Earth logs fifth-warmest February on record, EU climate agency reports

World logs fifth hottest February as atmospheric rivers drench western Europe, Copernicus reports The world registered its fifth hottest February on record as extreme rainfall and widespread flooding inundated parts of western and southern Europe, according to the European Union’s Copernicus climate monitor. Global temperatures last month were 1.49C above pre-industrial levels, defined as 1850-1900, underscoring the persistent heat that is shaping weather extremes worldwide. Europe’s picture was split between temperature and…

Bus fire in Switzerland kills at least six, police say

KERZERS, Switzerland — At least six people were killed and three others injured when a bus caught fire on a road in the western Swiss town of Kerzers, prompting police to open a criminal investigation and say early evidence points to a deliberate act by someone on board. Frédéric Papaux, a spokesperson for the Fribourg cantonal police, said investigators had “elements suggesting a deliberate act by a person who was inside the bus,” while cautioning that the precise cause of the blaze remains under investigation. Officers…

Iran suffers heaviest strikes to date, despite markets betting war ends soon

The United States and Israel launched what officials and witnesses described as the most intense airstrikes of the war on Iran, as Tehran fired missiles toward central Israel and Iran-aligned forces expanded drone attacks on U.S. bases in the Gulf. The escalation deepened fears over energy security in the Strait of Hormuz after Iran’s Revolutionary Guard threatened to block oil shipments unless the strikes stop. Israel’s military said it began “an additional wave of strikes” on targets in Tehran shortly after explosions were…

Wegovy may pose greater sudden vision loss risk than other weight-loss injections

Wegovy tied to higher risk of sudden vision loss than Ozempic, analysis suggests Wegovy, the blockbuster weight-loss drug that contains semaglutide, may carry the highest risk of sudden vision loss among semaglutide medicines, according to a new analysis of U.S. safety reports published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. The study linked the injections to ischaemic optic neuropathy — often called an “eye stroke” — and found the odds of the condition were roughly three times higher in men than in women. Semaglutide is…

Turkey Says NATO Air Defenses Intercepted Iranian Ballistic Missile

NATO intercepts suspected Iranian ballistic missile over southern Turkiye, no casualties NATO air defenses intercepted what Turkish authorities said was a ballistic missile launched from Iran toward Turkiye, shooting it down over the Sahinbey district of Gaziantep on Monday as regional tensions intensified amid the United States and Israel’s war against Iran. The Turkish Ministry of National Defence said no casualties or damage were reported and described the operation as a demonstration of Ankara’s readiness to defend its…

Mother behind Coco’s Law: Let Nicole’s story forge a safer future

Irish mother urges EU-wide ‘Coco’s Law’ to combat cyberbullying and AI-altered intimate images STRASBOURG — An Irish woman whose daughter died by suicide after years of abuse urged the European Parliament to adopt stronger, harmonized laws against online harassment and the sharing of intimate images, warning that AI-altered content is making harm “worse and worse.” Addressing members of the European Parliament (MEPs) in Strasbourg to mark International Women’s Day, Jackie Fox called for EU-wide safeguards modeled on…

Kenya: Flood Death Toll Nearly Doubles, Reaching 42

NAIROBI, Kenya — The death toll from torrential rains and flash floods that ripped through Nairobi and other parts of Kenya has nearly doubled to 42, the government said late Sunday, as military-led teams combed submerged neighborhoods and riverbanks for the missing. Intense downpours on Friday swamped roads, swept away vehicles and inundated homes and workshops in low-lying districts, including the Grogan area of downtown Nairobi, a hub for auto garages and spare parts traders. Floodwaters also disrupted traffic at the…

Iran-Israel Strategic Shift: From Proxy War to Direct Confrontation

Iran and Israel long fought in the shadows — through intelligence operations, cyberattacks, covert sabotage and proxy warfare — calibrating pressure without crossing into direct war. That balance is faltering. The shadow conflict is tilting toward open confrontation, reshaping the Middle East’s security architecture and rippling through energy markets, shipping lanes and fragile regional politics from the Strait of Hormuz to the Red Sea and the Horn of Africa. For decades, Tehran relied on partners such as Hezbollah in…

Ghana Urged to Safeguard LGBTQI+ Rights, Human Rights Watch Stresses

Human Rights Watch Urges Ghana to Uphold Equality Amid LGBT Bill Revival Human Rights Watch is calling upon Ghanaian leaders to uphold international legal protections that ensure equality, non-discrimination, freedom of expression, and privacy for all citizens. This urgent appeal follows the recent reintroduction of a controversial bill targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals in the country. The legislation, which aims to expand criminal sanctions against same-sex conduct, was initially passed…

Ohio’s Somali Americans Fear Harassment from ICE and Right-Wing Influencers

‘Operation Buckeye’ and a barrage of online attacks leave Somali Americans in Columbus living with fear — and facing an uncertain future COLUMBUS, Ohio — The men began circling the 161 Child Care center just after dawn. They idled in their cars, cracked their windows and spoke across the December cold: “We’re exposing all of you. Every single one of you, you’re all going back.” Days later, in the early hours of New Year’s Day, someone broke into the Somali American–owned daycare on the city’s north side. For co-owner Abukar…