Authorities in Hong Kong say a second dead bird in a week has tested positive for the lethal H5N1 strain of avian influenza, the Associated Press said. Laboratory tests confirmed that an Oriental magpie robin was found to be infected. Nearly 20,000 birds were culled at a Hong Kong market and the import and sale of live poultry was banned for three weeks after a chicken carcass tested positive earlier for H5N1.

The flu strain occasionally infects people who have close contact with infected poultry, particularly in parts of Asia. In the Netherlands, a virologist who created a contagious, mutant form of H5N1 agreed – under pressure – to omit methodology details from his published reports on the new strain, ABC News reported. The decision followed a US warning that details of the experiment could be used to create a biological weapon.

China released a plan to monitor PM2.5 pollution in the next five years, according to People’s Daily. Indicators for PM2.5, ozone and carbon monoxide are to be added to the national standard. PM2.5 – particulate matter with a diametre of less than 2.5 micrometres – was at the centre of recent controversy over air quality in Beijing. City officials say the capital has met its 2011 target of 274 “blue sky” days, China.org noted.

Police fired tear gas to break up a protest against a planned power station in Guangdong province, Reuters said. Residents of Haimen say they have experienced years of heavy air and water pollution from existing power plants, as well as increasing cases of cancer, environmental deterioration and reduced fishing hauls.

In the Guangdong village of Wukan, residents cancelled a protest march after winning concessions in a two-week standoff over land and the death of a local man, Bloomberg News reported. Ongoing unrest over “land grabs” flared recently when one of five arrested protesters died in police custody.

China National Offshore Oil Corporation shut down operations at two South China Sea platforms after an undersea pipeline was found to be leaking gas, according to Sina. The leak is the latest in a string of accidents that have affected China’s largest offshore energy producer in 2011.

A barrier lake was dredged in Yunnan province, relieving a threat to hundreds of people in a remote area of the province, Eastday.com said. The lake was formed when a landslide blocked the Bijiang River.

Chinese-made cars have arrived in North America for the first time, The New York Times reported. The Japanese automaker Honda is importing subcompact cars into Canada from one of its plants in China as part of a strategy to produce more vehicles outside its home country.

chinadialogue’s Chinese environmental update in “News Focus” will be back on Friday, January 6, 2012, following the Christmas and New Year holidays. A number of feature articles will be published on the chinadialogue website during the holidays. Season's greetings to all our readers!