International
Chile’s glaciers to lose half their water supply capacity by 2100, study warns
Glaciers — Chile’s last line of defense against recurring droughts — will provide only half as much water by the year 2100, causing them to lose their ability to mitigate the impact of another megadrought like the one the country has endured for the past 15 years, according to a study published on Tuesday.
“The increase in temperatures projected for this century will cause glaciers to lose more mass than they gain. In other words, throughout the century they will steadily continue to retreat,” Álvaro Ayala of the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) told EFE.
The WSL, the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA), and Chile’s Center for Advanced Studies in Arid Zones concluded that if a drought similar to the current one hits the country in 2100, the major glaciers in the southern Andes, central Chile, and Argentina will be able to contribute only half the water they supply today, having lost between 50% and 80% of their current volume. The situation of smaller glaciers — not included in this analysis — is expected to be even more critical, with many likely to disappear completely.
Even without considering future water consumption trends, the halving of glacier water contribution will pose a significant additional challenge, Ayala warns.
The Chilean civil engineer explained that the study, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, sought to answer what would happen if a megadrought like the current one were to strike the same region at the end of the century, when glaciers will be considerably smaller.
International
Missile attack hits Kharkiv homes, leaving 13 wounded
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday that a Russian missile attack on residential buildings in the eastern city of Kharkiv has left at least 13 people injured, according to local authorities.
“A horrific Russian attack on Kharkiv,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram, explaining that two missiles were fired, striking residential areas and causing “a number of casualties that is still being clarified.”
Local officials later confirmed that 13 people were injured in the attack, six of whom were hospitalized, including one woman in serious condition.
International
Sheinbaum evacuates National Palace after 6.5-magnitude earthquake hits Southern Mexico
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo evacuated the National Palace on Friday along with journalists and federal government staff after the seismic alert was activated during her morning press conference, triggered by a 6.5-magnitude earthquake with its epicenter in the south of the country.
The alert sounded while the president was speaking from the Treasury Hall, forcing the immediate interruption of the event and the activation of established safety protocols.
“Oh, it’s shaking,” Sheinbaum said as she noticed the tremor, before urging those present to remain calm.
According to preliminary information, the earthquake struck the state of Guerrero, one of Mexico’s most seismically active regions. The National Seismological Service (SSN) reported that the quake occurred at 7:58 a.m. local time (13:58 GMT).
Sheinbaum led the orderly evacuation of the historic building, accompanied by reporters covering the briefing and federal government personnel. Images released afterward show the president waiting in the central courtyard of the National Palace as she awaited guidance from Civil Protection authorities on whether it was safe to resume activities.
International
Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney to join Ukraine peace talks in Paris
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Friday that he will take part in peace negotiations on Ukrainescheduled to be held in Paris on January 5 and 6.
In a statement, the Canadian government said the meeting will bring together countries belonging to the so-called Coalition of the Willing, and aims to “accelerate efforts toward a negotiated peace” in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, supported by robust security guarantees.
Carney said Canada is working closely with its allies to achieve a “just and lasting peace,” stressing that the Coalition of the Willing must both deter further aggression and reinforce security guarantees, while ensuring that Ukraine is able to rebuild, recover and lay the foundations for genuine prosperity.
The Coalition of the Willing is made up of around 30 countries, the vast majority of them European, all of which are allies of Kyiv.
On Thursday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed that a meeting of the Coalition, alongside other European leaders, will take place in Paris on January 6, focusing on security guarantees for Ukraine in the event of a future peace agreement with Russia.
Missile attack hits Kharkiv homes, leaving 13 wounded
Sheinbaum evacuates National Palace after 6.5-magnitude earthquake hits Southern Mexico
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