Fearing roadblock to drilling, Alaska fights to take polar bears off threatened species list. Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell says he has the best interest of polar bears at heart, but he doesn't intend to let the federal government's expanded protection for bears get in the way of the state's continued prosperity.

4.6-magnitude earthquake shakes remote area of California desert. The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-4.6 earthquake has shaken a remote area of the Mojave Desert in Southern California.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck in the Queen Charlotte Islands region off the coast of British Columbia, Canada, on Tuesday at 7:30 a.m. local time (1530 GMT), the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

Magnitude 6.6 earthquake off Canada's western coast. Seismologists say a earthquake struck off Canada's pacific coast province of British Columbia.

A 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck Tuesday off Canada's Pacific coast in the remote Queen Charlotte Islands region, experts from the US Geological Survey said, but no casualties were reported.

A 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck off Canada's Pacific coast in the Queen Charlotte Islands region, the US Geological Survey said Tuesday, revising down its initial assessment of a 6.8 quake.

Fearing roadblock to drilling, Alaska fights to take polar bears off threatened species list. Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell says he has the best interest of polar bears at heart, but he doesn't intend to let the federal government's expanded protection for bears get in the way of the state's continued prosperity.

Study says China earthquake a once in 4,000 years event that ruptured multiple faults. China's devastating earthquake last year that left some 90,000 people dead or missing was caused by a geological event that occurs about once every 4,000 years, a study led by Chinese researchers said Sunday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck off American Samoa on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

US monitor: Powerful 7.9 quake hits between Samoa and American Samoa; tsunami warning issued. The U.S. Geological Survey says a powerful 7.9-magnitude earthquake has struck in the South Pacific between Samoa and American Samoa. A tsunami alert has been issued for the region.

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.9 struck off the South Pacific island nation of Samoa on Tuesday, triggering a tsunami warning and sending coastal residents fleeing to higher ground.

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of up to 8.3 struck off the South Pacific island nation of Samoa on Tuesday, triggering a tsunami as coastal residents fled to higher ground.

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of up to 8.3 struck off the South Pacific island nation of Samoa on Tuesday, wiping out villages and causing widespread destruction, a report said.

At least 14 people were reported killed in American Samoa following the powerful earthquake and tsunami which hit the area early Tuesday, radio KSBS-FM reported.

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 8.0 struck off the South Pacific island nation of Samoa on Tuesday, wiping out villages and killing 19 people in the region, reports said.

A huge 8.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit the remote Pacific islands of Samoa and American Samoa Tuesday, killing at least 28 and wiping out entire villages, officials and witnesses said.

A huge 8.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit the remote Pacific islands of Samoa and American Samoa, killing at least 36 and wiping out entire villages, officials and witnesses said.

A powerful 7.9-magnitude quake struck off Indonesia's Sumatra island Wednesday, destroying large buildings and starting fires in the major city of Padang, geologists and reports said.

A powerful 7.9-magnitude quake struck off Indonesia's Sumatra island on Wednesday, destroying large buildings and starting fires in the major city of Padang, geologists and reports said.

A powerful 7.9-magnitude quake struck off Indonesia's Sumatra island Wednesday, destroying large buildings and starting fires in the major city of Padang, geologists and reports said.