Storms across Afghanistan have left 77 people dead, 137 injured and 5,800 families affected. Widespread flooding, landslides and lightning strikes were triggered by heavy rain over the past 10 days — with damage to businesses, agricultural land, water wells and irrigation canals.

A telescope in Chile has captured a stunning new picture of a grand and graceful cosmic butterfly. At the heart of this bipolar nebula is a white dwarf star that cast aside its outer layers of gas long ago. Schoolchildren in Chile chose this astronomical target to celebrate 25 years of operation by the International Gemini Observatory.

Palestinians call for better tents and other supplies as Israel maintains restrictions on aid to war-ravaged Gaza Strip.