For anyone planning to fly to or from France in 2024, we’ve got a bit of inconvenient news-thousands of flights from four French airports are getting cancelled. It’s all because much of-the air traffic control system hasn’t been updated since the 1970s.

The air traffic control systems in Paris’ main airports are well overdue for an upgrade. Though the systems have received plenty of minor updates over the years, 2024 is the time for a huge improvement- it’s thought that around 80 percent of the system will need to be modernized.

Currently, workers still use an air traffic control process which was developed in the 1970s, including using paper strips to represent incoming planes. Thankfully, €1 billion is being invested into improving France’s air traffic control.

But that means there’ll be a large number of cancellations. According to BFM, it’s estimated that around 16,500 flights to or from Paris’ Charles de Gaulle, Orly, Le Bourget and Beauvais airports won’t go ahead. The number of passengers that passed through Paris Airports in 2022 was almost 44 million. Paris’ Charles de Gaulle saw 26.1 million passengers, and Paris Orly saw 15.7 million passengers. For the coming improvement, airlines that operate at these airports have been told to reduce their flight programme by 20 percent between March 9 and April 14. It’s during this period that the new system will be tested at Athis-Mons, France’s largest air traffic control centre.

Will your flight to France be impacted? Well, it’s up to each airline which flights won’t run, but it’s thought that long-distance routes will take priority. Air France has already cancelled some of theirs, notified passengers, and offered them same-day alternatives.

While this could mean that travelling through Paris is a faff (忙乱) in 2024, it’s estimated that 2.5 million flights pass through French airspace annually. With that much air traffic to control, it’d be good to have it all processed by something a bit more reliable than some pieces of paper.

TOKYO—Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga told the media on Monday if any places hosting events of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics declare a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 epidemic during the games, the events will continue to be held but without spectators. With one month to go before the games are due to begin on July 23, Suga is again showing his administration’s determination to hold the Olympic Games as planned, despite so much pressure from various parties urging it to cancel the event.

Although the Japanese government regards the Tokyo Olympics as an important opportunity to improve its soft power, the Japanese people’s enthusiasm for the Games has been continuously dented since they were postponed last year. The resurgence of the novel coronavirus in some places in Japan in recent months has cast a shadow over people’s confidence that the Olympics will not give rise to new groups of infections, and there are fears that the Games will provide new channels for the virus' global transmission.

Some torchbearers from Japan have withdrawn from the Olympic torch relay in the country. And the latest survey indicates only 34 percent of Japanese people support holding the games according to the schedule. Predictably, the Suga administration will do all it can to try to ensure the games go ahead. But it remains to be seen whether it can stand the tests of the uncertainties related to epidemic prevention and control that might happen during the Games.

Since it has not yet got the virus under control at home, the people have reasons to question its ability to deal with the prevention and control work when large numbers of participants will arrive in Japan from around the world in a short time. It is to be hoped that Japan can draw lessons from the organization of epidemic prevention and control work during the ongoing UEFA European Championship, carry out strict epidemic prevention and control measures, and be prepared for emergencies to guarantee the safety and success of the Olympics at this special time.

It should be a common wish of the whole world that the Tokyo Olympics can become a stage showing unity and resolve of human beings in their fight against the virus. That will endow the games with special meaning beyond sports.

Chinese scientists updated the height of a giant tree in Zayul county of the Tibet autonomous region on Sunday — 83.4 meters. Recognized as China’s tallest tree, it was measured at 83.2 meters in May, according to the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Science. With a diameter of 207 centimeters and around 380 years old, the tree is called Abies ernestii var. salouenensis (冷杉), a type of evergreen fir.

“In August, surveyors made a scientific research to Zayul again to carry out a more professional survey for the giant tree and regional biodiversity. Through the combination of manual tree climbing and unmanned aerial vehicles (飞行器), the new height of the tree was measured at 83.4 meters,” said Wang Zi, a researcher and PhD student at the Institute of Botany.

Zayul county is located in the mountain valley area between the Himalayas and the Hengduan Mountains, with an average height of 2,800 meters. Its climate is unique, complex and diverse, with abundant annual rainfall, a mild climate and appropriate sunshine. The Nujiang River in Zayul county have primary forests, which are home to the giant trees, Wang said. “ The climbing-tree survey and investigation reflect that the tree hosts more than 50 species of plants, including climbing plants, creepers and other types, showing a unique and rich biodiversity on this tree and in surrounding areas,” Wang said.

Liu Tuanxi, and his team members climbed to the top part of the tree to complete the survey. It took three people almost eight hours to reach to the treetop. The climbing was mainly completed by means of ropes, without nailing the giant tree. All equipment was collected and taken away without causing any damage to the tree, Liu Tuanxi said.“While almost reaching the top of the tree, I worried the tree would break by wind as it was as tall as a 28-story building. I gradually calmed down and was amazed by the gorgeous beauty and powerful nature,” he said. “After I became more relaxed near the top of the tree, I took a nap up there.”