The Flash

Severe storms are hitting Spain, with red rain alerts forcing the suspension of several AVE and regional trains in Catalonia. The Community of Valencia is being struck by flash floods and nearly a hundred incidents have been reported. Weather warnings are in place across 15 regions this Saturday as authorities urge caution.

Attention is turning to the Bab el-Mandeb strait, nicknamed the 'Gate of Tears', as a new flash point in the war involving Iran. The narrow waterway is a critical chokepoint for global shipping, and its emergence as a battleground raises concerns about disruptions to trade routes and a widening of the regional conflict.

Economists polled by Reuters expect euro area consumer prices to have risen 3.5% year-on-year in September, up from 3.2% in August, which would be the fastest pace in nearly three years. The European statistics agency Eurostat is due to publish its flash estimate on Friday, and markets and analysts are watching closely ahead of the release.

ReliefWeb has published its 57th flash update on the Sudan situation in eastern Chad, where hundreds of thousands of people who fled the war in Sudan continue to shelter in border camps. The latest briefing tracks humanitarian needs, refugee arrivals and the response by aid agencies in a region stretched thin by the influx.

Hurricane Polo is spinning in the Pacific Ocean, with forecasters warning it could bring heavy rain and flooding to parts of Mexico and the southwestern United States, putting millions of people in the storm's potential path. Officials are monitoring the system as it moves, urging residents in vulnerable areas to prepare for possible flash flooding and dangerous conditions in the days ahead.

Flash floods have struck Nepal, and an expert says climate change is to blame. Rising temperatures are believed to intensify monsoon rainfall, making sudden floods more frequent and severe in the Himalayan region. The comments add to a wider debate about how a warming climate is driving extreme weather disasters across South Asia.

Hurricane Polo has made landfall along Mexico's coast, bringing strong winds and heavy rain to the region. Forecasters warn the storm's remnants could push toward the Southwestern United States, raising concerns about rainfall and flash flooding there. Meteorologists are tracking the storm's projected path as it weakens over land.

Hurricane Polo is closing in on Mexico's Pacific coast, with forecasts showing it could bring heavy rain and flooding to the southwestern United States. Meteorologists are tracking the storm's projected path and warning residents in affected areas to prepare for flash flooding. Updates on the hurricane's track and intensity are being issued as conditions develop.

Hurricane Nolo is bearing down on Hawaii, with forecasters warning of powerful winds and flash flooding across the islands. Authorities are urging residents to prepare for dangerous conditions as the storm approaches, including possible property damage, power outages and rapidly rising water in flood-prone areas.

A widely shared article asks why the AI industry is not reacting more strongly to DeepSeek 4.1 Flash, a new release from the Chinese lab. The piece suggests the model's capabilities may deserve more attention than the muted industry response indicates, prompting debate among readers about whether hype cycles around model launches have simply dulled.

Hurricane Nolo is forecast to intensify into a Category 4 storm and strike Hawaii, bringing a potentially historic multiday deluge, according to AccuWeather. The prolonged heavy rainfall raises fears of flash flooding and landslides across the islands, with residents urged to monitor forecasts and prepare for severe conditions.

A new open-source project, Strata, claims to run the Qwen 3.8 Flash Next model (125B parameters) on consumer hardware like Nvidia's RTX 4090, reportedly reaching 100 tokens per second. The claim, shared on Hacker News, is drawing attention because it would bring large-model performance within reach of gaming PCs, but the speed figures have not been independently verified.

Hurricane Nolo, downgraded to a Category 1 storm, is still bringing dangerous flooding to Hawaii. Forecasters warn that even a weakened system can dump heavy rain, trigger flash flooding and produce hazardous surf along the islands. Residents are being urged to stay alert to local warnings as the storm passes through the region.

Astronomers report that a stellar remnant, described as a zombie star, is repeatedly flashing toward Earth as it wobbles, with the pulses apparently caused by a large expelled cloud of gas. Researchers are calling the observations groundbreaking, saying they offer a rare look at the behavior of a star after it has survived or undergone an explosive event.

Singapore's national water agency PUB has urged members of the public to stay away from several locations in the city-state because of flash flood risks. The advisory follows heavy rainfall, with warnings issued for low-lying roads and flood-prone spots. Residents and commuters are being advised to monitor alerts and avoid traversing affected areas until conditions improve.

Flash flooding in Thailand has raised questions among travellers about whether Bangkok is safe to visit. Travel outlets are sharing the latest advice for visitors, with the focus on conditions in the Thai capital and what tourists should know before travelling amid the heavy rain and disruption.

A strike has been announced for Tuesday, September 29 in Paris. The RATP says public transport across its network will run a normal service, while the SNCF is warning of disruptions on some Transilien suburban rail lines. Further details are expected this evening, according to BFMTV.

Hurricane Nolo has passed near Hawaii without a direct landfall, but officials warn the storm could still bring powerful winds and flash flooding to the islands. Residents are being urged to stay alert as bands of heavy rain and gusty conditions move through, with localised flooding possible in vulnerable areas even though the worst of the hurricane stays offshore.

Hurricane Nolo is forecast to hit Hawaii with powerful winds and flash flooding, prompting residents to brace for dangerous conditions. The storm is drawing widespread attention as forecasts warn of damage from both gusts and heavy rainfall across the islands.

A market indicator is flashing a warning ahead of the historically strong November-to-April stretch, when the stock market typically delivers its best gains of the year. The signal suggests the usual seasonal rally could fail to materialise this time, prompting investors to question whether to position for the usual winter boom or brace for weakness instead.

Hurricane Nolo is gaining strength as it moves away from Hawaii, but forecasters warn that high winds and flash flooding remain a threat to the islands. Residents are being cautioned not to let their guard down even as the storm tracks out to sea, with dangerous conditions expected to persist in some areas.

Tropical Storm Isaias is moving up the US East Coast, with forecasters warning of flooding rain, damaging winds and possible tornadoes across eastern states. The Weather Channel reports the storm system could spawn twisters as it tracks north, prompting residents from the Carolinas to the Northeast to brace for hazardous conditions and localised flash flooding.

Electronics marketplace Lectronz has listed a new development board, the ACH-RP2350A-PICO, built around Raspberry Pi's RP2350A microcontroller with 16MB of flash and an SWD debug interface. The Pico-style board is being marketed to makers working on robotics, home automation and Raspberry Pi projects, and the announcement is circulating among hobbyist electronics communities.

The Henri-IV high school, one of Paris's most selective and prestigious lycées, has been blocked, according to witnesses on the scene. The blockade is described as a rare event for the establishment, which is known for students rarely mobilising. Details on who is behind the action and their demands were not immediately available.

Hurricane Isaias is making landfall, prompting around-the-clock emergency coverage as the storm pushes ashore with damaging winds, heavy rain and storm surge. Live storm chasers are reporting conditions from the field while residents in affected coastal areas face evacuation orders, power outages and dangerous flash flooding. Officials are urging people to shelter in place and monitor local emergency guidance as the hurricane moves inland.

Air France is applying an Israeli directive that prohibits pilots and cabin crew of 31 nationalities, including Algerians, Tunisians, Iranians and Pakistanis, from operating flights to Israel, even when they also hold French nationality. The company has reportedly warned affected staff. The measure is drawing attention in France, where it raises questions about discrimination against dual nationals and about airlines complying with foreign crew restrictions.