Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Rail services, schools and sports events hit, with deaths of three elderly people in France partly blamed on intense heat Western Europe is enduring a ferocious heatwave forecast to break temperature records, with half of France on red alert, rail services in Belgium disrupted and sports events in Spain and Germany cancelled or postponed. French authorities on Monday placed 49 of the country’s 96 mainland departments on a level 1 danger-to-life warning, urging 35 million people to exercise “absolute vigilance”, drink water often, avoid all strenuous exertion and stay out of direct sun. Continue reading...

npj Ocean Sustainability, Published online: 22 June 2026; doi:10.1038/s44183-026-00220-2 Resource-dependent economies should shift from finite extractive resources toward sustainable development pathways. This commentary frames marine natural capital as Blue Gold, in contrast to oil-based Black Gold. Using Oman as a case study, we show that integrating marine resources into national development strategies can advance diversification, resilience, and long-term sustainability when guided by ecological limits, effective governance, and value-based economic planning for sustainable ocean-based transformation in resource-dependent coastal economies worldwide.

Sports and nationwide music festival affected, with temperatures for some expected to reach 42C from Monday Authorities in France have placed more than a third of the country under a red heat alert, cancelled some outdoor sports events and restricted alcohol consumption at the nationwide Fête de la Musique event amid a brutal heatwave forecast to push temperatures above 40C. Level 1 or 2 heat alerts were issued on Sunday for about 53 million people, just over 75% of the population. A record 35 of the country’s 96 mainland departments were put on danger-to-life red alert, with another 45 under an orange warning. Continue reading...

This blog has now closed Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast Ted O’Brien distanced himself from Pauline Hanson’s suggestion that Australia shouldn’t give aid to Pacific countries that also take aid from China. He said it was a legitimate concern, but her solution was “completely wrong” for the Pacific and not in Australia’s national interest. The idea that you effectively hold a gun to the head of our Pacific neighbours – that’s not what a friend does, that’s not a way of building trust, you don’t basically create an ultimatum. You certainly don’t say it’s all about who you’re going to get money from. The relationship that we have with the Pacific islands is far deeper than development money. From Australia’s perspective, I think that’s the main thing that we should be concerned about, because that has a direct impact on the prices we pay here in Australia. A permanent toll would be bad in practice, wrong in principle, and set a dangerous precedent for how otherwise waterways should be managed internationally. Continue reading...