All posts tagged: environment

Federal appeals court blocks Trump admin. bid to keep Michigan coal plant open

Federal appeals court blocks Trump admin. bid to keep Michigan coal plant open

Published by Sam Flores

The Oak Creek coal-fired power plant Sept. 8, 2020, in Wisconsin.  Brian Cassella | Chicago Tribune | Getty Images A federal appeals court threw out a Trump administration order on Friday that had forced a Michigan coal plant to remain ⁠open beyond its planned retirement. The unanimous ruling by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court ​of Appeals for the ​District of Columbia ​Circuit found the Department of Energy exceeded its authority under a rarely used emergency provision of federal law, according to court papers. Michigan challenged the order after ⁠DOE ‌instructed the plant in 2025 to remain online ⁠shortly before its planned closure. The ruling is a setback for the administration’s efforts to preserve coal-fired generation amid soaring U.S. demand for electricity tied to the expansion of data ‌centers. Coal-fired power is among the largest sources of carbon dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change. Since 2025, the Trump administration ​has used emergency powers under the Federal Power Act to keep several aging power plants slated for retirement operating, including coal plants in Michigan, Indiana, Washington state and Colorado. DOE did not immediately respond ⁠to a request for comment. …

Climate hazards disrupted school for 1 in 10 students in 2025: UNICEF | Climate Crisis News

Climate hazards disrupted school for 1 in 10 students in 2025: UNICEF | Climate Crisis News

Published by Sam Flores

More than 171 million students affected globally with girls disproportionately impacted. Published On 10 Sep 202610 Sep 2026 One in 10 students from pre-primary to upper secondary globally had their education interrupted by climate hazards last year, according to a new report by the United Nations children’s agency. Analysing data from 106 countries and territories, UNICEF’s report on Thursday said more than 171 million students were affected globally, with girls disproportionately affected. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The report, titled, Learning Interrupted: Global Snapshot of Climate-Related School Disruptions in 2025, found that storms, floods, heatwaves, droughts and wildfires disrupted education through school closures, damaged facilities, reduced teaching time, lower attendance and an increased risk of dropping out. “For millions of children, climate hazards do not just disrupt classes; they also destroy their schools, uproot their families and deprive the most vulnerable,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. The UN agency said 75 percent of the children affected live in low- and lower-middle-income countries, where education systems often lack the resources needed to …

US States Sue Trump Administration for Weakening Endangered Species Protections

US States Sue Trump Administration for Weakening Endangered Species Protections

Published by Sam Flores

Sept 9 (Reuters) – U.S. states filed two lawsuits on Wednesday accusing President Donald Trump’s ⁠administration ⁠of illegally weakening the federal Endangered Species Act, a landmark ⁠law that has shielded the bald eagle and other wildlife from dangers posed by development. The lawsuits by the Democratic attorneys ​general of 20 states and Washington, D.C. were filed less than two months after the Department of the Interior and the Department of Commerce announced final rules that could make it easier for ‌developers, fossil fuel companies and others to disturb ‌lands that environmental advocates say need protection from business interests. Enacted by Congress in 1973, the Endangered Species Act has been credited with saving animals including the California condor, grizzly bear and ⁠humpback whale. In one lawsuit, ⁠the states challenged a rule that narrowed the Endangered Species Act’s definition of “harm,” which had long included encroachments on ​habitats where endangered animals live. The new rule, which the states called “a reversal of staggering proportions,” allows oil drilling, mining and other activities in those habitats so long as those …

Nepal Turns to Drones to Deliver Flood Relief

Nepal Turns to Drones to Deliver Flood Relief

Published by Sam Flores

DEVIGHAT, Nepal, Sept 9 (Reuters) – With ⁠roads ⁠and bridges destroyed and ⁠helicopters busy with search and rescue operations after last ​month’s devastating floods, Nepal’s army is turning to drones to deliver relief to ‌displaced people. At least 1,367 people ‌are confirmed dead and more than 5,000 are missing in ⁠Nepal since ⁠a Himalayan glacier broke off near the Nepal-China border in ​late August and caused devastation along rivers further downstream. “Most of our helicopters are busy with rescue operations. There is no other way to send food, essentials, ​medicine and fuel, except for drones, which are the best option to ⁠utilise, ⁠and we should prioritise ⁠them more,” ​said Santosh Budhathoki, a contract drone pilot for the Nepal army. Drones are ​used over distances of ⁠up to 3 to 4 kilometres (2 to 2.5 miles) and can haul up to 60 kilograms (132 lbs) at a time and they are already making an impact for affected communities in dire need of aid, he ⁠said. The army is now making around 10-16 aid deliveries a day …

France’s record heatwave pushes champagne alcohol levels to historic high

France’s record heatwave pushes champagne alcohol levels to historic high

Published by Sam Flores

Drinking this year’s champagne might give you a heftier headache as France’s record heatwaves are forcing some producers to up the alcohol levels, industry officials said Wednesday. French authorities have allowed champagne houses to make their bubbly with alcohol content of up to 15 percent, a historic first for a wine usually limited to 13 percent. Read moreFrench wine yields drop to new historic low after searing summer heat Growers had to harvest exceptionally early this year as extreme heat sped sugar buildup – and hence natural alcohol production – in the grapes, according to the Comite Champagne industry association. Nonetheless, “the crop already has all the hallmarks of producing great, perhaps even exceptional, wines”, the group said in a statement. Authorities have also allowed a temporary easing of strict rules for making several types of cheese after heatwaves scorched grazing pastures. France is the world’s second-largest wine producer after Italy, and this summer’s heat and drought have deepened fears for many growers about how they will cope with climate change. The 2026 harvest was the earliest …

Tens of thousands rally in Zagreb over Croatia waste cleanup delays

Tens of thousands rally in Zagreb over Croatia waste cleanup delays

Published by Sam Flores

ZAGREB: Tens of thousands of people gathered in Zagreb’s central square on Saturday (Sep 5) to protest the government’s failure to begin cleaning up more than 30,000 tons of waste in central Croatia that environmentalists say is polluting the drinking water in the area. The protest, one of the biggest in Croatia in several years, was dubbed “Walk for Lika”, after the mountainous region where the waste is stored.  Authorities, last year, uncovered between 34,000 and 37,000 tons of waste, much of it imported from Italy in 2023 and 2024, at a site near the town of Gospic in Croatia’s Lika region. The government pledged to clean up the site, but environmental groups say little progress has been made. Environmentalists say the waste, which they say includes medical and other industrial waste, is contaminating air, soil and water in Lika, a region known for its vast areas of unspoiled nature. They accuse the government of moving too slowly to remove it.  Source link

Report finds Trump’s labor secretary oversaw hostile work environment : NPR

Report finds Trump’s labor secretary oversaw hostile work environment : NPR

Published by Sam Flores

Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer speaks during a hearing on Capitol Hill on June 5, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images North America hide caption toggle caption Andrew Harnik/Getty Images North America Stay up to date with our Up First newsletter sent every weekday morning. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who served as President Trump’s Labor Secretary until she resigned in April, violated her own department’s policy prohibiting harassment in the workplace, according to a new report by the Labor Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG), released Thursday. The findings follow a months-long investigation that began after OIG, led by former Republican Congressman Anthony D’Esposito of New York, received an anonymous complaint. It alleged that Chavez-DeRemer contributed to a hostile work environment, was engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a member of her security detail, failed to comply with travel regulations, and directed subordinates to perform tasks for her personal benefit. The salacious allegations gave rise to quips about “The Real Housewives of the Frances Perkins Building,” referring to the Labor Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C. After …

Trump-promoted Freedom Fuel expands to Detroit amid lawsuit

Trump-promoted Freedom Fuel expands to Detroit amid lawsuit

Published by Sam Flores

Customers pump gas at a Freedom Fuel Network station in Dresher, Pennsylvania, July 8, 2026. Joe Lamberti | Getty Images The Freedom Fuel Network, a chain of gas stations that launched in July with steeply discounted prices touted by President Donald Trump, has expanded with a new location in Detroit as a lawsuit over the chain’s alleged supply heats up in Philadelphia federal court. The Detroit location, where a gallon of regular unleaded was selling for $3.47, offers the cheapest gas in Michigan, where the average price is $4.09 per gallon, according to the price tracking site GasBuddy. The Harper Avenue station is the first Freedom Fuel station outside of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, where the network has a combined 29 locations. Freedom Fuel stations are no longer the cheapest stations in those states, GasBuddy data shows. In a court filing this week, a Georgia fuel supplier alleged that businessman Syed Kazmi and his company KRSM — which purportedly sold some of the fuel it bought from the supplier to Freedom Fuel stations — are …