Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Syrian reactor could have been used for nuclear weapons if completed, UN says

admin — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:37:31 +0000

Chief of nuclear watchdog says secret Assad-era facility would have been able to produce fissile material

A nearly complete nuclear reactor built secretly during the rule of the toppled Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad would have been able to produce fissile material for possible use in nuclear weapons, the chief of the UN nuclear watchdog has revealed.

Inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last month visited two sites, one in Deir ez-Zor and a second in an undisclosed location identified to them by Syrian authorities.

French winemakers forecast 30-year low harvest after severe drought and heat

admin — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:10:51 +0000

Estimates suggest drop in production with vineyards also concerned ‘smoke taint’ from wildfires may affect quality

French vineyards hit by severe drought and heatwaves are expected to report a 30-year low in wine production after the country’s hottest ever recorded summer, according to the agriculture ministry.

Initial estimates suggest winemakers will produce just under 34m hectolitres from this year’s harvest: a drop of 6% on last year, and 17% less than ‌the 2021-2025 average.

Record strength El Niño could mean bigger supermarket bills for Australians, experts warn

admin — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:00:24 +0000

Predicted hot and dry weather in growing areas in eastern Australia identified as ‘one of the key issues’ that will affect food prices over next 12 months

Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates

Heatwaves and wildfires are setting back air quality improvements, UN finds

admin — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 11:35:34 +0000

WMO report details extreme weather events causing climatic feedback loop with serious health consequences

Big increases in wildfires and heatwaves supercharged by the climate crisis are hindering improvements to air quality around the world, UN experts have said.

Regions that had recorded a fall in pollution emitted by cars and industrial sites are facing new threats to air quality because of exposure to smoke from wildfires, according to a new report, while rising temperatures caused by intense heatwaves are causing a surge in ground-level ozone.

We’re the mayors of Paris, Milan and Phoenix. The heat crisis has us all facing the same question | Emmanuel Grégoire, Giuseppe Sala and Kate Gallego

admin — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:00:28 +0000

Our three cities are learning from each other about how to protect residents. These climate policies are also public health measures

This summer, mayors met in London during the heatwave that ironically threatened to derail London Climate Action Week.

Woman laid to rest in coffin made from mushrooms in Australian first

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 19:00:12 +0000

The casket, grown from mycelium and hemp fibres, takes just 45 days to break down, enriching the soil in the process

Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates

Volcanic eruption halts flights at Jakarta and seven other Indonesian airports

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 14:51:12 +0000

Ash cloud from Anak Krakatau affects hundreds of flights and some school and fishing activities

Indonesia halted operations at eight airports on Sunday, including from its main international hub, affecting hundreds of flights as a result of an ash cloud from the Anak Krakatau volcano.

Saturday’s eruption, which produced lava and booming sounds that were heard up to 435 miles (700km) away, according to Indonesia’s geology agency, also interrupted some school activities and fishing. Two more eruptions were recorded on Sunday.

Air conditioners are our best bet in the fight against extreme heat – whether we like it or not

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 11:00:03 +0000

Global AC demand will inevitably accelerate as the world continues to warm amid the climate crisis

Indonesia’s most dangerous fires are burning underground

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 07:57:45 +0000

Indonesia’s dangerous peat fires are surging early in the 2026 fire season as a strengthening El Niño and severe drought dry out wetlands that can burn underground for months. These slow smoldering fires are especially destructive because they release far more fine particles and several pollutants than typical tropical forest fires, while thick smoke can make them difficult for satellites to detect.

El Niño-fuelled wildfires destroy precious Indonesian forests – in pictures

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 03:34:53 +0000

Indonesian authorities intensify operations as fires continue to burn across Sumatra and Kalimantan, with haze spreading to Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines