Leicester, England
British Mars lander Beagle2 was discovered on the surface of Mars nearly 12 years after losing contact with it. The robot was successfully launched in 2003 and was supposed to land on the neighboring planet on Christmas Day of the same year but contact was lost. It was only through satellite imaging that the robot was finally spotted this month. Pictures reveal that the robot did not fully deploy because of malfunctions in a solar panel, and data therefore cannot be collected from the $85 million piece of technology.
Brussels, Belgium
Following a series of anti-terror raids, Belgian police have arrested five suspects and left two others dead. Those arrested are accused of having ties to Saïd and Chérif Kouachi, the brothers responsible for the Charlie Hebdo killings, and Amedy Coulibaly, who incited terror in a kosher market in Paris. Police in France and Germany also arrested suspects thought to have ties to terrorism. Evidence taken in on these raids, particularly in Germany, pointed to future attacks on European soil with the Berlin suspects having ties to extremist group ISIS, or Islamic State, in Syria.
Washington, D.C.
British Prime Minister David Cameron and President Obama announced that the United Kingdom and United States would carry out “war game” cyber-attacks on each other as part of a new initiative to combat cyberterrorism. The two heads of state met in the nation’s capital to discuss cyber security and counterterrorism. The British government is seeking to have a greater exchange of information between the two countries and better preparedness in the face of the newer threat of cyber-attacks. The exercises will involve cooperation between “cyber cells” in the FBI and MI5, marking the first time the United Kingdom has carried out such a program with another nation.
Beijing, China
The smog levels in China have once more soared to a dangerously unhealthy level, prompting outcry from public health organizations and action from the Chinese government. The World Health Organization recommends a maximum of 20 micrograms per cubic meter of particulate matter for optimum air quality. Levels in the Chinese capital city reached 568 mpc, causing local health authorities to advise residents to wear face masks and avoid outdoor activities. The Chinese government vowed to decrease air pollution after readings hit 886 mpc in 2013. After this most recent spike they have halted the construction of new cement, steel, oil-refining and thermal power plants.
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