Topic: Oceania

'Crocosaurus' found Down Under

The neck bone of a crocodile-faced dinosaur species has been found in Australia, scientists said, showing the creature roamed much further than previously thought.The vertebra of a Spinosaurus was found near southern Victoria's Cape Otway lighthouse and belonged to a relatively small ...
Astronomers in parts of Europe, Africa, Central Asia and Australia were hoping for clear skies on Wednesday to enjoy a total lunar eclipse, the first of 2011 and the longest in nearly 11 years.A total lunar eclipse occurs when Earth casts its ...

US missile test deal offers hope to Marshalls slum

The United States has struck a deal with the Marshall Islands to continue using the key missile testing range at Kwajalein Atoll through to 2066, officials said on Wednesday.The deal, which ends an eight-year impasse, offers new hope to the nearby overcrowded ...

Unique Japan tsunami footage boon to scientists

Vision of the disastrous tsunami rolling onto Japan after last week's massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake will provide valuable data to scientists for years to come, Australian experts said Wednesday.Compelling images of the monster wave crashing onto low-lying farmland in Japan's northeast, sweeping all ...

Australia has second wettest summer on record

Australia has experienced its second wettest summer since records began 111 years ago, owing to the unusually strong La Nina weather pattern, meteorologists said Monday.Across the vast country, parts of which have been ravaged by recent floods and cyclones, the average rainfall ...

Severe weather, forecasting could prompt force majeure rethink

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Worsening weather and better forecasting methods could push the mining sector to change force majeure provisions in supply contracts and sharpen how blame is allotted when storms or floods disrupt regular business.Climate scientists predict global warming will trigger greater ...

Extreme tides flood Marshalls capital

Extreme high tides have flooded parts of the low-lying Marshall Islands capital Majuro with a warning Sunday of worse to come because of rising sea levels.Several areas of the city were flooded Saturday and forecasters predicted more to come on Sunday evening ...

Bad weather set to push record food prices higher

MANILA/MILAN (Reuters) - The U.N.'s food price index likely hit a new high in January and recent catastrophic weather around the globe could push even higher the cost of food, an issue that has already helped spark protests across the Middle East.World ...
The weather pattern behind floods and extreme conditions in Australia, Asia, Africa and South America is one of the strongest ever and could last for four more months, the UN weather agency said Tuesday."In atmospheric terms it has to be termed one ...

Costs mount in savage Australia floods

Floodwaters claimed the life of a young boy in southern Australia Tuesday as Canberra urged big business to dig deep for a recovery analysts warned could cost Aus$20 billion ($19.7 billion).Prime Minister Julia Gillard turned to corporate Australia for help in what ...