分类： society

Southern California’s Mount Baldy has tragically claimed the lives of three hikers during a period of hazardous winter conditions, including a 19-year-old who fell approximately 500 feet (150 meters) while traversing one of the region’s most perilous peaks.

According to Jenny Smith, spokesperson for the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, rescue teams discovered the teenager’s body alongside two additional deceased hikers during search operations. The two other victims were not hiking with the teenager, and investigators have not determined how long they had been deceased on the mountain.

The tragic incident unfolded on December 29th when the teenager, accompanied by a friend, embarked on a hike despite clear visibility across the region. After the fatal fall near the Devil’s Backbone trail, the companion hiked to an area with cellular reception to alert emergency services, providing GPS coordinates that guided rescue teams to the location. The surviving hiker emerged physically unharmed.

Recovery operations faced significant challenges due to severe high winds that prevented helicopter extraction on Monday. The operation was successfully completed on Tuesday when conditions improved sufficiently for crews to retrieve all three bodies.

Mount Baldy, officially named Mount San Antonio, rises 10,064 feet (3,068 meters) in the San Gabriel Mountains and has gained notoriety as one of America’s deadliest peaks. The mountain’s proximity to Los Angeles attracts both experienced mountaineers and ill-prepared novices, creating a dangerous combination especially during unpredictable winter weather.

Authorities revealed that rescue teams have saved five other hikers from the mountain over the past five days alone. Since 2020, the mountain has claimed more than 14 lives, including British actor Julian Sands whose remains were discovered five months after his disappearance in January 2023. During the same period, over 100 individuals have required rescue from the treacherous peak.

In response to the recent tragedies and repeated emergency operations, authorities have temporarily closed all trails on Mount Baldy until the new year. Officials strongly advised against any hiking attempts during current conditions, particularly emphasizing the dangers of the Devil’s Backbone trail which Smith described as ‘one of the most dangerous trails in our area.’

Despite recent precipitation across Southern California, December 29th presented deceptively clear conditions with sunshine and exceptional visibility that extended to Catalina Island. However, Mount Baldy’s weather remains notoriously unpredictable, with conditions rapidly shifting to treacherous ice and snow that require specialized equipment including crampons and ice axes for safe passage.

The identities of the deceased hikers have not been released pending family notifications.

Dubai authorities have completed extensive field inspections of fireworks sites and safety preparations in anticipation of the New Year 2026 celebrations, ensuring comprehensive security measures are in place across multiple venues. The Event Security Committee, under the leadership of Major General Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, Assistant Commander in Chief for Operations at Dubai Police, conducted thorough reviews of operational and logistical plans at key locations including Dubai Festival City, Dubai Frame, Al Seef, JBR, and Ain Dubai.

The inspections focused on critical safety aspects including crowd management protocols, traffic flow optimization, emergency response capabilities, and public safety arrangements. During the site visits, Al Mazrouei emphasized the necessity for all operational teams to maintain the highest safety and security standards to guarantee a seamless and secure experience for both residents and visitors during the festivities.

The coordination effort brought together senior officials and committee members representing 55 government, semi-government, and private sector entities involved in New Year operations. Al Mazrouei highlighted that New Year celebrations rank among Dubai’s most significant annual events, attracting hundreds of thousands of onsite attendees and millions of global viewers. He stressed the importance of close collaboration among all partners to preserve Dubai’s international reputation for hosting major events with exceptional safety and efficiency.

Authorities confirmed that inspection activities and coordination efforts will continue through New Year’s Eve to ensure complete readiness across all celebration venues, maintaining Dubai’s commitment to excellence in event security and public safety management.

Tatiana Schlossberg, granddaughter of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy and prominent climate journalist, has passed away at age 35 following a courageous battle with acute myeloid leukemia. The tragic news was confirmed through a social media announcement by the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation on behalf of her grieving family.

Schlossberg, who had recently welcomed her second child, received her devastating cancer diagnosis in May 2024. In a profoundly moving essay published in The New Yorker last November titled “A Battle With My Blood,” she revealed her prognosis gave her less than a year to live. The climate journalist documented her intensive medical journey, including chemotherapy treatments and a bone marrow transplant, while confronting the heartbreaking reality that her children might grow up without memories of their mother.

Her writing poignantly addressed the emotional weight of introducing another tragedy to a family already marked by profound loss. President Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, and her uncle, John F. Kennedy Jr., died in a 1999 plane crash. Schlossberg expressed particular concern for her mother, Caroline Kennedy—former U.S. ambassador to Japan and Australia—writing about her lifelong effort to protect her mother from additional pain and sorrow.

As the daughter of designer Edwin Schlossberg and diplomat Caroline Kennedy, Tatiana had built her own professional identity as an environmental writer, contributing to The New York Times and authoring “Inconspicuous Consumption: The Environmental Impact You Don’t Know You Have.” Her work focused on making complex climate issues accessible to broader audiences.

The Kennedy family, American political royalty, has now endured another generation of untimely loss, with Tatiana’s passing marking the latest chapter in their very public history of personal tragedies.

A growing wave of artistic protest has emerged at Washington’s premier performing arts venue as multiple acts cancel scheduled performances in response to the institution’s controversial renaming. The Kennedy Center’s board, recently populated with Trump allies, voted this month to rebrand the facility as ‘The Donald J Trump and the John F Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts,’ triggering immediate backlash from the artistic community.

The Cookers, an acclaimed jazz ensemble, abruptly cancelled their planned New Year’s Eve performances. While their official statement avoided direct mention of the controversy, drummer Billy Hart confirmed to The New York Times that the name change ‘evidently’ influenced their decision. The group referenced jazz’s historical roots in ‘struggle and relentless insistence on freedom’ in explaining their withdrawal.

They were joined by Doug Varone and Dancers, who cancelled April engagements, stating they ‘can no longer permit ourselves nor ask our audiences to step inside this once great institution.’ Folk artist Kristy Lee similarly cancelled her January performance, asserting she couldn’t ‘stand on that stage and sleep right at night’ when American history is being ‘renamed for somebody else’s ego.’

Center President Richard Grenell responded aggressively, characterizing the cancellations as ‘a form of derangement syndrome’ and alleging the artists ‘were booked by the previous far left leadership.’ He particularly targeted musician Chuck Redd, who cancelled his annual Christmas Eve performance, by demanding $1 million in damages for what he called a ‘political stunt’ that ‘has cost us considerably.’

The renaming has sparked legal and historical debates beyond the artistic community. Some lawmakers and legal scholars contend that because the center was named through 1964 legislation, Congressional approval is required for any official name change. Members of the Kennedy family have denounced the move, with former Congressman Joe Kennedy III emphasizing that the venue ‘is a living memorial to a fallen president’ that cannot be renamed ‘any more than someone can rename the Lincoln Memorial.’

Despite these objections, new signage reflecting the Trump name was added to the building’s exterior the day after the board’s vote, cementing the controversial change that continues to divide the arts community.

Abu Dhabi authorities have unveiled comprehensive traffic management protocols in preparation for the upcoming New Year festivities. Effective from noon on December 31, 2025, through 6:00 AM on January 1, 2026, stringent restrictions will prohibit trucks, heavy freight vehicles, and labor transport buses from operating within Abu Dhabi Island’s core traffic zones. Supplementary controls will simultaneously affect the Abu Dhabi-Al Ain Road (E22) corridor during identical operational hours.

Additional movement constraints will be enforced along Hazza Bin Sultan Street in Al Ain from December 31 at noon until January 1 at 1:00 AM. Furthermore, partial intersection closures along King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud Street will be implemented from January 1 through January 5, 2026, facilitating extended celebration activities and pedestrian safety measures.

These traffic mitigation strategies represent standard operational procedures for large-scale public events, specifically designed to optimize traffic flow and enhance public safety during peak celebration periods. Transportation authorities strongly advise motorists and commercial operators to strategically plan alternative routes utilizing perimeter roads outside the island complex while emphasizing compliance with official directives to prevent penalties and unnecessary delays.

The emirate’s New Year programming features spectacular celebrations including the flagship Sheikh Zayed Festival at Al Wathba, promising an elaborate display combining synchronized drone formations, advanced pyrotechnics, and cultural presentations reflecting Emirati heritage. With over sixty fireworks locations scheduled across the UAE, residents and visitors will have numerous options for midnight countdown events featuring enhanced safety protocols at waterfront promenades, festival grounds, and community spaces.

Coinciding with the federal designation of January 1, 2026, as an official public holiday, the extended weekend includes remote work provisions for government employees, allowing broad participation in the celebrations across the capital city and surrounding emirates.