New York City has reported 18 deaths due to a recent period of extreme cold weather, according to Mayor Zohran Mamdani, as the city experiences one of its longest stretches of sub-zero temperatures in six decades. The cold snap, which began in late January, included 13 days of temperatures at or below 0C (32F). While temperatures are expected to rise this week, they remain below average.
The mayor stated that the city had lost another person "on the streets of our city" over the weekend, adding that "each life lost is a tragedy, and we will continue to hold their families in our thoughts," according to BBC World.
In other news, Bangladesh has secured exemptions for some clothing and textiles made with US-produced materials, as part of a new agreement announced on Monday. The US will also cut its tariffs on Bangladesh from 20 to 19 percent in exchange for Dhaka opening its markets to a wider range of American goods, according to BBC Business. Bangladesh is the world's second-largest exporter of clothes, after China. The South Asian country had been in talks with the White House after President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on global trading partners in April last year.
Meanwhile, a new study from the University of Oxford suggests that AI chatbots pose a "dangerous" risk when giving medical advice. Researchers found that people using AI for healthcare advice were given a mix of good and bad responses, making it difficult to identify trustworthy advice, according to BBC Technology. Dr. Rebecca Payne, the lead medical practitioner on the study, said it could be "dangerous" for people to ask chatbots about their symptoms. A 2025 poll by Mental Health UK found that more than one in three UK residents now use AI to support their mental health or wellbeing.
Also, a major new report warns that businesses risk extinction unless they protect and restore the natural world. The assessment, by Ipbes (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services), is based on contributions from leading scientists and approved by 150 governments. Experts are calling for urgent action to restore the natural systems that keep the economy running, according to BBC Business.
Finally, food crime continues to be a problem, even with improving technology. Food fraud, which can include diluting or substituting ingredients, altering documents, or going through unapproved processes, is difficult to grasp due to underreporting. One 2025 estimate is that food crime costs the global economy around $81 billion (110 billion). Fraudsters often target commonly consumed foods, like dairy, and high-value foods, like olive oil. Honey is frequently among the most common foods that are faked, according to BBC Technology. Plant-based syrup can be half the price of genuine honey, or even less.
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