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US Halts Work on Huge, Nearly Complete Offshore Wind Farm

A wind turbine at the Suez Energy Project. (ACWA Power)
A wind turbine at the Suez Energy Project. (ACWA Power)
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US Halts Work on Huge, Nearly Complete Offshore Wind Farm

A wind turbine at the Suez Energy Project. (ACWA Power)
A wind turbine at the Suez Energy Project. (ACWA Power)

The US federal government on Friday ordered all construction be halted on a massive wind farm off the coast of Rhode Island that is 80 percent complete.

It was the latest in a series of orders blocking climate-friendly wind power from the administration of US President Donald Trump, who said on Thursday that "wind doesn't work."

The Revolution Wind project, which started construction last year after receiving all the necessary permits, is intended to power more than 350,000 homes in the US state of Rhode Island, according to its builder, Danish renewables firm Orsted.

Matthew Giacona, acting director of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), issued a letter on Friday ordering the project to "halt all ongoing activities" to allow time for a review.

"In particular, BOEM is seeking to address concerns related to the protection of national security interests in the United States," the letter read, without elaborating.

"You may not resume activities until BOEM" has completed the review, it added.

Orsted said in a statement it is "evaluating all options to resolve the matter expeditiously," including engaging in "potential legal proceedings."

The wind farm is 80 percent complete, with 45 of its planned 65 wind turbines installed, the company said, adding it hopes to finish the project by late next year.

The entire wind power sector has faced a major challenge in the US since Trump replaced renewables-friendly Joe Biden in the White House in January.

Trump has frozen federal permitting and loans for all offshore and onshore wind projects -- and repeatedly expressed his distaste for wind power.

"It destroys everything, it looks terrible, it's a very expensive form of energy -- and we're not doing the wind, we're going back to fossil fuel," Trump said in Washington on Thursday.

As the United States has been blocking and stalling wind power, China and Europe have been breaking records in their embrace of the green energy.

Orsted, once considered a success story, said last week it is planning to raise $9.4 billion by selling shares after the US setbacks.

Empire Wind, another massive wind power project off New York being constructed by Norway's Equinor, was also temporarily halted by the Trump administration in April.

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Varieties

Qassim Falcons Festival Concludes with Record Attendance

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA
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Qassim Falcons Festival Concludes with Record Attendance

Photo by SPA
Photo by SPA

The Qassim Falcons Festival concluded yesterday in Al-Asyah Governorate, with 675 falconers from various Arab countries and over 20,000 visitors and 15 local families attending, contributing to the festival’s economic and social activities, SPA reported.

This edition of the festival featured numerous competitions and programs that attracted falconry enthusiasts and reinforced its status as one of the region’s premier heritage events.

Varieties

Ethiopia Must Suspend Biggest Gold Mine over Toxic Chemicals

Mine workers stand underground at Gold Fields' South Deep mine, south-west of Johannesburg, South Africa October 12, 2022. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo
Mine workers stand underground at Gold Fields' South Deep mine, south-west of Johannesburg, South Africa October 12, 2022. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo
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Ethiopia Must Suspend Biggest Gold Mine over Toxic Chemicals

Mine workers stand underground at Gold Fields' South Deep mine, south-west of Johannesburg, South Africa October 12, 2022. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo
Mine workers stand underground at Gold Fields' South Deep mine, south-west of Johannesburg, South Africa October 12, 2022. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo

Work at Ethiopia's largest gold mine must be suspended to protect nearby children from the toxic chemicals it has released into the soil, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Thursday.

Operations at the Lega Dembi mine, around 500 kilometres (310 miles) south of the capital Addis Ababa, were halted by authorities in 2018 following protests from locals over pollution.

The government promised to reopen the mine only after environmental concerns had been addressed, but did so in 2021 "without public announcement" and "quashed publication of a government health study", said HRW in a statement.

The rights group said several studies had revealed high concentrations of toxic chemicals including cadmium, mercury, lead and arsenic.

Residents had "for years complained about serious health impacts, including children born with long-term health conditions, miscarriages, and stillbirths".

The campaign group urged the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, due to meet soon, to press Ethiopia to suspend mining operations and "ensure victims of abuse are provided effective remedy, including compensation, medical care, and access to justice".

The Ethiopian government did not respond to a request for comment from AFP.

Ethiopia, the continent's second most populous country with some 130 million inhabitants, is regularly criticised by NGOs for human rights abuses.

But mining is crucial to a country in which more than 40 percent live below the poverty line, with gold exports generating $2.1 billion in the first nine months of 2024, according to the latest figures from the mining ministry.

Varieties

ADHD in Childhood Can Increase the Risk of Physical Health Problems Later in Life

Symptoms of ADHD include excessive activity (Reuters)
Symptoms of ADHD include excessive activity (Reuters)
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ADHD in Childhood Can Increase the Risk of Physical Health Problems Later in Life

Symptoms of ADHD include excessive activity (Reuters)
Symptoms of ADHD include excessive activity (Reuters)

Having ADHD in childhood could increase the risk of physical health problems such as migraines, back problems, cancer, epilepsy and diabetes later in life.

That’s according to a study led by University College London (UCL) and University of Liverpool researchers that found people with ADHD traits at age 10 were more likely to have other physical health conditions by age 46, The Independent reported.

Around 3 million people in the UK have ADHD, a condition which impacts how people focus their attention. Individuals with ADHD can have high energy and an ability to focus intensely on what interests them, but they may find it difficult to focus on mundane tasks.

This can lead to more impulsiveness, restlessness, and differences in planning and time management, which may make it harder to succeed at school and work. Experts also now believe it could be increasing physical health problems later in life.

The authors of a new study have suggested poorer health outcomes can be partly explained by increased mental health problems, higher BMI and higher smoking rates among people with ADHD.
According to The Independent,

Professor Joshua Stott at UCL said: “All of these potential explanatory factors align with the fact that ADHD makes impulse control more difficult, the need for instant gratification and reward more intense, and is also associated with worse mental health in part due to the social disadvantage people with ADHD face.”

The study published in the journal JAMA Network Open analysed data from 10,930 participants of the UCL-led 1970 British Cohort Study.

ADHD traits were determined based on child behaviour questionnaires completed by parents and teachers when the study participants were 10 years old, regardless of whether they had ever been diagnosed with ADHD.

The researchers found that people with high scores on the index of ADHD traits at age 10 were more likely to have other health conditions by age 46, with 14 per cent higher odds of reporting two or more physical health problems such as migraine, back problems, cancer, epilepsy or diabetes.

Among those with high ADHD traits in childhood, 42 per cent had two or more health problems in midlife, compared to 37 per cent of those without high ADHD traits.

A study published last year by the same research group also found an apparent reduction in life expectancy for adults with diagnosed ADHD, although this was not part of the current study.

Lead author Dr Amber John, who began the research at UCL before moving to the University of Liverpool, said: “It’s important to note that people with ADHD are a diverse group, with a range of different strengths and experiences, and most will lead long, healthy lives.

“However, many face significant barriers to timely diagnosis and appropriate support. This is important because providing the right support for and meeting the needs of people with ADHD can help to improve their physical and mental health outcomes.”