Adrian Higgins, The Washington Post Published 8:25 am PDT, Wednesday, June 12, 2019 Guayule grows in hot, dry regions, and if it were to become a major source of rubber, it would flourish in areas of the country where crop options are limited to such things as alfalfa and cotton, both of which require more precious water. less Guayule grows in hot, dry regions, and if it were to become a major source of rubber, it would flourish in areas of the country where crop options are limited to such things as alfalfa and cotton, both of which ... more Photo: Agricultural Research Service/U.S. Agriculture Department Photo: Agricultural Research Service/U.S. Agriculture Department Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Image 1 of 1 Guayule grows in hot, dry regions, and if it were to become a major … [Read more...] about This rubber breakthrough could preserve rain forests, save water
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Filthy, toxic air is not a symbol of prosperity
Solid waste discharges to Phan Rí Cửa beach, Tuy Phong District, Bình Thuận Province. — Photo zing.vn Thu Vân Years of rapid economic development have left Việt Nam with negative externalities – noise and poor air quality arising from pollution and road congestion. Pollution was once accepted as the inevitable by-product of industrial development and promoted as economic progress. After World War II, eager for any sort of industrial development, governor of the US’ state of Alabama, George Wallace, described the odour from a local paper mill as “the smell of prosperity”. Public attitudes have changed significantly since then. Clean air to breathe is now recognised by the United Nations and others as a universal human right, essential to physical well-being. In 2016, the World Health Organisation (WHO) labeled air pollution a global public health emergency. It seems like we have too many emergencies … [Read more...] about Filthy, toxic air is not a symbol of prosperity
BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 14/1
HSG exports steel sheets to US Steel producer Hoa Sen Group reported that it shipped 17,000 tonnes of steel sheets to the US worth US$14 million on Thursday. The company has been exporting to the US since 2014 and shipments have been increasing recently. A company spokesperson said the shipment proves the company’s capacity and global competitiveness since exports to the US and EU have been hit by the trade barriers they have imposed. Hoa Sen has exported to over 75 nations and territories. In 2017-18, it produced nearly 1.9 million tonnes of steel worth over VND34.4 trillion ($1.5 billion), up 13 per cent in volume and 32 per cent in value over the previous year. Revenues from domestic sales were worth over VND22 trillion ($964 million), up 34 per cent, and exports fetched $538 million, up 27 per cent. Its profit after tax was VND410 billion ($18 million). It uses advanced technologies to meet the standards expected in international markets like the US, the … [Read more...] about BUSINESS NEWS IN BRIEF 14/1
Holiday flights safe, but not national park trips in shutdown
Laura Davison, Bloomberg Published 9:20 am PST, Friday, December 21, 2018 The federal government is running out of time to avert a shutdown in the days leading up to the Christmas holiday as Democrats, Republicans and the White House are at an impasse about a line item representing .004 percent of the spending this fiscal year -- $5 billion for President Donald Trump's border wall. Without a funding bill, nine federal departments and several agencies -- representing about a quarter of the $1.24 trillion in government spending for fiscal year 2019 -- will shut down early Dec. 22. The remaining three-quarters of the government, including the Department of Defense, Department of Labor and Health and Human Services, were already funded and won't be affected by the shutdown. Federal rules prohibit employees classified as "essential" from taking paid time off, including time for illness, vacation or religious obligations during a shutdown. That includes security staff at … [Read more...] about Holiday flights safe, but not national park trips in shutdown
What lies at the bottom of one of the deepest holes ever dug by man?
Over the years at 60 Minutes, we've been in more than a few tunnels. We explored Mexican drug lord El Chapo's subterranean escape routes, burrowed through a Roman villa buried by Mt. Vesuvius and traveled the depths of the New York City subway. But nothing prepared us for a place called Moab Khotsong, a South African gold mine that extends nearly two miles beneath the surface. In their pursuit of gold, South Africans have dug the deepest holes on earth. The country was the world's top gold producer for decades. Now the gold is running out, just as these ultra-deep mines have attracted a new breed of miner—on a very different quest. We went along for the adventure. In the early morning light, tall mine shafts loom over the Vaal River basin two hours southwest of Johannesburg. This once was a booming gold field, now most mines lie abandoned but Moab Khotsong is bustling. Long before the sun rises, thousands of miners start lining up for the triple-deck elevator called "the cage." … [Read more...] about What lies at the bottom of one of the deepest holes ever dug by man?