Friday, January 31, 2020

Akshay Kumar’s Man vs Wild shoot photos LEAKED, actor gets clicked with forest officials

Leading Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar filmed a Discovery channel programme with host Bear Grylls in Karnataka's Bandipur Tiger Reserve on Thursday. He is the third Indian celebrity to feature on the show after PM Narendra Modi and superstar Rajiniknath.  "Yes, Akshay Kumar shot for a day in Bandipur on Thursday for a Discovery channel programme," Chief Wildlife Warden Sanjay Mohan told IANS. While the fans are already excited for the episode to air on TV, few photos from the shoot have already been leaked online.

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Producers Guild inks agreement with California Film Commission

The Producers Guild of India signed an agreement with 'Visit California', the California Film Commission to enhance the respective organisations' relationship for mutual benefits and to facilitate the production of Indian film, audio-visual and television content on location in California.

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Bigg Boss 13: Himanshi Khurana faints during captaincy task, panicked Asim Riaz lifts her in his arms

Drama in the controversial reality show Bigg Boss 13 never appears to take a backseat. Ever since the connections of existing contestants have entered the house to live with them for a week, fans are witnessing new twists and turns daily. Soon after Vikas’ trick during the captaincy task irked other housemates, the game became uglier and Asim’s connection Himanshi Khurana had to pay for it. In the upcoming episode of Bigg Boss 13, Himanshi is seen fainting as Vikas Gupta falls on her.

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Former K-Pop Star Seungri Indicted for Prostitution and Habitual Gambling

The indictment is the most recent event in the Burning Sun scandal, which revealed the scale of a sexual abuse scandal in the Gangnam district.

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Justin Bieber Unfazed By Social Media Flak Over His Moustache

Justin Bieber decided to fire back at haters by uploading a new Instagram selfie that offers a closer, clearer view at his new look.

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Daily Smoking and Drinking Linked to Advanced Brain Age

According to the researchers, each additional gram of alcohol consumption per day was associated with 0.02 years of increased relative brain age.

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Just 15 Minute Exercise Can Make You Win Fortnite Like A Champ

Researchers were surprised that most participants in the first-of-its-kind study benefited from the effects of exercise as video gamers.

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Small Birth Weight Ups Risk of Breathlessness Later in Life

According to the study, researchers have identified both physical inactivity and genetic factors as important determinants.

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Scent of Rose Improves Learning and Sleeping

For the study, first author and student teacher Franziska Neumann conducted several experiments with 54 students from two 6th grade classes of a school in southern Germany.

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Jackie Shroff joins Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif’s Sooryavanshi. First look out

On the occasion of veteran actor Jackie Shroff’s 63rd birthday, filmmaker Rohit Shetty gave a surprise to his fans as he announced that he has come onboard his film Sooryavanshi. Taking to social media, Shetty wrote, “Just when you thought you knew all the characters of Our Cop Universe...Presenting to you The Man Himself...JACKIE SHROFF... And...Surprise Abhi bhi baaki hai mere Dost” He shared a photo in which Jackie is seen sitting on the front of a car as he stands at the forefront of the picture. 

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Vicky Kaushal, Diljit and others attend Gurdas Mann’s son Gurrickk’s wedding with actress Simran Kaur Mundi

Many Bollywood and Punjabi superstars came together on Friday to attend the royal wedding ceremony of singer Gurdas Mann’s son Gurrickk G Mann with long-time girlfriend and actress Simran Kaur Mundi at The Baradari Palace in Patiala. The singer got hitched in a traditional Punjabi ceremony and their pictures went viral on the internet. The bride and groom looked mesmerizing together and were showered with love and wishes from their friends and family from the world of entertainment. Bollywood celebrities like Vicky Kaushal, Badshah joined many Punjabi stars like Diljit Dosanjh, Sargun Mehta, Sunil Grover, Guru Randhawa and others to have a blast at the wedding. 

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Tiger Shroff's adorable birthday wish for father Jackie Shroff: You’ll never be as proud of me as i am of you

Veteran Bollywood actor Jackie Shroff has turned 63 today. Popular known as Bidu, the actor has given many ionic roles that the viewers cherish to date. As the actor rang into his birthday, son Tiger Shroff shared a heartwarming post for him and said that he is very proud of him. Tiger shared a throwback picture of Jackie from his younger days and wrote, “Prob wont ever be as cool, talented, goodlooking, effortless, loved (list goes on) as you! But one things for sure you’ll never be as proud of me as i am of you. Happy birthday daddy.”

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Producer Rhea Kapoor confirms the sequel of Kareena Kapoor Khan’s Veere Di Wedding

Kareena Kapoor Khan’s first film after she delivered baby Taimur, Veere Di Wedding broke all records. While people thought it would be a regular chick-flick, the film managed to start a conversation and became the catalyst of more women-centric stories coming to the forefront. Ever since the release of the film, fans have been asking the star cast about a sequel to the film and now producer Rhea Kapoor has finally confirmed that it is happening.

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After Sunny Leone, Ranbir Kapoor spotted in mask amid coronavirus scare

There have been no cases of coronavirus recorded in Mumbai yet, but a few Bollywood actors are taking no chances. Stars like Ranbir Kapoor and Sunny Leone have been spotted at the airport recently, with their faces covered in masks. Ranbir was clicked with his mask on at Mumbai airport by paparazzi. He was sporting a T-shirt and khakis, and he completed the look with a cool cap and shades. When paps asked him about the mask, he said, “Soon everyone will wear it.”

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Priyanka Chopra reveals how she avoided wardrobe malfunction in her navel-baring Grammy 2020 gown

Priyanka Chopra has been ruling the headlines ever since she walked the red carpet of Grammy 2020 in her navel-baring gown by Ralph and Russo. The outfit with a plunging neckline divided netizen soon after PeeCee’s photos popped on the internet. While many trolled her for her look, other came out in her support and showered her with compliments. There were also a few who were mesmerized by her appearance and wonder how she managed to pull it off. The actress opened up about her dress in a recent interview and revealed how she avoided wardrobe malfunction at the Grammys 2020.

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Jawaani Jaaneman Box Office Collection Day 1: Saif Ali Khan, Alaya F’s rom-com witnesses dull start

Saif Ali Khan and Tabu starrer romantic-comedy-drama Jawaani Jaaneman witnessed a dull start at the box office on its opening day. The film hit the theaters on January 31st and was expected to rake in Rs 5-6 crores on Day 1 but managed to collect Rs 2 crore approx. according to Box Office India. The film had quite a buzz among the viewers with Saif Ali Khan returning into a comedy zone after his back to back serious characters like in Laal Kaptaan and Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior. Also, the film introduced Pooja Bedi’s daughter Alaya F. to the viewers.

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Disha Patani talks about her dream man: Am looking for a guy who makes me feel like a girl

Actress Disha Patani normally gives an impression of an athletic and outgoing sort of a girl, but there is a sensitive romantic deep within, going by what she said recently. Asked to define love in a recent interview with Pinkvilla, she replied: "I t's very important and also a driving force. Everything you do in life is ei ther for love, or because of love. How can you even live without love?

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Thursday, January 30, 2020

Taapsee Pannu in Thappad trailer shows hard-hitting reality of domestic violence in a relationship

After making rounds for cricketer Mithali Raj's biopic, actress Taapsee Pannu shared the hard-hitting poster from her upcoming film Thappad that happens to be her second collaboration Mulk director Anubhav Sinha. Ever since her look was released, her fans were left waiting for the trailer which has now been shared by the makers and depicts the scenario of domestic violence in a pair and how one day a woman decides to say 'NO' to it. The two minute fifty-four seconds video will make you ponder upon what is not correct and how no one has got the right to slap in a relationship.

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People May Lie to Appear Good and Honest

Believe it or not, people may lie in order to appear good and honest rather than telling the truth, even if it hurts them to do so, say researchers.

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Happy Birthday Amrita Arora: 5 Pictures With Her Girl Gang One Should See

Amrita, who made her acting debut with Kitne Door Kitne Paas in 2002, has done over 20 films.

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Coronavirus outbreak: Updates on new research, vaccines, How does it spread? Who's at risk?

Scientists are starting to fill in some key gaps in what’s known about the new virus from China. New research suggests it spreads a little easier than regular flu but not as well as some other respiratory diseases like whooping cough or tuberculosis.

Health officials are focusing on person-to-person spread as the virus extends its geographic reach. Nearly 8,000 cases have been confirmed in China, while a much smaller number of people have been reported in more than a dozen other countries.

A worker wearing a hazardous materials suit takes the temperature of a passenger at the entrance to a subway station in Beijing, Image credit: AP

WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE VIRUS?

The new virus comes from a large family of coronaviruses, some causing nothing worse than a cold. In 2002, one called SARS caused an outbreak of severe pneumonia in China and spread to other countries. It infected more than 8,000 people and killed nearly 800 until it was controlled by some of the same public health measures being used in the current outbreak.

In 2012, another coronavirus dubbed MERS began sickening people in Saudi Arabia. It still causes small numbers of infections each year. The World Health Organization has counted nearly 2,500 cases in the Middle East and beyond, and more than 850 deaths.

The new virus is 75 percent to 80 percent identical to SARS, scientists have reported. So far, about 8,000 infections have been confirmed, nearly all in China. About 170 deaths have occurred. Its true mortality rate isn’t known, because many infections may be going undetected in people who have mild or no symptoms.

HOW EASILY DOES IT SPREAD?

Based on the first 425 cases analyzed, each infected person spread the virus to 2.2 others on average, scientists reported Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. That’s a bit more than ordinary flu but far less than some other respiratory diseases such as whooping cough and tuberculosis. The rate for SARS was estimated to be 3.

On Thursday, officials reported the first U.S. case of person-to-person spread — the husband of a Chicago woman who had traveled to Wuhan, China.

The rate of spread is a key factor in bringing outbreaks under control. It’s the reason health officials are focused on finding and isolating new cases and checking on people in close contact with them.

It’s not known whether anyone who is infected but not showing symptoms can spread the virus. But at a news conference earlier this week, the U.S. government’s infectious diseases chief, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said outbreaks are not driven by that kind of spread.

The human coronavirus causes respiratory infections (colds), and gastroenteritis. Image made from a transmission electron microscopy view. Approximate viral diameter: 80 to 160 nm. (Photo by: Cavallini James/BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

WHERE DO THESE VIRUSES COME FROM?

SARS and MERS came from animals, and this newest virus almost certainly did, too. The first people infected had visited or worked at a food market in the Chinese city of Wuhan. In the New England Journal report on the first 425 confirmed cases, Chinese scientists said that 55 percent of those before Jan. 1 were tied to that market but only eight percent of cases after that were.

SARS initially was traced to civet cats sold in a live animal market, but later scientists decided it probably originated in bats that infected the civets. People can catch MERS from infected camels, although again, bats likely first spread that coronavirus to camels.

Scientists have said the new virus seems similar genetically to some bat viruses, but it’s not known if that is the source in nature or if another animal may be involved.

HOW DOES IT SPREAD? WHO’S MOST AT RISK?

Unlike SARS, the new virus “looks like it doesn’t transmit through the air very easily and probably transmits through close contact,” said Dr. David Heymann, who headed WHO’s global response to SARS.

And while it’s too soon to be sure, Heymann said the new virus appears most dangerous to older adults who have other health problems.

Few of the early cases occurred in children, and more than half were in adults 60 and older, the New England Journal report this week says.

Washing your hands with soap and water is really the only way to protect yourself from the virus.

IT’S FLU SEASON IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE — HOW WILL PEOPLE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?

Since symptoms are similar — fever, cough and in more severe cases shortness of breath or pneumonia — it takes a medical test to tell. There is one, but health authorities in China, the U.S. and elsewhere are working to make it more widely available.

Given that it is flu season in China, too, it’s “all the more impressive that they were able to recognize this outbreak quickly,” Dr. Brian Garibaldi of Johns Hopkins University said.

The average incubation period — from infection until symptoms show up — is about five days, the New England Journal study says. However, symptoms have turned up much later, supporting the wisdom of a two-week observation time, the authors wrote.

HUNTING VACCINES

While there is no vaccine — or specific treatment — for SARS or MERS, Fauci said it is technically possible to create a vaccine against this new virus. NIH did develop a potential vaccine candidate for SARS. It proved safe in a small first-step study in people but never was tested further because by then, the outbreak was ending.

This time around, scientists have more of a head start. Just weeks after the first unusual pneumonias were reported, Chinese scientists mapped the genes of the viral suspect and shared them with world health authorities.

Now, NIH is among several groups working to create a vaccine for the new virus, using newer and faster technology than was available during SARS. Fauci hopes to begin first-step safety tests in about three months, but something ready for real-world use would take far longer.



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People don't associate action genre with me: Aditya Roy Kapur

Bollywood star Aditya Roy Kapur, who is reuniting with his Aashiqui 2 director Mohit Suri after seven years, credits the filmmaker for breaking the mould by casting him as an action hero in Malang. The 34-year-old actor said before "Malang", he mostly did romantic roles but Suri, who gave him his career's biggest hit, has faith in him to pull off diverse characters. "Mohit sees certain things in me, which other directors haven't. 'Aashiqui 2' was the first time I did a romantic lead and so he obviously saw that in me.

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Natasa Stankovic's picture in new haircut gets a mushy comment from fiancé Hardik Pandya

Ex Bigg Boss contestant and actress Natasa Stankovic and cricketer Hardik Pandya are the new love birds in town. Ever since their engagement announcement, the couple is seen posting lovable pictures with each and sharing comments on each others' photos. Yet again, they gave us a couple goal when the model posted a picture after getting a new haircut on Instagram and Pandya could not stop himself from commenting on the same. 

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Wildfires aftermath: Drinking water sources contaminated with ash, debris, pollutants

Fabric curtains stretch across the huge Warragamba Dam to trap ash and sediment expected to wash off wildfire-scorched slopes and into the reservoir that holds 80 percent of untreated drinking water for the Greater Sydney area.

In Australia’s national capital of Canberra, authorities are keeping a wary eye on burning forests and bushland, hoping a new water treatment plant and other measures will prevent a repeat of water quality problems and disruption that followed deadly wildfires 17 years ago.

A boom floats across a small bay near the dam wall at Warragamba Dam in Warragamba, Australia. IMage credit: AP

There have not yet been major impacts on drinking water systems in southeast Australia from the intense fires that have burned more than 104,000 square kilometers since September. But authorities know from experience that the biggest risks will come with repeated rains over many months or years while the damaged watersheds, or catchment areas, recover.

And because of the size and intensity of the fires, the potential impacts are not clear yet.

“The forest area burned in Australia within a single fire season is just staggering,” said Stefan Doerr, a professor at Swansea University in England who studies the effects of forest files on sediment and ash runoff. “We haven’t seen anything like it in recorded history.”

The situation in Australia illustrates a growing global concern: Forests, grasslands and other areas that supply drinking water to hundreds of millions of people are increasingly vulnerable to fire due in large part to hotter, drier weather that has extended fire seasons, and more people moving into those areas, where they can accidentally set fires.

More than 60 percent of the water supply for the world’s 100 largest cities originates in fire-prone watersheds — and countless smaller communities also rely on surface water in vulnerable areas, researchers say.

flames from a controlled fire burn around trees as firefighters work at building a containment line at a wildfire near Bodalla, Australia. Image credit: AP

When rain does fall, it can be intense, dumping a lot of water in a short period of time, which can quickly erode denuded slopes and wash huge volumes of ash, sediment and debris into crucial waterways and reservoirs. Besides reducing the amount of water available, the runoff also can introduce pollutants, as well as nutrients that create algae blooms.

What’s more, the area that burns each year in many forest ecosystems has increased in recent decades, and that expansion likely will continue through the century because of a warmer climate, experts say.

Most of the 64,000 square kilometers that have burned in Victoria and New South Wales have been forest, including rainforests, according to scientists in New South Wales and the Victorian government. Some believe that high temperatures, drought and more frequent fires may make it impossible for some areas to be fully restored.

Very hot fires burn organic matter and topsoil needed for trees and other vegetation to regenerate, leaving nothing to absorb water. The heat also can seal and harden the ground, causing water to run off quickly, carrying everything in its path.

That in turn can clog streams, killing fish, plants and other aquatic life necessary for high-quality water before it reaches reservoirs. Already, thunderstorms in southeast Australia in recent weeks have caused debris flows and fish kills in some rivers, though fires continue to burn.

“You potentially get this feedback cycle,” where vegetation can’t recolonize an area, which intensifies erosion of any remaining soil, said Joel Sankey, research geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey

The role of climate change is often difficult to pin down in specific wildfires, said Gary Sheridan, a researcher at the University of Melbourne. But he said the drying effects of wildfire — combined with hotter weather and less rainfall in much of Australia, even as more rain falls in the northern part of the country — mean that “we should expect more fires.”

cattle graze in a field as smoke rises from burning fires on mountains. Image credit: AP

But climate change has affected areas such as northern Canada and Alaska, where average annual temperatures have risen by almost 4 degrees (2.2 degrees Celsius) since the 1960s, compared to about 1 degree (0.55 degrees Celsius) farther south. As a result, the forested area burned annually has more than doubled over the past 20 to 30 years, said Doerr, from Swansea University.

Although there might be fewer cities and towns in the path of runoff in those areas, problems do occur. In Canada’s Fort McMurray, Alberta, the cost of treating ash-tainted water in its drinking-water system increased dramatically after a 2016 wildfire.

In the Western U.S., 65 percent of all surface water supplies originate in forested watersheds where the risk of wildfires is growing — including in the historically wet Pacific Northwest. By mid-century almost 90 percent of them will experience an increase — doubling in some — in post-fire sedimentation that could affect drinking water supplies, according to a federally funded 2017 study.

“The results are striking and alarming,” said Sankey, the USGS geologist, who helped lead the study. “But a lot of communities are working to address these issues,” he added. “It’s not all doom and gloom because there are a lot of opportunities to reduce risks,”

Denver Water, which serves 1.4 million customers, discovered “the high cost of being reactive” after ash and sediment runoff from two large, high-intensity fires, in 1996 and 2002, clogged a reservoir that handles 80 percent of the water for its 1.4 million customers, said Christina Burri, a watershed scientist for the utility.

It spent about $28 million to recover, mostly to dredge 1 million cubic yards (765,555 cubic meters) of sediment from the reservoir.

Since then, the utility has spent tens of millions more to protect the forests, partnering with the U.S. Forest Service and others. to protect the watershed and proactively battle future fires, including by clearing some trees and controlling vegetation in populated areas.

Utilities also can treat slopes with wood chips and other cover and install barriers to slow ash runoff. They purposely burn vegetation when fire danger is low to get rid of undergrowth.

Canberra’s water utility has built in redundancies in case of fire, such as collecting water from three watersheds instead of two, and it can switch among sources if necessary, said Kristy Wilson, a spokeswoman for Icon Water, which operates the system. Water can be withdrawn from eight different levels within the largest dam to ensure the best-quality water, even if there is some sediment, she said.

That is paired with simpler measures such as using straw bales, sediment traps and booms with curtains to control silt, and physically removing vegetation around reservoirs and in watersheds to reduce fire fuel, she said.

Eventually, some communities might need to switch their water sources because of fires and drought. Perth, on the western coast, has turned to groundwater and systems that treat saltwater because rainfall has decreased significantly since the early 1970s, said Sheridan of University of Melbourne.

But, for now, millions of people will continue to drink water that originates in increasingly fire-prone forests.



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Vicky Kaushal gets trapped in a ‘sea of fear’ in Bhoot Part 1: The Haunted Ship teaser. Watch video

After leaving the fans excited with the scary posters of his next film, Bhoot Part 1: The Haunted Ship, Vicky Kaushal sent goosebumps down the spine with the teaser. The video shows scared Vicky on a haunted ship and as he enters an empty room, he gets the shock of his life. The actor witnesses handprints all over the wall soaked in blood. But what scares him the most is his face being printed on the wall, made of those handprints. As the actor claims in the caption, “Drown yourself...in fear”, the teaser actually leaves the fans wanting for breath once they feel the fear on the haunted ship. 

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Wildfires aftermath: Drinking waters sources contaminated with ash, debris, pollutants

Fabric curtains stretch across the huge Warragamba Dam to trap ash and sediment expected to wash off wildfire-scorched slopes and into the reservoir that holds 80 percent of untreated drinking water for the Greater Sydney area.

In Australia’s national capital of Canberra, authorities are keeping a wary eye on burning forests and bushland, hoping a new water treatment plant and other measures will prevent a repeat of water quality problems and disruption that followed deadly wildfires 17 years ago.

A boom floats across a small bay near the dam wall at Warragamba Dam in Warragamba, Australia. IMage credit: AP

A boom floats across a small bay near the dam wall at Warragamba Dam in Warragamba, Australia. IMage credit: AP

There have not yet been major impacts on drinking water systems in southeast Australia from the intense fires that have burned more than 104,000 square kilometers since September. But authorities know from experience that the biggest risks will come with repeated rains over many months or years while the damaged watersheds, or catchment areas, recover.

And because of the size and intensity of the fires, the potential impacts are not clear yet.

“The forest area burned in Australia within a single fire season is just staggering,” said Stefan Doerr, a professor at Swansea University in England who studies the effects of forest files on sediment and ash runoff. “We haven’t seen anything like it in recorded history.”

The situation in Australia illustrates a growing global concern: Forests, grasslands and other areas that supply drinking water to hundreds of millions of people are increasingly vulnerable to fire due in large part to hotter, drier weather that has extended fire seasons, and more people moving into those areas, where they can accidentally set fires.

More than 60 percent of the water supply for the world’s 100 largest cities originates in fire-prone watersheds — and countless smaller communities also rely on surface water in vulnerable areas, researchers say.

flames from a controlled fire burn around trees as firefighters work at building a containment line at a wildfire near Bodalla, Australia. Image credit: AP

flames from a controlled fire burn around trees as firefighters work at building a containment line at a wildfire near Bodalla, Australia. Image credit: AP

When rain does fall, it can be intense, dumping a lot of water in a short period of time, which can quickly erode denuded slopes and wash huge volumes of ash, sediment and debris into crucial waterways and reservoirs. Besides reducing the amount of water available, the runoff also can introduce pollutants, as well as nutrients that create algae blooms.

What’s more, the area that burns each year in many forest ecosystems has increased in recent decades, and that expansion likely will continue through the century because of a warmer climate, experts say.

Most of the 64,000 square kilometers that have burned in Victoria and New South Wales have been forest, including rainforests, according to scientists in New South Wales and the Victorian government. Some believe that high temperatures, drought and more frequent fires may make it impossible for some areas to be fully restored.

Very hot fires burn organic matter and topsoil needed for trees and other vegetation to regenerate, leaving nothing to absorb water. The heat also can seal and harden the ground, causing water to run off quickly, carrying everything in its path.

That in turn can clog streams, killing fish, plants and other aquatic life necessary for high-quality water before it reaches reservoirs. Already, thunderstorms in southeast Australia in recent weeks have caused debris flows and fish kills in some rivers, though fires continue to burn.

“You potentially get this feedback cycle,” where vegetation can’t recolonize an area, which intensifies erosion of any remaining soil, said Joel Sankey, research geologist for the U.S. Geological Survey

The role of climate change is often difficult to pin down in specific wildfires, said Gary Sheridan, a researcher at the University of Melbourne. But he said the drying effects of wildfire — combined with hotter weather and less rainfall in much of Australia, even as more rain falls in the northern part of the country — mean that “we should expect more fires.”

cattle graze in a field as smoke rises from burning fires on mountains. Image credit: AP

cattle graze in a field as smoke rises from burning fires on mountains. Image credit: AP

But climate change has affected areas such as northern Canada and Alaska, where average annual temperatures have risen by almost 4 degrees (2.2 degrees Celsius) since the 1960s, compared to about 1 degree (0.55 degrees Celsius) farther south. As a result, the forested area burned annually has more than doubled over the past 20 to 30 years, said Doerr, from Swansea University.

Although there might be fewer cities and towns in the path of runoff in those areas, problems do occur. In Canada’s Fort McMurray, Alberta, the cost of treating ash-tainted water in its drinking-water system increased dramatically after a 2016 wildfire.

In the Western U.S., 65 percent of all surface water supplies originate in forested watersheds where the risk of wildfires is growing — including in the historically wet Pacific Northwest. By mid-century almost 90 percent of them will experience an increase — doubling in some — in post-fire sedimentation that could affect drinking water supplies, according to a federally funded 2017 study.

“The results are striking and alarming,” said Sankey, the USGS geologist, who helped lead the study. “But a lot of communities are working to address these issues,” he added. “It’s not all doom and gloom because there are a lot of opportunities to reduce risks,”

Denver Water, which serves 1.4 million customers, discovered “the high cost of being reactive” after ash and sediment runoff from two large, high-intensity fires, in 1996 and 2002, clogged a reservoir that handles 80 percent of the water for its 1.4 million customers, said Christina Burri, a watershed scientist for the utility.

It spent about $28 million to recover, mostly to dredge 1 million cubic yards (765,555 cubic meters) of sediment from the reservoir.

Since then, the utility has spent tens of millions more to protect the forests, partnering with the U.S. Forest Service and others. to protect the watershed and proactively battle future fires, including by clearing some trees and controlling vegetation in populated areas.

Utilities also can treat slopes with wood chips and other cover and install barriers to slow ash runoff. They purposely burn vegetation when fire danger is low to get rid of undergrowth.

Canberra’s water utility has built in redundancies in case of fire, such as collecting water from three watersheds instead of two, and it can switch among sources if necessary, said Kristy Wilson, a spokeswoman for Icon Water, which operates the system. Water can be withdrawn from eight different levels within the largest dam to ensure the best-quality water, even if there is some sediment, she said.

That is paired with simpler measures such as using straw bales, sediment traps and booms with curtains to control silt, and physically removing vegetation around reservoirs and in watersheds to reduce fire fuel, she said.

Eventually, some communities might need to switch their water sources because of fires and drought. Perth, on the western coast, has turned to groundwater and systems that treat saltwater because rainfall has decreased significantly since the early 1970s, said Sheridan of University of Melbourne.

But, for now, millions of people will continue to drink water that originates in increasingly fire-prone forests.



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Sanjeeda Shaikh in Black and White Outfit Sets Netizens' Hearts Racing

Sanjeeda's latest photo in black and white outfit has caught attention of actor Meherzan Mazda.

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Bigg Boss 13: Himanshi Khurana tells Rashami she needs clarity on things about Asim Riaz, is she faking love?

Bigg Boss 13 contestant Asim Riaz got a surprise when two days back her lady luck Himanshi Khurana made an entry in the house again. His heart came into his mouth and soon there was love all over. Not only this, the Punjabi singer opened up about her breakup with her longtime boyfriend Chow later which she got a proposal and a promise of life from the young man who told her that he loves her and cannot live without her. While 'Punjab Ki Aishwarya' chose not to express her feelings fully. Well, the upcoming episode is the reason why she did the same.

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Shah Rukh Khan to produce Sanjay Mishra starrer film about struggling character actors called Kaamyaab

While fans are still waiting for the next film in which Shah Rukh Khan will be seen creating magic on the big screen, the actor is busy picking up projects for his production house Red Chilies Entertainment. According to the latest reports in Mumbai Mirror, the actor will back up a film on the struggle of character actors in Bollywood. It will feature actor Sanjay Mishra and will be titled Kaamyaab.

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Jitendra Kumar has this to say about kissing Ayushmann Khurrana in Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan

Just like any other Ayushmann Khurrana film, ​Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan too created a buzz for its theme. Ever since the trailer was released, his fans could not stop themselves from praising him as well as his co-actor Jitendra Kumar's onscreen timing. But the main highlight of the trailer happened to be the kiss that happened in the film between two actors. Jeetu, as he is popularly known as opens up finally about how he got the film and also about how he felt while kissing the 'dream Girl' actor.

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Preity Zinta and her husband Gene Goodenough's love struck photos as she turns 45

Bollywood actress Preity Zinta has turned 45 today. The actress, who was last seen in Sunny deol starrer Bhaiji Superhit, has been the most favorite diva in Bollywood for every 90s kid. While she has turned a year older today, she doesn’t look a day older than 18. The actress enjoys a huge fan base and her fans were left shattered when she announced her marriage in 2016. Preity found her Mr Right in Gene Goodenough, a management graduate from Marshall School of Business. On the special occasion of her birthday, have a look at some of her super cute moments spent with husband Gene Goodenough.

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Apple launches redesigned Maps app for US users, brings 3D views, improved security

Apple has rolled out a redesigned version of its Maps for users in the United States, offering features including indoor maps of airports and malls.

Apple has previously said that it is completely rebuilding its Maps app — the most frequently used app on its iPhones — with data gathered by its own fleet of sensor-equipped vans and with anonymous data from iPhone users who choose to share it.

The company said the redesigned version will offer a more comprehensive view of roads, buildings, and includes features such as 3D view of flyovers. "Customers from anywhere in the world can navigate through New York City, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Houston and Oahu, with many more places to come," says Apple.

Redesigned Apple Maps

Apple also said the new version will roll out across Europe in the coming months.

“We set out to create the best and most private maps app on the planet that is reflective of how people explore the world today,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services in the official announcement.

“It is an effort we are deeply invested in and required that we rebuild the map from the ground up to reimagine how Maps enhances people’s lives — from navigating to work or school or planning an important vacation — all with privacy at its core. The completion of the new map in the United States and delivering new features like Look Around and Collections are important steps in bringing that vision to life. We look forward to bringing this new map to the rest of the world starting with Europe later this year,” he added.

For security, Apple says that Maps will require no sign-in is not connected to an Apple ID in any way.

Some personalised features, such as suggesting departure time to make the next appointment, have been added to the app, which are created using on-device intelligence. "Any data collected by Maps while using the app, like search terms, navigation routing and traffic information, is associated with random identifiers that continually reset to ensure the best possible experience and to improve Maps," Apple said in the official note.

Maps also uses a process called "fuzzing" to obscure a user’s location on Apple servers. Apple says, with the process, Maps converts the precise location where the search originated to a less-exact one after 24 hours and does not retain a history of what has been searched or where a user has been.

With inputs from Reuters

 



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Reewa Rathod shares her experience of working with Gulzar on first solo album

Roopkumar Rathod's daughter Reewa Rathod feels she is finally living her dream. The singer-composer has come up with her first solo album, "Saaya Tere Ishq Ka", the lyrics of which have been penned by legendary poet-lyricist Gulzar.

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Panga director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari would love to make Kangana Ranaut's biopic

Panga director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari says she would have no issues making a biopic on Kangana Ranaut. "I have no issues in making a biopic on Kangana Ranaut, if she allows me to do so. But I think there are still many things to come her way. Let her get married and then I'll think of making a biopic on her. After acting in 'Thalaivi', even Kangana gave a thought about making a biopic on her.

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Twinkle Khanna slips in bathroom, says ‘We fall, rise, spout even more existential nonsense’

Twinkle Khanna knows how to see positivity in the most tragic and painful things- just like slipping in the bathroom. The diva had a ‘bruised morning’ on Thursday as she experienced a bathroom accident. While she was in pain, she didn’t let that come in between her sense of humour. She shared a funny post comparing her slipping in the bathroom to love and wrote, “Love is as much a matter of chance as slipping in the shower. Both are dumb accidents where you end up flat on your back in nothing more than your birthday suit. #BabaTwinkdev.”

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Saif Ali Khan, Alaya’s Jawaani Jaaneman, Himesh Reshammiya's Happy Hardy and Heer, Gul Makai release today

This Friday, i.e. January 31st has three Bollywood releases for all the cinephiles to enjoy. Where Saif Ali Khan and debutante Alaya F’s Jawaani Jaaneman and Himesh Reshammiya's Happy Hardy and Heer are fictional stories, director Amjad Khan’s Gul Makai is the biopic of Pakistani activist Malala Yousufzai. Out of these three films, the buzz around Jawaani Jaaneman is the highest as it marks the debut of Pooja Bedi’s daughter Alaya Furniturewala. Read below to know more about these Bollywood films.

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Sylvester Stallone Debuts His Natural Grey Hair

Stallone has been sporting a salt and pepper look, but now he has allowed his previously dyed black hair to grow out.

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Britney Spears a Natural Born Athlete, Says Boyfriend Sam Asghari

Britney and Sam love to hit the gym together, they also enjoy a variety of outdoor activities.

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Panga vs Street Dancer 3D Box Office Collection: Varun-Shraddha's dance drama beats Kangana Ranat's film

Varun Dhawan and Shraddha Kapoor starrer dance drama Street dancer 3D hit the theaters along with Kangana Ranaut’s film Panga on January 24th. The two films belong to a very different genre and ruled at the box office in week 1. While both the films had a good star power, Street Dancer 3D beat Panga at the box office with flying colors. Varun’s film has managed to rake in Rs 56 crore approx. in seven days, Kangana’s Panga has earned Rs 20 crore approx.

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Hope my report card also shows good Fridays: Malang actor Kunal Kemmu

Actor Kunal Kemmu says he has reached a stage where he is hungry for good work and has kept his eyes and ears open to interesting films. Kunal, who started his career as a child actor before making his full-fledged debut with 2005's "Kalyug", has featured in films like the "Golmaal" series, "Go Goa Gone", and Kalank. "I will always keep my eyes and ears open to good scripts and keep doing work which makes sense to me. I hope the films do well and my report card also shows some good Fridays," Kunal told PTI.

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Early Life Screen Time Reduces Physical Activity in Later Childhood

Screen viewing is increasingly prevalent but excessive screen time in childhood has been linked to a range of health problems, including increased risk of obesity and reduced cognitive development, researchers have said.

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Taapsee Pannu shares 'pehli jhalak' of Thappad, announces trailer release date

Taapsee Pannu has been on a spree, after sharing her first look from cricketer Mithali Raj's biopic the actor has now shared the first poster of her another pipelined project Thappad. With Thappad, Taapsee is collaborating with Mulk director Anubhav Sinha for the second time. The film has been in the limelight ever since  Taapsee had shared her look in the film. Now ahead of the release of the trailer tomorrow, Taapsee has now shared the first poster look of Thappad.

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Supreme Court relief for Anuradha Paudwal: Stay on Kerala family court order

The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed proceedings initiated in a Thiruvananthapuram court following a complaint by a 45-year-old woman, who claimed to be the daughter of renowned singer Anuradha Paudwal and demanded a Rs 50 crore compensation. A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices B.R. Gavai and Surya Kant issued notice to the woman on the plea filed by Paudwal, seeking direction to transfer the case from the Thiruvananthapuram court to Mumbai.

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Do masks really work to keep coronavirus at bay? Health experts, around the world, are not too sure

People around the world are buying up protective face masks in hopes of keeping the new virus from China at bay. Some companies have required them for employees. Schools in South Korea have told parents to equip their children with masks and hand sanitizer when they return from winter vacation.

But do the masks work? It depends.

All viruses are small enough to get through a typical strap-on medical mask, but the germs don’t generally spread through the air one at a time, said Dr Mark Denison of Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Denison studies SARS and MERS, which are coronaviruses, the same family as the new virus.

All viruses are small enough to get through a typical strap-on medical mask.

Instead, viruses ride from person to person on droplets from a sneeze or cough. Those droplets land on hands and other surfaces, where they are touched by others, who then touch their own eyes, noses or mouths.

Masks can block large droplets from a sneeze or cough. That means they have some value, Denison said.

Also, someone in a mask can’t touch their own nose and mouth. That can prevent the wearer from picking up germs left on surfaces by someone who is sick, he said.

Masks are “a very sensible precaution” while scientists work to study exactly how the new virus is transmitted, said University of Oxford researcher Trudie Lang.

None of this, however, is based on rigorous research. Nobody has compared groups of masked and unmasked people by exposing them to the new germ, Denison said. A 2017 review of studies in health care workers suggested masks offer some protection against SARS, but the authors noted “existing evidence is sparse and findings are inconsistent.”

The best way to avoid getting sick from the new virus is to wash your hands with soap and water. If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. That’s the same advice for avoiding regular cold and flu viruses.

Washing your hands with soap and water is really the only way to protect yourself from the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends masks for people being evaluated for the new virus, people confirmed to have it, household members and caregivers. Airline crew should offer a face mask to a sick traveler, the CDC said.

Health care workers treating patients with the new virus are advised by the CDC to take additional precautions such as goggles or face shields.

UNICEF said Wednesday it has shipped six metric tons of respiratory masks and protective suits to China for use by health workers.

In Tokyo, 21-year-old hotel employee Hasumi Tsuchida said she wears a mask. “I work in a hotel where many guests are from China,” she said. “I worry a bit when foreign guests arrive.”

Masks have been commonly used in some countries when wearers are sick, fighting allergies or on days when air pollution is bad. The new virus has fueled demand for them around the world.

Respilon, a Czech company that makes its “nanofiber” masks in China, sold 700,000 of them last year worldwide. Since last week, it received orders for 7 million more. The problem: It cannot make any because the Chinese government extended the Lunar New Year holiday in a bid to contain the virus’ spread.

A motorcyclist wearing a face mask, rides across a bridge in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province. Image credit: AP

In Taiwan, where the holiday is over, factories are up and running. Premier Su Tseng-chang said the government had already distributed 23 million masks and that Taiwan will be able to produce four million more a day.

A mask factory in Shanghai has gone into overdrive despite the holiday.

“We are now working 24 hours, 2 shifts a day, 12 hours shift,” said Liao Huolin, president of the mask company. “We violated labour law,” Liao said, “but the workers understand.”



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