<p>China’s top steel-producing region Hebei province has surpassed its targeted cuts for this year in steel, coal, cement and glass, under efforts to cut air pollution and overcapacity, according to a Chinese media outlet. The local government has also cut coal capacity by 10.5 million tons and coke capacity by 8.08 million tons, during the same period. To further curb pollution during winter, Hebei will also limit steel and iron output by 50 percent in major producing cities.

<p>The Dutch company Boogaerdt Hout was found guilty of violating the EU Timber Regulation by placing illegal Burmese teak on the EU market. An investigation has revealed the company placed illegally sourced teak from Myanmar on the European market, prompting the Dutch Food and Safety Authority to rule the company in breach of the EU Timber Regulation. The EUTR is part of the EU’s Forest Law Enforcement Governance and Trade action plan and aims to reduce illegal logging by banning the sale of illicitly sourced timber and timber products in the EU.

<p>A new species of orangutan, Tapanuli orangutan, has been discovered in Indonesia. The apes in question were only reported to exist after an expedition into the remote mountain forests there in 1997. An analysis of a total 37 complete orangutan genomes has shown that these apes separated from their Bornean relatives less than 700,000 years ago. The new great ape will be added to the list of Critically Endangered species.