January was 1.75C hotter than pre-industrial times: EU monitor

January was 1.75C hotter than pre-industrial times: EU monitor
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Copernicus Climate Change Service said January was 1.75C hotter than pre-industrial times. (AFP)
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Updated 06 February 2025
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January was 1.75C hotter than pre-industrial times: EU monitor

January was 1.75C hotter than pre-industrial times: EU monitor
  • Climate scientists announced the unexpected warming as human-caused greenhouse gas emissions crank up the global thermostat
  • Scientists warn that every fraction of a degree of warming above 1.5C increases the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events like heatwaves, heavy rainfall and droughts

PARIS: Last month was the hottest January on record, Europe’s climate monitor said Thursday, despite expectations that cooler La Nina conditions might quell a streak of record-breaking global temperatures.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service said January was 1.75C hotter than pre-industrial times, extending a persistent run of history-making highs over 2023 and 2024, as human-caused greenhouse gas emissions crank up the global thermostat.

Climate scientists had expected this exceptional spell to subside after a warming El Nino event peaked in January 2024 and conditions gradually shifted to an opposing, cooling La Nina phase.

But the heat has lingered at record or near record levels ever since, sparking debate among scientists about what other factors could be driving heating to the top end of expectations.

“This is what makes it a bit of a surprise... you’re not seeing this cooling effect, or temporary brake at least, on the global temperature that we were expecting to see,” Julien Nicolas, a climate scientist from Copernicus, told AFP.

La Nina is expected to be weak and Copernicus said prevailing temperatures in parts of the equatorial Pacific Ocean suggested “a slowing or stalling of the move toward” the cooling phenomenon.

Nicolas said it could disappear completely by March.

Clear sign the limit was being tested

Last month, Copernicus said that global temperatures averaged across 2023 and 2024 had exceeded 1.5 degrees Celsius for the first time.

This did not represent a permanent breach of the long-term 1.5C warming target under the Paris climate accord — but a clear sign that the limit was being tested.

Scientists warn that every fraction of a degree of warming above 1.5C increases the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events like heatwaves, heavy rainfall and droughts.

Copernicus said Arctic sea ice in January hit a monthly record low, virtually tied with 2018. Analysis from the US this week put it at the second-lowest in that dataset.

Overall, 2025, is not expected to follow 2023 and 2024 into the history books: scientists predict it will rank the third hottest year yet.

Copernicus said it would be closely monitoring ocean temperatures throughout 2025 for hints about how the climate might behave.

Oceans are a vital climate regulator and carbon sink, and cooler waters can absorb greater amounts of heat from the atmosphere, helping to lower air temperatures.

They also store 90 percent of the excess heat trapped by humanity’s release of greenhouse gases.

“This heat is bound to resurface periodically,” said Nicolas.

“I think that’s also one of the questions — is this what has been happening over the past couple of years?“

Sea surface temperatures have been exceptionally warm over 2023 and 2024, and Copernicus said readings in January were the second highest on record.

“That is the thing that is a little puzzling — why they remain so warm,” Nicolas said.

The culprit: burning fossil fuels

Scientists are unanimous that burning fossil fuels has largely driven long-term global warming, and that natural climate variability can also influence temperatures one year to the next.

But natural warming cycles like El Nino could not alone explain what had taken place in the atmosphere and seas, and answers were being sought elsewhere.

One theory is that a global shift to cleaner shipping fuels in 2020 accelerated warming by reducing sulfur emissions that make clouds more mirror-like and reflective of sunlight.

In December, another peer-reviewed paper looked at whether a reduction in low-lying clouds had let more heat reach Earth’s surface.

“It’s really still a matter of debate,” said Nicolas.

The EU monitor uses billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations to aid its climate calculations.

Its records go back to 1940, but other sources of climate data — such as ice cores, tree rings and coral skeletons — allow scientists to expand their conclusions using evidence from much further in the past.

Scientists say the period being lived through right now is likely the warmest the Earth has been for the last 125,000 years.

 


Colombia arrests man suspected of organizing hit on politician

Updated 9 sec ago
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Colombia arrests man suspected of organizing hit on politician

Colombia arrests man suspected of organizing hit on politician
BOGOTA: Colombian police probing the attempted assassination of a prominent right-wing presidential candidate arrested on Saturday a man they believe hired the teenager accused of pulling the trigger.
Elder Jose Arteaga Hernandez was described by police as a key planner of the June 7 attack on conservative senator Miguel Uribe, who remains hospitalized in serious condition.
Arteaga Hernandez organized “the before of the attack, the during, and the after,” said police chief Carlos Fernando Triana Beltran.
Uribe, 39, was shot three times, including twice in the head, during a campaign rally in a park in Bogota.
Police have now arrested five suspects, including the 15-year-old alleged hitman.
Arteaga Hernandez, who has a long criminal record and a file with Interpol, coordinated the attack, hired the shooter and provided him with a gun, police said.
The shooter is believed to belong to a network of contract killers.
Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez said that Arteaga Hernandez “had allegedly negotiated the execution of the crime” for the equivalent of about $250,000.
“He planned the cover, the movements, and even ordered one of his accomplices to be silenced after the incident,” Sanchez posted on X.
Uribe’s attorney, Victor Mosquera, has said the probe had revealed a “structured organization” with a “history of attacks on right-wing leaders.”
Uribe, a member of the Democratic Center party, announced his intention last October to run in the May 2026 presidential election.

Sanctions? No big deal, say Russian middle class couple

Sanctions? No big deal, say Russian middle class couple
Updated 10 min 10 sec ago
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Sanctions? No big deal, say Russian middle class couple

Sanctions? No big deal, say Russian middle class couple
  • Western countries first levied economic sanctions against Russia in 2014, after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine
  • Despite warnings of a looming recession and high inflation, many Russians feel their economy has adapted successfully to Western sanctions, even if it means parting with some Western brands for good

MYTISHCHI: For Sergei Duzhikov and Maria Tyabut, a middle-class couple living in a town just outside Moscow, Western sanctions on Russia over the conflict in Ukraine have been manageable.

The pair drive a Chinese car, vacation in Venezuela and buy “Camembert” cheese made in Russia.

Their modest two-bedroom apartment in Mytishchi, home to 300,000 people northeast of the capital, has been recently renovated and their Chinese-made fridge is stocked with Russian goods.

Despite warnings of a looming recession and high inflation, they and many other Russians feel their economy has adapted successfully to Western sanctions, even if it means parting with some well-known Western brands for good.

“From the perspective of my everyday life — home, family, work, leisure, friends, hobbies, and interests, I honestly don’t feel the impact of sanctions,” said Maria, who works at a cosmetics company.

“There aren’t any brands that have left such a void that I can’t live without them,” the 43-year-old added.

Supermarkets have found a range of domestic and foreign alternatives to Western products, including Camembert cheese, one of Maria’s creature comforts.

“It’s delicious. I haven’t tried real French Camembert, so I can’t compare,” she admitted.

“Overall, my life hasn’t changed much,” she told AFP.



Western countries first levied economic sanctions against Russia in 2014, after Moscow annexed Crimea from Ukraine.

Those sanctions became significantly tighter following Moscow’s full-scale assault on its neighbor.

Moscow responded by ramping up production of domestic goods, shifting its trade away from the West to what it calls “friendly” nations like China and importing other items through third countries.

For ordinary Russians, the most noticeable effect of this was an exodus of Western brands from supermarket shelves and from the high street.

Among the most well-known brands to leave was fast-food chain McDonald’s, famously replaced by Russian-owned “Vkusno i tochka” (which translates to ‘Delicious, Full Stop’) in 2022.

Maria’s husband Sergei, a funeral director, said he had “no complaints” about the quality of the food.

“The kids love it,” he said of the restaurant chain.

When shopping, Maria buys a new brand of yoghurt that replaced one belonging to French company Danone.

Danone left the Russian market in 2022 and eventually sold its operations to a businessman linked to Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov.

Some Russian companies have also been able to import popular Western goods via third countries, albeit at a higher cost.

As for vacations, Maria and Sergei have opted for trips across Russia and Latin America.

Most European countries cut off direct flights to Russia shortly after the offensive began, while some tightened entry requirements for Russian citizens.

The couple said they had been to Venezuela, a country under US sanctions, which they described as a nation of “friendly people who love Russians.”



The couple admitted there were a few teething issues.

Two years ago, after a car accident, Sergei said he waited “three months” for spare parts to repair his Korean-made Kia because of sanctions.

“That’s when I realized that it probably made sense to sell my beloved Korean car and replace it with a similar Chinese one,” he told AFP.

Maria also said she noticed it was harder to find products in “certain” categories of goods.

But overall, she said, “I don’t feel deprived in any way. Certainly not when it comes to food. There’s a wide and rich selection.”

The Russian economy has been marked by volatility since Moscow launched its Ukraine offensive in 2022, a military assault that has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths.

The country reported strong economic expansion in 2023 and 2024, largely due to massive state defense spending on the conflict, but is now slowing down after a period of what officials called “overheating.”

Inflation has also been running high, clocking in at more than double the central bank’s target for over a year.

Maria and her husband’s combined income is around 300,000 rubles (around $3,800), higher than the average wage for one person of around 100,000.

While Maria acknowledged prices were going up, she said her family was not “crying” about it.

“It’s not like we used to buy a kilogramme (35 ounces) of buckwheat three years ago, and now we can only afford 600 grams,” she said.

“They are rising little by little.”


Alleged arsonist charged over fire at Australian synagogue

Alleged arsonist charged over fire at Australian synagogue
Updated 29 min 30 sec ago
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Alleged arsonist charged over fire at Australian synagogue

Alleged arsonist charged over fire at Australian synagogue
  • Angelo Loras appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court and was charged with arson, endangering life and property damage

MELBOURNE: A man was charged Sunday over an arson attack on a Melbourne synagogue in an apparent escalation of antisemitic violence in Australia’s second-most populous city.

Angelo Loras, 34, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court Sunday charged with arson, endangering life and property damage. He was also charged with possessing a “controlled weapon” on Saturday when he was arrested. The charge sheet does not say what that weapon was.

The Sydney resident did not enter a plea or apply to be released on bail. Magistrate John Lesser remanded Loras in custody to appear in court next on July 22.

Flammable liquid was ignited at the door of the East Melbourne Synagogue, also known as the East Melbourne Hebrew Congregation, on Friday night as 20 worshippers shared a Shabbat meal inside.

The congregation escaped without harm via a rear door and firefighters contained the blaze to the entrance area of the 148-year-old building.

It was the first of three apparent displays of antisemitic violence across the city on Friday and early Saturday morning.

Authorities have yet to establish a link between incidents at the synagogue and two businesses.

Antisemitism blamed for attacks on businesses

Also in downtown Melbourne on Friday night, around 20 masked protesters harassed diners in an Israeli-owned restaurant.

A restaurant window was cracked, tables were flipped and chairs thrown as protesters chanted “Death to the IDF,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces. A 28-year-old woman was arrested at the scene and charged with hindering police.

Police are also investigating the spray-painting of a business in Melbourne’s northern suburbs and an arson attack on three vehicles attached to the business before dawn on Saturday. The vehicles had also been graffitied.

Police said there were antisemitic “inferences” at the scene. The business had also been the target of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in the past year.

Political leaders condemn antisemitism

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke met with Jewish leaders at the damaged synagogue on Sunday.

Burke told reporters that investigators were searching for potential links between the three incidents.

“At this stage, our authorities have not drawn links between them. But obviously there’s a link in antisemitism. There’s a link in bigotry. There’s a link in a willingness to either call for violence, to chant violence or to take out violent actions. They are very much linked in that way,” Burke said.

“There were three attacks that night and none of them belonged in Australia. Arson attacks, the chanting calls for death, other attacks and graffiti — none of it belonged in Australia and they were attacks on Australia,” Burke added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on the Australian government to “take all action to deal with the rioters to the fullest extent of the law and prevent similar attacks in the future.”

“I view with utmost gravity the antisemitic attacks that occurred last night in Melbourne, which included attempted arson of a synagogue in the city and a violent assault against an Israeli restaurant by pro-Palestinian rioters,” Netanyahu said in a statement on Saturday.

“The reprehensible antisemitic attacks, with calls of ‘death to the IDF’ and an attempt to attack a place of worship, are severe hate crimes that must be uprooted,” he added.


Musk announces forming of ‘America Party’ in further break from Trump

Musk announces forming of ‘America Party’ in further break from Trump
Updated 8 min 48 sec ago
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Musk announces forming of ‘America Party’ in further break from Trump

Musk announces forming of ‘America Party’ in further break from Trump
  • ‘Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom’
  • Despite Musk’s deep pockets, breaking the Republican-Democratic duopoly will be a tall order

WASHINGTON: The dispute between Republican President Donald Trump and his main campaign financier Elon Musk took another fractious turn on Saturday when the space and automotive billionaire announced the formation of a new political party, saying Trump’s “big, beautiful” tax bill would bankrupt America.

A day after asking his followers on his X platform whether a new US political party should be created, Musk declared in a post on Saturday that “Today, the America Party is formed to give you back your freedom.” “By a factor of 2 to 1, you want a new political party and you shall have it!” he wrote. The announcement from Musk comes after Trump signed his self-styled “big, beautiful” tax-cut and spending bill into law on Friday, which Musk fiercely opposed.

Musk, who became the world’s richest man thanks to his Tesla car company and his SpaceX satellite firm, spent hundreds of millions on Trump’s re-election and led the Department of Government Efficiency from the start of the president’s second term aimed at slashing government spending.

The first sign of investor dissatisfaction with Musk’s announcement followed later in the day. Investment firm Azoria Partners will postpone the listing of a Tesla exchange-traded fund, Azoria CEO James Fishback said in a post on X.

Fishback is asking Tesla’s board to clarify Musk’s political ambitions and said the new party undermines the confidence shareholders had that he would be focusing more on the company after leaving government service in May.

Musk said previously that he would start a new political party and spend money to unseat lawmakers who supported the bill. Trump earlier this week threatened to cut off the billions of dollars in subsidies that Musk’s companies receive from the federal government. Republicans have expressed concern that Musk’s on-again, off-again feud with Trump could hurt their chances to protect their majority in the 2026 midterm congressional elections.

Asked on X what was the one thing that made him go from loving Trump to attacking him, Musk said: “Increasing the deficit from an already insane $2T under Biden to $2.5T. This will bankrupt the country.”

There was no immediate comment from Trump or the White House on Musk’s announcement. The feud with Trump, often described as one between the world’s richest man and the world’s most powerful, has led to several precipitous falls in Tesla’s share price. The stock soared after Trump’s November reelection and hit a high of more than $488 in December, before losing more than half of its value in April and closing last week out at $315.35. Despite Musk’s deep pockets, breaking the Republican-Democratic duopoly will be a tall order, given that it has dominated American political life for more than 160 years, while Trump’s approval ratings in polls in his second term have generally held firm above 40 percent, despite often divisive policies.


France’s Macron to visit UK as Starmer eyes ‘reset’ with EU

France’s Macron to visit UK as Starmer eyes ‘reset’ with EU
Updated 41 min 2 sec ago
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France’s Macron to visit UK as Starmer eyes ‘reset’ with EU

France’s Macron to visit UK as Starmer eyes ‘reset’ with EU
  • Buckingham Palace confirmed that Macron would formally address the British Parliament on Tuesday
  • During the visit, Macron and Starmer will host the 37th Franco-British Summit in London where they are set to discuss opportunities to strengthen defense ties between the two countries in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron is to begin a state visit to the United Kingdom on Tuesday, where he is set to address the British Parliament and co-chair a meeting on Ukraine as London seeks to strengthen its ties with Europe after Brexit.

King Charles III has invited the French leader and his wife, Brigitte, on a three-day official visit during which Macron is to hold joint discussions with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the 37th Franco-British Summit on Thursday.

Talks will focus on aid to Ukraine, joint efforts to halt illegal migration crossing the Channel, and strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries.

“This is the first state visit to the United Kingdom by a European Union head of state since Brexit,” the Elysee Palace said on Friday, referring to the UK’s 2016 vote to leave the bloc.

“And, especially, the first since Prime Minister Starmer signalled what he called a ‘reset’ of relations between the United Kingdom and Europe,,” it added.

There were simmering political tensions between Paris and London in the immediate aftermath of Brexit under the previous right-wing Conservative British government.

But there has been a new warmth in relations under the center-left Labour government led by Starmer, and the two countries now lead European efforts to find peace for Ukraine.

Buckingham Palace confirmed on Friday that Macron would formally address the British Parliament on Tuesday, following in the footsteps of his predecessors, Charles de Gaulle and Francois Mitterrand.

The king will host Macron and his wife for a state banquet at his Windsor Castle residence, west of London, where the couple will also stay.

While in Windsor, Macron will privately visit St. George’s Chapel to lay flowers on the tomb of the late Queen Elizabeth II.



During the visit, Macron and Starmer will host the 37th Franco-British Summit in London on Thursday, where they are set to discuss opportunities to strengthen defense ties between the two countries in response to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

The agreements will be “adapted to this profoundly changed strategic reality,” the Elysee Palace said, without offering further details.

Macron and Starmer will also co-chair talks bringing together countries “willing” to strengthen Kyiv’s defenses against Moscow.

The two leaders will speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the French presidency said.

This comes after the United States, Ukraine’s biggest military backer since the launch of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, said Tuesday it was halting some key weapons shipments to Ukraine.

Russia launched its largest-ever drone and missile attack on Ukraine overnight on Friday.

The summit will touch upon the deployment of “a reassurance force” to Ukraine after a ceasefire and how to “increase pressure” on Russia to accept an unconditional ceasefire, the Elysee Palace said.

Another topic high on the agenda is agreeing on a strategy to halt migrants making perilous small boat crossings of the Channel, a key political issue in the UK.

As more small boats land on English shores, and the UK government comes under mounting pressure from the far right to tackle irregular migration, London has pressed Paris to do more.

In recent weeks, France said it is considering stopping migrant boats in its shallow coastal waters, though the move raises safety and legal issues.

And on Friday, the British government said it welcomed footage showing French police stopping a small boat carrying migrants from setting off across the Channel.

The French president’s visit follows King Charles’s state visit to France in 2023, which was widely regarded as a success that helped boost relations.

The last state visit by a French president to the UK was made by Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008.