After more than five decades, Delhi once again reached for the skies — quite literally — in an ambitious attempt to induce rain to combat rising pollution and poor air quality (AQI). Despite sophisticated techniques, the cloud seeding efforts failed, leaving experts and citizens questioning why the experiment didn’t work. Watch this story to understand the science, challenges, and future of artificial rain in India.

Effort To Create Artificial Rain And Reduce Pollution Fail In Delhi

Feelings of loneliness and isolation have become a regular part of pandemic life. In an effort to keep a check on people during these tough times, a Dutch supermarket chain has introduced an option for customers who are not in a hurry and are looking for a chat.

In the Netherlands, grocery store Jumbo has introduced "chat checkouts." This allows the people to linger a bit and chat with the folks at the registers.

The chain has said that it will introduce 200 talking self-service checkout registers in its grocery stores.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-hot-new-back-to-school-accessory-an-air-quality-monitor-419860">Also read |&nbsp;The hot new back-to-school accessory? An air quality monitor.</a>

The first chat register, or "kletskassa" in Dutch, was tested in 2019 and received a lot of positive feedback. Jumbo says that it will prioritise installing the chat registers in areas where loneliness is a major issue.

As per a study, 26 per cent of Dutch people older than 15 feel some loneliness. The rate jumps to 33 per cent for people over 75.

Some people want to checkout as quickly as they can. This is symbolic of the way technology has made our world move faster and faster.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/jeff-bezos-shares-an-old-article-predicting-amazons-failure-elon-musk-replies-419819">Also read |&nbsp;Jeff Bezos shares an old article predicting Amazon's failure, Elon Musk replies</a>

The Dutch are attempting to slow things down and provide a human touch.

Jumbo will also be opening some "cozy chat corners," where customers can have a cup of coffee have a chat with each other.

Feelings of loneliness and isolation have become a regular part of pandemic life. In an effort to keep a check on people during these tough times, a Dutch supermarket chain has introduced an option for customers who are not in a hurry and are looking for a chat.

Feelings of loneliness and isolation have become a regular part of pandemic life. In an effort to keep a check on people during these tough times, a Dutch supermarket chain has introduced an option for customers who are not in a hurry and are looking for a chat. In the Netherlands, grocery store Jumbo has introduced "chat checkouts." This allows the people to linger a bit and chat with the folks at the registers. The chain has said that it will introduce 200 talking self-service checkout registers in its grocery stores. Also read | The hot new back-to-school accessory? An air quality monitor. The first chat register, or "kletskassa" in Dutch, was tested in 2019 and received a lot of positive feedback. Jumbo says that it will prioritise installing the chat registers in areas where loneliness is a major issue. As per a study, 26 per cent of Dutch people older than 15 feel some loneliness. The rate jumps to 33 per cent for people over 75. Some people want to checkout as quickly as they can. This is symbolic of the way technology has made our world move faster and faster. Also read | Jeff Bezos shares an old article predicting Amazon's failure, Elon Musk replies The Dutch are attempting to slow things down and provide a human touch. Jumbo will also be opening some "cozy chat corners," where customers can have a cup of coffee have a chat with each other.

'Chat checkouts': Dutch supermarket makes an effort to get rid of loneliness amid pandemic

Australia's government should increase its efforts to phase out coal or else climate change will dramatically damage the country's economy, Selwin Hart, the United Nations special adviser on climate change, said on Sunday.

Australia's reliance on coal-fired power makes it one of the world's largest carbon emitters per capita, but its conservative government has steadfastly backed Australia's new deputy PM casts shadow over 2050 net zero emissions ambition fossil fuel industries, saying tougher action on emissions would cost jobs.

"We fully understand the role that coal and other fossil fuels have played in Australia's economy, even if mining accounts for a small fraction,&nbsp;around 2%,&nbsp;of overall jobs," Hart said in a speech at the Australian National University in Canberra.

"But it's essential to have a broader, more honest and rational conversation about what is in Australia's interests."

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The UN&nbsp;has called for phasing out coal by 2030 in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, which include Australia.

In July, energy and environment ministers from the Group of 20 big economies failed to deliver a deal to phase out coal by 2025. But some experts said there were chances of progress at U.N. climate talks in Glasgow in November.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said Australia is on a path to net zero carbon emissions but has stopped short of committing to a timeline. He has said that Australia would update its 2030 emissions projections going into the Glasgow talks.

Most other developed countries have signed up to a target of net zero emissions by 2050.

Hart said that the Australian government should "seize the moment" and switch to renewables.

"If the world does not rapidly phase out coal, climate change will wreak havoc right across the Australian economy: from agriculture to tourism, and right across the services sector," he said.

Australia's government should increase its efforts to phase out coal or else climate change will dramatically damage the country's economy, Selwin Hart, the United Nations special adviser on climate change, said on Sunday.

Australia's government should increase its efforts to phase out coal or else climate change will dramatically damage the country's economy, Selwin Hart, the United Nations special adviser on climate change, said on Sunday. Australia's reliance on coal-fired power makes it one of the world's largest carbon emitters per capita, but its conservative government has steadfastly backed Australia's new deputy PM casts shadow over 2050 net zero emissions ambition fossil fuel industries, saying tougher action on emissions would cost jobs. "We fully understand the role that coal and other fossil fuels have played in Australia's economy, even if mining accounts for a small fraction, around 2%, of overall jobs," Hart said in a speech at the Australian National University in Canberra. "But it's essential to have a broader, more honest and rational conversation about what is in Australia's interests." Also read | New normal: Israel's health expert says fourth shot of Covid vaccine needed The UN has called for phasing out coal by 2030 in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, which include Australia. In July, energy and environment ministers from the Group of 20 big economies failed to deliver a deal to phase out coal by 2025. But some experts said there were chances of progress at U.N. climate talks in Glasgow in November. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has said Australia is on a path to net zero carbon emissions but has stopped short of committing to a timeline. He has said that Australia would update its 2030 emissions projections going into the Glasgow talks. Most other developed countries have signed up to a target of net zero emissions by 2050. Hart said that the Australian government should "seize the moment" and switch to renewables. "If the world does not rapidly phase out coal, climate change will wreak havoc right across the Australian economy: from agriculture to tourism, and right across the services sector," he said.

UN urges Australia to speed up efforts to drop coal

Australia on Thursday accused asylum seekers held in Pacific detention camps of falsely reporting sexual assault in order to get sent to Australia, a day after a newspaper published leaked documents detailing abuse at the Nauru immigration centre. 
 
More than 2,000 incidents, including sexual abuse, assault and attempted self-harm, were reported over two years at the Australian-funded Nauru detention centre, more than half involving children, Guardian Australia reported. 
 
Immigration minister Peter Dutton on Thursday said asylum seekers were lying about sexual abuse, and repeated comments he made earlier this year that refugee advocates were encouraging detainees to self-harm and set themselves on fire. 
 
&quot;I have been made aware of some incidents that have reported false allegations of sexual assault, because in the end, people have paid money to people smugglers and they want to come to our country,&quot; Dutton said in an interview on Australian radio.&nbsp;&quot;Some people have even gone to the extent of self-harming and people have self-immolated in an effort to get to Australia. Certainly some have made false allegations.&quot; 
 
Under its hardline immigration policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach Australia by boat are sent for processing to Australian-funded camps on Nauru, which holds about 500 people, and on Manus island in Papua New Guinea. They are told they will never be settled in Australia. 
 
The harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse at the camps have drawn wide criticism at home and abroad. Australia, however, has vowed there will be no change to the policy, which has been pursued by successive governments.&nbsp;Australia says the policy is needed to stop asylum seekers dying at sea on the dangerous boat journey from Indonesia to Australia. Hundreds of people died attempting the trip in the years before the policy was put in place. 
 
Refugee advocates said the leaked reports show the urgent need to end Australia&#39;s offshore detention policy, and that asylum seekers must be given medical and psychological support. 
 
Hayley Ballinger, a child protection worker at the Nauru detention centre from 2014-15, said that it was an &quot;absolute insult&quot; to suggest that refugees had lied about abuse that has now been widely documented. 
 
&quot;All of the statements speak for themselves. Certainly the clients I saw there suffered and they really suffered. And this stuff really, really did happen. We witnessed it first-hand,&quot; Ballinger told Reuters. 
 
(Reuters)

Some people have even gone to the extent of self-harming and self-immolation in an effort to get to Australia: Immigration minister

Australia on Thursday accused asylum seekers held in Pacific detention camps of falsely reporting sexual assault in order to get sent to Australia, a day after a newspaper published leaked documents detailing abuse at the Nauru immigration centre. More than 2,000 incidents, including sexual abuse, assault and attempted self-harm, were reported over two years at the Australian-funded Nauru detention centre, more than half involving children, Guardian Australia reported. Immigration minister Peter Dutton on Thursday said asylum seekers were lying about sexual abuse, and repeated comments he made earlier this year that refugee advocates were encouraging detainees to self-harm and set themselves on fire. "I have been made aware of some incidents that have reported false allegations of sexual assault, because in the end, people have paid money to people smugglers and they want to come to our country," Dutton said in an interview on Australian radio. "Some people have even gone to the extent of self-harming and people have self-immolated in an effort to get to Australia. Certainly some have made false allegations." Under its hardline immigration policy, asylum seekers intercepted trying to reach Australia by boat are sent for processing to Australian-funded camps on Nauru, which holds about 500 people, and on Manus island in Papua New Guinea. They are told they will never be settled in Australia. The harsh conditions and reports of systemic child abuse at the camps have drawn wide criticism at home and abroad. Australia, however, has vowed there will be no change to the policy, which has been pursued by successive governments. Australia says the policy is needed to stop asylum seekers dying at sea on the dangerous boat journey from Indonesia to Australia. Hundreds of people died attempting the trip in the years before the policy was put in place. Refugee advocates said the leaked reports show the urgent need to end Australia's offshore detention policy, and that asylum seekers must be given medical and psychological support. Hayley Ballinger, a child protection worker at the Nauru detention centre from 2014-15, said that it was an "absolute insult" to suggest that refugees had lied about abuse that has now been widely documented. "All of the statements speak for themselves. Certainly the clients I saw there suffered and they really suffered. And this stuff really, really did happen. We witnessed it first-hand," Ballinger told Reuters. (Reuters)

Australia accuses refugees of falsely reporting sexual abuse

Authorities will plant 18 million trees in Mexico City and its surrounding suburbs as part of efforts to combat air pollution, the government said Monday. 
 
Environment Minister Rafael Pacchiano dubbed it a &quot;historic reforestation&quot; to reinforce the &quot;green belt in the megalopolis&quot;. 
 
The greater Mexico City area was hit by the worst air pollution in more than a decade in March, prompting authorities to restrict traffic for the 5.4 million vehicles that circulate daily. 
 
Pacchiano said that the lack of wind and record high temperatures in March contributed to an increase in ozone levels. 
 
Other new measures announced by Pacchiano include replacing 1,000 taxis that are more than 10 years old with hybrid cars and stepping up a program to renew cargo and passenger transport vehicles.&nbsp;Anti-pollution rules will also be tightened in industry. 
 
The government imposed temporary car restrictions between April and June 30, forcing all vehicles to stay home at least once a week. Normally, older vehicles and those that fail emissions tests have traffic restrictions. 
 
Last month, the environment ministry unveiled new rules to prevent corruption at emission inspection centres that have allowed polluting cars to remain on the road. 
 
(AFP)

The city will also restrict traffic to combat air pollution, which is at its worst levels in a decade

Authorities will plant 18 million trees in Mexico City and its surrounding suburbs as part of efforts to combat air pollution, the government said Monday. Environment Minister Rafael Pacchiano dubbed it a "historic reforestation" to reinforce the "green belt in the megalopolis". The greater Mexico City area was hit by the worst air pollution in more than a decade in March, prompting authorities to restrict traffic for the 5.4 million vehicles that circulate daily. Pacchiano said that the lack of wind and record high temperatures in March contributed to an increase in ozone levels. Other new measures announced by Pacchiano include replacing 1,000 taxis that are more than 10 years old with hybrid cars and stepping up a program to renew cargo and passenger transport vehicles. Anti-pollution rules will also be tightened in industry. The government imposed temporary car restrictions between April and June 30, forcing all vehicles to stay home at least once a week. Normally, older vehicles and those that fail emissions tests have traffic restrictions. Last month, the environment ministry unveiled new rules to prevent corruption at emission inspection centres that have allowed polluting cars to remain on the road. (AFP)

Mexico City to plant 18 million trees in massive reforestation effort

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