New research from the United States suggests that the melting of ArcticSea ice is speeding up. And during the coming months, the icecap may shrink to levels never seen before. More details from Richard Black.

The colder than average winter in the northern hemisphere had led to suggestions that Arctic Sea ice might recover after its record melt last summer. But the latest data indicates the opposite is happening. Over the last month, it’s been melting even faster. And the area of ice remaining is now almost exactly the same as this time last year. Scientists from the US National Snow and IceDataCenter say that much of the ice remaining is so thin that even a normal summer may see last year’s record broken.

The authorities in the United States have warned the residents of 6 Midwestern states of the possibility of further flood defense iss being bridged breached along the Mississippi river. More than 20 people have been killed and thousands driven from their homes since the flooding began over a week ago.