17 h. ago Increased demand for Prestwick Leisure Centre after £3.6m refurb

Recent figures show the positive impact of the upgraded facilities, with memberships and attendance increasing beyond pre-refurbishment levels.

Economics

36 h. ago ‘It’s hell for us here’: Mumbai families suffer as datacentres keep the city hooked on coal

As Mumbai sees increased energy demand from new datacenters, particularly from Amazon, the filthiest neighbourhood in one of India’s largest cities must keep its major coal plantsEach day, Kiran Kasbe drives a rickshaw taxi through his home neighbourhood of Mahul on Mumbai’s eastern seafront, down streets lined with stalls selling tomatoes, bottle gourds and aubergines–and, frequently, through thick smog.Earlier this year, doctors found three tumours in his 54-year-old mother’s brain. It’s not clear exactly what caused her cancer. But people who live near coal plants are much more likely to develop the illness, studies show, and the residents of Mahul live a few hundred metres down the road from one. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago Should children really take CBD gummies to treat their ADHD? Companies report a huge increase in demand from desperate parents

With her teenage son unable to concentrate or still his mind enough to fall asleep, and his behaviour spiralling at school, Sarah Thomas became desperate for a solution.

Society

8 d. ago Dubai Air Show opens as Emirates announces major Boeing purchase

The Dubai Air Show has opened, with hometown airline Emirates ordering 65 Boeing 777-9 aircraft as the carrier looks to increase its fleets off record earnings and unending demand for flights through this East-West travel hub

Politics

9 d. ago Firefighters 'stretched to the limit' by floods with 82 call outs in one night

"Flooding incidents are increasing, demand is rising, and services are being pushed harder each year, despite having less to work with," said firefighters' representative.

Events

2 w. ago China’s CO2 emissions have been flat or falling for past 18 months, analysis finds

World’s biggest polluter on track to hit peak emissions target early but miss goal for cutting carbon intensityChina’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months, analysis reveals, adding evidence to the hope that the world’s biggest polluter has managed to hit its target of peak CO2 emissions well ahead of schedule.Rapid increases in the deployment of solar and wind power generation – which grew by 46% and 11% respectively in the third quarter of this year – meant the country’s energy sector emissions remained flat, even as the demand for electricity increased. Continue reading...

Events

2 w. ago ‘Drug trafficking, extortion, kidnapping’: the lawless rush for rare earth minerals in Venezuela

Guerrilla groups have seized control of mining areas, exploiting Indigenous people and fuelling environmental ruin on the border with ColombiaFor months, Brig Gen Rafael Olaya Quintero, commander of the Orinoco naval force, has been chasing tin and coltan traffickers across the waterways at Colombia’s border with Venezuela.His mission has become more urgent since the global shift towards clean energy has generated an unprecedented rush for rare earth elements and critical minerals. These materials are vital components in electric vehicle batteries, wind turbines, fighter jets and guided missiles, with demand also driven by increased defence budgets in the EU, US and China, and throughout the world. Continue reading...

Events

4 w. ago Hundreds of hospice beds and staff cut in England amid funding crisis

National Audit Office reports nearly two-thirds of independent hospices in deficit in 2023-24 as demand increasesHospices in England are cutting hundreds of beds and staff because of a funding crisis, despite a sharp rise in demand for palliative care, a damning report warns.People needing end of life care faced a postcode lottery because access to services was so patchy, the National Audit Office (NAO) reported. Continue reading...

Events