Changing Seas

Forces aligned with Yemen's government report retaking control of the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait, the narrow chokepoint linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. The waterway is one of the world's busiest shipping routes, and claims of control there immediately raise questions about security for commercial vessels and the wider regional conflict.

Climate researchers in the San Francisco Bay Area are explaining how a Kelvin Wave impacts ocean waters. The phenomenon, an eastward-moving pulse of warm water along the equator, can influence sea surface temperatures and weather patterns, including conditions linked to El Nino. The explanation has drawn significant public attention as people seek to understand how such ocean changes may affect coastal climates and marine ecosystems.

The US Supreme Court is hearing arguments in a case examining whether major oil companies can be held legally liable for climate change damages. The outcome could determine whether local governments and states can sue fossil fuel producers in state courts for costs tied to rising seas, wildfires, and extreme weather. A ruling against the industry would open the door to a wave of climate damages litigation across the country.

The US supreme court has heard arguments in a case brought by major oil companies seeking to block state and local lawsuits that demand damages for climate change-related harm. The suits, filed by cities and states, argue energy firms should pay for costs of rising seas, wildfires and extreme weather. The justices' questions are being closely watched, as the ruling could determine whether these climate liability cases proceed in state courts or are dismissed.

A group of leaders has travelled to a Pacific atoll described as being at the frontline of climate change, according to an AFP report. The visit highlights the plight of low-lying island nations threatened by rising seas, an issue expected to feature prominently in international climate discussions. Details of which leaders took part and what was announced were not included in the available reporting.