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The environment ministers of Poland and Germany have met on the border of the two countries to discuss protection of a river against a repeat of deadly pollution that killed hundreds of tons of fish last year. Polish Environment Minister Anna Moskwa said Wednesday that she couldn’t rule out the occurrence of another disaster despite tight monitoring along the Oder River and the blocking of the illegal discharge of chemicals and waste in order to prevent the growth of deadly golden algae. The Oder River is about 840 kilometers (520 miles) long and starts in Czech Republic. It mostly runs through southwestern Poland and along the border with Germany before emptying into the Baltic Sea.
11 hours agoThe fallout from the breach of a dam along a front line of Russia’s war in Ukraine is wreaking havoc on lives, livelihoods and the environment. The dramatic rupture of the Kakhovka dam on Tuesday unleashed a torrent of water from Ukraine’s largest reservoir into streets and homes downstream on the Dnieper River in an area where shelling regularly takes place. It’s not clear what caused the breach of the dam, which was already damaged in the war, but both Russia and Ukraine blamed each other of the Soviet-era facility.
12 hours agoGreek officials have launched a series of high-level contacts with the newly elected government in Turkey in an effort to counter a surge in attempted crossings by migrants over a river that divides the two countries. The Greek ministers of defense and foreign affairs called their Turkish counterparts appointed following the recent re-election victory of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. In response to a Greek request, dozens of migrants were removed by Turkish police from an islet in a river that divides Greece and Turkey, according to officials in Athens.
12 hours agoAn IOC inspection team has given a resounding thumbs-up to Paris’ preparations for the 2024 Olympic Games. The IOC says Paris organizers are where they should be in their planning with 415 days to go before the opening ceremony. Wrapping up a three-day visit, the team said they were leaving with “a very, very high level of confidence about the fact that Paris will be ready.” There are unresolved questions about financing and security. French auditors have flagged to parliament that they’re still unable to say how much the games will cost in total and what their final impact will be on public finances. To boost revenues, Paris organizers confirmed that they are working to bring French luxury giant LVMH on board as another major sponsor.
12 hours agoLala Kent would like to thank her “Vanderpump Rules” co-stars Tom Sandoval and Raquel Leviss. Since their secret monthslong affair dubbed “Scandoval” went public in early March, the Bravo reality show’s heat meter has skyrocketed and cast members have been capitalizing on the infamy. While Sandoval didn’t cheat on Kent, she’s not a stranger to betrayal of this kind. Kent spoke to The Associated Press about moving on from ex Randall Emmett, building her own business empire, her friendship with Sandoval's ex Ariana Madix and how, in a certain way, she's grateful to Sandoval.
12 hours agoTwo U.S. senators are asking TikTok to explain what they called “misleading or inaccurate” statements about how it stores and provides access to U.S. user data. In a letter sent Tuesday to TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew, U.S. Sens Richard Blumenthal and Marsha Blackburn cited recent news reports from Forbes and The New York Times that raised questions about how the company some handles sensitive U.S. user information. TikTok has said servers that contain U.S. user data have been physically stored in Virginia and Singapore, where its headquartered. But who can access that data - and from where - is an ongoing question.
12 hours agoGerman and Indian companies have signed an agreement that envisions the possible building of six military submarines for India. The memorandum of understanding was signed on Wednesday in the presence of German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius, who was in India on a visit. The agreement calls for Germany’s Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems to engineer and design six non-nuclear submarines that would be built and delivered by India’s Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders with “significant local content.” Pistorius is the first German defense minister to visit India since 2015. He advocates easing defense cooperation and weapons deals with India by treating it as a strategic partner like Australia or Japan.
14 hours agoA marketing campaign by oil major Shell has been banned by the U.K.’s advertising watchdog Wednesday for implying a big proportion of its business was in low carbon energy even though fossil fuels make up the “vast majority” of its operations. In its written ruling the Advertising Standards Authority found consumers would interpret the marketing materials as making a “broader claim about Shell as a whole providing cleaner energy.” In a statement, Shell spokesperson Tara Lemay said the company “strongly” disagrees with the ASA’s decision, “which could slow the U.K.’s drive toward renewable energy.” Although Shell does have a clean energy business, the company estimates its operations released almost 1.4 billion tons of heat-trapping carbon dioxide in 2021.
14 hours agoThe Turkish lira has tumbled to fresh record lows, extending its slide against the U.S. dollar. The lira weakened by around 7% on Wednesday, hitting a new low of 23.18 against the dollar. The currency has declined by more than 8% since President Recep Tayyip Erdogan formally took office on Saturday after winning a third presidential term. The Turkish currency has been declining in value since 2021, due to what economists say is Erdogan’s insistence on keeping borrowing costs low to stimulate growth despite skyrocketing inflation. Analysts say Erdogan’s government propped up the lira in the run-up to presidential and parliamentary election last month, using foreign currency reserves to keep the exchange rate under control.
14 hours agoSecurity guards at London’s Heathrow Airport will escalate their strike action over pay into the busy summer months. The Unite union said Wednesday that more than 2,000 of its members will walk out for 31 days from June 24 through to Aug. 27. It's a move that could wreak havoc for the millions of people going through Heathrow during the summer travel season. Security guards have already been striking in recent months including during the Easter break and the coronation of King Charles III. A spokesperson for Heathrow wasn't immediately available for comment.
14 hours ago- Is it a ‘skip’ or a ‘pause’? Federal Reserve won’t likely raise rates next week but maybe next month
Don’t call it a “pause.” When the Federal Reserve meets next week, it is widely expected to leave interest rates alone — after 10 straight meetings in which it has jacked up its key rate to fight inflation. But what might otherwise be seen as a “pause” will likely be characterized instead as a “skip.” The difference? A “pause” might suggest that the Fed may not raise its benchmark rate again. A “skip” implies that it probably will — just not now. The purpose of suspending its rate hikes is to give the Fed’s policymakers time to look around and assess how much higher borrowing rates are slowing inflation.
14 hours ago A group of climate activists has claimed responsibility for deflating the tires of sport utility vehicles in Denmark’s capital. Copenhagen police said Wednesday that more than 100 vehicles were vandalized. The Tyre Extinguishers said on its website that “we are defending ourselves against climate change, air pollution and unsafe drivers.” The group has been active in other countries. Copenhagen police appealed for witnesses to come forward. Police added that they were “investigating the vandalism and would like to hear from citizens who have seen something” late Tuesday or early Wednesday.
15 hours agoWe often talk about money fears as they relate to adults, but teens can have them, too. Money fears can develop at a young age and linger into adulthood. Parents can help equip their kids with a positive money mindset by having honest conversations about money and playing money-related games. Once parents uncover their kids’ money fears, they can address them by providing their kids with age-appropriate financial literacy. Parents also can ensure they’re modeling a healthy money mindset to their kids and help them come up with positive affirmations around money.
16 hours agoCambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has presided over a groundbreaking ceremony for construction of the country’s second expressway, which will link the capital, Phnom Penh, to the eastern border with Vietnam. The road to Bavet city in Svay Rieng province is projected to take 48 months to construct and cost $1.35 billion. It is a project of China Bridge and Road Corp. China is Cambodia’s biggest investor and closest political partner, whose assistance largely underpins the Southeast Asian nation’s economy. Hun Sen says a feasibility study is underway for another expressway that would link Phnom Penh to Siem Reap province, site of the famous Angkor temples, and extend to Poipet on the western border with Thailand.
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