Power poles and lines downed by Hurricane Maria lie on a sidewalk in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Nov. 7, 2017. (RICARDO ARDUENGO/AFP/Getty Images) At a Glance Officials say nearly 500 more people died in Puerto Rico in September 2017 than in September 2016.But the government continues to insist the official Hurricane Maria death toll is 55.More than half the island remains powerless nearly two months after the storm made landfall. For weeks, Puerto Rican authorities have insisted Hurricane Maria...

At a Glance A large crack formed last week at Kenya's Great Rift Valley.Ash that filled the crack was washed away when rain fell a short time later.The crack was blamed on shifting plates that will eventually separate Africa into two continents. Heavy rainfall is believed to be responsible for exposing a massive crack that formed in the ground in Kenya at the Great Rift Valley – a phenomenon experts say is just the beginning of Africa's eventual split into...

A large bushfire is seen burning near Broome in Western Australia. (Department of Fire and Emergency Services Australia) At a Glance A Western Australia bushfire has burned at least 2 million acres, officials said.One website that covers wildfires across the world has labeled this blaze a "gigafire," burning more than 1 million acres.The fire has burned for nearly three weeks after being sparked by lightning. A bushfire burning in Western Australia raged on after burning more than 2 million acres...