Tanker

A family visits across the U.S.-Canada border at the Peace Arch Historical State Park as a cyclist rides past on the Canadian side, in Blaine, Wash.

US to reopen land borders next month to fully vaccinated people

Top of The World

The US will reopen its land borders to nonessential travel in November for people who are fully vaccinated. Also, the international community is looking for ways to help Afghans financially, while circumventing the Taliban government. And, Iran and Saudi Arabia are holding talks brokered by Iraq to repair ties and come to an agreement to end the war in Yemen.

Two oil tankers in the ocean.

Tensions rise in Gulf after oil tanker standoff between Iran and the UK

Military
Arctic ice with ship

Thinning ice and new tankers are opening up sea routes through the Arctic

Environment

The Trouble with Tankers

Prognosis: Oil Spills Inevitable

The World

Oil and Water Mix in the Shetlands

Stephen Beard reports from the Shetland Islands on the Braer tanker disaster. As hosts to one of Europe’s largest tanker terminals, Shetlanders have taken strict and successful precautions against spills from their own operations, and they are angry that the regulations did not apply to passing tanker traffic.

The World

The science and technology behind cleaning up an oil spill

Environment

Last week’s oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico has resulted in a steady flow of leaking crude oil that could threaten coastal areas, wildlife, and marine life. We look at the technologies used to combat this enormous oil slick.