Heavy rainfall and flooding that prompted widespread production downgrades and caused considerable damage to crops in Australia's eastern states look set to continue, with the government's Bureau of Meteorology Tuesday posting severe weather warnings for many areas.

Rabobank Australia downgraded its production forecast for Australian cotton, sugar and sorghum crops in 2011, and said there are further downside risks, potentially reducing availability for exports.

Premier Anna Bligh declared the entire northeast state of Queensland a disaster zone after massive rains and flash floods to the west of Brisbane city killed nine people Monday. Bligh said the death toll could double, with scores still missing.

In October 2010, Truthout tested several water and soil samples from the Gulf of Mexico for chemicals in BP's crude oil and toxic dispersants. One sample of dead marine life was also tested.

Truthout also obtained and had analyzed a sample of pure Corexit 9500, one of the toxic dispersants used to sink the crude oil. The dispersants BP has used in the Gulf of Mexico are banned in at least 19 other countries. BP has used at least 1.9 million gallons of the dispersants in the Gulf of Mexico to sink their 4.9 million barrels of crude oil.

The samples were tested in a private lab via gas chromatography by an analyst who requested anonymity.

Lab tests have confirmed oil and chemicals from the dispersants in the samples tested, which contradicts ongoing statements from both BP and the Obama administration that the Gulf of Mexico is safe from the effects of the BP oil disaster.

Corexit 9500

These two vials were filled with saltwater and a small amount of motor oil. Two drops of Corexit 9500 were added to the vial on the left and both vials were gently shaken for 30 seconds. Both samples then sat for one hour before this picture was taken.

The milky color of the water in the vial on the left displays the manner in which the dispersant causes a portion of the oil to dissolve into the water. When crude oil in the Gulf is treated with dispersant, a large portion of the oil is also dissolved into the seawater, allowing harmful volatile contaminants to also dissolve into the water, which would have otherwise evaporated had the oil been sitting on the surface.

This theory is nothing new, but this picture displays this phenomenon visually. After nine days, there was still no sign of any separation between the dissolved oil and water at all. In fact, it currently appears that the effect has only increased over time.

Bulawayo - Despite the current heavy rains pounding the city, the water supply situation remains critical with the four dams currently having a combined total water supply of 40, 69 % compared to 52 % during the same period last year.

In an interview with The Zimbabwean, the mayor, Thaba Moyo, said despite the current rains, the city's dams had received insignificant inflows resulting in major water supply challenges for the city.

"As the year starts, the water supply situation remains critical with current water supply at a total of 40.69 %. Council is monitoring the inflows in this current rainy season and will continue to keep a close eye on the rate of consumption in order to ensure that the situation is kept under control," said the mayor.

He added that the city's water situation has also been worsened by the increasing population.

Thousands of residents of Australia's third-largest city evacuated homes on Wednesday as massive floods threatened to inundate the financial district, sparked panic buying of food and left authorities despairing for more than 90 people missing.

The biggest floods in decades have so far killed 14 people since starting their devastating march across the northern mining state of Queensland last month, crippling the coking coal industry, destroying infrastructure, sending the local currency to four-week lows and threatening to put a brake on the economy.

With a flood surge expected to peak in the Queensland capital of Brisbane, a city of two million, on Thursday, search and rescue crews took advantage of rare sunshine on Wednesday to look for those still missing from tsunami-like flash floods that tore through townships west of the city this week.

"I think we're all going to be shocked by what they find in these towns that were hit by that tsunami yesterday," Queensland state Premier Anna Bligh told local television on Wednesday.

The worsening floods are forcing economists to raise estimates of the economic impact, with one central bank board member quoted on Wednesday as saying the disaster could cost as much as 1 percent of economic growth -- equal to almost $13 billion, double the previous highest estimate.

Sao Paulo - Brazilian authorities say heavy rains have triggered mudslides and floods in southeastern Brazil, killing at least 13 people.

Sao Paulo state civil defense officials say 11 people died when their houses collapsed because of mudslides and two were killed in flash floods.

Heavy rains have been pummeling the region and at least 12 landslides were reported across the state.

Sao Paulo nearly came to halt on Tuesday as flooding blocked traffic in some of the city's main thoroughfares.

Brazil has been severely affected by the rains this year and authorities say the number of people left homeless by flooding has surpassed 100,000 in four southeastern states. More than 30 deaths have been reported.

Johannesburg - South African logistics group Transnet said on Wednesday heavy rains had disrupted its freight rail operations, affecting coal and maize exports.

It said 18 trains of export coal were cancelled last week, and also affected an unspecified quantity of maize exports.

"The lines remain closed until further notice," it said in a statement.

International coal prices have soared following floods in Queensland, Australia that have caused up to 4.5 million tonnes of lost thermal coal exports .

Utilities in Asia are scouring the market for alternative cargoes but will find there is nothing to spare from South Africa because most cargoes are committed and stocks are so low that exporters are struggling to meet existing commitments.

Manila - Forty people were killed and over 1 million people have been displaced by flash floods and landslides brought by heavy rains in central and southern Philippines, China's Xinhua news agency quoted officials as saying Wednesday.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council ( NDRRMC) reported that as of Wednesday, 6:00 a.m. local time, the heavy rains brought by the northeast monsoon and the tailend of a cold front, damaged 898.2 million pesos (US$20.3 million) worth of crops, infrastructure and property.

Seven people remained missing, while eight were wounded.

The NDRRMC said 365,050 people are now in evacuation centers nationwide.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecast the northeast monsoon will continue to prevail over Northern and Central Luzon this week.

The agency warned widespread rains in the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

Rains, staff cuts blamed.

Los Angeles - It's no secret that City Hall has its share of vermin, but up until now it was mostly limited to the two-legged variety.

Not anymore, says KNX 1070′s Claudi Peschuitta.

The situation has reportedly deteriorated to the point that officials have purchased electronic devices known as "rat zappers" designed to trap and kill the rodents.

Some workers have suggested recent staffing cuts combined with a rainy December have contributed to the surge.

Nearly 9,000 people have escaped floods of rainwater mixing cold lava and mud resulted by the eruption of Mount Merapi volcano in October at Yogyakarta of Java island, Indonesia, an official said Wednesday.

The number of evacuee kept rising since rain poured down the slope of the volcano on Jan. 10, an official of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency who asked to be anonymous said.

"Today, more than 1,500 people escaped the floods, putting the total evacuees since Jan. 10 to 8,830 people, the figure may rise, " he said at the agency's office.

The evacuees had taken shelters to government office, buildings, schools, and mosques, the official said.

The floods cause a river to overflow and damaged houses and other buildings, he said.

The flooding has killed one so far.

The U.S. is shivering in the grips of a freezing winter with 49 of its 50 states now having snow on the ground.

Two winter storms have dumped several inches of snow in some states and left flights grounded from Texas to the Carolinas.

The only state to avoid the icy conditions was Florida, but even the Sunshine State suffered flight cancellations due to heavy fog.