International
California plans to boost water supply as drought bites
AFP
More than two decades of devastating drought worsened by man-made climate change mean California must harvest, recycle and desalinate much more water, the state’s governor said Thursday.
Unveiling an “aggressive” new strategy to combat a dwindling water supply, Gavin Newsom said he wants to bolster ageing infrastructure to keep pace with the rapidly changing environment.
“Climate change means drought won’t just stick around for two years at a time like it historically has,” Newsom said in a statement.
“Drought is a permanent fixture here in the American West and California will adapt to this new reality.”
The blueprint unveiled Thursday calls for more above-ground storage, as well as better ways to capture the billions of gallons of rain that usually just run into the ocean.
It also includes plans to recycle much more water and to desalinate seawater.
The American West is more than 20 years into its worst drought in over a millennium.
As part of efforts to ride out the drought, residents in southern California have been told not to water their lawns more than once or twice a week — the cause of much grumbling among some of the area’s wealthiest homeowners.
Scientists predict that California’s already-stretched water supplies will dwindle a further 10 percent over the coming decades, with the current drought believed to be part of a long-term aridification of the region.
That process is being hastened by global warming, where humanity’s unchecked burning of fossil fuels continues to pump insulating gases such as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
The planet has already warmed by an average of 1.2 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times, and is expected to get even hotter, even if governments meet their pollution reduction targets.
The higher temperatures exacerbate the effects of the drought, with more moisture evaporating from the soil even as plants try to suck more of it up — leaving less to flow into rivers and streams.
“Regardless of drought or flood, in this changed climate there will be less water available for people to use,” the state’s 16-page plan says.
“To match the pace of climate change, California must move smarter and faster to update our water systems. The modernization of our water systems will help replenish the water California will lose due to hotter, drier weather.”
“California must capture, recycle, de-salt, and conserve more water… to put to use water that would otherwise be unusable, stretch supplies with efficiency, and expand our capacity to bank water from big storms for dry times.”
International
Brazil’s Bolsonaro Returns to Prison After Supreme Court Denies House Arrest
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro left a hospital in Brasília on Thursday after spending more than a week admitted and returned to prison, after the Supreme Court denied his request for house arrest, an AFP journalist reported.
Bolsonaro, 70, departed the DF Star Hospital under a police motorcycle escort and was transferred back to a small room at a police facility, where he is serving a 27-year sentence for attempting to stage a coup to remain in power after losing the 2022 election to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
The nine-day hospitalization marked Bolsonaro’s first time outside custody since his imprisonment. His legal team had requested house arrest on health grounds following surgery last week for an inguinal hernia, arguing there was a “concrete risk of sudden deterioration” in his condition. He was also treated for recurring bouts of hiccups.
However, Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes rejected the request, stating that, contrary to the defense’s claims, there had been no worsening of Bolsonaro’s health condition. The former right-wing leader was admitted to the hospital on December 24 and underwent surgery the following day.
International
Regional mexican music mourns the death of Banda Gota de Oro singer Giovanni Vera
Regional Mexican music is mourning the death of Giovanni Vera, lead vocalist of the band Banda Gota de Oro, who was among the victims of an armed attack that occurred on Sunday, December 28, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato.
The incident took place inside a residence located in the Los Presidentes neighborhood, in the municipality of Irapuato.
According to preliminary reports, several people were gathered at the house when armed men burst in and opened fire on those present. The attack left five people dead, including the singer.
Hours after the shooting, Banda Gota de Oro confirmed Vera’s death through its official Instagram account. In one of the posts, the group expressed its grief with an emotional message: “Today, the sky is dressed for a celebration because you are singing up there. Your voice and your joy will live on forever within us.”
Messages of support and condolences from fans and fellow musicians quickly flooded social media, paying tribute to the artist and expressing solidarity with his family and bandmates.
International
One Dead, Three Injured in Shooting at Cree Nation in Saskatchewan
One person was killed and three others were injured in a shooting reported early Tuesday in the Big Island Lake Cree Nation, in the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, according to local media.
Police said they were alerted to the incident in a remote area located approximately 392 kilometers northwest of the city of Saskatoon. Authorities issued a dangerous persons alert for two suspects, who were described as armed.
Saskatchewan police urged residents to seek shelter immediately, lock their doors, and avoid the area while the situation remains under investigation. Officers are working to determine whether the shooting was a targeted attack or a random act of violence.
As a precautionary measure, seven health-care facilities in the surrounding area were placed under lockdown, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said in a post on X.
Brazil’s Bolsonaro Returns to Prison After Supreme Court Denies House Arrest
Regional mexican music mourns the death of Banda Gota de Oro singer Giovanni Vera
One Dead, Three Injured in Shooting at Cree Nation in Saskatchewan
Tec de Monterrey honors one of its students for his contribution to nanotechnology in medicine
Defense Minister commends salvadoran soldier for Central American Cross Country victory
Extension of the state of emergency approved in southern Chile
-
International4 days agoMan accused of killing nine in Paramaribo dies by suicide in police custody
-
International3 days agoMexico’s President Visits Victims After Train Derailment Kills 13 in Oaxaca
-
International3 days agoOne Dead, Three Injured in Shooting at Cree Nation in Saskatchewan
-
International4 days agoSix killed, including baby, in armed attack near tourist beach in Ecuador
-
International5 days agoWinter storm disrupts holiday travel, forcing 1,500 flight cancellations in the U.S.
-
International8 hours agoBrazil’s Bolsonaro Returns to Prison After Supreme Court Denies House Arrest
-
International2 days ago
Regional mexican music mourns the death of Banda Gota de Oro singer Giovanni Vera