The Bhola cyclone struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) and India's West Bengal on 12 November 1970, and is the deadliest tropical cyclone on record. At least 300,000 people died, possibly as many as 500,000, mostly from the storm surge that flooded the low-lying islands of the Ganges Delta. The storm formed over the Bay of Bengal on 8 November, reached winds of 185 km/h (115 mph) and made landfall on 11 November. In the worst-hit area, Tazumuddin, over 45% of the 167,000 residents were killed.

Israeli reports also say the cabinet directed the military to prepare for a possible new attack on Iran.

Angkor, near Siem Reap in northern Cambodia, was the capital of the Khmer Empire, which ruled much of mainland Southeast Asia between roughly the 9th and 15th centuries. At its height the city spread across about 3,000 square kilometres, making it the largest pre-industrial city on Earth by area. Its growth depended on water: huge reservoirs called barays, along with canals and embankments, stored monsoon rain and carried it to rice fields. That system let farmers harvest more than once a year and fed a very large population through the dry season. The temple complex of Angkor Wat, built in the early 12th century, is the best-known monument and still stands at the heart of the park.