In a blunt warning to the world, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres declared that the era of global warming has ended and we have now entered an “era of global boiling.” The alarming statement came as scientists confirmed that July 2023 is on track to become the hottest month ever recorded in human history. The past three weeks have been the hottest since records began, with global temperatures shattering previous records. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the EU’s Copernicus Earth observation programme attribute this unprecedented heat to the burning of
The recently-built Surat Diamond Bourse is believed to surpass the Pentagon in the US, as the world’s largest office building, according to a report in the CNN. The impressive 15-story complex spans over 35 acres and features a unique design of nine interconnected rectangular structures originating from a central ‘spine.’ The bourse has been completed after four years of construction work. It is set to welcome its first occupants in November. The “one-stop destination” for more than 65,000 diamond professionals, including cutters, polishers, and traders, it has over 7.1 millio
Seven-year-old Indian-origin schoolgirl, Moksha Roy has received the British Prime Minister’s Points of Light Award for being the World’s Youngest Sustainability Advocate. UK Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden bestowed the award to Roy. Roy started volunteering for a United Nations' sustainability initiative against microplastic pollution when she was just three. She has been recognised for volunteering for several sustainability campaigns, including raising funds to help children in need. Championing UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she has gone to significant length
Tens of millions battled dangerously high temperatures in the United States on July 16 as weather agencies forecast record heat over Europe and Japan. Firefighters tried to control blazes in parts of Greece and the Canary Islands mid-July. In Arizona, one of the hardest-hit US states, residents faced high temperatures. Its capital Phoenix recorded 16 straight days above 109 degrees Fahrenheit (43 degrees Celsius), with temperatures hitting 111 degrees Fahrenheit on July 15. California’s Death Valley, one of the hottest places on Earth, also registered new peaks on July 17, with the me
Honduras plans to build the only island prison colony in the Western Hemisphere and send its most-feared criminals there. President Xiomara Castro plans to build an isolated prison for 2,000 gang leaders on the Islas del Cisne archipelago 155 miles off the coast in a larger crackdown after the gang-related massacre of 46 women in one prison. Once common across Latin America, island prisons were located in Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, Panama and Peru. The last island prison closed in Mexico in 2019. On June 20, 46 women were killed in a fight between gang members in one p
Singapore’s passport is the most powerful in the world, according to the latest Henley Passport Index, which was published on July 18. According to the index, Singaporeans can travel to 192 out of 227 travel destinations in the world without a visa. Japan’s passport ranked No. 1 on the index for the last five years. The country fell behind Germany, Italy and Spain, all of whom are tied for second place, offering visa-free access to 190 travel destinations to their passport holders. Japan is now in a tie for third on the index with six other nations, Austria, France, Finland, L
Doctors from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston have suggested the use of active ingredients in “magic mushrooms” and other psychedelics to bring comfort to women with late-stage cancer. Conventional approaches to soothe women suffering from malignancies such as late-stage gynaecological cancer include psychotherapeutic approaches like cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) but take too long to change old habits and need much stamina, wrote the researchers in a commentary published in the International Journal of Gynecological Cancer. Late stages associated wi
Muslim World League Chief Mohammad Bin Abdulkarim Al-Issa on July 12 lauded Indian philosophy and tradition that taught harmony to the world, and said that he salutes the democracy and Constitution of India. He also highlighted the “peaceful coexistence that he witnessed in India is unique.” The current Secretary General of the Muslim World League (MWL), an organisation based in Saudi Arabia and representing Muslims worldwide was on a five-day visit to India beginning July 10. He hailed India while addressing the “Dialogue for Harmony among Religions,” an event organised in collabo
The renowned tourist destination of Thailand, Koh Samui is facing severe water shortage, amid a tourist boom in the country. The water stress has made authorities work tirelessly to ensure that the island known globally for its white sandy beaches, scenic temples and opulent resorts does not turn into a disaster zone. Many water reserves in Koh Samui such as the Phru Na Mueang and Phru Krajud reservoirs and Hin Lad waterfall have seen a decline in their water levels. The dip has further intensified the freshwater crisis. Local estimates done early July said that there is barely enough w
Members of the Anthropocene Working Group (AWG) have presented evidence from a lake in Ontario, Canada that they believe can help pinpoint a start date for the new human-driven epoch. According to the chair of the AWG, Colin Waters, a geologist with University of Leicester, human activity is “no longer just influencing Earth’s sphere, it’s actually controlling” it. The announcement on July 11 centred on discoveries made in Lake Crawford, located about 60 km west of Toronto. Sediment settled at the bottom of lakes can provide scientists with a geological record of changing enviro