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Oceans break high-temperature record in warmest February marked globally
Ocean temperatures hit a record high last month, which was also the warmest February on record globally, scientists in the European Union have said.
The average global sea surface temperature stood at 21.06 degrees Celsius (69.91 degrees Fahrenheit) in February, surpassing the previous record of 20.98C (69.77F) set in August 2023, in a dataset that goes back to 1979, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said on Thursday.
Meanwhile, the average air temperature in February was 13.54C (56.4F), 1.77C (3.18F) warmer than the pre-industrial average for the month. It marked the ninth consecutive month that was the warmest on record for the respective month of the year.
Earlier, January had also been recorded as the warmest first month of the year, surpassing the previous warmest January in 2020, as per C3S’s records going back to 1950.
Last month, after scientists warned of the hottest January on record as the world continued a run of exceptional heat fuelled by climate change, C3S Deputy Director Samantha Burgess said, “Rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are the only way to stop global temperatures increasing.”
The C3S scientists said while the El Nino climate pattern continued to weaken in the equatorial Pacific in February, marine air temperatures remained at an unusually high level.
Marine scientists warned this week that a fourth global mass coral bleaching event is likely unfolding in the Southern Hemisphere, driven by warming waters and possibly the worst in the planet’s history.
Corals bleach under heat stress, expelling the colourful, helpful algae that live in their tissues, leaving behind a pale skeleton. This makes them vulnerable to starvation and disease, and many die. This can lead to the collapse of fragile reef ecosystems, with coastlines left unprotected from erosion and storms and fisheries falling short.
El Nino, borne out of warmer than usual surface waters in the Eastern Pacific, alongside human-caused climate change, is fuelling the extra heat.
“What is more surprising is that sea surface temperatures are at record levels over regions far away from the centre of the El Nino action, such as the tropical Atlantic and Indian Ocean,” said climate scientist Richard Allan of the University of Reading. This, he said, pointed to the strong influence of rising greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere.
While the global average sea surface temperature record excludes the polar oceans, things are in bad shape there, too.
Antarctic sea ice reached its annual minimum extent in February, registering its third-lowest extent on record at 28 percent below average.
(Aljazeera)
The United States military is “striking very seriously against ISIS [ISIL] strongholds in Syria”, President Donald Trump said, a week after two US soldiers and an interpreter were killed in Syria’s Palmyra city.
“Because of ISIS’s vicious killing of brave American Patriots in Syria… I am hereby announcing that the United States is inflicting very serious retaliation, just as I promised, on the murderous terrorists responsible,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Friday.
Trump said that Syria’s government, which was formed after the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime in late 2024, was “fully in support” of the US military operation.
Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also repeated its commitment to combating ISIL and said it “invites the United States and member states of the international coalition to support these efforts”.
“The Syrian Arab Republic reiterates its steadfast commitment to fighting ISIS and ensuring that it has no safe havens on Syrian territory, and will continue to intensify military operations against it wherever it poses a threat,” the ministry said in the statement shared on X early on Saturday.
[Aljazeera]
Pakistan marched into the final of the Under 19 Asia Cup with a clinical eight wicket win over Bangladesh in the rain-hit semi-final in Dubai, after a dominant bowling performance led by Abdul Subban set up a straightforward chase. The victory sets up a final clash against India, who won the first semi final against Sri Lanka earlier in the day.
Opting to field after winning the toss in the rain-reduced 27-overs-a-side contest, Pakistan made early inroads as Bangladesh slipped to 24 for 2 inside six overs. Captain Azizul Hakim offered brief resistance to steady the innings, but wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals.
Fast bowler Subhan was the standout with the ball, picking up four wickets to dismantle the middle order. From 55 for 2 in the 13th over, Bangladesh lost five wickets for just 38 runs, collapsing to 93 for 7. The lower order struggled to rebuild, and Bangladesh were eventually bowled out for 121 in 26.3 overs, with no batter able to convert a start into a big score.
In reply, Pakistan’s chase was smooth. After the early loss of opener Hamza Zahoor in the first over, Sameer Minhas anchored the innings with a composed, unbeaten 69, ensuring there were no further hiccups. He struck six fours and two sixes as Pakistan cruised to 122 for 2 with 63 balls to spare.
With this knock, Minhas took his tournament’s tally to 299 to be the highest run-getter.
Brief scores:
Pakistan 122 for 2 in 16.3 overs (Sameer Minhas 69*, Usman Khan 27; Samiun Basir 1-17) beat Bangladesh 121 in 26.3 overs (Samiun Basir 33; Abdul Subhan 4-20, Huzaifa Ahasan 2-10)by eight wickets
[Cricinfo]
Vihaan Malhotra and Aaron George’s patient half-centuries helped India beat Sri Lanka in a rain-reduced game and set up an U-19 Asia Cup final with Pakistan.
It was a game where the momentum kept changing hands. India had Sri Lanka at 28 for 3 after opting to bowl. Captain Vimath Dinsara and Chamika Heenetigala hit back with a 45-run stand, but Sri Lanka soon lost 3 for 11. A 62-run stand between Heenatigala and Sethmika Seneviratne followed, but India again turned it around in the final three overs.
In reply, India were 25 for 2 as Sri Lanka sniffed a comeback. But Malhotra and George added an unbeaten 114 runs in a partnership of two halves: the first 62 runs they added took 51 balls, while the next 52 came off 36 deliveries. It was Malhotra who swung the game India’s way when he went 4, 4, 6 off Dulnith Sigera in the 13th over. Malhotra reached his fifty off 35 balls, while George took 43 balls.
India’s win was set up after their bowlers restricted Sri Lanka to 138. Kishan Singh and Deepesh Devendran struck early, while Vedant Trivedi’s direct hit ran Kavija Gamage out in the sixth over.
But Kanishk Chouhan struck twice in the 12th over, and Khilan Patel in the 13th, to force Sri Lanka to rebuild again. That brought Heenatigala and Seneviratne together. Seneviratne was the attacking of the two while Heenatigala, limping a little, was more patient. At 118 for 6 with three overs left, and with Seneviratne connecting it cleanly, Sri Lanka may have hoped to post 150. But just 20 runs amid two wickets in the last three overs applied the brakes on their scoring.
India will meet Pakistan in the final on Sunday.
Brief scores:
India Under 19s 139 for 2 in 18 overs (Vihaan Malhotra 61*, Aaron George 58*; Rasith Nimsara 2-31) beat Sri Lanka Under 19s 138 for 8 in 20 overs (Chamika Heenatigala 42, Vimath Dinsara 32, Sethmika Senevirathne 30; Henil Patel 2-31, Kanishk Chouhan 2-36) by eight wickets
[Cricinfo]
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