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☆ A baggage handler lost their job after a passenger found an obscenity written on the luggage tag of his heavy bag
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Qantas passenger found an offensive word written on his bag in marker. Qantas apologized and said the baggage handler will no longer work for them. AdvertisementA baggage handler will no longer work for the Australian airline Qantas after writing an offensive word on a passenger's bag, 7News Australia reported. "Clearly the Qantas baggage handler at Perth Airport wasn't happy lifting my bag," Tilbury said in the post. The offensive word was written on a label that identified the bag as heavy, noting that "assisted lift may be required."

Persons: —, Sonny Tilbury, Tilbury, 7News, Menzies, Mr Tilbury Organizations: Qantas, Service, Australian, Perth Airport, Qantas Group, Business Locations: Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Karratha, Tilbury

☆ Spiders spin webs to catch prey. They’re also trapping a wealth of DNA
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

They’re also trapping a wealth of DNA from the surrounding environment, a hidden resource that Australian scientists said could be used to track endangered animals and monitor ecosystems. From airborne DNA collected by the spiderwebs, the researchers were able to detect animals of varying behavior and lifestyle. Creatures great and smallAt Perth Zoo, species that were detected spanned in size from the pygmy marmoset to the Asian elephant. The different types of spiderweb collected may also affect the types and quantity of DNA collected, the study noted. By contrast, the majority of webs collected at Perth Zoo were from the Desidae and Theridiidae families, both with tangled, irregular web arrangements.

Persons: Joshua Newton, ” Newton, Austracantha, Newton, “, Princess Fiona, That’s, ”, eDNA, Joshua Newton Elizabeth Clare, wasn’t, Organizations: CNN —, Perth Zoo, Curtin University’s School, Molecular, Sciences, Copenhagen Zoo, Hamerton, York University Locations: Western, Perth, Denmark, United Kingdom, Australian, Ontario, Canada

☆ Data from sponges suggest the world has overshot a climate limit, new study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Rachel Ramirez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

These findings, published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change, are alarming but also controversial. Other scientists say the study contains too many uncertainties and limitations to draw such firm conclusions and could end up confusing public understanding of climate change. Researchers say the results also suggest global temperature could overshoot 2 degrees of warming by the end of the decade. Changing that baseline would mean the world has already warmed at least 1.7 degrees (scientists say long-term global warming currently stands at between 1.2 to 1.3 degrees). Whatever the baseline for measuring global warming, what remains clear, experts say, is that the impacts will worsen with every fraction of a degree of warming.

Persons: ” Malcolm McCulloch, Gavin Schmidt, ”, Gabi Hegerl, Yadvinder Malhi, It’s, Amos Winter, Joeri Rogelj, “, Winter Organizations: CNN, University of Western, NASA, University of Edinburgh, Environmental, Institute, University of Oxford, Indiana State University, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London Locations: Puerto Rico, Caribbean, Paris, University of Western Australia

☆ Six Spongy Sea Creatures Suggest Warming Might Be Worse Than Thought
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Raymond Zhong | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Networks of satellites and sensors have measured the rising temperatures of recent decades with great precision. But to assess the full arc of global warming, scientists typically combine this data with 19th-century thermometer readings that were often spotty and inexact. By examining the chemical composition of their skeletons, which the creatures built up steadily over centuries, the researchers have pieced together a new history of those earliest decades of warming. And it points to a startling conclusion: Humans have raised global temperatures by a total of about 1.7 degrees Celsius, or 3.1 Fahrenheit, not 1.2 degrees Celsius, the most commonly used value. “It’s a bit of a wake-up call,” said Malcolm T. McCulloch, a geochemist at the University of Western Australia and one of the scientists who worked on the new research.

Persons: ”, Malcolm T, McCulloch Organizations: . Networks, University of Western Locations: Caribbean, University of Western Australia

A handful of centuries-old sponges from deep in the Caribbean are causing some scientists to think human-caused climate change began sooner and has heated the world more than they thought. Other scientists were skeptical of the study's claim that the world has warmed that much more than thought. He said this study also supports the theory that climate change is accelerating, proposed last year by former NASA top scientist James Hansen. Carbon dioxide and other gases from the burning of fossil fuels are what causes climate change, scientists have established. “They are cathedrals of history, of human history, recording carbon dioxide in the the atmosphere, temperature of the water and pH of the water,” Winter said.

Persons: Malcolm McCulloch, ”, ” McCulloch, “, —, Amos Winter, James Hansen, Natalie Mahowald, McCulloch, Winter, Michael Mann, credulity, ” Mann, El, La Nina, Michael Oppenheimer, ” ___ Teresa de Miguel, ___ Read, Seth Borenstein Organizations: University of Western, Associated Press, Indiana State University, NASA, Cornell University, United Nations, University of Pennsylvania, Caribbean, El Nino, La, Princeton University Locations: Caribbean, University of Western Australia, Mexico City, AP.org

☆ Australia Sweats Through Heatwave, Bushfire Risk Rated 'Extreme'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Large swaths of Australia on Sunday sweltered through a heatwave as authorities warned of elevated bushfire risk in an already high-risk fire season during an El Nino weather pattern. The nation's weather forecaster had heatwave alerts in place for Australia's most populous state, New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory and Western Australia, warning temperatures in some parts of the country could hit the low 40s Celsius (over 104 degrees Fahrenheit). The high in the west of Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, was forecast at 39 C (102 F), almost 10 degrees above the February mean, forecaster data showed. Hot and dry conditions combined with gusty winds prompted the forecaster to issue "extreme fire danger" warnings for parts of Victoria and South Australia states. Sunday's hot weather - the latest in a string of heatwaves to scorch Australia - comes after the country's east was hit last month by damaging floods.

Persons: El, Sam McKeith, William Mallard Organizations: SYDNEY, Australian Capital, El Nino Locations: Australia, El Nino, New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, Western Australia, Sydney, Victoria, South Australia, scorch Australia

☆ Ship carrying thousands of sheep and cattle held at sea for more than a month as temperatures rise
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The Australian government has pledged to end the live export of sheep but has yet to give a timetable about when that will happen. A long journeyThe MV Bahijah left the port of Fremantle in Western Australia on January 5 for the Middle East, according to a statement from the Australian government. The photos, shared with CNN, show cattle with tags on their ears, sitting and standing and sheep standing in a ventilated area. An image of sheep aboard the MV Bahijah taken said to have been taken a few days ago after the ship's arrival back in Australia. The RSPCA has requested permission for an independent veterinarian to board the ship to assess the animals.

Persons: Bahijah, “, ”, John Hassell, ” Hassell, he’d, Suzanne Fowler, they’ve, Mark Harvey, Sutton, Fowler, it’s, Alex Stambaugh, Akanksha Sharma, Robert Shackelford Organizations: Australia CNN, of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, Animal, Western Australian Farmers Federation, CNN, Royal Society for, Animals, Australian Livestock, ’, RSPCA Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Red, Fremantle, Western Australia, Iran, Israel, Gaza, Africa, Perth, WAFarmers, Australian

☆ Australia's Resources Minister Seeks Investment From S.Korea, Japan
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Australia's resources minister has begun a week long trip to South Korea and Japan to discuss gas exports and critical minerals opportunities, as its government on Monday released a "prospectus" of 52 investment ready critical minerals projects. "Australia's critical minerals are key to the world's energy transformation," said Minister Madeleine King in a statement. King will be meeting Japan's trade minister Ken Saito, and South Korean trade and energy minister Duk-geun Ahn, she said in a statement. The minister is also expected to engage her counterparts on natural gas as Australia develops its future gas policy, given both nations are large customers of the major exporter. Already this year, a string of Australian nickel projects have been iced, including part of BHP's operations in the state of Western Australia.

Persons: Madeleine King, King, Ken Saito, geun Ahn, Melanie Burton, Christopher Cushing Organizations: MELBOURNE Locations: South Korea, Japan, Korean, Australia, Western Australia, Australian

☆ Australia Sweats in Heatwave Lifting Bushfire Risk, Amid El Nino
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Large swaths of Australia sweltered on Sunday in a heatwave, the nation's weather forecaster said, raising bushfire risk in an already high-risk fire season amid an El Nino weather pattern. Heatwave alerts at "extreme" level, the highest danger rating, were in place for a second day for parts of Western Australia and were extended to South Australia, while areas of Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory were under "severe" warnings, the weather forecaster said. It cautioned that in Western Australia, the nation's largest state, the remote Pilbara and Gascoyne areas could hit high forties degrees Celsius (about 120 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday. On the east coast, parts of New South Wales' capital Sydney were forecast on Sunday to reach 40 C, almost 10 degrees above the average January maximum. The hot, dry conditions raised the risk of bushfires in some areas, the weather forecaster said, as Australia endures an El Nino weather event, typically associated with extreme phenomena such as wildfires, cyclones and droughts.

Persons: Sam McKeith, Sandra Maler Organizations: SYDNEY Locations: Australia, El Nino, Western Australia, South Australia, Queensland , New South Wales, Northern, Gascoyne, Perth, Paraburdoo, Jan, New South Wales, Sydney, Turkey

☆ Cane toads: This warty, toxic pest threatens entire ecosystems. These scientists have a secret weapon
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

For the most part, the battle against cane toads has been mounted by local ecological warriors wearing rubber gloves who scan the streets for adult toads. But the Australians have a secret weapon not yet available worldwide – a lure that attracts cane toad tadpoles so thousands can be killed in one hit. To prove the theory, and try to mimic it, they’d first need a heap of dead cane toads. “In Florida, cane toads are mainly a socio-economic issue. Northern quolls – small carnivorous marsupials – get a cane toad sausage, goannas are fed tiny live toads and freshwater crocodiles receive cane toad legs with a dose of lithium chloride.

Persons: Australia CNN —, Gary King, “ Who’s, ”, King, Australia’s, Cane, Luke, Austin Rogers, “, “ There’s, we’re, Rob Capon, Rick Shine, Capon, ” Capon, they’d, it’s, you’ve, Jacob LaFond, Steve Johnson, that’s, ” LaFond, That’s, Nikki Tomsett, ” Tomsett, they’re, Sara McAllister, Connor, John Holmes, Hilary Whiteman, Connor Holmes, John, ” John, ” Connor Organizations: Australia CNN, University of Queensland, Macquarie University . Shine, Macquarie University, University of Tampa, University of Florida, Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, CNN Locations: Brisbane, Australia, South, Central America, Queensland, United States, Japan, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Pacific, Caribbean, United Kingdom, koalas, North Queensland, Florida, Miami, “, South Florida, Australian, Hawaii, Derby, Western Australia, Northern

☆ Western Australia on 'Extreme' Heatwave Alert, Raising Bushfire Risk
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Parts of Western Australia on Saturday were set to swelter through an "extreme" heatwave, raising the risk of bushfires in the vast state, the nation's weather forecaster said. The Bureau of Meteorology on Saturday had an "extreme heatwave warning" in place for the remote Pilbara and Gascoyne areas of Australia's largest state, warning temperatures there could hit high forties degrees Celsius on the weekend. The hot weather lifts the risk of bushfires in an already high-risk fire season amid an El Nino weather event, which is typically associated with extreme events such as wildfires, cyclones and droughts. "Very hot and dry conditions combined with fresh southerly winds and a fresh to strong west to southwesterly sea breeze will lead to elevated fire dangers on Saturday," the weather forecaster said on its website, regarding part of the Pilbara. The warning comes after hundreds of firefighters earlier this month battled an out-of-control bushfire near Perth amid soaring temperatures, prompting evacuations.

Persons: Sam McKeith, Sandra Maler Organizations: SYDNEY, Western Australia, Meteorology Locations: Gascoyne, Australia's, Paraburdoo, Perth, El Nino, Turkey, Sydney

☆ Falling Domestic Fares and an A.I. Arms Race: What Travelers Can Expect in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Christine Chung | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +21 min

Arms Race: What Travelers Can Expect in 2024 At the start of what promises to be a very busy year, we look ahead at what you’re likely to encounter. With 2023 in the rearview mirror, we look ahead at what travelers will face in 2024. At United Airlines, for example, smarter software can offer rebooking options and issue food and lodging vouchers when a flight is canceled, rather than just rebooking a flight. United Airlines has suspended its flights indefinitely, said Josh Freed, a United spokesman. This year, travelers are expected to choose faraway places and board small ships, according to Virtuoso, the consortium of luxury travel agencies.

Persons: Chanelle, Hayley Berg, ” Ms, Berg, “, Robert W, Mann Jr, ”, Chad Burt, Oren Etzioni, Gilbert Ott, Hopper, Greg Forbes, Delta’s, Neville Pattinson, Mr, Pattinson, biometrics, Laura Lindsay, Joshua Smith, Smith, Laurel Brunvoll, Michael Zeiler, Airbnb, We’ve, Jamie Lane, ‘, ’ ”, Jan Freitag, “ We’ve, David Whiteside, Brian Kelly, Guy, Leigh Rowan, “ There’s, Kelly, Rowan, ” Mr, James Thornton, Sharm el Sheikh, Khaled Ibrahim, Harry Rubenstein, Rubenstein, Eyal Carlin, Josh Freed, Jack Ezon, Tom Marchant, Beth McGroarty Organizations: World Tourism Organization, International Air Transport Association, Analysts, Express Global, ”, airfare, University of Washington, United Airlines, Transportation, Administration, Salt Lake, International Airport, Denver International Airport, Delta Air Lines, U.S . Customs, Border Protection, La Guardia Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, biometrics, Thales, Air, American Airlines, Global, “, —, MidX Studios, LivSmart Studios, Hilton, Hyatt Studios, Accor Hotels, Boston University, Visa, Mastercard, Walmart, Target, Savanti, Chase, Intrepid Travel, Amisol Travel, East Travel Alliance, United, Consumers, Ki’ama, Wellness, Global Wellness Institute Locations: United States, Point.me, Salt, North America, London, Rome, Tokyo, Cancún, Las Vegas, Cayman Islands, Polynesia, Europe, Norway, Denmark, Air Canada, Bergen, Flam, Scandinavia, Italy, France, Malta, Slovenia, Maryland, Spain, Portugal, Britain, Egypt, India, Mexico ; Cape Girardeau, Mo, Niagara Falls, N.Y . Texas, Burnet, Sulphur Springs, New York, Vienna, Marriott, Israel, Jordan, Oman, Oman —, Tunisia, Northern Africa, Sharm, Cairo, Amisol Travel Egypt, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Ramle, Kimberley, Western Australia, Mitre, Patagonia, Ki’ama Bahamas, Bahamas, South Africa, Hudson, Tuxedo Park, N.Y, Malibu , Calif, Mexico

☆ Will the Boom in Luxury and Wellness Travel Fizzle?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Elaine Glusac | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

After the travel frenzy of 2023, all signs point to increasing interest in far-flung destinations, villa rentals, private jet bookings and personal pilgrimages in 2024. “The lust for luxury is real,” said Jack Ezon, the founder of the high-end travel agency Embark Beyond. “Travel provides the glue that pulls the family close together and unites it around a shared passion,” said Tom Marchant, a co-founder of Black Tomato, which plans pricey bespoke trips. This year, travelers are expected to choose faraway places and board small ships, according to Virtuoso, the consortium of luxury travel agencies. Black Tomato is planning private group treks to untrammeled destinations like the Mitre Peninsula in Argentina’s Patagonia region, priced at more than $60,000 per person.

Persons: ”, Jack Ezon, Tom Marchant Organizations: Consumers, “ Locations: Kimberley, Western Australia, Mitre, Patagonia

☆ Hundreds of Firefighters Battle Western Australia Wildfire
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-13 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Hundreds of firefighters on Sunday battled an out-of-control bushfire near Western Australia's capital Perth, prompting authorities to urge residents in the fire's path to flee. A high-risk bushfire season is underway in Australia due to an El Nino weather event, associated with events such as cyclones, droughts, heatwaves and wildfires. A state Department of Fire and Emergency Services spokesperson said 240 firefighters were battling the blaze, which was at emergency level, the highest threat rating. "If the way is clear, leave now for a safer place," the agency said on its website. The nation's weather forecaster on Sunday issued a warning for "extreme fire danger" in some parts of Western Australia state amid a heatwave alert in place since Saturday.

Persons: Australia's, Sam McKeith, Michael Perry Organizations: SYDNEY, Sunday, of Fire, Emergency Services Locations: Western Australia's, Perth, Gingin, Chittering, Australia, El Nino, Western Australia, Turkey, Sydney

☆ Best travel destinations to visit in 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-01 | by ( Cnn Travel Staff | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +32 min

cdwheatley/iStockphoto/Getty Images Angola: Beyond the capital city of Luanda, pictured, Angola has some jaw-droppingly spectacular scenery and cultural treats. David ChiaFF/Alamy Stock Photo Mérida, Mexico: Yucatán state's capital city showcases a blend of Mayan and colonial heritage. Pavel Tochinsky/The Image Bank RF/Getty Images Morocco: This North African country is home to nine UNESCO sites, including the historic city of Meknes, pictured. Panama City is also the only world capital with a tropical rainforest within its city limits. And a historic city forever entwined with the famed Camino de Santiago.

Persons: you’d, Tengguo Wu, Gabriele Thielmann, Turkey's, Gary Ennis, Matevz, Bill Bachman, Christian Kober, Gonzalo Azumendi, David ChiaFF, Pavel Tochinsky, Terry Kelly, Raul Rodriguez, iStock, Anton Petrus, –, — Karla Cripps Turkey’s, — Barry Neild, Mana Kaasik, — Maureen O’Hare, — Maggie Hiufu Wong, Deb Snelson, Glen Arbor, Marnie Hunter, — Forrest Brown, — Forrest Brown Angola Cristo, Eric Lafforgue, it’s, King, Eric Carr, John’s, Saint John, New Brunswick —, —, Tuul, Bruno Morandi, — Julia Buckley, Groenewald, Alamy, — Lilit Marcus, Alexander the Great, Philip II of Macedon, — JB, Bogdan Lazar, — Tamara Hardingham, Gill, Hercules, Francesca, Lazarus, ”, David Casanova, Megan Sequeira Casanova, “, Kuka y Naranjo, medina, Gordon Sinclair, Yvette Cardozo, — FB, Pierce Ingram, Stefan Tomic, Fujairah, who’ve, Samarkand —, It’s Organizations: CNN, United, CNN Travel, Getty Images, Town, Getty, Northwest, Saint, New Brunswick Tourism, UNESCO, Heritage, Alamy, Parque Nacional Volcán Barú, Galicia, Tercera Orden, Parque, Bank, Wakulla Springs, Texas, United Arab Emirates, AP, Rock, of Culture, Estonian National Museum, — Maggie Hiufu Wong Northwest Michigan, Bear, Farm, Riders, Lubango, — BN Saint John, Canada Tourists, St, Saint John City Market, Historic, Saint John Arts Centre, Carnegie, Carnegie Library, — KC, Korea, Folk, Netflix, South Korea, Adriatic, Nacional Glaciares, Australian Sea Lions, Panama, Spain Santiago de, Spain Santiago de Compostela Cathedral, Islas, Camino, Mexico People, YouTube, US State Department, Morocco, Regis Hotels, Resorts, — FB Texas, Travel Texas, Krause, Gruene, Fujairah, Icefjord, FS, Tuul, ” Locations: United States, Sumba, Indonesia Sumba, Indonesia, Bali, Getty Images Tartu, Estonia, Tartu —, European, Tainan, Taiwan, Northwest Michigan, Traverse City, Lake Michigan, iStockphoto, Western Balkans, Culebra , Puerto Rico, Flamenco, Culebra, cdwheatley, Angola, Luanda, , New Brunswick, Fundy, New Brunswick, New Brunswick Tourism South Korea, Korea Albania, Albania, Chile, mauritius, Western Australia, Greece, Macedonia, American, Panama, Spain, Camino, Santiago, St, John's, Mexico, Parque Hidalgo, Morocco, Meknes, Florida, Spicewood, Anton, Greenland, Denmark, AP Uzbekistan, Bukhara, Indonesian, Sumela, Turkey's, — Barry Neild Tartu, Estonia Tartu, of Culture Tartu, Tartu, “, Baltics, — Maureen O’Hare Tainan, Taiwan Tainan, Taipei, — Maggie Hiufu Wong Northwest, Lake, Traverse, Leland, Glen, perusing, Balkans, Slovenia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia, transdinarica.com, —, Puerto Rico, It’s, — Forrest Brown Angola, Lubango, Barra, Cabo Ledo, — BN Saint John , New Brunswick, Canada, Hopewell, Newfoundland, Saint, Canada’s, Korea Andong, South Korea, Sanga, Korea, Seoul, Busan, Andong, Albania Albania, Berat, Montenegro, Vlorë, Gjirokastër, — Julia Buckley Chile, Atacama, Patagonia, Coral Coast, Geraldton, — Lilit Marcus Macedonia, Thessaloniki, Greece's, Hemis, Athens, Vergina, Veria, Naousa, Greece’s, Thrace, Philippi, Kavala, Panama . Panama City, Gill Galicia, Spain Santiago, Spain Santiago de Compostela, Galicia, Galicia’s, Santiago de Compostela, Cabo, Fisterra, Galicia —, Singapore, John’s, Paseo, Montejo, Mérida, Yucatán, getaways, there’s, Marrakech, Rabat, Fes, Resorts Morocco, Wakulla, Ginnie, Fredericksburg, Texas, Marble Falls, Meanderers, New Braunfels, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Wadi, Nuuk, Ilulissat, West, FS Uzbekistan, Samarkand, Uzbekistan, China, India, Khiva, Uzbek, Sentob, Tashkent

☆ How $100 billion mining giant Rio Tinto is poised to benefit from the EV boom
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-02 | by ( Shawn Baldwin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Copper mines like Rio Tinto's Bingham Canyon mine on the outskirts of Salt Lake City are on the frontline of America's transition to clean energy. Jointly based in Australia and the UK, Rio Tinto is one of the world's largest mining companies with projects in 35 countries. It has 17 iron ore mines in Western Australia that produce material used in steel, as well as mines that produce aluminum, diamonds, and boron, a component used in smartphones. So what is Rio Tinto doing to ramp up production of its critical minerals business? CNBC got a behind the scenes look at Rio Tinto's Utah operation to find out.

Persons: Tyler Broda Organizations: P, RBC Capital Markets, Rio Tinto, CNBC Locations: Rio, Bingham, Salt Lake City, Australia, Western Australia, Rio Tinto's Utah

☆ DP World says hackers stole Australian ports employee data
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SYDNEY, Nov 28 (Reuters) - DP World Australia, one of the country's largest ports operators, said on Tuesday hackers had accessed files containing personal details of employees after a cyber incident early this month forced it to suspend operations for three days. "While the investigation has shown that customer data was not affected, some of the impacted data includes the personal information of current and previous employees," the company, part of Dubai's state-owned DP World, said in a statement. DP World did not provide any details about the perpetrators but said its investigation confirmed the incident was confined to its Australian operations and did not impact any other markets where the company operates. No ransomware was found or deployed within the DP World Australia network, the company said. After spotting the breach, DP World, one of a handful of stevedore industry players in Australia, disconnected from the internet, significantly impacting freight movements.

Persons: Renju Jose, Sonali Paul Organizations: SYDNEY, Fremantle, DP, Australia, Thomson Locations: Australia, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Western, Dubai's

☆ Fire Season in Australia Has Started, Early and Ominous
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Yan Zhuang | More About Yan Zhuang | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The warmest winter on record, followed by an unusually warm and dry spring. Hundreds of fires along Australia’s east coast, including one that razed 53 homes in Queensland. It’s not yet summer, but Australia’s fire season is well underway, in the latest example of how climate change is altering the rhythms of life across the Earth. Stoked by the El Niño weather pattern, it is the first dry and hot year since the Black Summer of 2019-2020. “We’re still at the very beginning of the fire reason, and already we’ve had hundreds of fires since early October,” Western Australia’s emergency services minister, Stephen Dawson, said on Friday.

Persons: We’re, we’ve, Stephen Dawson Locations: Queensland, Perth, El

☆ Australia's Perth Mint agrees to comply with anti money-laundering laws
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Brendan McDermid/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsNov 23 (Reuters) - Australia's Perth Mint said on Thursday it had entered into an agreement with the country's financial intelligence agency to fully adhere to anti-money laundering laws after an external audit found compliance issues. The external audit was conducted between November 2022 and July 2023 at the direction of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), after it found non-compliance in an August 2022 assessment of Perth Mint. "The audit findings reflected AUSTRAC's concerns in relation to Gold Corporation's AML/CTF (anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing) program, monitoring systems and controls, and reporting to AUSTRAC," the agency said. In April, Western Australia state launched a review of its ownership of The Perth Mint, as the company battled allegations it sold diluted gold to China. Reporting by Deep Vakil in Bengaluru; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Diane CraftOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Brendan McDermid, Jacqueline Wong, Diane Craft Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, REUTERS, Perth Mint, Australian, Thomson Locations: Perth, New York, U.S, Western Australia, China, Bengaluru

A flexible tube for CO2 is pictured at a a pilot project for carbon capture and storage (CCS). REUTERS/Hannibal Hanschke Acquire Licensing RightsNov 23 - Carbon capture and underground storage (CCUS) is touted by proponents of fossil fuel production and consumption as the technology that will keep oil and gas in the global energy mix. The IEA produced some sobering numbers in its report, The Oil and Gas Industry in Net Zero Transitions. While the IEA said more than $3 billion was invested in CCUS projects in 2022, only 5% of the ventures have reached final investment decisions, representing only 10 million metric tons of carbon capture and 20 million of storage. There is little doubt that the oil and gas industry will learn from experience and get better at doing CCUS.

Persons: Hannibal Hanschke, CCUS, Muralikumar Organizations: REUTERS, International Energy Agency, IEA, and Gas Industry, Chevron, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Chevron's, Western Australia

☆ Australia's Warner withdrawn from T20 series against India
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-21 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Cricket - ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 - Final - India v Australia - Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad, India - November 19, 2023 Australia's David Warner walks after losing his wicket, caught out by India's Virat Kohli off the bowling of Mohammed Shami REUTERS/Andrew Boyers Acquire Licensing RightsMELBOURNE, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Australia opener David Warner has been withdrawn from the Twenty20 series against India after starring at the 50-over World Cup. The lefthander was Australia's leading scorer with 535 runs at an average of 48.63 during their run to a sixth World Cup title in India. "Selectors decided Warner would return home on the back of a successful yet demanding World Cup campaign," Cricket Australia said in a statement on Tuesday. Emerging Western Australian all-rounder Aaron Hardie has replaced Warner in the squad after making his ODI and T20 International debuts during the recent tour of South Africa. Just seven of Australia's World Cup-winning squad will play the T20s, while head coach Andrew McDonald will also skip the series, handing the reins to stand-in Andre Borovec.

Persons: Narendra Modi, David Warner, India's Virat Kohli, Mohammed Shami, Andrew Boyers, Warner, Aaron Hardie, Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Cameron Green, Mitchell Marsh, Matthew Wade, Kane Richardson, Spencer Johnson, Andrew McDonald, Andre Borovec, Ian Ransom, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Cricket, ICC Cricket, Narendra, Mohammed Shami REUTERS, Rights MELBOURNE, India, Cricket Australia, Warner, Sydney Cricket, Pakistan, Thomson Locations: India, Australia, Ahmedabad, Australian, South Africa, Melbourne

☆ BHP train drivers to start 'restrained' industrial action on Friday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BHP's iron ore operations include four processing hubs and five mines that are linked by more than 1,000 km (621 miles) of rail and port facilities. BHP said that the proposed action would present logistical challenges but that it had put in place arrangements to mitigate the impact. Worries about a strike had lent support to iron ore prices, which are trading at the highest levels since February. "Concerns over disruptions on the supply side due to the looming strike at BHP in Australia contributed to higher iron ore prices today," said Pei Hao, a Shanghai-based analyst at international brokerage FIS. Drivers received an offer from BHP last Wednesday that did not meet their expectations around rostering, arbitration and camp standards, Busson added.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Greg Busson, Busson, Pei Hao, BHP, Melanie Burton, Amy Lv, Gerry Doyle Organizations: BHP, REUTERS, Rights MELBOURNE, Reuters, Monday, Mining, Energy Union WA, Drivers, Thomson Locations: WA, Australia, Shanghai, rostering, Rio Tinto's, Beijing

Fortescue approved investments in the U.S. hydrogen hub in Phoenix, Arizona; the Gladstone 50 megawatt green hydrogen project in Queensland, Australia; and the Christmas Creek green iron trial commercial plant in Western Australia. About $550 million will be used for developing an electrolyser and liquefaction facility in Phoenix, where first production of liquid green hydrogen is targeted for 2026. I think some of the market's concerns will be allayed because the capital investment required is pretty minimal in the scheme of things." Under a plan to ramp up its green energy business, Fortescue said in August it would stop allocating 10% of its net profit to that unit. Fortescue shares were up 1% on Tuesday in a strong market for iron ore miners, with peers BHP (BHP.AX) and Rio Tinto (RIO.AX) up 1.5% and 2% respectively.

Persons: Melanie Burton, Australia's Fortescue, Fortescue, David Coates, BHP, Himanshi, Richard Chang, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Fortescue Metals Group, REUTERS, Arizona, MELBOURNE, Gladstone, Fortescue Energy, Fortescue, Rio Tinto, Thomson Locations: Pilbara, Port Hedland, Western Australia, U.S, Phoenix , Arizona, Queensland, Australia, Phoenix, Brazil, Kenya, Norway, BellPotter, Sydney, Michigan, New York, Rio, Bengaluru

The logo of Sumitomo Metal Mining Co is pictured at the company's headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, September 13, 2018. REUTERS/Ritsuko Shimizu/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsTOKYO, Nov 16 (Reuters) - Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining (5713.T) is considering producing cathode battery materials in the United States among other options as it looks to expand output to meet demand from electric vehicles, an executive said on Thursday. Sumitomo Metal plans to bolster its annual output capacity to 120,000 tons by March 2028 and 180,000 tons by March 2031. The consortium consists of Sumitomo Metal, Mitsubishi (8058.T) and Mitsui (8031.T). Sumitomo Metal is targeting to boost annual nickel output capacity to 150,000 tons in a long-term from 82,000 tons now.

Persons: Ritsuko Shimizu, Katsuya Tanaka, ARL.AX, Masaru Takebayashi, Yuka Obayashi, David Evans Organizations: Sumitomo Metal Mining, REUTERS, Rights, Sumitomo Metal, Panasonic, U.S, Kalgoorlie Nickel, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, United States, Niihama, Pomalaa, Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

Snow covered transfer lines are seen at the Dominion Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) terminal in Lusby, Maryland March 18, 2014. The November figure will also be a slight increase from the 21.41 million metric tons from the same month last year. India, Asia's fourth-biggest LNG buyer, is expected to import 1.3 million metric tons in November, down from 1.85 million in October. More U.S. LNG is also heading to Asia, with November imports slated at 1.97 million metric tons, up from 1.83 million in October. This leaves the spot price at the mercy of demand, and while there has been some uptick in both Asia and Europe, it hasn't been enough to drive spot prices higher.

Persons: Snow, Gary Cameron, Europe hasn't, Asia's, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, world's, LNG, U.S, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Lusby , Maryland, Rights LAUNCESTON, Australia, Asia, Europe, United States, October's, China, Japan, India, Russia, Ukraine, Qatar, U.S, Western Australia

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