Oceans around the world are experiencing a mass coral bleaching event, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. That means coral in every major ocean basin is turning white, or even dying, because the water it lives in is too hot.

Great Barrier Reef

Extreme weather events are occurring more frequently amid rising sea-levels and increasing temperatures.

Climate Crisis

Coral reefs in oceans globally are undergoing a significant mass bleaching event. This phenomenon is highlighted by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, indicating the widespread nature of this environmental challenge. The event is characterized by corals in every major ocean basin turning white or dying due to excessively high water temperatures.

The mass bleaching signifies a grave environmental impact, affecting ecosystems across various ocean basins. As corals bleach or die, the delicate balance of marine biodiversity is threatened, highlighting the urgent need for addressing global warming and its effects on ocean temperatures.



Coral reefs experiencing mass bleaching event

Along the Great Barrier Reef, the coral has a fever suffering from heat stress turning ghost-like a sign of mass bleaching on a global scale. At this point it's pretty unequivocally due to ocean warming which is mainly driven by greenhouse gas emissions and global climate change. February and March showed record sea surface temperatures. As they climb, the coral suffers, stops reproducing often for years and sometimes dies. The oceans are acting as this big heat sink. The problem is, you know, that capacity to absorb this heat is coming with drastic ecological ramifications. It's gotten to the point where we're seeing simultaneous coral bleaching events everywhere around the planet essentially at the same time. You can see the severity of the bleaching. Yellow is a watch. Red, brown and purple are the most severe extending from the Pacific to the Indian to the Atlantic Ocean off Africa and South America. With summer heat coming it's expected the mass bleaching will migrate northwards. If we lose coral reefs we're going to lose one of the most species diverse ecosystems on this planet where 25 percent of marine of no marine life live on these coral reefs. Last summer, a marine heat wave hit the Florida Keys. It's very challenging to watch what happened last summer and what's probably coming this summer. We traveled with biologists implanting new coral on the reefs focusing on species more heat resistant. Corals have traits just like we do and some of those traits mean that the corals are resilient to heat stress. The ones that survive and the ones that thrive are really the ones that we need to focus on. Some of the bleach coral last summer has recovered but this spring we are nearing the worst mass bleaching ever. Worst mass bleaching event on record. Susan Ormiston, CBC News, Toronto.

Spain's Prime Minister said he has decided to stay in office after days of publicly weighing his future, generating relief amongst leftist allies, exasperation among the public and ridicule from his opponents. Sanchez said last week that he was retreating from public duty to decide whether to quit.

Madrid

Pedro Sanchez stays on as Spain's prime minister

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he is hopeful Hamas will accept an “extraordinarily generous” offer, as U.K. Foreign Minister David Cameron says it will include a 40-day ceasefire. But the sticking points remain: Israelis want a truce while Hamas demands a cessation of all hostilities.

Riyadh

Israel-Gaza War

U.S., U.K. urge Hamas to accept Israeli truce proposal

G7 environment ministers have gathered in Turin for two days of talks, as hundreds of protesters demonstrated in the city, some burning photos of the G7 leaders who they accuse of failing future generations over the climate crisis.

Turin

Protesters call for climate action ahead of G7 meeting in Turin

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne is in the Lebanese capital Beirut for talks aimed at easing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. After meeting Lebanon’s influential Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah, and the head of the Lebanese army, Joseph Aoun, Sejourne said there had been “a lot of progress” over the French proposals.

Beirut

French FM says ‘a lot of progress’ in Lebanon talks

At least four people are dead, including an infant, after a series of tornadoes swept across Oklahoma. The weather system is threatening the region with more twisters, heavy rain and large hail in a band stretching from Missouri to Texas.

Sulphur

At least four dead in Oklahoma tornadoes

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she would stand in upcoming European Parliament elections, a move apparently calculated to boost her far-right party, although she would be forced to resign immediately under EU rules.

Pescara

Italian far-right PM Meloni says will stand in EU elections

At least four people died, including a four-month-old baby, in Oklahoma this weekend, after dozens of twisters swept the U.S. Southern Plains. The White House said, President Joe Biden has pledged federal support for Oklahoma as well as other states hit by severe storms.

Oklahoma

Deadly tornadoes rip through Oklahoma

The Sydney Bishop targeted in an alleged terror-related attack a fortnight ago has made a surprise appearance before his congregation in Western Sydney. Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel saying he forgives his attacker, who is facing terrorism charges.

Wakeley

Sydney bishop returns to pulpit after stabbing

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Canberra

Protest leaders hit out at Prime Minister over power 'abuse'

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Tel Aviv-Yafo

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Donetsk

Ukraine Invasion

Ukraine troops retreating on eastern front

Tesla CEO Elon Musk arrived in Beijing on an unannounced visit, to meet senior officials to discuss the rollout of Full Self-Driving software and permission to transfer data overseas, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Shanghai

Elon Musk makes surprise visit to China

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Rafah

Hamas releases video of two Israeli hostages

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Lviv

Australia announces $100m in Ukraine aid

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Prime Minister joins rally calling for end to gendered violence

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Thousands block Tel Aviv streets in protest

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Israel 'gearing up' for Rafah ground offensive

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Canton

'I can't breathe' man tells Ohio cops before death

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Sderot

Gaza hit by fresh strikes amid ceasefire talks

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Jerusalem

US begins building floating base to boost aid

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Windsor

King Charles resuming public duties but Australian trip in limbo

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Council of the City of Sydney

Thousands rally across Australia against domestic violence

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Baku

Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire center closes as Russia withdraws

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London

King Charles to resume public duties after cancer diagnosis

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Paris

Pro-Palestinian protesters still occupying Sciences Po campus

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Nairobi

Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70

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New York

U.S. Presidential Election

The Australian journalist caught up in Trump trial

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Marsden Park

Mourners farewell Bondi security guard Faraz Tahir

After a crucial hearing, U.S. Supreme Court justices are weighing arguments for and against Donald Trump's claims of presidential immunity from 2020 election interference charges, but a ruling will take time.

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