Global melting gets more oil

The Arctic's sea covering has shrunk so much that the Northwest Passage, the fabled sea route that connects Europe and Asia, has opened up for the first time since records began.

This summer there was a reduction of a million square kilometres in the Arctic's ice covering compared with 2006, scientists have found.

In addition, scientists have found that the Northeast Passage, a corresponding route that runs parallel to the north coast of Russia, may also soon become navigable - though the clearing of both passages is likely to fuel animosity between countries trying to exploit the region's oil, fish and mineral resources, experts have warned. www.guardian.co.uk