The largest and deepest division of Earth's oceans
The USS Abraham Lincoln has made a brief port call at Laem Chabang, Thailand, allowing about 5,000 sailors and Marines to rest after a record, months-long deployment supporting US operations against Iran. Thai authorities are managing transport, security and restrictions in Pattaya while US officials deny widespread failures in shipboard conditions.
The latest data show global sea temperatures have reached record highs in August 2026 as El Ni 0o intensifies, driven by natural variability and long-term warming. Forecasts indicate the warmth will continue into 2027, with wide-ranging impacts on weather, seas and economies. Governments warn of increased risks to vulnerable communities and fisheries.
The US-SOUTHCOM operation has interdicted and sunk a floating refueling vessel linked to the Los Choneros criminal network. Crew members were removed and handed to Ecuadorian authorities as part of ongoing efforts to disrupt narco-trafficking networks in the Eastern Pacific.
Anak Krakatau has erupted since late Friday, producing lava fountains and ash plumes up to 50,000ft and forcing temporary closures at Soekarno‑Hatta and multiple regional airports. Authorities have suspended operations at several airports, delayed or cancelled hundreds of flights and stranded tens to hundreds of thousands of passengers while marine and air exclusion zones remain in place.
Pacific Islands Forum opens in Palau as Beijing objects to Taiwan’s attendance. Pacific leaders press for autonomy in agenda; China warns of consequences. Taiwan’s foreign minister attends, sparking diplomatic friction.
The UN Environment Programme has published a report saying the world will likely exceed the Paris 1.5°C limit within years. UNEP has recommended an "overshoot, peak and decline" pathway that combines immediate, deep cuts to greenhouse gases, rapid methane reductions and carefully governed carbon dioxide removal to bring temperatures back below 1.5°C this century.
Rains driven by El Niño have intensified at Bright Angel Creek, triggering a deadly flood near the Grand Canyon. The event follows drought and a megafire that scarred the area, with authorities warning debris flows and ongoing risk as crews assess damages.
El Niño has strengthened toward historic levels, with NOAA and other forecasters projecting a 75% chance of a record-breaking event in late 2026. The phenomenon is driving higher global temperatures, shifting rainfall, and fueling droughts and floods across regions. Governments warn households to prepare for potential disruptions and to stock essentials.
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards are underway with The Pitt leading drama nominations and Widow’s Bay challenging Hacks for comedy supremacy. Mariska Hargitay is hosting NBC’s telecast, with Apple TV+ debuts Pluribus and DTF St Louis among top contenders. The ceremony honors Buffy, Charlie’s Angels, and Dolly Parton while Zendaya and Harrison Ford are among notable presenters.
Airports serving Jakarta have reopened after volcanic ash from Anak Krakatau has moved away. Authorities are conducting inspections and cleaning as flight disruptions affect thousands of passengers across eight airports.
Trump's online memes portray him as all-powerful, yet voters cite economic concerns as the driving factor behind midterm choices. The White House defends meme strategy as energizing base, while critics warn of detached messaging.
A speedboat carrying five photojournalists, two crew members and a guide has lost contact after departing Carita for Anak Krakatau. The last message reported arrival near the volcanic island, but rescuers have yet to locate them amid ongoing eruptions and ash dispersal affecting flights and online schooling for affected communities.
Covenant has announced Anthem, a ground-launched cruise missile capable of carrying a 200+ kg payload. With multiple production sites and a goal of 5,000 missiles per year, the program aims to lower costs while expanding long-range reach, including Indo-Pacific defense considerations.
Atlantic hurricane activity has remained unusually low this season, with no hurricanes forming yet. Forecasters say El Niño, Sahara dust, and high wind shear are suppressing development, while Pacific activity remains high. The season has seen record-breaking delays in hurricane formation, with experts cautioning that a single system could still cause damage.
China has stepped up maritime pressure beyond the Taiwan Strait, deploying Coast Guard cutters east of Taiwan at an average of two vessels per month since June, expanding a lifeline with US allies as Japan and the Philippines define their maritime borders.
El Niño is strengthening, with forecasts predicting historic intensity. Reports show drought in Central America’s Dry Corridor and a UK weather shift toward wetter, stormier conditions. Scientists warn impacts will extend into 2027 as temperatures rise globally and rainfall patterns shift.
Hurricane Lowell has damaged coastal resorts, damaged roads and cut power on Kauai. Officials say thousands remain without power; travel disruption persists while locals and volunteers provide aid and communities begin to rebuild.
The MV Matui sank between Ambae and Santo in Vanuatu during bad weather. Officials say at least one person is dead and more than 30 remain missing. Fifteen survivors have been accounted for, and authorities are launching an investigation into possible negligence and overloading. Rescue operations are focused along the south-east coast as currents may carry survivors.
A slow-moving nor'easter has struck the Mid‑Atlantic and New England since late September, causing heavy rain, strong onshore winds and coastal flooding from New Jersey to southern New England. Utilities, flights and events have been disrupted, at least one person has died in New York City, and forecasters warn additional high‑tide flooding will persist into Monday and Tuesday.
Cuba has suffered a nationwide power grid collapse that began on 18 September and has forced authorities to activate gradual restoration protocols. Officials say a transmission-line failure and poor weather triggered the outage; Havana has prioritised hospitals and water pumping stations while residents report prolonged outages, fuel shortages and strained services amid an ongoing US energy blockade.
The UN Special Rapporteur has concluded that US strikes on 68 vessels in international waters since September last year have killed at least 223 people and may constitute crimes against humanity. The report says self-defence claims are not supported by evidence, and calls for investigations and accountability.
The El Niño weather pattern has intensified, with multiple reports showing record sea-surface temperatures and forecasts of extreme heat. Scientists warn that global impacts will intensify through 2027, affecting temperatures, rainfall, and wildfire risk across regions from the Pacific to Africa and the Americas.
Polo has strengthened into a major Pacific hurricane with winds reaching Category 5 at times, threatening Mexico’s Pacific coast and prompting evacuations, shelter preparations, and heavy rain forecasts. Officials warn of life‑threatening flooding and mudslides as the storm tracks toward Baja California and may affect parts of the U.S. Southwest.
A hurricane is tracking toward southwestern Mexico as it fuels on record-strong El Niño waters. NOAA says Polo remains an extremely dangerous Category 5 storm, with potential for heavy rain, flooding and dangerous surf along the Pacific coast; no landfall is expected but residents face urgent warnings.
SpaceX has flown Starship into low‑Earth orbit for the first time during its 14th test flight from Starbase, Texas, and has deployed 26 Starlink V3 satellites. The Super Heavy booster has returned to the Gulf of Mexico; the upper stage has completed multiple orbits before a planned reentry and splashdown west of Chile during a roughly 10‑hour mission on Monday.
SpaceX has launched a four‑person Crew‑13 to the International Space Station and the team has reached orbit after an eight‑hour express transit, a US speed record. Commander Jessica Watkins has become the first Black woman to lead a crew to orbit. The flight includes Canadian astronaut Joshua Kutryk, whose wife is due to give birth during the six‑month mission.
The Holei Sea Arch, a 90-foot-tall lava rock formation at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, has collapsed between Sept. 23 and Sept. 27, possibly during Tropical Storm Nolo. The National Park Service warns of ongoing instability and hazards for visitors; the arch formed about 550 years ago and was a major tourist sight.
Pacific nations and allies press for urgent action on climate finance, ocean health, and keeping 1.5°C within reach ahead of COP31 in Turkey. Pre-COP meetings in Fiji and Tuvalu highlight vulnerability to sea-level rise and demand concrete, community-level finance and adaptation.
Prime Minister Lauli Leuatea Schmidt has apologised for a seven-second clip showing a Nazi salute at a private family gathering in 2007. He says the words and gesture were inappropriate and not reflective of his beliefs or Samoa's values. The video has drawn international attention as Schmidt has led Samoa since 2025 and has publicly supported Israel.
SpaceX has achieved an orbital Starship flight, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites and signaling a new era of high-frequency, reusable launches. The mission faced an early engine issue but proceeded to orbit with a Pacific splashdown and a rapid return-to-flight plan taking shape for future missions.
Isaias has formed into a tropical storm heading for the U.S. Gulf Coast. Forecasters expect strengthening into a hurricane and imminent evacuations and closures as preparations continue along Florida, Alabama and Mississippi. Officials warn residents to enact hurricane plans and secure property ahead of potential landfall this weekend.
Karl Bushby has reached Dover, completing a decades-long journey that began in Chile in 1998. He swam the English Channel after walking or sailing through more than 30,000 miles across 29 countries, facing legal and logistical hurdles along the way. His voyage aims to push the limits of human endurance and will feature a film by Werner Herzog.
El Ni no is strengthening and is forecast to peak in December 2026. Observations show record sea-surface temperatures with far-reaching impacts on heat, rainfall, and droughts across regions. Forecasts warn of continued extreme conditions into 2027 as nations prepare.
Five people aboard a REACH Air Medical Services helicopter have died after a crash off Catalina Island shortly after takeoff; a 20-year-old passenger survived along with another medic. The NTSB is investigating the cause, and a memorial has been held on Catalina Island.
Trudy has strengthened and is moving toward the southwestern and west-central Pacific coast of Mexico. Authorities have issued hurricane warnings from Manzanillo to Cabo Corrientes. The center of Trudy is forecast to pass near the coast this weekend, bringing heavy rain and potential flooding and landslides in Colima, Jalisco, Michoacán and nearby areas.
Landowners in Texas’s Big Bend region resist the administration’s border-wall plans, challenging survey access and pursuing court action as a judge halts work amid a broad, bipartisan backlash and a $7.5 billion investment to fortify the border.
Hurricane Simon is approaching Mexico’s Pacific coast, with warnings in place for Jalisco, Colima, Nayarit and Michoacán. Authorities have urged sheltering and evacuations as the storm is forecast to bring catastrophic winds, heavy rain and dangerous surf. The storm’s path keeps uncertainties about landfall, but preparations are under way.
A 17-person team from Purdue University and ALI is conducting a five-day search at Nikumaroro to locate the Taraia Object, suspected to be Amelia Earhart’s Electra wreckage. The mission faces threats from large coconut crabs and extreme weather as it advances to map a potential site, with plans to return next year if evidence is found.