TV News LIES

Thanks to the dire condition of the Earth's coral reefs, the planet has now reached its first tipping point for human-caused climate change, according to a new report by scientists in Europe.

The second Global Tipping Points Report, released Oct. 13, said warm-water coral reefs – on which nearly 1 billion people and a quarter of all marine life depend – are "passing their tipping point."

According to the report, widespread coral dieback is taking place and – unless global warming is reversed – extensive reefs as we know them will be lost, although small refuges may survive and must be protected.

What is a 'tipping point'?

A “tipping point” occurs when a small change tips a system into a new state, causing significant and long-term transformation. With the climate, these points of no return are specific moments when the planet has warmed so much that certain effects become irreversible.

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A deadly tornado that tore across North Dakota this summer has been upgraded to an EF-5, the strongest kind of tornado and the first one to attain that classification on US soil in 12 years.

The tornado on 20 June in Enderlin caused significant damage across the region and killed three people. The tornado touched down on the ground for just over 12 miles (19km), and at its largest, was 1.05 miles wide (1.69km).

Meteorologists from the National Weather Service (NWS) in Grand Forks estimated that the tornado had winds in excess of 210 miles per hour (338 kilometers per hour), according to an agency analysis released on Monday. An EF-5 tornado is one with winds greater than 200 miles per hour.

“In the last kind of 12 years, there’s been several strong tornadoes that have come close, but there haven’t been known damage indicators at that time to support the EF-5 rating,” said Melinda Beerends, meteorologist in charge at the NWS office in Grand Forks. “It’s hard sometimes to get tornadoes to hit something.”

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Dr Jane Goodall, who died today at 91, devoted her life to the study and conservation of chimpanzees and the other great apes.

Through her pioneering new ways to study them, Goodall discovered that chimps used tools, created complex societies and could be so aggressive they could even kill one another.

This suggested that chimps and humans are likely to have common ancestors - and was ground-breaking information.

Goodall’s work made waves amongst her fellow researchers, and the public enthusiastically responded to her revelations.

The idea that chimps and humans were related spurred debates about what it means to be human, inspiring a rethink on animal rights. Her books were so widely read that when one of Jane’s subjects Flo died in 1972, The Sunday Times ran an obituary.

Goodall remained active until the days before her death, engaged on a speaking tour of the US, and travelled the world widely to discuss her life and campaign to better understand the natural world.

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The Department of Energy has told employees to avoid using certain words, including "climate change," "green" and "sustainable," according to an internal email sent to staff and obtained by NPR.

The details of the email were first reported by Politico. It was sent to employees of the Energy Department's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, which is the largest federal funder of clean energy technology. The office supports research about how to build homes and cars more efficiently, and it helps fund research about renewable energy, including solar and wind power, hydrogen fuel cell technology and geothermal energy. It had a budget of $3.46 billion in fiscal year 2023.

The Energy Department denies that its employees were told to avoid using specific terms. "There is no directive at the Energy Department instructing employees to avoid using phrases such as 'climate change' or 'emissions.' President Trump and Secretary Wright remain committed to transparency and fostering an open, honest dialogue about climate science," Department of Energy press secretary Ben Dietderich wrote in response to questions from NPR.

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On a quiet street near the marsh in Charleston, South Carolina’s Rosemont neighborhood, Luvenia Brown watches the weather reports more than she used to. She’s lost lawn mowers, bikes and outdoor furniture to the rising waters that have repeatedly crept into her yard.

Brown’s home is elevated, so the water hasn’t reached the interior. Not yet. But she’s deeply worried about what the future will bring.

“If the water continues rising the way it is, I don’t want to be here,” said Brown, 58, who works as a medical driver. “I love my area. But I think my life is more important.”

Just a half mile to the south, a massive new development – expected to bring stores, offices and 4,000 homes – is springing up. Brown worries that all the new concrete and pavement will only make flooding where she lives worse.

Charleston is one of the nation’s fastest-growing cities – and one of the most flood-prone. As climate change prompts sea levels to rise and storms to grow more intense, this historic city has become a warning bell for what’s to come along America’s coasts: Some neighborhoods will retreat and others will be protected, and still others – often lower-income communities – may be left behind.

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The National Hurricane Center is tracking systems in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans on Saturday, Sept. 6.

Hurricane Kiko is holding its own in the Central Pacific Ocean, but a tropical wave moving westward across the Atlantic Ocean continues to look less and less impressive.

Hurricane Kiko – maintaining sustained winds of 140-mph – is expected to begin weakening over the weekend but could still retain hurricane strength on Sept. 8 as it approaches waters to the north of the Hawaiian Islands, the National Hurricane Center said.

The state of Hawaii issued an emergency declaration on Sept. 5, an administrative action government agencies often take before tropical storms, hurricanes and other impending weather disasters. Such declarations pave the way for emergency measures and resources that allow officials to respond quickly during emergencies.

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