Hukou Waterfall on the Yellow River, known as China's "Mother River" and the cradle of Chinese civilization, has taken on a stunning winter look in recent days, featuring clear flows, ice formations, and rainbows along the gorge between the provinces of Shanxi and Shaanxi, both in northern China.
Lower winter water levels have made the cascade clearer, while frigid temperatures plummeting to minus six degrees Celsius have created hanging icicles along cliffs and railings.
Sunlight refracting through the mist has added occasional rainbows to the scene.
To facilitate winter sightseeing, the administrators Hukou Waterfall scenic area have introduced a free-admission policy, which is scheduled to remain in effect until Feb 10, 2026, with visits available by advance reservation through official platforms.
Hukou Waterfall shines with ice, rainbow, clear cascades
The prices of some life-saving medicines have soared to levels that are unaffordable for ordinary people in Venezuela, as the United States has ramped up military presence in the Caribbean off Venezuela's coast, alongside escalating sanctions, blockades and military threats against the oil-rich South American nation since late August.
At a northeastern suburb in the capital city Caracas, locals can still purchase most of the commonly used medicines at a major supermarket, where some antibiotics have been sold out, and some first-aid medicines and supplies have become too costly for ordinary residents.
"I'm here mainly to buy antibiotics. I have problems with my lungs. But I can't get all I want, such as vancomycin," said a resident named Alfonso.
"(Recent tensions have affected) the supplies and prices of drugs. The prices of cancer drugs, insulin drugs and albumin are very high, and most patients here cannot afford them," said Giovanna Gonzalez, a pharmacist with the supermarket.
Around 90 percent of the raw materials for drugs in Venezuela rely on imports, and the country's medical equipment such as monitors and anesthesia machines are almost entirely dependent on overseas supplies.
Main international airlines suspended flights to and from Venezuela in November, and U.S. blockades have delayed many cargo ships for a month, with some refusing to dock in Venezuela for safety concerns.
"Venezuela has been caught in the complex humanitarian emergency declared by the World Health Organization for about 10 years. If the suspension of flights persists, relevant international companies will have to choose more difficult or longer transportation routes, which will further push up the already high prices of medicines and medical equipment in Venezuela, and the patients will pay more money," said Huniades Urbina-Medina, president of the National Academy of Medicine of Venezuela.
Venezuela's medicine prices soar to unaffordable level amid US blockades
