Environment

His spokesperson stated that the United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres regretted a U.S. withdrawal from dozens of U.N. bodies, and stressed that U.S. funding was mandatory for "a large number" of these organizations. U.S.?President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that United States will withdraw from dozens international and U.N. organizations, including one that promotes gender equity and women's empowerment and another that is a U.N. entity, as they "operate against U.S. National Interests." Stephane Dujarric said that a "large number" (of the 31 U.N. organizations on the U.S. List) are funded from the regular U.N. Budget. He added that...

The U.S. Climate Prediction Center (CPC), which is based in the United States, said that La Nina persists, and there's a 75% probability of a shift to ENSO neutral conditions between January-March. "Atmospheric anomalies remained consistent with La Nina across the tropical Pacific Ocean." The U.S. forecaster said that for most of the month easterly winds anomalies remained over the central equatorial Pacific and upper-level westerly winds continued across the equatorial Pacific. Why it's important La Nina is a part of El Nino and the Southern Oscillation, which affects the water temperatures in central and eastern Pacific Ocean. La Nina...

Simon Stiell, the UN climate chief, said that the United States' decision not to sign a key U.N. climate treaty was a "colossal own goal" which would harm its economy, jobs and living standards. Stiell stated in a statement that "while all other nations are moving forward together, the latest step backward from global leadership can only harm the U.S. Economy, Jobs and Living Standards, as wildfires and?floods become more severe, and mega-storms, droughts, and floods worsen." "It's a colossal goal that will make the U.S.?less secure and less prosperous." Donald Trump, the U.S. president, who has been a vocal...

Some legal experts believe that the Trump administration's decision, made by the Trump Administration, to withdraw from the U.N. Climate Treaty, which was unanimously adopted in the U.S. Senate more than 30 year ago, could be illegal. They say Congress would have to approve the withdrawal. On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced that the United States will withdraw from dozens international and U.N. organizations. This includes the U.N. The Framework Convention on Climate Change and the scientific Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change are both "opposed to U.S. National Interests" by focusing on oil, gas, and mining development. Trump, who is...

Nestle has expanded its recall of certain batches of infant nutritional products beyond Europe, to include the Americas, Asia, China, and Brazil. This is according to statements from the company and the national health ministries. Nestle has recalled batches of SMA formula, BEBA formula, NAN formula, and Alfamino due to possible contamination by cereulide. This toxin can cause nausea and vomiting. At least 37 countries have issued health warnings about the possibility of contamination in infant formulas. This includes?most European States, Australia, Brazil and China. Nestle and its new CEO Philipp Navratil are under more pressure after the recall. Nestle...

Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that the United States must control Venezuela's oil revenue and sales to achieve the changes it seeks to see in Venezuela. Wright stated that he had been speaking with?U.S. Wright said he was speaking to?U.S. Donald Trump announced over the weekend that the U.S. will "take control" after U.S. troops ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro. This could allow U.S. companies to access the vast oil reserves of Venezuela. Wright added that instead of blocking the oil as it is now, the government will sell it to buyers around the U.S. Wright said that the?sales will...

Chicago Board of Trade Soybean futures rose slightly on Tuesday, as China purchased more U.S. soybeans. The corn and wheat futures both rose slightly as the agricultural markets continued to gain after recovering?on Monday? from recent multi-week?lows. Traders were watching closely the?Chinese?demand for U.S. soybeans after Washington announced in late October Beijing's agreement to purchase supplies as part a truce between the two countries in their trade war. Three traders said that China's stockpiler Sinograin bought 10 U.S. soy cargoes this week, totaling around 600,000 tons. U.S. Department?Agriculture confirmed later that exporters had sold 336,000 metric tonnes of U.S. soya...

During its current term, the U.S. Supreme Court weighs a number of important cases involving such issues as presidential powers and tariffs, gun rights, race, transgender sportspeople, campaign finance laws, voting rights, LGBT “conversion therapy”, religious rights, capital punishment, and more. The term began in October, and will run through June. Separately, the court has also acted in emergency cases involving challenges against President Donald Trump's policy. TRUMP TARIFFS During arguments on 5 November, the justices raised questions about the legality and impact of Trump’s sweeping tariffs. This case has implications for the global economic system. It is a test...

Chicago wheat futures edged up on Tuesday, as a combination of dry conditions in the U.S. Plains region and increasing tensions in Black Sea export regions supported prices that were under pressure due to global?supplies. By 0415 GMT, the most active?wheat contracts on CBOT (Wv1) had risen 0.05% to $5.12-3/4 per bushel. Corn (Cv1) rose 0.17% to $5.12-3/4 a Bushel and soybeans (Sv1) gained 0.28 % to $10.65. Wheat, soybeans, and corn all extended gains in the second session of trading following traders' return from their?year-end holiday and assessment of crop weather. Last Friday, soybeans, wheat and corn reached their...

Two people were killed in an overnight Russian air strike on Kyiv and the surrounding region, Ukraine's authorities announced on Monday. This appears to be the first death reported in Russian attacks on the Ukrainian capital in this year. The State Emergency Service of Ukraine said that the strike ignited a medical facility located in Obolonskyi District?in the northern sector of Kyiv, where a inpatient ward operated. The service said that after the fire was put out, a dead body was discovered inside. The service reported that 25 people had been evacuated and a?woman also suffered injuries. It released a?photo...

Authorities in Colorado have confirmed that a hiker has died after being attacked by a mountain lion, the first fatal attack suspected to occur in 25 years. Around noon on Thursday, other hikers found the woman unresponsive on the Crosier Mountain Trail?northeast from Estes Park. A mountain lion was seen near the body of the woman. The hikers frightened it off by throwing stones. Colorado Parks and Wildlife spokesperson, Kara?Van Hoose, told reporters that a doctor among the hikers attended to the woman and found no pulse. CPW responded and killed two lions. The agency did not specify whether multiple...

Donald Trump, the U.S. president, has vetoed an important drinking water project in Colorado. This prompted immediate condemnation by Colorado Republican 'lawmaker'?Lauren Boebert. Boebert is a former MAGA ally and recently challenged Trump on his handling of the Jeffrey Epstein documents. Late on Tuesday, the White House announced Trump vetoed the Finish the Arkansas Valley Conduit Act (AVC), which had been unanimously approved by the House of Representatives as well as the Senate. A second measure, affecting a Florida-based project, was also rescinded. These were Trump's first two vetoes during his second term. The Colorado project was vetoed after Trump's...

Nestle has expanded its recall of certain batches of infant nutrition products beyond Europe. It now includes Africa, Americas, and Asia. Nestle recalled batches of SMA formula, BEBA formula, NAN formula, and Alfamino formulation because they may have been contaminated with cereulide. This toxin can cause nausea and vomiting. Health warnings have been issued in 37 countries including the majority of European states, Australia, Brazil and China. The recall puts more pressure on KitKat, Nescafe and its new CEO Philipp Navratil who is trying to restore growth with a portfolio review following management changes. Nestle shares are down 5.7% this...

Swakop Uranium is a subsidiary owned by the China General Nuclear Power Group. It has entered into a joint venture agreement with Namibia’s water utility, NamWater to build Namibia's second desalination plant near Swakopmund. The plant is only the second one of its kind in Africa. It will help to bolster water supply to the country's biggest uranium mining operation, Husab. In a joint statement released on Tuesday, partners of the joint venture said that negotiations had ended successfully. The project implementation phase will now begin. Swakop Uranium holds 70% of the stake, and NamWater has the rest. According to...

Apple has denied the allegations, but a U.S. advocacy group filed a suit in Washington. The lawsuit accuses Apple of using minerals that are linked to human rights violations and conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. International Rights Advocates, a group based in the United States, has sued Apple, Tesla and other tech companies over cobalt sourcing. However, U.S. court dismissed this case last year. In December, French prosecutors dropped Congo's conflict mineral case against Apple subsidiaries citing a lack of evidence. An investigation is ongoing in Belgium into a criminal complaint related to this issue....

Mitsubishi Materials, a Japanese company, said it would shift its focus to secondary smelting in order to increase profitability. Due to a tight supply of concentrates and the expansion of smelting capacity by China, Japanese copper smelters face a tumbling treatment charge and refining charge (TC/RC) as well as shrinking smelting profits. Mitsubishi Materials announced in October it would cut the refined copper production at its Onahama Smelter & Refinery in the period October-March by a quarter. It plans to integrate its copper products sales and procurement of copper concentrates with rival Pan Pacific Copper owned by JX Advanced Metals...

The Prime Minister of Tuvalu, who visited Taiwan on Tuesday during a period of increasing geopolitical rivalry between China and the United States in the Pacific, said that his tiny country values its "special relationship". Tuvalu is only one of 12 countries, including three in the Pacific region, that maintains formal diplomatic relations with Chinese-claimed Taiwan. Beijing has intensified its efforts to win back Taiwan's remaining allies. Feleti Teo said he was always impressed by the warmth with which he is welcomed whenever he visits Taiwan. Teo stated that "Tuvalu treasures its special relation with Taiwan. A relationship built on...

It was not clear what the 190+ countries attending the COP30 would be discussing during the two week U.N. Summit in Brazil's Amazonian city of Belem. It's also unclear how they will handle controversial issues such as the 2023 pledge to stop using polluting sources of energy and their demand for funding to achieve this. The biggest question was whether or not countries would want to reach a final deal, which is difficult to do in an era of global politics that has been fractious and the U.S.'s efforts to block a move away from fossil-fuels. After years of COP...

The Japan Industry Ministry announced on Friday that it would temporarily increase gasoline and diesel subsides from next week to try and smooth out the impact of planned tax reductions on fuels. To ease the burden of households, the ruling and opposition parties in the country agreed to abolish the gasoline tax by December 31, and the diesel tax by April 1, next year. The government is hoping that by temporarily increasing subsidies on gasoline, diesel and other fuels, consumers won't be tempted into delaying purchases until the tax reductions are implemented. This move will also help Japan avoid long...

After a spill in the south of this resource-rich nation, the Democratic Republic of Congo suspended operations at a Chinese operated mining site. Mines Minister Louis Watum Kabamba announced late Thursday. Congo Dongfang International Mining, which sources mainly copper and cobalt in Central Africa, is an arm of China's Zhejiang Cobalt. Watum told X he had come to Lubumbashi, Congo's second largest city, after learning about a spill that had affected many neighborhoods. He claimed that the company did not meet the environmental standards and was causing serious water pollution, which exposed the public to health risks. He added that...

Brazil hosted world leaders on Thursday for a summit ahead of the COP30 Climate Conference in the rainforest city Belem. Leaders have made some interesting comments. U.N. SECRETAIRE-GENERAL ANTONIO GUTERRES We can either choose to lead or we can be led into ruin. "Too many companies are making record profits by destroying the climate, while spending billions on lobbying and deceiving public opinion and obstructing advancement. And too many leaders continue to be captive to these entrenched interest." BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA We need a road map to plan an equitable way to undo the deforestation and...

HSBC released a new set of climate targets on Thursday that are softer and more flexible for near-term sectors like oil and gas. This is in response to the slow rate of change in real economy. The targets for the end of the decade follow a review that was announced by British bank earlier this year, when it dropped its goal to reach net-zero emissions in all of its operations by 2030. HSBC is still aiming for its operations, funded by the loan book, to produce zero emissions by 2050. It and other banks who have set similar climate goals...

Residents in the central Philippines began scrubbing mud off streets and houses that were still standing after the typhoon Kalmaegi tore through the area, killing at least 85 people and leaving dozens of others missing. As floodwaters receded in Cebu, the province that was hardest hit, scenes of destruction were revealed. Homes reduced to rubble and vehicles overturned, streets choked by debris, lives upended. Marlon Enriquez, 58, of Cebu City tried to salvage the belongings left in his home by scraping off the thick mud. This was the first flood that we have experienced. "I've lived here for 16 years,...

State media reported that Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stated that the development of a 600-million-ringgit ($142-million) super magnet production facility in Pahang would strengthen the nation's rarity earth sector. In July, Australia’s Lynas Rare Earths signed a contract with South Korea’s JS Link to build a 3,000-tonne neodymium magnetic manufacturing facility near Lynas’ advanced materials plant located in Malaysia’s Kuantan District. Anwar told state news agency Bernama that Malaysia's Trade Minister would monitor the project, as it involves rare earth processing. Anwar stated that "JS Link already bought the land and is ready to start operations. This is no...