Environment

9 May 2019; DW: The world would need 2.8 Earths if everyone burned through natural resources as greedily as the average person in the EU, according to a new study. Its authors say drastic action is needed to avert a crisis.

People in the European Union use up natural resources far more quickly than the rate at which nature can replenish those resources, a study by the World Wide Fund and Global Footprint Network found Thursday.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Insurance claims have topped $12 billion for the November wildfires in California, making them the most expensive in state history.

The figure released Wednesday by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara covers the fire that largely destroyed the town of Paradise and two Southern California blazes. It’s up about $600 million from data released in January.

Most of the damages relate to the Paradise fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed nearly 19,000 buildings.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Rain swamping the nation’s midsection forced people from their homes in Kansas, stranded dozens of Texas children at school overnight and strained levees along the surging Mississippi River in Illinois, Missouri and elsewhere Wednesday prompting yet more flash flood concerns.

The flooding began in earnest in March, causing billions of dollars of damage to farmland, homes and businesses across the Midwest. Rivers in many communities have been above flood stage for more than six weeks following waves of heavy rain.

8 May 2019; DW: Germany's first real-time test of electrified trucks fed via overhead cables amid heavy motorway traffic has begun near Frankfurt. The Environment Ministry hopes the project could contribute to climate-neutral haulage.

SYDNEY, May 8 (Xinhua): The first-ever commercial flight to produce "zero waste" has taken to the skies on Wednesday, as part of a new initiative from the Australian airline Qantas to cut single-use plastics that end up in landfill.

Flying from Sydney to Adelaide, all products and packaging onboard QF739 will either be reused, recycled or disposed of as compost.

MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/: The investigation has revealed a group of companies that delivered contaminated oil to the Druzhba pipeline, four people have been detained in the case, Russia’s Energy Minister Alexander Novak said at a government meeting.

A powerful but deep 7.2-magnitude earthquake rocked Papua New Guinea on Tuesday, officials said, cutting power and knocking items off shelves though there were no immediate reports of serious damage.

The quake struck at a depth of 127 kilometers (80 miles) about 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the town of Bulolo at 2119 GMT Monday according to the US Geological Survey, and was felt in the capital Port Moresby about 250 kilometres away.

Officials said there were no immediate reports of major damage and the depth of the tremor meant there was no tsunami threat.

MOSCOW, May 7. /TASS/: A total of 175 forest fires have been extinguished in Russia on the territory of 50,702 hectares in the last 24 hours, the press service of the Aerial Forest Protection Service said on Tuesday.

"According to regional forestry departments, 175 forest fires were extinguished on the territory of 50,702 hectares over the last 24 hours. As of 12am Moscow time on 7 May 2019, 85 wildfires continue blazing on the territory of 61,393 hectares. Firefighting efforts are underway," the press service said.

LONDON, May 5 (Xinhua): Britain's participation in the International Horticultural Exhibition in Beijing will help strengthen Britain-China partnership on green development and contribute more to achieving a greener future in the world, said a senior British official.

Antonia Romeo, Permanent Secretary of Britain's Department for International Trade, told Xinhua in an interview that Britain has been "enthusiastic" in its contributions to the expo.

6 May 2019; DW: The eight-member Arctic Council is looking at ways to deal with global warming and access to mineral wealth. The thawing of ice has some countries scrambling over the earth's untapped resources.

Top diplomats from the United States, Russia and other member nations of the Arctic Council are meeting in Rovaniemi, Finland on Monday to discuss policies pertaining to the polar region.