xAI’s Colossus supercomputer deployed in Tennessee is the largest source of pollution in Shelby County due to its use of 35 fossil-fueled turbines, which emit 2,000 tons of nitrogen oxides annually. The local African-American community has seen a spike in asthma emergencies, with residents holding up their inhalers and questioning “why can’t I breathe healthy…

In May 2025, nine critically ill patients died after being injected with fentanyl contaminated with Klebsiella pneumoniae in a serious medical incident at the Italian Hospital in La Plata, Argentina. Investigations revealed that the company involved, HLB Pharma Group, had a long history of flawed manufacturing processes and that its medicines had been repeatedly recalled…

May 15, 2025 – According to cnBeta, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced plans to exclude several chemicals from drinking water regulations, including the GenX substance, and proposed to extend compliance for two of the most common permanent chemical substances (PFAS) and create a “framework” to allow additional exemptions. Previously, PFAS were found in at…

May 14, 2025 – Chemical giant 3M has agreed to pay $450 million to settle a lawsuit over natural resource contamination caused by PFAS (Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, commonly known as “permanent chemicals”), the New Jersey Attorney General said. The settlement is seen as a step towards reducing the risk of legacy problems, as these…

On May 10th, a fire broke out in an industrial warehouse in Catalonia, Spain, resulting in the leakage of nearly 70 tons of chlorine-containing chemicals and the release of highly toxic chlorine gas. The incident affected about 150,000 residents in five neighboring municipalities, and civil defense authorities asked residents to keep their doors and windows…

On May 6, 2025, the U.S. Senate passed the Congressional Review Act, repealing key protections in the Clean Air Act for 1,800 heavy polluters such as chemical plants and oil refineries. These businesses will be reclassified as “minor sources” and exempted from the obligation to monitor and control emissions of seven highly toxic substances, including…

The American Lung Association’s annual State of the Air report shows that nearly half of Americans inhale air pollutants at dangerous levels, and more than 156 million Americans live in communities with substandard air quality – a 16 percent increase from the previous year and the highest level in a decade – and that people…

The cumulative number of confirmed Lassa fever cases across Nigeria in January-April 2025 was 674, with 127 deaths, representing a mortality rate of 18.8%, a slight increase from the same period in 2024 (18.5%). The outbreak covers 21 of the 36 states in the country, and it is noteworthy that the youth group aged 21-30…

In April 2025, the South African Supreme Court ruled that the government’s failure to comply with the Highveld Air Quality Management Plan had resulted in an annual average PM2.5 concentration of 65 µg/m³ (the WHO standard is 10 µg/m³) in the industrial region, which was responsible for the premature deaths of 10,000 people per year.…

In April 2025, heavy rains in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, cause flooding that paralyzes traffic, cuts off water and electricity, and kills 33 people. The government activates the military to evacuate the population and launches water ferries to secure airport operations. Floods in the country killed 100 people in…