Data melt Trump’s cooling, ice claims
President Donald Trump’s description of the climate on planet Earth doesn’t quite match what data show and scientists say.
https://apnews.com/4a89b1accf89460097fb52fb7e307f90/AP-FACT-CHECK:-Data-melt-Trump’s-cooling,-ice-claims
Today’s Celebration
Martyrs Memorial Day Nepal
Freethinkers Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/freethinkers-day/
Curmudgeons Day https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/curmudgeons-day/
More about Jan 29 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_29
Climate Change
Data melt Trump’s cooling, ice claims
President Donald Trump’s description of the climate on planet Earth doesn’t quite match what data show and scientists say.
https://apnews.com/4a89b1accf89460097fb52fb7e307f90/AP-FACT-CHECK:-Data-melt-Trump’s-cooling,-ice-claims
National
Banks slash coal loans by 50 per cent as investor pressure mounts
http://www.theage.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/banks-slash-coal-loans-by-50-per-cent-as-investor-pressure-mounts-20180125-p4yyvo.html
Victoria
Thousands hit by power cuts as temperature soars
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/hotter-and-more-humid-melbourne-is-about-to-get-very-muggy-20180127-h0pbxn.html
Heat busters swoop to help native bats in the heat
http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/heat-busters-swoop-to-help-native-bats-in-the-heat-20180128-p4yyyq.html
Small parties could be big players after this year’s Victorian election
Richard Willingham
Victorian voters elected an unstable Upper House in 2014, giving minor parties the power to call at least some of the shots, and there’s reason to think the crossbench will play an even bigger part after this year’s poll
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-28/victorian-upper-house-minor-parties-big-players-2018-election/9364702
New South Wales
Manly Sea Life Sanctuary closes its doors after 55 years
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/manly-sea-life-sanctuary-closes-its-doors-after-55-years-20180128-h0pjy4.html
‘The northern beaches is choking’: Bushfire risks worry residents
http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/bushfire-risks-of-new-suburb-on-sydneys-northern-beaches-worries-residents-20180125-h0oe47.html
NSW lags in the war on polluting plastic bags
SMH editorial
The British Prime Minister, Theresa May, has declared war on plastic waste. In a recent speech, Mrs May said she hoped to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste in England within 25 years.
http://www.smh.com.au/comment/smh-editorial/nsw-lags-in-the-war-on-polluting-plastic-bags-20180128-h0phrn.html
Queensland
Dozens of Cairns and Far North Queensland tour operators pledge to never use straws again
Plastic straws are likely to become an endangered species on board the Far Norths reef fleet, with dozens of tour operators pledging never to use straws again
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/dozens-of-cairns-and-far-north-queensland-tour-operators-pledge-to-never-use-plastic-straws-again-for-sake-of-great-barrier-reef/news-story/a13169d09055ff50466a9feba91e9df6
Cairns Regional Council to join Queensland climate change coalition
Cairns Regional Council will today join with three other Queensland councils to take more action to reduce greenhouse emissions.
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/news/cairns/cairns-regional-council-to-join-queensland-climate-change-coalition/news-story/cb11ccda108fa377b3e95d46054d8c32
Queensland flying foxes travel hundreds of kilometres for finest flowers
http://www.smh.com.au/queensland/queensland-flying-foxes-travel-hundreds-of-kilometres-for-finest-flowers-20180128-p4yyyu.html
South Australia
South Australians are feeling less safe on public transport according to new Productivity Commission report
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/south-australians-are-feeling-less-safe-on-public-transport-according-to-new-productivity-commission-report/news-story/84241b4810fd4087d0215a3ca711f613
SA Election 2018: SA Liberals to push for hotel on old mine in Innes National Park
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sa-election/sa-election-2018-sa-liberals-to-push-for-hotel-on-old-mine-in-innes-national-park/news-story/fdf8da1ee1ef4c3f2cb89c2c29f920aa
Bushfire threat eases near Adelaide
Lives and homes are no longer at risk from a bushfire near Adelaide but authorities are warning residents with respiratory conditions to stay indoors.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/breaking-news/outofcontrol-bushfire-near-adelaide/news-story/27c8576753b11c30f7b6aea30ff84020
Widen Port Adelaide’s shipping channel or the area will die
Evan Knapp
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/evan-knapp-widen-port-adelaides-shipping-channel-or-the-area-will-die/news-story/d73517818161d5e3a630a4e6be33cf45
Easy being green when you are playing politics
Caleb Bond
Power to the people was once a slogan thrown around by young types with long hair, smelly armpits and a taste for lentils. Now, it just means people want their lights to turn on.
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/opinion/caleb-bond-easy-being-green-when-you-are-playing-politics/news-story/8d06778ccb77bf75c8e1bc8afc8a0b36
Tasmania
Greens to focus on more than wilderness
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/5194039/greens-to-focus-on-more-than-wilderness/?cs=95
Anger as Mount Wellington Cableway Company calls off community forum
http://www.themercury.com.au/business/mount-wellington-cableway-company-postpones-community-forum/news-story/ea09daa629222f61089cb43f3cf18bfb
A wild ride for animal carers
Tasmania is well known for its wildlife in particular the charismatic devil, the shy spotted quoll, the extinct tiger. Marketing materials emblazoned with images of these species are helping to drive the booming tourism sector.
http://www.themercury.com.au/lifestyle/tasweekend-a-wild-ride-for-animal-carers/news-story/6f473dd877c11e8c146883d47966d951
Councils step up in Cities Power Partnership
Lesley Hughes
http://www.examiner.com.au/story/5188715/councils-step-up-in-cities-power-partnership/?cs=97
Northern Territory
Powerful storm creates trail of destruction in Darwin CBD
IT was a calm lull during a week marked by wild bursts of monsoonal squalls, rolling thunder and flash flooding.
http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/powerful-storm-creates-trail-of-destruction-in-darwin-cbd/news-story/bc0c510420371854e47e774180384e3d
Heavy rain and wild weather set to continue for Top End residents
http://www.ntnews.com.au/news/heavy-rain-and-wild-weather-set-to-continue-for-top-end-residents/news-story/42fc59eb9bf71d1f15b4af3fbe55112a
Sustainability
For Christians, the green revolution is stalling — and politics may be why
https://religionnews.com/2018/01/26/for-christians-the-green-revolution-is-stalling-and-politics-may-be-why/
The top five oil and gas trends for 2018
http://www.theage.com.au/business/the-economy/the-top-five-oil-and-gas-trends-for-2018-20180125-p4yyw8.html
Hawaii’s false alarm: we’re right to question our safety from nuclear annihilation
Smriti Keshari
Six decades after nuclear tests ended in Australia, the weapons still cast a shadow on our landscape.
https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/hawaiis-false-alarm-were-right-to-question-our-safety-from-nuclear-annihilation-20180126-h0p0yv.html
Maelor Himbury