Snow in the Sahara? Desert hit with snowfall for the first time in 37 years

comonews.com

It's not the first place that comes to mind when you think of having a white Christmas. Story here.

North Pole to warm to near melting point this week: 50 degrees above normal

Mashable

It's happening again: The temperature at the North Pole is projected to spike to around the melting point, or 32 degrees Fahrenheit, on Wednesday into Thursday, despite the complete lack of sunshine that far north in December. Story here.

Killer Whales Pose Newest Threat to Kinder Morgan Oil Pipeline

Bloomberg

Kinder Morgan Inc. will have to address the fate of one more group before completing its Trans Mountain pipeline expansion: killer whales. Story here.

A pod of killer whales off Vancouver Island. Photo by Winky.

U.S., Canada ban offshore drilling in Arctic waters

CBCnews

U.S. President Barack Obama uses 1950s-era law called the Outer Continental Shelf Act. Story here.

More than 700 factories temporarily shut as Beijing grapples with smog

CBCnews

Country's 1st pollution alert of winter lasts until Wednesday. Story here.

NOAA Issues 'Jaw-Dropping' Assessment on 'Unprecedented' Arctic Warming

Common Dreams

Latest Arctic Report Card finds that region's temperatures continue upward climb twice as fast as global temperature increase. Story here.

Antibiotic resistance will hit a terrible tipping point in 2017

NewScientist

A major menace looms over us. In 2017, many more people could begin dying from common bacterial infections. Story here.

A "confined animal feeding operation." 
Wikimedia Commons photo.