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Hurricane Polo approaches Mexico, threatens severe damage

Hurricane Polo is expected to make landfall on Monday in a small town off Mexico's Pacific coast, where authorities expect heavy rain and severe damage.

Cavy chaos: Hundreds attend New Zealand's biggest guinea pig show

Claremont Girl Clash of Hearts took the coveted Best in Show title Saturday at New Zealand's National Guinea Pig Show, which drew hundreds of fans to see the coifed and combed cavies.

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Guatemala ensures survival of vulnerable 'fossil' fish

In a freshwater canal surrounded by mangroves in southern Guatemala, hundreds of baby tropical gars -- a torpedo-shaped fish with an alligator-like snout dubbed the "fossil fish" -- are released into the wild.

US miner KoBold bets on AI to gain edge in DR Congo mineral hunt

Geologists from US mining company KoBold Metals are pushing deep into the Congolese bush, hoping a cutting-edge army of "explorers" directed by AI will help give them an edge in the race for critical minerals.

Nepal PM says floods 'a warning to the world' about climate change

Nepal's catastrophic flooding last month "was a warning to the world" about the rising dangers of climate change, Prime Minister Balendra Shah told the United Nations on Thursday, urging countries to step up to help his country adapt.

US 'must choose' whether to end war: Iran president to Fox News

It is for the United States to choose whether to end its war in Iran as Tehran does not wish to continue fighting, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told Fox News in an interview aired Thursday.

Newsom says Trump presidency 'as we know it' ends in November

California Governor Gavin Newsom has a prediction for November: Democrats retake the House, and Donald Trump's presidency "as we know it" is over.

Hurricane Polo triggers huge waves in coastal Mexican city

Hurricane Polo swirled menacingly along the southern Mexican coast on Thursday, triggering towering waves in a Pacific port city.

Nepal flood victims look to PM Shah to press climate case at UN

As Nepal's prime minister heads to the United Nations seeking climate justice, survivors of the catastrophic floods that tore through Himalayan valleys are counting on the young leader to give voice to their grief.

Russia probes bear attacks, as official says town under 'siege'

At least six people have been killed in bear attacks in Russia's vast Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk in a month, prosecutors said Wednesday, as an official in a neighbouring region reported bears had put one town "under siege".

Outgoing UN chief makes climate push at New York summit

Fresh from accusing fossil fuel interests of treating the atmosphere like an "open sewer," outgoing UN chief Antonio Guterres is set to host his final climate summit Wednesday at the world organization's New York headquarters.

Voting opens in Alaska's annual Fat Bear Week

Polls opened Tuesday in the only American election that really matters: Fat Bear Week.

Google data centre sparks protests in Austria

In the Austrian town of Kronstorf, a planned Google data centre promises investment, jobs and a place on the digital map -- but residents are not convinced.

A Cuban zoo, and its animals, in epic battle for survival

Every day, veterinarians and zookeepers make their way to Cuba's National Zoo by whatever means they can, determined to not abandon the nearly 1,000 animals in their care and help save species at risk of extinction.

California declares state of emergency ahead of El Nino

California's governor on Monday declared a state of emergency as the US west coast readies for what is expected to be a damaging El Nino.

South African ostriches plucked alive for luxury fashion: report

South African ostrich farms are using mechanical pluckers to remove feathers from living birds destined for major luxury fashion brands in techniques that are cruel and painful, animal welfare group World Animal Protection said on Monday.

Renewables hit record in 2025, but world must move faster: report

Global renewable power capacity grew by record levels last year, a report showed Monday, hailed as a sign by the UN climate chief that the "brute power of market forces" is making the transition to clean energy irreversible.

New Zealanders pick endangered black robin as Bird of the Year

A record number of New Zealanders turned out at the polls this month, not for national elections but to vote for their Bird of the Year -- the critically endangered black robin.

Malaysia's 'elephant whisperer' fights to save Borneo's endangered giants

Deep in Malaysia's Borneo jungle, wild shouts fill the air as a Bornean elephant is darted and her angry herd rallies to protect her.

Doubts as Italy eyes electric future for steel plant

Italy's government says the country's largest steel works must be converted to electric after a court-ordered shutdown of polluting furnaces but, as Rome seeks a buyer, critics say its plan is woefully unsubstantiated.

Gambian businesses struggle under prolonged blackouts

In the coastal Gambian town of Tanji, Sirah Darboe-Manneh cleans fish next to a row of ice boxes laying empty because of relentless power cuts. With limited supplies of ice, storing the daily catch has become almost impossible.

World's water cycle becoming more unpredictable, UN warns

The planet's water cycle is becoming increasingly erratic, swinging between too little and too much, the United Nations warned Thursday, with an unprecedented El Nino expected to exacerbate the long-term trend.

AI looms large ahead of Xi, Trump summit

Artificial intelligence is set to loom large when Chinese President Xi Jinping meets counterpart Donald Trump in Washington next week, but for all the urgency surrounding the technology, the rivals remain far from agreeing on anything substantial.

Almost 8,000 excess deaths in France's scorched summer: statistics

The hottest summer in France since 1900 marked by a succession of record heatwaves resulted in almost 8,000 excess deaths, health authorities statistics published on Wednesday showed.

US touts its power, avoids Iran war at G20 Energy meeting

The United States hammered home a message touting its energy dominance at Tuesday's meeting of G20 energy ministers in Houston, while brushing past the consequences of Washington's war in Iran and environmental concerns.

US military buildup in Palau stirs war fears

US military plans to rebuild the main port in a pristine Pacific archipelago have stirred painful memories of World War II and have locals concerned about being caught in a potential superpower conflict.

Dead animals, barren fields, and hunger - El Nino chokes Central America

Animals are dropping dead amid the worst drought in living memory for many Central Americans, who are grappling with the unforgiving effects of the powerful El Nino weather pattern.

In hydropowered Bhutan, solar starts to rise

Engineer Rinzin Galley stands on a platform overlooking a former military shooting range on the edge of Bhutan's capital Thimphu, now home to a gleaming field of solar panels.

Thai wildlife investigators track traffickers through social media

Thai wildlife investigators are using social media monitoring and undercover surveillance to locate illegally traded animals, while rescued creatures often require treatment before they can be moved to sanctuaries.

Himalayan glacier study warns of flood and water-supply risks

Accelerating glacier loss in the Himalayas is increasing flood dangers and could eventually reduce river water supplies, according to a study released in September.

Bougainville leader says violence won't stop Panguna mine reopening

Violence will not derail the reopening of the dormant Panguna mine in Papua New Guinea's Bougainville region, a local leader said, after saboteurs torched rows of heavy machinery on site.

Marmot research gains over $140,000 from meme-coin fees alongside wildlife contest

A Colorado marmot research project has received more than $140,000 in meme-coin transaction fees as researchers experiment with public fundraising. Its first Fat Marmot Week also highlighted a seven-year-old male whose weight rose from about 8.6 pounds to 13 pounds over the summer.

Roadless Rule repeal proposal raises concerns over Midwest forests and fire risk

A federal proposal to repeal the 2001 Roadless Rule would remove protections from millions of acres of national forest, including about 512,000 acres in the Midwest. Conservation groups question the administration's wildfire and timber arguments as public comments remain open until October 6.

Indonesia seeks to bring back baby orangutans allegedly trafficked to India

Indonesian authorities are working to repatriate five baby orangutans allegedly trafficked to India, where they were found motherless in a forest, Jakarta's forestry ministry told AFP Friday.

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