AYOLAS, Paraguay( Reuters)-Heavy rains caused by the El Nino weather phenomenon has sent hundreds to shelters in the town of Ayolas in southern Paraguay, with residents bracing for more flooding on the way.At least five neighborhoods in the town, about 186 miles( 300 km) from capital Asuncion, were left under water after storms last week caused the Parana River to burst its banks.... Some 35, 000 people throughout the country were affected by the rains, according to national emergency ministry

--Near Southern California’s dying Salton Sea, a canopy next to a geothermal power plant covers large containers of salty water left behind after super-hot liquid is drilled from deep underground to run steam turbines.... The mineral-rich byproduct may now be more valuable than the steam used to generate electricity. California's largest but rapidly shrinking lake is at the forefront of efforts to make the U.S.a major global player in the production of lithium.... Despite large deposits of the