At least 45 people have lost their lives in India’s western Gujarat state due to flooding caused by heavy rains over the past 24 hours, officials say. An unnamed official at the state Disaster Management Authority said on Thursday that the southern Saurashtra region was worst hit by the flooding, with most of the deaths reported from the Amreli district. The official said that the two districts... 

Biotech company Oxitec has released genetically engineered (GE) diamondback moths at Cornell’s agricultural experiment station in Geneva, New York as part of an outdoor trial, and New Yorkers are more than just miffed. Organic farmers, environmental groups, and New York citizens have sent a letter to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball along with Cornell University... 

South Korea has reported three more fatalities from the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), bringing the death toll to 19 in an outbreak that began in May. South Korea’s Health Ministry on Tuesday also confirmed four new cases, bringing to 154 the total number of confirmed cases. According to the ministry, 17 of the 154 people have also been cured and released from hospital. Meanwhile, 16 of... 

The city of Tbilisi has suffered an incessant and torrential downpour that resulted in flooding of the low-land areas of the Georgian capital at the foot of the Caucasus Mountains. The death toll has been climbing, with numerous buildings deluged. The death toll so far stands at 12, while 24 people are missing, TASS reports. Bodies were found mostly in flooded private households. There have been reports... 

As South Korea reported its 14th fatality from an outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), in addition to the 12 new cases, the World Health Organization warned the “large and complex” outbreak will cost more lives. “Because the outbreak has been large and is complex, more cases should be anticipated,” Keiji Fukuda, who is leading a WHO team, told a news conference in Sejong, South... 

Dozens of penguins have been found dead over the course of the past three days on the coast of Uruguay. A government official announced on Thursday that the penguins were found in two separate locations. Graciela Fabiano, an official from the National Directorate of Water Resources, told local media that the issue of the dead penguins was not an uncommon occurrence. Some of the dead penguins were... 

An Indonesian volcano near an ancient volcano that once nearly destroyed humankind is getting ready to erupt. At the moment, it’s throwing smoke high into the sky. Sinabung volcano in Northern Sumatra, Indonesia, is only 35 kilometers from the Toba volcano whose super-eruption, according to scientists, put mankind on the brink of extinction almost 70,000 years ago by causing a “nuclear winter,”... 

Humanoid robots won the day at the DARPA Robotics Challenge, slightly outperforming their quadruped rivals at overcoming obstacles and completing tasks in a simulated disaster environment. South Korean team KAIST grabbed the top $2 million prize. Team KAIST’s transformer robot, HUBO, proved to be the most reliable and adaptable of the competitors, possibly due to its innovative design. The 5-foot-tall... 

A sudden volcano eruption on the small southern Japanese island of Kuchinoerabu-jima has forced authorities to raise the alert to the highest level and advise evacuation of the immediate area. Residents have fled by boat to the nearest neighboring island. Authorities decided to evacuate the island’s 137 residents, NHK national television reported. The residents fled by boat to the closest neighboring... 

California Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency over Tuesday’s oil spill off the Santa Barbara County coast. It follows news that up to 105,000 gallons of oil leaked out from the ruptured pipeline. “This emergency proclamation cuts red tape and helps the state quickly mobilize all available resources,” said Governor Brown in a statement. “We will do everything necessary to protect... 

At least 19 tornadoes have struck the mid-US this weekend damaging homes and causing blackouts, according to weather channels. The worst affected states are Oklahoma and Texas, which were hit by hail and destructive storms. Minnesota, Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Iowa and Louisiana have all witnessed the wayward and harsh whims of May’s weather. A tornado touched down near... 

New Zealand is bracing for Cyclone Pam, with flooding and power outages already underway. Some areas declared a state of emergency and locals are being evacuated. Strong winds are reported, as devastation in Vanuatu is fresh on everyone’s minds. One of the first areas to declare a state of emergency was the Chatham Islands, southeast of the two main islands of New Zealand. Over 40 people have already... 

Boston Dynamics’ Atlas robot American aerospace manufacturer SpaceX CEO is worried that Google may “accidentally” create an evil robot army that can turn against the human race. Google’s intensive research into robotics could “produce something evil by accident,” technology entrepreneur Elon Musk said in a new self-titled authorized biography, The Independent reported on Wednesday. Musk... 

Hundreds of people running of out of Kathmandu Airport as earthquake hit, May 12, 2015. At least four people are killed as a strong earthquake hit Nepal days after another quake left a trail of destruction and high casualties in the South Asian country. Aid agencies said on Tuesday that at least four people were killed in the tremor. Nepal police said at least 300 people were injured. According to... 

An earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck off Papua New Guinea on Thursday, the US Geological Survey reported. This is just two days after a 7.4-magnitude jolt shook the southern coast. The quake, which struck 150km southwest of the town of Arawa, appears to be relatively shallow. There have been no immediate reports of damage or casualties, Reuters says. A tsunami alert has been issued by the Pacific...