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East DR Congo grapples with Chinese gold mining firms

Italian priest Davide Marcheselli has been fighting for years against Chinese companies illegally mining gold in the town of Kitutu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.He says mining has spoilt the town which lies in South Kivu province, polluting rivers and destroying fields.Hundreds of foreign companies, most of them Chinese-owned, mine gold in the mineral-rich province …

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Picky protection rules hamper Swiss mushrooming craze

After suffocating Covid-19 restrictions, many embraced the call of the wild and the joys of foraging, but tightening Swiss biodiversity protection measures are infuriating growing hordes of mushroom-picking enthusiasts.The pandemic times “made people return to the forest”, said Jean-Michel Froidevaux, chairman of the Swiss Association of Official Mushroom Control Bodies, which regularly organises training sessions …

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More than food: Seoul gentrification threatens free meal centre

Before the Zaha Hadid-designed plaza, before the luxury high rises, before the South Korean neighbourhood hosted fashion week, there was a pastor handing out rice to poor pensioners in Seoul’s Dongdaemun district.But as land values in the rapidly gentrifying area have soared, Choi Il-do has found himself increasingly at odds with his new neighbours, who …

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