Environment

MANILA, May 31 (Xinhua) -- The cargo ship commissioned by the Canadian government to repatriate truckloads of garbage that Canada transported to the Philippines in batches from 2013 pulled away from the country on Friday morning, a port official said.

"Finally, the containers of garbage transported from Canada and stored at the Subic Bay Freeport for several years have been pulled out as of today, May 31, 2019," Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma said in a statement.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California regulators on Thursday approved allowing utilities to cut off electricity to possibly hundreds of thousands of customers to avoid catastrophic wildfires like the one sparked by power lines last year that killed 85 people and largely destroyed the city of Paradise.

New Delhi, May 30 (PTI) The Ganga River water is absolutely unfit for "direct drinking" and only seven spots from where it passes can be consumed after disinfection, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has said.

According to the latest data with the CPCB, most of the Ganga River water in the Uttar Pradesh-West Bengal stretch is unfit for drinking and bathing.

A map released by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shows high level of coliform bacteria in the river.

Kanpur: In continuation of the NGT order dated July 13, 2017 for construction of a proposed 20 MLD CETP, a Chennai-based company has been awarded the contract. An understanding was signed between the project engineer and the company on May 9. A sum of Rs 419 crore would be spent on the construction of the common effluent treatment plant. Jajmau Tannery Treatment Association has also been formed. The sources said that the work on the construction is supposed to start in the mid-June this year. 

FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) — Brad Hindley planned to be vacationing on a lake this week. Instead, he’s been on a boat in his swamped Fort Smith neighborhood trying to keep gas in generators that are pumping water from his flooded home in Arkansas’ second largest city.

“We’ve got lakefront property now. Right up to the front door,” said Hindley, a 45-year-old FedEx worker who is among thousands of residents along the Arkansas-Oklahoma border impacted by widespread flooding along the swollen Arkansas River.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on the powerful storms battering parts of the U.S. (all times local):

6:45 p.m.

The National Weather Service has confirmed at least eight tornadoes touched down in Indiana during Monday’s outbreak.

Survey crews determined Wednesday that two EF-1 tornadoes touched down near Middletown in eastern Indiana, while an EF-2 tornado damaged homes along a nearly 6-mile-long (9.6-kilometer-long) path from Pendleton into the Huntsville area before dissipating in Anderson. One person was slightly injured.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Historic flooding is hitting communities along the Arkansas River despite little rain in the region, thanks to downpours in areas farther north and efforts by officials to control the powerful surge of water.

At least one death was blamed on the flooding.

BROOKVILLE, Ohio (AP) — A swarm of tornadoes so tightly packed that one may have crossed the path carved by another tore across Indiana and Ohio overnight, smashing homes, blowing out windows and ending the school year early for some students because of damage to buildings. One person was killed and at least 130 were injured.

The storms were among 55 twisters that forecasters said may have touched down Monday across eight states stretching eastward from Idaho and Colorado.

DAYTON, Ohio (AP) — The Latest on damaging storms across the central United States (all times local):

8:20 p.m.

Officials say severe storms and several tornadoes have swept through Pennsylvania, damaging homes. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Emergency dispatchers in eastern Pennsylvania’s Berks and Chester county reported roof damage and some partial collapses in Caernarvon Township, which includes Morgantown.

Some areas of the county, including downtown Reading, reported hail the size of a ping pong ball.

28 May 2019; DW: A top climate summit organized by Arnold Schwarzenegger's environmental organization has opened in Vienna. Swedish youth activist Greta Thunberg spoke at the opening of a failure by the leaders in attendance to act.

Swedish youth activist Greta Thunberg on Tuesday called on leaders to inform the public about climate change without sugarcoating "the biggest crisis humanity has ever faced."