Many Ukrainians, especially politicians who some joke have more sins than most, step inside ice holes - cut in the shape of a cross - to honour the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

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"Even before you step on the ice, it really helps the room, " Tortorella said.

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One way to increase the probability of rain is to seed the formation not of water droplets, but of ice crystals, an important step in precipitation.

ECONOMIST: Aerobiology