Latest news with #DRS
North Wales Live
17 hours ago
- General
- North Wales Live
Wales' highest mountain risks becoming a 'deathtrap for animals'
Wales' highest mountain has become a 'reverse vending machine' in which dropped or discarded litter is killing local wildlife, a campaigner has claimed. Dom Ferris, founder of Trash Free Trails (TTT), spoke out as climbing experts prepare to scale inaccessible areas of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) to remove 'waterfalls' of rubbish. The Big Clean Up Yr Wyddfa returns tomorrow (Thursday, July 31) to tackle an issue that's been blighting the mountain for decades. Some litter, blown from the peak, has collected in steep gullies that are too dangerous to be reached by anyone other than specialist climbers. Everything from sleeping bags to drink cans have steadily accumulated in the Trinity Gullies on the northeast side of Yr Wyddfa. Looking like streams of rubbish cascading down from the peak, it's thought some items may have been there for 100 years. Tomorrow morning, a team of climbers will catch the first train on the Snowdon Mountain Railway, Llanberis. They will then abseil down a cliff face to reach the gullies on Clogwyn Y Garnedd. The team will have been briefed by Plantlife Cymru to limit the damage to rare Alpine plants, some of which have become established within the waste streams. Ecologist Robbie Blackhall-Miles said microplastic pollution is having 'serious impacts' on the mountain's fragile ecosystem. Yr Wyddfa's littering, and the damage it causes, is being used to underpin calls for Deposit Return Schemes (DRS), where people bring back used drinks containers. TTT's Dom Ferris said the group's research has shown that a fifth of animal interactions with litter ends in death. 'Our volunteers are increasingly finding examples of this occurring when an animal gets trapped inside a bottle or can,' he said. 'We know from European case studies that a DRS can eradicate a whole category of litter from our trails overnight. Why are we allowing beloved hiking spots such as Snowdon to be the alternative to a reverse vending machine?' The three-day clean-up, organised by the British Mountaineering Council (BMC), ends on Saturday, August 2. On that day, 40 volunteer walkers will hike up the Pyg Track to the upper Glaslyn bowl above Llyn Glaslyn, the lake beneath the Trinity Gullies. There, they will analyse and bag up litter removed by the climbers. Launched last year, the 2024 event saw 2,765 items of litter removed by climbers and volunteers. Analysis showed: 62% of items removed were single-use products More than 800 plastic water bottles were collected Lucozade, Red Bull, Coca Cola and Monster were the most common brands removed from the Trinity Wall gullies and the popular Miner's Path. Tom Carrick, BMC access and conservation officer for Wales, said gullies beneath the peak were natural debris traps. 'We're not talking about deliberate fly-tipping,' he said. 'Rubbish can be dropped accidentally by anyone, however careful they are, and blown away into these gullies. 'It's important to emphasise that everyone is welcome in the outdoors and the vast majority of the 600,000 people visiting Yr Wyddfa each year have great respect for the mountains and the environment – they would never dream of discarding any litter on purpose.' Also on Saturday, the BMC will have an information tent at Pen-y-Pass, a popular starting point for Yr Wyddfa ascents. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox Visitors can take part in a 'rubbish raffle' or 'trail clean bingo cards' with the chance of winning Deuter backpacks – awarded for picking the most litter or having the 'most single-use-plastic-free lunches'.
Indian Express
3 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
WCL 2025 Points Table: South Africa lead World Championship of Legends standings; India placed last
World Championship of Legends 2025 Standings: With the World Championship of Legends (WCL) moving to its business end, the race for the semifinal spot intensifies as three out of the four berths have been confirmed with just two more league games remaining. Leading the charts are South Africa Champions, led by AB de Villiers, who have won four out of their five league matches. Their only loss came against Pakistan Champions, who sit second with three wins in their four games. South Africa Champions have eight points while Pakistan Champions have seven as their league game against India was called off and ended in a no result. Earlier, the India Champions vs Pakistan Champions match was cancelled by the organisers after several India Champions stars called for a boycott of their opening contest in the tournament. Former India opener Shikhar Dhawan announced his decision not to feature in the match in Birmingham late on Saturday through social media, owing to the geopolitical conflicts that have arisen post the Pahalgam terror attacks in April this year. The Yuvraj Singh-led India Champions are having a horrendous tournament, with the side reeling at the bottom of the WCL points table with three losses in four games, with the solitary point coming in from the no-result game against Pakistan. India lost their match against South Africa by 88 runs in a rain-curtailed match by the DRS method. Then they went on to lose by four wickets against Australia Champions before being handed a 23-run loss by England Champions. Australia Champions, with two wins and one no-result game, have also advanced to the knockout stages of WCL 2025. The Men in Blue can still qualify for the semifinal if they beat the West Indies Champions by a huge margin in their last league game. Australia will take on Pakistan in the other league match. (Table updated after India Champions vs England Champions League match on Sunday, July 27)
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
England vs India: Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Washington Sundar vs Ben Stokes & Co – the story of a riveting first session on Day 5
KL Rahul and Shubman Gill lie on white beach towels on the Old Trafford turf, stretching their limbs for what they expect to be a long day ahead. As if they needed reminding, an early bird Indian fan from the empty stands lets out a shout that is unsolicited advice – 'Poore din khelna hai (Have to play the whole day)'. They don't even turn back, but move on to face a few throw-downs from the trainers. Soon they are at the crease to play what is being called the crucial couple of hours that would decide the Test and the series. This first session was to determine the outcome of the match and series. India would lose Rahul in the first half hour of the first session and Gill in the last before lunch. But it was an intriguing session of ups and downs. There were plots, sub-plots, tactics, counter-tactics. There were aches, pains and heart-breaks too. 11 am: (India – 174/2 in 63 overs, trailing by 137 runs) The talk about Ben Stokes nursing a hamstring injury and not being able to bowl on the final day was either a rumour or the England skipper pulling a Novak Djokovic on the world. Stokes didn't bowl on Saturday but on the fifth morning was a different beast. After left-arm spinner Liam Dawson bowled an over, he was taking off his woollens and cap and would bowl the most challenging over of the innings. This wasn't going to be an easy morning for Rahul and Gill. Stokes is sticking to the plain vanilla fifth-day bowling plan – aim for the stumps and leave it to the wear and tear of the pitch to change the trajectory of the ball. He is bowling from the old pavilion end with a few patches of dirty rough outside the right-hander's off-stump. Gill pokes at one ball and misses. He goes for a walk towards square-leg for atonement. Soon, he has to bring his bat hastily down as a Stokes ball keeps terribly low. Another walk to square-leg to take his mind off this wicked surface. He tries to hit straight but can't reach the boundary line. Finally, it is a Stokes ball on the legs that gets Gill, and India, the day's first four. At the other end, Rahul is facing Dawson – the busy-looking spinner who computers say is getting much more drift and turn than he did on Saturday. Stokes has surrounded Rahul with fielders, there is pressure on him. The opener sweeps and misses, the ball passes close to the bat. England think he is caught behind, DRS shows Rahul isn't. No reviews left for England, they have exhausted their quota. After bowling his menacing overs, Stokes keeps feeling his shoulder blade. He seems to be in trouble but only when he is not bowling. With an alleged dodgy shoulder and suspected hamstring strain, the England captain's dependence on the pitch to get wickets works. Rahul is beaten by a nip-backer that stays low. He starts walking even before the umpire raises his finger. He and Gill were together for close to 70 overs, they were supposed to take India home. Indians prayed they would stay on the pitch all day. The partnership was broken in the first half an hour. 11.30: India – 188/3, 71 overs, trailing by 123 runs The Gill vs Stokes battle is getting intense. The captains aren't giving up. The end from which Stokes is bowling is getting dangerous for right-handers – the rough outside off is getting diabolical. Stokes is bending his back, he knows England now have an opportunity to end this quickly. He virtually takes Gill out with a ball that climbs on him out of nowhere. The ball hits the Indian captain's fingers and ricochets to the side of the head. Such is the power of the blow that Gill almost tumbles on the stumps. He gathers himself and stays on his feet only to realise the pain of his injured fingers. He throws away the gloves, shakes his hand vigorously. The physio runs in to attend to him, the captain is now batting with a bandage. India's injury list keeps getting longer. Making. Things. Happen. Ben Stokes gets one to jag back, stay low and KL Rahul is gone for 90. 🇮🇳 1️⃣8️⃣8️⃣-3️⃣ — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 27, 2025 It's not easy out there. Survival is getting difficult and Stokes, despite his aches and pains, is ready to put his foot on India's throat. After the ball that flew off the pitch and threw up a puff of dust, another one keeps low. Gill just about keeps it out of the stumps. Stokes is now feeling his glutes, lower back and, of course, his shoulder blade. But he is trying to get a grip on the game and Dawson from the other end is keeping things tight. It's all working for England. 12:00: India – 193/3 in 76 overs, trailing by 118 runs Gill and Washington Sundar come up with a plan to negotiate the England bowlers and the dirt-patches on the pitch. So the left-hander Washington takes on Stokes as the channel outside his off-stump is fairly true. The bounce from that part of the pitch is more predictable. It works for a while but rotating strike comes with its own set of problems. Gill refuses a single, there is almost a mix-up between the two. 𝙒𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙙𝙧𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙮 𝙥𝙪𝙧𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙚, #ShubmanGill crafted a heroic century to keep Indian's momentum going! 🔥#ENGvIND 👉 4th TEST, DAY 5 | LIVE NOW on JioHotstar 👉 — Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) July 27, 2025 Challenge No.2 awaits India, the new ball is due. At 12.20, Chris Woakes is ready to have another go with the shining cherry. Ironically, Gill, the No.4, for the second time in this innings, is facing Woakes's first over. Washington almost edges the third ball to slip, just like Jaiswal had done. The Indian section of the crowd cheers wildly as Gill hits Archer's first ball, a long hop, for four. He's in his 90s. Soon Old Trafford stands, the Indian captain raises his bat to reach his 100, kisses his bat and looks to the sky. The celebration is short, there's a lot to do. 12:30: India – 206/3 in 83 overs, trailing by 105 Archer has settled now, is hitting the right spots and getting swing too. He is constantly testing Gill with in-swingers. Gill is playing this smartly, tracing the ball, moving with it and presenting a dead bat. There is chat among experts that the Dukes ball starts talking after a few overs. Washington is growing confident, he is knocking the ball around. He scores three straight 3s, the scoreboard is ticking. Jofra Archer gets the BIG wicket of Shubman Gill 👊 India four down! 🇮🇳 2️⃣2️⃣3️⃣-4️⃣ — England Cricket (@englandcricket) July 27, 2025 And when it was thought India was recovering and a classic Test was unfolding, Gill has a misjudgement. Expecting that Archer would keep bringing the ball into him, he is foxed by a ball that went straight. He followed the ball, edged it and was caught behind. Across Old Trafford, hope died. 'It is just a matter of time,' Ben Duckett could be heard saying from the stump mike. It sounded true. 1:00 (Lunch) – 223/4 in 89 overs, trailing by 68
Mint
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Mint
Max Verstappen pips Oscar Piastri to secure win in Belgian GP sprint race; powers Red Bull's new era
Max Verstappen delivered a commanding performance at the Belgian Grand Prix sprint race, securing a significant victory for Red Bull in their first race without Christian Horner as team principal. The reigning world champion pipped McLaren's Oscar Piastri on the opening lap and fended off both Piastri and teammate Lando Norris to claim the win. This win marked Red Bull's first non-Horner-led triumph since 2005, setting an optimistic start for the team under new leadership. Max Verstappen's race began with a critical move at Turn 5, where he capitalized on a slipstream down the Kemmel Straight to overtake Piastri after the La Source hairpin. 'The start was the only opportunity we had against them, and we got it,' Verstappen said post-race." 'It was playing cat and mouse with DRS and battery usage. The whole race was within seven tenths, so I couldn't afford to make big mistakes,' he added. The sprint format, a shorter 15-lap race introduced in 2021, awards points to the top eight finishers. Verstappen earned eight points, with Piastri taking seven and Norris securing six. This result saw Piastri extend his championship lead over Norris to nine points, while Verstappen remains 68 points behind the leader. The race marked the debut of Laurent Mekies as Red Bull's CEO and team principal, following Horner's departure two weeks ago. Mekies praised Verstappen's performance, saying, 'Very, very impressive defense, very well controlled. You didn't leave anything on the table there.' This victory will serve as a strong boost for Red Bull after a turbulent period. Despite losing the lead early, Oscar Piastri remained a constant threat, staying within seven-tenths of Verstappen for much of the race. His multiple attempts to use DRS on the Kemmel Straight fell short of a decisive overtake. Lando Norris, on the other hand, kept pace to secure third, ensuring McLaren remained competitive in the championship fight. The close battle among the top three highlighted the intense rivalry between Red Bull and McLaren. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc finished over seven seconds behind Verstappen, unable to challenge the leading trio. His teammate, Lewis Hamilton, struggled after a Q1 spin on Friday, finishing a disappointing 15th. Mercedes also faced challenges, with George Russell in 12th and Andrea Kimi Antonelli in 17th, leaving the team pointless in the sprint. Haas showed promise, with Esteban Ocon and Oliver Bearman finishing fifth and seventh, capitalizing on strong qualifying results. Williams' Carlos Sainz slotted between them in sixth, while Racing Bulls' rookie Isack Hadjar continued his breakout season with an eighth-place finish.
RTÉ News
6 days ago
- Business
- RTÉ News
1.6 billion bottles and cans returned through Deposit Return Scheme
The Irish public has returned over 1.6 billion bottles and cans through the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) since its launch in February 2024. New figures from Re-turn, the administrator of the scheme, show 798 million more containers are now being recycled each year compared to before the scheme began. Recycling rates have risen from just 49% to an estimated 91%. 76% of these containers are captured directly through the DRS and a further 15% collected via mixed dry recycling. "The Board is very encouraged by the strong performance and early impact of the scheme since its launch in February of last year," said Tony Keohane, Chair of the Board of Re-turn. "Re-turn has delivered a Deposit Return Scheme that is already achieving measurable environmental results and social impact, including the return of over 1.6 billion bottles and cans and a significant increase in Ireland's national recycling rate for drinks containers. "This has been driven by extraordinary collaboration across government, retailers, producers and the wider supply chain, and most importantly by the enthusiastic participation of the Irish public," he added. Ciaran Foley, CEO of Re-turn, said these latest recycling figures are far beyond what we had projected to achieve. "They speak to the commitment of the Irish people to sustainability and their desire to support the vision of a greener, cleaner Ireland," he said. "Additionally, the social impact of the scheme and the engagement with it from community groups across the country has exceeded any and all expectations. "Schools, clubs and charities all over Ireland have engaged with and utilised the scheme to raise funds for a wide variety of worthy causes," he pointed out.
