Climate Change & Environment
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A celebrity 'Russian spy' whale spotted with harness found dead in Norwegian waters

A white beluga whale named "Hvaldimir," first spotted in Norway not far from Russian waters with a harness that ignited rumors he may be a Moscow spy, has been found dead.

The Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported that the whale carcass was found floating at the Risavika Bay in southern Norway Saturday by a father and son who were fishing.

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Companies are crafting new ways to grow cocoa and chocolate alternatives

Climate change is stressing rainforests where the highly sensitive cocoa bean grows, but chocolate lovers need not despair, say companies that are researching other ways to grow cocoa or develop cocoa substitutes.

Scientists and entrepreneurs are working on ways to make more cocoa that stretch well beyond the tropics, from Northern California to Israel.

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Deadly storm sweeps through Japan and heavy rainfall could last for days

Tropical Storm Shanshan brought torrential rain Sunday to Japan 's Shizuoka area southwest of Tokyo, as weather officials warned it would linger for several more days.

Shanshan had packed maximum winds of 65 kph (40 mph) when it made landfall Thursday, leaving six dead and landslides, flooded rivers, torn branches and scattered debris in its path. In southwestern Japan, people were busy cleaning up muddied homes and throwing out broken appliances.

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Paralympic triathlon events postponed because of poor water quality in Seine

Paralympic triathlon competitions in Paris scheduled for Sunday were postponed for a day because of concerns about water quality in the Seine River after heavy rainfall, organizers said.

The 11 para triathlon events are now scheduled for Monday, the Paris 2024 organizing committee and World Triathlon said in a joint statement.

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Storm sets off floods and landslides in Philippines, leaving at least 9 dead

A storm set off landslides and unleashed pounding rains that flooded many northern Philippine areas overnight into Monday, leaving at least 9 people dead and prompting authorities to suspend classes and government work in the densely populated capital region.

Tropical Storm Yagi was blowing 115 kilometers (71 miles) northeast of Infanta town in Quezon province, southeast of Manila, by midday on Monday with sustained winds of up to 75 kilometers (47 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 90 kph (56 mph), according to the weather bureau.

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Wildlife trade now 'serious offense' under Singapore organized crime law

Wildlife trafficking is now a "serious offence" under Singapore's organized crime law, the city-state's interior ministry has said, with those prosecuted under the code subject to sentences of up to 20 years behind bars.

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Slow tropical storm dumps heavy rain around Tokyo

A slow-moving tropical storm had a far-reaching impact in much of Japan on Friday, dumping heavy rain around Tokyo and flooding roads and riverside areas in the south.

Flooding was reported in a number of areas in Kanagawa prefecture, west of Tokyo, where floodwater blocked roads, stalling vehicles and traffic. Warnings for heavy rain and potential landslides included the densely populated capital, Kanagawa and nearby Shizuoka prefecture.

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Mudslide triggered by heavy monsoon rain kills 12 people in northwest Pakistan

A mudslide triggered by heavy monsoon rain hit a house in a remote part of northwestern Pakistan, killing 12 people, mostly children, a rescue official said Friday.

Inayat Ali, an official of the state-run emergency service, said the mudslide happened overnight in Upper Dir in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near Afghanistan. He said rescuers retrieved the bodies of nine children, two women and a man.

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Climate-related mass die-off leaves over 100 tons of dead fish collecting at Greek port

More than 100 tons of dead fish were collected in and around the port of Volos in central Greece after a mass die-off linked to extreme weather fluctuations, authorities said Thursday.

The dead freshwater fish filled the bay 320 kilometers (200 miles) north of Athens, and nearby rivers. Water levels were swollen by floods in 2023, followed by months of severe drought.

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16 dead in Yemen floods as search goes on

At least 16 people have been killed in flash floods in a rebel-held district of Yemen, rebel media reported Thursday, as search efforts continued for others still missing.

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