The island nation of Kiribati is one of the countries most threatened by rising sea levels. However, many of the floods it has seen may be due to a mix of natural variability and human activities, complicating the picture of how rising sea levels are endangering Kiribati and other island nations.

After the differences at Durban over carbon reduction, India has an opportunity to mend fences with the least developed countries. New Delhi can lend support to the detailed plan for increased emission reduction by developed countries put forward by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and the Africa Group in their submissions to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

New Delhi: A tectonic shift in the global climate negotiations got underway with the African group of nations siding with India in demanding that equity and ‘common but differentiated responsibilities’ be embedded in the talks for a future climate regime. The re-alignments became evident with several key groups of nations submitting their views on how countries should increase their ambition levels for cutting emissions in the coming years.

For the first time in the history of Gangasagar mela, the Kapil Muni mandir and ashram has been lit up using conventional power supply. After a long struggle the West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) managed to introduce the conventional power supply in Sagar Island a few months ago by setting up three huge towers at Muri Ganga that separates Sagar Island with the mainland. But they managed to provide only 200 kilowatt power for the mela purpose, which is just 20 per cent of the total requirement.

Durban: Small island states, which have a powerful moral presence in the climate talks, displayed the political inclinations towards the EU when they tried to block India’s demand that the UN review whether rich nations are meeting their commitments.

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia's eastern North Maluku province on Monday, meteorologists said, but there were no immediate reports of casualties or damage, and no tsunami alert.

The quake occurred at 11.05 am (0405 GMT) with an epicentre 69 kilometres (42 miles) southwest of Labuha city, the Indonesian Meteorological and Geophysics Agency said. It struck at a depth of 10 kilometres.

A group of island states most vulnerable to global warming have lashed out against rich nations for wanting to delay a new international climate pact until years after the Kyoto Protocol on curbing carbon emissions expires in 2012.

The 42-member Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) said countries such as Japan and Russia were "reckless and irresponsible" for promoting a delay in the adoption of a new international agreement until 2018 or 2020, just weeks before the start of a United Nations climate summit in Durban, South Africa.