World breaks hottest day record for second day in a row

World breaks hottest day record for second day in a row
Children cool off at a fountain in the Madrid Rio park amid heatwave conditions in Madrid on July 23, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 24 July 2024
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World breaks hottest day record for second day in a row

World breaks hottest day record for second day in a row
  • Gulf countries have sweltered through heat indexes — factoring in humidity — exceeding 60 degrees Celsius

LONDON: Monday, July 22 was again the hottest day on record, according to preliminary data from a European Union monitoring agency, inching past Sunday, July 21 which had just taken the title.
The global average surface air temperature rose to 17.15 degrees Celsius — 0.06 degrees higher than Sunday’s marginal record according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service, which has been tracking such patterns since 1940.
The record had last been set for four consecutive days in a row in early July 2023. Before that, the hottest day was in August 2016.
“This past Monday might have set a new global record for warmest absolute global average temperature ever — by that I mean going back tens of thousands of years,” said climate scientist Karsten Haustein at Leipzig University in Germany.
In recent days, cities in Japan, Indonesia and China have registered record heat. Gulf countries, too, have sweltered through heat indexes — factoring in humidity — exceeding 60 degrees Celsius. Meanwhile temperatures in parts of Europe have surged past 45 degrees Celsius. Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, is behind the record, scientists said. But unlike last year, which saw climate change combine with the El Nino climate pattern to usher in a new daily record, that is not the case this July.
Haustein said it was “remarkable” that the record had been breached now the world was well into neutral territory and no longer felling the impact of El Nino.


Philippine president signs new laws to assert South China Sea rights, sovereignty

Philippine president signs new laws to assert South China Sea rights, sovereignty
Updated 2 min 57 sec ago
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Philippine president signs new laws to assert South China Sea rights, sovereignty

Philippine president signs new laws to assert South China Sea rights, sovereignty
  • China summons Philippine ambassador to lodge solemn representations over the new laws
  • Unclear if laws could reduce incidents with China in Manila’s exclusive economic zone
MANILA: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed two laws on Friday aimed at strengthening the country’s maritime claims and bolstering its territorial integrity, as tensions with China over disputed areas in the South China Sea persist.
The Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act would define the Philippines’ maritime entitlements and set designated sea lanes and air routes to reinforce sovereignty and maritime rights under international law.
China has summoned the Philippine ambassador to lodge solemn representations over two new laws, its foreign ministry said on Friday.
Marcos hailed the laws as a demonstration of the Philippines’ commitment to uphold an international rules-based order, and protect its rights to exploit resources peacefully in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“Our people, especially our fisher folk, should be able to pursue their livelihood free from uncertainty and harassment,” Marcos said. “We must be able to harness mineral and energy resources in our sea bed.”
While the two laws were envisioned to help US ally the Philippines to monitor and defend against potential encroachment, questions remain about how they will be enforced and if they will impact Chinese activity in the Philippine EEZ.
China asserts its claim of sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea through an armada of coast guard ships, some of which are accused by its neighbors of aggressive conduct and of trying to disrupt energy and fisheries activity in their EEZs.
Senator Francis Tolentino, one of the authors of the maritime zones measure, said he does not expect tensions in Philippine EEZ will be instantly reduced with the implementation of the new laws.
“China will not recognize these, but the imprimatur that we’ll be getting from the international community would strengthen our position,” Tolentino told a press conference.
China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the new laws and senator’s remarks.
Tolentino also said the laws would reinforce a 2016 arbitration ruling on the South China Sea, which declared China’s expansive claims had no basis under international law. China has rejected the 2016 decision.

KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable

KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable
These packages form part of the emergency shelter project in Yemen. (SPA)
Updated 6 min 5 sec ago
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KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable

KSrelief delivers winter aid and dates to Yemen’s vulnerable

RIYADH: The Kingdom’s aid agency KSrelief has delivered dates and winter shelter to vulnerable people in Yemen, the Saudi Press Agency reported late Thursday.

KSrelief’s volunteers distributed 100 winter bags in Thamud district, Hadhramaut governorate, for 600 individuals from 100 vulnerable families.

These packages form part of the emergency shelter project in Yemen. (SPA)

The aid is a part of the agency’s emergency shelter project in the country.

Meanwhile, 2,459 cartons of dates were delivered in Al-Wadi district, Marib governorate, for the benefit of 14,754 people.


Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar

Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar
Updated 6 min 37 sec ago
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Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar

Pakistan’s Muhammad Asif wins IBSF World Snooker Championship in Qatar
  • Asif defeated Iran’s Ali Ghareghozlou 5-3 to clinch the title for 3rd time
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif promises to set up world-class facilities for sportsmen

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has congratulated Pakistani cueist Muhammad Asif for winning the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) World Snooker Championship in Qatar for the third time, Pakistani state-run media reported on Thursday.
Asif defeated Iran’s Ali Ghareghozlou 5-3 to clinch the title in a thrilling final on Nov. 6. He outclassed Ali 5-3: 70-25, 7-87(84), 82(56)-8, 106(106)-08, 82-12, 43-91(58), 0-118 and 93(80)-4.
“Asif made the entire nation proud by winning the international championship for the third time,” PM Sharif was quoted as saying by the Radio Pakistan broadcaster. “The talented youth of Pakistan are highlighting the country’s name in the fields of sports.”
The IBSF, founded in 1971, is the governing body for billiards and snooker worldwide. It represents 85 member countries and is recognized by the World Confederation of Billiard Sports and the International Olympic Committee.
Asif, 42, first won the IBSF World Snooker Championship in 2012 and went on to win it again in 2019. His victory ties him with India’s Pankaj Advani who has also won the World Snooker Championship thrice.
The Pakistan prime minister said Asif’s family and coach also deserved recognition, adding that providing quality facilities to Pakistani players was top priority of his government.
“The government is making all possible efforts to provide international standard facilities to the players,” he added.
 


UAE delivers 288 tonnes of aid for displaced Palestinians in Gaza

UAE delivers 288 tonnes of aid for displaced Palestinians in Gaza
Updated 22 min 37 sec ago
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UAE delivers 288 tonnes of aid for displaced Palestinians in Gaza

UAE delivers 288 tonnes of aid for displaced Palestinians in Gaza
  • UAE’s relief effort, dubbed Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, has so far delivered 121 shipments in Gaza

GAZA: Two shipments of aid from the UAE entered the Gaza Strip this week via Egypt’s Rafah Crossing, state news agency WAM reported on Friday.

The UAE’s relief effort, dubbed Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, has so far sent 121 shipments to ease the plight of Palestinians affected by Israel’s war on Gaza.

Nearly 1.9 million Palestinians, of the 2.3 million population in Gaza, are facing a dire humanitarian crisis.

The UAE’s various initiatives include the opening of a field hospital in Rafah last year, a floating hospital in the Egyptian city of Al-Arish, and a prosthetics project to support those who have lost limbs.

The latest convoys involved 20 trucks carrying over 288 tonnes of aid, including food, medical supplies, children’s nutritional supplements, clothing, shelter materials, and health kits for women.

Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 has so far delivered a total of 17,312 tonnes of aid for Gaza residents.


KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan

KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan
Updated 24 min 31 sec ago
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KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan

KSrelief continues international relief efforts in Chad, Pakistan

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief has delivered aid to people most in need in Chad and Pakistan, reported the Saudi Press Agency.

Some 201 food parcels, benefiting 1,206 people, were distributed in the village of Sharkaya, in Hajar Lamis province, as part of the 2024 Food Security Support Project in the Republic of Chad.

Aid has also been given to 10,500 vulnerable people in flood-affected areas of Pakistan as part of the fourth phase of KSrelief’s initiative to provide shelter materials and winter bags to the country.