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Powerful storms and suspected tornadoes slam Midwest, leaving nearly 1 million without power

Severe weather cut power to nearly 1 million customers in the Midwest as perilous thunderstorms and extreme wind gusts pummeled the region Tuesday. Tornado warning sirens howled as the skies darkened. All flights were temporarily stopped at Chicago’s two major airports, and officials warned of delays as the backlog was cleared. According to the flight…

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Costa Rica’s recently discovered “coffee frogs” sing in plantations, but pesticides threaten them

A tiny greenish, nocturnal frog that thrives in coffee plantations was discovered in Costa Rica’s central Pacific region, where it also faces risks from agrochemicals used in farming. Measuring less than 4 centimeters and known as the “spring frog,” AFP reporters observed the dark green-spotted amphibians in San Lorenzo de Tarrazu. “It’s a new species…

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2 firefighters die in Greece as crews in France fight massive blaze 4 times the size of Paris

Two firefighters died Wednesday while battling a blaze on the Greek island of Crete, officials said, while crews in southern France worked to extinguish a massive, uncontained wildfire that had spread to roughly four times the size of Paris. Across Europe, firefighters confronted a dangerous combination of high temperatures, drought and powerful winds, compromising containment…

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The biggest weather risk for homeowners? It’s no longer hurricanes.

Tornadoes, hail and powerful winds linked to climate change now pose a bigger threat to homeowners than floods, hurricanes and other forms of extreme weather, according to new research.  In 2025, insurance payouts from “severe convective storms” (SCS) surpassed those resulting from cyclones, making them the costliest insured natural disasters in the world, climate risk…

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