US Mountaineer, Local Guide Dead after Avalanches Hit Tibetan Mountain

Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
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US Mountaineer, Local Guide Dead after Avalanches Hit Tibetan Mountain

Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
Tourists walk by a woman wearing Tibetan costume posing for a photo at the thousand-household Tibetan village, one of the tourism spots in Litang county, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of southwestern China's Sichuan province, Friday, Sept. 8, 2023. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

American mountaineer Anna Gutu and a Nepalese guide Mingmar Sherpa were confirmed Sunday dead after avalanches struck the slopes of a Tibetan mountain, while two others remained missing, according to Chinese media reports.
The avalanches struck Tibet’s Mount Shishapangma on Saturday afternoon at 7,600 (24,934 ft) and 8,000 meters (26,246 ft) in altitude, according to state-owned Xinhua News Agency.
Two others, American climber Gina Marie Rzucidlo and a Nepalese mountain guide Tenjen Sherpa went missing, the news agency said.
The avalanches also seriously injured Nepalese mountain guide Karma Geljen Sherpa, who was escorted down the mountain by rescuers and is currently in stable condition.
A total of 52 climbers from various countries including the US, Britain, Japan, and Italy were attempting to summit the mountain when the avalanches hit, Xinhua said.
Climbing activities have since been suspended due to snow conditions.
Shishapangma is the 14th-highest mountain in the world, at over 8,027 meters (26,335 ft) above sea level.



Spain's Christmas Lottery Spreads Cash and Seasonal Joy to Winners

Reuters
Reuters
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Spain's Christmas Lottery Spreads Cash and Seasonal Joy to Winners

Reuters
Reuters

Players with winning tickets in Spain's huge Christmas lottery draw on Sunday celebrated with sparkling wine, cheers and hugs in a 200-year-old tradition that marks the beginning of the Christmas season.
The total prize pot in the state-run National Lottery event reached 2.71 billion euros ($2.83 billion) this year, slightly more than last year's 2.59 billion euros.
The top prize, known as "El Gordo" (The Fat One), was won in the northern city of Logrono, capital of La Rioja region that is famed for its wines.
In the nationally televised draw at Madrid's Teatro Real, young pupils from San Ildefonso school picked the winning numbers from two revolving globes and sang them out.
The audience, who had queued for hours to enter, wore Santa hats, regional costumes and their personal lucky charms.
"I'd like the lottery to go to Valencia. Honestly, I think it should go to the affected areas. We'd like that very much," said 25-year-old Vicent Jacinto, dressed in a traditional Valencian fallas suit and referring to deadly floods that struck the region in October.
Lottery mania hits Spain in the weeks leading up to the Christmas lottery. Relatives, co-workers, groups of friends and club members frequently buy tickets or fractions of them together, often favoring particular "lucky" vendors or numbers.
The most common ticket costs 20 euros, offering up to 400,000 euros in prize money, before taxes.
The lottery tradition dates back to 1812, when Spain was under French occupation during the Napoleonic Wars and the draw aimed to raise funds to fight for independence.
These days, proceeds after operating costs and payouts are given to social causes.