Tropical storm Wipha strengthened into a typhoon today, and Taiwanese authorities issued a land warning for it, adding to their existing sea caution.

Beijing tried to ease strains with Moscow over a river-borne toxic spill flowing toward Russia by today promising to send filtering materials, while five more Chinese cities prepared to stop drawing water from the river.

Another town on a poisoned Chinese river shut down its water system today as a toxic slick caused by a chemical plant explosion arrived.