Mercedes-Benz said on Thursday that the latest version of its least expensive sedan would be available first as an all-electric car and then as a hybrid. And the company will no longer sell a gasoline-only version of the car. That’s a big break from how Mercedes and other established carmakers have typically operated. Until recently, … Read more
Germany’s centrist politicians are losing votes to the far right and the far left. They are losing faith in America, their longtime friend and protector. And they are rapidly losing what could be their best chance to address both those problems at once. The German government in waiting, led by the likely next chancellor, Friedrich … Read more
In a barrage of pronouncements on Wednesday the Trump administration said it would repeal dozens of the nation’s most significant environmental regulations, including limits on pollution from tailpipes and smokestacks, protections for wetlands, and the legal basis that allows it to regulate the greenhouse gases that are heating the planet. But beyond that, Lee Zeldin, … Read more
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the nation’s premier agency for weather and climate science, has been told by the Trump administration to prepare to lose another 1,000 workers, raising concerns that NOAA’s lifesaving forecasts might be hindered as hurricane and disaster season approaches. The new dismissals would come in addition to the roughly 1,300 … Read more
The Environmental Protection Agency said that it was canceling $20 billion in grants for climate and clean energy programs that have been frozen for weeks, a move that was labeled illegal by nonprofit groups that were supposed to receive the funds. The money has been caught in an escalating controversy involving the E.P.A., the Justice … Read more
Breakthrough Energy, an umbrella organization funded by Bill Gates that works on a sprawling range of climate issues, announced deep cuts to its operations in an internal memo on Tuesday. Dozens of staff were cut, including Breakthrough Energy’s unit in Europe, its team in the United States working on public policy issues and most of … Read more
The Trump administration intends to eliminate Environmental Protection Agency offices responsible for addressing the disproportionately high levels of pollution facing poor communities, according to a memo from Lee Zeldin, the agency administrator. In the internal memo, viewed by The New York Times, Mr. Zeldin informed agency leaders that he was directing “the reorganization and elimination” … Read more
In a reprise of the first Trump administration, migratory birds are again facing weakened protections under federal law. The issue at hand: Should companies be held responsible if birds are killed accidentally, for example in oil spills or waste pits? The answer has ping-ponged back and forth in recent years under different interpretations of the … Read more
Bill Diller, a photographer living in Huron County, Mich., had never seen a snowy owl quite like this. In January, Mr. Diller’s neighbor told him about a “red-spotted snowy owl” in the area. It’s a part of Michigan known as “the Thumb,” which becomes home to many snowy owls in the winter. People were calling … Read more
A brief spell of sunny winter weather in California will come to an end this week with a series of storms cued up to bring snow and rain to parts of the state over the next few days. After a weak storm kicks off the week with light rain in Southern California, a stronger and … Read more