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Dense fog disrupts hundreds of flights, trains in New Delhi

Diplomat Times
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Dense fog disrupts hundreds of flights, trains in New Delhi

Dense fog disrupts hundreds of flights, trains in New Delhi

New Delhi, INDIA (EFE).- Dense fog in the Indian capital, New Delhi, led authorities to cancel and delay hundreds of flights and trains on Tuesday.

Indian farmers work in their field during a cold and foggy morning in the outskirts of New Delhi, India, 09 January 2024. EFE-EPA/HARISH TYAGI

Thirty-four flights were cancelled and 193 were delayed at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi, according to Flightradar24, an online portal that tracks air traffic in real-time.

Arrivals in the capital were also disrupted, with 27 flights cancelled on Tuesday and over 70 delayed.

READ MORE : World looks at India as global growth engine, PM Modi Speaks on Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit

The Delhi airport said on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday that “while landing and take-offs continue” on its runways, flights without the CAT III landing system, which helps planes land in low visibility conditions, “may get affected.”

Northern India is experiencing a cold wave and fog that reduced visibility to zero at the capital’s airport.

Visibility was a maximum of 50 meters in New Delhi at 10:30 am, according to the India Meteorological Department.

The thick fog also delayed 30 trains heading to the capital on Tuesday, local news agency ANI reported.

On Monday, Indian aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that the capital’s airport had been asked to “immediately expedite the operationalization of the CAT III-enabled fourth runway” to prevent delays in the future.

The country’s civil aviation regulatory body, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, will also issue guidelines to airlines to facilitate communication with affected passengers, he added in a post on X.

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Bernardo Arevalo sworn in as Guatemala president

Marietta Reformado
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Bernardo Arevalo sworn in as Guatemala president

Bernardo Arevalo sworn in as Guatemala president

Guatemala City (EFE/AP)- Bernardo Arevalo de Leon was sworn in early Monday as the new president of Guatemala for the next four years at the National Theater of the Guatemalan capital.

Firewrks explode over the National Palace as incoming Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo and Vice President Karin Herrera wave to supporters from the balcony on their inauguration day in Guatemala City, early Monday, Jan.15,2024. Photo: Santiago Billy/AP

The ceremony was held after a ten-hour delay following a haphazard transition amid allegations by the new president of an attempted coup since his electoral victory in August.

“The people of Guatemala have shown their wisdom, and institutions such as the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Electoral Court have protected Guatemalans’ sovereign desire to live in democracy,” Arevalo said in his first address after being sworn in.

Arevalo, a 65-year-old academic was appointed head of state shortly after midnight amid delays in the transfer of power by outgoing President Alejandro Giammatei.

Incoming Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo speaks during inauguration ceremony in Guatemala City, early Monday, Jan.15,2024. Photo: Santiago Billy/AP

In his inauguration speech, Arévalo quickly acknowledged the country’s large Indigenous population, citing “historic debts … that we must resolve.” About 40% of Guatemalans belong to one of about two dozen Indigenous groups, and they are generally poorer and have less access to services of all kinds.

“There cannot be democracy without social justice, and social justice cannot prevail without democracy,” Arévalo said in his first speech as president, referring to the young and Indigenous Guatemalans.

In his first act as president, Arévalo visited the site outside the Attorney General’s Office where Indigenous protesters kept vigil for more than three months, demanding authorities respect the will of voters and for Porras to step down. He applauded the protesters for defending the country’s democracy.

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Giammattei did not appear at the National Theatre for the handover ceremony but sent his secretary instead, stressing that he had to hand over his position to the Congress by midnight as required by law.

In the absence of the outgoing president, Arevalo received the presidential sash from the president of the Congress, Samuel Perez Alvarez, who had just assumed office.

Following his electoral success, Arevalo and his “Movimiento Semilla” party have been persecuted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the Supreme Electoral Court.

The delay in the ceremony was caused by obstacles posed by the several outgoing legislators, ministers and judges, which were cleared with the constitution of the new Congress.

Arévalo’s supporters were forced to wait hours for a festive inauguration celebration in Guatemala City’s emblematic Plaza de la Constitucion, but spirits remained high. For many Guatemalans, the inauguration represented not only the culmination of Arévalo’s victory at the polls, but also their successful defense of the country’s democracy.

People celebrate as they watch the inauguration ceremony of Incoming Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo on a screen outside the National Palace in Guatemala City, early Monday, Jan.15,2024. Photo: Santiago Billy/AP

“No more authoritarianism,” said the new president after his appointment and thanked the youth and the indigenous peoples for defending Guatemala’s democracy.

Arevalo has come to power with an anti-corruption agenda, and his party emerged from the 2015 demonstrations – riding on a similar discourse – that led to the fall of President Otto Perez Molina.

The newly inaugurated president has promised a “new spring,” like the one when his father, Juan Jose Arevalo Bermejo, served as Guatemala’s first democratically elected president (1946-1951). 

Arévalo got early and strong support from the international community. The European Union, Organization of American States and the U.S. government repeatedly demanded respect for the popular vote.

Washington went further, sanctioning Guatemalan officials and private citizens suspected of undermining the country’s democracy.

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Gaza death toll crosses 24,000 in over 100 days of conflict

Ahmed Lamraoui
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Gaza death toll crosses 24,000 in over 100 days of conflict

Gaza death toll crosses 24,000 in over 100 days of conflict

Rafah, GAZA(EFE).- The death toll in the Gaza Strip has now reached 24,100, while some 60,834 people have been wounded following 101 days of Israeli attacks in the besieged Palestinian enclave, according to the Gaza health ministry on Monday.

In the past 24 hours, the “Israeli occupation committed 12 massacres against families,” resulting in the death of 132 individuals and the injury of 252 others across the Strip, the Hamas-led ministry said in a statement.

According to the statement, Israeli aerial attacks were mostly concentrated in the northern, central, and southern parts of the enclave.

READ MORE : More than 30 Palestinians killed in Israeli Gaza strikes while fears grow the conflict could widen

At least 32 people lost their lives after Israeli fighter planes targeted two houses in the Al-Sabra and Al-Zaytoun neighborhoods in the city of Gaza, the statement said.

Moreover, another 33 Palestinians, including children and women, were reported to have died in Israeli attacks in northern Khan Yunis, and the Bureij and Al-Maghazi camps in the central parts of the enclave, the official Wafa news agency reported.

In the Al-Maghazi camp, the Israeli air force targeted an area near a girls’ secondary school where a “large number” of displaced people have taken refuge, Palestinian sources told EFE.

Attacks also took place in the city of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza and Rafah in the southern part of the enclave, where 1.4 million people, most of them displaced, reside in a small area.

Communication and internet services have remained disrupted for the fourth consecutive day, partially due to a shortage of fuel and the destruction of over 80 percent of the infrastructure in the Gaza Strip.

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Iran court sentences Nobel peace laureate Mohammadi to another 15 months in prison

Qaseem Hassan
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Iran court sentences Nobel peace laureate Mohammadi to another 15 months in prison

Iran court sentences Nobel peace laureate Mohammadi to another 15 months in prison

Tehran, IRAN (EFE/AP) – An Iranian court sentenced Nobel Peace laureate Narges Mohammadi to 15 months in prison and two years in exile for “spreading propaganda” against the Islamic Republic, in what is the fifth sentence against the rights activist since 2021, her family said Monday.

“The Revolutionary Court sentenced Narges Mohammadi to endure fifteen months in prison, two years of exile outside Tehran and neighboring provinces, a two-year travel ban, a two-year ban on membership in social-political groups, and a two year ban on using a smartphone,” the family said in a statement on Instagram.

Mohammadi is the 19th woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize and the second Iranian woman after human rights activist Shirin Ebadi in 2003. The 51-year-old Mohammadi has kept up her activism despite numerous arrests by Iranian authorities and spending years behind bars.

READ MORE : Iran says at least 103 people killed, 211 wounded in bombing at Kerman, ceremony honoring slain general

Mohammadi, 51, refused to appear for the trial, which was eventually held on Dec. 19 last year, in her absence at the Revolutionary Tribunal in Tehran, alleging a lack of judicial independence for a fair hearing and a supposed illegality of the revolutionary courts in the Persian country.

In recent months, the human rights activist had denounced the revolutionary courts for issuing death sentences against the country’s youth, particularly citing the case of Mohsen Shekari, 23, who became the first protester to be executed for participating in the protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022.

Picture of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi on the wall of the Grand Hotel before the Nobel banquet in Oslo after the Nobel Peace Prize 2023 ceremony in Oslo, Norway, 10 December 2023. EFE-EPA/FILE/JAVAD PARSA / POOL NORWAY OUT ////////// Oslo (Noruega), 10/12/2023.- Imagen del ganador del Premio Nobel de la Paz 2023, Narges Mohammadi, en la pared del Gran Hotel antes del banquete del Nobel en Oslo después de la ceremonia del Premio Nobel de la Paz 2023 en Oslo, Noruega, 10 de diciembre de 2023. . La activista iraní de derechos humanos y premio Nobel de la Paz 2023, Narges Mohammadi, está encarcelada y, por tanto, está representada por sus hijos Ali y Kiana Rahmani y su marido Taghi Rahmani. Mohammadi recibe el premio de la paz por su lucha contra la opresión de las mujeres en Irán y la lucha por los derechos humanos y la libertad para todos. (Noruega) EFE/EPA/JAVAD PARSA / FUERA POOL NORUEGA

“The judgment resembles a political statement against Narges Mohammadi, emphasizing accusations that she repeatedly incites and encourages public and individual opinions against the Islamic regime to sow chaos and disturbances,” read the statement from the family.

The activist has been serving a 10-year sentence in Tehran’s Evin prison since November 2021.

This is the fifth sentence against the activist since 2021, of which three have been issued while under imprisonment, and the first since she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last month.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the prestigious prize to Mohammadi “for her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all.”

The award was collected by her children on Dec. 10 at a ceremony in Oslo.

Mohammadi has been sentenced to a total of 12 years and three months of imprisonment and 154 lashes, among other punishments.

While women in Iran hold jobs, academic positions and even government appointments, their lives are tightly controlled in part by laws like the mandatory hijab. Iran and neighboring, Taliban-ruled Afghanistan remain the only countries to mandate that. Since Amini’s death, however, more women are choosing not to wear the headscarf despite an increasing campaign by authorities targeting them and businesses serving them.

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Taiwan’s new president-elect will face China’s ire

Diplomat Times
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Taiwan’s new president-elect will face China’s ire

Taiwan’s new president-elect will face China’s ire

TAIPEI (Reuters) – Taiwan’s new president-elect, Lai Ching-te, is likely to face his toughest task yet when he takes office in May and has to deal with the ire of China which has repeatedly denounced him as a dangerous separatist.

Lai, who won Saturday’s election, repeatedly said during the campaign that he wanted to keep the status quo with China, which claims Taiwan as its own, and offered to talk to Beijing.

READ MORE : Tokyo stocks open the year 2024 with a diverse performance as the yen weakens in response to earthquake fears

“We don’t want to become enemies with China. We can become friends,” Lai, widely known by his English name William, told a Taiwanese television station in July.

But in Beijing’s view, Lai, 64, is a separatist and “troublemaker through and through” for comments he first made in 2017 as premier about being a “worker” for Taiwan’s formal independence – a red line for Beijing.

The next year he told parliament he was a “practical worker for Taiwan independence”, causing one Chinese newspaper, the widely read Global Times, to call for China to issue an international arrest warrant for Lai and prosecute him under China’s 2005 Anti-Secession Law.

Lai maintains he simply meant Taiwan is already an independent country. On the campaign trail he stuck by President Tsai Ing-wen’s line that the Republic of China – Taiwan’s formal name – and the People’s Republic of China are “not subordinate to each other”.

Under Taiwan’s constitution the Republic of China is a sovereign state, a view shared by all Taiwan’s main political parties. The Republic of China government fled to Taiwan in 1949 after losing a civil war to Mao Zedong’s communists, who set up the People’s Republic.

What worries Beijing is the idea that Lai could try to change the status quo by declaring the establishment of a Republic of Taiwan, which Lai has said he will not do.

“I think China hates him, really hates him,” said Wu Xinbo, an international relations professor at Shanghai’s Fudan University. “It is because if he is elected as the leader of Taiwan, he may come to advance his goal of Taiwan independence, which will provoke a crisis across the Taiwan Strait.”

Still, while China has announced sanctions on several senior Taiwanese officials, including Lai’s running-mate Hsiao Bi-khim, Taiwan’s former de facto ambassador to the United States, it has not done so for Lai, perhaps indicating Beijing does not want to totally shut the door to one day having talks with him.

LAI URGED CHINA’S XI TO ‘CHILL OUT’


During the campaign, Lai said he would stick to President Tsai’s path of proffering talks with China and maintaining peace and the status quo, while also pledging to defend the island and reiterating only its people can decide the island’s future.

Stephen Tan, managing director of the International Policy Advisory Group in Taipei, said Lai’s platform was similar, if not identical, to that of Tsai, who is barred from seeking re-election after serving two terms.

“I would not envision from his policy and administration a big change in direction for both domestic and foreign policies,” Tan said.

Lai is from a humble background in northern Taiwan, the son of a coal miner who died when the president-elect was a small child. A physician, the younger Lai specialised in spinal cord injuries.

He became Tsai’s vice president in 2020 when they won in a landslide warning of the threat to Taiwan from China given Beijing’s crackdown on anti-government protests in Hong Kong.

Since then, China has massively ramped up military drills near Taiwan and held war games in August 2022 and last April in response to Taiwanese engagement with the United States.

Taiwan officials said this week they expected China to attempt to put pressure on the incoming president, including with military drills near Taiwan, before Lai takes office.

In May, at a question and answer session with students at his alma mater, National Taiwan University, Lai said the head of state he would most like to have dinner with is Chinese President Xi Jinping, whom he would advise to “chill out a little”.

China’s Taiwan Affairs Office said his comments were “weird” and “deceitful”, given that his “Taiwan independence nature” had not changed.

Beijing has demanded Taiwan’s government accepts that both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to “one China,” something Tsai and Lai have refused to do.

Reporting by Ben Blanchard; Editing by William Mallard and David Holmes

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More than 30 Palestinians killed in Israeli Gaza strikes while fears grow the conflict could widen

Dr Mohd Ramzan Ali
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More than 30 Palestinians killed in Israeli Gaza strikes while fears grow the conflict could widen

More than 30 Palestinians killed in Israeli Gaza strikes while fears grow the conflict could widen

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — More than 30 Palestinians, including young children, were killed in Israeli bombardments overnight into Saturday in the Gaza Strip, officials said, while a new U.S. strike against Iran-backed rebels in Yemen heightened fears that the Israel-Hamas war could escalate into a regional conflict.

Fears of a wider conflagration have been palpable since the start of the war, triggered by the deadly Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel by Hamas and other Gaza militants.

READ MORE : Israeli strike kills an elite Hezbollah commander in the latest escalation linked to the war in Gaza

New fronts quickly opened, with Iran-backed groups — Houthi rebels in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria — carrying out a range of attacks. From the start, the U.S. increased its military presence in the region to deter an escalation.

Following a Houthi campaign of drone and missile attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea, the U.S. and Britain launched multiple airstrikes against the rebels Friday, and the U.S. hit another site Saturday.

In another fallout from the war, the International Court of Justice heard allegations by South Africa this week that Israel committed genocide against the Palestinians. The complaint cited the soaring death toll and hardships among Gaza civilians, along with inflammatory comments from Israeli leaders cited as proof of what South Africa said was genocidal intent.

In counter arguments Friday, Israel asked that the case be dismissed as meritless. Israel’s defense argued that Israel had the right to fight back against an enemy bent on its destruction, that South Africa had barely mentioned Hamas and that it ignored what Israel considers attempts to mitigate civilian harm.

The court was asked by South Africa to issue interim injunctions, including calling for a halt to Israel’s offensive.

In Gaza, where Hamas has put up but stiff resistance to Israel’s blistering air and ground campaign, the war continued unabated.

The Gaza Health Ministry said Saturday that 135 Palestinians were killed in the last 24 hours, bringing the overall toll of the war to 23,843. The count does not differentiate between combatants and civilians, but the ministry has said about two-thirds of the dead are women and children. The ministry said the total number of war-wounded surpassed 60,000.

Following an Israeli airstrike before dawn Saturday, video provided by Gaza’s Civil Defense department showed rescue workers searching through the twisted rubble of a building in Gaza City by flashlight.

Footage showed them carrying a young girl wrapped in blankets with injuries to her face, and at least two other children who appeared dead. A boy, covered in dust, winced as he was loaded into an ambulance.

The attack on the home in the Daraj neighborhood killed at least 20 people, according to Civil Defense spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal.

Another strike late Friday near the southern city of Rafah on the Egyptian border killed at least 13 people, including two children. The bodies of those killed, primarily from a displaced family from central Gaza, were taken to the city’s Abu Youssef al-Najjar hospital where they were seen by an Associated Press reporter.

Israel has argued Hamas is responsible for the high civilian casualties, saying its fighters make use of civilian buildings and launch attacks from densely populated urban areas.

The Israeli military released a video Saturday that it said showed the destruction of two ready-to-use rocket launching compounds in Al-Muharraqa in central Gaza. A large grove of palm trees and some homes are seen in the frame. In the video, a rocket is being thrown into the air by the blast. The military said there had been dozens of launchers ready to be used.

With the war in Gaza entering its 100th day on Sunday, the World Health Organization has said only 15 of the territories’ 36 hospitals still partially functional, according to OCHA, the United Nations’ humanitarian affairs agency.

The main hospital in central Gaza, Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in the city of Deir al-Balah, went dark Friday morning after running out of fuel.

Staff were able to keep ventilators and incubators operating with solar-charged batteries during the day, and received a small emergency shipment of fuel from another hospital late Friday.

Fuel was expected to run out again on Saturday unless the WHO is able to deliver a promised shipment, hospital officials said. Aid deliveries were being disrupted by a renewed drop in telecommunications connectivity in much of Gaza, which began late Friday.

In its Oct. 7 attack, Hamas and other militants killed some 1,200 people in Israel, mostly civilians. About 250 more were taken hostage, and while some have been released or confirmed dead, more than half are believed to still be in captivity.

Since the start of Israel’s ground operation in late October, 186 Israeli soldiers were killed and another 1,099 injured in Gaza, according to the military. More than 85% of Gaza’s population of 2.3 million has been displaced as a result of Israel’s air and ground offensive, and vast swaths of the territory have been leveled.

Amid already severe shortages of food, clean water and fuel in Gaza, OCHA said in its daily report that Israel’s severe constraints on humanitarian missions and outright denials had increased since the start of the year.

The agency said only 21% of planned deliveries of food, medicine, water and other supplies have been successfully reaching northern Gaza.

“These denials paralyze the ability of humanitarian partners to respond meaningfully, consistently and at-scale to widespread humanitarian needs,” the agency said.

American and other international efforts pushing Israel to do more to alleviate the suffering of Palestinian civilians have met with little success.

At the same time, Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, the territory’s main hospital that had been shut down since November, had begun partially functioning again, the WHO said Friday.

Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said his organization has delivered 9,300 liters (2,460 gallons) of fuel to Shifa, allowing a 60-person medical team to begin treating more than 1,000 patients.

Rising reported from Bangkok. Magdy reported from Cairo.

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Mitsubishi Heavy launches H-IIA rocket carrying Japan’s spy satellite

Um Kwang Ho
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Mitsubishi Heavy launches H-IIA rocket carrying Japan’s spy satellite

Mitsubishi Heavy launches H-IIA rocket carrying Japan’s spy satellite

TOKYO (Reuters) – Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (7011.T) launched an H-IIA rocket carrying the Japanese government’s Information-Gathering Satellite “Optical-8”, the company said in a post on social media X on Friday.

It was the 48th launch of Japan’s flagship launch vehicle since 2001, bringing the success rate of the rocket, developed by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), to 97.92%.

Japan plans to retire H-IIA after two more launches and replace it with H3, but has been struggling with the transition after JAXA’s first test launch failed in March last year. The H3’s second test launch is slated for Feb. 15.

READ MORE : More delays for NASA’s astronaut moonshots, with crew landing off until 2026

Milestone Launch

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries marked a milestone with the successful liftoff of the H-IIA rocket, showcasing the nation’s prowess in space exploration.

Strategic Payload

The rocket carried a high-tech spy satellite, underscoring Japan’s commitment to enhancing its surveillance and national security capabilities.

Advanced Technology

The H-IIA rocket is known for its reliability and advanced technology, making it a preferred choice for deploying critical payloads into space.

Mission Success

The flawless launch and precise deployment of the spy satellite reaffirm Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ expertise in space missions, contributing to Japan’s strategic advancements.

National Security Boost

The newly deployed spy satellite is expected to significantly bolster Japan’s national security efforts, providing advanced surveillance capabilities for both domestic and international purposes.

As Japan continues to invest in space exploration and technology, this successful launch adds to the nation’s growing list of achievements in the field. Stay tuned for further updates on the mission’s developments and the satellite’s operational contributions.

With Associated Press Reporting by Kantaro Komiya; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim

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Climate change is shrinking snowpack in many places, study shows. And it will get worse

Mark Kenya
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Climate change is shrinking snowpack in many places, study shows. And it will get worse

Climate change is shrinking snowpack in many places, study shows. And it will get worse

DENVER (AP) — River basins around the world that were once regularly snowbound are increasingly seeing their snowpack shrink and climate change is to blame, a new study found.

“Many of the world’s most populous basins are hovering on the precipice of rapid snow declines,” concluded the study of snow amounts since 1981 in Wednesday’s journal Nature.

That’s because the study found a key threshold for the future of snowpacks in the Northern Hemisphere: 17.6 degrees (-8 degrees Celsius). In places where the winter temperature average is colder than that, the snowpack often survives because it’s cold enough. But areas warmer than 17.6 degrees for a winter average tend to see their winter wonderland dreams melt like the wicked witch of the west. And it’s happening fast.

READ MORE : At least 100 elephants die in drought-stricken Zimbabwe park

“You’re potentially in this regime of just really rapid and accelerating losses with warming,” said lead author Alexander Gottlieb, an Earth systems scientist at Dartmouth College.

Most past studies have looked at snow cover, which is a simple measurement of whether the ground has snow or not. This latest research examined snowpack, a more encompassing measurement that includes depth and amount, at its general peak in March. Spring snowpack is critical for delivering a steady supply of drinking and irrigation water to billions of people, with bigger and earlier melts causing problems.

University of New Hampshire Earth systems scientist Elizabeth Burakowski, who wasn’t part of the research, said the study shows “beyond a reasonable doubt that humans are responsible for the decline in snowpack in dozens of river basins across the Northern Hemisphere” and melting of the snow “will ratchet up with each degree.”

In this photo provided by the California Department of Water Resources, the snow level on a mountain peak is seen near the meadow where the first snow survey of the year took place in Phillips Station, Calif., Jan. 2, 2024. (Fred Greaves/California Department of Water Resources via AP, File)

“The study demonstrates that our snow future depends on the path we take to act on climate,” Burakowski wrote in an email.

Gottlieb and Dartmouth climate scientist Justin Mankin examined 169 northern hemisphere river basins, finding a significant 40-year downward trend in 70 of the river basins, an increasing trend in a dozen and no trend in the others.

In 23 of those shrinking snowpacks, Mankin and Gottlieb, using variations on standard scientific techniques, were able to show that climate change clearly contributed to the melt. In eight river basins, all in chilly eastern Siberia, they found climate change helped build snowpack as precipitation increased but temperatures stayed cool enough to preserve it.

Europe and North America are getting some of the biggest spring snowpack losses, they found, including the Great Salt Lake, Merrimack, Connecticut, Susquehanna, Hudson, Delaware, Neva, Vistula, Dnieper, Don and Danube river basins.

A good example of shrinking snowpack is the upper reaches of the Colorado River basin in Colorado and parts of Wyoming, Gottlieb said. There, the winter temperature averages around 23 degrees (-5 degrees Celsius), seemingly cold enough for snow because it’s below freezing, but not really, he said.

“This is a place where we’ve started to see these kinds of accelerating losses start to emerge,” Gottlieb said. “We see this really clear picture of anthropogenic forest snow loss over the last 40 years or so.”

Gottlieb and Mankin documented fingerprints of human-caused warming by using the standard climate attribution method of comparing what happened in the last 40 years of a real warming world to thousands of computer model runs showing what would happen to these river basins on a fictional planet with no climate change.

New York City is visible in a haze-filled sky due to wildfires in Canada, photographed from the Staten Island Ferry, Wednesday, June 7, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)

Places chillier than 17.6 degrees account for 81 percent of the Northern Hemisphere snowpack, but they don’t hold many people, only 570 million, Mankin said. More than 2 billion people live in areas where winter averages between 17.6 and 32 degrees (-8 and zero Celsius), he said.

What’s key, especially for water supply, is that “as warming accelerates, the snowpack change is going to accelerate much faster than it has,” said Daniel Scott, a scientist at the University of Waterloo who wasn’t involved in the study.

That’s because what’s happening is not gradual. Above a certain temperature, melt gets moving fast. Below that 17.6 degrees mark, it’s cold enough that the extra moisture in the air from climate change may result in more snow and increase snowpack, something Gottlieb and Mankin said they saw in eastern Siberia.

That 17.6-degree threshold “tells us more clearly how much risk there is and where,” said University of Colorado ice scientist Waleed Abdalati, a former NASA chief scientist who wasn’t part of the study.

The ski industry — with sometimes stark visuals of manufactured snow on an otherwise brown landscape for winter revelers to enjoy — has long been an easy to understand example of an economy that will suffer from the lack of snow.

Sweat covers the face of Juan Carlos Biseno after dancing to music from his headphones as afternoon temperatures reach 115 degrees Fahrenheit (46.1 Celsius) July 19, 2023, in Calexico, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)

Many ski areas wait anxiously every year for Mother Nature to bring enough powder to start running their lifts. Others have closed altogether after their seasons got too short.

Larger corporate-run mountains, such as Colorado’s Aspen Snowmass, are able to operate consistently despite less snow and shorter winters.

“Opening and closing days remain constant due to snowmaking, which shows how important that is,” said Auden Schendler, senior vice-president of sustainability at Aspen One, the parent company of Aspen Skiing Company.

They also invested in building new ski runs at higher elevations where snow is more reliable than at the base, insulating them from substantial economic loss — for now.

“That in no way reduces the urgency of the need to act with force and at scale,” Schendler said. Aspen Snowmass is among a growing handful of ski areas that are embracing climate activism as the new industry standard, recognizing an urgent need to lobby for climate-friendly policies if they want to exist well into a warming future.

— Peterson reported from Denver, Borenstein from Kensington, Maryland.

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Who is Crown Prince Frederik, Denmark’s soon-to-be king?

Shasi Kumar
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Who is Crown Prince Frederik, Denmark’s soon-to-be king?

Who is Crown Prince Frederik, Denmark’s soon-to-be king?

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — As a teenager, Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik felt uncomfortable being in the spotlight and wondered whether there was any way he could avoid becoming king.

Such doubts have been swept aside as the 55-year-old takes over the crown on Sunday from his mother, Queen Margrethe II, who is breaking with centuries of Danish royal tradition and retiring after a 52-year reign. The crown prince will become King Frederik X.

An athlete, decorated military officer and rock music fan, Frederik has a more informal style than his mother but is equally popular in the Scandinavian country.

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Margrethe stunned the nation when she announced during her traditional New Year’s Eve speech that she would step down, citing health reasons. A royal palace spokeswoman told the Berlingske newspaper that the queen informed her sons about her decision only three days before the announcement.

The crown prince, whose full name is Frederik André Henrik Christian, was born on May 26, 1968, as the first child of Margrethe and her husband, Prince Henrik, who died in 2018. His younger brother, Prince Joachim, was born in 1969.

Shy and reserved as a child, Frederik felt uneasy about the idea of ascending the throne, and the intense attention and scrutiny that come with it. In a 1996 interview with Berlingske Tidende, the crown prince said that in his teens he sometimes wondered whether he could escape his fate.

FILE – Danish Crown Prince Frederik, second from left, meets with the Mondavi family in Oakville on Friday, Jan. 20, 1989. (AP Photo/David Weintraub, File)

“I thought it was too uncomfortable,” Frederik said. “You knew you were going to be so public, so known, so accessible to everyone and so depicted. I didn’t like that.”

As an adult he grew more comfortable with his position as heir to the throne and prepared himself for it. Frederik, who in addition to Danish speaks English, French and German, graduated from Aarhus University with a master’s degree in political science. His studies included two semesters at Harvard University.

He received military training in several branches of Denmark’s armed forces including as a frogman in an elite naval unit. Frederik got the nickname “Pingo” because of an episode when his wetsuit was filled with water and he waddled like a penguin, he said in a 2010 interview with Danish public broadcaster DR.

He learned about diplomacy during postings at the Danish Embassy in Paris and at Denmark’s United Nations mission in New York. Like Britain’s King Charles III, he has shown a special interest in climate change and other environmental issues.

FILE – Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik and his fiancee Mary Donaldson, center, speak with Denmark’s Queen Margrethe II and Prince Henrik as they appear on the balcony of the Christian IX Palace at Amalienborg Castle, in Copenhagen, Wednesday, Oct.8, 2003. (AP Photo/Heribert Proepper, File)

At home in Denmark, Frederik is known for being informal and down-to-earth. While he attends official functions in medal-studded uniforms, he can occasionally be spotted blending in with the crowds riding a bicycle with his bodyguards in tow or high-fiving teenagers.

A keen sportsman, Frederik has participated in six marathons, one Ironman triathlon and a dog-sled expedition in northern Greenland. For several years he was Denmark’s member of the International Olympic Committee.

Some Danes feel so comfortable around the crown prince they address him without his royal title.

Lars Hovbakke Sørensen, a historian and expert on the Danish royal house, said Frederik has a more contemporary style than his mother, effortlessly engaging in casual conversation with regular people, though he is less astute than the queen in delivering formal speeches.

FILE – Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik walks on stage, during the opening of the United Nation’s new Climate Centre, The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), in Copenhagen, Denmark, Tuesday, April 26, 2022. (Martin Sylvest/Ritzau Scanpix via AP, File)

While Margrethe is known for her appreciation of classical music, ballet and art, Frederik is more into rock music and sports, and younger generations find him relatable, Hovbakke Sørensen said.

“People expect the monarchs to be more informal, to be more like themselves. They don’t want this very large distance to the royal persons as we have seen before,” he said.

Laura Larsen, a 27-year-old social housing employee in Copenhagen, said she believes Danes will like the new king.

“He is going to be quite a relaxed king compared to our current monarch, compared to what we’re seeing,” she said.

FILE – Denmark’s Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary wave from the tugboat “Svitzer Marysville” during its naming ceremony in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Nov 24, 2011. (Scott Barbour, Pool Photo via AP, File)

Like many of his contemporaries in Europe’s royal houses, Frederik found his spouse outside the aristocracy. He met Australian-born Mary Donaldson, the daughter of Scottish immigrants, in a bar during the Sydney Olympics in 2000. They married four years later.

The couple have four children: Prince Christian, 18; Princess Isabella, 16; and 13-year-old twins Prince Vincent and Princess Josephine.

Once Margrethe has abdicated, Christian will take over the title of crown prince and become first in line to succeed his father.

Mary will become queen of Denmark. Her unlikely journey from the island of Tasmania to become the world’s first Australian-born queen on the other side of the world has captivated Danes and Australians alike.

At a Jan. 3 reception for foreign diplomats in Copenhagen, Australia’s ambassador to Denmark, Kerin Ann Burns Ayyalaraju, said Australians are “incredibly proud” of Mary, who often has been described in magazines as a fashion icon.

“It is incredible to see how she has become such a significant part of Danish society,” the ambassador said.

When Frederik turned 50, Mary praised her husband in a witty and romantic speech in fluent Danish.

“You have always pushed the boundaries, and you have insisted on shaping the world around you to fit the person and have not allowed the structures in that world to define you,” Mary said.

Associated Press reporter Anders Garde Kongshaug contributed to this report.

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Guntur Kaaram Movie Review: Mahesh Babu’s Dedication Shines, but Trivikram’s Direction Curbs the ‘Jai Babu’ Enthusiasm

Roshan Bilung
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Guntur Kaaram Movie Review: Mahesh Babu’s Dedication Shines, but Trivikram’s Direction Curbs the ‘Jai Babu’ Enthusiasm

Guntur Kaaram Movie Review: Mahesh Babu’s Dedication Shines, but Trivikram’s Direction Curbs the ‘Jai Babu’ Enthusiasm

HYDERABAD (DT)- After a prolonged hiatus, the dynamic duo of Trivikram and Mahesh Babu reunites in the much-anticipated ‘Guntur Kaaram,’ marking their collaboration in a mass drama. Contrary to the typical Trivikram movie vibe, the trailer hints at an ultra-mass spectacle led by Mahesh Babu. The talented Sreeleela takes the stage as the female lead, with Meenakshi Chaudhary making a noteworthy appearance in a brief role. As the movie hits theaters, fans are eager to witness if ‘Guntur Kaaram’ lives up to the expectations built over the years. Let’s delve into the review from one of the US premieres to uncover the verdict.

READ MORE : Inside the 2024 Golden Globes: What you didn’t see on camera

Mahesh Babu’s Brilliance

The film witnesses Mahesh Babu’s unwavering commitment to his role, with a performance that radiates his star power. His portrayal adds depth to the character, keeping audiences engaged.

Mahesh Babu is super impressive in the role of ‘Ramana Gadu’. The man gets into that mass character and does full justice to the role. It is the thin plot and clueless narrative from Trivikram that wasted Mahesh’s efforts.

Sreeleela was given a role without substance, yet she scored marks where she is good at, dancing. Sreeleela impresses with her dance moves, like always. Meenakshi Chaudhary has got a very brief role and she is alright. Ramya Krishna, Prakash Raj, and Murli Sharma are usual. Jayaram’s character appears repetitive. Jagapathi Babu appears in a so very ordinary role which we don’t expect at all. Ajay, Vennela Kishore, and Eeswari Rao did their job.

Trivikram’s Directional Choices

Despite Babu’s stellar efforts, the review emphasizes that Trivikram’s directorial decisions cast a shadow over the overall cinematic experience. Some directional choices are noted for hindering the expected ‘Jai Babu’ moments.

Plot Dynamics

The storyline of “Guntur Kaaram” is highlighted for its intriguing plot dynamics, offering a mix of emotions and suspense. Babu’s efforts to elevate the narrative are evident, but certain directorial elements dilute the impact.

Cinematography and Soundtrack

The technical aspects, including cinematography and the soundtrack, receive positive mentions, contributing to the film’s visual and auditory appeal. However, these strengths are somewhat overshadowed by the directional challenges.

Audience Expectations

The audience’s expectations for a resounding ‘Jai Babu’ experience are met with a nuanced response, with the film showing flashes of brilliance amid moments where the direction appears to restrain the full potential.

While Mahesh Babu’s performance remains a standout, Trivikram’s directorial approach emerges as a point of discussion among both fans and critics. As the reviews unfold, the film’s reception becomes a topic of anticipation for cinema enthusiasts.

Superstar Mahesh Babu and his family enjoyed a special screening of #GunturKaaram with fans today at Sudarshan 35MM 🔥
The overwhelming response and love they received were truly electrifying.

Stay tuned for further insights and audience reactions as “Guntur Kaaram” continues to make waves in the cinematic landscape.

Guntur Kaaram disappoints as both the director and music director deliver substandard work. The film struggles in every aspect, marred by a lackluster plot filled with forced comedy and a tedious narrative.

The background music lacks vitality, failing to enhance the impact of any scene. While songs like Dum Masala and Kurchi Madathapetti manage to pass muster, the remaining songs fail to leave a lasting impression, merely passing through without making a significant mark.

Analysis:

“The much-anticipated collaboration of Trivikram and Mahesh Babu in Guntur Kaaram, though awaited with excitement, seems to follow a familiar pattern. While their earlier ventures Athadu and Khaleja were distinct, Trivikram appears to be stuck in a routine formula, often revolving around the theme of a ‘separated wife’ and a protagonist’s efforts to set things right, now with a new mass appeal in Guntur Kaaram.

The film introduces a resilient woman, driven by self-respect, who walks away from her husband and son without looking back. Excluding Aravind Sametha, Trivikram’s last four films follow a similar template, and Guntur Kaaram fails to offer anything fresh or extraordinary.

The first half of Guntur Kaaram struggles to rise above average, with a singular narrative thread focusing on obtaining a ‘signature’ dragged out until the interval. The rationale behind seeking a signature to sever ties for political gains seems illogical and lacks sense. Neither the comedy nor the dialogues manage to resonate in the initial half, with Vennela Kishore’s attempts at humor falling short in most instances. While the interval promises a significant high, it disappointingly falls flat. Additionally, each character in the movie seems reminiscent of those from the director’s previous works.”

Cast – Mahesh Babu, Sreeleela, Meenakshi Chaudhary, Jagapathi Babu. Ramya Krishnan, Rao Ramesh & others

Director – Trivikram Srinivas

Producer – S Radha Krishna

Banner – Haarika & Hassine Creations

Music – Thaman

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