Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves/index.php en Trump orders new 15% tariff on key material for solar panels and microchips https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-orders-new-15-tariff-key-material-solar-panels-and-microchips <p>Move to raise levy on goods made with polysilicon aims to protect domestic US supply chains from China, the major producer</p> <p>Donald Trump has ordered a new 15% <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/tariffs">tariff</a> on imported products made of polysilicon, an important ingredient in microchip manufacturing that is primarily produced by China.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-orders-new-15-tariff-key-material-solar-panels-and-microchips" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 07 Aug 2026 09:11:36 +0000 admin 104137 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Trump faces calls for windfall tax on big oil’s profits from Iran war https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-faces-calls-windfall-tax-big-oil-s-profits-iran-war <p>US president’s complaint industry ‘making too much money’ comes after his policies boosted corporations</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/trump-faces-calls-windfall-tax-big-oil-s-profits-iran-war" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 07 Aug 2026 09:00:13 +0000 admin 104136 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Europe’s dry riverbeds and scorched earth – in pictures https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/europe-s-dry-riverbeds-and-scorched-earth-pictures <p>Much of the continent is battling wildfires and drought during a summer of extreme heat</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2026/aug/07/europe-dry-riverbeds-scorched-earth-hot-weather-in-pictures">Continue reading...</a></p> Fri, 07 Aug 2026 06:31:55 +0000 admin 104135 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘Waste colonialism’ – the Turkish city carrying the weight of Britain’s pollution problem https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/waste-colonialism-turkish-city-carrying-weight-britain-s-pollution-problem <p>In this week’s newsletter: a Guardian investigation reveals that the UK exported 139,000 tonnes of rubbish to poor districts in Adana, where farmers are left to cope with microplastics, toxic smoke, and debris</p> <p><strong>• </strong><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/global/2022/sep/20/sign-up-for-the-down-to-earth-newsletter-our-free-environmental-email"><strong>Don’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Sign up here</strong></a></p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/waste-colonialism-turkish-city-carrying-weight-britain-s-pollution-problem" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 07 Aug 2026 06:00:11 +0000 admin 104133 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Week in wildlife: a tiger release, an Exmoor eagle and Pallas’s kittens https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/week-wildlife-tiger-release-exmoor-eagle-and-pallas-s-kittens <p>This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world</p> <p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2026/aug/07/week-in-wildlife-a-tiger-release-an-exmoor-eagle-and-pallass-kittens">Continue reading...</a></p> Fri, 07 Aug 2026 05:00:09 +0000 admin 104134 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Extreme heat breaks temperature records in central and eastern Europe https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/extreme-heat-breaks-temperature-records-central-and-eastern-europe <p>Slovakia reaches new high of 42C as authorities in Poland forced to shut down Kozienice and Połaniec power plants</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/gallery/2026/aug/07/europe-dry-riverbeds-scorched-earth-hot-weather-in-pictures">Europe’s dry riverbeds and scorched earth – in pictures</a></p> </li> </ul> <p>Temperature records have been broken in several countries across central and eastern Europe as the extreme weather that has caused wildfires and droughts across the continent continues.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/extreme-heat-breaks-temperature-records-central-and-eastern-europe" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 07 Aug 2026 05:00:08 +0000 admin 104131 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org July’s heatwaves kept UK shoppers away from high street https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/july-s-heatwaves-kept-uk-shoppers-away-high-street <p>Visits down 3.8% after 6.2% fall in June, with many choosing to buy online instead, research for retail body finds</p> <p>Shoppers stayed away from UK high streets during <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jul/27/uk-weather-fourth-heatwave-of-year">last month’s heatwave temperatures</a>, with many choosing to buy online instead as the mercury in some areas rose into the mid-30Cs.</p> <p>Trips to high streets were down by 3.8% year on year in July after a 6.2% fall in June, according to research from the monitoring firm Sensormatic for the British Retail Consortium (BRC).</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/july-s-heatwaves-kept-uk-shoppers-away-high-street" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 07 Aug 2026 05:00:07 +0000 admin 104132 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Le Corbusier’s social housing was meant to be the dream. In a summer of extreme heat, it is a nightmare | Anna Richards https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/le-corbusier-s-social-housing-was-meant-be-dream-summer-extreme-heat-it-nightmare-anna <p>When temperatures get to 40C inside, and French building regulations won’t even allow shutters, these tenants’ listed homes are simply unlivable</p> <p>The population of Firminy, south-east France, has been dwindling for decades. Its recent history is one of factory closures in a region built by steel, and locals tell me that many people leave for better opportunities in neighbouring Saint-Étienne, or to live in the Haute-Loire’s countryside.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/le-corbusier-s-social-housing-was-meant-be-dream-summer-extreme-heat-it-nightmare-anna" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 07 Aug 2026 04:00:07 +0000 admin 104130 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Accused arsonist studied how to maximize Washington wildfire’s harm, police say https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/accused-arsonist-studied-how-maximize-washington-wildfire-s-harm-police-say <p>Court documents allege Aaron Farinacci, who faces slew of arson charges, set 25 fires in Spokane area over past year</p> <p>The 37-year-old man accused of sparking a devastating fire in Washington allegedly studied how to maximize the blaze’s destruction and was responsible for setting 25 other fires in the Spokane area over the past year, according to a court affidavit.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/accused-arsonist-studied-how-maximize-washington-wildfire-s-harm-police-say" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 06 Aug 2026 21:24:02 +0000 admin 104129 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Australia’s best sustainable architecture for 2026 – in pictures https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/australia-s-best-sustainable-architecture-2026-pictures <p>This year’s finalists for the National Architecture awards’ sustainability category include a compact Canberra housing development and the largest commercial use of hempcrete in the country. </p> <p>Architecture ‘holds a mirror up to who we are as a society – what we value, what we’re willing to invest in, what we want to leave behind,’ says Adam Haddow, the chair of the jury for the awards. ‘The architects on this list … [have] designed buildings built to last, not just physically, but in the way they’ll continue to serve people long after the ribbon is cut’</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/australia-s-best-sustainable-architecture-2026-pictures" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Thu, 06 Aug 2026 20:00:07 +0000 admin 104128 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org