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Europe heat wave puts all major Italian cities on red alert as Austria sets heat record

ROME (AP) — Italy placed all its major cities under the highest heat alert Thursday as a blistering heat wave gripped Europe, setting a national temperature record in Austria, fueling wildfires in France and disrupting energy and transport systems across the continent. The extreme weather has pushed temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) in several countries, prompting health warnings for millions of people. Scientists and officials warn that such events are becoming more frequent and intense as the climate warms. The current heat wave has exposed vulnerabilities in ...

Unusually intense haboob dust storms strike Phoenix twice this week

PHOENIX (AP) — Dust storms that blanketed the Phoenix area in thick haze this week were among the most intense to hit the region in years, scientists said Thursday. The storms — called haboobs — occur throughout the U.S. Southwest when strong downdrafts from thunderstorms stir up loose dust and dirt that get blown along in front of the approaching storm cell. They can produce massive walls of dust and debris that blind drivers and make people sick. The latest storm rolled in during the early morning hours Thursday, three days after the other one struck. There were no reports ...

Today in History

On Aug. 7, 1974, French high-wire artist Philippe Petit performed an unapproved tightrope walk between the two towers of the World Trade Center in New York, over 1,300 feet above the ground; the event was chronicled in the Academy Award-winning documentary “Man on Wire.” Also on this date: In 1789, the U.S. Department of War was established by Congress. In 1942, U.S. and other allied forces landed at Guadalcanal, marking the start of the first major allied offensive in the Pacific during World War II. In 1960, Cote d’Ivoire gained independence from France. In 1964, ...

Lindsay Clancy sobs during murder trial as jurors view autopsy photos of her youngest child

PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — Lindsay Clancy sobbed uncontrollably Thursday as jurors viewed autopsy photos of the youngest of her three children who she strangled in 2023, until the court eventually had to take an unscheduled break. In the second week of her Massachusetts murder trial, prosecutors brought more friends, a former work colleague and her former father-in-law to testify about Clancy’s mental and emotional state. For the most part, they said she was open about her postpregnancy mental health struggles but seemed like a loving mother who cared for her kids. The prosecution ...

McConnell says he’s leaving rehabilitation center to continue recovery at home

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky says he’s been discharged from a rehabilitation center and will continue his recovery from home. The former Senate leader was first admitted to the hospital on June 14. He disclosed weeks later that his hospitalization was the result of a fall and said he was undergoing physical therapy. McConnell, 84, gave no specific date for his return to the Capitol, but senators are expected to soon leave Washington for the traditional August recess. Votes are unlikely for the next five weeks once they adjourn. “On the advice ...

Rising temperatures could keep more flights from taking off on time

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Airline passengers know to expect possible flight delays when weather forecasts call for thunderstorms, heavy snow or strong wind. The omens are less obvious on a hot summer day with clear skies. Yet extreme heat also disrupts flights and travel plans. On the hottest days, thinner air can make it harder for aircraft to get off the ground safely. Airlines may have to lighten the load by removing passengers or cargo, or carrying less fuel. The snag is well known at airports in desert climates around the world, from the U.S. Southwest to the Middle East. But even less ...