Twitter&nbsp;on Friday banned ads that deny the reality of climate change.

Twitter's announcement on &nbsp;Earth Day came as it tries to fend off an unwanted takeover bid by billionaire Elon Musk, who has said he thinks people should be able to say pretty much whatever they want on the platform.

"Misleading advertisements on&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;that contradict the scientific consensus on climate change are prohibited, in line with our&nbsp;inappropriate content policy,"&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;global sustainability manager Casey Junod said in a blog post.

"We believe that climate denialism shouldn’t be monetized on&nbsp;Twitter, and those misrepresentative ads shouldn’t detract from important conversations about the climate crisis."

Twitter&nbsp;last year introduced a Topic feature to help users find conversations about climate change and rolled out hubs of "credible, authoritative" information on an array of high-profile topics including the science backing climate change.

"We recognize that misleading information about climate change can undermine efforts to protect the planet," Junod said.

"Now more than ever, meaningful climate action, from all of us, is critical."

As tempting as access to Musk's wealth may be,&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;is not eager to be ruled by a billionaire known for shooting from the hip with little regard for the consequences.

The global one-to-many messaging platform is moving to prevent Musk from getting his hands on all of&nbsp;Twitter's outstanding shares, signalling that worries about where he would lead the company to outweigh the proffered payoff.

Earlier this month Musk, the world's richest person and a controversial and frequent user of&nbsp;Twitter&nbsp;himself, made an unsolicited bid of $43 billion for the social media network, citing better freedom of speech as a motivation.&nbsp;

Musk advocates a hands-off approach to policing content, a thorny matter, particularly in high-profile cases such as that of former US President Donald Trump, who was banned after the assault on the Capitol by his supporters as they sought to overturn the US election result last year.

But the polarizing Tesla CEO's campaign has also sparked concern among technology and free-speech experts who point to Musk's unpredictable statements and history of bullying critics, which contradict his stated aims.

Twitter's board opted to employ a "poison pill" defence, under which any acquisition of over 15 per cent of the firm's stock without its OK would trigger a plan to flood the market with shares and thus make a buyout much harder.&nbsp;

Twitter on Friday banned ads that deny the reality of climate change. Twitter's announcement on Earth Day came as it tries to fend off an unwanted takeover bid by billionaire Elon Musk, who has said he thinks people should be able to say pretty much whatever they want on the platform.

Twitter on Friday banned ads that deny the reality of climate change. Twitter's announcement on Earth Day came as it tries to fend off an unwanted takeover bid by billionaire Elon Musk, who has said he thinks people should be able to say pretty much whatever they want on the platform. "Misleading advertisements on Twitter that contradict the scientific consensus on climate change are prohibited, in line with our inappropriate content policy," Twitter global sustainability manager Casey Junod said in a blog post. "We believe that climate denialism shouldn’t be monetized on Twitter, and those misrepresentative ads shouldn’t detract from important conversations about the climate crisis." Twitter last year introduced a Topic feature to help users find conversations about climate change and rolled out hubs of "credible, authoritative" information on an array of high-profile topics including the science backing climate change. "We recognize that misleading information about climate change can undermine efforts to protect the planet," Junod said. "Now more than ever, meaningful climate action, from all of us, is critical." As tempting as access to Musk's wealth may be, Twitter is not eager to be ruled by a billionaire known for shooting from the hip with little regard for the consequences. The global one-to-many messaging platform is moving to prevent Musk from getting his hands on all of Twitter's outstanding shares, signalling that worries about where he would lead the company to outweigh the proffered payoff. Earlier this month Musk, the world's richest person and a controversial and frequent user of Twitter himself, made an unsolicited bid of $43 billion for the social media network, citing better freedom of speech as a motivation. Musk advocates a hands-off approach to policing content, a thorny matter, particularly in high-profile cases such as that of former US President Donald Trump, who was banned after the assault on the Capitol by his supporters as they sought to overturn the US election result last year. But the polarizing Tesla CEO's campaign has also sparked concern among technology and free-speech experts who point to Musk's unpredictable statements and history of bullying critics, which contradict his stated aims. Twitter's board opted to employ a "poison pill" defence, under which any acquisition of over 15 per cent of the firm's stock without its OK would trigger a plan to flood the market with shares and thus make a buyout much harder.

Twitter bans 'misleading' climate change ads

In a unique way to raise awareness about global deforestation, workers painted the trees blue outside the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts to celebrate the Earth Day.

Why are they painting the trees blue? | Earth Day

Why are they painting the trees blue?

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has now embroiled himself in another disagreement with fellow billionaire Microsoft Co-founder Bill Gates. Musk has confirmed that he asked Bill Gates if the latter has half billion short against Tesla when Gates approached him to discuss philanthropy on climate change

Elon Musk triggers another row, now it is Elon Musk versus Bill Gates

Researchers have claimed that a certain type of grass can help curb climate change. Researchers also claim that this grass can bring down earth’s temperature by 1 degrees Celsius. Is it really possible?

This grass can help battle climate change, researchers claim

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) on Friday (April 22) said that Europe's average temperature increased by over two degrees last year.

In the fifth edition of its annual report, it revealed that the hottest day ever registered in Europe was in Sicily with a blistering temperature of 48.8C (120 degrees Fahrenheit).

Extreme weather, fuelled by climate change, caused the "greatest ecological disaster in decades" in Greece in the form of wildfires that burned down forests spread across 8,000 square kilometres.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/climate-change-is-causing-glacial-melt-in-bolivia-472759/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The flood in Germany, nourished by a rise in surface water temperature in the Baltic Sea, broke the record for mid-July downpour. More than 200 people were killed in the unprecedented weather extreme.

According to the director of the European Union's climate monitoring service, Carlo Buontempo, "2021 was a year of extremes including the hottest summer in Europe, heatwaves in the Mediterranean, flooding, and wind droughts in western Europe."&nbsp;

"This shows that the understanding of weather and climate extremes is becoming increasingly relevant for key sectors of society." &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

Meanwhile, Mauro Facchini, head of Earth observation at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space, said "Scientific experts like the IPCC have warned us we are running out of time to limit global warming to 1.5C."&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-climate-change-will-impact-the-worlds-regions-differently-457772">Also see |&nbsp;How climate change will impact the world's regions differently</a>

"This report stresses the urgent necessity to act as climate-related extreme events are already occurring."

“There are many parts of the Baltic which are more than 5 degrees (Celsius) above average, which is a lot for seaside temperatures,” said Freja Vamborg, a senior climate scientist at C3S.

Under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, members have set a target to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

Although the coronavirus pandemic had caused a dip in carbon dioxide emissions, they have rebounded strongly. An increase in their concentration in the atmosphere traps heat causing heat waves.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) on Friday (April 22) said that Europe's average temperature increased by over two degrees last year. In the fifth edition of its annual report, it revealed that the hottest day ever registered in Europe was in Sicily with a blistering temperature of 48.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) on Friday (April 22) said that Europe's average temperature increased by over two degrees last year. In the fifth edition of its annual report, it revealed that the hottest day ever registered in Europe was in Sicily with a blistering temperature of 48.8C (120 degrees Fahrenheit). Extreme weather, fuelled by climate change, caused the "greatest ecological disaster in decades" in Greece in the form of wildfires that burned down forests spread across 8,000 square kilometres. The flood in Germany, nourished by a rise in surface water temperature in the Baltic Sea, broke the record for mid-July downpour. More than 200 people were killed in the unprecedented weather extreme. According to the director of the European Union's climate monitoring service, Carlo Buontempo, "2021 was a year of extremes including the hottest summer in Europe, heatwaves in the Mediterranean, flooding, and wind droughts in western Europe." "This shows that the understanding of weather and climate extremes is becoming increasingly relevant for key sectors of society." Meanwhile, Mauro Facchini, head of Earth observation at the European Commission's Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space, said "Scientific experts like the IPCC have warned us we are running out of time to limit global warming to 1.5C." Also see | How climate change will impact the world's regions differently "This report stresses the urgent necessity to act as climate-related extreme events are already occurring." “There are many parts of the Baltic which are more than 5 degrees (Celsius) above average, which is a lot for seaside temperatures,” said Freja Vamborg, a senior climate scientist at C3S. Under the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, members have set a target to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Although the coronavirus pandemic had caused a dip in carbon dioxide emissions, they have rebounded strongly. An increase in their concentration in the atmosphere traps heat causing heat waves. (With inputs from agencies)

Europe's average temperature increased by over two degrees last year

On Earth Day, see terrifying before and after images of how climate change is affecting the planet

According to a new study, ancient humans evolved as a result of climate change by settling and adapting to different habitats.

Climate change caused by astronomical influences including tilt in the Earth's axis and variations in the shape of the Earth's orbit around the sun has altered how much solar radiation reaches the globe, according to a study published in Nature.

According to scholars, this contributed to the Ice Age and warmer interglacial times.

According to the study, these climatic variations dictated where food was accessible, causing migration and adaption.

"Even though different groups of archaic humans preferred different climatic environments, their habitats all responded to climate shifts caused by astronomical changes in Earth's axis wobble, tilt, and orbital eccentricity," says climate physicist Axel Timmermann from Pusan National University in South Korea, told sciencealert.com.

Homo neanderthalensis, Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, African Homo — Homo habilis and Homo ergaster — and Homo sapiens had their environments mapped out.

Climate change and human evolution have been the subjects of previous research.

By integrating data from well-dated fossil remnants and archaeological artefacts, the researchers attempted to fill in the gaps. They used a supercomputer to retrace the earth's climate history over the last two million years.

According to their findings, Homo erectus and Homo sapiens had the largest environments. Early African Homo sapiens found refuge in eastern and southern Africa, whereas Neanderthals were more numerous in Europe. According to the findings, Homo heidelbergensis inhabited southern Africa, east Africa, and Eurasia.

The researchers noted that while all five human species had a predilection for a certain habitat, they all responded to climate change.

Watch | Gravitas: New Species of Human discovered

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-new-species-of-human-discovered-394564/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

According to a new study, ancient humans evolved as a result of climate change by settling and adapting to different habitats. Climate change caused by astronomical influences including tilt in the Earth's axis and variations in the shape of the Earth's orbit around the sun has altered how much solar radiation reaches the globe, according to a study published in Nature.

According to a new study, ancient humans evolved as a result of climate change by settling and adapting to different habitats. Climate change caused by astronomical influences including tilt in the Earth's axis and variations in the shape of the Earth's orbit around the sun has altered how much solar radiation reaches the globe, according to a study published in Nature. According to scholars, this contributed to the Ice Age and warmer interglacial times. According to the study, these climatic variations dictated where food was accessible, causing migration and adaption. "Even though different groups of archaic humans preferred different climatic environments, their habitats all responded to climate shifts caused by astronomical changes in Earth's axis wobble, tilt, and orbital eccentricity," says climate physicist Axel Timmermann from Pusan National University in South Korea, told sciencealert.com. Homo neanderthalensis, Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, African Homo — Homo habilis and Homo ergaster — and Homo sapiens had their environments mapped out. Climate change and human evolution have been the subjects of previous research. By integrating data from well-dated fossil remnants and archaeological artefacts, the researchers attempted to fill in the gaps. They used a supercomputer to retrace the earth's climate history over the last two million years. According to their findings, Homo erectus and Homo sapiens had the largest environments. Early African Homo sapiens found refuge in eastern and southern Africa, whereas Neanderthals were more numerous in Europe. According to the findings, Homo heidelbergensis inhabited southern Africa, east Africa, and Eurasia. The researchers noted that while all five human species had a predilection for a certain habitat, they all responded to climate change. Watch | Gravitas: New Species of Human discovered

Climate change shaped human evolution's last 2 million years

New Zealand Jacinda Ardern met with Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong on Climate Change and has pledged to work together against Climate Change.

New Zealand Jacinda Ardern meets Singapore PM Lee Hsien Loong on Climate Change

The US National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has found that carbon monoxide levels have spiked due to billowing smoke from wildfires in the last few years.

The wildfires in the US Pacific north-west have&nbsp;been fueled by climate change that is making the atmosphere drier and warmer.

According to project scientist Dr Rebecca Buchholz, “Our research contributes to the growing body of research that shows that fires,&nbsp;in particular Pacific north-west region fires – are becoming more important for North American air quality.”

“There is definitely a feedback between fires and climate. It is telling us that fires are compromising the ability of the atmosphere to self-clean,” she added.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-canadian-woman-in-her-70s-diagnosed-with-climate-change-428347/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

During her analysis of carbon monoxide's impact on the atmospheric chemistry, between 2002 to 2018, she found how other sources of pollution may be connected to the flames.

When action is taken on the classical pollutants, particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide, it also has an impact on other damaging pollutants.&nbsp;

Buchholz said that in the case of carbon monoxide, levels are dangerous at 10-20 parts per million (ppm), and symptoms become apparent above 70 ppm.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-climate-change-will-impact-the-worlds-regions-differently-457772">Also see |&nbsp;How climate change will impact the world's regions differently</a>

Air contaminants are offsetting the recent reductions in emissions as per NCAR that is a US-funded research and development centre.&nbsp;

While it is managed by the non-profit University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and it is funded by the National Science Foundation.

Scientists believe that exposure to carbon monoxide gas decreases the heart’s ability to contract in a way that is distinct from the effects of oxygen deprivation.

Patients with a history of moderate-to-severe carbon monoxide toxicity have higher rates of illness and death from heart disease years after carbon monoxide exposure.

(With inputs from agencies)

The US National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has found that carbon monoxide levels have spiked due to billowing smoke from wildfires in the last few years.

The US National Centre for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) has found that carbon monoxide levels have spiked due to billowing smoke from wildfires in the last few years. The wildfires in the US Pacific north-west have been fueled by climate change that is making the atmosphere drier and warmer. According to project scientist Dr Rebecca Buchholz, “Our research contributes to the growing body of research that shows that fires, in particular Pacific north-west region fires – are becoming more important for North American air quality.” “There is definitely a feedback between fires and climate. It is telling us that fires are compromising the ability of the atmosphere to self-clean,” she added. During her analysis of carbon monoxide's impact on the atmospheric chemistry, between 2002 to 2018, she found how other sources of pollution may be connected to the flames. When action is taken on the classical pollutants, particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and carbon monoxide, it also has an impact on other damaging pollutants. Buchholz said that in the case of carbon monoxide, levels are dangerous at 10-20 parts per million (ppm), and symptoms become apparent above 70 ppm. Also see | How climate change will impact the world's regions differently Air contaminants are offsetting the recent reductions in emissions as per NCAR that is a US-funded research and development centre. While it is managed by the non-profit University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and it is funded by the National Science Foundation. Scientists believe that exposure to carbon monoxide gas decreases the heart’s ability to contract in a way that is distinct from the effects of oxygen deprivation. Patients with a history of moderate-to-severe carbon monoxide toxicity have higher rates of illness and death from heart disease years after carbon monoxide exposure. (With inputs from agencies)

Carbon monoxide levels spike due to billowing smoke from wildfires fueled by climate change: Study

Twenty million people are at risk of starvation this year as delayed rains worsen an already brutal drought in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, the UN warned Tuesday.&nbsp;

An extreme months-long drought has left the Horn of Africa on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe, destroying crops and livestock and forcing huge numbers of people to leave their homes in search of food and water.

As long-awaited rains fail to materialise nearly a month into the current rainy season, "the number of hungry people due to drought could spiral from the currently estimated 14 million to 20 million through 2022," the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/record-breaking-drought-enters-its-13th-year-chile-announces-revolutionary-water-rationing-plan-470431">As record-breaking drought enters its 13th year, Chile announces revolutionary water rationing plan</a>

Six million Somalis or 40 per cent of the population were facing extreme levels of food insecurity and there was "a very real risk of famine in the coming months" if current conditions prevailed, WFP said.&nbsp;

In Kenya, half a million people were on the brink of a hunger crisis, with communities in the north of the country especially at risk due to their reliance on livestock.&nbsp;

The number of Kenyans in need of assistance has risen more than fourfold in less than two years, the agency said.&nbsp;

Meanwhile malnutrition rates in drought-hit southern and southeastern Ethiopia have surged above emergency thresholds, while the north of the country has been in the grip of a 17-month war between government forces and Tigrayan rebels.

Watch |&nbsp;Drought threatens hydropower at Glen Canyon Dam in Southwestern US

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/drought-threatens-hydropower-at-glen-canyon-dam-in-southwestern-us-471013/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The dire conditions have been exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine, which has contributed to soaring food and fuel costs and disrupted global supply chains, WFP said.

The agency warned that a lack of funding could trigger a catastrophe, calling for $473 million (438 million euros) over the next six months.&nbsp;

A previous appeal in February raised less than four percent of the cash needed, it said.

"We know from past experience that acting early to avert a humanitarian catastrophe is vital, yet our ability to launch the response has been limited due to a lack of funding to date," said Michael Dunford, WFP's regional director for East Africa.

East Africa endured a harrowing drought in 2017 but early humanitarian action averted a famine in Somalia.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/west-africa-faces-historic-food-crisis-driven-by-conflict-price-surge-468566">West Africa faces historic food crisis driven by conflict, price surge</a>

In contrast, 260,000 people -- half of them children under the age of six -- died of hunger or hunger-related disorders when a famine struck the country in 2011.

Experts say extreme weather events are happening with increased frequency and intensity due to climate change.

Twenty million people are at risk of starvation this year as delayed rains worsen an already brutal drought in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, the UN warned Tuesday.

Twenty million people are at risk of starvation this year as delayed rains worsen an already brutal drought in Kenya, Somalia and Ethiopia, the UN warned Tuesday. An extreme months-long drought has left the Horn of Africa on the verge of a humanitarian catastrophe, destroying crops and livestock and forcing huge numbers of people to leave their homes in search of food and water. As long-awaited rains fail to materialise nearly a month into the current rainy season, "the number of hungry people due to drought could spiral from the currently estimated 14 million to 20 million through 2022," the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) said. Also read | As record-breaking drought enters its 13th year, Chile announces revolutionary water rationing plan Six million Somalis or 40 per cent of the population were facing extreme levels of food insecurity and there was "a very real risk of famine in the coming months" if current conditions prevailed, WFP said. In Kenya, half a million people were on the brink of a hunger crisis, with communities in the north of the country especially at risk due to their reliance on livestock. The number of Kenyans in need of assistance has risen more than fourfold in less than two years, the agency said. Meanwhile malnutrition rates in drought-hit southern and southeastern Ethiopia have surged above emergency thresholds, while the north of the country has been in the grip of a 17-month war between government forces and Tigrayan rebels. Watch | Drought threatens hydropower at Glen Canyon Dam in Southwestern US The dire conditions have been exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine, which has contributed to soaring food and fuel costs and disrupted global supply chains, WFP said. The agency warned that a lack of funding could trigger a catastrophe, calling for $473 million (438 million euros) over the next six months. A previous appeal in February raised less than four percent of the cash needed, it said. "We know from past experience that acting early to avert a humanitarian catastrophe is vital, yet our ability to launch the response has been limited due to a lack of funding to date," said Michael Dunford, WFP's regional director for East Africa. East Africa endured a harrowing drought in 2017 but early humanitarian action averted a famine in Somalia. Also read | West Africa faces historic food crisis driven by conflict, price surge In contrast, 260,000 people -- half of them children under the age of six -- died of hunger or hunger-related disorders when a famine struck the country in 2011. Experts say extreme weather events are happening with increased frequency and intensity due to climate change.

20 million risk starvation as Horn of Africa drought worsens: UN

A week after deadly storms started lashing&nbsp;South&nbsp;Africa's east coast, the army said Monday&nbsp;10,000&nbsp;troops were on the ground to help restore key services and aid the search for 63 people who remain missing.

The death toll stands at 443, but with each passing day, hopes diminish of finding more survivors.

"The tragedy currently unfolding in our province is one of the worst natural disasters in the recorded history of our country," KwaZulu-Natal provincial government said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/unprecented-floods-battter-south-africa-death-toll-rises-to-443-471722">'Unprecedented' floods battter South Africa, death toll rises to 443</a>

Funerals were being held across the city of Durban, which bore the brunt of the storms, as grim tales of the catastrophe continued to emerge.

One woman was found dead with her three grandchildren after their car was washed away, while rescuers reported finding bodies washed into dams, local media reported.

Swathes of eThekwini, the municipality that includes Durban, remain without power or water, and the province said it could take time before services are restored.

"There are areas that have suffered extensive damage which will take longer to repair," it said in a statement.

Many streets remain slathered with mud, although the main roads have been cleared enough to allow water tankers to the hardest-hit areas.

But eThekwini deputy mayor Philani Mavundla said in a television interview that 80 percent of the city's water works were down, making it difficult to even fill the tankers.

Some of the troops include plumbers and electricians who joined the mammoth task of trying to get life back to normal.

Watch |&nbsp;Flash floods wreak havoc in South Africa, govt announces $68 mn of funding

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Soldiers&nbsp;are also providing field accommodation and water purification systems, the army said.

The deadliest storm on record dumped apocalyptic levels of rain on Durban and surrounding areas of KwaZulu-Natal.

Some 40,000&nbsp;people were left homeless and more than 550 schools and nearly 60 health care facilities have been damaged, according to government tallies.

South&nbsp;Africa&nbsp;is winding down a long weekend for the Easter holidays. Many children are due to return to school on Tuesday, but authorities warned that 271,000&nbsp;students may not be able to attend due to damaged schools.

The government has announced an immediate one billion rand ($68 million) in emergency&nbsp;relief.

Nearly three dozen search teams were deployed across the region Monday, said coordinator Dave Steyn.

Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-africa-flood-toll-nears-400-as-rescuers-search-for-missing-471292">South Africa flood toll nears 400 as rescuers search for missing</a>

"The rescue operations have stopped. It's now more of a search and recovery," he told&nbsp;AFP.

Shock

Blue skies finally reappeared Monday, giving hope that the rains have at last subsided.

But the normally azure waters at Durban's famed beaches have been turned a muddy brown by the mountains of earth and debris washed to the shore.

The intensity of the floods took&nbsp;South&nbsp;Africa, the most economically advanced African country, by surprise.

While the southeastern region has suffered some flooding before, the devastation&nbsp;has never been so severe.&nbsp;South&nbsp;Africans have previously watched similar tragedies hit neighbouring countries such as cyclone-prone Mozambique.

The country is still struggling to recover from the Covid pandemic and deadly riots last year that killed more than 350 people, mostly in the now&nbsp;flood-struck southeastern region.

A week after deadly storms started lashing South Africa's east coast, the army said Monday 10,000 troops were on the ground to help restore key services and aid the search for 63 people who remain missing.

A week after deadly storms started lashing South Africa's east coast, the army said Monday 10,000 troops were on the ground to help restore key services and aid the search for 63 people who remain missing. The death toll stands at 443, but with each passing day, hopes diminish of finding more survivors. "The tragedy currently unfolding in our province is one of the worst natural disasters in the recorded history of our country," KwaZulu-Natal provincial government said. Also read | 'Unprecedented' floods battter South Africa, death toll rises to 443 Funerals were being held across the city of Durban, which bore the brunt of the storms, as grim tales of the catastrophe continued to emerge. One woman was found dead with her three grandchildren after their car was washed away, while rescuers reported finding bodies washed into dams, local media reported. Swathes of eThekwini, the municipality that includes Durban, remain without power or water, and the province said it could take time before services are restored. "There are areas that have suffered extensive damage which will take longer to repair," it said in a statement. Many streets remain slathered with mud, although the main roads have been cleared enough to allow water tankers to the hardest-hit areas. But eThekwini deputy mayor Philani Mavundla said in a television interview that 80 percent of the city's water works were down, making it difficult to even fill the tankers. Some of the troops include plumbers and electricians who joined the mammoth task of trying to get life back to normal. Watch | Flash floods wreak havoc in South Africa, govt announces $68 mn of funding Soldiers are also providing field accommodation and water purification systems, the army said. The deadliest storm on record dumped apocalyptic levels of rain on Durban and surrounding areas of KwaZulu-Natal. Some 40,000 people were left homeless and more than 550 schools and nearly 60 health care facilities have been damaged, according to government tallies. South Africa is winding down a long weekend for the Easter holidays. Many children are due to return to school on Tuesday, but authorities warned that 271,000 students may not be able to attend due to damaged schools. The government has announced an immediate one billion rand ($68 million) in emergency relief. Nearly three dozen search teams were deployed across the region Monday, said coordinator Dave Steyn. Also read | South Africa flood toll nears 400 as rescuers search for missing "The rescue operations have stopped. It's now more of a search and recovery," he told AFP. Shock Blue skies finally reappeared Monday, giving hope that the rains have at last subsided. But the normally azure waters at Durban's famed beaches have been turned a muddy brown by the mountains of earth and debris washed to the shore. The intensity of the floods took South Africa, the most economically advanced African country, by surprise. While the southeastern region has suffered some flooding before, the devastation has never been so severe. South Africans have previously watched similar tragedies hit neighbouring countries such as cyclone-prone Mozambique. The country is still struggling to recover from the Covid pandemic and deadly riots last year that killed more than 350 people, mostly in the now flood-struck southeastern region.

10,000 soldiers in South Africa flood relief effort

Climate change and rapidly rising temperatures at the poles are threatening the lives of Adelie penguins dealing with food insecurity.

Two versions of Antarctica: Penguins faltering on western Antarctica

Climate change is affecting the world rapidly in ways unimaginable. It has disrupted supply chains as the rise in sea levels poses a major threat.

Climate change disrupts supply chains as the rise in sea levels poses a major threat

French Presidential election in underway and rivals are gearing up for debate. Now, the climate change has become a key talking point.

French Presidential election 2022: Climate change becomes a key talking point

India is already experiencing a warming climate. Around the globe, countries are experiencing unusual and unprecedented aftermaths of climate change. The question arises: In what ways the climate change could impact India?

From heatwaves to erratic monsoons, 10 ways climate change will impact India

Main square in central Paris faced forced closure due to protest by climate change activists. The protests were against environmental programes proposed by France's remaining presidential candidates.

The Extinction Rebellion (XR) had said on its website that it planned to block a major Parisian location to disrupt the electoral cycle and its "business as usual" attitude.

In French presidential elections this time, the top theme is cost of living. Energy policies have also found resonance. Incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen have put forward very different policies on the renewables sector in particular.

"We are blocking this Paris square to rebel against alternatives that we don't have. This election leaves us with no choice between a far-right candidate with repugnant ideas ... and a candidate who during five years cast the ecology issue aside and lied," Lou, 26, a history teacher, who joined the Extinction Rebellion movement two years ago told Reuters.

Hundreds of people gathered in 9th district in Paris. They carried banners targetting the candidates. Some of them chanted slogans such as "their inaction leads to our rebellion", or lay on the floor in protest.

Just eight days ahead of a runoff that will determine who will lead the European Union's second-largest economy for the next five years, polls show the centrist president is slightly ahead of his far-right rival, but the contest promises to be tight.

(With inputs from agencies)

Main square in central Paris faced forced closure due to protest by climate change activists. The protests were against environmental programes proposed by France's remaining presidential candidates.

Main square in central Paris faced forced closure due to protest by climate change activists. The protests were against environmental programes proposed by France's remaining presidential candidates. The Extinction Rebellion (XR) had said on its website that it planned to block a major Parisian location to disrupt the electoral cycle and its "business as usual" attitude. In French presidential elections this time, the top theme is cost of living. Energy policies have also found resonance. Incumbent President Emmanuel Macron and his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen have put forward very different policies on the renewables sector in particular. "We are blocking this Paris square to rebel against alternatives that we don't have. This election leaves us with no choice between a far-right candidate with repugnant ideas ... and a candidate who during five years cast the ecology issue aside and lied," Lou, 26, a history teacher, who joined the Extinction Rebellion movement two years ago told Reuters. Hundreds of people gathered in 9th district in Paris. They carried banners targetting the candidates. Some of them chanted slogans such as "their inaction leads to our rebellion", or lay on the floor in protest. Just eight days ahead of a runoff that will determine who will lead the European Union's second-largest economy for the next five years, polls show the centrist president is slightly ahead of his far-right rival, but the contest promises to be tight. (With inputs from agencies)

Climate change protesters block Paris square decrying election candidates

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White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy on Friday (April 15) denied that she is stepping down from her position.

''Reports that I have resigned from my position as President Biden's National Climate Advisor are simply inaccurate,'' she said on Twitter.

''We’ve made great progress these past 14 months, but we have much more work to do,&nbsp;and I remain excited about the opportunities ahead,'' she added.

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Reports that I have resigned from my position as President Biden's National Climate Advisor are simply inaccurate. We’ve made great progress these past 14 months, but we have much more work to do — and I remain excited about the opportunities ahead.
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“Gina and her entire team continue to be laser-focused on delivering on President Biden’s clean energy agenda,” said White House spokesman Vedant Patel.

A report published in the New York Times stated that McCarthy had expressed frustration regarding the slow pace of climate progress.

In December, Politico had conducted an opinion poll on climate change, in which 80 per cent of Americans said the Biden administration is not taking enough initiatives to tackle the problem.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-why-is-us-not-talking-about-human-rights-violations-at-home-471074/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In response, McCarthy said “We understand people’s frustration. Would we all like to be running faster and faster? Yes, we would.”

This had triggered speculation that the 67-year-old was unhappy with the way the Biden administration was tackling the issue.

According to McCarthy, "We must redouble our efforts to cut the greenhouse gasses that cause climate change while, at the same time, help our coastal communities become more resilient in the face of rising seas."

“I think we will have a bill that will move this fall,” she told the New York Times.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/how-climate-change-will-impact-the-worlds-regions-differently-457772">Also see |&nbsp;How climate change will impact the world's regions differently</a>

McCarthy currently leads inter-agency efforts to coordinate domestic climate change policy. She is the domestic counterpart of Biden's special international envoy on climate change, John Kerry.

She was previously the Environmental Protection Agency administrator during the administration of former US President Barack Obama.

Biden chose her as the national climate adviser after he promised&nbsp;solid action against climate change during the US election in 2020.

As the head of the Natural Resources Defence Council, she sued former US President Donald Trump's administration over 100 times for countermanding Obama's policies.

(With inputs from agencies)

White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy on Friday (April 15) denied that she is stepping down from her position. ''Reports that I have resigned from my position as President Biden's National Climate Advisor are simply inaccurate,'' she said on Twitter.

White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy on Friday (April 15) denied that she is stepping down from her position. ''Reports that I have resigned from my position as President Biden's National Climate Advisor are simply inaccurate,'' she said on Twitter. ''We’ve made great progress these past 14 months, but we have much more work to do, and I remain excited about the opportunities ahead,'' she added. Reports that I have resigned from my position as President Biden's National Climate Advisor are simply inaccurate. We’ve made great progress these past 14 months, but we have much more work to do — and I remain excited about the opportunities ahead. — Gina McCarthy (@ginamccarthy46) April 15, 2022 × “Gina and her entire team continue to be laser-focused on delivering on President Biden’s clean energy agenda,” said White House spokesman Vedant Patel. A report published in the New York Times stated that McCarthy had expressed frustration regarding the slow pace of climate progress. In December, Politico had conducted an opinion poll on climate change, in which 80 per cent of Americans said the Biden administration is not taking enough initiatives to tackle the problem. In response, McCarthy said “We understand people’s frustration. Would we all like to be running faster and faster? Yes, we would.” This had triggered speculation that the 67-year-old was unhappy with the way the Biden administration was tackling the issue. According to McCarthy, "We must redouble our efforts to cut the greenhouse gasses that cause climate change while, at the same time, help our coastal communities become more resilient in the face of rising seas." “I think we will have a bill that will move this fall,” she told the New York Times. Also see | How climate change will impact the world's regions differently McCarthy currently leads inter-agency efforts to coordinate domestic climate change policy. She is the domestic counterpart of Biden's special international envoy on climate change, John Kerry. She was previously the Environmental Protection Agency administrator during the administration of former US President Barack Obama. Biden chose her as the national climate adviser after he promised solid action against climate change during the US election in 2020. As the head of the Natural Resources Defence Council, she sued former US President Donald Trump's administration over 100 times for countermanding Obama's policies. (With inputs from agencies)

White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy denies that she is stepping down

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Extinction rebellion, a global group of climate activists threw red liquid on the Spanish Parliament in a bid to call attention to their demands to take action for climate change

Climate activists call for immediate attention, throw red ink on Spanish Parliament

Britain insisted Thursday it was sticking to its&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change goals despite unveiling a new energy strategy that foresees new drilling for North Sea fossil fuels.

After weeks of cabinet infighting, the government finally released its strategy as Britons struggle with soaring energy prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The plan envisions eight new nuclear power stations, a five-fold increase in solar and enough electricity from offshore wind to power every UK home by 2030.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/aukus-pact-australia-us-uk-agree-to-cooperate-on-hypersonic-weapons-and-electronic-warfare-capabilities-468737">US tests hypersonic missile; Australia, US, UK agree to cooperate on hypersonic weapons</a>

But to the dismay of environmentalists, the politically charged problem of onshore wind turbines -- cheaper and quicker to build than offshore -- was left on the backburner.&nbsp;

And campaign groups said plans to offer new licences to drill for North Sea oil and gas made a mockery of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's legally enshrined commitment to make Britain carbon net zero by 2050.

"This isn't an energy security strategy and will do nothing to bring down energy bills," argued Ed Matthew, campaigns director at&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change think tank E3G.&nbsp;

"It is a national security threat and the person who will be happiest with it is&nbsp;(Russian President) Vladimir Putin," he said.

But the government says the market shock from sanctions on Russia has forced a temporary reappraisal of fossil fuels, as Britons confront the worst cost-of-living crisis since the 1950s.

Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng denied the government had turned its back on net zero.

"Not at all," he told Sky News. "It's still in the law of the land, we're focused on that.

Watch |&nbsp;Gravitas Global Headlines: The fight against climate change, Bangladesh Protests, Corsica clashes

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"But of course given what's happening around the world, given the pressure on energy prices, we're also doing lots of other things to make sure we get energy independence back into the UK," he said.

The government acknowledges that the strategy will do little to curb household energy bills in the near term, which Johnson said had "absolutely soared" after Putin's invasion of Ukraine.

Madness

But in a social media video promoting the new strategy, the prime minister stressed: "We just can't carry on like this."

The plan would make British energy "cleaner, more affordable and more secure", he said.

Johnson vowed that "instead of a new reactor every decade, we will have a new reactor every year".

He went on to visit a new nuclear plant under construction at Hinkley Point in southwest England -- which is years overdue and billions over budget.

The plan flagged a new competition to find UK manufacturers of electric heat pumps -- which are much more efficient than gas-fired household boilers, but also much more expensive.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/united-nations-warns-that-its-now-or-never-to-avoid-climate-catastrophe-468369">United Nations warns that it's 'now or never' to avoid climate catastrophe</a>

Otherwise, as critics noted, it had nothing to say about cutting down on energy wastage and improving efficiency in homes, after the finance ministry reportedly vetoed new spending on that front.

"This strategy comprehensively fails to stand up to Putin's violence, to take the sting out of soaring energy bills, or take control of the spiralling&nbsp;climate&nbsp;crisis," said Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at Greenpeace UK.

United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres, marking the launch Monday of the latest UN report on&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change, said it was "moral and economic madness" to invest any more in fossil fuels.

The 3,000-page report warned that countries risk ending up with trillions in worthless assets such as offshore platforms and pipelines when demand for fossil fuels wanes in coming decades.

For the UK government, however, political pressure to tackle the energy crisis has been heating up ahead of nationwide local elections on May 5.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-famous-personalities-with-under-18-year-audience-to-be-banned-from-featuring-in-gambling-advertisements-468532">&nbsp;UK: Famous personalities with under-18-year audience to be banned from featuring in gambling ads</a>

Ed Miliband,&nbsp;climate&nbsp;spokesman for the opposition Labour party, said Conservative backbenchers opposed to onshore turbines in rural England were "holding the government's energy policy to ransom".

"And people are paying higher bills as a result," he told BBC radio.

Britain insisted Thursday it was sticking to its climate change goals despite unveiling a new energy strategy that foresees new drilling for North Sea fossil fuels.

Britain insisted Thursday it was sticking to its climate change goals despite unveiling a new energy strategy that foresees new drilling for North Sea fossil fuels. After weeks of cabinet infighting, the government finally released its strategy as Britons struggle with soaring energy prices following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The plan envisions eight new nuclear power stations, a five-fold increase in solar and enough electricity from offshore wind to power every UK home by 2030. Also read | US tests hypersonic missile; Australia, US, UK agree to cooperate on hypersonic weapons But to the dismay of environmentalists, the politically charged problem of onshore wind turbines -- cheaper and quicker to build than offshore -- was left on the backburner. And campaign groups said plans to offer new licences to drill for North Sea oil and gas made a mockery of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's legally enshrined commitment to make Britain carbon net zero by 2050. "This isn't an energy security strategy and will do nothing to bring down energy bills," argued Ed Matthew, campaigns director at climate change think tank E3G. "It is a national security threat and the person who will be happiest with it is (Russian President) Vladimir Putin," he said. But the government says the market shock from sanctions on Russia has forced a temporary reappraisal of fossil fuels, as Britons confront the worst cost-of-living crisis since the 1950s. Business and Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng denied the government had turned its back on net zero. "Not at all," he told Sky News. "It's still in the law of the land, we're focused on that. Watch | Gravitas Global Headlines: The fight against climate change, Bangladesh Protests, Corsica clashes "But of course given what's happening around the world, given the pressure on energy prices, we're also doing lots of other things to make sure we get energy independence back into the UK," he said. The government acknowledges that the strategy will do little to curb household energy bills in the near term, which Johnson said had "absolutely soared" after Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Madness But in a social media video promoting the new strategy, the prime minister stressed: "We just can't carry on like this." The plan would make British energy "cleaner, more affordable and more secure", he said. Johnson vowed that "instead of a new reactor every decade, we will have a new reactor every year". He went on to visit a new nuclear plant under construction at Hinkley Point in southwest England -- which is years overdue and billions over budget. The plan flagged a new competition to find UK manufacturers of electric heat pumps -- which are much more efficient than gas-fired household boilers, but also much more expensive. Also read | United Nations warns that it's 'now or never' to avoid climate catastrophe Otherwise, as critics noted, it had nothing to say about cutting down on energy wastage and improving efficiency in homes, after the finance ministry reportedly vetoed new spending on that front. "This strategy comprehensively fails to stand up to Putin's violence, to take the sting out of soaring energy bills, or take control of the spiralling climate crisis," said Rebecca Newsom, head of politics at Greenpeace UK. United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres, marking the launch Monday of the latest UN report on climate change, said it was "moral and economic madness" to invest any more in fossil fuels. The 3,000-page report warned that countries risk ending up with trillions in worthless assets such as offshore platforms and pipelines when demand for fossil fuels wanes in coming decades. For the UK government, however, political pressure to tackle the energy crisis has been heating up ahead of nationwide local elections on May 5. Also read | UK: Famous personalities with under-18-year audience to be banned from featuring in gambling ads Ed Miliband, climate spokesman for the opposition Labour party, said Conservative backbenchers opposed to onshore turbines in rural England were "holding the government's energy policy to ransom". "And people are paying higher bills as a result," he told BBC radio.

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