
-
Zverev, Sabalenka battle through in Madrid Open, Rublev defence over
-
Ruthless Pogacar wins Liege-Bastogne-Liege for third time
-
Bumrah claims 4-22 as Mumbai register five straight IPL wins
-
No place for racism, hate in France, says Macron after Muslim killed in mosque
-
Greenland leader says Trump's threats disrespectful
-
Spain's Alex Marquez celebrates maiden MotoGP in home Grand Prix
-
Iran's president visits site of port blast that killed 28
-
French rapper Jul breaks attendance record at national stadium
-
Gaza ministry says hundreds of war missing confirmed dead, toll at 52,243
-
Crowds flock to Pope Francis tomb, as eyes turn to conclave
-
'Godfather' director Coppola bags lifetime achievement award
-
Assefa sets world record, Sawe destroys high class field in London marathon
-
'No excuse': Real Madrid's Rudiger after throwing object at ref
-
Fire blazes day after Iran port blast killed 28, injured 1,000
-
Real Madrid meltdown after third Clasico defeat inevitable end to ugly weekend
-
Nine killed as driver plows into Vancouver festival crowd
-
Crumbs! Should French bakeries open on May 1?
-
All eyes turn to conclave as Pope Francis tomb opens to public
-
Emotional Penge bounces back from betting ban for first DP Tour win
-
25 killed, 1,000 injured in huge Iran port blast
-
Greenland PM visits Denmark as Trump threats loom
-
Philippines, US test air defences as China seizes reef
-
25 killed, fires still burning in huge Iran port blast
-
India and Pakistan troops exchange fire in Kashmir
-
Eighteen killed, fires still burning in huge Iran port blast
-
No handshake at muted India-Pakistan border ceremony
-
Maligned by Trump, White House reporters hold subdued annual gala
-
Austria trials DNA testing to uncover honey fraud
-
Trump trade war pushes firms to consider stockpiling
-
D'Backs' Suarez becomes 19th MLB player to hit four homers in one game
-
Continuity or rupture: what direction for the next pope?
-
Surridge scores four as Nashville smash seven past Chicago
-
Chinese tea hub branches into coffee as tastes change
-
Diplomacy likely to trump geography in choice of new pope
-
All eyes turn to conclave after Pope Francis's funeral
-
Doves, deaths and rations: Papal elections over time
-
Progressive Canadians say social issues blown off election agenda
-
Liverpool primed for Premier League title party
-
Buenos Aires bids farewell to Francis with tears, calls to action
-
Thunder sweep past Grizzlies in NBA playoffs, Cavs on brink
-
Major blast at Iran port kills 14, injures 750
-
'What we live for': Kounde after winning Barca Copa del Rey final
-
More McIlroy magic at PGA pairs event but Novak and Griffin lead
-
Fire rages after major blast at Iran port kills 14, injures 750
-
Denkey wonder-strike keeps Cincinnati on track in MLS
-
Barca edge Real Madrid in extra-time to win wild Copa del Rey final
-
'Legendary' Eubank Jr beats Benn in grudge bout
-
Thunder sweep past Grizzlies into NBA playoffs 2nd round, Cavs on brink
-
South Korea's Ryu and Japan's Saigo share LPGA Chevron lead
-
Canada leaders make closing pitches in campaign upended by Trump

Norway greenlights deep-sea mining exploration
Norway's parliament on Tuesday adopted a government plan to open up parts of its seabed to mining exploration, despite protests from activists and scientists' warnings about the uncertain environmental impact.
The proposal to gradually open up a 280,000-square-kilometre (108,100 square mile) area, mostly in the Arctic, was approved by the Storting, with 80 votes in favour and 20 against.
A small group of protesters had gathered outside the parliament in Oslo, displaying banners reading "Stop deep sea mining" and "Norway protect our oceans".
"They are opening a very new, vulnerable and enormous area that has been under-explored by scientists," Haldis Tjeldflaat Helle of Greenpeace Norway told AFP.
Already Western Europe's largest oil and gas producer, the Scandinavian nation is now set to become one of the first countries to explore the ocean floor for minerals crucial for renewable energy technology, potentially making it a major mineral producer.
At the same time, deep-sea mining is controversial due to its potential impact on vulnerable marine ecosystems.
In early 2023, the Norwegian Offshore Directorate published a report concluding that "substantial resources are in place on the seabed" including minerals such as copper, zinc and cobalt.
The Labour-led coalition minority government then in June proposed allowing mining of the country's seabed in the Arctic region.
In December it announced that it had reached a deal with opposition parties to secure parliamentary support to move forward.
"We need minerals because we want to lead a green transition in the form of fuel cells and solar panels, of electric cars and mobile phones," Labour member of parliament Marianne Sivertsen Naess told a press conference at the time.
- Knowledge gaps -
NGOs and scientists have meanwhile warned that deep-sea mining could damage habitats and harm species that are little understood, but are potentially important to the food chain.
In addition, they point to the risk of disrupting the ocean's capacity to absorb carbon emitted by human activities, and the noise that could disturb species such as whales.
"We are very worried about what this will mean for both ecosystems in the Arctic. What it will mean for the fisheries of both Norway and other countries, and also Norwegians and Norway's international reputation as a country that is supposed to take climate and nature seriously," Tjeldflaat Helle said.
The environmental activist added that they were also worried that Norway "chooses this time to send the signal that they will push forward on deep sea mining when the rest of the world is discussing a moratorium or a precautionary pause on this industry."
Several countries, including France and the UK, have called for a moratorium on deep-sea mining.
The Norwegian plan stresses that "environmental considerations" will be taken into account in all stages of the process and "extraction will only be authorised if the licensee's extraction plan demonstrates that extraction can take place in a sustainable and responsible manner."
Among others, Norway's Institute of Marine Research and the Norwegian Polar Institute have warned that there is a severe lack of knowledge necessary to assess what the environmental impact of deep-sea mining would be.
Currently there is no time schedule for when exploration and later potential mining could begin.
In the proposal, the government stressed that "the fact that the state opens an area for mineral extraction does not mean that extraction activities are initiated immediately."
Instead it means that licensing authorities can began the process of granting licenses, while the state can "continue the mapping of Norwegian seabed minerals."
L.Durand--AMWN