Beijing issues its highest red fog alert for a second dayJanuary 4, 2017 - 14:43 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Chinese capital issued its highest red fog alert for a second day on Wednesday, January 4 keeping highways closed in and around the city which is already under a smog alert after weeks of choking winter pollution, Reuters said. China's weather bureau warned of visibility of less than 50 meters in some areas, leading many airports to cancel flights. More than 2,000 tourists were stranded on a cruise ship for two extra days near the port of Tianjin, as smog prevented the ship from docking until Monday, the Beijing Evening News reported. Poor visibility prompted three major northern ports to suspend the loading of ships on Tuesday, maritime safety agencies said. Pollution alerts are common in northern China, especially during bitterly cold winters when energy demand, much of it met by coal, soars. Beijing's smog alert is at the second-highest orange only, raising questions from some living in the city. The Ministry of Environmental Protection said it hadn't issued a smog red alert because of discrepancies in the forecasts for different parts of Beijing. China is in the third year of a war on pollution aimed at reversing the damage done to its skies, soil and water after decades of untrammeled economic growth. But measures taken so far have had little or no effect. Heavily polluted Hebei province, which surrounds most of Beijing, said on Tuesday it had ordered all polluting firms in Tangshan, China's biggest steel-producing city to the east of Beijing, to shut down. In a statement on its website, the Hebei government named Tangshan Luanxian Xinglong Iron and Steel Co. Ltd as a major culprit for failing to control emissions and even allowing the staff canteen to directly burn coal, contravening regulations. Hebei, home to seven of China's 10 smoggiest cities in 2015, will also build the world's biggest dust prevention barrier, stretching nearly two miles, at the major coal port of Qinhuangdao in a bid to cut pollution, state media said on Wednesday. Photo: AP Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Armenia designates flood-hit communities as disaster areas The emergency situation was created by floods caused by heavy rains in Armenia’s north on May 25-26. 17 bridges collapse as a result of floods in Armenia As a result of floods in Armenia’s northern Lori and Tavush provinces, 17 bridges, including five large ones, have collapsed. Armenia: Top cleric to retain title as he bids to become interim PM Galstanyan said earlier that the interim government would be tasked with stopping the “destruction of our homeland”. Ex-mayor of Karabakh capital arrested in Yerevan Ex-mayor of the Nagorno-Karabakh city of Stepanakert David Sargsyan has been arrested for 20 days. |