https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/meghalaya-abode-of-the-clouds-has-indias-highest-rainfall-deficit https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-09-18/9nlsuqpr/1000424058.jpg downtoearth en 2026-09-19T02:30:00.000Z Meghalaya, ‘Abode of the clouds’, has India’s highest rainfall deficit Climate Change, monsoon, Meghalaya, rain, Rainfall, dry monsoon https://www.downtoearth.org.in/science-technology/20-years-of-being-an-outcast https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-09-18/kdna64a9/Untitled-design.png Pluto https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-09-18/tcfy16mg/Moon.png 1. A twilight glow across Pluto’s atmosphere, showing how it is surrounded by a ring of complex, layered atmospheric haze extending more than 128 km into space. The backlit view reveals Pluto’s haze-rich nitrogen atmosphere and distinct thermal layers, providing key data on atmospheric pressure and interaction of methane and nitrogen under solar ultraviolet light. 2. This image, taken on October 21, 2003, was used in the discovery of Eris. 3. Portrait of Pluto and its binary companion Charon, composed from images taken by NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft in July 2015. downtoearth en 2026-09-19T02:30:00.000Z 20 years of being an outcast Pluto planet, Pluto demotion, dwarf planet, planet definition, IAU resolution, New Horizons, Pluto reclassification, Make Pluto, Kuiper Belt, Eris discovery, trans Neptunian, solar system, Alan Stern, Mike Brown, planet debate https://www.downtoearth.org.in/health/simply-put-infant-deaths-in-uttarkashi https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-09-18/zkq56t65/Simply-Put-18-Sept-hero-image-copy.jpg https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-09-18/4taw6uy2/Simply-Put-18-Sept-Uttarkashi-1-copy.jpg downtoearth en 2026-09-18T14:08:39.528Z Simply Put: Infant deaths in Uttarkashi Health, doctor shortage https://www.downtoearth.org.in/wildlife-biodiversity/permission-granted-to-cut-more-than-156000-sal-trees-in-madhya-pradesh https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-09-18/y1718ots/downtoearth-hindi2026-09-17kf05vgczsal-borer-new.jpg The Karanjia range of Dindori is the most severely affected by the sal borer. downtoearth en 2026-09-18T13:30:17.387Z Permission granted to cut more than 156,000 sal trees in Madhya Pradesh sal trees, sal borer, tree felling, Madhya Pradesh, Amarkantak forest, Dindori district, Anuppur district, Karanjia range, forest pest, trap tree, forest clearance, tribal villagers, forest department, sal epidemic, Down To Earth https://www.downtoearth.org.in/governance/one-in-three-gender-equality-institutions-weakened-in-two-years-un-report-warns https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-09-18/5vg7aelz/G6ZdjOSaYAES-Ee.jpeg Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi at the G20 Johannesburg Summit in 2025. UN Women report found political power remains overwhelmingly held by men. downtoearth en 2026-09-18T10:57:39.193Z One in three gender equality institutions weakened in two years, UN report warns Governance, Sustainable development goal, gender equality, UN Women, UN DESA, women’s rights, women in leadership, Gender Snapshot 2026, Gender funding, Women’s rights organisations https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/daily-weather-tracker-bihar-rajasthan-kerala-odisha-sikkim-among-states-to-receive-heavy-rainfall https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-09-18/xytd5j16/1000423805.jpg downtoearth en 2026-09-18T09:47:24.399Z Daily weather tracker: Bihar, Rajasthan, Kerala, Odisha, Sikkim among states to receive heavy rainfall Climate Change, monsoon, Bihar, Sikkim, Odisha, Delhi-NCR, Kerala, Weather, Rajasthan, Thunderstorms https://www.downtoearth.org.in/natural-disasters/possible-cyclone-in-bay-of-bengal-next-week https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-09-18/25hbkoqd/1000423756.png Weather visualisation on windy.com showed the formation of a cyclone with a distorted eye around September 23-24. downtoearth en 2026-09-18T07:09:29.451Z Possible cyclone in Bay of Bengal next week Natural Disasters, Storm, low pressure, Odisha, Cyclone, Bay Of Bengal, Rainfall, Coast, Andhra Pradesh, wind https://www.downtoearth.org.in/water/indias-groundwater-in-persistent-decline-warns-un-report https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-09-18/spuo1qa7/iStock-1128658556.jpg downtoearth en 2026-09-18T06:48:28.436Z India’s groundwater in persistent decline, warns UN report India groundwater, groundwater decline, WMO report, water crisis, groundwater depletion, terrestrial water, Northern India, water balance, over abstraction, freshwater storage, glacier retreat, Punjab groundwater, El Nino, river drought, global water https://www.downtoearth.org.in/climate-change/brown-is-beautiful-what-namibias-capital-windhoek-can-teach-african-cities-as-they-get-hotter-and-drier https://cf-images.assettype.com/downtoearth/2026-09-18/v246stwg/1000423722.jpg Dry countries such as Namibia need solutions designed for scarce water and fragile desert ecosystems. downtoearth en 2026-09-18T06:27:59.768Z Brown is beautiful: What Namibia’s capital Windhoek can teach African cities as they get hotter and drier Climate Change, Africa, World, Global Warming, nature-based solutions, Namibia, Windhoek, climate plans