1. New Zealand tax proposal to be carbon neutral by 2050

On Tuesday, Oct. 11, New Zealand’s government proposed taxing all greenhouse gasses emitted from farm animals, burping and excrements, as a way to reduce climate change. 

Farmers are pushing back on a New Zealand government proposal to tax the greenhouse gasses that farm animals produce as part of a plan to tackle climate change. https://t.co/cB6EQF6Xz2

— The Associated Press (@AP) October 11, 2022

There are roughly 10 million beef and dairy cattle and 26 million sheep compared to the five million people there. About half of the greenhouse gas emissions from New Zealand come from their farms, the Associated Press reported. 

“Farmers are already experiencing the impact of climate change with more regular drought and flooding,” said Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor. “Taking the lead on agricultural emissions is both good for the environment and our economy.”

The Government has pledged to make New Zealand carbon neutral by 2050. This plan requires farmers to pay for the emissions by 2025. 

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2. A pumpkin from Minnesota won this year’s weigh-off

🎃 Gourd news: There's a new giant pumpkin in town.

A Minnesota teacher set a record for the biggest one grown in North America — weighing in at 2,560 pounds.https://t.co/XO31L4YVV6

— NPR (@NPR) October 11, 2022

On Monday, Oct. 10, the Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off occurred, where the winning pumpkin weighed 2,560 pounds. 

Travis Gienger, the winning pumpkin owner and horticulture teacher from Minnesota, also won in 2020 with the pumpkin weighing 2,350 pounds. The 2022 winner weighs 200 pounds less than the current Guinness World Record holder weighing in at 2,703 pounds.

“In times like that, people gravitate toward things that bring them a smile on their face,” Tim Beeman, a spokesman for the weigh-off, told NPR. “People derive that from pumpkins — whether it’s carving a pumpkin or eating pumpkin pie or seeing a 2,500-pound pumpkin wheeled in on a forklift.”

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3. Female Italian astronaut speaks to young girls accompanied by lookalike Barbie

Samantha Cristoforetti, a 45-year-old Italian astronaut, is the first European female on the International Space Station spoke to young girls from Inspiring Girls International accompanied by a lookalike Barbie doll. 

ICYMI: The first European female commander of the International Space Station, Italian astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti took part in a Q&A session with young girls, accompanied by a lookalike Barbie doll https://t.co/InwESwv9C4 pic.twitter.com/avIZ0nKqo7

— Reuters (@Reuters) October 9, 2022

As Cristoforetti answered young girls’ questions, Cristoforetti and her Barbie floated in zero gravity. The lookalike Barbie was designed in 2019 and debuted in 2021. 

“And then I became interested in science and technology; and then I really loved flying, I became a pilot. And being an astronaut kind of brings all those passions and interests of me together,” Christoforetti told Reuters.

Excerpts of the conversations were released on Monday, Oct. 10 as Tuesday, Oct. 11 starts World Space Week. 

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