This aerial image shows autumn leaves at their peak as they surround Tsutenkyo Bridge amongst the grounds of Tofukuji Temple, in the city of Kyoto on November 27, 2024. (Photo by JIJI Press / AFP)
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Japan Witnesses Warmest Autumn on Record
This aerial image shows autumn leaves at their peak as they surround Tsutenkyo Bridge amongst the grounds of Tofukuji Temple, in the city of Kyoto on November 27, 2024. (Photo by JIJI Press / AFP)
Japan has recorded its warmest autumn since records began 126 years ago, the weather agency said, delaying the country's popular displays of seasonal foliage into December.
"This year was 1.97 degrees Celsius higher than usual... making it the hottest autumn since 1898, when statistics began," the Japan Meteorological Agency said Monday on their website.
Between September and November, the temperature was 2.4 degrees Celsius higher than usual in Tokyo, 2.9 more in the central city of Nagoya and 1.2 warmer in northern Sapporo city.
The weather has delayed the country's autumn foliage season -- when tourists flock to see leaves turn vibrant reds and yellows.
In Kyoto, a railway company known for running trains through forests of illuminated maple trees at night has extended its schedule because leaf colors are not changing as quickly as usual.
According to the Japan Meteorological Corporation, the best time to see the autumn leaves in Tokyo is around December 5 and in Osaka on December 9, both later than usual.
Japan recorded its joint-hottest summer on record this year as extreme heatwaves, which scientists say are fueled by climate change, engulfed many parts of the world.
The famous snowcap of Mount Fuji was absent for the longest recorded period this year, not appearing until early November, compared with the average of early October.
Climate scientists forecast that 2024 will almost certainly be the hottest year on record.
Australia has meanwhile sweltered through its warmest spring on record, the country's weather bureau said Sunday, with temperatures 2.08 degrees Celsius above the average.
Australia's previous hottest spring -- running between September and November in the Southern Hemisphere -- was recorded in 2020.
New York Orders Citywide Travel Ban as Major Storm Hits US https://english.aawsat.com/varieties/5243771-new-york-orders-citywide-travel-ban-major-storm-hits-us%C2%A0
People walk along Manhattan's Times Square during a snowfall in New York City, on February 22, 2026. (AFP)
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New York Orders Citywide Travel Ban as Major Storm Hits US
People walk along Manhattan's Times Square during a snowfall in New York City, on February 22, 2026. (AFP)
New York ordered drivers off the road and shut down schools on Monday, while residents braced for a massive snowstorm hitting the United States northeast.
Tens of millions of Americans from the US capital, Washington, to the northern state of Maine have prepared for up to two feet (60 centimeters) of snow forecast in some areas.
Light snow and "freezing fog" with lows of 30F (-1C) were recorded in New York in the early hours of Monday morning, the National Weather Service (NWS) said on its website.
NWS also predicted blizzard conditions would "quickly materialize" from Maryland up to southeastern New England, making travel "extremely treacherous."
Snow could fall at a rate of two to three inches per hour at the peak of the storm, with nearly 54 million people in its path, it said.
Early Monday morning, the storm had already begun to hit New York, slashing visibility to the extent that the skyscrapers of Wall Street were barely visible from the adjacent borough of Brooklyn.
Power outages are likely due to heavy snow and strong wind gusts, forecasters said. Just after 01:39 am local time (0639 GMT) on Monday, nearly 80,000 customers were without power in the state of New Jersey, according to tracking website poweroutage.us.
Meanwhile, more than 5,000 flights have been cancelled, data from the tracker FlightAware showed early Monday.
In New York, which has more than eight million residents, Mayor Zohran Mamdani said streets, highways and bridges would be shut down from 9:00 pm Sunday until noon Monday.
"New York City has not faced a storm of this scale in the last decade," he said, explaining the state of emergency. "We are asking New Yorkers to avoid all non-essential travel."
The ban will not apply to essential workers or New Yorkers needing to travel due to emergencies.
Brandon Smith, 33, who lives in Brooklyn, complained that some workplaces had remained open, even if roads were not.
"It's going to be difficult for most New Yorkers to get around because we still have to go to work. It's unfortunate (roads) are suspended as jobs are not going to stop calling us in," he said.
Tourists, on the other hand, were delighted by the spectacle of their first experiences of snowfall.
Macarena Gonzalez, who came from Chile, said that she knew it was going to snow but didn't realize to what extent.
"I'm happy, it's a great experience," she told AFP on Sunday while exploring Times Square.
- 'Worst yet to come' -
The NWS warned heavy snow, high winds and low visibility were "expected to cause dangerous to impossible travel" conditions.
Gusts of up to 60 miles (100 kilometers) per hour were expected late Sunday and into Monday, the NWS said.
New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill declared a state of emergency beginning midday Sunday, freeing up funds and allowing the swift deployment of resources to address the weather crisis.
In Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu closed all public schools and municipal buildings on Monday.
"We ask everyone to plan ahead, stay safe and warm, and stay off the roads to help our public works and public safety efforts," Wu said.
The NWS said "moderate to major" coastal flooding affecting waterfront roads and properties was possible from Delaware up to Cape Cod in Massachusetts.
The storm comes just weeks after the region recovered from another devastating winter weather system that was linked to more than 100 deaths.
"The worst is yet to come," New York Governor Kathy Hochul told a press briefing on Sunday.
"Whatever you need -- any groceries, any medicines you need to be refilled at the pharmacy, any pet food you need to have -- do it right now."
Then, she advised, "just settle in."
"Watch some more Olympics, read a book, catch up on the news, call your family members, call your moms -- especially your moms."
French Artist's Installation Will Transform Paris' Oldest Bridge Into Giant Cavehttps://english.aawsat.com/varieties/5243769-french-artists-installation-will-transform-paris-oldest-bridge-giant-cave
A photomontage shows the project by French artist JR called Pont Neuf Cavern in his studio, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
French Artist's Installation Will Transform Paris' Oldest Bridge Into Giant Cave
A photomontage shows the project by French artist JR called Pont Neuf Cavern in his studio, in Paris, France, Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
He is known as the French Banksy — or simply JR. Now the artist popular across France for large-scale projects, from photographs to graffiti and street art, wants Parisians to do something unusual on the city's arguably most famous bridge: stop.
In June, he plans to transform the bustling bridge that dates back to the 17th century into a walk-through “cave” — a temporary, monumental public artwork that will cover the stone arches with a rocky illusion and invite visitors to cross the River Seine through a tunnel complete with sound and digitally augmented reality.
He says it's possibly the “largest immersive installation ever made” and — one that will be accessible around the clock and offer a “totally different approach” to the bridge.
“We’re about to leave something pretty incredible in the middle of Paris,” JR told The Associated Press at his studio in eastern Paris, wearing his trademark hat and shades.
His project, the Pont Neuf Cavern is to run June 6-28, spanning 120 meters (yards) in length and over 17 meters in height.
French artist JR shows his project Pont Neuf Cavern during an interview with The Associated Press in his studio, in Paris, France, on Feb. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
The installation is a nod to a Paris legend: the late artistic duo Christo and Jeanne-Claude who in 1985 wrapped Pont Neuf — and its streetlamps — in a pale golden fabric.
The project, which took years of negotiations with the authorities, helped define the genre of monumental public art in modern cities across the world.
To JR, the homage is both aesthetic and personal.
“I had the chance to meet Christo along the years," he said. "We had big respect for each other’s work.”
While walking recently on the street with an AP crew, an older woman stopped JR — now, a household name in his country — to share her memories of the Christo and Jeanne-Claude wrapping. She told him she was excited to see the bridge transformed again.
Still, JR — a pseudonym stemming from first name, Jean-René — acknowledges the weight of following in the iconic pair's footsteps.
“It’s pretty hard to go after them,” he said, “but I’m doing it in a very different style, in my own way.”
His idea is about “bringing back mineral and nature" to the heart of Paris.
From the outside, his installation will make Pont Neuf look “as if it has been overtaken by a prehistoric outcrop,” a structure visible along the banks of the Seine — a rocky mass that is “literally going to break the landscape,” he said.
JR said there will be two main ways for people to experience his installation. From the outside, those heading to Pont Neuf will see the giant installation hundreds of meters away.
And from the inside, once visitors enter the “cave” on Pont Neuf, they will be able to walk through a long tunnel-like structure, having a feeling of "total immersion,” he said.
The cave will allow no daylight in and once inside, visitors “will lose track of time,” JR said.
A key collaborator on the project is Thomas Bangalter, a former member of French rock band Daft Punk who is creating the sound to accompany the installation — “something you’ll only hear from the inside,” JR said.
Snap’s AR studio in Paris is developing the augmented reality technology. Visitors will be able to use their smartphones to “experience and see things that you can’t see with your eyes,” JR said.
He is intentionally mysterious about what that is — keeping it a surprise until closer to the opening.
JR's team conducted extensive engineering studies, including tests in a hangar at Paris' Orly airport, to understand how the structure behaves, especially in an emergency when the electricity that fuels the cave's air supply cuts off. Tests show the structure stays the same. There is also the security question — the bridge is a busy zone, especially during Paris’ tourist-packed early summer.
JR said visitor numbers will be limited at any given time, and that his team is consulting with authorities on that. During the three weeks of the exhibition, the installation will be continuously monitored.
JR is best known for his large-scale art — enormous portraits pasted on buildings, border walls and rooftops. Because of his origins in graffiti and street art he has inevitably drawn comparison with Banksy, the elusive UK-based artist famous for his huge murals and activism.
JR's installation will not have any massive faces, but the theme is still human, he says: gathering, connection, and what people project onto a shared space.
He says his installation is also an allusion to Plato’s allegory of the cave in which chained men interpret shadows on the cave wall as reality, ignorant of the real world outside — and compares that to the fake reality created by the visual world of our social media platforms.
“What are our caves today is our phone,” JR said, “because we ... believe that ... our algorithm on social media ... is the reality.”
During the installation, which will coincide with June's Paris Fashion Week and World Music Day, the bridge will close to traffic.
Does Fasting Stress You? Here’s the Role of Cortisol and How to Manage Ithttps://english.aawsat.com/varieties/5243530-does-fasting-stress-you-here%E2%80%99s-role-cortisol-and-how-manage-it
Does Fasting Stress You? Here’s the Role of Cortisol and How to Manage It
Deep breathing exercises, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may reduce stress markers (Pexels).
Fasting during Ramadan is both a spiritual and a health practice that benefits the body and mind. Medical studies, however, show that fasting can sometimes raise levels of cortisol, the hormone commonly known as the stress hormone. Elevated cortisol may have noticeable effects on mood, including irritability, anxiety, and tension, making emotional regulation more challenging during long fasting hours.
Cortisol is released by the adrenal glands according to a natural daily rhythm, higher in the morning and lower in the evening. This rhythm, however, can be disrupted by poor sleep, dehydration, or physical and mental stress.
So how can cortisol levels be kept in balance during fasting? Here are key practical guidelines:
1. Prioritize sleep. It is central to hormonal balance. Sleep disruption increases stress and interferes with cortisol regulation. To minimize this effect:
Aim for a total of 7 to 8 hours of sleep, including nighttime rest and a short daytime nap if needed.
Keep sleep and wake times as consistent as possible.
Limit screen exposure for at least one hour before bedtime.
2. Break your fast in a balanced way to avoid blood sugar spikes. Research links blood sugar fluctuations to heightened stress responses. For that reason:
Start with fluids and a moderate amount of dates, followed by a meal that includes protein and fiber.
Avoid excessive simple sugars, which can cause a rapid rise and fall in blood glucose, triggering cortisol release.
3. Carbohydrates matter; do not eliminate them. While reducing refined sugars is beneficial, including moderate amounts of healthy carbohydrates - such as oats, whole-grain bread, potatoes, or fruit - at iftar and suhoor helps stabilize blood sugar gradually after fasting.
This balance helps prevent excessive cortisol release and reduces irritability, tension, and anxiety during fasting hours.
4. Maintain hydration between sunset and dawn. Dehydration places additional stress on the body. Health authorities recommend spreading fluid intake after iftar:
Drink water gradually between iftar and suhoor.
Limit caffeinated beverages, as they may interfere with sleep and increase stress.
5. Engage in moderate physical activity. Moderate movement supports healthy stress regulation:
Opt for light walking or stretching about two hours after iftar.
Avoid intense exercise during prolonged fasting hours.
6. Use relaxation techniques. Deep breathing, remembrance, and brief meditation before sleep may help lower stress markers.
US medical sources recommend daily relaxation practices lasting 5 to 10 minutes to support hormonal balance related to stress.
7. Be mindful of caffeine and sugar at night. Heavy coffee intake or frequent sweets during late Ramadan gatherings can disrupt sleep, affecting cortisol levels the following day. Keep your last cup of coffee before midnight and limit desserts to small portions.
8. Consult your doctor if you have a medical condition. If you have hormonal disorders, elevated blood sugar, or high blood pressure, medical guidance is important to adjust medications and dosing schedules during fasting.
Cortisol plays an essential role in energy regulation and the body’s stress response, but maintaining healthy levels depends on consistent sleep, balanced nutrition, adequate hydration, and moderate activity. With thoughtful planning during Ramadan, it is possible to support energy and focus throughout the month, rather than struggling with irritability, anger, and stress.
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