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As COP21 drew its curtains to a close, climate changed with a vengeance — not Chennai this time but in England (Desmond was its name, flooding was again game), the Holy Father pushed his doors to declare a Year of Mercy and a country came together on bicycles to wish its ruler good health on his birthday. Also, sample how winter makes its unique mark in two different corners of our country:
A man holds his dog as he wades through a flooded residential street in Carlisle, Britain December 6, 2015. British police have declared a major incident in northern England after prolonged heavy rain caused widespread flooding and forced emergency services to evacuate residents from their homes. ~Photo: Phil Noble/Reuters
The autograph (bottom) of Japanese physicist and Nobel Prize in Physics co-laureate Takaaki Kajita of University of Tokyo is seen on a chair at the Nobel Museum in Stockholm, Sweden, December 6, 2015. As tradition, Nobel Prize winners sign a chair in the Nobel Museum cafe since the museum opened in year 2001. The Nobel Prize ceremony took place in Stockholm on Dec. 10. ~Photo: Claudio Brescian/Reuters
The sun sets over the valley covered with smog, where the Bosnian capital of Sarajevo is situated, on Sunday Dec. 6, 2015. Due to heavy fog and air pollution visibility reaching some 10 meters, medical officials urged people not to spend too much time outdoors, with particular warnings issued to those suffering from respiratory or heart diseases. ~Photo: Amel Emric/AP
The first Zumwalt-class destroyer, the largest ever built for the U.S. Navy, heads down the Kennebec River after leaving Bath Iron Works, Monday, Dec. 7, 2015, in Bath, Maine. The ship is headed out to sea for the first time to undergo sea trials. ~Photo: Robert F. Bukaty/AP
Craftsmen make the trophies for the 30th Goya Awards in preparation for the awards ceremony which takes place in February, on December 7, 2015 in Madrid, Spain. The awards are Spain’s national film awards and have been given out annually since 1987. The year 2016 will mark the 30th anniversary of the ceremony — named after one of the country’s most influential painters, Francisco de Goya (who lived in the 18th century). ~Photo: Pablo Cuadra/Getty Images
Pope Francis pushes open the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica, formally launching the Holy Year of Mercy, at the Vatican, Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015. The 12-month jubilee emphasizes what has become the leitmotif of his papacy: to show the merciful and welcoming side of a Catholic Church more often known for its moralizing and judgment. Pope Francis declared Tuesday that mercy trumps moralizing in the Catholic Church, as he opened a special Holy Year marked by unprecedented security aimed at thwarting a Paris-style attack at the Vatican. ~Photo: Gregorio Borgia/AP
Under a starry night, tourists warm themselves around a bonfire on Dec. 9 at Lammasingi, situated in the Eastern Ghats in Visakhapatnam. Temperature here drops to zero or even sub-zero during winters, drawing tourists who want to experience this unique chill in the southern state. The village, which has around 500 people, is 120 km from Vizag, and has now become a getaway destination for bikers and college students from the port city. ~Photo: K.R. Deepak/The Hindu
Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook (C) attends an event for students to learn to write computer code at the Apple store in the Manhattan borough of New York December 9, 2015. Part of the learning initiative called “Hour of Code”, the event is held around the world during Computer Science Education Week. Cook was quoted by the Associated Press as saying schools “aren’t putting enough emphasis on computer-science education, but he has ‘great hope’ that will change and coding will ultimately become a required class for all kids.” ~Photo: Carlo Allegri/Reuters
If Washington DC has its cherry blossoms and New Delhi has its golden altmas lining its wide roads in summer, for the Garden City of Bengaluru it is the Tabebuia — an exotic tree native to South America. Here it is in full bloom at Cubbon Park surrounding the Vidhana Soudha and the Karnataka High Court. The species was introduced to Bengaluru by S.G. Neginhal, a former Indian Forest Service officer, over 35 years ago. ~Photo: K. Murali Kumar/The Hindu
A woman takes part in the "Bike for Dad" event in Bangkok, Thailand, Dec. 11, 2015. Thai Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn led thousand of cyclists on a 29-km course in Bangkok to celebrate King Bhumibol Adulyadej's 88th birthday which fell on December 5. Adulyadej happens to be the longest-reigning monarch in the world presently and is currently not in good health, which has spurred his citizens to gather and offer prayers in temples and town halls. ~Photo: Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters
A man sells kangris (fire pots) in Pulwama in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday in the view of heavy snowfall in upper reaches of Kashmir valley. The kangri is a traditional heating device — an earthen pot full of red hot charcoals placed inside an intricately-weaved twig basket — kept under one’s dressing during the winters. It is capable of heating up to 66 degrees Celsius. This tradition in modern times, however, has been in decline. ~Photo: PTI
Women set afloat ‘Kartika Deepalu’ (festival lights) in the river Krishna at Seetanagaram of Guntur district marking the end of Karthika Masam, on Saturday. Finding a special place in Skanda Purana, the Karthika month is considered to be the holiest of all the 12 months of the traditional Hindu calendar. This year it began on Nov. 12. ~Photo: V. Raju/The Hindu
Participants run along Castellana Street during the fourth edition of the yearly Santa Claus 'Papa Noel' race on December 12, 2015 in Madrid, Spain. Around ten thousand adults dressed as Santa Claus and children dressed as elves turned out to take part in the 5.5 kilometres, breaking the world record for the race with the most competitors dressed as Santa Claus. Part of the earnings will be donated to the Foundation for Multiple Sclerosis of Madrid. ~Photo: Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty Images
