London, April 17: The number of days each year that the world’s oceans experience extreme surface heat has tripled over the past 80 years due to global warming, a new study has found.

Researchers found that, on average, the global sea surface saw about 15 days of extreme heat annually in the 1940s, Xinhua news agency reported.

Today that figure has soared to nearly 50 days per year, revealed the study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Global warming is responsible for almost half of the occurrence of marine heatwaves — periods when sea surface temperatures rise well above normal for an extended time.

The study, produced by a team of scientists from the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies, the University of Reading, the International Space Science Institute, and the University of the Balearic Islands, also found that rising global temperatures are making extreme ocean heat events last longer and become more intense.

“Marine heatwaves can devastate underwater ecosystems. Extended periods of unusually warm water can kill coral reefs, destroy kelp forests, and harm seagrass meadows,” said Xiangbo Feng, a co-author of the study at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science at the University of Reading.

The impacts of marine heat waves extend beyond the ocean. The researcher warns that increased marine heatwaves could, in return, cause our atmosphere less stable leading to more frequent and powerful tropical storms in some regions.

“As global temperatures continue to rise, marine heatwaves will become even more common and severe, putting increasing pressure on already stressed ocean ecosystems. These increased marine heatwaves could, in return, cause our atmosphere less stable leading to more frequent and powerful tropical storms in some regions,” Feng said

Noting that human activities are fundamentally changing oceans, the study called for urgent climate action to protect marine environments.

Beijing, April 17: A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said on Thursday that the United States’ 245 per cent tariff on certain products from China no longer makes economic sense.

It the US continues to play the “tariff numbers game”, it will pay no attention to it, according to the spokesperson, Xinhua news agency reported.

The statement came in the wake of White House’s statement that China faces tariffs of up to 245 per cent due to its retaliatory action.

China now faces up to 245 per cent tariffs on imports to the US as a result of its retaliatory tariffs, according to the White House Fact sheet.

This came after Beijing ordered its airlines not to take any further deliveries of Boeing jets in response to the earlier US decision to impose 145 per cent tariffs on Chinese goods.

According to the White House, the US President is open to making a trade deal with China, but Beijing should make the first move.

“More than 75 countries have already reached out to discuss new trade deals. As a result, the individualised higher tariffs are currently paused amid these discussions, except for China, which retaliated,” it said.

The White House also accused Beijing of banning exports to the US of gallium, germanium, antimony, and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications.

There are no winners in a trade conflict and the tussle between China and the US raises the risk of economic and geopolitical fallout, a report by S&P Global Ratings said this week.

Home to sizable manufacturing activities, Asia-Pacific is highly dependent on exports to the U.S. and China for growth. At the same time, Asia-Pacific depends on the US mostly for security.

The region could find itself pushed to take sides or walk a delicate line between the two large economies, the report stated.

To counteract tariffs, Asia-Pacific governments are exploring the formation of regional trade blocs or bilateral trade agreements. These efforts could accelerate, expediting the need to relocate supply sources and production.

China’s economic growth is seeing rising downside risk amid rising trade tensions with the US as its export engine falters from weaker global demand. The country’s domestic growth engine remains subdued, given the lingering real estate crisis, which is dragging down confidence.

Islamabad, April 16: Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ambassador Sadiq Khan landed in Kabul on Wednesday on a day-long visit to participate in the second round of the Pakistan-Afghanistan Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting as Islamabad aims to settle border disputes with the neighbouring country.

The JCC meeting is happening after 16 months as Pakistan plans to initiate high-level engagements to de-escalate and normalise bilateral relations.

The Afghan Taliban side will be represented by Deputy Minister of Defence, Mullah Abdul Qayum Zakir – an ex-Guantanamo detainee regarded as the most predacious Taliban commander since the death of Mullah Dadullah – who holds a hardline stance on Pakistan.

The crucial talks are being held at a time when Pakistan has accused the Afghan Taliban for supporting, funding, arming, harbouring and facilitating militant groups, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Baloch militant outfits who have been carrying out attacks in Pakistan.

On the other hand, Pakistan’s unilateral decision to repatriate thousands of illegal and Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) holders has not been received well by the regime in Kabul who have repeatedly called on Islamabad to review its decision – a demand that Islamabad has rejected.

The Afghan Consul General in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s provincial capital Peshawar will be meeting local media later in the day in an attempt to convince Pakistan to review its policy on Afghan repatriation process.

A high-level delegation from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry will also be landing in Islamabad later today to hold talks with its counterparts in Pakistan and push towards active engagements and coordination going forward.

Noor Uddin Azizi, Afghanistan’s Minister of Industry and Commerce, will be leading the delegation which includes representatives from the office of Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Investment Facilitation Directorate, Foreign Affairs, Finance, Refugee Affairs, Transport and Civil Aviation, Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock and Private Sector of Afghanistan.

Experts say that the latest round of engagements between Pakistan and Afghanistan hold significant value as Pakistan has been accusing the Afghan Taliban of helping anti-Pakistan militant groups to spread unrest and bloodshed in the country. Islamabad also has been building up a case against the Afghan Taliban for arming anti-Pakistan militant groups with arms, which it says are leftover weapons of the United States and NATO forces.