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☆ Chinese fishing vessels are going scorched earth and pumping cyanide into contested waters, Philippine fishing authority says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The bureau on Saturday accused Chinese vessels of pumping cyanide into the shoal's waters. AdvertisementThe Philippines' fishing bureau has accused Chinese fishing vessels of using cyanide to destroy the Scarborough Shoal, a fish-rich atoll in the South China Sea contested by both Manila and Beijing. Cyanide fishing is a controversial fishing method that typically involves dumping the highly toxic chemical near coral reefs or in fishing grounds to stun or kill fish so they can be easily captured. Notably, the Philippines' fishing industry was known to use cyanide fishing back in the 1960s to capture live fish for aquariums and restaurants, though the practice has become less common. The Scarborough Shoal is contested by The Philippines, China, and Taiwan.

Persons: —, Nazario Briguera, Brigeura, Briguera, hadn't, Jay Tarriela, Guo Shoujing, Hague Organizations: Service, Bureau of Fisheries, Aquatic Resources, The Philippine, Philippine, Scarborough, Philippine Star, ROSA, GMA, Philippine Coast Guard, Conservation, Education Foundation, Global Times, The, TED, Getty, Google, Fisheries, Business Locations: Philippines, China, Scarborough, South, Manila, Beijing, Masinloc, Spanish, Scarborough Shoal, AFP, Bajo de, Cebu, South China, Taiwan, The Philippines, Quezon City, Philippine

☆ China ramps up patrols near Taiwan’s outlying islands following death of Chinese fishermen
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Nectar Gan | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Hong Kong CNN —China is increasing patrols in waters near a group of frontline islands controlled by Taiwan, as tensions rise after two Chinese fishermen drowned during a pursuit by Taiwan’s coast guard who accused them of trespassing. The patrols are likely to put Chinese coast guard vessels in closer proximity to their Taiwanese counterparts, potentially raising the risk of miscalculation and conflict. Two survived after being rescued by Taiwan’s coast guard, while the other two were found unconscious and confirmed dead after being taken to the hospital in Kinmen. Taiwan's coast guard inspects a vessel that capsized during a chase off the coast of the Kinmen islands on February 14, 2024. Over the past three years, 20 people from mainland China have been rescued by Taiwan’s coast guard, according to Kuan.

Persons: Gan Yu, Taiwan’s, “, ” Kuan Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Sunday, Democratic Progressive Party, China’s Taiwan Affairs, Taiwan Coast Guard Administration, Chinese Communist Party, Taiwan, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, “ Fishermen, Mainland Affairs, Ocean Affairs Council, Kuomintang Locations: Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Fujian, Xiamen, Taiwan’s, Kinmen, Beijing, Taiwan's, “, Kuan, Taipei

☆ China Says No Banned Areas Around Taiwanese Islands After Two Killed
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING (Reuters) - There are no off limits or restricted areas for fishing around a group of Taiwanese islands close to China's coast and Beijing reserves the right to take further measures after two Chinese nationals died near the islands, the government said. Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained in recent years about Chinese fishing boats and other vessels operating in Taiwan-controlled waters, especially around the Kinmen and Matsu islands which sit a short distance from China's coast. Late on Saturday, China's Taiwan Affairs Office, which has already condemned Taipei for the incident near Kinmen's Beiding islet, said the deaths had caused "strong indignation" in China. China's Taiwan Affairs Office said the government had goodwill towards Taiwan's people, but will never tolerate Taiwan's disregard for the safety of Chinese fishermen. "The mainland reserves the right to take further measures, and Taiwan shall bear all the consequences," it added, without elaborating.

Persons: Kinmen, Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan, Xu Hao, Ben Blanchard Organizations: China's Taiwan Affairs Office, Fishermen, Taiwan Affairs Office, Taiwan Affairs Office's, Beijing Locations: BEIJING, China's, Beijing, Taiwan, China, Taipei, Xiamen, Quanzhou, Shanghai, Taipei Mayor, Taiwan Affairs Office's Shanghai

☆ Two Chinese fishermen drown during pursuit by Taiwan coast guard
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Shawn Deng | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Two Chinese fishermen have drowned during a pursuit by Taiwan’s coast guard for trespassing off the coast of Taiwan’s Kinmen islands. According to the coast guard, an unnamed mainland Chinese vessel had trespassed within about one nautical mile off the coast of Kinmen - which lies nearer to mainland China than to Taiwan. The vessel capsized while attempting to flee, causing four crew members aboard to fall into the water, it said. “The coast patrol boat rescued two crew members and found another two unconscious crew members in the sea,” the coast guard said in a statement Wednesday, adding that the two unconscious members were confirmed dead after being taken to the hospital. The coast guard said they would contact the fishermen’s families through official channels.

Persons: ”, Taiwan’s Organizations: CNN, China’s Taiwan Affairs Office, Chinese Communist Party, Taiwan, Taiwan Affairs Office, Democratic Progressive Party of Locations: Taiwan’s, Kinmen, China, Taiwan

BANGKOK (AP) — Two Chinese fishermen have drowned while being chased by Taiwan's Coast Guard off the coast of Taiwan's Kinmen archipelago, the coast guard said Wednesday. The deaths are unusual despite the level of Chinese activity in the waters near Kinmen, which is closer to China than it is to Taiwan’s main island. The unnamed Chinese vessel had been trespassing Wednesday afternoon by sailing about one nautical mile off the coast of an islet of Kinmen island, Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said in a statement. The Chinese vessel attempted to flee but capsized. The Coast Guard said the fishermen’s families were being contacted via official channels.

Persons: Chen Jien Organizations: Taiwan's Coast Guard, Coast Guard Administration, Coast Guard Locations: BANGKOK, Taiwan's, Kinmen, China, Taiwan, Xiamen

☆ Philippines Accuses China of Dangerous Maneuvers Near Scarborough Shoal
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-11 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines' coast guard (PCG) on Sunday accused China of "dangerous and blocking" maneuvers while its vessel patrolled near Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea this month. Four Chinese maritime militia vessels were also present near the shoal, the PCG said. Located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Scarborough shoal is also claimed by China, making it one of Asia's most contested maritime features and a flashpoint for flare-ups. The PCG said its vessel was in the area to protect Filipino fishermen "from further harassment" in their traditional fishing ground. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce.

Persons: Teresa Magbanua, BRP Teresa Magbanua, Hague, China's, Mikhail Flores, Sonali Paul Organizations: Sunday, BRP, CCG Locations: MANILA, Philippines, China, Scarborough Shoal, South China, Manila's, Manila, Scarborough, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Beijing

EMPIRE, Mich. (AP) — A man accused of diverting a national park river to ease boat access to Lake Michigan has been convicted of two misdemeanors. Andrew Howard of Frankfort was found guilty of tampering and vandalism Wednesday during a brief trial in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Ray Kent. In August 2022, a National Park Service ranger witnessed Howard digging with a shovel so the Platte River in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore would be diverted into one of the Great Lakes, prosecutors said in a court filing. U.S. Attorney Mark Totten said Howard had a policy dispute with the National Park Service and “took matters into his own hands.”The Park Service no longer dredges the Platte River. As a result, sediment and sand build up, reducing the ability to get boats to Lake Michigan.

Persons: Andrew Howard of Frankfort, Judge Ray Kent, Howard, Lauren Biksacky, Attorney Mark Totten, “ Organizations: U.S, National Park Service, Associated Press, Attorney, Service Locations: Mich, Lake Michigan, Platte

☆ A New Creature Emerges From a Forest Drowned by the Gulf of Mexico
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Veronique Greenwood | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

But this mussel was tiny and pale and, strangest of all, lived a mere 60 feet or so down. Dr. Distel and his colleagues discovered the mussel while they were investigating an ancient underwater forest off the coast of Alabama. During the last ice age, bald cypresses grew in what was then a swamp a hundred miles from the ocean. Then, sometime between 45,000 and 70,000 years ago, as sea levels rose, the trees were swallowed by the advancing sea. For millenniums, all was still in the forest, until heavy waves stirred up by one of the hurricanes of 2004 scooped away the sand.

Persons: Dan Distel, wasn’t, Distel, Vadumodiolus, cypresses, Ben Raines Organizations: Genome, Northeastern University Locations: Boston, Alabama, Gulf of Mexico

☆ ‘Save the Whales’ was a shining success. Now can humpbacks save us from ourselves?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Bill Weir | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Antarctic Peninsula CNN —About 15 billion miles from where you sit, two 12-inch golden records are hurtling through outer space with multilingual greetings to the universe from 55 humans and one humpback whale. WWF's Johnson said the whales are not harmed by this -- to the whales, the dart feels like "a mosquito bite." It feels like “a mosquito bite” to the whales, Johnson said, but what they can test for is priceless: from stress hormones to toxins to — most importantly — pregnancy rates. Ten million copies were inserted into National Geographic magazine in 1979 — the largest single pressing in history — and a global movement to Save The Whales grew big enough to … save the whales. Seth Wenig/AP“I don’t think a wind turbine can kill a whale,” Friedlaender told CNN.

Persons: Anderson Cooper, Carl Sagan, ” Sagan, could’ve, “, Ari Friedlaender, Friedlaender, ”, Chris Johnson, ” Eva Prendergast, WWF's Johnson, Evelio Contreras, Bill Weir, Johnson, ” Friedlaender, Shepherd, WWF’s Johnson, Roger, Katy Payne, David Keyton, Frank Watlington, cetologist Scott McVay, Donald Trump, ” Trump, Seth Wenig, that’s, Biden, ” Johnson, Twain, CNN “, ” Brenda McCowan, Fred Sharpe, ” McCowan, ’ ” Sharpe, Natalia Botero, Acosta, ’, Maria Camila Medina Martínez, Julian Quinones, ” Carl Sagan Organizations: Antarctic Peninsula CNN, “, ” CNN CNN, University of California, International Monetary Fund, World Wildlife Fund, Ocean Endeavor, CNN, UC Santa Cruz, Shepherd Global, Norwegian Aker, United Nations, Geographic, Whales, International Whaling Commission, Atlantic, Republican, Templeton Foundation, Whale SETI, UC Davis Locations: Santa Cruz, Colombia, British, Antarctica, Norwegian, Southern, Orkney, Bermuda, Japan, Norway, Iceland, Atlantic, South Carolina, Lido Beach , New York, Davis, Alaska, Columbia, Colombian, Tribuga, United Nations, Palau, Chile, Maldives

SYDNEY (AP) — Across a treacherous stretch of water, the Rohingya came by the thousands, then died by the hundreds. Last year, nearly 4,500 Rohingya — two-thirds of them women and children — fled their homeland of Myanmar and the refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh by boat, the United Nations’ refugee agency reported. On Thursday, Indonesian officials said another boat carrying Rohingya refugees landed in the country’s northern province of Aceh. Global indifference toward the Rohingya crisis has left those languishing in the overcrowded camps with few alternatives to fleeing. “Of course I understand how dangerous the boat journey by sea is,” Ayub says.

Persons: —, Marzuki, Andi Susanto, ”, Babar Baloch, — that’s, Mohammed Ayub, Myanmar’s, Ayub, ” Ayub, “, It’s, UNHCR’s Baloch, Mohammed Taher’s, Mohammed Amin, Taher, ” Taher, Niniek Karmini Organizations: SYDNEY, United Nations ’, UNHCR, Fishermen, Associated Press Locations: Myanmar, Bangladesh, Bengal, Andaman, Aceh, Lhokseumawe, Asia, Indonesia, Malaysia, UNHCR’s, Jakarta

The fishermen, led by Saligan, reported to the Philippine coast guard that Chinese coast guard personnel drove them away from the disputed Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines on Jan. 12 and ordered them to dump their catch of fish and seashells back to the sea. However, five Chinese coast guard personnel, three of them armed with steel batons, followed by boat, alighted on the islet and ordered the fishermen to leave. Go away,” Saligan said he told the Chinese coast guard personnel, who he said insisted that they leave the shoal immediately. They wanted us to return our catch to the sea,” Saligan told a small group of journalists, including from The Associated Press, in Manila. Philippine coast guard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said the written statements and video submitted by Saligan and his men have been validated as accurate by the coast guard.

Persons: Joely Saligan, Manila’s, Saligan, ” Saligan, “, Commodore Jay Tarriela, ” Tarriela, Tarriela, Thomas Shoal, Joeal Calupitan, Aaron Favila Organizations: Scarborough, The Associated Press, China, United, Associated Press Locations: MANILA, Philippines, China, Shanghai, Beijing, Manila, Washington, Philippine, Scarborough Shoal, South China, United States, Asia, U.S

☆ These New Hampshire voters don’t love everything Trump says. But here’s why they’re planning to back him
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( John King | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

Portsmouth, New Hampshire CNN —Andrew Konchek has a long list of complaints about Donald Trump. It’s rough.”Yes, many Trump supporters believe and repeat his lies about the 2020 election results. “But he has a second chance.”John King talks to New Hampshire voter Debbie Katsanos in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, in January. … It’s a show.”Some Trump supporters love the show. Many Trump supporters rail against the courts and Congress when they take issue with Trump.

Persons: New Hampshire CNN — Andrew Konchek, Donald Trump, “, ” Konchek, Ron DeSantis, DeSantis, Konchek, ”, shivering, Alanna Renee, John King, Andrew Konchek, CNN Konchek, Trump, “ Trump, ” Trump, MAGA, Republicans –, Nikki Haley, Hillary Clinton, Haley, ‘, Debbie Katsanos, Bill Clinton, ” Katsanos, Biden, ” John King, CNN Katsanos, She’s, “ he’s, Trump’s, disqualifies Biden, “ He’s, He’s, –, Pete Burdett, Nikki, ” Burdett, Who, Nikki’s, Burdett, CNN Chris Christie, Christie, Stanley Tremblay, Tremblay, ” Tremblay, Deven McIver, “ I’m, McIver, Barack Obama, ’ ” McIver, Obama, Mitt Romney, ” McIver, CNN McIver doesn’t, he’s, ’ Organizations: New Hampshire CNN, Trump, Florida Gov, CNN, Trump voters, Green, Portsmouth, Capitol, FBI, Republicans, South, “, New, Biden, Navy, Wall Street Journal, Liquid, White House, MAGA Republicans Locations: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, Florida, Iowa, ”, England, Portsmouth , New Hampshire, Maine, South Carolina, Washington, Belknap County, New Jersey, Nashua, Thornton –, Thornton, Massachusetts, Canada, White, Trump, North Woodstock , New Hampshire

☆ Philippines Condemns 'Provocative Action' by Chinese Coastguard Against Filipino Fishermen
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

Wake-Up Call or Last Call? New Hampshire used to be the start of the presidential nominating calendar. But with the front-runners decisively ahead in 2024, it’s looking as if it could be the end of the process.

Locations: New Hampshire

☆ The best islands in Europe for getting away from almost everyone
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Terry Ward | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

Here are some of the best islands in Europe for getting away from almost everyone:Schiermonnikoog, the NetherlandsThe Netherlands is better known for canals, dikes and tropical Dutch Caribbean Islands like Bonaire and Curaçao than the sandspun isles along the country’s North Sea coast. Flores Island, Azores, PortugalWaterfalls trickle down an imposing rock face on the island Flores in the Azores. aroxopt/Adobe StockOne of the most remote islands in an already remote archipelago, Flores Island in the westernmost stretches of the Azores is a nature lover’s dream. To say there’s room to stretch out and breathe on these Baltic Sea islands is an understatement. The best islands in Europe for getting away from almost everyoneHavsVidden offers a secluded escape on northern Fasta Åland with villas with their own saunas overlooking the rocky shoreline.

Persons: Annemarieke Romeijn, ”, Eyrún, Gabriela Silva, Flores, Rocha dos Bordões, Santa Cruz das Flores, Randi Skaug, “, Torunn Tronsvang, Richard Kellett, Luis Fonseca, iStockphoto, São João Baptista, Berlengas, Arlindo Serrao, Mola mola, Francesco Curione, Lent, Skyros, revelry, – it’s, Drake, Åland Organizations: CNN, Adobe, Heimaey, puffin, Norway Visitors, Intrepid, UNESCO, Visitors Locations: Europe, Ibiza, Netherlands, Caribbean, Bonaire, Curaçao, West Frisian, Wadden, Schier, Lauwersoog, Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland, Heimaey, Westman, Hotel Ranga, gannet, fulmar, Flores Island, Azores, Portugal, Flores, Santa Cruz, Naustholmen, Norway, Bodø, Northern Norway, Norwegian, Lofoten, ”, Tiree, Scotland, Hawaii, Scottish, Oban, Glasgow, Loganair, Berlengas, Peniche, São, Grande, Alicudi, Sicily, Italy, Taormina, Skyros, Greece, Mykonos, Rathlin, Northern Ireland, Ballycastle, Åland, Finland, Bothnia, Sweden

The 1984 decision states that when laws aren’t crystal clear, federal agencies should be allowed to fill in the details as long as they come up with a reasonable interpretation. At least four justices — Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh — have questioned the Chevron decision. Defending the rulings that upheld the fees, the Biden administration said that overturning the Chevron decision would produce a “convulsive shock” to the legal system. Environmental, health advocacy groups, civil rights organizations, organized labor and Democrats on the national and state level are urging the court to leave the Chevron decision in place. Conservative interests that also intervened in recent high court cases limiting regulation of air and water pollution are backing the fishermen as well.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, John Paul Stevens, Trump, — Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh —, Chevron, Biden, Elizabeth Prelogar, Ketanji Brown Jackson Organizations: WASHINGTON, Chevron, Marine Fisheries Service Locations: Rhode, New Jersey, Rhode Island

Lower courts used the decision to uphold a 2020 National Marine Fisheries Service rule that herring fishermen pay for monitors who track their fish intake. A group of commercial fishermen appealed the decision to the Supreme Court. They lost in the lower courts, which relied on the Chevron decision to sustain the regulation. The Supreme Court itself hasn't invoked the Chevron decision since Trump's justices began arriving on the court in 2017, the first year of the Republican's administration. ___Follow the AP's coverage of the U.S. Supreme Court at https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court.

Persons: Donald Trump, ”, Mark Chenoweth, Koch, it’s “, David Doniger, Doniger, — Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh —, Ryan Mulvey, “, Leif Axelsson, Axelsson, he’d, John Paul Stevens, ” Stevens, Sandra Day O'Connor, hasn't, Paul Clement, ” Clement Organizations: WASHINGTON, — Business, Marine Fisheries Service, Supreme, Chevron, New Civil Liberties Alliance, Natural Resources Defense, American Cancer Society, ”, Trump, Action Institute, Fishermen, U.S Locations: Rhode Island, Cape May , New Jersey, Coast, Cape

MILAN (AP) — Prada brought nature indoors as a backdrop for its 2024-25 fall and winter menswear collection meant to get humans outside. The new Prada collection, unveiled on the third day of Milan Fashion Week menswear previews Sunday, marked “the return of the seasons,’’ as a point of renewal of the spirit, co-creative director Miuccia Prada said backstage. Without falling into strict categories of office wear and outdoor wear, Prada said that the collection “was meant for going outside,” and spending time there, not just as a point of transit. Raf Simons, Prada’s co-creative director, said the collection referenced water in its many forms: the sea, rain, a stream, ice. Always political, the Prada collection references climate change, but without being explicit.

Persons: — Prada, ’, Miuccia Prada, Prada, Raf Simons, Prada’s, “, ” Simons, ” Prada, Jake Gyllenhaal, James McAvoy Organizations: MILAN, Prada, Jackets Locations: Underfoot, Milan, ”

☆ 3 seafoods that are only popular because of marketing schemes
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Grace Eliza Goodwin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Lobster used to be served as prison food and used as fish bait. Here's how some savvy marketing schemes in the 1800s and 1900s gave lobster, calamari, and Chilean sea bass the glow-ups they needed to become so loved. AdvertisementChilean sea bass is actually called Patagonian toothfishChilean sea bass is a top-dollar fish typically sold at ritzy restaurants alongside other luxury items like foie gras and caviar. But the name "toothfish" wasn't very marketable, so Lantz gave it a much more exclusive-sounding name: the Chilean sea bass — and Americans ate it right up. AdvertisementAnd when more popular fish became less available in the early 1970s, politicians and conservationists realized they needed a way to convince Americans to eat more plentiful fish like squid, the Times reported.

Persons: —, Mother Jones, Lee Lantz, Lantz, Priceonomics Organizations: Service, Massachusetts Bay Colony, Business, Pacific, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Times, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Locations: Chilean, North America, New England, Massachusetts Bay, East Coast, California, South America, Chile, Europe

☆ A shark regenerated an entire hole in its fin in under a year and scientists got the amazing transformation on camera
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Chelsea Black | The Conversation | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

I set out to record the migration routes of silky sharks, named for their smooth skin. Instead, in a story filled with twists and turns, I ended up documenting the rare phenomenon of a shark regenerating a dorsal fin. Silky sharks are commonly found in the open ocean and grow to be 10 feet long. In the many shark photos he sent, I noticed a silky shark with an oddly shaped dorsal fin. AdvertisementBased on the healing rate calculated in my study, we just might see his dorsal fin grow back to 100% its original size.

Persons: Tanner Mansell, John Moore, Josh Schellenberg, Josh, John, Chelsea Black Organizations: Service, Business, Chelsea, University of Miami, Local, Marine Ecosystems, Society Locations: Jupiter , Florida, South Florida, Florida

☆ Norway is gearing up to mine precious metals from the depths of its ocean in a world first
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-09 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Norway is set to become the first country to move forward with deep-sea mining in its waters. Industry experts don't expect deep-sea mining to start before at least the early 2030s. It could open 108,000 square miles of Norway's national waters to commercial deep-sea mining, per the BBC. AdvertisementThe industry would seek to collect rare minerals like lithium, scandium, and cobalt from nodules and crust found on the ocean floors. AdvertisementThere are very few places in the world where these rare minerals can be found on the surface.

Persons: —, Energy Terje Aasland, Walter Sognnes, Lise Øvreås, Michael Norton, Odd Kristian Dahle Organizations: Service, BBC, Petroleum, Energy, Politico, European Union, Guardian, World Resources Institute, University of Bergen, EASAC, Association of Norwegian Fishermen, Democratic Locations: Norway, Norwegian, Democratic Republic of Congo

☆ Top development banks, funds set up 'debt-for-nature' task force
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Marc Jones | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Fishermen go out to sea after Ecuador's goverment expanded the protected marine area around the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador January 24, 2022. REUTERS/Santiago Arcos Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Dec 4 (Reuters) - A consortium of top multilateral development banks (MDB) and climate funds launched a global "task force" on Monday to scale up the number and size of 'debt-for-nature' swaps that countries can do. It will initially be led by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), lenders which between them have been involved in all the recent swaps, also including Barbados and Gabon. The Asian Development Bank, the African Development Bank, France's Agence Française de Développement, and the European Investment Bank will also be part of the task force, as well as the Green Climate Fund and the Global Environment Facility. Development banks play a particularly important role in debt-for-nature swaps because they provide the credit guarantees and/or political risk insurance that make them viable.

Persons: goverment, Santiago Arcos, Ilan Goldfajn, Scott Nathan, Marc Jones, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Santiago, Reuters, Inter, American Development Bank, U.S . International Development Finance Corporation, Asian Development Bank, African Development Bank, France's Agence Française, European Investment Bank, Climate Fund, Global, Thomson Locations: Ecuador, Belize, Barbados, Gabon

Cyclone Michaung was expected to make landfall on the coast of the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday morning, the country's weather office said, with sustained winds of 90-100 kph (56-62 mph), gusting to 110 kph. Two people were killed when a wall collapsed because of heavy rain in the Chengalpattu district of neighbouring Tamil Nadu state, joint director of the state disaster management department, C. Muthukumaran, told Reuters. [1/3]People move in a boat past partially submerged vehicles in a residential area following heavy rains ahead of Cyclone Michaung in Chennai, India, December 4, 2023. Parts of Andhra Pradesh were likely to get more than 200 millimetres (8 inches) of rain over the next 24 hours, India's weather office said. At least 800 people have been evacuated so far from Bapatla, the coastal town in Andhra Pradesh where the cyclone is expected to make landfall on Tuesday, P Ranjit Basha, district collector of Bapatla, said.

Persons: Cyclone Michaung, Muthukumaran, Ranjit Basha, Praveen, Jatindra, Shilpa Jamkhandikar, Gerry Doyle, Sharon Singleton Organizations: Cyclone, Reuters, REUTERS, Authorities, ., Thomson Locations: CHENNAI, Andhra Pradesh, Chengalpattu, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India, Bapatla, Sadam, Hyderabad, Bhubaneshwar

Cobre Panama has said it is committed to growing more new forest than is impacted by its mine. "We aren't going anywhere," Sabino Ayarza, a representative of the protesting fishermen, told Reuters on Tuesday from his boat. Their grassroots movement, nearly unheard of in business-friendly Panama, has wiped C$11 billion ($7.4 billion) off First Quantum's market value and raised global copper prices on supply worries. The protesters' victory in Panama is emblematic of the outsized and sometimes unexpected influence local communities are having on mining companies worldwide. Cobre Panama accounted for about 46% of First Quantum's overall revenue in the third quarter, according to company data.

Persons: Aris Martinez, Sabino Ayarza, Ayarza, Codelco, Valentine Hilaire, Divya Rajagopal, Fabian Cambero, Christian Plumb, Denny Thomas, Nick Zieminski Organizations: REUTERS, Aris, PANAMA CITY, Minerals, Reuters, Panamanian, Tuesday, Scotiabank, Protesters, First, Thomson Locations: Panama City, Panama, PANAMA, TORONTO, Portugal, Peru, Chile, Macquarie, Mexico City, Toronto, Santiago

☆ Philippines' Marcos meets China's Xi to find ways to reduce South China Sea tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Neil Jerome Morales | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The Philippines and China need to continue to communicate, with the meeting a key part of the process to maintain peace, and keep open sea lanes and airways over the South China Sea, Marcos told reporters on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in San Francisco. "We tried to come up with mechanisms to lower the tensions in the South China Sea," Marcos said, without elaborating. Marcos said he and Xi were in agreement that geopolitical problems should not be the defining element of the two countries' relationship. Marcos granted the United States greater access to its military bases, including in provinces facing the South China Sea and democratically-ruled Taiwan, drawing the ire of Beijing. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, ignoring a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated Beijing's expansive claim.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos, Xi, Neil Jerome Morales, Kim Coghill Organizations: of, People, cnsphoto, REUTERS, APEC, coastguard, Sea, Thomson Locations: Philippine, Beijing, China, South China, Marcos China, MANILA, South, Philippines, San Francisco, United States, Taiwan, China's, Manila

☆ Philippines' Marcos Meets China's Xi to Find Ways to Reduce South China Sea Tensions
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Neil Jerome MoralesMANILA (Reuters) -Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday, seeking ways to come up with ways to reduce tensions in the South China Sea and restore Filipino fishermen's access to fishing grounds. The Philippines and China need to continue to communicate, with the meeting a key part of the process to maintain peace, and keep open sea lanes and airways over the South China Sea, Marcos told reporters on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in San Francisco. "We tried to come up with mechanisms to lower the tensions in the South China Sea," Marcos said, without elaborating. Marcos granted the United States greater access to its military bases, including in provinces facing the South China Sea and democratically-ruled Taiwan, drawing the ire of Beijing. China claims almost the entire South China Sea, ignoring a 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated Beijing's expansive claim.

Persons: Neil Jerome Morales MANILA, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Xi Jinping, Marcos, Xi, Neil Jerome Morales, Kim Coghill Organizations: APEC, coastguard, Sea Locations: Philippine, South, Philippines, China, South China, San Francisco, United States, Beijing, Taiwan, China's, Manila

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