The world’s smallest snake has been rediscovered in Barbados, 20 years after its last sighting. The Barbados threadsnake, which had been feared extinct, was rediscovered under a rock in the centre of the island during an ecological survey in March by the environment ministry and the conservation organisation Re:wild. The reptile can reach up to…
A private equity company accused of ousting a multimillionaire used car salesman from his own business has offered to pay €1.1m (£950,000) to settle a separate case with him. Peter Waddell filed his first high court claim against Freshstream last year, alleging that the investment firm used an independent investigation into contested sexist, racist and…
Greece is battling wildfires that have ravaged homes and led to evacuations for a second day, with the help of Czech firefighters and Italian aircraft expected to arrive later on Sunday. The wildfires were raging on Sunday morning in the Peloponnese area west of the capital, as well as on the islands of Evia and…
Thousands of tonnes of an aggressive invasive seaweed from south-east Asia are piling up on the beaches of the strait of Gibraltar and Spain’s southern coast in what local environmentalists say is a major threat to the region’s biodiversity. Since May, the local authority in Cádiz has removed 1,200 tonnes of the alga Rugulopteryx okamurae…
Heavy rain around Beijing and across northern China killed two people and forced thousands to relocate as authorities warned of further widespread rain and the risk of disasters including landslides and flooding. Two people were dead and two missing in Hebei province, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Sunday morning. Overnight rain dumped a record 145mm…
Hong Kong’s national security police have issued arrest warrants for 19 activists based overseas, accusing them of subversion under a stringent national security law, marking the largest such tally yet. They are accused of organising or participating in the Hong Kong Parliament, a pro-democracy group that authorities in the Asian financial hub say intended to…
A grenade is missing from the scene of an explosion that killed three people at a Los Angeles law enforcement training facility, authorities said. Three veteran deputy sheriffs died in the explosion last Friday, the LA county sheriff’s department’s largest loss of life in a single incident since 1857. Sheriff Robert Luna said the men…
A wildfire burned through a northern suburb of the Greek capital of Athens on Saturday and some residents were ordered to evacuate, the country’s fire service reported. Residents of the town of Kryoneri, 12.5 miles (20km) north-east of Athens, received three SMS messages to evacuate to safe areas, fire service spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakoyannis told reporters….
Authorities in Michigan are investigating after multiple people were stabbed at a Walmart in Traverse City, police said on Saturday. The Michigan state police said in a social media post that a suspect is in custody and the local sheriff’s office is investigating the incident. The agency asked that people avoid the area while the…
Music venues that are subject to noise complaints by nearby residential developments will be offered “greater protection” under new government plans. The measures, which are set to be introduced under the national licensing policy framework, would mean developers taking responsibility for soundproofing flats and apartments near existing pubs or music venues. The changes are designed…
