Pacific Islands

The president of Palau addressed the United Nations General Assembly, highlighting climate change and growing global tensions. As leader of a small Pacific island nation highly vulnerable to rising seas, Palau has long used the UN platform to urge stronger international action on climate. The speech underscores how small island states are pushing major powers to prioritize climate commitments amid geopolitical divisions.

Hawaii is facing its third near miss from a tropical storm this season, according to an Atlantic report on an unusually crowded Pacific hurricane season. Forecasters note the central Pacific has seen an exceptional number of storms tracking close to the islands, raising questions about whether climate patterns are making such close calls more frequent. Residents and officials are watching each new system warily as the season continues.

Tropical Storm Nolo has accelerated on a westward track, prompting officials to cancel the Tropical Storm Watch for Maui. The downgrade means the island no longer faces an imminent threat of tropical-storm conditions as the storm moves away. Residents are advised to monitor official updates as Nolo continues across the central Pacific and forecasters track its changing path and intensity.

Hurricane Nolo has regained strength over the Pacific, again reaching Category 2 status as it moves away from Hawaii's Big Island. The storm had previously weakened before intensifying once more. While it poses less immediate threat to the Big Island as it tracks away, residents across the Hawaiian chain, including Kauai, are continuing to monitor its path closely.