Dakota pipeline ruled out

The US Army Corps of Engineers said yesterday it turned down a permit for a controversial pipeline project running through North Dakota, in a victory for Native Americans and climate activists who have protested against the project for several months. A celebration erupted at the main protest camp in Cannon Ball, North Dakota, where the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and others have been protesting the 1885km Dakota Access Pipeline for months. It may prove to be a short-lived victory, however, because Republican President-elect Donald Trump has stated that he supports the project. Trump takes over from Democratic President Barack Obama on January 20 and policy experts believe he could reverse the decision if he wanted to.The line had been complete except for a segment planned to run under Lake Oahe on the Missouri River.

Aussies’ racist warning

A United Nations anti-racism official has sounded concerns about populist Australian politicians fanning hostility against migrants.The special rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism Mutuma Ruteere also warned against changes to race laws opening the door to xenophobic hate speech. ‘‘I note with some concern that some populist politicians, cheered on by sections of mainstream media, continue to stereotype and fan hostility against certain categories of migrants,’’ he said yesterday.

Yo-yo dieting not good

Yo-yo dieting triggers a caveman response to famine that leads to inevitable weight gain, research suggests. A survival mechanism hardwired by evolution causes the brain to interpret repeated diets as periods of food scarcity. Between diets, its sends out signals telling the body to store more fat in case of future shortages.The study is based on observations of nature. Garden birds, such as robins, follow the same weight-gaining strategy in times of plenty. That is why they appear plumper in winter, when seeds and insects are harder to find.