On your next weekly shop, look a little closer at the labels. While the world has watched in horror as the Amazon burns, we could be unwitting contributors to the crisis. Some of our most popular supermarkets are selling beef from a meat company which has been associated with illegal deforestation of the Amazon. Brazilian company JBS – which has been fined millions of dollars for buying cattle raised on deforested land are supplying the UK. Campaigner Alasdair Cameron said: “As well as failing its own forests, the UK is contributing to deforestation overseas. “We might watch in horror as the Amazon burns, but too little attention is paid to the consumption which is driving the destruction.” The Amazon rainforest has been ravaged in recent weeks by more than 93,000 devastating wildfires, according to the last count from the National Institute for Space Research. In July, the rate of deforestation hit its highest in a decade. Official figures from … [Read more...] about “Our weekly shops have fuelled the Amazon rainforest tragedy”
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Man drowns during underwater proposal to girlfriend
An American man has drowned during an underwater marriage proposal that was recorded and posted to Facebook. Steven Weber and his girlfriend Kenesha Antoine were staying in an underwater room at the Manta Resort on Pemba Island, off the coast of Tanzania. Mr Weber was recorded swimming outside the submerged bedroom, holding a handwritten note up against the window. “I can’t hold my breath long enough to tell you everything I love about you. But everything I love about you I love more every day!” the note reads. In the video, posted to Ms Antoine’s Facebook page, he flips the page over to show the message “Will you marry me?” before pulling out a ring box and revealing the engagement ring inside. Ms Antoine wrote on Facebook that Mr Weber “never emerged from those depths”. “You never got to hear my answer, ‘Yes! Yes! A million times, yes’,” she wrote on Facebook. “We never got to embrace and celebrate the … [Read more...] about Man drowns during underwater proposal to girlfriend
Kiribati and Solomon Islands join China alliance
China has won big out of a diplomatic spat between itself and Taiwan this week, as the country has convinced both the Solomon Islands and Kiribati to sever long-standing ties with Taipei — bringing the total number of countries switching to Beijing to seven since 2016. Beijing considers Taiwan a rogue breakaway province — and claims it in its entirety — while the Government of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen advocates for the island’s independence. The South Pacific has been a traditional diplomatic stronghold for Taiwan, but following its most recent losses, Taipei now only has Palau, Nauru, Tuvalu and the Marshall Islands as allies. Globally, this leaves Taiwan with total of 15 states that recognise the Asian territory’s independence, which includes the Vatican, and a number of small states in the Pacific, Caribbean, and Latin America. On Saturday, the Chinese government’s top diplomat, State Councillor Wang Yi, signed an agreement with Solomon … [Read more...] about Kiribati and Solomon Islands join China alliance
‘It was a gamble, we lost’
The Area 51 Basecamp event and one other festival had been set up to cater for people in response to a tongue-in-cheek viral Facebook post which had suggested people should storm the US Air Force's once-secret facility in the desert. Area 51 has been the focus of conspiracy theories over UFOs and extraterrestrials for many years. Keith Wright, the organiser of Area 51 Basecamp, said that after drawing just 500 attendees on a Friday event planned for 5,000 at the Alien Research Centre souvenir shop in Hiko, he had to pull the plug. Mr Wright said: "We put on a safe event for the people that showed up. "But we had to make the decision today because it costs tens of thousands of dollars to staff each day. "It was a gamble, financially. We lost." Several dozen campers still at the site can stay until Sunday, he added. However, a second event, Alienstock, taking place in the tiny town of Rachel, is to go ahead as planned. In Rachel, Little A'Le'Inn owner Connie West said she was sad to hear … [Read more...] about ‘It was a gamble, we lost’
Pub-goer suffers very embarrassing bathroom blunder
A pub-goer has been filmed in a very embarrassing bathroom blunder. The unsuspecting woman was captured sporting a "toilet-paper tail" while enjoying a drink at a pub. In the clip, she can be seen sitting across the room from the humoured cameraman and his friends. Upon zooming in, a long piece of toilet paper reaching from her jeans to the ground can be seen hanging out. She appears unaware of the blunder – despite its long length – as she enjoys a drink with a male friend. The cameraman and his friends can be heard erupting into hysterics at the sight. The cameraman's friend said: "Oh well, would you look at that." An onscreen caption reads: "My god." The cameraman later came forward to say the woman sported the loo roll for over 20 minutes. And after being uploaded to popular Instagram Barstool Sports less than a day ago, some 1.3 million people have watched the clip. One surprised viewer asked: "How does this even happen?" A second said: "Why does she need half a roll … [Read more...] about Pub-goer suffers very embarrassing bathroom blunder