Reading in the news - Fri 10 Jan

Hottest year: 2024 was 1.6 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, the warmest ever recorded. Comment by Dr Patrick McGuire (Meteorology) in the Financial Times, Dr Akshay Deoras (Meteorology) in ETV Bharat, and Professor Chris Hilson in National Sustainability News. From our story: 2024 hottest year on record 

Professor Ed Hawkins has launched a new global climate stripes image with 2024 included, reports the Daily Express and writes a Conversation article about the record heat. BBC News Mundo publishes an article explaining the stripes. From our story: Climate stripes show how 2024 reached 1.5°C warming 

Other environment and climate: 

• Daily Mail lists the most turbulence flight routes, and mentions Reading research by Professor Paul Williams (Meteorology). 
• Professor Chris Merchant (Meteorology) is quoted by the Conversation and MSN News on climate stories to watch out for in 2025. 
• Former head of ECMWF Professor Alan Thorpe (Meteorology) writes for Nature news on the prospects for AI in weather forecasting. 
• An interview by Professor Chris Scott (Meteorology) for BBC World Service, dispelling conspiracy theories about storms formed by space lasers, is aired on multiple US public radio stations. 
• The University of Reading atmospheric observatory hit minus 4.9 degrees Celsius last night, reports BBC Radio Berkshire. 

Other coverage:

• Professor Rosa Freedman (Law) spoke to France24 about US transfers of Guantanamo detainees.

Alumni: 

• The Standard and others profile Reading graduate, former Southampton FC chairman and current Reform party MP, Rupert Lowe. 
• Kim Fausing, who has an MBA from Henley, is to be the chairman of building company Halcim, reports Finanzen.