Category: Environment

Nov 26, 2011 (LBO) – Heavy rain and strong winds that lashed Sri Lanka yesterday had left 16 people dead and at least 33 missing in several parts of Sri Lanka, the island’s disaster management office said. Authorities are still searching for more than 30 fishermen reported missing. Heavy winds that lashed the island had […]

PARIS, November 18, 2011 (AFP) – Really, it’s enough to drive a climate scientist over the edge. In past years, satellite images have shown a perceptible growth in grasses and shrubs in parts of the Arctic, a phenomenon pinned on global warming. But part of the greening could come from lemmings, surprised researchers have found. […]

PARIS, November 10, 2011 (AFP) – Several species of rhino have been poached into extinction or to the point of no return, according to an update of the Red List of Threatened Species, the gold standard for animal and plant conservation. All told, a quarter of all mammal species assessed are at risk of extinction, […]

PARIS, October 25, 2011 (AFP) – Some killer whales, a study published Wednesday shows for the first time, wander nearly 10,000 kilometres (6,200 miles) from Antarctica’s Southern Ocean into tropical waters — but not to feed or breed. Rather, these fearsome predators at the apex of the marine food chain traverse the sea at top […]

Oct 16, 2011 (LBO) – A researcher who is questioning claims and forecasts on sea level rises connected to man made climate change, has got a hearing in India at a conference, a media report said. said Nils-Axel Morner, a Swedish academic had disputed claims of Indian Ocean sea level increases. Morner is a key […]

Oct 13, 2011 (LBO) – Sri Lanka’s Expolanka Holdings has expanded and renamed its recycling subsidiary and also intends to venture into recycling electronic waste or ‘e-waste’. Group unit Neptune Papers has been rebranded as Neptune Recyclers and has moved into recycling plastic, polythene and scrap metal in addition to its existing waste paper business, […]

MANILA, October 10, 2011 (AFP) – The World Health Organization’s chief on Monday urged governments to unite against “big tobacco”, as she accused the industry of dirty tricks, bullying and immorality in its quest to keep people smoking. This covers an area with a population of 1.6 billion people, including China, Australia, Japan, South Korea, […]

PANAMA CITY, October 8, 2011 (AFP) – Climate negotiators said Friday they made progress on laying out ways to help poor countries but deep differences remained on core issues ahead of a make-or-break talks in South Africa. With scientists warning that the planet is far behind on meeting pledges to control climate change, officials from […]

PARIS, October 6, 2011 (AFP) – Nearly two dozen countries next Wednesday will take part in a full-scale test of the Indian Ocean’s tsunami alert system, using the 2004 Sumatra quake as the basis for the exercise, UNESCO said on Thursday. Exercise IOWAVE 11 will re-enact the seismic events of December 26, 2004, simulating a […]

PARIS, October 6, 2011 (AFP) – Nearly two dozen countries next Wednesday will take part in a full-scale test of the Indian Ocean’s tsunami alert system, using the 2004 Sumatra quake as the basis for the exercise, UNESCO said on Thursday. Exercise IOWAVE 11 will re-enact the seismic events of December 26, 2004, simulating a […]

Oct 01, 2011 (LBO) – Volunteers in Sri Lanka are teaming up to combat rabies spread with free vaccinations which can save lives and also make a dent in 500 million rupees spent each year to treat dog bite victims. Dozens of volunteers teamed up on a hot Sunday afternoon to offer free rabies vaccination […]

NEW YORK, September 29, 2011 (AFP) – In the ultimate accolade for the world’s mad scientists, spoof Nobel prizes were awarded Thursday for studies into beetle sex, yawning, the desperation of people dying to urinate, and other daffy investigations. The annual Ig Nobel prizes, now in their 21st year, were given out at Harvard University […]