Avalanches, Plane, Migrant Ship: Deadly Week's Toll

A series of tragedies unfolded across the globe this week, including a deadly avalanche in Italy, a migrant boat capsizing in the Mediterranean, and a plane crash in Somalia. Additionally, a Disney advertisement was banned, and a trial began examining the effects of social media addiction.

In Italy, at least a dozen skiers, climbers, and hikers died in the country's mountainous terrain, according to Fox News. The avalanches, triggered by exceptionally unstable conditions on ungroomed backcountry slopes, occurred just as the Winter Olympics began in the region. While authorities stated that the game sites remain safe, the incidents resulted in a record-setting number of deaths. The Associated Press reported a total of 13 deaths.

Meanwhile, in the Mediterranean Sea, a migrant boat capsized off the Libyan coast, leaving 53 people dead or missing, the UN migration agency reported. Only two survivors were rescued. The International Organization for Migration said the boat overturned north of Zuwara on Friday, marking the latest in a string of tragedies on the central Mediterranean route.

In Somalia, a pilot was praised after crash-landing a passenger plane on the shoreline near the capital's international airport, BBC World reported. All 55 people on board survived the incident, which occurred after the aircraft experienced a technical fault shortly after takeoff. The pilot's quick thinking was crucial in saving the passengers and crew, according to Starsky Aviation.

Elsewhere, a Disney advertisement featuring a severed body was banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), BBC Business reported. The ASA found the advert for the Predator Badlands film was likely to frighten and cause distress to children. Disney argued the severed body was that of a robot.

Finally, a landmark trial began in California examining the mental health effects of Instagram and YouTube, BBC Technology reported. Lawyers for the plaintiff, identified as "K.G.M.," argued that the social media companies created "addiction machines." "These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children, and they did it on purpose," said Mark Lanier, the plaintiff's lawyer.