Today’s news: permafrost melts in Siberia, causing further subsidence of the Batagaika crater, releasing methane. The Israeli army kills two teenagers in the West Bank. US semiconductors are available in Russia, despite sanctions. On their way to WYD, the young Chinese pilgrims make a stop at the Propaganda Fide headquarters in Rome.
BHUTAN
At least seven people died and 16 others are missing in Bhutan after flash floods caused by heavy rains, more intense than usual. The water swept away a section of the reservoir from a small hydroelectric power station, triggering further landslides downstream. Rescue teams continue to patrol the area, authorities said. Prime Minister Lotay Tshering has arrived on the scene and is taking stock of the situation as he leads the search and rescue operations. They have already identified five victims.
RUSSIA
The Batagaika crater in Siberia is the largest depression in the world, 1 km wide and 86 meters deep. The permafrost, a mixture of ice and earth, began to sink after the felling of forests in the 1960s, causing it to thaw. Scientists say the phenomenon is accelerating as Russia warms 2.5 times faster than the rest of the world, melting the frozen tundra that covers about 65% of the landmass. The Batagaika crater has already reached 100 meters depth in some places, releasing greenhouse gases – mainly methane – stored in the ground, now thawed..
ISRAEL
israeli forces Two Palestinian teens were killed in the West Bank. The victims are a 17-year-old boy, Muhammad Fouad Atta al-Bayed, who was shot in the head during riots in the village of Umm Safa, near Ramallah, and 18-year-old Fawzi Makhalfeh. Since the beginning of 2023, 150 Palestinians have already been killed in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
MALDIVES
The Maldives are not only a popular destination for tourists; they are also a transit point for international shipments to Russia trying to circumvent international sanctions. Since Putin invaded Ukraine, through the Maldives Some 400,000 US-made semiconductors have been shipped to Russia for a total value of 53.6 million dollars, according to data from the Indian research company Export Genius.
KYRGYZSTAN
The US Presidential Office is preparing to dictate new “economic measures” against Kyrgyzstan. In doing so, it seeks to prevent the country from continuing to be a conduit for the shipment of sanctioned items to Russia. Although no details about the companies involved were provided, the decision would come after several “unsuccessful visits” by US and European officials to Bishkek.
INDIA
Nine years ahead of schedule, India has achieved the distribution and supply of electricity from non-fossil sources on its territory. During the G20 Energy Ministers meeting in Goa, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced his highly ambitious next goal: “Now we plan to reach 50% of the installed capacity of electricity of non-fossil origin before 2030”. The goal is to “make India one of the world leaders in solar and wind energy.”
CHINA-WYD
On their way to Lisbon, the young Chinese who will participate in the World Youth Day stopped in Rome. Over there visited the Palazzo de Propaganda Fide, a historic building overlooking Plaza España, headquarters of the Department for Evangelization. The group of pilgrims, made up of 50 young people of both sexes, received the missionary rosary and in the Chapel of the Magi sang the Hail Mary in Mandarin, in the place from which so many missionaries left to take the Gospel to China.
