Hurricane Michael was upgraded to an "extremely dangerous" category 4 storm on Wednesday, hours before it is due to make landfall in the US state of Florida, where it could blow ashore as the strongest storm to hit the country this year.


'Extremely dangerous' Hurricane Michael nears Florida


IANS Automatic

Train services between Khurda Road in Odisha and Vizianagaram in Andhra Pradesh has been suspended in view of warnings on cyclone Titli, an official statement said on Wednesday.


Train service hit by cyclone Titli warning


Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal laid the foundation stone of the country's first 2G ethanol bio-refinery in Bargarh district on Wednesday.


Odisha Governor lays foundation stone for ethanol bio-refinery


The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) with Finland to facilitate closer and long-term cooperation in the field of environment protection and management of natural resources.


India, Finland to work closely for environment conservation


The death toll from the 7.5-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Indonesia's Sulawesi Island last month has risen to 2,045, authorities said on Wednesday.


Indonesia quake, tsunami toll climbs to 2,045


Australia has a 70 per cent chance of being affected by the El Nino phenomenon by the end of the year, which would aggravate the severe drought suffered by several parts of its territory, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has said.


Australia issues El Nino alert, warns drought conditions may worsen


Hurricane Michael has strengthened to a category three storm, with winds near 193 kmph as it churns towards the Florida coast, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) of the US said.


Hurricane Michael: Storm strengthens to category three


The Supreme Court on Tuesday restricted the import of petcoke by the aluminium industry to 0.5 million tonnes and for the calcining industry to 1.4 million tonnes per year, making it clear that imported petcoke will only be used as feedstock.


SC caps petcoke import for aluminium, calcining industries


Coca-Cola, Pepsi and Nestle are among the companies that contribute most to ocean pollution with single-use plastics, according to a study presented on Tuesday by the "Break Free from Plastic" initiative.


Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Nestle biggest ocean polluters: Report


Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra Singh Rawat on Tuesday flagged off the trial run of an electric bus here.


Electric bus has pilot run in Uttarakhand


Even as India has managed to increase its forest cover to over 20 per cent of its total geographical area, forest fires are a leading cause of degradation of the green cover in the country, a report said on Tuesday.


Fires leading cause of forest degradation in India: Report


Indonesian authorities on Tuesday raised the death toll to 2,010 from the 7.5-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck Sulawesi island on September 28.


Indonesia quake, tsunami toll reaches 2,010


A rare white tiger has mauled a zookeeper to death in its enclosure at a zoo in Japan, an official said.


Rare white tiger kills zookeeper in Japan


The death toll from the heavy rains in Sri Lanka rose to nine on Tuesday, leading to thousands of people being evacuated from their homes, the Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said.


Toll in Sri Lanka rains reaches 9


Coal India Limited (CIL) and NLC India Limited (NLCIL), formerly Neyveli Lignite Corporation Limited, on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for formation of a joint venture (JV) company for solar power generation of 3,000 MW and thermal power projects of 2,000 MW capacity.


Coal India, Neyveli sign MoU for stepping up solar power generation


The Odisha government on Monday directed District Collectors to remain alert over the likely formation of a cyclonic storm over the Bay of Bengal by October 10.


Odisha asks officials to remain alert over cyclonic storm


The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) on Monday said a depression over the Bay of Bengal is likely to concentrate into a cyclonic storm during the next 48 hours.


IMD issues cyclone alert for Odisha


The UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) on Monday said the planet will reach the crucial threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2030, precipitating the risk of extreme drought, wildfires, floods and food shortages for hundreds of millions of people.


Earth will reach 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold by 2030: Report


At least four persons were killed and over 10,000 affected as heavy rains and strong winds lashed Sri Lanka over the weekend, the government said on Monday.


4 killed in Sri Lankan storm


Around 35 exotic birds and animals smuggled into India from Bangkok via Myanmar were seized by DRI personnel at the city's international airport and two persons were arrested, an official said on Sunday.


35 smuggled exotic birds, animals seized in Bengal


Indonesian authorities on Sunday raised the death toll in the devastating earthquake and an ensuing tsunami in Sulawesi Island to 1,763, with at least 5,000 people still reported missing.

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