On Monday, President Donald Trump took unprecedented steps toward federalising Washington, D.C., saying it’s needed to fight crime even as city leaders pointed to data showing violence is down.
He took command of the police department and deployed the National Guard under laws and Constitutional powers that give the federal government more sway over the nation’s capital than other cities.
So far, in many parts of Europe, carnage has hit—It's being called 'The Summer the Continent Burned.' But we have wildfires every year! I hear you saying, and yes, we do, but—these fires are breaking out earlier every year, becoming more intense, and are increasingly uncontrollable.
Today, emergency crews are battling multiple wildfires across Spain and Portugal, as a record-breaking heatwave continues across Europe, with temperatures in the mid-40s °C (104°F). Extreme temperatures in Spain and Portugal are expected to continue until at least Wednesday, officials say, with forecasts reaching up to 44C.
Meanwhile, large parts of Scandinavia are suffering from smog and poor air quality from the massive and out-of-control wildfires in Canada. 2025 is already the second-worst wildfire outbreak in recorded history, and we are still in early August. During the weekend, Greece was once again in the news with more fires near Athens, Keratea, and Olympia, whipped by gale-force winds, which have left one dead and towns in ruin.
In Italy’s Mount Vesuvius, Historic trails have been closed as hundreds of hectares burn, with investigators suspecting arson. In France’s Aude region, the worst fires since 1949 have left vineyards torched, and many casualties have been reported. In Turkey, just like France, Greece, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, unlivable furnace-like 50 °C (122°F) heat drives the engine of deadly wildfires, with 17 dead and mass evacuations reported all over Europe as conditions become more and more unlivable!.
By late July, EU wildfires had already scorched 292,855 hectares — nearly double the 19-year average.
And the heatwaves keep coming—France, Spain, Italy, Greece and Turkey all surpassed 40 deg C (104 °F). A historic heatwave gripped Israel this weekend. The Israel Meteorological Service said Sunday that the worst conditions are expected on Tuesday and Wednesday, when the Jordan Valley could climb to 51C (124F), approaching the pre-state record of 54C registered in 1942. Around the Sea of Galilee, readings may hit 49C (120F), surpassing the area's current high of 47C. Jerusalem is likely to top 40 °C (104°F)
Romania has issued a red alert as a heat wave intensifies in southwest Europe. The United Kingdom, not always known for heatwaves, is bracing for another one! A chance of record-breaking temperatures in Wales yesterday. Meanwhile, in Croatia, Dubrovnik, a severe weather alert was issued as temperatures approached 40°C yesterday. Hungary is expecting extreme heat today, with temperatures near record highs. In Spain's Canary Islands. A very rare red weather warning was issued for extreme heat, with temperatures surpassing 40 °C. Across Europe, temperatures have repeatedly smashed 40 °C.
In Cyprus, a blaze near the capital, Limassol, during a 44 °C heatwave killed two and wiped out whole communities. Even Scotland has got in the act. The Highlands endured their largest wildfire in history—11,827 hectares destroyed.
Away from Europe, a powerful heatwave struck eight Arab countries on Monday, including Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. Forecasts indicate temperatures in Greater Cairo could surpass 40 °C (104°F), with the heat index reaching 43°C (109°F). Meanwhile, Upper Egypt endured temperatures climbing as high as 46°C (115°F) in shaded areas, with a heat index nearing 47°C (116°F). In Iraq, the Meteorological Organisation predicted dust storms along with blistering temperatures between 49 and 50°C (120 to 122°F) on Tuesday across nine provinces. On Monday, highs were forecasted to reach 50°C (122°F) in Baghdad, Babil, Karbala, Najaf, and Dhi Qar; 51°C (124°F) in Muthanna; and 47°C (117°F) in Basra.
Across the pond, North America is ablaze. Colorado's Lee Fire has hit 50,000 acres. Meanwhile, California's Gifford Fire has today hit 100,000 acres.
Arizona's Dragon Bravo Fire another 130,000 acres, with at least another 38 large wildfires raging across nine US states.
Early last month, the floodgates opened in Central Texas, and more than 20 inches of rain fell, killing 135 people, mostly in Kerr County. The speed and fury of the floods caught adults and children off guard, causing devastation in just minutes in many areas. In Nebraska & Midwest, 80+ mph winds left one dead and hundreds displaced, power knocked out, and rain swamped Wisconsin.
According to the BBC, while torrential rains lash China, Pakistan and parts of India, sweltering heat has enveloped Japan and South Korea as extreme weather claims hundreds of lives in the region. Record heat in Japan marked its hottest day on record on Tuesday, with 42 °C (107°F) registered in Isesaki city, Gunma prefecture.
The country had also experienced its hottest-ever June and July this year.
Fifty-six people are believed to have died from heatstroke between mid-June and the end of July, Tokyo's medical examiner's office said earlier this week.
South Korea marked a record streak of 22 "tropical nights" in July, where temperatures exceeded 25 °C.
Last month, the country's emergency services also reported a surge in calls about heat-related illnesses.
Parts of Vietnam are also baking in unprecedented heat, with Hanoi recording its first-ever August day above 40C. The capital city has turned into "a pan on fire" in the last few days, Nam, a construction worker, told AFP.
Afghanistan taxi drivers use handmade coolers to beat the heat. It's a different picture in China, where floods across the country, from Shanghai to Beijing, have killed many in recent weeks. The flooded streets are threatening to worsen an outbreak of the mosquito-borne chikungunya virus in the province.
Such rains are frequent in southern China at this time of the year, but have been enhanced further by tropical storm activity, more especially in the last month. Mountainous districts of the capital, Beijing late last month were hit by deadly floods late last month, which killed dozens, including 31 residents in an eldercare home. More than 100 people are missing in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand after a cloudburst – an extreme, sudden downpour of rain over a small area – triggered flash floods.
In Pakistan, nearly 300 people, including more than 100 children, have died in rain-related incidents since June. The deluge has also destroyed hundreds of homes and buildings - at least a quarter of schools in the Punjab province have been partially or completely damaged, according to British aid agency Save the Children.
Tuesday also brought more than 350mm of rain to Hong Kong, which reports say makes it the city's wettest August day since 1884.
For context, Hong Kong gets about 2400mm a year, most of which falls in summer between June and August.
The Price Tag
Climate-related disasters in 2025 are projected to cost $145 billion in insured losses alone. The human cost? Unmeasurable. Summer 2025 has made one thing painfully clear: extremes are no longer rare events—they are the new climate reality. The question isn’t if the next one will come… It’s where and how soon.
Quakes and Volcanoes
Major Quakes
Major earthquakes and volcanic activity have also played a major role in the last couple of months. Once again, while people looked away! Well, they would, wouldn't they, with all the other stuff going on! A major spike of seismic and volcanic activity in the summer months has shocked many experts and people like me, especially when one considers that 2025 started out as a very slow year, possibly the slowest start this century. However, since the 1st of June, 43 major quakes (mag 6 or higher) have been recorded by USGS, with all but 2 of them along the Ring of Fire. In the same period last year, only 20 major quakes occurred and the year before that, also 20. In the year 2022 (same period), a mere 14. So, yes, there’s a clear uptick in M 6+ earthquakes when compared to the same summer period of other years—87 already recorded partway through 2025 suggests above-average activity. But that pales into significance with the count of 42 in the last 70 days . . . Additionally, strong clustering in areas like Kamchatka/Kurils underscores concentrated seismic surges.
Without full-year data for previous years, it’s hard to be definitive—but the patterns so far do point to heightened seismic activity.
Volcanoes
In the Philippines, the Kanlaon Volcano eruptions have displaced 28,000+ people, destroying crops, as mountains of ash and lava flows continue. Another volcano in the Kamchatka area erupted, the second since the M8.8 mega quake at the beginning of August. The Krasheninnikov Volcano erupted for the first time in 600 years. The Klyuchevskaya Sopka volcano nearby erupted on Friday, also after the M8.8.
Volcano activity in the past few months has seen a spike, just like the major quakes. As of mid-July 2025, around 44 volcanoes were classified as having continuing eruptions (intermittent activity within the past three months) according to the Smithsonian/USGS. This aligns with the historical norm of 40–50 such volcanoes globally, which is quite incredible. Some notable ones include:
Reykjanes (Iceland) – Eruption began mid-July. Specifically, the Sundhnúkur fissure erupted on July 16, making it the 12th eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula since 2021.
The Kirishimayama volcano (Japan) has shown continuing activity since late June. Kanlaon (Philippines) – Ongoing activity; alert level reduced in late July as activity declined, but has since erupted again. The Klyuchevskoy, Karymsky, Bezymianny (Russia), Lewotolok, Lewotobi, Merapi (Indonesia), Etna (Italy), Kilauea (USA), among others, are also in a continuing eruption phase.
Significant recent eruptions in Kamchatka, Russia. A powerful 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck the region in late July, triggering a rare “parade” of eruptions. Six volcanoes — Krasheninnikov, Klyuchevskaya Sopka, Shiveluch, Bezymianny, Karymsky, and Avachinsky—all became active shortly after the massive quake. Krasheninnikov notably erupted for the first time in ~600 years on August 3, sending ash plumes up to 8.5 km high.
Mount Lewotobi Laki-Laki, Indonesia, erupted in June and August 2025. This Indonesian volcano produced dramatic ash plumes: In mid-June, Ash soared to 11 km, prompting heightened alert levels.
The Kīlauea volcano, in Hawaii, continues to erupt actively from the Halemaʻumaʻu crater. Recently, it produced its 30th eruption in less than a year, with lava fountains ranging from 150 to 300 feet high.
We’re seeing a highly dynamic volcanic period — especially in classic hotspots like the Ring of Fire and tectonic plate boundaries. Earthquakes, such as the big one in Kamchatka, can act as triggers by destabilising magma systems already under pressure. Meanwhile, Iceland and Indonesia remain highly active zones with ongoing eruptions. The geological numbers suggest a high level of volcanic activity, but not necessarily an unprecedented spike. However, certain regions (like Kamchatka, Indonesia, Hawaii, and the Pacific seabed) are experiencing heightened—and in some cases historic—activity, which merits close scientific attention.
Solar Activity and Spaceweather
Surprisingly, I guess, especially with giant sunspots facing Earth earlier in the week, the last seven days have produced just a handful of M-Class flares; however, a giant coronal hole on the surface of our star did produce a large Earth-directed CME earlier this week, see pic below.
Summer 2025 has witnessed heightened solar activity, characteristic of the solar maximum phase of Solar Cycle 25. However, the last notable X-Class flare was back in the middle of May, when a powerful X2.7-class solar flare erupted from sunspot AR4087, causing radio blackouts across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East; luckily, the flare missed us.
On July 12, 2025, A massive solar prominence, dubbed "The Beast," was observed. This plasma plume, over 13 times Earth's width, showcased "coronal rain" as plasma blobs fell back to the solar surface. While it didn't affect Earth, it highlighted the sun's increased activity. Live Science
Sunspot activity has been robust:
July 20, 2025: Sunspot region DKI 22 (AR4143) exhibited 12 sunspots.
Space
July 25, 2025: Sunspot region DKI 23 (AR4149) had 20 sunspots, marking one of the most active regions of the year. These sunspots are indicative of the sun's magnetic activity, leading to increased solar flares and CMEs. Spaceweather Live
Noctilucent Clouds
Noctilucent clouds, or polar mesospheric clouds, have been observed at lower latitudes this summer. First reported in Russia on May 28, 2025, these electric-blue clouds reached Paris, France, during a major outbreak on June 23, 2025. Spaceweather.com
Perseid Meteor Shower: Peaking around August 11–13, 2025, this annual event is expected to offer a spectacular display of meteors. However, the bright full moon on August 9 may hinder visibility.
beaumontenterprise.com
Below, Comet 31-ATLAS—3I/ATLAS was discovered on 1 July 2025[f] by the NASA-funded ATLAS survey telescope at Río Hurtado, Chile (observatory code W68). At apparent magnitude 18, the newly discovered object was entering the inner Solar System at a speed of 61 km/s (140,000 mph; 220,000 km/h) relative to the Sun, located 3.50 AU (524 million km; 325 million mi) from Earth and 4.51 AU from the Sun, and was moving in the sky along the border of the constellations Serpens Cauda and Sagittarius, near the galactic plane. Wikipedia.
One Harvard astronomer is suggesting that the interstellar object could be an engineered ship — rather than a natural comet. Avi Loeb, the chief of Harvard's astronomy department, told CNN that the 31/ATLAS interstellar object detected by the Deep Random Survey remote telescope in Chile could have an alien origin.
"The brightness of the object implies a diameter of 20 km, and there is not enough rocky material in interstellar space to deliver such a giant object per decade," Loeb said. We are living in wonderful times; however, a spaceship disguised as a comet?
By ATLAS/University of Hawaii/NASA - https://science.nasa.gov/solar-system/comets/3i-atlas/, Public Domain, Link
Stay safe, folks, and keep your heart firmly with the Lord!
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