coming on the heels of powerful storms that walloped the state and other parts of the U.S. west on Sunday.

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California rain storm fells historic sequoia tree with tunnel

(Reuters) - An ancient giant sequoia tree, with a hollowed-out tunnel big enough for cars to drive through, was toppled over the weekend by floods following a series of powerful rain storms in central and northern California.

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Climate change should not be 'partisan issue,' Kerry says

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Reuters) - Work to avert the problems caused by climate change should not be a partisan issue, outgoing Secretary of State John Kerry told students at an elite U.S. engineering school on Monday, in one of his final speeches as the nation's top diplomat.

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VW managers authorized concealment of diesel cheating: FBI complaint

DETROIT (Reuters) - Volkswagen's management board was informed about the "existence, purpose and characteristics" of an emissions cheating device in July 2015, and chose not to disclose it to United States regulators, a court filing on Monday showed.

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Frosts kill dozens in central Europe, smog forces production cuts

PRAGUE (Reuters) - Severe frosts and snow storms killed at least 25 people in central Europe over the weekend, mainly in Poland, as temperatures in the region dropped below -30 degrees Celsius in some places.

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Turkish Airlines halts flights from main hub due to snowstorm

ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkish Airlines has halted all flights from Istanbul's Ataturk airport, its main hub, until 6 p.m. (1500 GMT) on Monday as heavy snow fall hit the city for a third full day, its chief executive said on Twitter.

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Beijing launches environmental police force to tackle air pollution

BEIJING (Reuters) - The smog-hit Chinese capital of Beijing will establish a police force to deal specifically with environmental offences as part of its efforts to clean up its air and crack down on persistent polluters.

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Sunday, January 8, 2017

Thai floods kill 21 and hit rubber production

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Widespread flooding in Thailand's south has killed 21 people, hit rubber production in the region and shut down infrastructure, officials said on Monday, as the military government increased aid to flood-affected areas.

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U.S. solar lobbying group names 'bridge builder' as new leader

(Reuters) - The U.S. solar industry's top lobbying group named energy policymaker Abigail Ross Hopper as its new chief executive, pledging pragmatism as the sector prepares to work with an incoming president who has expressed doubts about its importance.

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Magnitude 5.8 quake hits in Nunavut territory in far northern Canada: USGS

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck in Nunavut territory in far northern Canada, the U.S. Geological Survey reported on Sunday.

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Eastern United States digs out from big snowstorm, braces for cold

(Reuters) - The eastern United States began digging out on Saturday from a massive storm that dumped heavy snow from Georgia to Massachusetts, knocking out power for thousands of people and causing hundreds of car crashes, officials said as they warned of more cold weather ahead.

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Paris boosts cycling infrastructure, names 2017 'year of the bike'

PARIS (Reuters) - Paris plans a major boost to its cycling infrastructure and will ban cars from outside the Louvre museum as it steps up its fight against traffic pollution, the mayor said on Sunday.

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Gorilla, 32, dies at Cleveland zoo after years of heart disease

(Reuters) - One of two male western lowland gorillas at the Cleveland zoo has died, several years after he was diagnosed with heart disease, zoo officials said.

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Last day for SeaWorld killer whale show in California

(Reuters) - SeaWorld in San Diego will host its last killer whale performance on Sunday, the culmination of its promise to phase out the decades-old show after criticism of its treatment of the captive marine mammals.

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Friday, January 6, 2017

EPA head's top regret: failing to connect with rural America

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Among the millions of rural Americans who voted for incoming president Donald Trump, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's legacy of hard-nosed regulation earned it a reputation as a jobs killer - a fact that outgoing EPA Director Gina McCarthy says could prove to be one of her biggest regrets.

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Volkswagen, Justice Dept. nearing $3 billion deal to resolve diesel allegations

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Volkswagen AG and the U.S. Justice Department are nearing an agreement to resolve the government's civil and criminal investigations that would require the German automaker to pay a penalty of more than $3 billion, sources briefed on the talks said on Friday.

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U.S. approves first fix for 70,000 polluting VW diesel vehicles

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has approved a fix for about 70,000 polluting Volkswagen diesel vehicles, involving an initial software change available now, it said on Friday.

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Winter storm takes aim at U.S. South, batters West

(Reuters) - A winter storm packing heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain is on track to hit the U.S. South and Southeast on Friday, threatening to snarl traffic and cause widespread power outages this weekend, forecasters said.

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SeaWorld killer whale Tilikum of 'Blackfish' movie fame dies

TAMPA, Fla. (Reuters) - Tilikum, the killer whale featured in the documentary "Blackfish" that made the case against keeping orcas in captivity died on Friday, SeaWorld officials said.

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Snowstorms wreak chaos in Bulgaria and Romania

SOFIA/BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Snowstorms paralyzed traffic and cut electricity to hundreds of thousands of people in Bulgaria on Friday while forcing atomic energy producer Nuclearelectrica in neighboring Romania to shut down its No. 1 reactor.

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Vast iceberg poised to crack off Antarctica: scientists

OSLO (Reuters) - A vast iceberg, expected to be one of the biggest ever recorded with an area almost the size of the U.S. state of Delaware or the Caribbean island state of Trinidad and Tobago, is poised to break off Antarctica.

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Quake rattles southern Iran, four Afghan laborers killed: TV

ANKARA (Reuters) - An earthquake shook Iran's southern Fars province on Friday, killing four Afghan laborers and prompting a search operation for other casualties in the thinly-populated mountainous area, Iranian state TV said.

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World heat shatters records in 2016 in new sign of global warming

OSLO (Reuters) - Last year was the hottest on record by a wide margin, with temperatures creeping close to a ceiling set by almost 200 nations for limiting global warming, the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service said on Thursday.

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Thursday, January 5, 2017

China plans emissions cuts, public transport boost as smog lingers

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China plans cuts in major sources of air pollution including sulphur dioxide and will promote more public transport in large cities, the government said late on Thursday, as the country's north grapples with a lingering smog crisis.

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Volunteers, tequila makers lift imperiled bat off the mat, U.S. says

(Reuters) - An unusual alliance of volunteer researchers and tequila makers have helped rescue a crucial American Southwest pollinator known as the lesser long-nosed bat from the brink of extinction, according to U.S. wildlife managers who want the bat removed from the endangered and threatened species list.

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China to plow $361 billion into renewable fuel by 2020

BEIJING (Reuters) - China will plow 2.5 trillion yuan ($361 billion) into renewable power generation by 2020, the country's energy agency said on Thursday, as the world's largest energy market continues to shift away from dirty coal power towards cleaner fuels.

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Record snow and rain stretches across parched U.S. west

(Reuters) - Record snow and rain pummeled the western United States on Thursday, raising the threat of floods and freezing temperatures in some areas across the region, weather officials said.

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Severe frost may damage Ukraine's winter grain crops: analyst

KIEV (Reuters) - An expected sharp fall in temperatures in Ukraine could damage the country's winter grain crops because of a lack of snow cover on the fields, analyst UkrAgroConsult said on Thursday.

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Wednesday, January 4, 2017

Smog-hit Beijing slapped with top 'fog' alert for second day

BEIJING (Reuters) - The Chinese capital issued its highest red fog alert for a second day on Wednesday, keeping highways closed in and around the city which is already under a smog alert after weeks of choking winter pollution.

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EPA seeks to ban Genscape from verifying renewable fuel credits

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency wants to revoke Genscape's ability to verify biofuels compliance credits after regulators say it failed to detect a massive fraud perpetrated by companies it was monitoring.

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France orders massive duck cull to contain bird flu

PARIS (Reuters) - France on Wednesday ordered a massive cull of ducks in three regions most affected by a severe episode of bird flu as it tries to contain the virus which has been spreading quickly over the past month, the agriculture ministry said.

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Earthquake shakes El Salvador, no immediate reports of damage

SAN SALVADOR (Reuters) - An earthquake shook El Salvador on Wednesday, though there were no immediate reports of damages, local authorities said.

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Baby orangutan entertains visitors to Czech zoo

USTI NAD LABEM, Czech Republic (Reuters) - A three-week-old baby orangutan charmed crowds at a Czech zoo on one of its first public outings, clinging tight to its mother and attempting a few clumsy climbs.

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Insurers paid out $50 billion for natural disasters in 2016

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Insurers paid out around $50 billion for natural disaster claims last year, reinsurer Munich Re said on Wednesday, while another $125 billion of losses were uninsured.

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Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes off coast of Fiji: USGS

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck off the island nation of Fiji on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)said.

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Penguin chicks and tiger cubs: London Zoo begins annual residents count

LONDON (Reuters) - Keepers at ZSL London zoo began the mammoth task of counting the park's more than 700 species on Tuesday, using treats to entice some animals out for the annual stocktake.

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Storms that pounded U.S. South seen easing to light rain along East Coast

(Reuters) - A severe storm system that left five people dead in the U.S. South is expected to weaken significantly on Tuesday, bringing only light rainfall along the East Coast, officials said.

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Monday, January 2, 2017

Four dead in Alabama building hit by severe storm: governor

(Reuters) - Four people were killed when a severe storm hit a building in Rehobeth, Alabama, state Governor Robert Bentley said in a message on Twitter on Monday.

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As smog returns, Beijing says skies are getting cleaner

BEIJING (Reuters) - The Chinese capital was on the second-highest orange smog alert in the depth of winter on Tuesday as city officials said the air quality was improving overall, citing data for the whole of last year.

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Parts of U.S. South under tornado watch as storms pound coastal states

AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) - A severe storm system hit the U.S. South with heavy winds and hail on Monday, prompting a tornado watch for several states along the Gulf of Mexico coast.

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Sunday, January 1, 2017

Wedding vows a blessing for clean-up of filthy Indonesian river

JAKARTA (Reuters) - Only a year ago, this stretch of the Ciliwung river in Indonesia's capital was foul-smelling and clogged by a thick layer of floating plastic and other trash.

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