Beijing's mayor, Wang Anshun, has called the city "unliveable" because of its noxious smog, according to state media. "To establish a first-tier, international, liveable and harmonious city, it is very important to establish a system of standards, and Beijing is currently doing this," he said last Friday, according to the China Youth Daily newspaper. "At the present time, however, Beijing is not a liveable city."
Anshun's speech came days before the market research company Euromonitor International announced, in its findings on theglobal tourism market in 2013, that tourism to Beijing had declined by 10% from the year before due to pollution and a countrywide economic slowdown. The company's top 100 city destination rankings, released on Tuesday, ranked Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok in its top three spots, followed by London and Paris. Beijing ranked 34th, in between Johannesburg and Sofia, Bulgaria.
These lakes may look like they are full of bizarre floating sea creatures, but they are actually filled with thousands of frozen bubbles.
Snapped across Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada, the natural wonders are made of highly flammable gas methane.
The gas - emitted by bacteria after they consume dead organic matter - is fairly harmless, but these bubbles can cause an explosion if lit.
Paul Zizka, 35, tracked down the natural phenomenon, which he photographed at Lake Minnewanka, the Vermillion Lake and Abraham Lake.
Abraham Lake is the most commonly-photographed spot for the spectacular sight.
But adventure-loving Mr Zizka, who loves to explore, revealed Lake Minnewanka offers rival views - but is just a little trickier to get to.
He said: 'All three lakes are ever-changing, cover wide areas and provide endless possibilities for the keen landscape photographer. They are magical places to explore and I find myself returning to them often. The methane bubbles depicted in the photographs have generated a lot of buzz primarily on social media. Many people have never seen the phenomenon before. People marveled at the beauty of them and wondered what they really were.'
Comment: It is looking increasingly likely that electrical discharges may be causing recent strange phenomena, such as these glowing lights over the 'ring of fire' perhaps caused by the ignition of leaking methane which may also be contributing to the discovery of thousands of dead fish which is becoming more common and unusual whale behaviour.
Could increasing electrical interaction with different charge layers of the atmosphere (see Earth Changes and the Human-Cosmic Connection) ignite larger plumes of escaping methane in the future? Another manifestation of 'fire in the sky' perhaps?
The Pacific Marine Mammal Center will release a recently nursed-back-to-health sea lion back into the ocean at Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach Tuesday.
The center usually doesn't see any ill sea lions washing ashore this time of the year, but already more than two dozen have needed treatment by the only licensed agency in the county.
At most, two or three might end up on the beach and need a rescue, but the center has taken in 28 this month while 13 sea lion pups washed ashore in December, Executive Director Keith Matassa said.
Further alarming the center's experts is an influx of varying species, Matassa added.
"The difference this year is we're also seeing different species we don't normally see down here," Matassa said.
A hailstorm that hit mainly south central Ivaiporã on Sunday night killed about 300 birds, including sparrows and doves.
According to information from the Environmental Secretariat, the hailstorm was located between the Plaza Henry Portelinha, near the Bank Brazil,on Bible Square, close to the bus station and Rio Grande Street South, near the State Barboza Ferraz College.
At first there was a suspicion of environmental crime, which was dismissed by Secretary of Environment Jayme Ayres, moreover, the birds were badly hurt. "We talked with the population living here in this region and they confirmed the hailstorm yesterday (Sunday) at about 23 hours. The dead birds were found only where the hail occurred. "
According to Ayres, just before the hail there was a strong wind that frightened the birds. "Frightened by the wind, they went looking for another shelter. It was when there was a hailstorm which ended up killing the birds, "said Ayres.
Richard Davies floodlist.com Wed, 28 Jan 2015 12:12 UTC
@OPDABLE1
Known victims have been rescued, @OPDABLE1 is heading back for fuel & returning to recon for more victims.
8:20 AM - 27 Jan 2015
A one-mile long ice jam is moving down the Platte River in Nebraska has caused flooding near Two Rivers State Park, about 30 miles west of Omaha.
Authorities have rescued five people and pets from the floods and ice. Three of the victims are thought to have been in their vehicle when it became trapped in flood waters. Around 20 residents have evacuated the area.
The National Weather Service in Omaha said:
Ice jam flooding along the Platte River in southwestern Douglas, western Sarpy county, and eastern Saunders counties. Warning in effect.
They predict that jam will move towards the South Bend area, just west of Louisville.
Bill Gardner The Telegraph Thu, 29 Jan 2015 12:09 UTC
An earthquake measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale has struck in the East Midlands.
The UK's second major quake in 48 hours struck in Rutland at around 10:25pm at a depth of around 10 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.
According to residents, the tremor shook houses in the village of Cottesmore and the surrounding area. Jonathan Agnew, the BBC cricket correspondent who lives nearby, tweeted: "The earth just moved in the Vale. I mean seriously. Anyone else feel it?"
Others posted photographs of framed pictures hanging on the walls slightly askew to show the aftermath of the earthquake.
Sally Smart wrote: "Earthquake wow that was a biggen!! Thought a truck was coming through the house #adrenalinepumping."
The British Geological Survey (BGS) said: "Just looking into reports of a possible earthquake in the Leics/Rutland area. Watch this space."
Rutland is becoming something of an earthquake hotspot after three tremors were reported in two weeks last April.
The 66th megamouth shark ever seen washed ashore this morning in Marigondon, a port in the Albay province of the Philippines. Initial reports suggest the shark (Megachasma pelagios) was approximately five metres (16 ft.) in length, but until a necropsy can be performed, the finer details about the animal (including the cause of death) will remain a mystery. Sightings like this are rare ... so rare, in fact, that when the first megamouth was spotted in 1976, a new shark family, genus and species had to be created!
These bizarre deep-diving animals are characterised by their bulbous snouts, loose skin, poorly calcified skeletons and (of course) their mega-mouths, which extend upward beyond the eyes. Only two living specimens have ever been studied by researchers, so every find is a big deal for science.
The Authoritarian Follower believes that those in authority have the right to live by their own rules, and lying, cheating, stealing and murder in high places can thus be tolerated with a shrug of the shoulders. They will also willingly engage themselves in the same lying, cheating, stealing and murder if it is presented to them as necessary to protect their status quo.
- Laura Knight-Jadczyk
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