Showing posts tagged china
Sandstorm sends Beijing pollution levels off the charts Officials are warning residents in Beijing and other parts of northern China about hazardous air pollution levels after strong winds blew in a sandstorm today. Air in the capital turned a yellowish hue and the sky turned into a noxious soup of smog and dust, NBC News reports. At 6 a.m. local time, the U.S. Embassy’s air quality index showed a reading of 516 for particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. On the American air pollution index, the air at that time and throughout much of the morning was classified as “beyond index.” Photo: This composite image shows Beijing’s skyline during Thursday’s sandstorm (top) and during good weather on Feb. 19, 2013. (Feng Li / Getty Images)

Sandstorm sends Beijing pollution levels off the charts

Officials are warning residents in Beijing and other parts of northern China about hazardous air pollution levels after strong winds blew in a sandstorm today.

Air in the capital turned a yellowish hue and the sky turned into a noxious soup of smog and dust, NBC News reports. At 6 a.m. local time, the U.S. Embassy’s air quality index showed a reading of 516 for particles less than 2.5 micrometers in diameter. On the American air pollution index, the air at that time and throughout much of the morning was classified as “beyond index.”

Photo: This composite image shows Beijing’s skyline during Thursday’s sandstorm (top) and during good weather on Feb. 19, 2013. (Feng Li / Getty Images)

Astronaut sends Chinese New Year greeting from space Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield tweeted photos of China, seen from the International Space Station, to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Snake, which begins today. Space.com reports: Hadfield posted a series of dazzling photos of China from space, including a view of daybreak over Taiwan, a striking image of Shanghai at night, amazing windswept clouds and a view of the city of Hangzhou. Photo: The dazzling lights of Shanghai, China, shine in this view from the International Space Station by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who shared the image on Feb. 9, 2013, to mark Chinese New Year. (Canadian Space Agency/Chris Hadfield) View high resolution

Astronaut sends Chinese New Year greeting from space

Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield tweeted photos of China, seen from the International Space Station, to celebrate the Chinese Year of the Snake, which begins today.

Space.com reports: Hadfield posted a series of dazzling photos of China from space, including a view of daybreak over Taiwan, a striking image of Shanghai at night, amazing windswept clouds and a view of the city of Hangzhou.

Photo: The dazzling lights of Shanghai, China, shine in this view from the International Space Station by Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield, who shared the image on Feb. 9, 2013, to mark Chinese New Year. (Canadian Space Agency/Chris Hadfield)

China opens world’s longest high-speed rail route BBC: China has officially opened the world’s longest high-speed rail route, linking the capital Beijing with the southern commercial hub of Guangzhou. The first bullet train left Beijing on Wednesday morning. Trains will initially travel at 187mph, more than halving travel time.

China opens world’s longest high-speed rail route

BBC:

China has officially opened the world’s longest high-speed rail route, linking the capital Beijing with the southern commercial hub of Guangzhou.

The first bullet train left Beijing on Wednesday morning. Trains will initially travel at 187mph, more than halving travel time.

1,000 doomsday cult members arrested in China

BBC: Almost 1,000 members of Christian group Almighty God have been detained in China for spreading rumors about the imminent end of the world, state media reports.

State media terms the group an ‘evil cult,’ the same description it applies to the banned Falun Gong group. The sect predicts Friday will bring in 3 days of darkness; it has urged members to overthrow communism.

Nearly 2 million evacuated as Typhoon Haikui hits China Reuters: Typhoon Haikui struck China on Wednesday, packing winds of up to 68 mph, prompting officials to evacuate nearly 2 million people and grounding hundreds of flights to and from Shanghai and other cities. Photo: A farmer moves on a flooded path to check his aquatic farming ponds in Hepu township in Xiangshan county, Zheijiang province, China on Aug. 8, 2012. Typhoon Haikui, the 3rd hitting China in a week, landed in Hepu early on Wednesday. (Larry Leung / EPA) View high resolution

Nearly 2 million evacuated as Typhoon Haikui hits China

Reuters:

Typhoon Haikui struck China on Wednesday, packing winds of up to 68 mph, prompting officials to evacuate nearly 2 million people and grounding hundreds of flights to and from Shanghai and other cities.

Photo: A farmer moves on a flooded path to check his aquatic farming ponds in Hepu township in Xiangshan county, Zheijiang province, China on Aug. 8, 2012. Typhoon Haikui, the 3rd hitting China in a week, landed in Hepu early on Wednesday. (Larry Leung / EPA)

Record rain, floods hit Beijing AFP: Beijing was hit by the heaviest rain it has experienced in 61 years on Saturday. At least 10 people within the city were killed. State media says a policeman was electrocuted by a fallen power line during a rescue operation. The Xinhua news agency says others were killed in traffic accidents and roof collapses. Photo: A resident pushes her bicycle on a flooded street amid heavy rainfalls in Beijing. (China Daily via Reuters) View high resolution

Record rain, floods hit Beijing


AFP: Beijing was hit by the heaviest rain it has experienced in 61 years on Saturday. At least 10 people within the city were killed. State media says a policeman was electrocuted by a fallen power line during a rescue operation. The Xinhua news agency says others were killed in traffic accidents and roof collapses.

Photo: A resident pushes her bicycle on a flooded street amid heavy rainfalls in Beijing. (China Daily via Reuters)