Severe

• Egypt's Ministry of Water Resources announced Friday that the Nile River has reached its lowest water level in five decades, threatening agricultural production for 105 million people and jeopardizing regional hydroelectric power generation. • The drought, attributed to prolonged upstream precipitation failures and upstream dam construction by Ethiopia, could reduce Egypt's wheat harvest by 18% this season, prompting emergency grain imports. • Egypt's government appealed to the UN and international donors for humanitarian assistance, warning of potential food security crisis and mass displacement in rural farming communities by summer.

About 26 million people are under tornado watches from Wisconsin to Oklahoma, according to one reportA stretch of the midwestern states is at risk of severe weather, forecasters warned on Friday, as tornadoes battered towns across the central US region, leaving behind debris and destroyed property.According to the National Weather Service, severe thunderstorms may be seen in north-west Oklahoma through western Missouri during Friday afternoon and evening. Continue reading...

Thousands face power outages and a number of schools close across region as forecasters warn of hail and floodingSign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxA day after severe storms damaged communities in the Plains and the midwest, forecasters warned that storms could bring giant hail, tornadoes and severe wind gusts to the regions again on Tuesday afternoon and evening.Authorities in Kansas reported several people with minor injuries after storms passed through on Monday. Three people were left with minor injuries in rural Franklin county, about 50 miles (80km) south-west of Kansas City, according to the sheriff’s office. In the town of Ottawa, officials said there was structural damage, but no deaths or injuries. A National Weather Service survey team will assess damage in the Ottawa area on Tuesday to determine whether a tornado passed through there, according to Chelsea Picha, a meteorologist with the weather service’s office in Topeka. Continue reading...

• The UN World Food Programme reported on April 7 that Syria faces its worst food insecurity crisis in over a decade, with 16 million people—over half the population—unable to meet basic nutritional needs. • Persistent drought, currency collapse, and ongoing conflict have depleted grain reserves and disrupted agricultural production; humanitarian agencies warn of malnutrition reaching dangerous levels among children. • The US pledged $80 million in humanitarian assistance channeled through international organizations; however, political divisions over Syria's government complicate aid delivery and coordination.

While path and strength of storm remain uncertain, BoM warns Cape York could again take direct hit if cyclone makes landfallGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAnother cyclone may hit the Queensland coast less than three weeks after the same area was smashed by Severe Tropical Cyclone Narelle, the Bureau of Meteorology says.But a meteorologist warned forecasts predicting the path and strength of Severe Tropical Cyclone Maila remained uncertain, with the storm likely to make landfall over the weekend. Continue reading...

Trans and gender-diverse people experience ‘significant and preventable barriers to their safety and dignity’, report findsGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe sex discrimination commissioner says there has been a concerted disinformation campaign against transgender rights since Australia’s postal survey on same-sex marriage.The Australian Human Rights Commission released a report on Tuesday – coinciding with international trans day of visibility – finding that trans and gender-diverse people experience “significant and preventable barriers to their safety, dignity and full participation in society” spanning healthcare, housing, education, employment and public life. Continue reading...

Flash flooding threatens the wheatbelt region and Perth, as weather system expected to continue south-east from Geraldton on SaturdayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastEx-Tropical Cyclone Narelle was downgraded to a tropical low on Saturday morning after making landfall in Western Australia on Friday.Storm-ravaged communities were warned not to let their guard down, however, as residents along the state’s coastline prepared to assess the trail of damage along the Pilbara and North West Cape. Continue reading...

• Three historical factors that preceded double-digit stock-market declines are present simultaneously in 2026, according to DataTrek co-founder Nicholas Colas, signaling heightened risk for U.S. equity investors. • The S&P 500 has dropped 4.7% in March alone and is down 4.2% year-to-date, on track for its worst monthly performance since March 2025 and first quarterly loss since Q1 2025. • Despite warning signs, Colas maintains a cautiously optimistic outlook, stating there is still time to avoid a double-digit loss if Middle East tensions de-escalate swiftly and crude-oil prices decline.

Officials warn some residents could be trapped by rising waters as Wahiawā dam on Oahu ‘may collapse at any time’Sign up for the Breaking News US email to get newsletter alerts in your inboxTowering flash floods and an imminent dam failure in the northern part of Oahu triggered evacuation warnings in Hawaii on Friday, as the state continued contending with a powerful storm this week.The waters came on quickly in the middle of the night, and videos on social media captured inundated streets and cars being swallowed by the muddy floodwaters. Continue reading...

Flight 41 from Los Angeles encountered patch of rough air shortly before landing in Sydney, leaving four crew injuredThree flight attendants were taken to hospital from Sydney airport on Friday morning after their plane hit a bad patch of turbulence just before landing.Delta flight 41 from Los Angeles encountered the turbulence during its descent into Sydney, with four crew members injured, a Delta spokesperson confirmed. Continue reading...

Massive storm tracking a path to Queensland coast, which intensified offshore Thursday morning to category five, fuelled by warm waters in Coral SeaFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSevere Tropical Cyclone Narelle is expected to make landfall in far north Queensland on Friday morning as a monster category four storm, bringing destructive wind gusts in excess of 225km/h, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.The severe cyclone rapidly intensified over the past 48 hours and on Thursday morning had built to a category five storm that was barrelling west, sitting about 500km east of the small town of Coen. Continue reading...

• The NYC Health Department issued an advisory confirming the first severe mpox clade I case in a city resident, marking the initial detection of this more virulent strain in New York. • Mpox clade I is one of two main genetic groups of the virus, known for causing more severe illness compared to clade II. • This development raises concerns for public health monitoring and response in urban areas amid ongoing global mpox transmission risks.

The microbes that live in our mouth and gut may influence whether an allergic reaction to peanuts is mild or life-threatening, and could be harnessed to ward off a severe attack

President Donald Trump threatened severe retaliation against Iran on March 13, 2026, following multiple drone strikes on Saudi Arabia and related terror incidents in the US. In a Fox News interview, Trump commented on Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, stating, "I think he's damaged, but I think he's probably alive in some form." The US military reported four crew members killed in a refueling aircraft crash amid heightened tensions. These developments raise alarms about IRGC influence and potential escalation in the region.

President Donald Trump threatened severe retaliation against Iran on March 13, 2026, following multiple drone strikes on Saudi Arabia and related terror incidents in the US. In a Fox News interview, Trump stated Iran's new Supreme Leader is 'damaged, but probably alive in some form' amid reports of internal regime messages with errors possibly dictated by the Revolutionary Guard. The US military reported four crew members killed in a refueling aircraft crash linked to the tensions. These developments heighten fears of escalation as Iran appoints Mojtaba Khamenei as leader against his father's wishes, with experts citing regime assets as key to their fight.

The American Meteorological Society submitted an official response to the National Science Foundation on March 13, 2026, warning that the Trump Administration's proposed dismantling of the National Center for Atmospheric Research would have severe consequences for weather research and innovation across the United States. The AMS emphasized that NCAR serves as the intellectual center of the American atmospheric sciences community and plays a central role in weather forecasting, climate research, and protecting life and property through improved environmental information and predictions. Rather than dismantling the facility, the AMS recommends that the NSF engage in a rigorous, open, and systematic process to develop a strategy to enhance scientific innovation while maintaining NCAR's integrated leadership and crucial partnerships with government, academic, and private sector organizations.