Taal Volcano in Batangas showed heightened activity anew after at least 10 volcanic quakes around it were recorded in the last 24 hours.

In its 8 a.m. Wednesday bulletin, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said the alert level at Taal remains at "1."

"Taal Volcano's status at Alert Level 1 means that a hazardous eruption is not imminent. However, the public is reminded that the Main Crater should be strictly off-limits due to sudden occurrence of steam explosions and accumulation of toxic gases," it said.

Phivolcs said the northern rim of the Volcano's main crater - in the vicinity of Daang Kastila trail - may also be dangerous when increased steam emission is reactivated along existing fissures.

Phivolcs reminded the public that the entire Volcano Island is a Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ), and permanent settlement in the island is strictly not recommended.

The world is facing an escalating global epidemic. Today, it claims 350,000 deaths per year and in 2030 the annual death toll will be approaching one million -- the majority of them will be children. In addition, the epidemic will lead to dramatic changes in the living conditions for whole continents and several hundred millions -- or possibly billions -- of people will be affected. 15 countries are already acutely affected by the epidemic, while 50 additional countries are at high risk. In two decades, the risk will cover 130 countries.

The worst afflicted areas are the poorest countries, simply because they have the fewest resources to curb with the epidemic. Over the next 20 years Africa is at risk of becoming economically and socially crippled, just as the Middle East and Asia are expected to be negatively affected. The epidemic "infects" not only the people but also the national economies. It will affect the economy in both the industrialized and developing countries, leading to dramatic costs and economic loss. The extent is difficult to calculate. But it is estimated that the epidemic in the years to come will trigger a loss of around $150 billion annually, increasing up to $300 billion over the next 20 years.

The epidemic is out of control, and countermeasures are few and inefficient -- we are running out of ideas, ways and methods for preventing the epidemic from spreading. It can therefore evolve much faster than the first estimates suggest. And in the longer term -- toward the latter part of this century -- it may threaten the entire civilization. There are no methods and models that can calculate both speed and anticipated consequences. But one thing seems certain: The world is confronted with the greatest challenge ever experienced. A challenge that we are certainly not prepared to handle.

Urban planning has never been part of Brazil's political agenda, so when heavy rains come cities are not able to cope

As I write, more than two weeks after the floods began in the mountainous region of Rio de Janeiro state, many communities remain isolated due to landslides on the main access roads.

More than 800 people died and thousands of people have been displaced in the state, according to official figures. One of the worst affected towns is Santa Rita. Dozens of families still depend on helicopters to deliver food, water, and emergency healthcare. In the town of Teresópolis, people are starting to clear debris in the streets by hand, with shovels and brushes. And in Nova Friburgo, families watch, and cry, as their homes are demolished.

In the neighbouring state of São Paulo, the richest in the country, 25 people died because of the heavy rains. In Santa Catarina state, in the south, five people lost their lives and 17,000 had to flee their homes.

The January rains in Brazil are becoming more severe and floods are becoming a routine. But while specialists say it's too early to confirm the heavy rains are caused by climate change, the fact is that Brazilian cities have never been ready for them.

Manila, Philippines - Floods due to non-stop rains still affect parts of the Caraga region in Mindanao, as another low pressure area threatens other areas of Mindanao with flash floods and landslides.

Science and Technology Undersecretary Graciano Yumul, OIC of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said that rain bands are still affecting parts of northeast Mindanao, Bohol, northern Cebu, and the southern parts of Leyte and Samar.

The rain bands are still expected to bring moderate to heavy rains in the area, with the weather station in Hinatuan, Surigao del Norte, recording more than 180 mm of rain in 24 hours, Yumul said.

Meanwhile, Yumul said the low pressure area east of General Santos City is predicted to proceed to the Palawan area, instead of going towards Southern Luzon or the National Capital Region.

He said numerical models indicated the LPA will be in the northern part of the island by Thursday, and will go out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday.

Buildings began collapsing and the number of power outages went up as ice from freezing rain and sleet accumulated Wednesday morning, but Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said the impact from the storm could have been much worse.


"We seemed to have dodged the large ice accumulation, which was our biggest fear," Malloy said during a midday press conference at the Emergency Operations Center this afternoon.

There were about 10,000 power outages reported altogether by Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating, but that number could have been 800,000 if more than half an inch of ice had accumulated, Malloy said.

The weight of snow on roofs continues to be a concern, and Malloy urged residents and business owners to clear their roofs. However, most collapses have occurred on commercial properties.

A massive storm billed as the worst in decades has left vast areas of the United States paralyzed by snow and ice.

Hundreds of motorists were stranded and airports and schools were forced to close.

Chicago received up to 17in of snow, with more still possible, and up to 18in fell on Missouri.

More than a foot dropped on northern Indiana and south-east Kansas, while Oklahoma saw similar snowfall. In the north east, parts of northern New York had a foot of snow, while New York City was covered in ice.

In Chicago, the city shut down Lake Shore Drive for the first time in years, and hundreds of motorists were stranded for 12 hours after multiple car accidents on the road.

Raymond Orozco, chief of staff to Chicago mayor Richard Daley, said efforts to rescue motorists were "severely hampered" by snow drifts, high winds and white-out conditions.

Chicago, Illinois - All airlines at Midway International Airport have canceled operations for the rest of the day and up through Wednesday afternoon, as have most airlines at O'Hare International Airport, as a historic blizzard blows into the area.

As CBS 2′s Mike Puccinelli reports, American Airlines shut down operations at O'Hare International Airport for the rest of the day at 4 p.m., up through Wednesday morning and United is drastically limiting flights on Tuesday afternoon at O'Hare. As of 3:30 p.m., more than 1,300 flights had been canceled at O'Hare. Most other airlines were also cancelling all operations until Wednesday at O'Hare.

At Midway International, the airport remains open, but no flights were landing or taking off Tuesday afternoon and operations were not expected to resume until Wednesday afternoon.

The Chicago Aviation Department says that most of the airlines have said that they will either limit or halt flights on Wednesday.

American canceled more than 600 flights at O'Hare alone and shut down its entire operation after 4 p.m. and does not plan to resume flights until noon Wednesday at the earliest.

American Airlines spokesman Ed Martell said a shutdown of operations is an extremely rare event. He said in 10 1/2 years with the company, it has never happened.

We were warned. And Mother Nature did not disappoint.

The great blizzard of 2011 roared into Chicago with mighty force at around 3 p.m. and continues to pound the area.

The deluge of snow and wind knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers, blew out windows and delayed many commuters. Some are still trying to make their way home.

"Main city streets downtown leading to the expressways are now JAMMED," said reporter Dick Johnson, who braved the conditions en-route to a live report. "Seems not enough took the endless warnings and storm start time seriously."

More than 500 troops have been called upon for help.

Gov. Pat Quinn has activated more than 500 Illinois National Guard troops to assist during Chicago's pending snow deluge.

The move is part of state efforts to prep for what could be one of Chicago's biggest blizzards ever. According to a statement from the governor's office, guards will be stationed at rest areas along highways, including I-70 and north of I-70, to help stranded motorists and work with Illinois State Police to ensure driver safety.

Troops will carry emergency supplies, such as water, snack bars and roadside safety tips. They'll also relay info about road conditions and accidents to police.

IF you're struggling to grasp the magnitude of Tropical Cyclone Yasi, consider this: it is so large it would almost cover the United States, most of Asia and large parts of Europe.

Most of the coverage about the scale of Yasi has tried to compare it with storms of the past - it's bigger than Larry, more powerful than Tracy.

But just as powerful is this comparison, showing this storm is continental in size. The main bloc of the cyclone is 500km wide, while its associated activity, shown above in a colour-coding to match intensity, stretches over 2000km.

The storm's scale of destruction is as shocking as it is inevitable. In the map above, the United States from Pennsylvania in the east to Nevada in the west, from Georgia in the south to Canada in the north and well into Mexico would be battered with 300km/h winds and up to one metre of rain.

The economic impact would be felt around the world.