Earth Changes
An earthquake measuring 5.6 degrees on the Richter scale jolted a county in northwest China's Qinghai Province at 5:53 p.m. (Beijing Time) Wednesday, according to China Seismological Bureau.
PARIS - Much of western Europe is sweltering under tropical temperatures, as a heatwave claimed its seventh victim since the start of the week.
Authorities in the eastern French town of Macon said a 53 year-old labourer died overnight of "malign hyperthermia" after working outside in temperatures of 33 degrees Centigrade (91.4 Fahrenheit).
Two elderly people died Tuesday in southwestern France as a result of the heat, and in the Netherlands two people died on the opening day of an annual walking event at Nijmegen.
In Spain a man who died of heat exhaustion in the northwest region of Galicia was the second to succumb after a man died in Murcia in the southeast on Sunday.
Authorities in the eastern French town of Macon said a 53 year-old labourer died overnight of "malign hyperthermia" after working outside in temperatures of 33 degrees Centigrade (91.4 Fahrenheit).
Two elderly people died Tuesday in southwestern France as a result of the heat, and in the Netherlands two people died on the opening day of an annual walking event at Nijmegen.
In Spain a man who died of heat exhaustion in the northwest region of Galicia was the second to succumb after a man died in Murcia in the southeast on Sunday.
Providence, Rhode Island - Fire engulfed a dock area at the Port of Providence on Tuesday night when lightning struck as a tanker was unloading gasoline, sending large plumes of smoke and fireballs into the air.
Officials said the ship was able to safely pull away from the dock.
Officials said the ship was able to safely pull away from the dock.
A 16-year-old girl has survived a direct lightning strike. The gold cross pendant on a chain melted and evaporated from the girl's neck.
Marina Motygina from Ekaterinburg in Russia's Urals went bathing with her friend Anya. She had just got out of water when a thunderstorm broke out, the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily reports.
Marina Motygina from Ekaterinburg in Russia's Urals went bathing with her friend Anya. She had just got out of water when a thunderstorm broke out, the Komsomolskaya Pravda daily reports.
MIAMI - Tropical Storm Beryl, the second named storm of 2006 Atlantic hurricane season, formed off the North Carolina coast Tuesday and a tropical storm watch was issued for the eastern part of the state.
A hurricane reconnaissance aircraft reported that the storm's maximum sustained winds were at least 40 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. At 5 p.m. EDT, Beryl was centered about 180 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras and was moving toward the north at about 6 mph.
The storm is expected to make its closest approach to North Carolina on Wednesday and it was forecast to remain a tropical storm, said hurricane specialist Eric Blake.
A hurricane reconnaissance aircraft reported that the storm's maximum sustained winds were at least 40 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. At 5 p.m. EDT, Beryl was centered about 180 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras and was moving toward the north at about 6 mph.
The storm is expected to make its closest approach to North Carolina on Wednesday and it was forecast to remain a tropical storm, said hurricane specialist Eric Blake.
NORFOLK, Va. - Fire ants are showing up in greater numbers in coastal Virginia, much to the alarm of gardeners and farmers who dare disturb their nests.
"The way they bite, you would think they were the size of an alligator ... " said Carl Lohafer, a Virginia Beach resident who discovered colonies in his yard two years ago. "It was like a hot poker jabbing you."
In Virginia and elsewhere, the ants appear to thrive in the favorable climate of the coastal region.
Infestations of the ants have been reported in greater numbers since 2000 than in all of the 1990s, according to Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Plant and Pest Services.
"The way they bite, you would think they were the size of an alligator ... " said Carl Lohafer, a Virginia Beach resident who discovered colonies in his yard two years ago. "It was like a hot poker jabbing you."
In Virginia and elsewhere, the ants appear to thrive in the favorable climate of the coastal region.
Infestations of the ants have been reported in greater numbers since 2000 than in all of the 1990s, according to Virginia's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Office of Plant and Pest Services.
GENEVA - At least 100 people are believed dead or missing and 9,000 are homeless after typhoon rains caused severe flooding and landslides in North Korea, wiping out whole villages, the international Red Cross said.
"In some remote areas, whole villages have been swept away and essential public services, such as health care clinics, have been destroyed," said Jaap Timmer, the head of North Korean operations at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
"In some remote areas, whole villages have been swept away and essential public services, such as health care clinics, have been destroyed," said Jaap Timmer, the head of North Korean operations at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
NEW YORK - US cities opened special "cooling centers" amid a national heat wave that ramped up energy demand and caused a lengthy outage at one of the country's busiest airports.
Temperatures in many regions soared into triple digits, breaking records and leaving resident cradling their air conditioners for comfort.
For New Yorkers, the Big Apple was more like the Baked Apple, and transport woes did nothing to soothe people's frazzled nerves.
Temperatures in many regions soared into triple digits, breaking records and leaving resident cradling their air conditioners for comfort.
For New Yorkers, the Big Apple was more like the Baked Apple, and transport woes did nothing to soothe people's frazzled nerves.
HEFEI, July 6 (Xinhua) -- Seven people were killed and 10.86 million more affected in floods caused by prolonged concentrated torrential rains in Huaihe River drainage basin since last week.
Hard-hit areas included 15 cities of Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, says information from Huaihe River Water Resources Committee of the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources.
Hard-hit areas included 15 cities of Henan, Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, says information from Huaihe River Water Resources Committee of the Chinese Ministry of Water Resources.
MUMBAI - Thousands of people waded through knee-deep water in India's financial hub to reach work on Wednesday as monsoon rains continued to flood homes and disrupt transport in Mumbai.
"Our area has been under two feet water for two days," Sumit Tambhe, a resident of the western suburb of Andheri, said.
Municipal officials asked people to stay at home as much as possible.
"Our area has been under two feet water for two days," Sumit Tambhe, a resident of the western suburb of Andheri, said.
Municipal officials asked people to stay at home as much as possible.
