Pacific region

A new report says global temperatures have reached record highs as the El Niño climate pattern strengthens in the Pacific. El Niño, which warms ocean surface waters and alters weather worldwide, is adding to the underlying warming trend driven by greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists warn the combination could push average temperatures to new extremes in the coming months, with implications for heatwaves, droughts and storms across many regions.

Two Pacific storms are threatening land simultaneously. Hurricane Nolo is taking aim at Hawaii, while Hurricane Polo, a powerful Category 4, is churning toward Mexico's Pacific coast. Officials in both regions are monitoring the storms' tracks and urging residents to prepare for possible heavy rain, high surf and strong winds as forecasts firm up.

Investors across the Asia-Pacific region continue to put money into real estate even as interest rates push up borrowing costs. Analysts point to resilient regional demand, attractive valuations after price corrections, and long-term growth prospects in key markets as reasons capital keeps flowing in. The trend has drawn attention among global property investors weighing where to deploy funds amid tighter monetary conditions.

New research points to the Earth's crust actively stretching and tearing beneath the Pacific Northwest, the region sitting atop the Cascadia subduction zone. The finding has drawn attention from science readers concerned about earthquake risk in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia, and what deep tectonic activity could mean for future seismic hazards.

Japanese leader Sanae Takaichi said Japan and the United States have agreed to work together on a range of issues relating to China. The announcement points to continued coordination between the two allies on security, economic and diplomatic concerns in the region. The remarks drew attention as tensions between Tokyo, Washington and Beijing remain a central topic in Asia-Pacific diplomacy.

Hurricanes off the Pacific coast are sending heavy surf to Southern California beaches and bringing rain to parts of the Southwest, according to the Los Angeles Times. Coastal communities are watching for dangerous rip currents and high waves, while inland areas of the Southwest could see much-needed rainfall from the tropical moisture. Residents are being urged to use caution near the water as conditions develop.

The U.S. Geological Survey is examining how a super El Niño could affect the Midwest region of the United States. The pattern, marked by unusually warm Pacific Ocean waters, typically alters rainfall and temperature across North America, raising questions about flooding, drought and agricultural consequences for Midwestern states.

A 25 September 2026 defence news roundup covers three main storylines: tightening sanctions on Iran, security concerns in the Baltic region, and shifting power dynamics in the Pacific. The briefing ties together American sanctions pressure on Tehran with NATO's eastern flank worries and strategic competition in Asia, framing them as the day's key international security developments.