Month: July 2025

Sand and dust storms long seen as regional nuisances are emerging as a silent but devastating global crisis, significantly worsened by climate change and unsustainable land practices. A recent United Nations World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) report reveals these storms now impact more than 330 million people across 150 countries, with far-reaching health, environmental, and economic consequences. According to the WMO, climate change is intensifying the frequency and severity of dust storms, especially in vulnerable regions like North Africa and the Middle East. The storms not only degrade ecosystems and disrupt agriculture and transport, but also pose a grave public health threat. Airborne dust particles contribute to around seven million premature deaths annually, primarily due t...

In an alarming sign of changing climate patterns, Srinagar recorded a searing 34.4°C on May 22 this year the hottest May day in nearly six decades. The heat continued into June, hitting a scorching 35.5°C by June 20, marking the hottest June day in 20 years. Nighttime brought little relief, with minimum temperatures hovering around 23.2°C among the highest night temperatures recorded in over a century. The heatwave peaked again on July 12, when temperatures touched 37.4°C, the third-highest July day temperature since 1946, according to Mukhtar Ahmad, Director of the Meteorological Centre in Srinagar. As temperatures shift in lifestyle is already visible. Air coolers once a rare sight in the Valley are now becoming a household necessity, especially in urban areas. Priced under ₹10,000...

  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has once again accused the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) of triggering recurrent floods across south Bengal by releasing large volumes of water from its reservoirs without consulting the state government. Chairing a high-level review meeting at Nabanna on Tuesday, Banerjee said that DVC has discharged nearly 27,000 lakh cubic metres of water into Bengal's rivers since June 18, aggravating flood-like conditions in several districts. Expressing frustration over what she termed a "14-year-long fight without result," Banerjee said the releases from DVC’s Maithon and Panchet reservoirs were being done to protect Jharkhand at the cost of flooding West Bengal. “They are saving themselves, but letting Bengal suffer,” she said, stressing th...

Torrential rain wreaked havoc across the US Northeast late Monday triggering flash floods that swamped streets, disrupted subway services, and prompted emergency declarations in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. In New York City, emergency services reported widespread flash flooding in parts of the city and the mid-Hudson region. Startling videos circulated online showed floodwaters cascading into Manhattan subway stations, submerging platforms as stunned passengers remained inside stalled trains. In one clip, commuters were seen standing on train seats to avoid rising water levels inside the coaches. Subway service was severely impacted. Some lines were suspended altogether while others operated with major delays, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority confirmed. Key highwa...

Swedish telecom equipment giant Ericsson has reported a sharp 32.5 per cent drop in its net sales in India during the second quarter of 2025, with revenues falling to USD 230 million (approximately ₹1,974 crore). The decline is attributed to Indian telecom operators slowing down their investments in network infrastructure, as revealed in the company’s latest quarterly earnings report. In the corresponding quarter last year, Ericsson’s sales in India stood at around USD 341 million, accounting for 6 per cent of the company’s global revenue. This share has now slipped to 4 per cent, as operators adopt a cautious approach toward network expansion and upgrades. “Sales in India were weak, as operators held back on new network investments,” the company noted in its Q2 performance review. D...

  In a renewed push toward global climate cooperation, China and the European Union are preparing to unveil new climate action plans aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions. The announcement comes after both major emitters missed earlier deadlines to submit updated targets to the United Nations under the Paris Agreement framework. European Commission climate envoy Teresa Ribera, following high-level discussions in Beijing, confirmed that Chinese officials indicated a forthcoming national climate strategy. The new plan is expected to align with global efforts to limit temperature rise and will be officially presented ahead of the COP30 U.N. climate summit scheduled for November in Brazil. Ribera noted that both sides are committed to drafting robust nationally determined con...

As climate change intensifies, the delicate ecological relationship between wild vanilla plants and their pollinators is under serious threat. A new study published in Frontiers in Plant Science warns that by 2050, up to 90 per cent of these natural pollination links could be broken, endangering the future of one of the world’s most valuable crops. Led by Charlotte Watteyn of KU Leuven and Costa Rica’s Lankester Botanical Garden Research Centre, researchers used climate models to study 11 wild vanilla species and seven insect pollinators. The findings show a troubling future: while some vanilla species may expand their range under changing climates, most could lose critical contact with their native pollinators, particularly orchid bees, which are essential for their reproduction. Th...

  As the United States mulls a sweeping 500 per cent tariff on nations continuing to import Russian oil, India finds itself at a pivotal juncture one where climate ambition, geopolitical resilience, and economic justice must converge. The proposed legislation, introduced by US Senator Lindsey Graham, targets countries like India and China, accusing them of indirectly funding Russia’s war effort through crude purchases. For India, which now sources over 40 per cent of its crude oil from Russia up from less than one per cent before the Ukraine war the implications are immense. If passed, the bill could disrupt India’s export sectors and shake the foundation of bilateral trade with the US, one of its key partners. But beyond the immediate diplomatic and economic fallout, the moment...

In a diplomatic push to accelerate global climate action, European Union Climate Commissioner Wopke Hoekstra urged China to take greater responsibility in reducing greenhouse gas emissions calling on the world largest polluter to scale back its growing reliance on coal. During high-level talks in Beijing, Hoekstra underscored the urgent need for global collaboration and emphasized that China actions in the coming months could significantly shape the outcome of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil later this year. The commissioner’s visit comes amid mounting international concern over China’s expanding coal infrastructure. A Greenpeace report recently revealed that China approved 11.29 gigawatts of new coal-fired power capacity in the first quarter of 2025 an amount that surpasses approval...

  In a heart-wrenching incident highlighting the deadly impact of extreme weather, lightning strikes claimed the lives of two women and left three others injured in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi district on Saturday. The victims were working in agricultural fields when the sudden strikes occurred in separate villages. Police said 55-year-old Sudhna Devi was fatally struck by lightning in Samdha Khas village while tending to crops. Her relatives, Rita Devi, 42, and her 18-year-old daughter Antima, suffered serious burns and are currently undergoing treatment at a local community health centre. In a separate incident in Hathia Dih village, 19-year-old Sonam Saroj died on the spot after being hit by a lightning bolt. Her cousin, 20-year-old Sandhya Saroj, was injured and also admitted...