US: Cancer rates are higher near large livestock feeding operations in 3 states, a new study finds
12 April 2026 - People in three states living near large livestock feeding operations experience higher rates of cancer, a new analysis found. Yale University researchers mapped out the concentrated animal feeding operations and overlaid those charts with county-level cancer data. The research accounted for other factors, like the type of facility, management practices and regulatory enforcement. Their findings have prompted concerns from environmental health advocates over how the facilities impact the surrounding air and water -- and by extension human health. (more)

Only 13 countries in the world breathe safe air
25 March 2026 - Only 14 percent of cities worldwide breathe safe air, a drop from 17 percent the previous year. Air quality is deteriorating globally, largely due to human-caused climate change. Wildfire smoke, in particular, drove poor air quality in 2025, along with dust storms and other extreme weather events intensified by fossil fuel burning. (more)

US: EPA eliminates emission standards for new vehicles, motors
12 March 2026 - Dr. Georges C. Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association, said that the Environmental Protection Agency's action to repeal the endangerment finding that greenhouse gases threaten the health of all communities undermines decades of science and rulings by federal courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court. ''Instead of protecting the public's health from the dangerous and deadly effects of air pollution, including greenhouse gases emitted by new cars and trucks, this action will exacerbate the health threats we are already seeing from climate change, including increased heat waves, more air pollution and deadly wildfires,'' Benjamin said in a statement. (more)

Shrinking North American bird population is getting worse faster. Experts blame agriculture, warming
4 March 2026 - Billions fewer birds are flying through North American skies than decades ago and their population is shrinking ever faster, mostly due to a combination of intensive agriculture and warming temperatures, a new study found. (more)

War widens to include Iranian-backed militias as Israeli and American planes pound Iran
2 March 2026 - Iran and allied armed groups fired missiles at Israel, Arab states, and U.S. military targets around the region on Monday, while Israel and the United States pounded Iran as the war expended to several fronts. Kuwait mistakenly shot down three American warplanes over its skies. The intensity of the attacks on both sides, the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and the lack of any apparent exit plan indicated the conflict would not end any time soon. (more)

Excruciating tropical disease can now be transmitted in most of Europe, study finds
18 February 2026 - An excruciatingly painful tropical disease called chikungunya can now be transmitted by mosquitoes across most of Europe, a study has found. ...Chikungunya virus was first detected in 1952 in Tanzania and was confined to tropical regions, where there are millions of infections a year. The disease causes severe and prolonged joint pain, which is extremely debilitating and can be fatal in young children and older adults. (more)

Hazardous substances found in all headphones tested by ToxFREE project
18 February 2026 - You wear them at work, you wear them at play, you wear them to relax. But an investigation into headphones has found every single pair tested contained substances hazardous to human health, including chemicals that can cause cancer, neurodevelopmental problems, and the feminisation of males. (more)

Air pollution may directly contribute to Alzheimer's disease - new study
17 February 2026 - Air pollution has long been linked to heart and lung disease. But a large US study suggests it may also raise the risk of Alzheimer's disease - the most common form of dementia. (more)