safety

Visiting the flood-swamped Zambezi region, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah urged displaced residents to accept government-distributed rice and to cooperate with relocation plans. She delivered the appeal while assessing the unfolding disaster on the ground. Weeks of heavy rain since January have submerged villages in the Kabbe South and Kabbe North constituencies. The rice, donated by South Korea, has drawn pushback from some residents who prefer maize meal and say they are unfamiliar with how to prepare it.…

A cascading series of human failures left nearly every life-saving safeguard ineffective when a ferocious blaze ripped through a Hong Kong housing complex last year, killing 168 people, a public inquiry heard. The fire erupted on 26 November at Wang Fuk Court in Hong Kong's Tai Po district, making it the world's deadliest residential building blaze since 1980. Flames swept through seven of the estate's eight residential blocks, all under renovation. Bamboo scaffolds, protective netting and foam boards wrapped the…

North Western State of Somalia Coast Guard warns holiday travelers: Only it can designate safe swimming zones Hargeisa (AX) — The commander of the North Western State of Somalia Coast Guard urged holidaymakers on Saturday to follow official safety guidance as thousands prepare to flock to Berbera and other coastal towns during Eid and public holidays, warning that only the Coast Guard has legal authority to designate safe areas for swimming. “Anyone who wants to know safe areas for swimming should consult the Coast Guard,”…

MOGADISHU, Somalia — Somalia’s Civil Aviation Authority has suspended several aircraft after inspections uncovered technical faults and non-compliance with international safety standards, escalating scrutiny of the country’s fast-growing aviation market following a Feb. 10 incident that stoked public concern. The regulator said the suspensions aim to strengthen flight safety oversight and restore passenger confidence after a Starsky Aviation plane experienced a technical malfunction shortly after takeoff from Mogadishu’s…

Europe’s scramble to police teen social media use is accelerating, and Ireland is under pressure to decide how far it will go. As Spain, France, Denmark, Greece and Portugal push national age limits — and Australia touts the impact of its world-first under-16s ban — Dublin is drafting a PPS-based age verification system that has already triggered sharp privacy and legal pushback. Spain became the latest EU country to propose restrictions this month. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez vowed to “ban access to social media for minors…

Somalia approves regional maritime safety pact, gains authority to inspect foreign ships MOGADISHU — Somalia’s Council of Ministers on Thursday approved a regional maritime safety agreement that will allow the country to inspect foreign vessels, enforce international shipping standards and better protect its 3,300-kilometer coastline, marking a significant step in rebuilding oversight of a long-neglected maritime sector. The Cabinet endorsed a Memorandum of Understanding among Port State Control authorities in the Indian…

Former U.S. President Donald Trump said the world is “not secure” unless the United States has Greenland, reviving a politically charged debate over the vast Arctic territory’s strategic value and the limits of American influence in the High North. The remark echoes Trump’s 2019 push to explore purchasing Greenland from Denmark, an idea that strained relations with a key NATO ally. At the time, he canceled a planned state visit to Copenhagen after Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called the proposal “absurd,” and…

Poland is mailing 17 million copies of a new civil defense “Safety Guide” to every household, a nationwide push to harden preparedness amid mounting concern over hybrid threats, cyberattacks and tensions along the country’s eastern frontier. The 48-page booklet lays out what to do in an air raid, how to stock up for a long-term blackout, where to find the nearest shelter, how to administer first aid, and the steps to take in the event of biological or nuclear threats. It is designed as a practical, at-home reference for…

TikTok will begin rolling out new age-detection technology across Europe in the coming weeks, the company said, as the ByteDance-owned platform faces mounting regulatory pressure to better identify and remove accounts belonging to children under 13. The previously unreported system follows a year-long pilot in Europe and is designed to strengthen enforcement of TikTok’s minimum-age rules without resorting to blanket, intrusive checks. The company said the tool analyses profile information, posted videos and behavioral…

Crans-Montana’s mayor said no official safety inspections were carried out at the Swiss bar where a New Year’s fire killed 40 people and injured 116, acknowledging systemic failures as the Alpine resort town prepares for a national day of mourning. “Periodic inspections were not conducted between 2020 and 2025. We bitterly regret this,” Mayor Nicolas Feraud told reporters five days after the blaze tore through Le Constellation bar in the early hours of Jan. 1. “We are profoundly sorry. We did not have an indication that the…