Storms
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Snowflake Cold

Tokyo paralyzed by second major snow storm in a week: worst in 45 years

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Heavy snow fell on Tokyo for the second this time week, forcing some companies to cancel work and send their employees home. Nissan Motor Co.'s Yokohama office asked its employees to head home early because snow has already impeded plane and railway services.

The Japan Meterological Agency said to prepare for as much as 10 centimeters, or 4 inches, of snowfall within the next 24 hours in Tokyo. Just last weekend, a record 24 centimeters of snow fell on the Japanese capital. Broadcasting company NHK reported that the amount of snow over the weekend was worst snowfall to hit the city in 45 years. Train and plane services were paralyzed because of the snow, leaving many commuters stranded. While ANA Holdings Inc. and Japan Airlines Co., had to cancel 138 domestic and international flights, while six lines from the East Japan Railway Co. were stopped from running. On the other hand, bullet trains such as those from Central Japan Railway Co. were only delayed for up to 50 minutes, as wells as lines from West Japan Railway Co.

Due to the cancellation of 63 domestic flights by ANA, around 9,500 passengers were rendered helpless by the storm, according to Ryosei Nomura of ANA. The heavy snowfall also forced the closure of a runway at Nagoya airport because of the thick ice on the ground. Chris Keefe from Nissan Motor Co. asked employees to leave by 12:30 p.m on Friday because of the dangers heavy snowfall pose, such as slipping off the icy ground, lack of transportation, and roads closed to traffic because it's rendered impassable.

Cloud Lightning

Atlantic storm brings more misery to drenched Britain: heaviest rainfall in 250 years

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Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, helps with flood defenses on February 14, 2014 in Datchet, United Kingdom
Princes William and Harry rolled up their sleeves Friday to help out with flood defense efforts as Britain braces for another hammering Friday from a major storm off the Atlantic.

The princes showed up at 6 a.m. local time in the flood-hit village of Datchet, west of London.

The community is one of several in Berkshire and Surrey to have been hit by flooding in recent days after the River Thames burst its banks.

Nearly 6,000 homes have been inundated along the Thames Valley and elsewhere following England's wettest January in 2½ centuries.

Some communities in low-lying areas of Somerset, in southwest England, have been under water since December.

And there's no letup in sight just yet.

The Environment Agency has warned of more flooding along the Thames over the weekend as the river reaches its highest level in 60 years.

A powerful Atlantic storm that is blowing in on Friday will add to people's woes.

Cloud Lightning

Dolphins, seals and birds killed in storm onslaught in Cornwall, UK

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Seals, dolphins and sea birds have all been killed in the succession of storms in Cornwall.
Wildlife in Cornwall has taken a battering in the relentless storms with "an unprecedented number" of dead birds, dolphins and seals washing up on the coast.

Dead sea birds including puffins, razorbills and guillemots, gannets and cormorants have been washed up all along the north and south coasts according to the Cornwall Wildlife Trust (CWT).

The charity said seals in particular were struggling, with many of this year's new pups being found stranded, injured, weak and often dead on our shores.

CWT said 29 birds, 14 seals and 9 dolphins were recorded dead on the shores of Cornwall in the last four weeks.

Snowflake Cold

Storm engulfs US east coast as havoc persists in South

Capitol Hill
© Getty Images

A huge snow storm is blanketing the densely populated US North-east, after wreaking havoc in the South.

Across the typically mild South, more than half a million homes and businesses lack power, and thousands of flights have been cancelled.

The weather system has affected people in about 22 states from Texas to Maine and caused a dozen deaths.

The storm dumped more than 12in (30cm) of snow in the Washington DC region, before descending on New York.

Snow-covered streets were deserted during the morning commute in the nation's capital, where the federal government shut down its offices.

Ten to 20 inches of snow could fall from north-eastern Pennsylvania to New England on Thursday, said the National Weather Service.

Nearly 5,000 flights were cancelled by Thursday morning, according to airline-tracking website FlightAware.com.

Windsock

80,000 homes without power after 100 mph storms hit north and west Wales

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Gusts up to 80mph battered west and north west Wales
Some 80,000 homes are without power as winds of over 100 mph batter the coast forcing the closure of roads, rail lines and schools.

Wales has been offered military help following Wednesday's storms.

Secretary of State David Jones spoke to First Minister Carwyn Jones after the UK government's emergency Cobra meeting and offered the Army's help.

A red "take action" weather warning was issued by the Met Office as exceptionally strong winds hit.

The west and north west coast have been worst hit, and a gust of 108 mph has been recorded at Aberdaron, according to the Met Office.

Scottish Power says 45,000 homes are without power in mid and north Wales, while Western Distribution has 35,000 homes affected in south and west Wales.

Phil Davies, network services manager for Western Power Distribution, said: "We've got staff out there. We were prepared for it.

Ice Cube

U.S. Bone-chilling winter blast wipes out power to 300,000 in southern states

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Deep freeze
An army of emergency crews were gearing up for battle Wednesday with a vicious ice storm in Georgia that had already cut off power for tens of thousands of people across a long arm of the Southeast and left the streets of Atlanta looking like a sci-fi wasteland.

Nearly 300,000 customers across Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama and the Carolinas were without power early Wednesday. But Georgia was bearing the brunt of the wicked weather, with more than 200,000 customers in the dark Wednesday after frozen tree limbs slashed power lines, while emergency planners urged drivers across the state to stay off "deceptively dangerous" roads.

Metro Atlanta was a veritable ghost town as an eerie calm settled over desolate streets slick with ice. The highways were deserted as freezing rain and ferocious wind gusts kept drivers at home. At local retailers, shoppers scrambled to stock up on supplies before the brunt of the storm came crashing down.

Cloud Lightning

Hurricane-force winds leave over a quarter of a million customers without power In Ireland

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A crushed van in Limerick
Hurricane-force winds have left more than a quarter of a million customers without power in Ireland.

It is the biggest power outage in the country for more than 15 years, with more than 2,000 separate faults across the network.

Among the worst affected areas are Cork, Kerry and Clare.

The worst of the storm battering the country is expected to pass by 7pm, but not before bringing winds which could reach 100mph (160kph).

Cloud Lightning

UK is on permanent red alert this winter: 170kph winds, 1.6 million homes without power and widespread damage from worst flooding in centuries

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People living on Britain's west coast have been advised to take action and stay indoors after the Met Office issued a red alert for 100mph winds set to batter the country.

Forecasters said a storm front was on its way that would bring heavy rain, powerful winds, blizzards and snow across the UK today, but the red severe weather warning - the highest level possible - is a rare occurrence.

It means that there is a high likelihood of power outages, fallen trees and significant damage to property across north Wales and north-west England.

Quenelle

Nothing personal? Obama says no nation avoids US spying

Hollande in the White House
© Reuters / Kevin LamarqueU.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama welcome French President Francois Hollande to the White House for a State Dinner in Washington February 11, 2014

Ally or not, the US does not have an agreement with any country that would prevent espionage in light of national security concerns, President Obama said on Tuesday, prior to an official state dinner with a European head of state.

During a joint press conference with French President Francois Hollande, Obama was asked whether his selection of France for the first state visit of his second term as president signalled a post-spying agreement with America's European ally. Through documents supplied by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, it was revealed that the NSA spied on French citizens and the internal communications of France's foreign ministry and diplomats.

"There's no country where we have a no-spy agreement," Obama answered.

Comment: So mutual trust is restored. How lovely. Obama promised not to reveal any of Hollande's night escapades in exchange for Hollande sending troops and support to wherever the US want, whether that be Mali, Somalia, Syria or ???


Attention

Winter storm wallops the Southern U.S.; 4 killed in Texas

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© AP Photo/ Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Curtis Compton
The city dodged the first punch of a dangerous winter storm Tuesday, but forecasters warned of a potentially "catastrophic" second blow in the form of a thick layer of ice that threatened to bring hundreds of thousands of power outages and leave people in their cold, dark homes for days.

The streets and highways in metro Atlanta were largely deserted as people in the South's business hub heeded advice from officials to hunker down at home, especially after the epic snow jam two weeks ago that saw thousands of people stranded on icy, gridlocked roads for hours when two inches of snow fell.

"Last time I was totally unprepared, I was complete blindsided," said Lisa Nadir, of Acworth, who ended up spending the night in her car after sitting in traffic 13 hours when the storm hit Jan. 28. "I'm going to be prepared from now on for the rest of my life."

Nadir was telecommuting from home Tuesday and she had kitty litter in her trunk in case she needed to put it down on icy roads for extra traction.

The forecast drew comparisons to an ice storm in the Atlanta area in 2000 that left more than 500,000 homes and businesses without power and an epic storm in 1973 that caused an estimated 200,000 outages for several days. In 2000, damage estimates topped $35 million.