China has recorded relatively high temperatures in May and its highest national average precipitation for the month in the past decade, according to the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) on Friday.
In May, the national average temperature was 16.9 degrees Celsius, which was 0.6 degrees Celsius higher than the average for the same period in normal years, the CMA announced. Except for slightly lower temperatures in the southern part of southwest China and the central part of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau, temperatures in most other parts of the country were close to or more than 0.5 degrees Celsius higher than the same period in normal years.
Shanghai's average temperature was the highest on record for the same period, and the average temperature of northeast China's Jilin Province was the second highest on record for the same period. In May, the national average precipitation was 70.9 millimeters, which was 16.3 percent higher than the average for the same period in normal years, marking the highest level for the month in the past decade.
In addition, two dust storms affected China, slightly fewer than the average 2.5 sandstorms for May in normal years. Sandstorms occurred in places such as northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and northwest China's Qinghai Province.
Also, the country experienced seven regional severe convective weather events in May of this year.
China records highest national average precipitation for month of May in past decade
Colombians are heading to the polls on Sunday to elect their next president. The country's constitution prevents the current President, Gustavo Petro, from running for a second term.
Yet, many see this election as a referendum on the policies of Gustavo Petro, Colombia's first leftist president.
There are 14 candidates on Sunday's ballot, but the polls show it will likely be a tight three-way race.
The frontrunner is Ivan Cepeda, a 63-year-old three-term senator, representing President Gustavo Petro's party, the Historic Pact coalition. Cepeda has vowed to defend and deepen Petro's progressive reforms and social justice policies to reduce inequality. He also promises to continue the government's controversial "Total Peace" strategy to negotiate the disarmament of remaining guerrilla groups and criminal gangs.
"True prosperity comes from equality, from access to rights, and from transforming the peripheral and excluded territories of the rural world," Cepeda said at a campaign rally.
Running as a political outsider and independent is Abelardo de la Espriella, a 47-year-old lawyer, nicknamed "The Tiger." He has presented himself as the "authority and order" candidate who will reduce state spending by up to 40 percent in the next four years.
"(First,) we must fight insecurity. Colombia is suffering today from a pandemic of insecurity. Crime is out of control: extortion, cattle theft, smuggling, drug trafficking," he said to his supporters at an election event.
According to polls, the third candidate with strong support is Paloma Valencia. The 48-year-old senator represents the Democratic Center party led by popular former President Alvaro Uribe Velez. Her candidacy is backed by politicians and economists who are concerned with growing levels of public debt. They want to see a return to more conservative fiscal policies.
"I don't want to be a president who governs alone, locked away in glass offices. I want to be a president who stands with citizens, who embraces them, who reaches out to them, who has a team, and who governs to transform Colombia," the candidate said at the campaign event
According to polls earlier in the year, many voters are expressing concerns about unemployment, rising living costs, corruption, and, above all, public security.
The election comes after a turbulent year that the International Committee of the Red Cross has called "the worst humanitarian consequences of armed conflict over the past decade."
"(We arrive at this election in a tense atmosphere - tense) because of the economic situation, because of the security situation, and because of the narratives that have been built around the country's main problems. On top of that, emotions, ideas and social media have all helped raise (the tone,)" said Eduardo Velosa, associate professor from International Studies Javeriana University.
If no candidate receives 50 percent of the vote, a runoff election will be held between the top two finishers on June 21st.
Colombians prepare to choose their next president
