🌡️ 193 billion working hours lost to heat?

🎵 Currently listening: Mahiya Mahiya

Good morning.

November is here, and there's quite a bit to catch up on.

Today, a teenager turns a frightening moment into a clever invention, a new report reveals what rising temperatures are costing India, and I've got a small trick for getting a word in when someone won't stop talking.

Let's get into it.

When a classmate fainted, 15-year-old Aanya Mansani realised nobody nearby knew her medical details or whom to contact.

So she helped create Emergen, a QR-code system that gives people quick access to emergency information, including allergies, medications and emergency contacts, without downloading an app.

The invention has already won the junior division's top prize at the 2026 Technovation World Summit.

Hotter days can be exhausting. But how much are they actually costing India?

A new Lancet Countdown report has some startling answers.

Researchers estimate that India lost an average of 193 billion potential working hours every year to heat exposure between 2016 and 2025.

That's 75% more than in the 1990s.

And in 2025 alone, heat-related work losses translated into an estimated $174 billion in potential lost earnings, equivalent to around 4.2% of India's GDP.

These are estimates of work and income that could have been earned, not money directly deducted from the economy.

Think about farmers, construction workers, delivery riders and everyone else whose work keeps them outdoors.

Extreme heat can make working longer hours dangerous, reduce productivity and put pressure on people's incomes.

And the problem goes beyond work. The report estimates that Indians lost an average of 64 hours of sleep a year because of hot nights between 2021 and 2025.

Here’s the full breakdown→| Read the Lancet Countdown report

Instead of waiting for a pause that never comes, try jumping in with a quick “That's a great point!” followed by “I wanted to add something…”

And if that doesn't work, there are a few other ways to handle someone who takes over the conversation. Read all five tips here - Thank me later.

Take your pick. The answer is at the end.

🪔 Diwali: The Supreme Court has allowed certified green firecrackers in Delhi-NCR on November 7–8, but only during specified morning and evening hours. The complete ban returns November 9.

🏸 Sports: Double delight for Indian badminton. PV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen have won the women's and men's singles titles at Germany's Hylo Open, both in straight games.

🚆 Rail Travel: Travelling by train? Charging sockets must stay off from 11 pm to 5 am. Railways has ordered stricter enforcement of an existing rule after a power-bank incident.

✈️ Air Travel: From January 2027, airlines must clearly disclose fares and charges, while the government can intervene in pricing under exceptional circumstances.

🎎 Northeast: Imphal–Japan Harmony Week is bringing exhibitions, films and cultural exchanges to Manipur's Imphal Peace Museum, celebrating a connection shaped by history.

☀️ Energy: India's rooftop solar boom brings an unexpected challenge: keeping the power grid stable when solar systems suddenly disconnect. Sri Lanka's recent blackout has put the issue in focus.