The Daily Populous

Tuesday August 19th, 2025 day edition

image for Sydney developer gets 'slap on the wrist' after illegally clearing hundreds of trees to build $3 million mansion

The 7-hectare site on David Road in Barden Ridge is owned by ACCS Family Holdings, whose sole director is Amir Abu Abara.

An estimated 600 trees were cleared at the site on David Road in Barden Ridge.

It also featured six bedrooms, eight bathrooms, multiple kitchens, a movie theatre, a prayer room, a man-cave and a library.

Mr Abara's land was part of a native wildlife corridor, home to the vulnerable powerful owl.

A spokesperson for the Woronora River Community Association told the ABC they were "horrified" with the punishment and described it as "inadequate".

Each offence attracts a maximum penalty for corporations of $5 million and $50,000 for each day the offence continues.

Sydney Water confirmed that work at the property also damaged wastewater infrastructure in January 2022, which the landowner paid to have repaired. »

Speaker Johnson vows to stop California’s redistricting push — but ignores Texas doing the same

Authored by independent.co.uk

House Speaker Mike Johnson says he plans to derail California’s proposed congressional map after Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled a proposal to redraw the state’s electoral boundaries.

“Newsom obviously wants to launch a presidential campaign on the backs of disenfranchised California voters, but it will not work.”.

Johnson said his office and the National Republican Congressional Committee will “use every measure and resource possible” to take on California. »

Wild Pigs Turn 'Neon Blue' in California, Triggering Warnings

Authored by sciencealert.com

Game hunters have found startlingly 'neon blue' flesh inside of wild pigs in California, triggering advisory statements on potential contamination.

Concerningly, this isn't the first time wild pigs in the region have had their innards tainted blue.

Wild pigs, hybrids between domestic pigs and wild boars, are omnivores that would eat both the poisoned rodents and the bait. »

Park ranger fired after helping drape a transgender pride flag on Yosemite's El Capitan

Authored by nbcnews.com

Yosemite National Park fired a park ranger last week for hanging a transgender pride flag on the park’s iconic El Capitan rock formation in May.

They said park leadership told them they “failed to demonstrate acceptable conduct” in their role by participating in the trans flag display.

A transgender flag hangs on the face of Yosemite National Park's iconic El Capitan rock formation in May. »

'Our position is clear:' Zelenskyy and EU dismiss ceding Ukrainian land to Russia

Authored by foxnews.com

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reiterated on Sunday that Kyiv will not surrender any territory to Moscow, pushing back against mounting international speculation about potential land-for-peace negotiations.

"The constitution of Ukraine makes it impossible to give up territory or trade land," Zelenskyy said during a press conference at the European Commission on Sunday.

Still, SSecretary of State Marco Rubio dismissed claims that Trump would pressure Zelenskyy to give up large swaths of its sovereign land to Russia. »