Climate chief was told of false glacier claims before Copenhagen

The chairman of the leading climate change watchdog was informed that claims about melting Himalayan glaciers were false before the Copenhagen summit, The Times has learnt.

Rajendra Pachauri was told that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change assessment that the glaciers would disappear by 2035 was wrong, but he waited two months to correct it. He failed to act despite learning that the claim had been refuted by several leading glaciologists.

Colorado: Spruce beetles still head for the hills

According to Blakeman, the forest generally cycles through a dramatic change or “disturbance” such as this every 300 years, but it appears the bug infestations occur as frequently as every 200 years. The natural disturbance must run its course before the forest can begin to rebuild, he explained.

“We have a lot of old forests and these are natural events,” he said. “We just happen to be around to watch this disturbance occur.”

Taxpayers pay $101,000 for Pelosi's in-flight 'food, booze'

Judicial Watch said the newly obtained 2,000 pages of documentation show Pelosi's military travel cost the U.S. Air Force $2,100,744.59 over two years – including $101,429.14 for in-flight expenses, including food and alcohol.

Among the newest highlights revealed:

* Pelosi used Air Force aircraft to travel back to her district at an average cost of $28,210.51 per flight. Of 103 Pelosi-led congressional delegations (CODEL), 31 trips included members of the House speaker's family.