Large swaths of Pakistan are underwater from unusually prolific monsoon rains, which have killed nearly 1,500 people. Now a new study shows the connections between the flooding and climate change.
The big picture: The study, released Thursday, shows human-caused global warming may have boosted 5-day rainfall amounts in the hardest-hit areas of Pakistan by up to 50%.
Jackson, Mississippi on Thursday lifted its boil water advisory after Gov. Tate Reeves (R) announced that clean water had been restored to the city.
Why it matters: The city has had a boil water advisory in place since July, when tests showed water quality was "cloudy." Flooding in the Pearl River exacerbated the crisis and damaged the city's water system, upending life for the city of nearly 150,000 people.
Shell CEO Ben van Beurden will step down at year's end after nine years that included new climate initiatives and weathering the shock of the COVID pandemic.
Why it matters: Wael Sawan, currently head of Shell's integrated gas, renewables and energy solutions unit, will replace van Beurden as CEO of one of the world's most powerful energy companies.
It was a relentlessly hot summer in much of the U.S., especially across the Plains, Southwest and West, according to new data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
The big picture: While each month had its own quirks, there were two constants: extreme heat in Texas and Oklahoma and damaging flash flooding in multiple locations across the country as rainfall records were shattered.
Northern California's Mosquito Fire in the Sierra Nevada foothills swelled to 63,776 acres on Wednesday evening after "critically dry fuels" drove rapid growth, per Cal Fire.
Threat level: Evacuation orders and warnings remained in place for affected communities northeast of Sacramento as the blaze burned across El Dorado and Placer counties at 20% containment and became the largest recorded in California this year.
President Biden predicted Wednesday that "the great American road trip is going to be fully electrified" in the near future as he announced plans for adding more electrical vehicle infrastructure to dozens of states.
The big picture: Biden laid out his plans for building more electric vehicles and clean energy infrastructure at the Detroit Auto Show, highlighting his recent win streak at the same time.
Twitter whistleblower Peiter "Mudge" Zatko yesterday told a Senate committee that the social media company had put financial considerations ahead of user security.
The assembled senators were shocked. And dismayed. And appalled.
This included members of a Republican Party that's wielding opposition to corporate ESG (aka "woke capitalism") as an electoral messaging strategy, filtering down to state investment bans that could soon impact private equity.
Why it matters: Two-thirds of the ESG acronym refer to the very things that Zatko alleged.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen revealed a series of proposals to combat Europe's energy crisis during her annual state of the union speech on Wednesday, promising the EU's enduring solidarity with Ukraine.
Why it matters: Previously heavily reliant on natural gas from Russia, the west's sanctions on Russia have drastically upended Europe's energy supply.
