Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Spain’s meteorologists subjected to ‘alarming’ rise in hate speech, minister warns

admin — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 13:01:41 +0000

Environment minister says attacks on social media affect perceptions of meteorology and denigrate researchers’ work

Europe live – latest updates

Spain’s environment minister has written to prosecutors to warn of “an alarming increase” in hate speech and social media attacks directed against climate science communicators, meteorologists and researchers.

South East Water boss in line for £400,000 bonus despite outages

admin — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:11:08 +0000

Exclusive: David Hinton, who faces calls to resign, will receive payout regardless of performance if he stays until July 2030

• South East Water could lose operating licence after outages
• Business live – latest updates

Thursday briefing: Is your body really full of microplastics?

admin — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 06:48:37 +0000

In today’s newsletter: Numerous studies have found evidence of microplastics in the human body and warned of the risks to our health. But in the race to research this new field scientists may have drastically overstated the dangers

Good morning. Microplastics are everywhere. They have been found at the top of Mount Everest and in the deepest ocean trenches. They are in our food, our water and the air we breathe.

For a while, research suggested they were inside us too. Studies reported microplastics in our cells, brains, placentas and testicles.

Africa’s great elephant divide: countries struggle with too many elephants – or too few

admin — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 05:00:54 +0000

In countries such as South Sudan, the great herds have all but disappeared. But further south, conservation success mean increasing human-wildlife conflict

It is late on a January afternoon in the middle of South Sudan’s dry season, and the landscape, pricked with stubby acacias, is hazy with smoke from people burning the grasslands to encourage new growth. Even from the perspective of a single-engine ultralight aircraft, we are warned it will be hard to spot the last elephant in Badingilo national park, a protected area covering nearly 9,000 sq km (3,475 sq miles).

Traces of cancer-linked pesticide found in tests at UK playgrounds

admin — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 00:01:46 +0000

Pressure mounting for use of glyphosate, listed by WHO since 2015 as probable carcinogen, to be heavily restricted

Children are potentially being exposed to the controversial weedkiller glyphosate at playgrounds across the UK, campaigners have said after testing playgrounds in London and the home counties.

I’ve been thinking a lot about dog poo | Adrian Chiles

admin — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:52:52 +0000

There was a time when nobody picked up after their dogs – and it would have been considered disgusting to do so. What caused the change in attitude?

EPA to stop calculating money and lives saved by curbs on air pollution

admin — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:46:23 +0000

Agency to focus rules for fine particulate matter and ozone only on cost to industry, aligning with Trump approach

The Environmental Protection Agency says it will stop calculating how much money is saved in healthcare costs avoided and deaths prevented from air pollution rules that curb two deadly pollutants.

South East Water could lose operating licence after outages in Kent and Sussex

admin — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 17:21:54 +0000

Fine of 10% of annual turnover among other potential penalties as environment secretary calls for Ofwat review

South East Water could lose its operating licence after residents across Kent and Sussex faced up to a week without water.

Labour still faces risks on energy despite ‘record’ wind power auction | Nils Pratley

admin — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 16:44:33 +0000

Government hails step towards clean power in Great Britain by 2030 – but the auction shows trade-offs are now needed

Offshore windfarm contracts to fuel 12m homes in Great Britain after record auction

‘It has destroyed years of work’: Cornish beauty spot loses 80% of its trees to Storm Goretti

admin — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 14:57:03 +0000

St Michael’s Mount launches major operation to clear up devastation caused by 112mph winds

The tidal island of St Michael’s Mount in the far south-west of Britain is usually a place of peace and quiet.