24 h. ago Bill overhauling Alabama's largest water utility heads to governor's desk despite local outcry

A bill that would strip the state’s largest city of power over its local water board and give more control to the governor and surrounding suburbs is heading to the governor's desk

Politics

64 h. ago Company supplying critical EV metal ‘did not disclose’ Erin Brockovich pollutant in drinking water

Leaked documents indicate Harita, owner of key nickel mine in Indonesia, did not reveal water contaminationOne of Indonesia’s largest nickel-mining companies, which supplies a mineral critical to the global electric car industry, did not tell the public that local drinking water was polluted, according to documents seen by the Guardian.Indonesia has become the world’s biggest producer of nickel, used in the production of wind turbines, solar panels and electric vehicle batteries. But observers have voiced concerns that regulatory oversight in the country has failed to keep up with the rush to develop mines to satisfy booming global demand. Continue reading...

Politics

9 d. ago UK private sector shrinks as export orders slump; state borrowing nearly £15bn above official forecast – business live

Eurozone private sector ‘broadly stable’ in April; stocks, dollar, oil prices rise on hopes of US-China trade dealUK annual borrowing exceeds forecasts by almost £15bnThe collapse in confidence and drop in output during April raise red flags for the economic outlook and add pressure on the Bank of England to reduce interest rates again at its May meeting, said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence.While recent months have been characterised by UK businesses treading water, broadly stagnating since last autumn’s budget, businesses are reporting more of a struggle to keep their heads above water in April.April’s fall in output was the largest recorded for nearly two and a half years, consistent with GDP declining at a quarterly rate of 0.3%, reflecting falling activity and demand across both manufacturing and services. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Clay, silty or sandy? Testing your soil type is an essential part of becoming a good gardener

Loamy soil is the holy grail, but all types can be improved by adding organic matterI often mention my veg patch’s clay soil in this column, and that’s because soil type affects what we grow and how. Getting to know your soil is an essential part of becoming a great grower of edible plants. Soil type is determined by the size of the soil’s particles which, in turn, determine its characteristics.Sandy soil has the largest particles, which means it is light, easy to work, lets water drain through it freely and warms up quickly in spring. This also means that sandy soil dries out easily, isn’t as water retentive as other types and tends to be low in nutrients as they wash through it. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Toby Carvery owner issues update after sparking outcry of anger for felling ancient oak tree beloved by local community

The ancient oak tree, which once stood tall in Whitewebbs Park, in Enfield, north London , was felled on April 3.

Politics

2 w. ago Toby Carvery owner issues update after sparking outcry of anger for felling ancient oak tree beloved by local community

The ancient oak tree, which once stood tall in Whitewebbs Park, in Enfield, north London , was felled on April 3.

Politics