There was less sea ice in the Arctic yesterday than ever before on record — and the melting is continuing, the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center reported. “Today is a historic day,” said Mark Serreze, a senior research scientist at the centre. “This is the least sea ice we’ve ever seen in the [...]

Peru’s prime minister pleaded for emergency aid — ”even coffins” — as the toll from the strongest earthquake to hit this country in 35 years climbed Thursday to 510 dead, more than 1,550 injured and tens of thousands homeless. With both the hospitals and a crowded 18th century church in this city of 130,000 destroyed, [...]

All public offices and schools throughout Taiwan will be closed today and both railway service and domestic flights will be canceled as the island braces for the onslaught of Typhoon Sepat, the strongest storm to hit Taiwan so far this year. Sepat began pounding Taiwan with strong winds and torrential rains, starting yesterday afternoon. About [...]

A powerful earthquake has struck Indonesia, rattling tall buildings and panicking residents. The quake’s epicenter on the main island of Java was 66 miles from Jakarta and it hit with a magnitude of 7.4, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Fortunately, because of the depth of the quake, there was little risk of it generating a [...]

A devastating flood has hit South Asia and resulted in nearly 20 million people being displaced.  The flood has also claimed more than 200 lives. India: 125 people killed and another 12 million stranded, mostly in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and Assam Bangladesh: 64 people have been killed and 7 million are marooned Nepal: Thousands of [...]