Environment

14 May 2019; DW: Atmospheric levels of planet-warming carbon dioxide have hit a record high of more than 415 parts per million. The accelerated rise of man-made greenhouse gas emissions has scientists alarmed.

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere has reached a record high, according to scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in the US.

Berlin, May 13 (AFP) German giant Mercedes-Benz said Monday it wants to stop selling traditional combustion engine cars by 2039 and plans for its new vehicles sold worldwide by that time to be carbon-neutral.

"We aim to have a carbon-neutral new passenger car fleet in 20 years," said Ola Kallenius, current head of Mercedes research, who is to succeed Dieter Zetsche as chairman of the Daimler group next week.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders rallied support for the Green New Deal on Monday night, with the New York congresswoman saying there should be “no middle ground” when it comes to climate change and the Vermont senator calling for a political revolution.

WINDHOEK, May 13 (Xinhua): When there is a prolonged dry spell, the sea of withered amber crops becomes a common sight in the northern part of Namibia.

Every day before the sun was up, Liina Mupopya from Oshana region in northern Namibia came to observe her pearl millet field. However, the sight of withered crops disheartened her.

"The rain is delayed and some crops become withered. Some have not even germinated," said Mupoya.

Namibia had been experiencing droughts since 2013, affecting about 60 percent of the households dependent on crop farming and agriculture.

13 May 2019; DW: In the first case of its kind, an indigenous group is accusing the Australian government of violating their human rights by not taking action on climate change. They say their culture and homeland are at risk.

A group of indigenous Australians plans to submit a complaint to the UN on Monday that accuses Australia of failing to act on climate change.

ULYANOVSK, May 13. /TASS/: The Arctic zone has a big potential for use of wind turbines, Director General of the Altren Company (Alternative and Renewable Energy Competence Center) Andrei Redkin told TASS.

The expert will moderate a panel on renewable energy for isolated Arctic territories at the ARWE-2019 international forum on renewable energy, due on May 23.

"A very big promising area to use wind turbines is remote isolated energy systems," he said. "And inside those stand separately the Arctic territories and their neighboring territories."

Bhubaneswar, May 12 (PTI) The toll in Odisha due to cyclone 'Fani' sharply rose to 64, with 21 fresh casualties confirmed by the state government on Sunday.

The 'extremely severe' cyclonic storm, which made landfall in Puri with wind speed of up to 240 kmph on May 3, has left at least 241 people injured, an official said.

The toll, which was 43 till Saturday, rose to 64, as 18 more casualties were reported from the worst-hit Puri district and four more from Khurda district.

ULAN BATOR, May 12 (Xinhua): A heavy snowstorm had swept through southern Mongolian province of Umnugovi since Saturday, killing at least four people, the provincial government said on Sunday evening.

"Rescuers of the province's emergency management department have found alive 37 of the 41 herders who lost in the snowstorm. Unfortunately, remaining four people, including two members of a family from Tsogttsetsii soum of the province froze to death during the snowstorm on Saturday night," the provincial government said in a statement.

ROSTOV-ON-DON, May 12. /TASS/: Russian Investigative committee has opened a criminal case after a domestic gas explosion in Rostov Region killed two people, the press service told TASS on Sunday.

"Investigators opened a criminal case due to negligence in the Kamensky District after two people were killed in a household gas explosion in a residential building.

Investigators and criminologists are working at the scene of the crime. Documents relevant to the case have been taken from the gas company that provided service to the area.

BAYPORT, Texas (AP) — A busy commercial waterway near Houston remains partially closed following a collision involving four vessels that caused a toxic gasoline product to leak into the water.

Authorities said at a news conference Saturday that the hull of a 755-foot (230-meter) tanker punctured storage tanks on a tug boat that was pushing two barges along the Houston Ship Channel.

One barge capsized Friday. The other was damaged.