Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves/index.php en Storm Chandra live: flooding and travel disruption hit UK as police warn against travel in parts of Devon https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/storm-chandra-live-flooding-and-travel-disruption-hit-uk-police-warn-against-travel-pa <p>Weather warnings, including ‘danger to life’ flood threat in Devon, are in place across much of the UK with major travel disruption expected</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026/jan/27/tell-us-how-have-you-been-affected-by-storm-chandra">Tell us: how have you been affected by Storm Chandra?</a></p> </li> </ul> <p>Some of the rainfall totals in the south-west of England for the last 24 hours has almost totalled the average for the entire month, BBC News reports.</p> <p>Here is a list of some notable rainfalls:</p> <p>100mm (3.9in) White Barrow (South Dartmoor)</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/storm-chandra-live-flooding-and-travel-disruption-hit-uk-police-warn-against-travel-pa" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 27 Jan 2026 07:44:49 +0000 admin 102475 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org The Fukushima towns frozen in time: nature has thrived since the nuclear disaster but what happens if humans return? https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/fukushima-towns-frozen-time-nature-has-thrived-nuclear-disaster-what-happens-if-humans <p>Fifteen years after a tsunami caused the Fukushima nuclear accident, only bears, raccoons and boar are seen on the streets. But the authorities and some locals want people to move back</p> <p>Norio Kimura pauses to gaze through the dirt-flecked window of Kumamachi primary school in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/fukushima">Fukushima</a>. Inside, there are still textbooks lying on the desks, pencil cases are strewn across the floor; empty bento boxes that were never taken home.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/fukushima-towns-frozen-time-nature-has-thrived-nuclear-disaster-what-happens-if-humans" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 27 Jan 2026 07:00:09 +0000 admin 102476 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Number of US-style ‘battering ram’ pickup trucks on UK roads has nearly doubled in a decade https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/number-us-style-battering-ram-pickup-trucks-uk-roads-has-nearly-doubled-decade <p>Exclusive: Campaigners say ‘menacing vehicles’ are putting children at risk owing to their large front blind zones</p> <p>The number of US-style pickup trucks on UK roads has almost doubled in the past 10 years, data shows.</p> <p>The vehicles are more environmentally damaging than ordinary cars, and more dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. Campaigners have said the extra-large vehicles, which are often too big for UK streets and parking spaces, are built like “battering rams”.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/number-us-style-battering-ram-pickup-trucks-uk-roads-has-nearly-doubled-decade" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 27 Jan 2026 06:00:08 +0000 admin 102474 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Scotland-France ferry could relaunch amid £35bn Dunkirk regeneration plan https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/scotland-france-ferry-could-relaunch-amid-35bn-dunkirk-regeneration-plan <p>French port’s green energy push, evoking second world war spirit of resilience, is seen as a testing ground for reindustrialisation</p> <p>A new cargo and passenger ferry service directly linking Scotland and France could launch later this year as the port of Dunkirk embarks on a €40bn (£35bn) regeneration programme it claims will mirror the second world war resilience <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/from-the-archive-blog/2017/jul/25/dunkirk-evacuation-guardian-reporting-1940">for which it is famed</a>.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/scotland-france-ferry-could-relaunch-amid-35bn-dunkirk-regeneration-plan" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Tue, 27 Jan 2026 05:00:05 +0000 admin 102473 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Heat records tumble in Victoria as authorities warn against complacency amid significant blazes https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/heat-records-tumble-victoria-authorities-warn-against-complacency-amid-significant-bla <p>BoM to check if Walpeup and Hopetoun broke state’s official heat record - set during 2009’s Black Saturday</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/jan/27/what-happens-to-the-human-body-in-49c-heat-australians-are-finding-out">What happens to the human body in 49C heat? Australians are finding out</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/heat-records-tumble-victoria-authorities-warn-against-complacency-amid-significant-bla" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 21:46:14 +0000 admin 102472 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Number of people living in extreme heat to double by 2050 if 2C rise occurs, study finds https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/number-people-living-extreme-heat-double-2050-if-2c-rise-occurs-study-finds <p>Scientists expect 41% of the projected global population to face the extremes, with ‘no part of the world’ immune</p> <p>The number of people living with extreme heat will more than double by 2050 if global heating reaches 2C, according to a new study that shows how the energy demands for air conditioners and heating systems are expected to change across the world.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/number-people-living-extreme-heat-double-2050-if-2c-rise-occurs-study-finds" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:29:43 +0000 admin 102469 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org UK supermarkets push for Amazon soy safeguards after traders abandon ban https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/uk-supermarkets-push-amazon-soy-safeguards-after-traders-abandon-ban <p>European retailers urge traders to adhere to commitments after Brazilian lawmakers wreck forest protection pact</p> <p>Leading British and European retailers are trying to salvage the core elements of the Amazon soy moratorium after the world’s most successful forest protection agreement was wrecked by Brazilian lawmakers and abandoned by international traders.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/uk-supermarkets-push-amazon-soy-safeguards-after-traders-abandon-ban" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:43:03 +0000 admin 102470 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Six people killed in private jet crash in Maine during snowstorm https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/six-people-killed-private-jet-crash-maine-during-snowstorm <p>Aircraft crashed on takeoff at Bangor airport as visibility diminished amid winter storm, leading to airport shutdown</p> <p>Six people died when a business jet crashed during takeoff as a snowstorm moved in and visibility diminished at <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/maine">Maine</a>’s Bangor international airport on Sunday night, according to officials.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/six-people-killed-private-jet-crash-maine-during-snowstorm" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 17:34:18 +0000 admin 102468 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Reform says it would cut green policies to fund £2bn income tax cut in Scotland https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/reform-says-it-would-cut-green-policies-fund-2bn-income-tax-cut-scotland <p>Party’s pitch to voters in May Holyrood elections dismissed as ‘profoundly unserious, almost comically so’ by analysts</p> <p>Reform UK would slash what it calls “highly dubious” environmental protection measures to help fund a £2bn cut to income tax in Scotland if it won May’s Holyrood elections, the party has said.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/reform-says-it-would-cut-green-policies-fund-2bn-income-tax-cut-scotland" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 16:36:41 +0000 admin 102467 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Killing of K’gari dingoes in wake of backpacker’s death could create ‘extinction vortex’, expert says https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/killing-k-gari-dingoes-wake-backpacker-s-death-could-create-extinction-vortex-expert-s <p>Queensland government says it has already killed six of the 10 dingoes seen near the body of 19-year-old Piper James</p> <ul> <li> <p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2026/jan/27/australia-news-live-out-of-control-victorian-bushfire-threatens-towns-as-intense-heatwave-moves-east">Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/killing-k-gari-dingoes-wake-backpacker-s-death-could-create-extinction-vortex-expert-s" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Mon, 26 Jan 2026 14:00:06 +0000 admin 102464 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org