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The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has warned that 2025 is on track to become one of the hottest years ever recorded, continuing a worrying pattern of rising global temperatures and intensifying climate-related disasters. The assessment was released during the ‘State of the Global Climate Update’ presentation at the COP30 climate conference in Belém, Brazil. According to the WMO, global average near-surface temperatures from January to August 2025 were substantially higher than pre-industrial levels. This trend signals mounting pressure on international efforts to limit warming under the Paris Agreement, which aims to restrict global temperature rise to well below 2°C, ideally 1.5°C. Scientists attribute the record heat to a combination of persistent greenhouse gas emissions...

A thick layer of smog covered parts of Mumbai and Delhi on Friday, as slow wind speeds and winter weather trapped pollutants close to the ground, pushing air quality levels into the ‘poor’ and ‘very poor’ categories. In Mumbai, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 214 at Bandra Reclamation and 222 in Bandra Kurla Complex around 9 a.m., both falling under the ‘poor’ category. Other neighbourhoods reported similar trends, with Borivali East registering an AQI of 150 and Chembur at 132. Delhi saw an even sharper decline in air quality. The city’s overall AQI touched 312 on Friday morning, rising from Thursday’s 271. Several monitoring stations, including Anand Vihar and Ashok Vihar, recorded AQI levels above 300, placing them firmly in the ‘v...

Hurricane Melissa has caused extensive devastation across western Jamaica, leaving behind nearly 5 million tonnes of debris that is slowing critical relief and recovery operations. The hurricane, one of the most powerful to strike the Atlantic region in recent years, has resulted in widespread destruction of homes, roads, and essential services. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the debris left behind is enough to fill approximately 480,000 truckloads. UNDP representative Kishan Khoday said the cleanup must be accelerated to prevent prolonged hardship. He warned that every delay in clearing roads and public spaces means extended power outages, stalled aid deliveries, and continued economic losses for communities already under severe distress. The storm has...

New Delhi witnessed a fresh wave of discontent on Thursday as student groups and climate activists gathered at Jantar Mantar to protest the severe air pollution choking the city. The demonstrators accused both the central and Delhi governments of failing to take meaningful action, even as pollution levels continue to pose serious health risks to millions. Despite not receiving police permission, more than 80 participants from various student bodies, community organizations, and public health groups joined the protest. The gathering was organized by Scientists for Society and the Campaign for Right to Public Health, who emphasized that citizens' right to breathe clean air is a fundamental public health concern. Speakers at the demonstration criticized measures such as water sprinkling...

The National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS) in South Africa has launched a new mobile application to provide healthcare professionals with quick and reliable access to laboratory testing information. The app, named “NHLS Laboratory User Handbook,” is now available for free on both the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The digital tool is designed for clinicians, medical officers, nurses, laboratory staff, and other healthcare workers who rely on diagnostic support in their daily work. It offers immediate access to laboratory test protocols, specimen collection guidelines, test turnaround times, and diagnostic interpretation notes, allowing faster and more informed decision-making at the point of care. According to the NHLS, the app is especially valuable in situations where pr...

Belem, Brazil: Authorities are on heightened alert after a threat was issued against a power substation in Belem, the host city for the upcoming COP30 United Nations climate summit. The reported threat is believed to be linked to the Comando Vermelho, one of Brazil’s most powerful criminal gangs, and comes shortly after a major police operation in Rio de Janeiro that resulted in 121 deaths. Threat issued after police raids The Mines and Energy Ministry received information on October 30, just two days after the large-scale police operation in Rio. The operators of the Belem-Marituba substation, Verene Energia, said the message demanded that construction work be halted and daily operations be suspended from 3 p.m. onwards. Possible link to gang retaliation Federal police are inv...

Belem, Brazil: World leaders gathered in the heart of the Amazon rainforest for a major United Nations climate summit, where the urgency of addressing global warming dominated discussions. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres delivered a strong message, warning that continued dependence on fossil fuels was pushing the world closer to irreversible climate damage. Guterres criticized the influence of oil and gas interests in shaping climate policy, arguing that global inaction has already resulted in severe environmental disruptions. He urged governments to act decisively to keep global temperature rise within safe limits. Brazil’s President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, appealed to nations to uphold past climate commitments and protect the Amazon, which plays a key role in regulating t...

Hurricane Melissa devastates Jamaica as massive debris hampers recovery Hurricane Melissa has caused extensive devastation across western Jamaica, leaving behind nearly 5 million tonnes of debris that is slowing critical relief and recovery operations. The hurricane, one of the most powerful to strike the Atlantic region in recent years, has resulted in widespread destruction of homes, roads, and essential services. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the debris left behind is enough to fill approximately 480,000 truckloads. UNDP representative Kishan Khoday said the cleanup must be accelerated to prevent prolonged hardship. He warned that every delay in clearing roads and public spaces means extended power outages, stalled aid deliveries, and continued economi...

A new study has raised serious concerns about the future of some of the world’s most cherished luxury crops. Coffee, chocolate, and wine products enjoyed globally and central to many farming economies are increasingly threatened by rapidly shifting climate conditions. Researchers warn that even with new climate-cooling strategies, many of these crops may struggle to survive in their traditional growing regions. What the study found A research team from Colorado State University examined 18 major crop-producing regions across Western Europe, northern South America, and West Africa, projecting conditions between 2036 and 2045. Their focus was on whether a proposed climate intervention method, known as stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), could help preserve suitable growing condi...

Varanasi: For over two decades, the Ganga has been more than a sacred river for professor Jitendra Pandey of Banaras Hindu University (BHU) it has been his laboratory. Now, his years of research on the river’s ecology and resilience to pollution have earned him international recognition. The American Geophysical Union (AGU) has invited Pandey to deliver the prestigious Sir Stephen Schneider Lecture this December, making him the first Asian and the first biological scientist to receive the honour. The annual lecture commemorates the legacy of American climatologist Stephen Schneider and is delivered each year by one distinguished scientist. Previous recipients include globally renowned climate researchers such as Peter Gleick, Michael Mann and Alan Robock. A lifetime with the Ganga ...