๐จ๐ณ๐ท๐บEscobar: The Russia-China spaceship rushes towards planet multipolar
The New Silk Roads/BRI and its derivations such as the Northern Sea Route/Arctic Silk Road remain alive and kicking.
SHANGHAI - This is it.
The Russia-China strategic partnership, the leaders in the process of Eurasia integration, the leaders of multipolar bodies BRICS and the SCO, have formally endorsed and boosted the drive towards multipolarity and a new system of international relations via a strategic joint declaration signed, sealed and delivered during President Putin's visit to China this Wednesday.
This is one for the History books - in several more ways than one.
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The New Silk Roads/BRI and its derivations such as the Northern Sea Route/Arctic Silk Road remain alive and kicking.
SHANGHAI - This is it.
The Russia-China strategic partnership, the leaders in the process of Eurasia integration, the leaders of multipolar bodies BRICS and the SCO, have formally endorsed and boosted the drive towards multipolarity and a new system of international relations via a strategic joint declaration signed, sealed and delivered during President Putin's visit to China this Wednesday.
This is one for the History books - in several more ways than one.
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There's a new T. rex from the dinosaur age โ and it ruled the seas with a skull-crushing bite
The newly described mosasaur Tylosaurus rex spanned up to 43 feet (13 meters) long and may have been one of the fiercest marine predators of the dinosaur age.
There's a new T. rex in town, but this one didn't hunt on land.
It ruled the ancient seas.
Scientists have described a new species of mosasaur, a member of a marine reptile group that lived at the same time as dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago). The newly named species fits into an already known genus: Tylosaurus.
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The newly described mosasaur Tylosaurus rex spanned up to 43 feet (13 meters) long and may have been one of the fiercest marine predators of the dinosaur age.
There's a new T. rex in town, but this one didn't hunt on land.
It ruled the ancient seas.
Scientists have described a new species of mosasaur, a member of a marine reptile group that lived at the same time as dinosaurs during the Cretaceous period (145 million to 66 million years ago). The newly named species fits into an already known genus: Tylosaurus.
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Ancient Greek theatre mask discovered in Illyrian sanctuary cave
Archaeologists have uncovered a remarkably preserved terracotta head depicting a Greek theatrical mask inside the Crno Jezero (Black Lake) cave on the Peljeลกac Peninsula in Croatia.
Dating from the 4th to 3rd centuries BC, the hollow mask features a suspension hole at the top, suggesting it was once hung on a wall, likely as part of ritual activity associated with Dionysus, the Greek god of theatre and wine.
According to archaeologist Domagoj Perkiฤ, head of the Archaeological Museum, the discovery raises intriguing questions about the cave's religious significance and the possible worship of Dionysus or an Illyrian equivalent deity.
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Archaeologists have uncovered a remarkably preserved terracotta head depicting a Greek theatrical mask inside the Crno Jezero (Black Lake) cave on the Peljeลกac Peninsula in Croatia.
Dating from the 4th to 3rd centuries BC, the hollow mask features a suspension hole at the top, suggesting it was once hung on a wall, likely as part of ritual activity associated with Dionysus, the Greek god of theatre and wine.
According to archaeologist Domagoj Perkiฤ, head of the Archaeological Museum, the discovery raises intriguing questions about the cave's religious significance and the possible worship of Dionysus or an Illyrian equivalent deity.
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Joe Rogan Discusses Aliens Abducting Americans in National Parks
Joe Rogan has revisited theories about mysterious disappearances in U.S. national parks โ including the possibility of alien abductions โ during a wide-ranging conversation about unsolved missing persons cases and UFO encounters.
During an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, author and investigator David Paulides claimed the National Park Service had blocked some of his efforts to obtain records tied to disappearances in remote wilderness areas.
Paulides also discussed several cases he believes remain unexplained โ including the disappearance of 14-year-old Stacy Arras in Yosemite National Park more than four decades ago.
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Joe Rogan has revisited theories about mysterious disappearances in U.S. national parks โ including the possibility of alien abductions โ during a wide-ranging conversation about unsolved missing persons cases and UFO encounters.
During an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, author and investigator David Paulides claimed the National Park Service had blocked some of his efforts to obtain records tied to disappearances in remote wilderness areas.
Paulides also discussed several cases he believes remain unexplained โ including the disappearance of 14-year-old Stacy Arras in Yosemite National Park more than four decades ago.
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๐ท๐บRussia hammers Kiev with massive barrage likely including Oreshnik hypersonic missiles
Russia answers Kiev's attack on the Starobelsk school Less than two days after President Vladimir Putin vowed revenge for a Ukrainian strike that hit a secondary-school dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk oblast, Russia unleashed a massive, multi-weapon barrage on Kiev early Sunday, one that apparently included the rare use of Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missiles.
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Russia answers Kiev's attack on the Starobelsk school Less than two days after President Vladimir Putin vowed revenge for a Ukrainian strike that hit a secondary-school dormitory in the Russian-controlled Luhansk oblast, Russia unleashed a massive, multi-weapon barrage on Kiev early Sunday, one that apparently included the rare use of Oreshnik hypersonic ballistic missiles.
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The Coup Abides
"Leftists can't name & blame specific individuals for the 2024 loss because they're an undifferentiated blob who function unconsciously according to enmeshed group think." โ Aimee Therese on X In all the chatter about the Democratic Party's 2024 election "autopsy" report you might have missed one little important detail: autopsies are generally performed on the dead.
Stephen Colbert's final week on CBS's Late Night Show was the funeral.
It was like the zombies' ball.
Poster-boy old Bruce Springsteen plugged a self-parody song about "King Trump" that might have been a rare case of career suicide on live TV. Kings, indeed.
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"Leftists can't name & blame specific individuals for the 2024 loss because they're an undifferentiated blob who function unconsciously according to enmeshed group think." โ Aimee Therese on X In all the chatter about the Democratic Party's 2024 election "autopsy" report you might have missed one little important detail: autopsies are generally performed on the dead.
Stephen Colbert's final week on CBS's Late Night Show was the funeral.
It was like the zombies' ball.
Poster-boy old Bruce Springsteen plugged a self-parody song about "King Trump" that might have been a rare case of career suicide on live TV. Kings, indeed.
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๐บ๐ธTrump administration to force foreigners in the US to apply for a green card abroad
Foreigners in the U.S. who want a green card will need to leave and apply in their home country, the Trump administration announced Friday, in a surprise change to a longstanding policy that sowed confusion and concern among aid groups, immigration lawyers and immigrants.
For over half a century, foreign nationals with legal status have been able to apply for and complete the entire process for permanent residence in the United States โ including individuals married to U.S. citizens, holders of work and student visas, and refugees and political asylum seekers, among others.
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Foreigners in the U.S. who want a green card will need to leave and apply in their home country, the Trump administration announced Friday, in a surprise change to a longstanding policy that sowed confusion and concern among aid groups, immigration lawyers and immigrants.
For over half a century, foreign nationals with legal status have been able to apply for and complete the entire process for permanent residence in the United States โ including individuals married to U.S. citizens, holders of work and student visas, and refugees and political asylum seekers, among others.
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๐ณ๐ฑNetherlands to suspend all trade with illegal Israeli settlements in occupied West Bank, Golan Heights
Jewish pogroms across the West Bank have surged significantly since the start of the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced on 22 May that his country will suspend all trade in goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Syrian Golan Heights.
The decision was approved in principle by the Council of Ministers.
Jetten said the measure is intended to "prevent Dutch society from contributing, through our economic activities, to illegal occupation and the maintenance of illegal settlements," according to his press conference.
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Jewish pogroms across the West Bank have surged significantly since the start of the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten announced on 22 May that his country will suspend all trade in goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Syrian Golan Heights.
The decision was approved in principle by the Council of Ministers.
Jetten said the measure is intended to "prevent Dutch society from contributing, through our economic activities, to illegal occupation and the maintenance of illegal settlements," according to his press conference.
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๐บ๐ธThe Replacements: How US helps foreign workers take American jobs
Mary, a veteran Silicon Valley marketer who can't find a job, considers herself a victim of an H-1B visa program run amok.
Her story, a U.S. native replaced by a foreign-born employee who is willing to work at a significantly lower wage, has become commonplace, particularly in the tech industry.
Adding insult to injury, she says, her CEO, who hails from India, told her to train the man he selected to replace her before laying her off.
Despite stints at Google and Cisco and two years of job hunting, Mary can no longer compete in a job market saturated with foreign-born H-1B visa holders.
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Mary, a veteran Silicon Valley marketer who can't find a job, considers herself a victim of an H-1B visa program run amok.
Her story, a U.S. native replaced by a foreign-born employee who is willing to work at a significantly lower wage, has become commonplace, particularly in the tech industry.
Adding insult to injury, she says, her CEO, who hails from India, told her to train the man he selected to replace her before laying her off.
Despite stints at Google and Cisco and two years of job hunting, Mary can no longer compete in a job market saturated with foreign-born H-1B visa holders.
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๐ฎ๐ทNetanyahu's 'hair was on fire' after Trump call on Iran - Axios
Israel wants to resume the war, while Washington and regional mediators push Tehran to accept a peace deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was furious after a tense call with US President Donald Trump over a new proposal to end the war with Iran, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing three sources familiar with the matter.
One US source briefed on the conversation said Netanyahu's "hair was on fire" after the call, which took place after Trump delayed a "very major attack" on Iran, saying Gulf leaders asked the US to give diplomacy more time.
The US president has since said the US and Iran are "right on the borderline" between a deal and renewed war.
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Israel wants to resume the war, while Washington and regional mediators push Tehran to accept a peace deal.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was furious after a tense call with US President Donald Trump over a new proposal to end the war with Iran, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing three sources familiar with the matter.
One US source briefed on the conversation said Netanyahu's "hair was on fire" after the call, which took place after Trump delayed a "very major attack" on Iran, saying Gulf leaders asked the US to give diplomacy more time.
The US president has since said the US and Iran are "right on the borderline" between a deal and renewed war.
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๐ฎ๐ท๐ท๐บCaspian lifeline redraws the Iran - Russia war map
The war pressure on Iran has always been mapped from the south.
US bases ring the Persian Gulf, Israeli intelligence probes the region from Azerbaijan and beyond, and Washington's naval power has long treated the narrow waterways around Iran as a pressure point.
The more the US-Israel axis leans on the Gulf, the more Tehran's strategic depth shifts northward, across a closed body of water that western planners cannot easily dominate.
The Caspian Sea now matters because it gives Iran and Russia something both states urgently need, a direct, politically controlled route outside the reach of hostile land corridors.
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The war pressure on Iran has always been mapped from the south.
US bases ring the Persian Gulf, Israeli intelligence probes the region from Azerbaijan and beyond, and Washington's naval power has long treated the narrow waterways around Iran as a pressure point.
The more the US-Israel axis leans on the Gulf, the more Tehran's strategic depth shifts northward, across a closed body of water that western planners cannot easily dominate.
The Caspian Sea now matters because it gives Iran and Russia something both states urgently need, a direct, politically controlled route outside the reach of hostile land corridors.
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๐ฒ๐ฆMorocco launches mass deportations to block Europe migration route
As the EU rolls out its new, stricter migration pact, Morocco intensifies crackdown and interceptions of sub-Saharan Africans at Europe's behest Since 14 April, Morocco has been conducting large-scale deportation operations targeting sub-Saharan Africans migrating to Europe, reportedly arresting over 100 per day, local sources told Middle East Eye.
According to Moroccan human rights groups, around 800 people were detained during coordinated raids in the forests between Fnideq and Belyounech, in the northern tip of the North African state, where many were sheltering before attempting to reach Europe.
The operation is still ongoing, with authorities then moving their focus to operations in and around Tangier.
Witnesses have described mass arrests, beatings, racist abuse and forced transfers toward the Algerian border.
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As the EU rolls out its new, stricter migration pact, Morocco intensifies crackdown and interceptions of sub-Saharan Africans at Europe's behest Since 14 April, Morocco has been conducting large-scale deportation operations targeting sub-Saharan Africans migrating to Europe, reportedly arresting over 100 per day, local sources told Middle East Eye.
According to Moroccan human rights groups, around 800 people were detained during coordinated raids in the forests between Fnideq and Belyounech, in the northern tip of the North African state, where many were sheltering before attempting to reach Europe.
The operation is still ongoing, with authorities then moving their focus to operations in and around Tangier.
Witnesses have described mass arrests, beatings, racist abuse and forced transfers toward the Algerian border.
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German taxpayers on the hook for mass migration costs of โฌ40 billion in 2025
German taxpayers not only paid over โฌ40 billion, but also face higher housing costs, more road traffic, crowded hospitals, growing insecurity, higher insurance premiums, and a host of other ills not officially tracked in this figure.
Migrants cost German taxpayers โ just at the federal level โ โฌ24.8 billion in 2025, according to new data in the "refugee costs report" from the German Federal Ministry of Finance.
However, the true sum is much higher.
The โฌ24.8 billion is strictly the federal bill.
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German taxpayers not only paid over โฌ40 billion, but also face higher housing costs, more road traffic, crowded hospitals, growing insecurity, higher insurance premiums, and a host of other ills not officially tracked in this figure.
Migrants cost German taxpayers โ just at the federal level โ โฌ24.8 billion in 2025, according to new data in the "refugee costs report" from the German Federal Ministry of Finance.
However, the true sum is much higher.
The โฌ24.8 billion is strictly the federal bill.
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๐บ๐ธ๐ฎ๐ทSOTT FOCUS: NewsReal: Trump Says Iran Deal 'Close', But Can He 'Surrender' US Hegemony?
Another 'TACO Tuesday' came and went... by Thursday the US military was again 'locked and loaded' for another go at Iran... and by Saturday evening Trump was dangling another peace deal - 'for realz this time'. As American diplomacy erratically yo-yo's, in the real world, some oil tankers are once more sailing the Strait of Hormuz, but now on Iran's terms.
War is a cynical business, a 'racket', as US General Smedley Butler said a century ago.
Wars begin because they're profitable, and only end with the promise of more profit.
Is it a 'win' for the US if it makes more money selling more oil, even if that means Iran is also doing so?
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Another 'TACO Tuesday' came and went... by Thursday the US military was again 'locked and loaded' for another go at Iran... and by Saturday evening Trump was dangling another peace deal - 'for realz this time'. As American diplomacy erratically yo-yo's, in the real world, some oil tankers are once more sailing the Strait of Hormuz, but now on Iran's terms.
War is a cynical business, a 'racket', as US General Smedley Butler said a century ago.
Wars begin because they're profitable, and only end with the promise of more profit.
Is it a 'win' for the US if it makes more money selling more oil, even if that means Iran is also doing so?
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The Marxist in the machine
Should we be worried that AI becomes more left-wing if it doesn't like you?
Our fears for the future of robot intelligence almost inevitably end in spectacular fashion, with nuclear explosions and slaughter on a planetary scale.
An abiding memory of my childhood is going over to the neighbors' house and watching Terminator 2 on VHS with my friends Ethan and Nathan, who were both older than me.
I must have been about five years old โ about 13 years too young to watch the film.
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Should we be worried that AI becomes more left-wing if it doesn't like you?
Our fears for the future of robot intelligence almost inevitably end in spectacular fashion, with nuclear explosions and slaughter on a planetary scale.
An abiding memory of my childhood is going over to the neighbors' house and watching Terminator 2 on VHS with my friends Ethan and Nathan, who were both older than me.
I must have been about five years old โ about 13 years too young to watch the film.
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๐บ๐ธ๐ฎ๐ทIran has wiped out one-fifth of the US Reaper drone fleet
30 UAVs worth nearly $1 billion have reportedly been destroyed or damaged since start of the war, with the model no longer being produced The US military has lost up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of the conflict with Iran, which accounts for nearly a fifth of Washington's entire pre-war fleet and is valued at close to $1 billion, Bloomberg has reported.
The bulk of them were destroyed or seriously damaged by Iranian fire, according to the outlet.
The MQ-9 Reaper is capable of conducting both reconnaissance and strike missions.
A single drone is estimated to cost more than $30 million.
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30 UAVs worth nearly $1 billion have reportedly been destroyed or damaged since start of the war, with the model no longer being produced The US military has lost up to 30 MQ-9 Reaper drones since the start of the conflict with Iran, which accounts for nearly a fifth of Washington's entire pre-war fleet and is valued at close to $1 billion, Bloomberg has reported.
The bulk of them were destroyed or seriously damaged by Iranian fire, according to the outlet.
The MQ-9 Reaper is capable of conducting both reconnaissance and strike missions.
A single drone is estimated to cost more than $30 million.
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๐ฆ๐บShark attack kills man at Australia's Great Barrier Reef in 2nd fatality in 8 days
A man has died after a shark attack off the north-east coast of Australia, the second fatal incident in the country in as many weeks, with beaches in the area closed as authorities assess safety conditions.
Emergency services were called to Hull River Heads boat ramp near Tully on the Cassowary Coast, in Queensland, just before noon on Sunday after reports that a 39-year-old had been attacked while swimming at Kennedy Shoal, a shallow reef used for recreational fishing and diving lying about 45 kilometres off the coast.
The man was retrieved from the water in a critical condition but died shortly after being met by an ambulance.
The type of shark involved has not been confirmed, though bull sharks and tiger sharks are known to be prevalent along the Great Barrier Reef.
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A man has died after a shark attack off the north-east coast of Australia, the second fatal incident in the country in as many weeks, with beaches in the area closed as authorities assess safety conditions.
Emergency services were called to Hull River Heads boat ramp near Tully on the Cassowary Coast, in Queensland, just before noon on Sunday after reports that a 39-year-old had been attacked while swimming at Kennedy Shoal, a shallow reef used for recreational fishing and diving lying about 45 kilometres off the coast.
The man was retrieved from the water in a critical condition but died shortly after being met by an ambulance.
The type of shark involved has not been confirmed, though bull sharks and tiger sharks are known to be prevalent along the Great Barrier Reef.
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๐ฟ๐ฆFreak hailstorm casts white blanket over Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
An agrometeorologist says climate change may be contributing to increasingly unpredictable and severe weather patterns after an unprecedented hailstorm battered Pietermaritzburg on Saturday night, leaving parts of the city blanketed in thick ice and residents and motorists "snowed in". Pelham Residents were left stunned after the storm dumped thick layers of hail over roads, homes and vehicles for more than 30 minutes, leaving motorists stranded and residents spending hours shovelling hail from driveways and roads well into Sunday morning.
Large parts of the city resembled snow-covered landscapes, with some residents describing the buildup as "calf-deep" in certain areas.
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An agrometeorologist says climate change may be contributing to increasingly unpredictable and severe weather patterns after an unprecedented hailstorm battered Pietermaritzburg on Saturday night, leaving parts of the city blanketed in thick ice and residents and motorists "snowed in". Pelham Residents were left stunned after the storm dumped thick layers of hail over roads, homes and vehicles for more than 30 minutes, leaving motorists stranded and residents spending hours shovelling hail from driveways and roads well into Sunday morning.
Large parts of the city resembled snow-covered landscapes, with some residents describing the buildup as "calf-deep" in certain areas.
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๐ง๐ฌSeveral days of heavy rain in northern Bulgaria causes severe flooding
Tragedy in Bulgaria just now! Large-scale water drowned houses, emergency in Sevlievo Several days of heavy rain in northern Bulgaria have caused rivers to overflow, flooding settlements and forcing evacuations in several regions, including Veliko Tarnovo, Sevlievo, Apriltsi, and parts of Gabrovo.
Authorities warn that the situation remains unstable as water levels continue to rise.
Emergency services are operating throughout the region, and officials describe the situation as one of the most severe in recent years.
Meanwhile, in Veliko Tarnovo, the Yantra River has reached a height of approximately 7.56 meters and remains at a dangerously high level.
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Tragedy in Bulgaria just now! Large-scale water drowned houses, emergency in Sevlievo Several days of heavy rain in northern Bulgaria have caused rivers to overflow, flooding settlements and forcing evacuations in several regions, including Veliko Tarnovo, Sevlievo, Apriltsi, and parts of Gabrovo.
Authorities warn that the situation remains unstable as water levels continue to rise.
Emergency services are operating throughout the region, and officials describe the situation as one of the most severe in recent years.
Meanwhile, in Veliko Tarnovo, the Yantra River has reached a height of approximately 7.56 meters and remains at a dangerously high level.
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๐ฎ๐ณFresh May snowfall in Kashmir, India
Fresh snowfall was reported from Minamarg and the Drass sector near Zoji La on Monday, bringing down temperatures sharply and covering higher reaches under a fresh layer of snow.
Reports said heavy snowfall lashed the upper reaches of Minamarg and areas around Drass near the strategic Zoji La axis, turning vast mountain stretches white.
The fresh spell of snow was accompanied by a noticeable drop in temperature, reviving cold conditions across the region.
Locals and travelers said snow accumulation was visible across higher elevations, while chilly winds and overcast skies added to the wintry conditions.
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Fresh snowfall was reported from Minamarg and the Drass sector near Zoji La on Monday, bringing down temperatures sharply and covering higher reaches under a fresh layer of snow.
Reports said heavy snowfall lashed the upper reaches of Minamarg and areas around Drass near the strategic Zoji La axis, turning vast mountain stretches white.
The fresh spell of snow was accompanied by a noticeable drop in temperature, reviving cold conditions across the region.
Locals and travelers said snow accumulation was visible across higher elevations, while chilly winds and overcast skies added to the wintry conditions.
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