Planting trees is often cited as a simple way to combat climate change. The idea is easy to understand. trees take in carbon dioxide And store it. Forests also support wildlife and help regulate water systems. Because of this, many governments and companies have promised to plant a large number of trees. The hope is that this will reduce emissions. EarthDay.org Research Shows that the situation is not that simple. Planting trees helps, but only within limits. The overall impact depends on scale, location and long-term survival. Scientists generally agree that reforestation cannot replace the need to cut emissions from fossil fuels.

Why is planting trees not enough to fight climate change?

Trees use this carbon dioxide and oxygen from photosynthesis. Carbon dioxide is stored in trees. The amount of stored carbon decreases. The process is well understood. However, there is a limitation to this process. The first boundary is land. There is not enough land that can be converted to forests without affecting other food sources. Even if all the land were converted to forests, there would still not be enough to cover the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere from energy production and use. Planting trees can be a valuable tool in the fight to save the environment. However, there are more forests being planted while others are being destroyed. The more forests are destroyed, the less effective tree planting will be. When forests are destroyed, the stored carbon is released back into the environment. Deforestation continues, a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. Planting of trees can be considered as replacement of what was destroyed. Conservation of forests is considered a more effective means. Older forests store more carbon.

Planting trees in the right places matters more

The effectiveness of tree plantation also depends on the region. The best results in terms of carbon absorption are generally found in tropical regions. Trees in these areas grow faster and are more effective at absorbing carbon. They also help in increasing the moisture level in the air, causing a cooling effect.However, tree planting may not be as effective in cold climates. This is because the ground is covered with snow. Snow reflects the sun’s rays. When trees are planted on this land, they absorb more heat. This phenomenon is known as the albedo effect. Thus, planting trees in a particular area can be more effective than planting trees everywhere.

Wider climate impacts and challenges of tree planting

Forests not only store carbon. They also affect rainfall, temperature and air circulation. Large-scale changes in forest cover can alter regional climate patterns. Some studies indicate that these effects may extend beyond the immediate area. Changes in one area can affect conditions elsewhere. Tree planting projects are not always successful. These involve planting a single species over large areas. Such systems are more vulnerable to disease and environmental stress. In some areas, the risk of fire has increased due to climatic conditions. Poorly managed forests can contribute to fuel formation. When a fire occurs, the stored carbon is released, reducing the expected benefits.

Why can’t trees and plants replace carbon emissions reduction?

Reducing emissions from fossil fuels is the most important step we can take to combat climate change. Energy production, transportation and industry are emitting large amounts of carbon dioxide. Tree plantation can be an additional step to these measures, but cannot replace them. Other measures include protection of existing trees and better land management. Tree planting can be a helpful step in combating climate change. This is because tree planting can help with carbon storage and sustainability. However, tree planting can be helpful only when combined with other measures.Current evidence indicates that tackling climate change involves multiple measures. Reforestation is one of these measures, but it must be accompanied by reduction of greenhouse emissions.

UK version of Saturday night Live Its first episode began in classic style with political cool, imagining Prime Minister Keir Starmer awkwardly trying to tell the US President donald trump That Britain would not get involved in the war with Iran.Played by a well-disguised George Foracres, Starmer nervously sat down at his desk, a framed photo of Trump behind him, as the dial tone rang. “Oh, you idiot! What if Donald yells at me? What do I say?” he said to a consultant played by Hammad Animashon. “Just be yourself, Prime Minister! You’re the one everyone likes.”Trump answered the phone with a blunt “Hello” and Starmer immediately hung up, saying: “Oh, he’s a scary, scary wonderful president. Why is it so difficult to talk to him?”Starmer spoke to his adviser as if Trump were his toxic ex. “I just want her to be happy. You don’t understand her like I do. I can change her!” he said as quoted by Variety.The meeting is then interrupted by Starmer’s new Gen Z mentor, played by Jack Shepp, who calls him “Stormzy”, a play on UK rapper Stormzy. The Gen Z consultant said he’s perfect for the job because “I’m an expert at dirty drama, I’ve been in three gangs and I’m currently gay.”The Gen Z consultant told Starmer that instead of breaking up with Trump over the phone, he should send him a voice note. Starmer replied: “I’ll try anything, I’ll do anything. Except take a stand.”“Hi, Donald. I’m afraid I can’t go to war with you, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be friends,” Starmer said with a concerned look on his face. “There’s a long, proud tradition of cooperation between America and Britain and no one can end that. Remember the good times. Remember D-Day? Remember Live Aid? Remember Iraq? The first week and then no one else. Remember Helen Baxterdale on ‘Friends’? Remember Hugh Laurie on ‘Friends’? Remember the episode of ‘Friends’ where they all came to London?”He continued: “But most importantly, remember the one where Ross and Rachel were on break? I think maybe that’s what we need. Not forever, just until you get all this war out of your system. We want different things. I know how badly you want to start World War III, and that’s great. You absolutely do but we can’t be a part of it. However, you can use the naval bases whenever you want.Starmer’s adviser then congratulated him, saying: “Good job, sir. You did the minimum, and that’s what people expect from you.”Starmer broke the fourth-wall, responding: “It just shows that, although we may not agree with everything America does, we can still be civilized and embrace their wonderful, problem-free culture.”Fouracres, AnimaShawn and Shep then gathered together to say the iconic words: “Live from London, it’s Saturday Night!”

As President Donald Trump’s 48-hour deadline approaches, Tehran has responded to his threat to “destroy” Iranian power plants with a threat of its own – and shows no signs of backing down. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have now declared that energy facilities in countries hosting US bases will be “legitimate targets” if Trump does so.Writing on Truth Social, Trump warned that if Tehran did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz by 23:44 GMT on Monday, he would destroy Iran’s power plants “starting with the largest plant first.” About 20% of the world’s oil passes through the narrow waterway, which has been effectively blocked since the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran on February 28.Iran showed no signs of backing down on Sunday as Colonel Ibrahim Zolfkari, spokesman for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya military command, warned, “If Iran’s fuel and energy infrastructure is attacked, the fuel, energy, information technology systems and desalination infrastructure used by the regime in the US and in the region will be attacked.”Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf threatened to irreversibly destroy critical infrastructure across the region.“Immediately after power plants and infrastructure in our country are targeted, critical infrastructure, energy infrastructure and oil facilities throughout the region will be considered legitimate targets and destroyed irreversibly, and the price of oil will remain high for a long time,” he posted on X.The war, now in its fourth week, has already spread beyond Iran’s borders. Iran on Saturday targeted a UK-US joint base in the Indian Ocean, while nuclear sites in both Iran and Israel were attacked. The death toll has risen to more than 1,500 in Iran, 1,000 in Lebanon, 15 in Israel and 13 US military members, while millions have been displaced across the region.Now, with time running out, the question is whether Trump’s ultimatum will stick – or give Tehran a victory. For a president who came to power vowing to avoid “stupid” wars, the conflict he helped start is now in danger of spiraling out of control. His administration’s messaging has been openly contradictory — calling for de-escalation by deploying three more amphibious assault ships and about 2,500 additional Marines to the region. The US again attacked Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility, while Tehran explicitly warned against any attack on its energy infrastructure.Trump has repeatedly called on China, Japan and NATO to help clear the strait. No one has moved.The financial pressures at home are real. Gas prices have increased 93 cents a gallon since the beginning of the year and the price of U.S. crude oil is up more than 70%. In a contradiction, the Trump administration has quietly begun to ease sanctions on Iranian crude, allowing allies to buy the same oil that finances Tehran – the very resource it is trying to cut off as well.Iran’s top diplomat has made clear that any path to peace will require “guarantees” that the US and Israel will not attack the Islamic Republic again, and assurances that its “sovereignty and national security will not be violated.” The comments came in a phone call with External Affairs Minister Jaishankar on Saturday.

A newly surfaced surveillance video from the night of Jeffrey Epstein’s death shows prison guards casually loitering at the Metropolitan Correctional Center in Manhattan just feet away from the cell where he killed himself.According to video found in a repository of recently released DOJ documents, corrections officers Tovah Noel and Michael Thomas were seen relaxing in front of the officer station in the special housing unit at about 3:15 p.m., both writing on a piece of paper, pacing back and forth and talking on the phone instead of their mandatory 3 a.m. rounds.According to the prison’s layout, Epstein was in the first cell of the block, just a few feet up a short set of stairs behind the officer’s station in the ninth-floor L tier wing.The Justice Department said it is believed that Epstein killed himself between 10:30 p.m. on August 9, the last time Noel, who was working a double shift, checked on the inmates, and 6:30 a.m. on August 10, when Noel and Thomas discovered his lifeless body while serving breakfast to the inmates.DOJ documents revealed that the guards apparently ignored bright-orange warnings and reminders that the officer in charge of the special housing unit had posted on their computers. The notes reminded everyone that Epstein was away from suicide, requiring a bunkmate and regular check-ins at all times.“Mandatory [sic] According to God, rounds should be conducted on Epstein every 30 minutes!!! Read an order.The SHU boss, Lt. Roberto Grijalva, later told DOJ investigators, “I put it next to the computer. It was just something between us, saying, make sure the rounds are conducted and he has a bunkie near him at all times. It’s bright orange paper and black writing.”Grijalva said he left the instructions “hanging on the PC, right next to the screen” on August 9 at 2 a.m. shortly before he went home for the weekend.He said, “Whoever was there saw it – saw that paper. On Monday, I came in and that paper was no longer there.”Grijalva said that around 8 a.m. on August 9, he brought down Epstein and his cellmate, convicted drug dealer Efrain Reyes. Epstein had been meeting with his lawyers all day, and Reyes had all his stuff, and was presumably on his way home.“When I walked them to the door, I said, ‘You’re going to get a bunkie,'” Grijalva told him. “Epstein is like, ‘No, I’m good.'”“He seemed calm,” Grijalva said of Epstein. “He joked because he asked for a new jumper and I told him, ‘No.’ And he said, ‘Why not?’ I said, ‘This is a prison, this is what you have to do.’ Nobody else’s got a jumper, it’s not Versace,’ you know. He laughed, ‘Ha, ha, ha, ha,’ and that was it.”Grijalva said that before leaving for the weekend, he told staff several times that he would need a new cell mate when Epstein returned from a meeting with his lawyers that evening.He also told inspectors that there were several orange bedsheets in Epstein’s cell, the fabric he used to hang himself, which was because officials had failed to remove Reyes’s bedsheets when he was discharged, and that they had presumably given Epstein some extra sheets after he complained of being cold at night.“They messed up,” Grijalva said. “Sorry. It’s a big deal.”According to the Bureau of Prisons, Grijalva was still employed at the Manhattan Correctional Center and had been promoted to deputy captain.The chairman of the House Oversight Committee called Noel for an interview on March 26, after The Post reported that he had Googled Epstein and deposited mysterious cash shortly before he took his own life.Noel and Thomas were accused of falsifying records that said they checked on Epstein overnight, although investigators later learned that they failed to check on him at 3 a.m. and 5 a.m.They were fired, but criminal charges against both were dropped in 2021 by Obama-appointed U.S. District Court Judge Analisa Torres.

Karl Adolf Amrhein, 57, was taken into custody by local security on Thursday morning after he was seen walking down the main road in Sukawati village at around 7am during Bali’s annual Day of Silence./ Image: Instagram

karl adolf amrhein57, was found on a main road Sukawati Village March 19 at 7 am. When he was brought for questioning he initially pretended to be mute. An American tourist was detained by local security in Bali on Thursday morning after he was found wandering on the main road during Nyepi, the island’s annual day of silence, in which all outdoor activities are banned for a full 24 hours. Carl Adolf Amrhein, 57, was seen on the main road in Sukawati village at about 7 a.m. on March 19, during which the entire island is required to strictly monitor residents and visitors to stay indoors. Sukawati Police officials told local media that they had rescued a foreign national from the United States who was violating Nyepi regulations. They were later taken to a nearby villa and warned not to commit further violations.

What happened

When Amarhain was brought to the police station, officials said he initially pretended to be mute and repeatedly asked to be released. He eventually spoke to authorities and explained that he was looking for new accommodation after being asked to leave his hotel in Ubud. “He admitted that he was forced to leave his hotel in Ubud because his period of stay had expired,” a local police chief told reporters. He was later taken to a nearby villa where he was allowed to remain for the remainder of the ritual. This is not the first time that a foreign tourist has faced difficulties during Nyepi. In 2020, another American was chained by local authorities in Kuta after going for a run during the ritual. The man told locals that he “just wanted to go for a walk” and refused to return to his villa when asked.

What is Nyepi and what is it needed for?

Nyepi, which directly translates to “Keep quiet” One of Bali’s most important spiritual rituals is rooted in Balinese Hinduism, which is followed by about 87 percent of the island’s population. It marks the Balinese New Year according to the Saka calendar and usually falls between March and April according to the Gregorian calendar. This year, the ritual lasted from 6 am on March 19 to 6 am on March 20. The day is dedicated to contemplation, meditation and self-purification, a collective and individual reckoning with the past year, in which the island, according to tradition, enters the New Year with a clean slate. Nyepi occurs on the day after the dark moon of the spring equinox and falls on the third day of a sacred cycle lasting approximately six days, with the day of silence being the centerpiece. The day is governed by four strict principles: Amati Jini, the prohibition of fire, light and electricity; Amati Karya, prohibition of all work and occupation; Amati Lelungnan, travel ban; and Amati Lelanguan, prohibiting noisy celebrations or entertainment. These rules apply to everyone on the island without exception, residents, tourists and foreign nationals alike. During the 24-hour period, all businesses and restaurants are closed, roads are empty except for emergency vehicles, and I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar has suspended all incoming and outgoing flights. Local guards, known as Pekalang, are deployed throughout the island to enforce the rules. Hospitals will remain open for emergencies.

Local Peklang volunteers patrol Bali during Nyepi, enforcing peace, enforcing travel restrictions, and keeping residents and tourists safe/(AntraNews)

Tourists staying in hotels and villas are required to stay at their property for the entire period. Hotels generally inform guests of the rules in advance, some offering quieter dining options or limited resort amenities, and others requiring guests to stay in their rooms entirely with food delivered. Visitors renting private villas are advised to ensure they have enough food and water for a full 24 hours before starting Nyepi.According to Balinese Hindu belief, silence is also thought to serve a protective function: the island’s absolute stillness is said to deceive evil spirits into believing it is deserted, and protects its inhabitants from harm as they enter the New Year.

Men carry a giant effigy called “ogo-ogo”, which represents evil spirits that need to be cleansed, during a parade on the evening of “Napi” or Silent Day, which marks the Balinese Hindu new year, in Denpasar, Bali, Indonesia, Wednesday, March 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Firdiya Lisnavati)

Nyepi falls on the third day of the sacred cycle lasting approximately six days. The evening before, known as Ogoh-Ogoh, parades are held throughout the island in which young people carry large demon statues through the streets, in a ritual intended to rid the island of negative energy before the silence begins.