Radioactive water from the stricken nuclear plant in Fukushima should be released into the ocean or vaporized into the air, an expert panel advised the Japanese government on Friday.

Australia was bracing for a heatwave to sweep across the country's fire-ravaged southeast in the coming days, with the forecast stoking fears the soaring temperatures could inflame bushfires.

Teen eco warrior Greta Thunberg said Wednesday she has registered both her own name and her "Fridays For Future" global protest movement as trademarks in order to prevent them from being hijacked for fraudulent purposes. 

Forced to "live without water, in the 21st century, in a European Union country": Bulgarian Yana Stoyanova is not bemoaning climate change, but the incompetence of the authorities which has left some 100,000 people with an acute water shortage.

If you take public transport, cycle or walk in Vienna, you stand to gain more than fresh air and exercise, with the city unveiling an app on Monday to reward car-free travel with free concert and museum tickets.

Teenage activist Greta Thunberg on Friday said activists' calls on the corporate and political elite at Davos to seriously fight climate change had been "completely ignored", but vowed not to be subdued by stinging personal criticism from the Trump administration.

The 50th edition of the annual Swiss Alps forum wrapped up with the menace of climate change -- which UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres warned could leave humanity "doomed" -- hammered into the minds of participants but doubt over whether any concrete action would be forthcoming.

The world is losing the war against climate change, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres told business leaders at the Davos forum, urging rapid action to prevent humanity being doomed.

A Dutch foundation said Thursday it had launched a "joint action" in France against carmaker Volkswagen as part of a European bid for damages for millions of car owners duped in an emissions cheating scheme.

The death toll from a storm that has lashed Spain rose to four on Wednesday after the body of a man was found in a flooded area, officials said.

US President Donald Trump took aim on Tuesday at the "perennial prophets of doom" on the environment, telling the annual Davos forum that warnings of climate crisis were "foolish".

In a keynote speech to the 50th World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort, Trump touted fossil fuels, deregulation and a booming US economy -- a message in stark contrast to the dire warnings delivered by teenage campaigner Greta Thunberg and others.