South Africa's first online auction of rhino horn opened Wednesday, despite protests by conservation groups that the legal, domestic sale would encourage poachers.

Fukushima's operator on Tuesday started freezing the last section of a $320 million ice wall designed to combat widespread water contamination at the site of the worst nuclear accident in a generation.

More than 750 people have died in floods across South Asia, officials said Monday, with monsoon rains also causing the deaths of hundreds of animals, including rhinos and a tiger.

Tropical Storm Gert surged late Monday to become the second hurricane of the Atlantic season, the National Hurricane Center said.

For now, the storm posed no risk to land as it was far from Bermuda, the NHC said at 2300 GMT in Miami.

Last year's global weather was far more extreme or record-breaking than anything approaching normal, according to a new report.

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Thursday released its annual checkup of the Earth, highlighting numerous records including hottest year, highest sea level, and lowest sea ice in the Arctic and Antarctica.

Hurricane Franklin slammed into Mexico's eastern coast early Thursday, sweeping the region with powerful winds and heavy rain capable of producing deadly flash floods.

Mexico, Belize and Guatemala braced Monday for Tropical Storm Franklin, expected to make landfall overnight on the southern Mexican coast -- possibly at hurricane strength.

Typhoon Noru dumped heavy rain on Japan Tuesday as it moved back out to sea, causing flooding and property damage while the number of injured reportedly rose to 51. 

Average US temperatures have risen dramatically and fast, with recent decades the warmest of the past 1,500 years, according to a draft federal government report cited by The New York Times on Tuesday.

A clean-up operation was under way in Hong Kong Monday after a massive palm oil spillage from a ship collision in mainland Chinese waters clogged some of its most popular beaches.