On 27 January 2002, Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital, witnessed one of the biggest disasters that have ever hit the state and country. 20 years after, the memory is still fresh. A continued blast at the military cantonment in Ikeja left many dead. The bulk of the victims did not die under the exploding shells. Most were hauled from canals into which they jumped or were driven - some still in their cars - by the huge crowds fleeing the shrapnel descending from the sky.

The bulk of the victims did not die under the exploding shells. Most were hauled from canals into which they jumped or were driven - some still in their cars - by the huge crowds fleeing the shrapnel descending from the sky. Full video: January 27

The 10 most expensive weather disasters of 2021 caused more than $170 billion (€150 billion) in damages, UK charity Christian Aid has reported. That's up $20 billion on last year's figure.

Extreme weather and climate events have become more frequent, intense and costlier since the 1970s — and that's unlikely to change, a UN agency has said. But thanks to early warning systems, fewer people are dying.

A report by a Chinese human rights organization has called out the US for its history of military interventions. The accusation continues an ongoing tit-for-tat between the two major powers.

The ten costliest weather disasters worldwide this year saw insured damages worth $150 billion, according to a report published on Monday. The same disasters claimed at least 3,500 lives and displaced more than 13.5 million people. From Australia's out-of-control wildfires in January to a record number of Atlantic hurricanes through November, the true cost of the year's climate-enhanced calamities was in fact far higher because most losses were uninsured.