World Updates

Beaufort County, South Carolina, December 1: A new fear is plaguing experts as it has been quite a while since last hurricane shook the state of South Carolina. They are now worried that the residents of the state might become indifferent towards hurricane preparedness and only a high intensity storm could wake them up from the slumber.

Beijing -- Athletes from Poland were the first to arrive in Beijing Sunday for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officials said.

Washington -- The U.S. Geological Survey estimated the Arctic holds 13 percent of the world's undiscovered oil and 30 percent of its undiscovered gas, a report said.

Paris -- Unemployment in the world's 30 richest countries could rise by 9 percent by the end of 2009, a research group from Paris said Wednesday.

Moscow -- Scientists are in Siberia this week to mark the 100th anniversary of the Tunguska Event, a mysterious explosion that flattened millions of trees.

Washington -- More than 7 billion people may be alive on Earth in 2012, the U.S. Census Bureau predicted Thursday.

Pottsville -- A plan to heat the Schuylkill County, Pa., courthouse and prison with gas has raised alarm in the region's 150-year-old coal industry, officials said.

Tokyo -- The head of the International Energy Agency, speaking Friday in Tokyo, said it will take $45 trillion to reduce world carbon dioxide levels 50 percent by 2050.

Sydney -- Qantas, the largest Australian airline, announced Friday it is cutting some of its flights to Tokyo and other Asian destinations.

DOHA, Qatar- On his trip to Middle East, U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said that there is "no quick fix" to high oil prices because it is an issue of supply and demand. The production capacity has not seen any new development whereas the global demand is increasing day- by-day due to the burgeoning population and increasing needs of the growing economies.

Washington -- U.S. conservationists said the Chesapeake Bay region could lose more than half of its ocean and estuarine beaches if global warming continues unabated.

Moscow -- May Day rally sites around Moscow were festive and few problems were reported, the Moscow police said Thursday.

Berne -- World Bank Group President Robert Zoellick called in Switzerland Tuesday for immediate action on food shortages and denounced the banning of food exports.

London -- The richest 1,000 people in Britain have seen their wealth quadruple since 1997, figures show.