Snow capped mountains stand on the skyline behind a view of the Hollywood sign following heavy rain from winter storms, as seen from the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, on March 2, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)
Snow capped mountains stand on the skyline behind a view of the Hollywood sign following heavy rain from winter storms, as seen from the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area, on March 2, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)
The National Weather Service's Los Angeles office had not issued a blizzard warning since 1989. EPA
The National Weather Service's Los Angeles office had not issued a blizzard warning since 1989. EPA
Tremendous rains and snowfall since late last year have freed half of California from drought, but low groundwater levels remain a persistent problem. AP
Tremendous rains and snowfall since late last year have freed half of California from drought, but low groundwater levels remain a persistent problem. AP
Mountainous areas of California experienced nearly unprecedented snowfall accumulations. AP
Mountainous areas of California experienced nearly unprecedented snowfall accumulations. AP
Two palms trees stand in front of snow-covered mountains in Hesperia, California. AP
Two palms trees stand in front of snow-covered mountains in Hesperia, California. AP
A pair of residents at the Cedar Park apartments in Grass Valley take a break from shovelling snow during another blizzard earlier this week. AP
A pair of residents at the Cedar Park apartments in Grass Valley take a break from shovelling snow during another blizzard earlier this week. AP
A tree toppled by high winds crushed a car in Los Angeles. EPA
A tree toppled by high winds crushed a car in Los Angeles. EPA
A river swells during heavy rain and snow in Los Angeles. EPA
A river swells during heavy rain and snow in Los Angeles. EPA
A Joshua tree is covered in snow near the Cajon Pass in Oak Hills. AP
A Joshua tree is covered in snow near the Cajon Pass in Oak Hills. AP
Vehicles make their way along the I-15 as clouds pass through the snow-covered mountains near Hesperia. AP
Vehicles make their way along the I-15 as clouds pass through the snow-covered mountains near Hesperia. AP
Emergency crews are scrambling to shuttle food and medicine to residents of California mountain communities stranded by back-to-back winter storms. AP
Emergency crews are scrambling to shuttle food and medicine to residents of California mountain communities stranded by back-to-back winter storms. AP
Tents at Curry Village in Yosemite National Park seen covered with snow. AP
Tents at Curry Village in Yosemite National Park seen covered with snow. AP
Yosemite National Park, closed due to heavy snow, postponed its planned March 2 reopening indefinitely. AP
Yosemite National Park, closed due to heavy snow, postponed its planned March 2 reopening indefinitely. AP
This remote camera image shows a bald eagle warming its eggs in a nest near Big Bear Lake in southern California. AP
This remote camera image shows a bald eagle warming its eggs in a nest near Big Bear Lake in southern California. AP
Record rains and snowfall since late last year have freed half of California from drought. AP
Record rains and snowfall since late last year have freed half of California from drought. AP
Recent rain and snow have provided relief to parched California. (AP Graphic)
Recent rain and snow have provided relief to parched California. (AP Graphic)

World

US

Half of California freed from drought thanks to heavy rain and snowfall

Same storm system now moving eastward, threatening the Southern Plains region and cancelling flights out of Texas

The National

March 02, 2023

  • English
  • Arabic

Heavy rain and snowfall have relieved half of California from drought, though low groundwater levels remain a persistent problem, US Drought Monitor data showed on Thursday.

The latest analysis shows that moderate or severe drought is still affecting about 49 per cent of California, while nearly 17 per cent of the state is free of drought or “abnormally dry” conditions.

“Clearly the amount of water that's fallen this year has greatly alleviated the drought,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles.

“It has not ended the drought completely but we're in a very different place than we were a year ago.”

Recent rain and snow have provided relief to parched California. AP
Recent rain and snow have provided relief to parched California. AP

Three months ago, almost all of California was in drought, including at extreme and exceptional levels.

Water agencies serving millions of people, agriculture and industry were told to expect only a fraction of requested allocations.

The turnabout began with a series of atmospheric rivers that pounded the state from late December through mid-January, building a huge Sierra Nevada snowpack.

After a few largely dry weeks, powerful storms returned in February. Water authorities began boosting allocations.

As of Thursday, the water content of the Sierra snowpack, which provides about a third of California's water, was 170 per cent of the historical average on April 1, when it is normally at its peak, according to the state's Department of Water Resources.

The snowpack could become the largest ever observed in parts of California. The outlook calls for a continuing wet pattern, particularly for northern parts of the state, and possibly more metres of snow, Mr Swain said.

Meanwhile, this same system moved eastward on Thursday, threatening the Southern Plains region with severe weather and prompting the cancellation of hundreds of flights into and out of Dallas, Texas.

FlightAware reports Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field have tallied more than 400 cancellations, either to or from the airports, as the storm approaches the region.

“This is the same system that struck California and it's now in New Mexico and will be crossing Texas and then Arkansas,” said Rich Thompson, lead forecaster for the Storm Prediction Centre in Norman, Oklahoma.

He said high winds and hail pose the greatest threats.

“The really intense tornadoes don't seem likely,” Mr Thompson said. “We think the biggest threat will be very large hail, baseball-sized hail.”

People look at the Hollywood sign during a rare winter storm in the Los Angeles area of California. Reuters
People look at the Hollywood sign during a rare winter storm in the Los Angeles area of California. Reuters
People walk among the palm trees at an empty Venice Beach during the winter storm. Reuters
People walk among the palm trees at an empty Venice Beach during the winter storm. Reuters
The major storm delivered heavy snowfall to the mountains, with some snow expected to reach lower elevations in Los Angeles County. AFP
The major storm delivered heavy snowfall to the mountains, with some snow expected to reach lower elevations in Los Angeles County. AFP
Children in California engage in a snowball fight. AFP
Children in California engage in a snowball fight. AFP
Californians, more used to wearing sandals and shorts in the winter, were hit with a rare blizzard, the first in more than 30 years. AFP
Californians, more used to wearing sandals and shorts in the winter, were hit with a rare blizzard, the first in more than 30 years. AFP
A car gets stuck in the snow on a roadway in the San Gabriel Mountains in Angeles National Forest. AFP
A car gets stuck in the snow on a roadway in the San Gabriel Mountains in Angeles National Forest. AFP
Snow covers the hills behind a vineyard. AFP
Snow covers the hills behind a vineyard. AFP
Drenched pedestrians cross California Street in San Francisco during the storm. AP
Drenched pedestrians cross California Street in San Francisco during the storm. AP
A person walks in the rain at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles during the major storm. AFP
A person walks in the rain at Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles during the major storm. AFP
An unhoused person in a tent waits out the storm under a Los Angeles overpass. AFP
An unhoused person in a tent waits out the storm under a Los Angeles overpass. AFP

The Associated Press contributed to this report

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA

Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi

Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser

Rating: 4.5/5

What are the influencer academy modules?
  1. Mastery of audio-visual content creation. 
  2. Cinematography, shots and movement.
  3. All aspects of post-production.
  4. Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
  5. Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
  6. Tourism industry knowledge.
  7. Professional ethics.
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EWafeq%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EJanuary%202019%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounder%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENadim%20Alameddine%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%2C%20UAE%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3EIndustry%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Esoftware%20as%20a%20service%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunds%20raised%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%243%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERaed%20Ventures%20and%20Wamda%2C%20among%20others%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
While you're here
Fifa%20World%20Cup%20Qatar%202022%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFirst%20match%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENovember%2020%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%2016%20round%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%203%20to%206%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EQuarter-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%209%20and%2010%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESemi-finals%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2013%20and%2014%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFinal%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDecember%2018%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Kareem Shaheen on Canada
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid

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The Bio

Favourite place in UAE: Al Rams pearling village

What one book should everyone read: Any book written before electricity was invented. When a writer willingly worked under candlelight, you know he/she had a real passion for their craft

Your favourite type of pearl: All of them. No pearl looks the same and each carries its own unique characteristics, like humans

Best time to swim in the sea: When there is enough light to see beneath the surface

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Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km

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So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?

Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
 

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EJuly%205%2C%201994%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Jeff%20Bezos%20founds%20Cadabra%20Inc%2C%20which%20would%20later%20be%20renamed%20to%20Amazon.com%2C%20because%20his%20lawyer%20misheard%20the%20name%20as%20'cadaver'.%20In%20its%20earliest%20days%2C%20the%20bookstore%20operated%20out%20of%20a%20rented%20garage%20in%20Bellevue%2C%20Washington%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EJuly%2016%2C%201995%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20formally%20opens%20as%20an%20online%20bookseller.%20%3Cem%3EFluid%20Concepts%20and%20Creative%20Analogies%3A%20Computer%20Models%20of%20the%20Fundamental%20Mechanisms%20of%20Thought%3C%2Fem%3E%20becomes%20the%20first%20item%20sold%20on%20Amazon%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E1997%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20goes%20public%20at%20%2418%20a%20share%2C%20which%20has%20grown%20about%201%2C000%20per%20cent%20at%20present.%20Its%20highest%20closing%20price%20was%20%24197.85%20on%20June%2027%2C%202024%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E1998%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20acquires%20IMDb%2C%20its%20first%20major%20acquisition.%20It%20also%20starts%20selling%20CDs%20and%20DVDs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2000%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20Marketplace%20opens%2C%20allowing%20people%20to%20sell%20items%20on%20the%20website%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2002%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20forms%20what%20would%20become%20Amazon%20Web%20Services%2C%20opening%20the%20Amazon.com%20platform%20to%20all%20developers.%20The%20cloud%20unit%20would%20follow%20in%202006%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2003%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20turns%20in%20an%20annual%20profit%20of%20%2475%20million%2C%20the%20first%20time%20it%20ended%20a%20year%20in%20the%20black%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2005%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20Prime%20is%20introduced%2C%20its%20first-ever%20subscription%20service%20that%20offered%20US%20customers%20free%20two-day%20shipping%20for%20%2479%20a%20year%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2006%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20Unbox%20is%20unveiled%2C%20the%20company's%20video%20service%20that%20would%20later%20morph%20into%20Amazon%20Instant%20Video%20and%2C%20ultimately%2C%20Amazon%20Video%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2007%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon's%20first%20hardware%20product%2C%20the%20Kindle%20e-reader%2C%20is%20introduced%3B%20the%20Fire%20TV%20and%20Fire%20Phone%20would%20come%20in%202014.%20Grocery%20service%20Amazon%20Fresh%20is%20also%20started%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2009%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20introduces%20Amazon%20Basics%2C%20its%20in-house%20label%20for%20a%20variety%20of%20products%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2010%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20The%20foundations%20for%20Amazon%20Studios%20were%20laid.%20Its%20first%20original%20streaming%20content%20debuted%20in%202013%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2011%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20The%20Amazon%20Appstore%20for%20Google's%20Android%20is%20launched.%20It%20is%20still%20unavailable%20on%20Apple's%20iOS%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2014%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20The%20Amazon%20Echo%20is%20launched%2C%20a%20speaker%20that%20acts%20as%20a%20personal%20digital%20assistant%20powered%20by%20Alexa%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2017%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon%20acquires%20Whole%20Foods%20for%20%2413.7%20billion%2C%20its%20biggest%20acquisition%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3E2018%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Amazon's%20market%20cap%20briefly%20crosses%20the%20%241%20trillion%20mark%2C%20making%20it%2C%20at%20the%20time%2C%20only%20the%20third%20company%20to%20achieve%20that%20milestone%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
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Closing the loophole on sugary drinks

As The National reported last year, non-fizzy sugared drinks were not covered when the original tax was introduced in 2017. Sports drinks sold in supermarkets were found to contain, on average, 20 grams of sugar per 500ml bottle.

The non-fizzy drink AriZona Iced Tea contains 65 grams of sugar – about 16 teaspoons – per 680ml can. The average can costs about Dh6, which would rise to Dh9.

Drinks such as Starbucks Bottled Mocha Frappuccino contain 31g of sugar in 270ml, while Nescafe Mocha in a can contains 15.6g of sugar in a 240ml can.

Flavoured water, long-life fruit juice concentrates, pre-packaged sweetened coffee drinks fall under the ‘sweetened drink’ category
 

Not taxed:

Freshly squeezed fruit juices, ground coffee beans, tea leaves and pre-prepared flavoured milkshakes do not come under the ‘sweetened drink’ band.

While you're here
While you're here
Libya's Gold

UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves. 

The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.

Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.

A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.

Updated: March 02, 2023, 9:04 PM`
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