Latest news with #environmentalconcerns
The Guardian
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Five Great Reads: King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard, a mysterious skyjacker, and Albania's Trump Island
Happy Saturday! The world felt like a scary place this week, but these five reads kept me going – as did the campaigners who forced Jeff Bezos to relocate his wedding in Venice. If only we got the inflatable crocodiles – but at least there was a Bezos lookalike confusing the crowds. Continuing with the theme of the rich, Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, have spent more than $1bn on an Albanian island – one of the last undeveloped islands in the Mediterranean. Unlike in Venice, the Albanian prime minister, Edi Rama, has welcomed the purchase of Sazan Island, saying 'We need luxury tourism like a desert needs water.' Albanians call Sazan Ishulli i Trumpëve – Trump Island. Until now mostly untrammelled by development, the island, which was once home to a military base, is on the verge of becoming a mecca for ultra-luxury tourism – once the unexploded ordnance has been removed. Environmental concerns: Environmentalists such as Olsi Nika, a marine biologist and the director of the NGO EcoAlbania, are worried about the development. 'This area is in the Karaburun-Sazan maritime national park. It means the beaches and waters within 2km (1.25 miles) of the shore are protected. What will large public works, the building of docks, yacht traffic and sewage run-off do to the place?' How long will it take to read: five minutes. It's been hard to shake the image that the character Lena Dunham's landmark series, Girls, gave Allison Williams. In this interview, the actor reflects on privilege, growing up with a famous parent, and her role in sci-fi horror film M3gan. What does she think of AI, tech and parenting? Williams recounts using ChatGPT to answer one of her three-year-old son's questions. 'Watching what happened to his face was like when Gemma sees her niece interacting with M3gan. Like, I have connected my kid to a drug, this is so immediately addictive and intoxicating,' she says. She quickly put her phone away and made a mental note to go to the library next time to get out a book. 'I can't justify it, logically,' she says. 'It just felt like an innate instinct.' And her thoughts on Botox? She loves having it when she's not filming – 'because, you know, you need to make facial expressions when you're shooting'. How long will it take to read: five minutes. Further reading: if you want to be really terrified, read what Paula Cocozza learned recording thousands of hours of teenagers on their phones. This year marks 80 years since the US dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing more than 200,000 people. Today, every one of the crew members who carried out the bombings is dead. One of the last writers to interview them reopens his files. 'Just in the last week, war has broken out in the Middle East over fears that Iran may be very close to having a bomb. In such times, perspective matters … History has lessons to teach us.'. How long will it take to read: 11 minutes. Further reading: one million and counting: Russian casualties hit milestone in Ukraine war. Sign up to Five Great Reads Each week our editors select five of the most interesting, entertaining and thoughtful reads published by Guardian Australia and our international colleagues. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every Saturday morning after newsletter promotion On 24 November 1971, a man who called himself 'Dan Cooper' hijacked a plane for US$200,000. He then parachuted out in his suit and dress shoes, never to be seen again. 'It's like the best book I've ever read, but I'm missing the first and last chapters,' podcaster Darren Schaefer tells writer Daniel Lavelle, who both potentially suffer from the 'Cooper curse' (a term coined by author Geoffrey Gray about being totally obsessed with the case). I've personally still got whiplash from the opening of this story. DB Cooper effect: the mind-boggling mystery has inspired news article after article, books, podcasts, movies, documentaries, even a DB Cooper-themed bar – and an annual convention held in Oregon. How long will it take to read: five-and-a-half minutes. Imagine performing at an theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, that was built between AD98-117 in 'Europe's longest continually inhabited city'. Or a former panopticon Lukiškės prison in Vilnius, Lithuania, or the Lycabettus hill theatre in Athens. Laura Snapes takes us inside Australia's experimental rock band King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard's European residency tour, where the group of six don't rehearse and but do make time to be tourists in the cities they perform in. Photography: Maclay Heriot captures it all on film. Hot tip: throw on the band's existential new record in the background while reading. How long will it take to read: five minutes. Enjoying the Five Great Reads email? Then you'll love our weekly culture and lifestyle newsletter, Saved for Later. Sign up here to catch up on the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture, trends and tips for the weekend. And check out the full list of our local and international newsletters.
BBC News
12 hours ago
- General
- BBC News
Plan to reopen open cast mine in Wakefield village rejected
Plans to build 92 homes on a former colliery have been rejected due to coal needing to be extracted from the site the Yorkshire Mining Company planned to open cast around 10,000 tonnes of coal and 25,000 tonnes of clay at the former Whitwell Main site to the east of Streethouse village, near Wakefield.A total of 177 people and Featherstone Town Council objected to the plans over concerns for residents' health due to noise and dust from the open cast development was then turned down after government planning inspector John Dowset said it would "cause harm to the living conditions" of residents in the village. In his written decision after the developer's appeal, he said: "I have found that the site would not be a suitable location for new residential development and that the mineral extraction element of the proposal would cause harm to the living conditions of the occupiers of nearby residential properties due to noise."An officer's report added: "The application fails to demonstrate that the development will not contribute to, or be adversely affected by, unacceptable levels of noise pollution."Other objectors to the development said it would destroy wildlife habitats, lead to the loss of a public right of way and increase traffic in the there were 18 comments in support from residents who said there was a need for more homes in the village and it would boost the local economy. Wakefield Council originally refused an application by the company to carry out the work in 2022, according to the Local Democracy Reporting site was previously occupied by Whitwell Main Colliery, which dates back to the late pit closed in the 1960s and some open cast mining took place in the of the area then became scrubland after buildings on the site were applicant said the land was contaminated and old mine shafts had been proposals included capping off much of the site with soil following mineral extraction to make it safe for housing. Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
The Independent
2 days ago
- The Independent
Thousands of whales join the ‘humpback highway' along Australia's coast
Humpback whales undertake one of the world's longest mammal migrations, travelling from Antarctic feeding grounds to breeding areas off Australia 's coast during winter. This annual migration, involving approximately 40,000 whales, creates the "humpback highway" along Australia 's east coast, leading to frequent sightings near urban centres like Sydney. The whales' large size and tendency to stay close to shore make them highly visible, sometimes causing extraordinary events like halting ferry traffic in Sydney Harbour due to their curious nature. The humpback population has significantly recovered since becoming a protected species in 1963, leading to increased interactions with humans. While offering unique viewing opportunities, the growing whale population and human proximity raise concerns about entanglements, collisions, and potential changes to migratory patterns due to climate change and krill harvesting.
CBS News
3 days ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Outrage grows over "Alligator Alcatraz" migrant detention center rising in heart of Everglades
Immigration holding facility dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" said to be ready in days Immigration holding facility dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" said to be ready in days Immigration holding facility dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" said to be ready in days A controversial migrant detention center dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz" is rapidly taking shape deep in the Florida Everglades. The facility is drawing sharp criticism from environmental advocates, tribal leaders and local officials who say the project threatens drinking water and protected land. Critics say plan endangers water and wildlife "When I saw it, I thought it was a joke," said Betty Osceola, an advocate for the Miccosukee Indian Tribe. But as construction began at the remote Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport off U.S. 41, Osceola realized it was not a joke but "reality—and moving fast." "It's in a preserve that supplies 40 percent of our drinking water," she said. State moves forward despite legal, environmental concerns Over the weekend, protesters—including renowned photographer Clyde Butcher, whose studio lies just eight miles from the site—lined the roadway in opposition. Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava expressed concern and said the county is reviewing legal options. The county had requested an environmental review before any construction, but Florida's Division of Emergency Management responded in a letter that they are proceeding. A social media post from Homeland Security stated the center could be finished in days and touted it as delivering "on the American people's mandate for mass deportations."
CBC
13-06-2025
- General
- CBC
Endangered snakes delay Banwell Road, E.C. Row Expressway overpass projects
Social Sharing Work on Windsor's large Banwell Road interchange and corridor construction projects is currently on hold after Butler's gartersnakes were discovered. The snakes are considered a species at risk. Similar environmental concerns surrounded the same reptile while the neighbouring NextStar Energy battery plant was being built. The road projects total more than $100 million and include an overpass being built across the E.C. Row Expressway, another roundabout, on and off ramps, and more lanes put in on Banwell as the road widens south of the expressway, on the city's east-side. Right now, there's a dedicated intersection with traffic lights — meaning vehicles often back up and idle for multiple light cycles in all directions. Under Ontario's Endangered Species Act, a provincial permit was issued to the city on May 28 regarding the snakes. It includes conditions requiring surveys being conducted, called "targeted salvage," to collect and remove them from the project area before work can get underway. Any Butler's gartersnakes found will be moved by a "qualified professional" to a "suitable area within their home range," according to Gary Wheeler, spokesperson for Ontario's Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. The permit remains in effect until all conditions are satisfied, he said, and that includes installing exclusion fencing and using certain surveying methods, such as cover boards, to locate all of the snakes in the area. "Multiple surveys are required to be conducted, to ensure all Butler's gartersnakes are removed prior to the start of construction," said Wheeler. "This includes requirements to minimize adverse effects on the species and its habitat, implementing beneficial actions to support the protection and recovery of the species, and monitoring the effectiveness of those beneficial actions for a 10-year monitoring period," he added. Karen Alexander is the City of Windsor's naturalist. She says the Butler's gartersnake is only found in a few places in North America, with the majority of them isolated to the Great Lakes region. The snakes are being relocated to nearby areas approved by the province. "You move through the area that you've isolated the snakes into, and you're visually searching for them," she said. "When you find them, you're putting them in a bag and bringing them to relocation sites." According to Alexander, they've also come across other types of snakes and moved them, like Eastern gartersnakes, during the sweep of the project area. Project path Stacey McGuire, Windsor's executive director of municipal engineering, says the discovery of the snakes set the city back a "few months." "[We're] trying to get the plan in place to do this and rightly so," she said. "That's what you'll see out there right now ... people picking up the snakes, moving them into more appropriate locations where they're not going to get injured." McGuire anticipates completing the snake surveying and relocations by the end of June — enabling crews to mobilize construction efforts in early July. She expects a "considerable" amount of project work to be done in the Banwell corridor this summer, and said she hopes everything will open — including the new overpass — around summer 2027. "I think we'll be able to nail something down pretty tightly with the contractor over the next month or so in terms of schedule," McGuire said. "Then we'll be able to say something with a little bit more certainty." Bill 5 could've helped, says MPP Ontario has given the city roughly $69 million toward the upgrades. Some of that cash is also being used to extend Wyandotte Street East and improve the intersection at Banwell and McNorton Street. Windsor–Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie says it's important to support projects like this — but so is seeing them continue to move forward. "It is the biggest bottleneck [for] many of us in the east side of Windsor and into Tecumseh … and those travelling from Lakeshore," said the Conservative politician. "This is a regional issue ... our commutes are lengthened because of this intersection. Also having all those cars just idling for a couple of traffic cycles in the morning, in the evening doesn't help our environment at all." Traffic volumes are expected to increase in the area as the NextStar Energy battery plant continues to ramp up production and its hiring. Dowie says if his government's recently passed controversial Bill 5 was in place ahead of the Banwell work beginning, and discovery of the snakes, he believes action could've been taken much quicker. "We are very knowledgeable about the Butler's garter snake and Windsor, Essex County. We know what they are. We know what their habitats are. We know how to put up the snake fence. We know what we need to do. And yet the permit process does not allow for us to use our expertise." Bill 5, also called the Protecting Ontario by Unleashing Our Economy Act, empowers the government to establish special economic zones, where companies or projects can be exempt from provincial or municipal regulations. Dowie says despite fast-tracking projects, there's no leeway when it comes to protecting the environment. "Bill 5 is a permit by right and that means you register the project, you commit to fulfilling all requirements under the various environmental protections and you act. And if you are found to be in violation, you are going to be fined or you may even go to jail."
