166-million-year-old dinosaur footprints unearthed in Oxfordshire
Images | wam.ae
The UK’s largest dinosaur trackway has been uncovered in a quarry in Oxfordshire, revealing a fascinating glimpse into the Jurassic past, WAM reports.
In an exceptional discovery, palaeontologists from the Universities of Oxford and Birmingham have uncovered hundreds of dinosaur footprints at Dewars Farm Quarry in Oxfordshire, according to Euro News.
The site, dating back 166 million years to the Middle Jurassic Period, reveals a "dinosaur highway" featuring the tracks of both herbivorous and carnivorous species, including the fearsome predator megalosaurus.
The excavation, completed in June 2024, uncovered five major trackways, with the longest stretching over 150 metres.
Four were created by sauropods, massive long-necked herbivores such as cetiosaurus, which could grow up to 18 metres long. The fifth trackway belongs to the megalosaurus, a nine-metre-long carnivorous theropod known for its clawed, three-toed footprints.
Earlier it was reported that fossil of pterosaurs’ forerunners were unearthed in Brazil.
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Lukashenko wins presidential election with 86.82% of votes - preliminary results
Images | president.gov.by
Incumbent Belarusian leader Alexander Lukashenko has won the presidential election with 86.82% of votes, according to preliminary results, Central Election Commission Chairman Igor Karpenko said at a press conference, TASS reports.
You can congratulate the Republic of Belarus, we have elected a president," he said.
In the 2020 presidential election, Lukashenko won 80.10% of the vote.
Liberal Democratic Party Chairman Oleg Gaidukevich garnered 2.02% of the vote, entrepreneur Anna Kanopatskaya received 1.86%, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Belarusian Communist Party Sergey Syrankov was backed by 3.21% of the voters, while Republican Party of Labor and Justice Chairman Alexander Khizhnyak had 1.74% of the vote. A total of 3.6% of voters voted against all candidates.
The Belarusian Central Election Commission traditionally announces the results of the preliminary count of all votes in the country at once. The final results will be announced on February 3.
As written before, the Central Election Commission of Belarus has registered incumbent President Aleksandr Lukashenko as a candidate for the President of the Republic of Belarus.
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At least 10 killed in ski resort fire in Türkiye
Images | aljazeera.com
A hotel fire in a ski resort in northwestern Turkiye has killed at least 10 people, officials announced, Al-Jazeera reports.
The blaze broke out overnight in the restaurant of the hotel in the resort of Kartalkaya in Bolu province, Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya said. A further 32 people have been hospitalized with injuries, he added.
Two-hundred and sixty-seven personnel from various public institutions and organisations responded to the fire and the response is ongoing," he wrote on X.
Speaking to Turkish news outlet TRT, Bolu Governor Abdulaziz Aydin said the fire began on the fourth floor of the 11-storey hotel at about 3:30am (00:30 GMT). Hours later, firefighters were still working to put it out.
The cause of the fire will be investigated by authorities, he added, noting that it broke out on the restaurant floor.
Two of the victims died after jumping out of the building in a panic, Aydin told the state-run Anadolu news agency. There were 234 guests staying at the hotel, he said.
Television images showed the roof and top floors of the hotel on fire.
Kartalkaya is one of Türkiye’s premier winter tourism destinations, attracting thousands of visitors during the ski season. The resort lies about 295 kilometres (183 miles) east of Istanbul.
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The 10 most destructive wildfires in California history
Images | x.com/@maximilianlaw
As the Palisades fires continue to devastate Los Angeles, a Kazinform News Agency correspondent takes a look at historic wildfires that have shaped California’s battle against these catastrophic blazes.
Based on data compiled, the following ten wildfires stand out for their deadly toll and massive destruction.
In October 1943, the Hauser Creek Fire ignited in San Diego County. This human-related blaze resulted in 11 deaths but did not destroy any structures, burning 13,145 acres. Over a decade later, in November 1956, the Inaja Fire struck the same county, claiming another 11 lives, with no structures lost and 43,904 acres consumed. Moving ahead to August 1968, Los Angeles County experienced the Canyon Fire, which killed eight people and burned 22,197 acres without damaging any structures.
In October 2003, the Cedar Fire, caused by human activity, became one of the largest wildfires in state history. It ravaged San Diego County, claiming 15 lives, destroying 2,820 structures, and burning an immense 273,246 acres. Four years later, in October 2007, the Harris Fire, also in San Diego County, killed eight people, destroyed 548 structures, and scorched 90,440 acres.
A major wildfire struck Trinity County in August 2008. The Iron Alps Complex Fire led to 10 deaths, destroyed 10 structures, and burned 105,855 acres. Nearly a decade later, in October 2017, two catastrophic fires erupted. The Tubbs Fire swept through Napa and Sonoma counties, killing 22 people, destroying 5,643 structures, and burning 36,807 acres. That same month, the Redwood Valley Fire in Mendocino County resulted in nine deaths, destroyed 544 structures, and burned 35,523 acres.
In November 2018, the Camp Fire devastated Butte County, becoming the deadliest wildfire in California history. It claimed 85 lives, destroyed 18,804 structures, and scorched 153,336 acres. Finally, in August 2020, the North Complex Fire, triggered by lightning in Butte, Plumas, and Yuba counties, resulted in 15 fatalities, 5,643 structures destroyed, and 36,807 acres burned.
As of January 13, an ongoing wildfire in Los Angeles County has been described as the most destructive in the region's history. By 11:00 AM, the fire had consumed 23,713 acres and was only 14% contained. The blaze has claimed many lives, as confirmed by the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner, and has resulted in the destruction of 1,280 structures and damage to an additional 204. For the safety of residents, a curfew remains in place from 6 PM to 6 AM.
Yesterday, Kazinform News Agency investigated whether insurance would cover damage from wildfires in Los Angeles.
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Jade mine collapses in northern Myanmar, 12 bodies recovered
Images | Xinhua
Twelve bodies were recovered following the collapse of a jade mine in northern Myanmar's Kachin state, a police official said on Monday, Xinhua reported.
The fatal accident occurred at around 1:30 a.m. on Monday in Sapaut village of Seikmu village tract in Hpakant township, Kachin state, he said.
As of Monday afternoon, 12 bodies have been recovered and over 50 houses were buried under the earth due to the accident, the police official said.
He said the exact number of casualties is still unknown.
Rescue efforts are currently underway, he added.
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