Global pension funds warm to India's solar power ambitions

MUMBAI/NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Some of the world's biggest pension funds, seeking long-term returns on green investments, are scouting for deals in India's solar power sector, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is targeting $100 billion in investment in the next five years.

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U.S. appeals court grants Trump request on climate regulations case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Friday granted a Trump administration request to put on hold a legal challenge by industry and a group of states to former President Barack Obama's regulations aimed at curbing greenhouse emissions mainly from coal-fired power plants, rules that the Republican president is moving to undo.

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Climate protests to mark Trump's 100 days in office

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - For the second time in a month, tens of thousands of protesters are expected to turn out in Washington on Saturday to voice concern over climate change in a mass demonstration marking the 100th day of Donald Trump's presidency.

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Torrential rains, damaging winds on tap for U.S. midsection

(Reuters) - A dangerous storm front will thrash the U.S. midsection over the weekend with torrential rainfall, damaging winds and large hail that will leave behind the threat of flooding throughout the region, the National Weather Service warned.

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EPA says website undergoing makeover to match Trump, Pruitt views

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The website of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA.gov, is getting a makeover to reflect the views of President Donald Trump and EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt, the agency said on Friday.

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Strong earthquake hits off Philippines, warning of large waves

MANILA (Reuters) - A strong earthquake measuring 6.8 struck off the coast of the island of Mindanao in the Philippines on Saturday, the country's seismology agency said, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was a risk of large waves as far away as Indonesia,.

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Snow expected in U.S. Plains wheat belt, heavy rains in Midwest

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A weekend storm is expected to bring as much as a foot (30.5 cm) of snow to parts of the U.S. Plains winter wheat belt and heavy rain to the southern Midwest, stalling corn and soybean planting, meteorologists said on Friday.

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EU states approve plans for stricter limits on pollutants from power plants

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Power plants in the European Union will have to cut the amount of toxic pollutants they emit such as nitrogen oxides under new rules approved by EU member states on Friday and widely applauded by environmental groups.

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Norway races Australia to fulfill Japan's hydrogen society dream

By Lefteris Karagiannopoulos, Sonali Paul and Aaron Sheldrick

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El Nino likely to return this year - WMO

GENEVA (Reuters) - El Nino weather conditions associated with droughts and flooding have a 50-60 percent probability of returning this year, the U.N. World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on Friday, revising its view from two months ago.

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Crushing blow to soy processors as Chinese grow wary on GMO

BEIJING (Reuters) - A Chinese consumer backlash against genetically modified (GMO) crops is beginning to dent demand for soy oil, the nation's main cooking oil, and could spell crisis for the multi-billion-dollar crushing industry, which depends on GMO soybeans from the United States and elsewhere.

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Greenpeace gatecrashes Credit Suisse shareholder meeting

ZURICH (Reuters) - Activists from environment group Greenpeace gatecrashed Credit Suisse's annual shareholder meeting on Friday to protest against the Swiss bank's dealings with companies behind the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).

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Next battleground: An aging Great Lakes pipeline stirs new protest

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - The growing protest movement against U.S. oil and gas pipelines has so far focused on stopping or delaying new construction, with some high-profile successes.

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Trump advisers likely to meet in May on Paris climate pact

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Trump administration officials will likely meet in May to reach a final decision on whether the United States should stay in the Paris climate deal, after holding an initial meeting on Thursday at the White House, an administration source said.

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In nod to oil industry, Trump to order review of offshore drilling bans

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday will order a review of offshore areas currently off limits to oil and gas drilling to determine which might be reopened, in his administration's latest move to expand domestic energy production.

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Appeals court grants Trump request to delay mercury air pollution case

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A U.S. appeals court on Thursday granted a request from the Trump administration to put litigation on hold in which states and industry groups are challenging an Obama administration pollution control rule for mercury and other toxic emissions from power plants.

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EU steps up legal action vs. Poland over logging of primeval forest

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission stepped up on Thursday its legal action against Poland over the logging of the protected primeval Bialowieza forest in the north east of the country, warning that the next step would be a lawsuit in the EU's top court.

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Philippines' environment minister says to ban open-pit mining

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine Environment Secretary Regina Lopez said on Thursday she will ban open-pit mining in the country, part of her months-long crackdown on the sector she believes has caused extensive environmental damage.

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Judge says Exxon owes $19.95 million for Texas refinery pollution

HOUSTON (Reuters) - A federal judge ruled on Wednesday that ExxonMobil Corp should pay a $19.95 million penalty for pollution from its Baytown, Texas, refinery between 2005 and 2013, according to the decision accompanying the ruling.

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Automakers to meet with U.S. transportation, EPA chiefs

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Major automakers are set to meet Thursday with the head of the U.S. Transportation Department and Environmental Protection Agency as the agencies begin a review of federal fuel efficiency rules that are a major piece of the climate change policy enacted by the Obama administration.

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Trump orders review of national monuments, seeks to allow development

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday to identify national monuments that can be rescinded or resized - part of a broader push to open up more federal lands to drilling, mining and other development.

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Trump advisers to discuss U.S. role in Paris climate pact Thursday: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - White House advisers and Trump administration officials will meet on Thursday to discuss whether the United States should remain in the Paris climate agreement, a White House official said on Wednesday.

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Study finds how polluting nanoparticles get into blood and damage hearts

LONDON (Reuters) - Inhaled nanoparticles like those pumped out in vehicle exhausts can work their way through the lungs and into the bloodstream where they can raise the risk of heart attack and stroke, scientists said on Wednesday.

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Horny male seeks mate: Kenya's last northern white rhino joins Tinder

NAIROBI (Reuters) - Like many guys using the Tinder dating app, Sudan loves the outdoors and travels widely. The catch: he's the world's last male white northern rhino and desperately needs to mate.

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Trump administration to review dozens of U.S. national monuments

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday will order a review of national monuments created over the past 20 years with an aim toward rescinding or resizing some of them - part of a broader push to reopen areas to drilling, mining and other development.

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U.S. lawmakers push Yucca nuclear dump facing transport crunch

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives will debate legislation on Wednesday to breathe life into the stalled Yucca Mountain spent nuclear fuel dump in Nevada, but critics say the project is hindered by the lack of an easy transport route.

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State prosecutors urge Trump not to withdraw from Paris accord

NEW YORK (Reuters) - More than a dozen state prosecutors urged President Donald Trump in a letter on Tuesday not to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, which commits the United States, along with 200 other countries, to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions in an attempt to slow global warming.

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China to boost non-fossil fuel use to 20 percent by 2030: state planner

BEIJING (Reuters) - China aims for non-fossil fuels to account for about 20 percent of total energy consumption by 2030, increasing to more than half of demand by 2050, its state planner said on Tuesday, as Beijing continues its years-long shift away from coal power.

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Millions of Colombians at risk to climate change: minister

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Climate change has put nearly 12 million Colombians at risk from natural disasters like flooding and landslides, which could kill hundreds and cause serious infrastructure damage, the environment minister said on Tuesday.

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Court to hold hearing on UK air quality report delay: campaigners

LONDON (Reuters) - London's High Court will hold a hearing on Thursday over the British government's bid to postpone publishing its plans to reduce air pollution, environmental campaigners said on Tuesday.

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Oslo, London, Amsterdam lead push for greener transport: study

OSLO/FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Oslo, London and Amsterdam are leading a shift by major cities to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions from transport, helped by new technologies that will help to curb climate change and reduce air pollution, a study showed on Tuesday.

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Chile rocked by 6.9-magnitude quake; no major damage reported

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck off the west coast of Chile on Monday, rocking the capital Santiago and briefly causing alarm along the Pacific Coast but sparing the quake-prone nation of any serious damage.

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Arctic thaw quickening threatens trillion-dollar costs - report

OSLO, April 25 (Reuters) - The Arctic's quickening thaw is melting the permafrost under buildings and roads from Siberia to Alaska, raising world sea levels and disrupting temperature patterns further south, an international study said on Tuesday.

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China, under pressure at WTO, suggests revamp of dumping rules

GENEVA (Reuters) - China has proposed tightening the rules on when countries can impose anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs, saying their use was rising and that such charges were often misused and distorted international trade.

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Germany opposes EU emissions testing overhaul: Sueddeutsche

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany is against European Commission plans to overhaul a vehicle emissions testing scheme, Sueddeutsche Zeitung said, citing European Council documents submitted by Germany.

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French prosecutors open formal probe into PSA Group diesel emissions

PARIS (Reuters) - French prosecutors have opened a formal investigation into suspected diesel emissions test-cheating by PSA Group, the maker of Peugeot and Citroen cars, a judicial source said on Monday.

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Snowy weather worries pile onto backed-up Canada farmers

WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - A snowy spring on the Canadian Prairies is raising jitters from the farm to the futures market about double delays in harvesting and planting in the major wheat- and canola-exporting country.

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Norway's Statoil plays down risks ahead of Arctic drilling

OSLO (Reuters) - Norway's Statoil on Monday played down concerns that drilling in the Arctic is risky, days before it kickstarts its drilling campaign in the Barents Sea, where the country believes around half of its remaining resources could be located.

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Trump to set new executive orders on environment, energy this week

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump this week will sign new executive orders before he completes his first 100 days in office, including two on energy and the environment, which would make it easier for the United States to develop energy on and offshore, a White House official said on Sunday.

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Florida evacuation orders lifted as rain quells wildfires

(Reuters) - Florida officials on Sunday lifted evacuation orders for about 2,000 homes threatened by wildfires in drought-stricken central and southwestern parts of the state, after rainfall helped firefighters battle the blazes.

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Exclusive: Vomitoxin makes nasty appearance for U.S. farm sector

CHICAGO (Reuters) - A fungus that causes “vomitoxin” has been found in some U.S. corn harvested last year, forcing poultry and pork farmers to test their grain, and giving headaches to grain growers already wrestling with massive supplies and low prices.

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On Earth Day, an environment-minded Republican turns to birds

NEW HOPE, Pa. (Reuters) - In his white dress shirt and black pin-striped pants, U.S. Representative Brian Fitzpatrick stood out from the other birdwatchers gathered near a grove of bud-studded trees in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, on Saturday morning.

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Florida wildfires force evacuations, destroy homes

(Reuters) - Scattered wildfires were burning in drought-stricken parts of central and southwestern Florida on Saturday, destroying nine homes and triggering evacuation orders for about 2,000 other residences.

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Canary Islands battles two-mile oil slick after ferry crash

MADRID (Reuters) - Emergency teams in the Canary Islands raced on Saturday to contain a three-kilometer oil slick caused by a ferry crashing into underwater fuel pipes, the regional government said in a statement.

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U.S. scientists to protest Trump policies at Earth Day rally in Washington

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. scientists will stage an unprecedented protest on Saturday, a March for Science provoked by steep cuts President Donald Trump has proposed for science and research budgets, and growing disregard for evidence-based knowledge.

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California rains muddy farm fields, higher vegetable prices soak shoppers

SALINAS, Calif. (Reuters) - Record rains are a double-edged sword for California's Salinas Valley: While the recent deluge virtually ended the state's historic drought, it also created muddy, unworkable fields - sending prices for everything from kale to cauliflower soaring.

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U.S. judge sentences Volkswagen to three-years' probation, oversight

DETROIT (Reuters) - A federal judge in Detroit on Friday sentenced Volkswagen AG to three years' probation and independent oversight for the German automaker's diesel emissions scandal as part of a $4.3 billion settlement announced in January.

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Vietnam punishes officials over Formosa incident

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam's ruling Communist Party Secretariat said on Friday it was punishing four high-ranking government officials over the so-called Formosa incident, the government said in a statement on Facebook.

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Storm Arlene weakens into a post-tropical cyclone: NHC

(Reuters) - Tropical storm Arlene has weakened into a post-tropical cyclone in the North Atlantic, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Friday.

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Exxon probe is unconstitutional, Republican prosecutors say

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A group of 11 Republican state attorneys general are protesting an investigation into whether Exxon Mobil Corp. violated consumer protection laws when selling fossil fuel products, according to a court filing.

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EU to propose linking CO2 emissions for trucks, cars to road toll charges

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission is to propose making cars, trucks, buses and vans pay higher road toll charges the more CO2 they emit as it seeks to cut road transport's carbon footprint, two EU officials said.

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China urges closer ties with non-government bodies, media in war on water pollution

BEIJING/SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China must work more closely with journalists and non-government bodies to expose incidents of water pollution, an official said on Friday, after activists this week discovered two untreated cesspits filled with hazardous industrial waste.

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Canada to delay implementing new methane norms by three years: CBC News

(Reuters) - Canada's federal government wants to delay the implementation of its new methane regulations by up to three years to 2020 and expects to fully implement it by 2023, CBC News reported on Thursday.

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China environment fines rise 56 percent to $963 million in 2016: ministry

BEIJING (Reuters) - China imposed total fines of 6.63 billion yuan ($963.30 million)for environmental violations in 2016, up 56 percent compared to the previous year, the environment ministry said in a statement on Friday.

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Atlantic salmon farms shift to open seas, trying to shake off lice

OSLO (Reuters) - Atlantic salmon farming companies are designing huge pens to raise fish in the open seas in a radical shift from calm coastal waters where marine lice have slowed growth of the billion-dollar industry.

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SeaWorld in Texas welcomes last orca to be born in its parks

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) - The last orca to be born at a SeaWorld park, which popularized killer whale shows in the 1960s but faced growing opposition in recent years, has been born in Texas at SeaWorld San Antonio.

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Meteorologists see normal Atlantic hurricane season in 2017

(Reuters) - Most meteorologists forecast the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season will be less active than a year ago, with the number of named storms and hurricanes near average.

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Tropical depression one forms west of Azores: NHC

(Reuters) - Subtropical depression one has transitioned into a tropical depression and is expected to dissipate Thursday night or Friday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory on Thursday.

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World Bank to continue alternative energy financing efforts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim said on Thursday that the multilateral lender does not plan to change its stance on financing alternative energy projects and mitigating the effects of climate change.

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Trump's EPA to reconsider oil and gas emissions rule

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will reconsider a rule on greenhouse gas emissions from oil and gas operations and delay its compliance date, the agency said on Wednesday in the Trump administration's latest move to reduce regulations.

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Philippines wind farm generates power, jobs and curious tourists

PILILLA, Philippines (Reuters) - Wind turbines are helping the Philippines diversify its energy sources beyond fossil fuels and generating not only power, but jobs, revenue and interest among thousands of curious tourists.

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EPA chief visits Indiana waste site amid proposed budget cuts

EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (Reuters) - The head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) toured his first hazardous waste site on Tuesday amid proposed budget cuts that could devastate efforts to clean up contaminated land and water around the country.

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Peruvian police rescue rare Galapagos tortoises from traffickers

LIMA (Reuters) - Peruvian police rescued 27 baby Galapagos tortoises, a highly endangered species, from a group of traffickers trying to take them to Europe, authorities said on Wednesday.

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Last stand: Nebraska farmers could derail Keystone XL pipeline

Neligh, NEBRASKA (Reuters) - When President Donald Trump handed TransCanada Pipeline Co. a permit for its Keystone XL pipeline last month, he said the company could now build the long-delayed and divisive project "with efficiency and with speed."

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Canada oil sands beefing up defenses as wildfire season looms

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Northern Alberta's oil sands producers and communities are stepping up preparations for wildfire season to avoid a repeat of last year's devastating blaze that shut in more than a quarter of Canadian crude output and left thousands homeless.

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Lobby groups file challenge to France's Flamanville nuclear reactor

PARIS (Reuters) - A group of activists has filed a legal challenge with the French prime minister's office against the extension of EDF's license for construction of the Flamanville nuclear reactor in northern France.

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Subtropical depression one forms over north central Atlantic: NHC

(Reuters) - A subtropical depression has formed over the north central Atlantic and is located about 890 miles (1,435 kilometers) westsouthwest of the Azores, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Wednesday.

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E.ON offers UK households solar panels with battery storage

LONDON (Reuters) - German utility E.ON launched a combined solar panel and battery storage product for British customers which could cut rising electricity bills by 50 percent, it said on Wednesday.

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NHC says 70 percent chance of cyclone formation over central Atlantic

(Reuters) - A non-tropical low pressure system located over the central Atlantic a little more than 700 miles southwest of the Azores could strengthen into a cyclone over the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Wednesday.

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NHC says 50 percent chance of cyclone over central Atlantic

(Reuters) - A subtropical cyclone could emerge in the next 48 hours over the central Atlantic, as a low pressure system 700 miles (1,127 km) southwest of the Azores has a 50 percent chance to strengthen, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Wednesday.

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White House meeting on Paris climate deal postponed: official

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A White House meeting that was to help determine whether the United States should withdraw from the Paris climate accord has been postponed, an administration official said on Tuesday.

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Earthquake shakes Ecuador's Amazon region, damage unclear

QUITO (Reuters) - An earthquake in the Andean region shook Ecuador on Tuesday, witnesses said, sending people running into the streets in the capital of Quito a year after a deadly quake hit the country's Pacific coast.

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BP says crews brought leaking Alaskan well under control

HOUSTON (Reuters) - BP Plc said workers on Alaska's North Slope had brought under control a company-operated well that spewed oil and gas over the weekend.

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Amid business ties, some fund firms eased proxy pressure: study

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Several big fund firms supported challenges on executive pay or climate disclosures less frequently where they had business ties to energy companies and utilities, according to a new study released on Tuesday.

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China firms accused of impeding, detaining pollution inspectors

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China has punished firms in the provinces of Shandong and Hebei, suspending operations and detaining employees after pollution inspection teams were impeded and apprehended while carrying out their duties, the environment ministry said on Tuesday.

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Chemicals spill at Tesla battery factory, no serious injuries: officials

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Emergency workers were investigating a hazardous material spill at Tesla Inc's Gigafactory battery plant in Nevada on Monday, but there were no significant injuries and no threat to the public, authorities said.

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Trump advisers to meet Tuesday to discuss Paris climate agreement

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump's top advisers will meet on Tuesday to discuss whether to recommend that he withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord, a White House official said on Monday.

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Sri Lanka landslide death toll rises to 29, unknown number still missing

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Rescue workers cleared mud and debris from a landslide at a giant rubbish dump in the Sri Lankan capital for a fourth day on Monday, as the death toll rose to 29 and uncertainty remained over the number of people missing.

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NHC says 30 percent chance of cyclone over central Atlantic

(Reuters) - A non-tropical low pressure system located over the central Atlantic about midway between Bermuda and the Azores Islands has a 30 percent chance of strengthening into a cyclone in the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Monday.

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China's Tianjin port cracks down on coal in Beijing's war on smog: notice

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Tianjin Port Co Ltd will impose measures to curb the trucking and storage of coal months earlier than expected, as one of the nation's busiest ports complies with government orders in its war on smog, a customer notice shows.

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Magnitude 5.7 quake strikes northwest of Vanuatu: USGS

SYDNEY (Reuters) - An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 struck northwest of the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said.

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Vietnam PM halts $10.6 billion steel plant on environmental concern

HANOI (Reuters) - Vietnam's prime minister halted work at a $10.6 billion steel plant on concern over its environmental impact, in an effort to prevent another "Formosa incident", local media reported, citing a government statement.

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Guinea colonel accused of trafficking as police seize his 'private zoos'

KINDIA, Guinea, (Reuters) - - Police in Guinea have arrested an army colonel on suspicion of animal trafficking and seized a menagerie of animals from two properties he owns that they described as private zoos, a senior officer said on Saturday.

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Sri Lanka rubbish dump landslide death toll rises to 19

COLOMBO (Reuters) - Emergency workers looking for survivors after a massive rubbish dump collapsed in Sri Lanka suspended their search on Saturday night, having already extracted 19 bodies from the rubble and mud.

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Long-awaited giraffe born in New York zoo to global audience's delight

NEW YORK (Reuters) - At long last, April the giraffe gave birth on Saturday to a long-overdue calf, to the delight of hundreds of thousands of people who have been monitoring a live cam feed from her pen in a New York zoo in anticipation of the grand event.

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Magnitude 6.1 quake hits northern Chile: USGS

(Reuters) - A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck northern Chile, 144 km (90 miles) southeast of Calama, at a depth of 188 km, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said on Saturday.

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Exclusive: With Nigeria's northeast facing famine, WFP funds could dry up in weeks – sources

ABUJA (Reuters) - The United Nations' World Food Programme could in a few weeks run out of funding to feed millions living on the brink of famine in Nigeria, four people familiar with the matter said, intensifying one of the world's largest humanitarian crises.

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Wintry wolverine has cub in Belgium, beating climate-change odds

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The wolverine, a carnivore confined to colder climates since the last Ice Age, has re-established a tenuous foothold further south in a Belgian wildlife park.

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UK-based start-up hopes to cut plastic waste with innovative water balls

LONDON (Reuters) - Small transparent spheres filled with natural or flavored water could help provide a solution to London's plastic waste problem, according to the start-up company based in the British capital that manufactures them.

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Emergency warnings lifted after Cyclone Cook clips New Zealand

SYDNEY (Reuters) - New Zealand's civil defense authorities lifted severe weather warnings on Friday after tropical Cyclone Cook moved off the country's South Island, but also cautioned that the effects of the storm would still be felt in some areas.

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Armyworms ravage crops in southern Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Crop-eating caterpillars known as fall armyworms have damaged crops across southern Ethiopia, the latest country to be struck by the pests in a region already struggling with widespread drought and hunger, authorities said on Thursday.

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U.S. weather forecaster increasing chances of El Niño this year

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A U.S. government weather forecaster on Thursday projected the possibility of El Niño developing in the Northern Hemisphere late summer or fall.

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Earthquake-hit farmers in Italy rest hopes on fields of lentils

CASTELLUCCIO, Italy (Reuters) - Over seven months after a devastating earthquake hit the central parts of Italy, farmers from the Umbria region are hoping that their fields of lentils can help revive local agriculture and tourism.

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Mercedes-Benz undecided if it will sell future U.S. diesels

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Daimler AG's Mercedes-Benz USA chief said the German automaker has not decided whether to resume selling diesel vehicles in the United States.

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New Zealand braces for second major storm in two weeks

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand on Thursday braced for the tail wind of a cyclone as authorities evacuated seaside areas, closed schools and warned people to reconsider their Easter holiday plans.

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Fish tracked from DNA 'finprints' left in waters off New York

OSLO (Reuters) - Scientists have tracked fish off New York by following the traces of DNA left in the water, a technique that could help gauge life in rivers, lakes and the oceans around the world, a study showed on Wednesday.

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Mosul zoo's last two animals reach safer ground in Jordan

AMMAN (Reuters) - The last two surviving animals from Mosul's dilapidated zoo arrived this week at an animal shelter in Jordan, after months of malnutrition and a long journey out of Iraq that included being stuck at the border for 12 days.

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Automakers hope to reach U.S. deal on 2025 vehicle emissions

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A trade group for automakers said on Tuesday it hopes to reach a deal with California and the Trump administration over vehicle fuel efficiency standards.

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China slams Shanghai for environmental violations

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's business hub of Shanghai has slacked off in efforts to improve the environment, levying fines too small to deter polluters, hundreds of whom have flouted closure orders, authorities said on Wednesday.

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Magnitude 5.6 quake hits the Philippines: USGS

(Reuters) - A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck the center of Mindanao island in the Philippines on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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Amateur husky racers brave -24C in Arctic wilderness

(Reuters) - Amateur dog-sled racers pushed themselves to the limits to complete a 300 km journey in temperatures as low as -24 degrees Celsius in the Arctic wilderness.

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Cuddly ambassadors spell panda-monium for Dutch zoo

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - The Netherlands will welcome its first giant pandas this week at a zoo fitted out with a pagoda-style enclosure as its new centerpiece, crowning 16 years of hard lobbying by Dutch animal lovers.

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China solar, wind to attract $780 billion investment by 2030 - research report

SHANGHAI (Reuters) - China's wind and solar sectors could attract as much as 5.4 trillion yuan ($782 billion) in investment between 2016 and 2030 as the country tries to meet its renewable energy targets, according to a research report published on Tuesday.

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Emerging nations urge rich countries to honor climate finance pledges - statement

BEIJING (Reuters) - China, Brazil, India and South Africa have urged industrialized nations to honor the financial commitments made in Paris in 2015 to help developing countries fight against global climate change, they said in a joint statement on Tuesday.

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Warning lifted as cyclone shifts away from New Caledonia

SYDNEY/WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A powerful cyclone that hit New Caledonia late on Monday and shuttered nickel operations has moved offshore, allowing authorities to lift warnings on the French South Pacific territory.

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U.S. asked for more time on climate policy: Italy minister

ROME (Reuters) - Countries from the G7 group of advanced economies did not sign a joint declaration at the end of an energy meeting in Rome as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump needs more time to work on its climate policy, an Italian minister said on Monday.

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Strong quake strikes off southeast Philippines - USGS

(Reuters) - An earthquake measuring 6.1 magnitude struck in the ocean off the southeast of the Philippines on Monday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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Iceland magma drilling project may revive giant UK power cable link

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists will study the possibility of producing geothermal energy from magma for the first time, in a $100 million project in Iceland, which if successful could produce up to 10 times more energy than from a conventional well.

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French minister says U.S. energy secretary has not signaled climate backpedalling

ROME (Reuters) - U.S. energy secretary Rick Perry has said nothing about the U.S. backpedaling on climate change commitments, French Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy Segolene Royal said on Monday.

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Malaysia seizes $3.1 million worth of rhino horns at airport

KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - Malaysian authorities have seized about $3.1 million worth of rhinoceros horns flown in from Mozambique via Qatar, the latest seizure in Asia of products from endangered species to feed demand for traditional remedies, officials said on Monday.

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UK car industry defends diesel as government readies pollution plan

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's automotive industry body defended diesel cars on Monday, as the government prepares to announce proposals for improving air quality which could follow London in making it more expensive to use the most polluting vehicles.

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New Caledonia braces for cyclonic flooding, huge waves

SYDNEY (Reuters) - New Caledonia was bracing for high winds, massive waves, and heavy rain as a powerful cyclone bore down on the French South Pacific territory on Monday.

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Cyclone strikes healthiest part of Great Barrier Reef

SYDNEY (Reuters) - A cyclone that left a trail of destruction in northeast Australia and New Zealand has also damaged one of the few healthy sections of the Great Barrier Reef to have escaped large-scale bleaching, scientists said on Monday.

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Earthquake measuring 5.9 magnitude strikes in Luzon, Philippines: USGS

(Reuters) - An earthquake measuring 5.9 magnitude struck near Batangas in Luzon province in the Philippines on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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Bagrada bug appears in Chile for first time, destroying crops

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - The bagrada bug has appeared in Chile for the first time in recent months, and has damaged crops of cabbages, broccoli and other vegetables, the government said on Friday.

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Peru's president says flood recovery may cost up to $9 billion

LIMA (Reuters) - The reconstruction of areas of Peru hit by severe floods in recent months will cost $3 billion in the short term, and up to $9 billion over five years, the country's president, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, said in a radio interview on Friday.

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Atlanta storm halts thousands of Delta Air flights

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines Inc said it had canceled nearly 3,000 flights this week after a severe storm hit its hometown of Atlanta, Georgia and apologized for its response to the "unprecedented" weather.

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Appeals court upholds California's anti-greenhouse gas program

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Reuters) - A state appeals court on Thursday ruled California's high profile market system for reducing greenhouse gas emissions does not amount to an illegal tax, a decision that could lift a pall over the so-called cap-and-trade program's marketplace for buying and selling pollution allowances.

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Low water hinders Rhine and Danube river shipping in Germany

HAMBURG (Reuters) - Low water levels on the Rhine and Danube in Germany mean freight vessels cannot sail fully loaded on the German sections of the two rivers, traders said on Friday.

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Beijing struggles to get residents to declare war on trash

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's garbage-strewn capital of Beijing has promised to boost spending to banish growing mountains of waste, but is struggling to persuade its upwardly-mobile residents to sort their trash.

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New Zealand begins clean-up as Cyclone Debbie floodwaters peak

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand began a major clean-up operation on Friday after heavy rain and floodwaters from the tail end of Cyclone Debbie swamped towns in the North Island and caused landslips that blocked roads.

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Minnesota tracks down seed planted on weed-infested conservation land

CHICAGO (Reuters) - One company sold the seed planted on all the land in a U.S. conservation program in Minnesota that is infested with an invasive weed threatening cropland, the state's agriculture department said on Thursday.

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Chile's wine industry sees little impact from fires, heatwave

TALAGANTE, Chile (Reuters) - A torrid summer and devastating fires across central Chile's wine belt have forced an earlier harvest this year, but there are no signs that volume or flavor will be affected, local industry experts said on Thursday.

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Coal miner Cloud Peak urges Trump to stay in Paris climate deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chief executive of U.S. coal mining company Cloud Peak Energy urged President Donald Trump in a letter on Thursday to help shape global climate policies by keeping the United States in the Paris climate accord.

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Vietnamese protest one year after Formosa spill disaster

(Reuters) - Protests were held at several places along Vietnam's coast on Thursday, a year after the country's worst environmental disaster was caused by a spill from a steel mill, activists said.

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China's Sinopec shuts Yanshan refinery rubber unit after environmental checks

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's Sinopec has ordered its rubber unit in Yanshan refinery to shut in response to environmental checks, it said, after the Ministry of Environmental Protection detected odor.

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New York, other states challenge Trump over climate change regulation

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A coalition of 17 U.S. states filed a legal challenge on Wednesday against efforts by President Donald Trump's administration to roll back climate change regulations, deepening a political rift over his emerging energy policies.

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Exclusive: India's Ganges clean-up in a shambles, Modi intervenes

NEW DELHI/KANPUR, India (Reuters) - India's $3 billion plan to clean the holy Ganges river is badly behind schedule with large stretches contaminated by toxic waste and sewage, forcing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene, according to government officials and documents seen by Reuters.

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New Zealand and Australia still pounded by ex-Cyclone Debbie

WELLINGTON/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Thousands of people at the top of New Zealand's North Island were told to evacuate on Thursday while an Australian town is forecast to be underwater later in the day as the tail end of Cyclone Debbie continues to cause major flooding.

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Canada needs single body to assess oil pipelines, mines: panel

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada needs a single federal authority to assess the potential impact of major projects such oil pipelines and mines, a move that could help quell environmental protests, an official panel said on Wednesday.

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U.S. Southeast, Midwest face threat of severe storms, potential tornadoes

(Reuters) - A dangerous weather system packing severe thunderstorms was expected to roll through the U.S. Southeast and parts of the Midwest on Wednesday, bringing with it the threat of tornadoes, forecasters said.

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European history on repeat: Study finds evidence of 'Brexit 1.0'

LONDON, (Reuters) - Scientists have found evidence of how ancient Britain separated from Europe in what they are dubbing "Brexit 1.0" - a flooding event that happened in two stages thousands of years ago.

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Formosa Vietnam steel mill meets conditions for test runs a year after spill

HANOI (Reuters) - Formosa Plastics Corp's steel mill in Vietnam has met environment ministry conditions to start test runs, state television said on Wednesday, a year after a toxic spill from the plant caused the country's worst environmental disaster.

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U.S. coal companies ask Trump to stick with Paris climate deal

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Some big American coal companies have advised President Donald Trump's administration to break his promise to pull the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement – arguing that the accord could provide their best forum for protecting their global interests.

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Trump declares end to 'war on coal,' but utilities aren't listening

WASHINGTON/LOS ANGELES/NEW YORK (Reuters) - When President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week to sweep away Obama-era climate change regulations, he said it would end America's "war on coal", usher in a new era of energy production and put miners back to work.

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Fewer Atlantic hurricanes seen in 2017, but three could be 'major'

(Reuters) - The upcoming Atlantic Ocean hurricane season could include at least three severe tempests, but will likely involve fewer storms than usual overall, private forecaster AccuWeather predicted on Wednesday.

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Magnitude 5.0 quake hits Botswana, two days after large quake

(Reuters) - A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck Botswana in the early hours of Wednesday, two days after a strong 6.5-magnitude tremor shook the southern African country, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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U.S. would slash EPA vehicle testing budget under Trump plan

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Trump administration would virtually eliminate federal funding for the Environmental Protection Agency's budget for vehicle emissions and fuel economy testing but will seek to raise fees on industry to pay for some testing, a government document shows.

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Window closing for Republican stealth assault on U.S. regulations

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The clock began running out this week on a strategy that has provided U.S. Republicans in Congress with their only notable legislative successes this year: aggressive use of an obscure U.S. law known as the Congressional Review Act (CRA).

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Ex-Cyclone Debbie wreaks havoc in New Zealand

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Floods and landslips blocked roads across New Zealand's north island on Wednesday after it was swept overnight by the tail-end of powerful Cyclone Debbie, which has left a trail of destruction in Australia.

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EU nations consider lowering energy savings targets: draft

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU nations are considering lowering targets on energy savings after 2021, a draft document seen by Reuters shows, in what climate campaigners say would be blow to the European Union's goals to curb the worst effects of global warming.

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White House exploring new value-added tax and carbon tax: report

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House is exploring a value-added tax and a carbon tax as part of a planned tax code overhaul, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday, citing an unidentified administration official and a person briefed on the matter.

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EU will release 60 million euros to help Britain repair 2015-16 flood damage

STRASBOURG (Reuters) - Britain will get 60 million euros (51.3 million pounds) from the European Union to repair damage caused by the floods last year, a lawmaker said on Tuesday.

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EU approves Finnish compensation for indirect carbon market costs

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU regulators on Tuesday approved a 149 million euro ($159 million) Finnish scheme to partly compensate energy-intensive industries for higher electricity prices resulting from indirect emission costs under the EU's Emission Trading System (ETS).

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Landslides, buckled tracks hit Australia coal exports in wake of cyclone

SYDNEY/MELBOURNE (Reuters) - A critical mountain pass on the railway connecting Australia's biggest coking coal mines to ports has been hit by landslides and buckled tracks caused by Cyclone Debbie, witnesses said, crippling efforts to get exports of the steel-making ingredient flowing again.

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Anger burns on Vietnam's poisoned coast a year after spill

QUANG TRI, Vietnam (Reuters) - "The big fish are all dead," complained 50 year-old Mai Xuan Hoa, picking small fish from a net as he tried to rebuild his livelihood a year after Vietnam's worst environmental disaster.

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New Zealand braces for big wet as ex-Cyclone Debbie makes landfall

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand was bracing for potential flooding and landslips on Tuesday as the remnants of Cyclone Debbie made landfall, a week after the powerful storm hit neighboring Australia where three people were killed by subsequent floods.

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Colombia starts to bury 262 landslide victims, search continues

MOCOA, Colombia (Reuters) - Scores of decomposing cadavers were being released for burial on Monday as rescuers continued to search for victims of weekend flooding and landslides that devastated a city in southern Colombia, killing at least 262 people.

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Trump donates first-quarter salary to National Park Service

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Donald Trump, who made a fortune in real estate before running for political office, has decided to donate his first-quarter salary of $78,333 to the National Park Service, the White House announced on Monday.

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Magnitude 6.5 quake strikes Botswana: USGS

GABORONE (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck nearly 250 km north-northwest of the Botswana capital Gaborone on Monday, at depth of 12 km (7 miles), the U.S. Geological Survey said.

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New York, other states challenge Trump over energy efficiency

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A coalition of U.S. states and municipalities has begun legal action against President Donald Trump's administration, accusing it of violating federal law by delaying energy efficiency standards for several consumer and commercial products.

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China vows fresh smog crackdown as toxic air shrouds capital

BEIJING (Reuters) - China's smoggiest cities have pledged to ramp up the battle on pollution after air quality deteriorated in the first few months of this year, the China Daily reported on Monday, as smog blanketed the capital, Beijing, and the surrounding region.

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Coal exports disrupted in cyclone-hit Australia as floodwaters rise

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Damage to rail lines in cyclone-hit north-east Australia will take up to five weeks to repair, disrupting exports of the steel-making material from the world's largest coking coal region and putting pressure on global prices.

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Alaska officials report oil leak in beluga whale habitat

(Reuters) - Alaska officials reported an oil leak from an underwater pipeline late on Saturday that was within habitat designated as critical for endangered Cook Inlet beluga whales.

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EPA chief says Paris climate agreement 'bad deal' for U.S.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States should continue to be "engaged" in international climate change discussions but the Paris climate change agreement is a "bad deal" for the country, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency said Sunday.

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Colombia landslide kills at least 14, 60 injured

BOGOTA (Reuters) - A landslide in Colombia's southwestern border province of Putumayo has left at least 14 people dead and 60 injured, officials said on Saturday.

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Peru seeks more international aid to cope with extreme floods

LIMA (Reuters) - Peru needs more international aid to help hundreds of thousands of people cope with continuing floods and mudslides that have killed more than 100 people and torn apart much of the country's infrastructure, the transportation minister said Friday.

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