Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Jim Chalmers’ budget doesn’t fix everything – but it’s an overdue first payment to future generations | Ken Henry

admin — Wed, 13 May 2026 01:57:41 +0000

The treasurer has shown economic reforms should not be left to the too-hard basket, and instead be pursued with a sense of urgency

Explore all of our 2026 Australia federal budget coverage
Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates

Labour must fulfil promise to introduce clean air act, charities urge

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 23:02:12 +0000

Party held out prospect of act while in opposition but plan did not make it into election manifesto

Ministers should bring forward a new clean air act that would ban wood burning, clear diesel vehicles from the roads and force councils to cut pollution, a group of more than 60 charities have urged before the king’s speech on Wednesday.

Don’t reach for the bug spray: scientists find insects may feel pain after crickets nurse sore antennae

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 23:01:12 +0000

The behavioural cue of ‘flexible self-protection’ is a way to establish whether an animal feels pain, scientists say

Huge plumes of smoke rise over Florida as Everglades wildfire rages – video

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 13:36:00 +0000

South Florida fires that burnt through 45 sq km (11,000 acres) of land over the weekend spread on Monday as emergency crews worked to contain them.

Florida Forest Service said 'the growing fires were producing smoky conditions with reduced visibility'. No serious injuries or property damage have been reported.

Dry conditions have led to wildfires in other parts the country, including fires that destroyed dozens of homes in southern Georgia last month

Trump’s rollback of toxic gas rules limits EPA’s authority to protect public health, analysis says

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 12:00:46 +0000

Ethylene oxide (EtO) is about 60 times more carcinogenic than believed in 2006, research finds

Lotus boss calls for UK government support as it commits to Norfolk plant

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 10:56:44 +0000

Sports carmaker extends lifespan of petrol-engined Emira, made in Norfolk, to continue to cater for US market

The boss of the luxury sports carmaker Lotus has called for government support for its UK factory as the Chinese-owned company insisted it will not abandon its British roots.

Lotus said it had extended the lifespan of the £80,000 Emira petrol-engined sports car, made by 900 employees in its factory in Norfolk, in order for the brand to continue to serve the US market.

The global sand crisis: it’s being used up faster than it can be replaced

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 10:00:54 +0000

It is the most extracted solid material on Earth – but this extraction can threaten ecosystems and livelihoods

Malé is one of the world’s most overcrowded cities, but it faces double pressure. As well as a growing population, the capital of the Maldives is also threatened by rising sea levels. Owing to climate breakdown, its living space is shrinking.

So the justification for a land reclamation project seemed clear. Take sand from elsewhere in the archipelago and use it to build up the land available for Malé’s people. What could go wrong? After all, it’s only sand, right?

The budget in seven graphs: no big surprises but this may be one of the most ambitious moves to fix Australia’s finances | Greg Jericho

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 09:59:07 +0000

With some long-awaited sanity on housing and taxes, including CGT and negative gearing changes, it’s one of the most important for good – but will still leave some out in the cold

Federal budget 2026 LIVE updates: Australia government budget announcement and speech – latest news

‘Six lanes of tarmac and vehicles doing 70mph’: can ‘green bridges’ help animals cross the UK’s motorways in safety?

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 09:00:43 +0000

Cockrow Bridge in Surrey will open in the coming weeks to provide wildlife, including lizards and insects, with the ability to move between fragmented habitats

When James Herd moved near to Wisley Common 17 years ago, the heathland nature reserve was teeming with wildlife. “I’d take the dog around the common in spring and summer, and every few hundred metres I’d hear the rustle of a lizard in the undergrowth – and I’d see adders,” he says.

Datacentres should be forced to invest in wind and solar energy, all states agree – except Queensland

admin — Tue, 12 May 2026 05:16:37 +0000

State and federal energy ministers say investments in new renewable energy and storage should ‘fully offset’ new datacentres’ energy needs

Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates