WASHINGTON: For the past three years, virtually nothing has hatched at Antarctica’s second biggest breeding grounds for emperor penguins and the start of this year is looking just as bleak, a new study found.
Usually 15,000 to 24,000 breeding pairs of emperor penguins flock yearly to a breeding site at Halley Bay, considered a safe place that should stay cold this century despite global warming. But almost none have been there since 2016, according to a study in Wednesday’s Antarctic Science.
The breeding pair population has increased significantly at a nearby breeding ground, but the study’s author said it is nowhere near the amount missing at Halley Bay.
“We’ve never seen a breeding failure on a scale like this in 60 years,” said study author Phil Trathan, head of conservation biology at the British Antarctic Survey. “It’s unusual to have a complete breeding failure in such a big colony.”
Normally about 8% of the world’s emperor penguin population breeds at Halley Bay, Trathan said.
Black-and-white with yellow ears and breasts, emperor penguins are the largest penguin species, weighing up to 88 pounds (40 kilograms) and living about 20 years. Pairs breed in the harshest winter conditions with the male incubating their egg.
Scientists blame the sharp decline on climate and weather conditions that break apart the “fast ice” — sea ice that’s connected to the land — where the emperor penguins stay to breed. They incubate their eggs and tend to their chicks — one per pair — on ice. After breeding and tending to the chicks, the penguins move to open sea.
In 2016 and 2017, there was no breeding in Halley Bay and last year there was just a bit, the study found.
The nearby Dawson-Lambton breeding area, which had been home to a couple thousand pairs, increased to 11,117 pairs in 2017 and 14,612 pairs in 2018, the study said.
While that’s encouraging, it doesn’t make up for all that was lost at Halley Bay, Trathan said. “Not everybody has gone to Dawson Lambton yet,” he said.
What’s troubling isn’t that part of the colony has moved to Dawson-Lambton, it is that scientists thought of Halley Bay as a climate change refuge in one of the coldest areas of the continent “where in the future you expect to always have emperors,” Trathan said.
David Ainley, a marine ecologist and penguin expert at the consulting firm H.T. Harvey & Associates, worried that some people will be more alarmed than they need to be because many of the penguins didn’t disappear, but just moved. While not as scary as it may sound initially, with climate change “long term, it’s another question as alternate breeding sites likely will become harder to find,” said Ainley, who was not part of the study.
The study makes sense, and sometimes dramatic environmental change can cause a breeding failure like this, said Stephanie Jenouvrier, a penguin expert at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution who wasn’t part of the study.
Trathan said a super strong El Nino — a natural cyclical warming of the central Pacific that changes weather worldwide — melted sea ice more than usual and exposed the fast ice to wind and waves, making the breeding home less stable. He said it’s not possible to say yet if human-caused warming — from fossil fuel burning that creates heat-trapping gases globally — is a factor.
A 2014 study by Jenouvrier projected that because of climate change the global population of emperor penguins will likely fall by at least 19% by the year 2100.
The breeding colony failure, Trathan said, “is a warning of things that might become important in the future.”
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Major emperor penguin breeding ground gone barren since 2016
Major emperor penguin breeding ground gone barren since 2016
- Usually 15,000 to 24,000 breeding pairs of emperor penguins flock yearly to a breeding site at Halley Bay
- The place is considered a safe place that should stay cold this century despite global warming
Family of British aid worker killed by Israel slam UK govt ‘silence’
- James Kirby, 47, was killed last year alongside 6 other aid staff in Gaza
- ‘The government’s response has been nothing but empty apologies, which are, and will never be, sufficient’
London: The UK government has given “nothing but empty apologies” over Israel’s killing of a British aid worker in Gaza, the BBC reported his family as saying.
James Kirby, 47, was killed last April along with six other World Central Kitchen aid workers in an Israeli drone attack.
They were traveling in a convoy of marked vehicles, with the Israeli military having prior knowledge of their planned route. Three Britons, including Kirby, were killed in the attack.
The matter was raised in Parliament on Tuesday as MP Hamish Falconer told colleagues that he had met the victims’ families in November last year together with the foreign secretary.
Israel must “quickly and thoroughly conclude” its investigation into the attack, Falconer said, describing it as an “appalling tragedy,” and adding that the victims’ families “are determined to see justice.”
Yet the “lack of justice and accountability” has been as “equally devastating” as Kirby’s death, his cousin Louise Kirby said.
His family have been “met with silence” from the government “despite repeated calls for answers” over the killings, she added.
“It is disheartening to note that after all this time, we still have no concrete proof of accountability from any responsible party,” she said.
“The government’s response has been nothing but empty apologies, which are, and will never be, sufficient.”
The family thanked the Muslim community in Bristol for their “ongoing solidarity” and supporting them in “our quest for justice.” They also received letters of condolence from the king and queen, who they thanked.
A lack of British investigation into the drone attack has left the family “deeply concerned that breach of policy or laws” might have taken place, Louise Kirby said.
“We want justice for James and the truth to be known, no matter how difficult or uncomfortable that may be.”
Israel’s attack also killed Britons John Chapman, 57, and James Henderson, 33. Four others were killed: Australian Lalzawmi Frankcom, 43, American-Canadian Jacob Flickinger, 33, Polish national Damian Sobol, 35, and Palestinian Saifeddin Issam Ayad Abutaha, 25.
The Israeli Embassy in the UK last year attributed the attack to a “serious failure” that was “made due to mistaken identification.”
The Israel Defense Forces dismissed two officers and reprimanded three others over the attack.
US tariffs take aim everywhere, including uninhabited islands
- The Australian territory in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean was slapped with 10% tariffs on all its exports
WASHINGTON: The world’s remotest corners couldn’t hide from US President Donald Trump’s global tariffs onslaught Wednesday — even the uninhabited Heard and McDonald Islands.
The Australian territory in the sub-Antarctic Indian Ocean was slapped with 10 percent tariffs on all its exports, despite the icy archipelago having zero residents — other than many seals, penguins and other birds.
Strings of ocean specks around the globe, including Australia’s Cocos (Keeling) Islands and the Comoros off the coast of Africa, were likewise subjected to 10 percent new tariffs.
Another eye-catching inclusion in the tariffs list was Myanmar, which is digging out from an earthquake that left nearly 3,000 people dead, and whose exports to the United States will now face 44 percent in new levies.
Britain’s Falkland Islands — population 3,200 people and around one million penguins — got particular punishment.
The South Atlantic territory — mostly famous for a 1982 war fought by Britain to expel an Argentinian invasion — was walloped with tariffs of 41 percent on exports to the United States.
The Falklands’ would-be ruler Argentina only faces 10 percent new tariffs.
According to the Falklands Chamber of Commerce, the territory is ranked 173 in the world in terms of global exports, with only $306 million of products exported in 2019. This included $255 million in exports of mollusks and $30 million of frozen fish.
What the world said about Trump’s tariffs
- Tariffs could disrupt trade and increase costs for firms
Paris: US President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs on imports to the United States from countries right across the globe drew a wave of condemnation.
Here are international reactions so far:
China
Beijing said it “firmly opposes” the new tariffs on its exports, and vowed “countermeasures to safeguard its own rights and interests.”
Trump unveiled particularly stinging tariffs of 34 percent on China, one of its largest trading partners, while a 10 percent base tariff on all countries also applies. That comes on top of a 20 percent rate imposed last month.
The tariffs “do not comply with international trade rules,” China’s Commerce Ministry said.
It urged Washington to “immediately cancel” them, warning they “endanger global economic development.”
European Union
The tariffs are a “major blow to the world economy,” warned EU chief Ursula von der Leyen.
“There seems to be no order in the disorder. No clear path through the complexity and chaos that is being created as all US trading partners are hit,” she said.
After the 20 percent tariffs on EU exports to the United States, she said Brussels was “preparing for further countermeasures” but added it was “not too late to address concerns through negotiations.”
Germany
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz slammed the tariffs as “fundamentally wrong” as Berlin warned that the European Union could retaliate by targeting American tech titans.
“This is an attack on a trade order that has created prosperity all over the globe, a trade order that is essentially the result of American efforts,” Scholz said.
Japan
Trade minister Yoji Muto said the 24 percent tariffs on Japanese exports to the United States were “extremely regrettable, and I have again strongly urged (Washington) not to apply them to Japan.”
Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters the tariffs may contravene World Trade Organization rules and the pair’s trade treaty.
UK
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said “there would be an economic impact” from a 10 percent tariff imposed on British exports to the United States.
“Today, I will act in Britain’s interests with mine,” said Starmer, adding that trade negotiations would continue with Donald Trump’s administration and that “we will fight for the best deal for Britain.”
The UK will “remain calm, and committed” to sealing a trade deal with the United States which could help “mitigate” the tarriff rise, business minister Jonathan Reynolds said.
France
French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou said the hikes were a “catastrophe” all round.
“This decision is a catastrophe for the economic world,” Bayrou said. “It is an immense difficulty for Europe. I believe that it is also a catastrophe for the United States and for American citizens.”
Italy
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni criticized the new US tariffs on imports from the EU and urged a deal, warning a trade war would “inevitably weaken the West.”
“The introduction by the US of tariffs toward the EU is a measure that I consider wrong and that does not suit either party,” she said.
Canada
Prime Minister Mark Carney warned the tariffs will “fundamentally change the global trading system.”
“We are going to fight these tariffs with countermeasures. We are going to protect our workers,” he said.
Spain
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called the tariffs a “unilateral attack” against Europe.
This measure marks a return to “19th century protectionism, which in my opinion, is not an intelligent way to meet the challenges of the 21st century,” he said.
Australia
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Australia would not retaliate but said: “This is not the act of a friend.”
Australia, where one in four jobs depends on trade, charges nothing on US imports, Albanese said, calling the tariffs “unwarranted” and saying they undermine “our free and fair trading relationship.”
Brazil
Brazil’s Congress approved a so-called “Economic Reciprocity Law” allowing the executive to respond to the 10 percent tariffs on exports from Latin America’s biggest economy, which is the second-largest exporter of steel to the United States after Canada.
South Korea
“A global tariff war has become a reality,” said acting president Han Duck-soo following Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on imports from South Korea.
Han convened an emergency task force and vowed to mobilize “all government resources” to overcome the “trade crisis,” urging ministers to minimize the damage through aggressive negotiations with Washington.
Switzerland
After Switzerland was hit with 31 percent tariffs, President Karin Keller-Sutter said the government would quickly decide on the next steps.
“The country’s long-term economic interests are the priority. Respect for international law and free trade are fundamental,” she said.
Poland
“Friendship means partnership. Partnership means really and truly reciprocal tariffs,” said Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
Taiwan
The Taiwanese government found the 32 percent levy “highly unreasonable and deeply regretted it” said cabinet spokeswoman Michelle Lee.
She said Taiwan would “initiate serious negotiations with the United States.”
Thailand
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said he had a “strong plan” on how to respond, believing that there remained room to negotiate.
Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat said Thailand would “negotiate with understanding, not aggressive talk. But we have to talk which products they feel are unfair and we have to see whether we can adjust.”
India
India’s commerce ministry reacted cautiously, saying it is “carefully examining the implications of the various measures” after the US slapped a flat 26 percent on exports imposed on the fifth-largest economy .
It also said it was “studying the opportunities that may arise due to this new development,” a likely reference to regional competitors being hit harder.
Bangladesh
Bangladeshi textile industry leaders said the tariffs posed a “massive blow” to the world’s second-largest garment manufacturer, which accounts for some 80 percent of the South Asian nation’s exports.
“Buyers will go to other cost-competitive markets — this is going to be a massive blow for our industry,” said Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, chairman of RDM Group, a major manufacturer with an estimated $25 million turnover. “We will lose buyers.”
South Africa
The new 30 percent tariffs on South African imports are a concern and underscore the urgent need for a new bilateral trade agreement, President Cyril Ramaphosa said.
“The tariffs affirm the urgency to negotiate a new bilateral and mutually beneficial trade agreement with the US as an essential step to secure long-term trade certainty,” he said. The United States is South Africa’s second-biggest trading partner.
China arrests three Filipinos suspected of spying
- Announcement comes as the two countries continue to confront each other over disputed territory in the South China Sea
- At least five Chinese nationals were arrested on suspicion of espionage in January and another two in February by Philippine authorities
BEIJING: China on Thursday said it had “destroyed” an intelligence network set up by the Philippine espionage agency and arrested three spies from the country.
The announcement comes as the two countries continue to confront each other over disputed territory in the South China Sea and tensions mount over the Philippines’ security ties with ally the United States.
At least five Chinese nationals were arrested on suspicion of espionage in January and another two in February by Philippine authorities.
And the latest arrests in China come two days after Beijing’s embassy in Manila issued a travel warning to its citizens about frequent “harassment” from Philippine law enforcement agencies.
On Thursday, state broadcaster CCTV reported that authorities had identified one of the suspected spies as a Philippine national who had lived and worked in China long-term and had been found conducting espionage near military facilities.
The CCTV report included a video of his arrest and what appeared to be a recorded confession.
He was recruited by Philippine intelligence services to “take advantage of his long-term residence in China to conduct espionage activities in China and collect sensitive information, especially on military deployment,” state media said.
He came close to military facilities multiple times and “conducted close observation and secret photography,” CCTV added.
The three individuals had been recruited by the same Philippine spy since 2021 and received regular payment for their work, CCTV said.
They were also tasked with “assisting the Philippine spy intelligence agency in selecting and developing personnel, and expanding its intelligence network in China.”
They had provided “a large amount of military-related and confidential video materials” to Philippine agents, “causing serious harm to China’s national security and interests,” CCTV quoted a Chinese national security officer as saying.
Manila’s National Security Council spokesman Jonathan Malaya told AFP the country’s foreign ministry was “currently confirming these reports and the involvement of any Philippine national, if any.”
“We have no further comment as of this time until we are able to verify these new reports,” he added.
Asked about the charges, Beijing’s foreign ministry said it would “handle the cases in accordance with the law and will also safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the relevant personnel.”
But spokesman Guo Jiakun also accused Manila of having “fabricated several so-called Chinese espionage cases.”
“China urges the Philippines to stop chasing shadows and pinning labels on people,” Guo said.
UK police arrest two men over alleged Hezbollah links
- Police said the investigation related to the Iran-backed Lebanese movement Hezbollah which Britain outlawed in 2019
LONDON: British counter-terrorism police said on Thursday they had arrested two men accused of being linked to the banned group Hezbollah, saying their investigation involved alleged activity both overseas and in Britain.
Detectives from London’s Counter Terrorism Command (CTC) arrested a 39-year-old man in north London on suspicion of being a member of a proscribed group, preparing acts of terrorism and being involved in funding for the purposed of terrorism.
A second man, 35, was arrested in west London on suspicion of being a member of a banned organization.
“Our investigation remains ongoing, but I hope that these arrests show we will take robust action against anyone here whom we suspect as being involved in terrorist activity regardless of whether their activity is focused here in the UK or elsewhere,” said commander Dominic Murphy, head of the CTC.
Police said the investigation related to the Iran-backed Lebanese movement Hezbollah which Britain outlawed in 2019 when it classified it as a terrorist group. There was no immediate threat to the public, they said.
The two men were released on police bail until mid-July.
