Introduction
SOT: “The climate time bomb is ticking.”
The U.N. just issued another dire warning about climate change. I’ll tell you why they’re worried. Plus – today marks the beginning of one of the world’s biggest religious holidays.
Those stories and more today on… Notice News Daily.
U.N. Issues New Dire Climate Warning
Happy Wednesday, everyone. It’s Jonathan here at Notice HQ in Brooklyn. Our top story today:
A new report says the Earth will hit a critical point when it comes to global warming – and if countries don’t act now, the planet may overheat to a dangerous new level. That’s according to a new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of experts convened by the United Nations.
SOT: “Humanity is on thin ice, and that ice is melting fast. As today’s report of the International Panel on Climate Change, the IPCC details, humans are responsible for virtually all global heating over the past 200 years.”
They say on average, the Earth is 1 point 1 degrees Celsius warmer since the Industrial Revolution began in the 1850s. But that number continues to rise, causing severe weather conditions that impact everyone on the planet.
Experts say that if the temperature reaches 1 point 5 degrees, the results will be catastrophic – risking more severe weather, food and water shortages, and conflict.
The U.N. panel’s window to prevent this is rapidly closing – and carbon emissions must be cut in half by the mid 2030s in order to meet the 1 point 5 degree goal.
To accomplish this, the to-do list is long. They say the world needs to transform agriculture and eating habits, speed the transition to green energy, and rich countries must go further in reducing emissions.
The U.N. worries that current climate agreements might not go far enough, and global warming could reach as high as 3.2 degrees Celsius by the end of the century at current policy levels.
Headlines
Here’s what else is making news right now…
Barricades have been put up all over New York City as the city braces for protests over a possible indictment of former President Donald Trump. Trump said he expects to be arrested and called on his supporters to protest.
The Los Angeles County School District, the second largest in the country, canceled school yesterday when school support staff – like bus drivers, cooks, and teacher’s aides – went on strike. The union says the average worker makes $25,000 per year – and they want a raise.
And – President Biden will create two new national monuments in Nevada and Texas. 514,000 acres of land between the two monuments will be declared public and preserved.
Islamic Holiday Ramadan Begins
Today marks the beginning of one of the world’s most celebrated religious holidays. Ramadan is an Islamic holiday where adherents to Islam, or Muslims, fast for 30 days.
According to tradition, it was during the month of Ramadan that God delivered to the Prophet Mohammed the Quran, Islam’s holy book. To mark this occasion, all month long, Muslims refrain from eating or drinking anything, including water, as well as any activity that’s considered a vice, from sunrise to sunset.
During the 30-day fast, Muslims put a more intentional effort into following the teachings of Islam, including acts of charity and nightly prayers. While generally everyone is expected to participate in the fast, there are exceptions made for those who have health conditions, are pregnant, or are too young or old to participate safely.
Some experts compare it to the 40-day season of prayer and fasting in Christianity called Lent, or the Jewish holiday of fasting, Yom Kippur. Ramadan though falls on a different date every year because Muslims have a calendar based on the movements of the moon. That’s called a lunar calendar.
Islam is the 2nd most followed religion in the world, just behind Christianity. It’s also the 3rd most practiced religion in the United States; approximately 4.5 million people practice Islam here, which is about 1.3% of the population.
The best part of Ramadan though? Most people say it’s the iftar – a big meal with family and friends that’s held after sundown and evening prayer to break the day’s fast.
To our Muslim friends, Happy Ramadan – or Ramadan Mubarak.
Conclusion
That’s it for today – but let’s see how closely you were paying attention. Go take the Notice News quiz on our website noticenews.com.
I’ll be back tomorrow with more from us, Notice News.