Citizen Journalist

Wednesday, November 30, 2022

Prince Harry and Meghan would not be present at the Royal Family's festive dinner

All members of the Firm get together at the annual dinner held at Sandringham. However, this Christmas there is no invitation for Prince Harry and Meghan. This year, the monarch has extended invitation to the banished Sarah Ferguson. She has not been allowed to attend since 1992. The late Prince Philip banned her following the release of some photographs. By his action, King Charles has taken a bold step. He is "showing us all what Christmas is all about - family and forgiveness." That is how royal author Robert Jobson sums it up. He said the King's main concern this year would be the "missing" Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Charles tried to forgive them — he would love to be able to end the friction — but contact with them has been limited. It seems the monarch offered them an olive branch just before the Queen's death but they arrived late to the meeting. Robert Jobson goes on to add that Charles "has been pushed to his very limit with the Sussexes." However, their Netflix series and Harry’s new memoir "are still hanging over the Royal Family." King Charles's 'major problem' this Christmas will be Harry and Meghan's sad absence. Royal author Robert Jobson says - "It took three decades for Fergie to make it back to the Christmas table — for Harry and Meghan, it might be an even harder road back."

It seems Prince Harry will not be with the Royals for Christmas. Sources reveal that the relations were “near rock bottom” and the Duke of Sussex will snub an invite from King Charles ahead of the book’s global release on January 10. Harry’s elder brother Prince William and his wife Kate have reached Boston, US, ahead of the Earthshot Awards. However, they reportedly do not have any plans to catch up with Harry and Meghan. Harry lives with his family in California. It is about 200 miles from Boston. They have another program and travel to New York City to accept an honor at the Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Awards. William will give the Earthshot Awards while Harry will receive Hope Awards.

NASA says Artemis I Mission is proceeding as per plan

The Orion spacecraft, which is at the core of NASA’s historic Artemis I mission, reached its farthest distance from Earth. It shattered the earlier record for the maximum distance a spacecraft designed to carry humans has ever traveled. NASA confirmed that the Orion capsule had reached about 270,000 miles from Earth. This is the midpoint of its uncrewed mission around the moon. This distance is more than 40,000 miles beyond the far side of the moon. Apollo 13 mission in 1970 holds the previous record for the farthest a human-rated spacecraft has traveled. That mission had humans on board and it had stretched out to 248,655 miles from our home planet. The goal of the present Artemis I mission is to test the Orion capsule to its limits. The objective is to ensure that the vehicle is ready to host humans. The trial run is part of NASA’s broader Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the lunar surface for the first time since the 1970s. In a program of this nature, there could be problems and these have not posed any problems. Orion Program Manager Howard Hu said the spacecraft’s performance has been “outstanding.” In fact, the spacecraft is outperforming expectations in some respects. An example is producing about 20 percent more power than needed. NASA’s Orion spacecraft reaches record-breaking distance from Earth on Artemis I mission. The satisfactory progress of work impressed NASA. It plans to add seven additional mission objectives. These will gather additional data about the spacecraft’s capabilities and performance.

The spacecraft will swoop back toward the moon before firing its engines exit its current trajectory and head back toward Earth. The Orion capsule will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California on December 11. Experts will keep a watch on the behavior of the heat shield. After landing, Orion must safely deploy parachutes to ensure a gentle ocean splashdown. A NASA recovery ship will be ready to haul the Orion capsule to safety. The success of Artemis I mission will mean NASA will proceed to choose a crew to fly on the Artemis II mission. This could take off as soon as 2024. Its mission would be to fly around the moon but not land on its surface. That will be mission of Artemis III in 2025. It will be unique because it will include the first woman and the first person of color to achieve such a milestone.

Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Mauna Loa volcano, the world’s largest active volcano, erupts for the first time in nearly four decades

The US Geological Survey assures that even though lava is flowing down one side of the volcano, the eruption does not pose any threat to the communities. The volcano is in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The agency issued an advisory and said - “All indications are that the eruption will remain in the Northeast Rift Zone.” Referring to an area where the volcano is splitting, allowing for lava flow, it added - “Volcanic gas and possibly fine ash and Pele’s Hair (strands of lava glass) may be carried downwind.” However, a “trace to less than one quarter inch” of ashfall could accumulate on parts of the island. That is what the National Weather Service in Honolulu. The state Transportation Department also issued an advisory for those who plan to fly. It said - “Passengers with flights to Hilo International Airport (ITO) or the Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keahole (KOA) should check with their airline prior to heading to the airport due to the volcanic activity at Mauna Loa.” The airline also announced that Southwest Airlines is not operating from Hilo International Monday because of the eruption. It has canceled five flights to and from Honolulu. Hawaii’s Mauna Loa is erupting for the first time since 1984. The US Federal Aviation Administration issued a statement saying – it is “closely monitoring the volcanic eruption and will issue air traffic advisories once the size of the ash cloud is determined.”

The agency confirmed there is no threat to nearby communities, and no evacuation orders issued. However, as a precaution, two shelters have opened. The weather service says falling ash can damage vehicles, buildings, and lead to contamination of water supplies, disruption in sewage and electrical systems, and damage or destruction of vegetation. Moreover, abrasive volcanic ash could lead to irritation of eyes and lungs. Those who suffer from respiratory illnesses should remain indoors to avoid inhaling the ash particles and anyone outside should cover their mouth and nose with a mask or cloth. Hawaii, or the Big Island, has an area of about 4,000 square miles. It is the largest of the Hawaiian chain but has a population of just over 200,000 people. This works out to less than 50 people per square mile. Most of them live in cities and communities around the coast.

Sunday, November 27, 2022

Leonardo DiCaprio praises Chester Zoo that helped the golden skiffa fish from going extinct

48-year old Leonardo DiCaprio heaped praises on Chester Zoo for preventing the golden skiffa from going extinct. Its native habitat is in Mexico and the Teuchitlan River in central-western Mexico was its only known home. These fish have not been sighted there since the 1990s. The concerted efforts of experts from Chester Zoo and Michoacan University of Mexico helped bring the species back from the dead. The zoo and the University undertook a conservation-breeding program and released 1,200 golden skiffas back into their native river. They chose the date of release to coincide with Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico. Leonardo DiCaprio went to Instagram, a social media outlet, to praise Chester Zoo for its wonderful work. They helped to reintroduce a near-extinct species of fish to its native habitat in Mexico. DiCaprio, the Hollywood actor, describes himself as an environmentalist. He has been vocal on key climate summits, including the signing of the Paris climate agreement in 2016. Leonardo DiCaprio praises Chester Zoo for helping bring golden skiffa fish 'back from the dead'. The team at Chester was delighted with the endorsement and replied: "Thank you for sharing this incredible story!"

There are many reasons for the species of fish to face near extinction. Most of these are manmade – like construction of dam, extraction of water, pollution and an invasive species in their river. Paul Bamford is the regional programme manager for Latin America at Chester Zoo. He said - "This project is a great example of how zoos can contribute to conservation in the field through conservation breeding and research. By supporting freshwater conservation in Mexico and the ecosystems where the fish live, we're not only protecting biodiversity and the wellbeing of freshwater environments, but also the people and communities that live alongside them." Omar Dominguez-Dominguez is a professor and researcher from the Michoacan University of Mexico. He is leading the golden skiffia reintroduction. In his words - "Releasing the golden skiffia at this time is a metaphor for how the species has come back from the dead to return to its home, not for one night, but forever.” He adds that “universities, zoos and aquarists can come together to fix some of what has been destroyed and return to nature some of what has been lost is an amazing thing."

Saturday, November 12, 2022

At least nine injured in a hot air balloon crash on the edge of the Alps in Austria

The accident to the hot air balloon happened in the Bucklige Welt region known for its hilly landscape. Its location is about 53 miles south of the capital Vienna. Nine people suffered injuries after a hot air balloon crashed on the eastern edge of the Alps in Austria. Emergency services rushed to the scene of the accident. Initial reports mention about serious injuries to two of the passengers. The injured people scattered in different locations. Two were in the rural town of Untereck and five others with minor injuries were about three miles away near Stang. Moreover, a couple of seriously hurt people were airlifted by helicopter to local hospitals. The cause of the crash remains unclear but according to an Austria newspaper, the crash happened as the balloon was about to land on a meadow. Hot air balloon crash in the Austrian Alps leaves nine hurt. It seems the balloon descended at a fast rate and bounced off the ground. That knocked four people including the pilot and co-pilot out of the basket. The momentum dragged four of them along for a distance before the aircraft took off again with the five remaining passengers.

While in the air, the pilot apparently instructed the passengers by phone on how to make an emergency landing by phone. The balloon finally halted in a forest. Incidentally, there have been earlier instances of accidents to hot air balloons. In June last year, five people died after a gust of wind blew the hot air balloon into a power line. This happened in New Mexico, US. The pilot and three passengers were declared dead at the scene of the tragedy and the fifth person died after being rushed to hospital with serious injuries. Later, in July 2020 there was an accident in Germany. It happened in the city of Wesel, 35 miles north of Dusseldorf when a plane collided with the balloon which crashed into an apartment block.

Global carbon emission of China is lower to that of the United States

A study released by the Global Carbon Project at the COP27 conference underway in Egypt reveals a new picture. Until now, the concept was that U.S. emissions had been steadily dropping while Chinese emissions had been rising. It is not so. The study reveals that in China, fossil fuel pollution in China was down 0.9 percent this year compared with 2021, while in the United States it was 1.5 percent higher. It is a fact that the burning of fossil fuel this year has put 1 percent more heat-trapping carbon dioxide into the air compared to last year. Scientists who track emissions say this is a piece of bad news for the fight against climate change. However, China appears to have succeeded in reigning in the emission. Global carbon pollution continues to increase but not at a rate of 10 or 15 years ago. Obviously, the world has become cautious. The fact remains that much more needs to be done because it is pushing the Earth closer to hitting and then passing the globally adopted threshold of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. Carbon emissions from fossil fuels rise globally, including U.S., but drop in China. As a climate scientist of Princeton University says - “It means we better get ready to blow past the target and enter a world that humans have never experienced.’’

The study team, along with other scientific reports, calculate that the Earth can put only 419 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the air before warming reaches the 1.5-degree mark. That would work out to about nine to 10 years’ worth of emissions. In other words, that point will come at around 2031 or 2032. Obviously, the time for 1.5 is running out. According to the study, in 2022, the world will put 40.3 billion U.S. tons of carbon dioxide into the air from energy and cement use. That will work out to the weight of the Great Pyramid of Giza in carbon dioxide spewed every 75 minutes. The emissions are on the rise in the United States, India witnessed a 6 percent increase in 2022, while Europe had a 0.8 percent drop. The rest of the world averaged a 1.7 percent rise.

Friday, November 11, 2022

China will send monkeys to its Tiangong space station to experiment with reproduction in space

Populating another planet is the ultimate goal for all humans. China plans to send monkeys to its Tiangong space station to see if they can reproduce in space. Humans have to wear spacesuits to keep from floating away in the zero-gravity environment and rely on oxygen cylinders to prevent dying of asphyxiation. China will face the teething problems with monkeys. Others will wait to see how the animals adapt to such conditions and how long it takes them to reproduce in space. Moreover, whether the final product will resemble a normal baby or an alien. Space stations are laboratories where scientists test their hypotheses. In the past scientists have studied many pregnant animals in space. These include salamanders, fish and rats. China is now poised to use its Tiangong space station to up the ante by sending monkeys and rats to space. Such experiments will help scientists to assess the feasibility of reproduction of mammals in a zero-gravity environment. China to Send Monkeys to The Tiangong Space Station to Study Reproduction In Space.

Zhang Lu is a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Speaking to a section of the media he said – “some studies involving mice and macaques will be carried out to see how they grow or even reproduce in space. These experiments will help improve our understanding of an organism's adaptation to microgravity and other space environments.” He will conduct the study in the Tiangong space station's largest module. This module is primarily reserved for experiments in life sciences and currently has only enough room for algae, fish or snails. However, its design allows for expansion and reconfiguration to cater to larger organisms. When monkeys are sent into the space station, they will need to be fed and their wastes have to be disposed off. Soviet researchers had sent the rats into space for an 18-day mating experiment earlier. However, upon their return to Earth, none of them gave birth. It probably highlights the fact that it is not easy to conceive in surroundings of zero gravity.

Thursday, November 10, 2022

Powerful storm in California as Sacramento County faces a tornado

The powerful storm in California left one person dead and two others missing. Floodwaters in a canal swept them away while a tornado touched down in Sacramento County. According to the National Weather Service, the tornado touched down at 1:40 p.m. a few miles outside the town of Galt. It blew away a tin roof on a barn and downed utility lines. The stormy weather raised concerns because it was Election Day and it could keep people from voting. Moreover, there were warnings of flash flood in some areas. The Ontario Fire Department mentioned about a current in a canal in the city that swept six people away. One of them died while firefighters rescued three others. Search is on for the missing persons. 1 dead, 2 missing after floods, snow, tornado hit California on Election Day.

Heavy rain drenched Orange County. There are very close contests here and the result could play a major role to decide which party controls Congress. The Republican Party of the County urged members to vote early and avoid getting stuck in the rain on Election Day. The storm came on Monday and was forecast to continue through Wednesday. This led to issue of evacuation orders in parts of Southern California. The Met department in Northern California warned about the heavy rainfall with consequent debris flows and flash floods in the areas devastated by wildfires in Colorado. The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the greater Lake Tahoe area. It could lead to heavy snow in the region with consequent backups in major highways in the area. The agency cautioned that driving in the region would be extremely difficult, if not impossible. Drivers could face whiteout conditions and sub-zero wind chills along ridgelines and near the mountain passes.

Monday, November 7, 2022

Cruise ships are in the revival mode

In early 2020s, cruise ships were in the news for all the wrong reasons. Some people even went to the extent of predicting the industry would never recover. There were news related to outbreaks, port refusals, travelers stuck onboard. Fans of cruises say all that is ancient history. As a Singaporean said - “Given a choice, we would be living on the cruise ship for the remainder of our lives.” He goes on to add that those are issues of 2020 and “not of any concern” today because people are vaccinated and they observe personal health protocols.” He and his wife loves cruises and have already planned three cruises through 2023. They love to wake up in a different country the next day. A recent report mentioned about COVID-19 outbreak in a cruise ship circumnavigating Australia. According to a survey published by Cruiseline.com and the booking app Shipmate, 91 percent of respondents planned to take a cruise by 2023. Afraid to cruise? Not at all, say fans who are causing ‘an explosion of bookings’.

Arrivia is a travel loyalty provider. It operates programs for American Express, Bank of America and USAA and 75 percent of members indicated plans to cruise in the next two years. Moreover, regular leisure travelers are also open to cruising again. The fear of the pandemic gradually reduced. An example is an Indian national who said he had “no qualms” about cruising this month with his family – it was his first cruise ever. He said he felt safe and that his family wore masks in crowded areas and might cruise again next year. A market research provider says the global cruising industry will not return to pre-pandemic levels until 2027. In Asia, the problem is due “mainly to the slow recovery in China … due to the strict zero-tolerance COVID-19 policies.”

Sunday, November 6, 2022

SpaceX launched the first Falcon Heavy mission in over three years

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is back in business. It has now launched the first Falcon Heavy mission in over three years. This is a towering rocket and the most powerful one currently in operation. The rocket is carrying the classified USSF-44 mission for the U.S. Space Force. It is also the first operational national security mission for Falcon Heavy. The mission took off from a launchpad at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Earlier, launch was the Space Test Program-2 (STP-2) mission in June 2019. At that time, it carried experimental satellites on a demonstration flight for the Pentagon. Falcon Heavy’s base is reusable. However, the company landed just the side pair of the three rocket boosters. Its central core dropped into the ocean as traditional rockets do. The purpose was to meet the Space Force’s high-performance requirement for this mission. The hiatus in Falcon Heavy launches is attributable to the readiness of customers on its schedule. Incidentally, the company has completed three since the rocket’s debut in February 2018. SpaceX launches Falcon Heavy, the world’s most powerful rocket, on Space Force mission.

This original schedule of USSF-44 mission was for late 2020. There was plan for two other Falcon Heavy missions for this year – one for the Space Force and the other for NASA. However, customer payloads are also not ready yet. In fact, there is a backlog of about a dozen missions for Falcon Heavy still to come. SpaceX continues to launch its Falcon series of rockets at a high rate. The latest mission was the company’s record 50th launch this year and the company continues to work on the even larger Starship rockets that could replace them.

Friday, November 4, 2022

Eruption of volcano in Tonga led to a plume of ash and water that went about 31 to 50 miles above the surface of the Earth

In January, the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted underwater. It created a plume of ash and water that reached nearly 31 to 50 miles above the surface of the Earth. Scientists say it penetrated the third layer of Earth’s atmosphere. In fact, it was the highest-recorded volcanic plume and reached the mesosphere. At this height, meteors and meteorites usually break apart and burn up in our atmosphere. Incidentally, the mesosphere lies above the troposphere and the stratosphere and beneath two other layers. The stratosphere and mesosphere are dry atmospheric layers. The height of the volcanic plume was 35.4 miles at its highest. It broke earlier records of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption in the Philippines at 24.8 miles and the 1982 El Chichón eruption in Mexico at 19.2 miles. Researchers made use of satellite images over the eruption site to confirm the height of the plume. The location of the eruption was in the southern Pacific Ocean off the Tongan archipelago. This is an area covered by three geostationary weather satellites. Tonga eruption’s towering plume reached the third layer of Earth’s atmosphere.

It is possible to visualize the magnitude of the disturbance caused by the amount of water displaced. It could fill 58,000 Olympic-size swimming pools. This is based on previous detections from a NASA satellite. Researchers can use the height of the plume to study the impact of the eruption on the global climate. Incidentally, determining the height of the plume was a challenge to researchers. There are various algorithms to arrive at the figure. Dr. Simon Proud is the lead study coauthor. Knowledge of the composition and height of the plume can reveal how much ice went up into the stratosphere and how the ash particles scattered. The height is also critical for aviation safety because volcanic ash in the atmosphere could result in failure of the jet engine.

Thursday, November 3, 2022

Floods and stormy weather batter Britain, temperatures plummet below freezing point in many rural parts of the north

Numerus flood warnings are in place for areas like Yeovil, Derby, and the Lake District and London suburbs. Warning of a yellow thunderstorm is there for London, the south and parts of Wales. Storm Claudio has been lashing parts of the country, causing chaos on the roads and in coastal towns. The Met department issued more than 20 separate flood alerts across the nation, apart from yellow weather warnings for parts of the south east of England and North West Scotland. Residents should install flood protection measures to reduce the impact of the floods. In London, heavy rain fell overnight with rise in river levels. There are possibilities of floods in low-lying land, roads and riverside gardens and disruption in rail services. Flooding has led to closure of many stations. Signal failure due to floods has contributed to the agonies of the travelers. UK weather: Britain wakes up to widespread flooding and warnings after night of downpours.

In such a scenario, people have to be prepared to face floods and associated travel problems. These could be due to various reasons like signal failure or cars struggling to navigate surrounding roads. Meanwhile, forecasters have warned Brits to be prepared to "get their ice scrapers out" and prepare for frost to cover this week. Temperatures could drop to below freezing in many rural parts of the north tonight before plummeting further to -2C. Areas in the South will need to brace for chilly nights in the low single figures, as a November chill finally arrives following an unseasonably warm spell. Motorists have to be careful of the freezing temperatures ahead. As the Met Office said in a tweet - "Some of us may need our ice scrapers in the next few days as temperatures dip close to freezing."

Monday, October 31, 2022

Climatic crisis threatens emperor penguins of Antarctica

The emperor penguins of Antarctica are set to receive new protections under the Endangered Species Act, or ESA. This is because the climate crisis is a threat to these flightless seabirds. Global warming results in melting of sea ice and the penguins depend on the sea ice for their survival. As a result, the US Fish and Wildlife Service has categorized the species as threatened. The federal agency lists “imperiled species as endangered or threatened regardless of their country of origin.” The latest announcement came more than a year after an initial proposal by the service to protect emperor penguins under the ESA. Emperor penguins depend on sea ice to form their breeding colonies, avoid predators in the ocean and forage for food. However, the temperature of the Earth is rising because of increase in emission of greenhouse gas and carbon dioxide. The sea ice is at risk of disappearing. When this happens, entire penguin colonies can decline or disappear. The presence of emperor penguins is important to maintain the ecological balance because they forage for krill, fish and squid in the sea and serve as prey for leopard seals and killer whales. Antarctica’s emperor penguins at risk of extinction due to the climate crisis. As an expert says - climate change is having a profound impact on species around the world and addressing it is a priority for the (Biden) Administration. The listing of the emperor penguin serves as an alarm bell but also a call to action.

Emperor penguins are the tallest and heaviest of the 18 penguin species. They can weigh up to 40 kilograms and stand 1.1 meters tall. A female emperor lays one egg per breeding season, then passes it over to her male partner to incubate while she forages for food for about a two-month period. Listing the species as threatened now could help save them from becoming endangered or extinct in the future. The polar bear was the first species listed as threatened due to climate change under the Endangered Species Act in 2008. Since then, many of the world’s polar bear populations have stabilized, but they remain vulnerable as the climate crisis continues.

India eyes its own space station by 2035, ISRO wants industry to collaborate

ISRO Chairman S Somanath revealed that India wants its own space station by 2035. The Indian Space Research Organisation ISRO was working on the design of the rocket. It would like the industry to collaborate with it in the development of a reusable rocket. This rocket should be capable of carrying heavier payloads into orbit. The Next-Generation Launch Vehicle (NGLV) should be capable of carrying a 10 tonne payload in the Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO) or 20 tonnes to the low earth orbit. ISRO was working on the design of the rocket and the intention is to bring “industry along in the development process. All the money need not be invested by us. We want the industry to invest to create this rocket for all of us." That is what S Somanath told to a section of the media. ISRO eyes next generation launch vehicle for heavier payloads. Another official of ISRO added that the new rocket would be helpful because India plans to have its own space station by 2035. It was also eyeing deep space missions, human space flights, cargo missions and putting multiple communication satellites into orbit at the same time.

The NGLV would be simple and robust machine. Its design would be for bulk manufacturing in order to bring economy into operations related to space transportation. Somanath also said the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) has been the warhorse of ISROs rocket but its technology is outdated and not suitable for launch rockets in the future. ISRO plans to have the design of the NGLV ready within a year and offer it to the industry for production, with the first launch tentatively scheduled for 2030. The NGLV could be a three-stage rocket powered by green fuel combinations such as methane and liquid oxygen or kerosene and liquid oxygen.

Sunday, October 23, 2022

The government of India has identified wildlife conservation as one of its key goals

India has a wide variety of flora and fauna and the government has identified conservation of wildlife as one of its key goals. None other than Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed his commitment on many global platforms about promoting environmental and wildlife conservation. He has now assigned a target of conservation and protection of big cat species. This is after achieving the target of doubling the number of tigers ahead of time. The target also includes 50 cheetahs during the next five years. Already, the exercise of inducting eight cheetahs from Namibia is over. It is the first inter-continental large carnivore translocation project. With their arrival, India has become the only country where all five members of the big ‘cat species’ are now present. On the subject, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said – “Decades ago, the age-old link of biodiversity that was broken and became extinct, today we have a chance to reconnect it. Today the cheetah has returned to the soil of India.” Incidentally, the last cheetah in India was found dead in Chhattisgarh in 1947 and was officially declared extinct in 1952. India goes all out to increase wildlife species.

The authorities expect cheetahs to help restore the open forest and grassland ecosystem in India and the program will help in the conservation of biodiversity. Society would reap benefits like improvement of ecosystem processes in the form of water security, carbon absorption and soil moisture conservation. It could also increase livelihood opportunities for the local communities. This could be through eco-development and eco-tourism activities. The arrival of cheetahs has made India the only country that is home to all five members of the ‘big cat’ species – tiger, lion, leopard, snow leopard and cheetah. The Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 has notified animals like tigers, elephants, rhinoceros, lions, etc. as endangered species. They enjoy the highest degree of protection.

Thursday, October 20, 2022

Bengaluru, the Silicon Valley of India, reels under floods – authorities issue yellow alert for next few days

Heavy rains battered Bengaluru, known as the Garden City and the Silicon Valley. It led to flooding of several areas in different parts of the city and authorities issued a yellow alert for the next few days. There was a forecast of heavy rainfall in parts of Karnataka for the next few days and heavy downpours battered the IT capital. As a result, the India Meteorological Department (IMD), issued a yellow alert. This indicates heavy rainfall will continue for the next three days. Visuals from low-lying areas reveals heavily waterlogged roads, water flowing into open manholes, flooded basement parking and damaged vehicles. Bengaluru under water again as heavy rains trigger waterlogging, yellow alert issued.

The heavy rain led to the collapse of a wall and it damaged several vehicles parked on the road. Incidentally, last month, the city grappled with unprecedented floods after rain for three straight days. Parts of Bengaluru went under water. Especially, areas where global IT companies and home-grown start-ups are located. It took several days for water to recede. In fact, in some places, tractors came to the rescue of residents from some posh housing colonies. The city fathers should not put the blame on the vagaries of nature and wash off their hands. They should examine various factors that might have contributed to flood situations in a city like Bengaluru and take remedial action.

Wednesday, October 19, 2022

Airlines hike airfare from Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata to Patna ahead of the festive season

It is the festive season and airlines have hiked the airfares from Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata to Patna. The rise is, in some cases is in excess of more than three-fold over the off-peak season rates. The price of air tickets for flights from Delhi to Patna and from Mumbai to Patna were more than the rate from Delhi to Sharjah or from Delhi to Singapore or Delhi to Bangkok. These are for destinations in other countries. Obviously, airline companies were taking advantage of the flexible fare during the peak season. In the opinion of experts, the spike might continue. This is not only for Delhi but also for other cities like Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, and Surat. It is obvious that people can afford to pay these exorbitant rates and no one is gumbling. Airfare from Delhi, Mumbai to Patna rises upto three fold amid Diwali, Chhath.

One of the biggest reasons for the spikes in airfare could possibly be the non-availability of train tickets. The waiting lists for trains are very high and even Tatkal tickets are not available. Hence, the railways plan to start additional mail and express trains bound for destinations in Bihar. These could include Patna, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Jay Nagar, Kishanganj, Katihar, and Barauni (Begusarai). Moreover, Northern Railway has decided to run 32 additional mail and express trains bound to provide some relief to the passengers. According to the officials, there will be 211 trains until Chatth Puja. These will originate from Jammu, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Delhi, Bhiwani, and Pathankot. The authorities want the people to come home to enjoy the festive season with their near and dear ones.

Tuesday, October 18, 2022

Hurricane Michael of 2018 destroyed Mexico Beach and the earlier residents are unable to return because of high costs

The height of new homes under construction now are at least 8 feet. Four years earlier, Hurricane Michael destroyed this blue-collar beach town in the Gulf of Mexico and the belongings of residents were spread across the two-lane highway. The old-style Florida cinderblock and stucco cottages are being replaced with stronger more elevated homes that conform to Florida’s latest coastal building codes to be in a better position to withstand powerful winds and storm surges. These new homes are proof of the resilience of some of the locals but they are also bigger and more expensive. As a result, many of the previous owners found themselves priced out. It is obvious. Mexico Beach is not the only coastal town in the U.S. struggling with affordable housing. There is no doubt that prices have skyrocketed in seaside communities from California to North Carolina. Big corporations are buying up properties and those who work from home are trying to buy second homes. Hurricane Ian of 2022 devastated portions of southwest Florida. These forced many residents to leave for good. A tiny Florida beach town is rebuilding after a hurricane. Is it becoming a preserve of the rich? .

The climatic disaster left a bad taste in the mouth for the residents. They had to battle innumerable issues like insurance, government bureaucracy apart from rising prices, construction costs, supply chain problems and labor shortages. The pandemic added to their miseries. In October 2018, Mexico Beach was a quaint and sleepy beach town on a stretch of the state’s northern Gulf coast. Hurricane Michael, a Category 5 storm with 160 mph winds and a 14-foot storm surge, devastated the city. It uprooted the pier, toppled the city’s water tower, and demolished the town’s police station, grocery store and hardware store. In 2016, the city’s website said Mexico Beach did not even have a set of traffic lights. Michael damaged or destroyed most of the structures of the city and the population of full-time residents dropped drastically. Rebuilding was a massive exercise and Mexico Beach now has a bank, a gas station, a restaurant, a hotel and about 900 residents. It has received federal funding to restore water and sewer mains, dredge debris from its canals, restore its beaches and build public parks. It is all about the basic needs for survival.

Monday, October 17, 2022

Alaska cancels its snow crab harvest this year because of their disappearance from the Bering Sea in recent years

The Alaska Board of Fisheries and North Pacific Fishery Management Council have taken this decision. The reason is the drop in the population of snow crab in the Bering Sea. It went below the regulatory threshold to open up the fishery. It seems their numbers dropped from around 8 billion in 2018 to 1 billion in 2021. This is according to Benjamin Daly. He is a researcher with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. He revealed to a section of the media - “Snow crab is by far the most abundant of all the Bering Sea crab species that is caught commercially. So the shock and awe of many billions missing from the population is worth noting – and that includes all the females and babies.” Agencies have taken a similar decision for the Bristol Bay red king crab harvest. That also stands cancelled for the second year in a row. Officials cited overfishing as their rationale for canceling the seasons. It seems more crab were being caught than could be naturally replaced. Billions of snow crabs have disappeared from the waters around Alaska. Scientists say overfishing is not the cause. As an expert revealed, surveys conducted in 2021 and 2022 indicated that population of mature male snow crabs declined about 40 percent. As a result, there are an estimated 45 million pounds left in the entire Bering Sea.

The director for NOAA Fisheries in Kodiak lab differs. In his opinion, calling the Bering Sea crab population “overfished” does not make any mention about the cause of its collapse. He is Michael Litzow and he believes overfishing could not be responsible for the collapse. He says human-caused climate change is a significant factor in the alarming disappearance of crabs. He explains that these are cold-water species and found overwhelmingly in areas where water temperatures are below 2 degrees Celsius. The sea ice is disappearing due to the warm climate and the ocean around Alaska is becoming inhospitable for such species. Temperatures around the Arctic have warmed much faster than the rest of the planet. Climate change is responsible for triggering a rapid loss in sea ice in the Arctic region, particularly in Alaska’s Bering Sea.