Researchers have found the second-deepest blue hole in the world just off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The underwater cavern, located in Chetumal Bay is said to be approximately 900 feet deep and 80 or so feet less than the world’s deepest known blue hole which was discovered nearly seven years ago in the South China Sea.

While the blue hole was discovered back in 2021, it was not until recently that it was studied and documented in the scientific journal Frontiers In Marine Science. The site dubbed, Taam ja’ which means “deep water” in Mayan, was surveyed and sampled by scuba divers, undersea sonar, and using various other methods.&nbsp;

What are blue holes?

According to LiveScience, blue holes are large, undersea vertical caves or sinkholes found in coastal regions. They are also typically home to a range of plant and marine life, including corals, sea turtles and sharks.&nbsp;

Blue holes form when seawater meets limestone. Since limestone is very porous, the water easily permeates the rock while the chemicals present in the water slowly eat the limestone away over time.&nbsp;

However, blue holes, due to a lack of proper means to access them remain largely insufficiently studied by scientists. In an email, a coastal geologist from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Christopher G. Smith told LiveScience, “They are largely poorly understood.”

The coastal geologist added that the unique seawater chemistry in blue holes suggests that they might interact with groundwater and possibly aquifers. Blue holes also contain very little oxygen, while sunlight only shines on their surface but despite these factors, they are home to various species that have adapted to the low-oxygen environment.&nbsp;

What do we know about the recent discovery?

Taam ja’, spans an area of 147,000 square feet and also has steep side slopes with a nearly 80-degree angle which form the “large conic structure,” noted the study. The mouth of the cavern sits around 15 feet below sea level. In 2021, scientists from El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (Ecosur), a public research centre coordinated by Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt) first discovered the sinkhole.&nbsp;

The “origin and geological evolution of the TJBH (Taam ja’ Blue Hole) deserves further investigation,” researchers noted in the study. 
 
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Researchers have found the second-deepest blue hole in the world just off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The underwater cavern, located in Chetumal Bay is said to be approximately 900 feet deep and 80 or so feet less than the world’s deepest known blue hole which was discovered nearly seven years ago in the South China Sea.

Researchers have found the second-deepest blue hole in the world just off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The underwater cavern, located in Chetumal Bay is said to be approximately 900 feet deep and 80 or so feet less than the world’s deepest known blue hole which was discovered nearly seven years ago in the South China Sea. While the blue hole was discovered back in 2021, it was not until recently that it was studied and documented in the scientific journal Frontiers In Marine Science. The site dubbed, Taam ja’ which means “deep water” in Mayan, was surveyed and sampled by scuba divers, undersea sonar, and using various other methods. What are blue holes? According to LiveScience, blue holes are large, undersea vertical caves or sinkholes found in coastal regions. They are also typically home to a range of plant and marine life, including corals, sea turtles and sharks. Blue holes form when seawater meets limestone. Since limestone is very porous, the water easily permeates the rock while the chemicals present in the water slowly eat the limestone away over time. However, blue holes, due to a lack of proper means to access them remain largely insufficiently studied by scientists. In an email, a coastal geologist from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Christopher G. Smith told LiveScience, “They are largely poorly understood.” The coastal geologist added that the unique seawater chemistry in blue holes suggests that they might interact with groundwater and possibly aquifers. Blue holes also contain very little oxygen, while sunlight only shines on their surface but despite these factors, they are home to various species that have adapted to the low-oxygen environment. What do we know about the recent discovery? Taam ja’, spans an area of 147,000 square feet and also has steep side slopes with a nearly 80-degree angle which form the “large conic structure,” noted the study. The mouth of the cavern sits around 15 feet below sea level. In 2021, scientists from El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (Ecosur), a public research centre coordinated by Mexico’s National Council of Science and Technology (Conacyt) first discovered the sinkhole. The “origin and geological evolution of the TJBH (Taam ja’ Blue Hole) deserves further investigation,” researchers noted in the study. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Scientists discover world’s second-deepest blue hole off the coast of Mexico

A marine biologist who was walking on the shores of a beach in the Netherlands was startled when he found a rare and evasive creature, sea lamprey, washed ashore.

This ‘vampire fish’, as it is called due to its nature to extract the blood of its prey, was discovered on the Dutch island of Texel, reports UK-based Metro newspaper.

“I always have my eye out when driving on the beach for other interesting finds, and I saw a large eel-like fish lying on the water’s edge when driving by," he was quoted as saying.

“I immediately knew it was a sea lamprey, they are incredible fish. They resemble eels but they are jawless fish, they have a disc-like mouth filled with teeth.”

“I have never found one on the beach. They are amazing, almost alien-like looking fish, with an equally amazing lifestyle,” he added.

Known for sucking and drinking the blood of its prey, the seam lamprey is considered elusive as it was last sighted on the island in 2017.

According to experts, the nearly three-foot-long fish is incredibly old. They belong to the oldest group of vertebrates, the Agnatha, which existed more than 400 million years ago before there were fish with jaws.

The sea creature was later given to Ecomare, a nature museum, aquarium and sanctuary for seals and birds.

According to museum officials, sea lampreys are mainly found in the spring when they migrate from the sea to freshwater to spawn.

It is said that sea lampreys do not have a jaw but instead have a sucker-shaped mouth with teeth in it—which they use it to attack fish and suck the blood out.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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A marine biologist who was walking on the shores of a beach in the Netherlands was startled when he found a rare and evasive creature, sea lamprey, washed ashore.

A marine biologist who was walking on the shores of a beach in the Netherlands was startled when he found a rare and evasive creature, sea lamprey, washed ashore. This ‘vampire fish’, as it is called due to its nature to extract the blood of its prey, was discovered on the Dutch island of Texel, reports UK-based Metro newspaper. “I always have my eye out when driving on the beach for other interesting finds, and I saw a large eel-like fish lying on the water’s edge when driving by," he was quoted as saying. “I immediately knew it was a sea lamprey, they are incredible fish. They resemble eels but they are jawless fish, they have a disc-like mouth filled with teeth.” “I have never found one on the beach. They are amazing, almost alien-like looking fish, with an equally amazing lifestyle,” he added. Known for sucking and drinking the blood of its prey, the seam lamprey is considered elusive as it was last sighted on the island in 2017. According to experts, the nearly three-foot-long fish is incredibly old. They belong to the oldest group of vertebrates, the Agnatha, which existed more than 400 million years ago before there were fish with jaws. The sea creature was later given to Ecomare, a nature museum, aquarium and sanctuary for seals and birds. According to museum officials, sea lampreys are mainly found in the spring when they migrate from the sea to freshwater to spawn. It is said that sea lampreys do not have a jaw but instead have a sucker-shaped mouth with teeth in it—which they use it to attack fish and suck the blood out. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Rare blood-sucking fish found washed ashore at the Netherlands beach

Thousands of people dressed in white take to the beaches of Rio de Janeiro to lay flowers and other gifts for Yemanja, the goddess of the sea in the Afro-Brazilian religions of Umbanda and Candomble.

Watch: Brazilians celebrate sea goddess Yemanja on Rio beach

In what is being seen as a 'Christmas miracle', four teenagers were found alive on an island in southwestern Australia today, after drifting overnight on choppy waters for about 30 kilometres (19 miles), authorities said. They drifted the whole night on inflatable paddleboards in choppy waters off Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula after being unable to fight the strong gusts of winds. They floated with the tide and arrived at Swan Island, a military training base on the opposite side of the bay, at around 2 a.m., police said. According to reports in the Guardian, the set of friends described their escape as a “miracle.”

The two boys aged 18 and two girls aged 18 and 19 were found on Swan Island off the Bellarine Peninsula about 9 am today after they got caught in strong easterly winds. 
Victoria Police said the group had set off Monday on two stand-up paddle boards from the town of Rosebud before the strong winds pushed them onto Port Philip bay, according to reports in CNN.

Read now | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/australia-to-open-mission-in-maldives-invest-in-bangladesh-452325">Australia to open mission in Maldives; invest in Bangladesh</a>

After battling the cold and feeling disoriented, the four found shelter in a hut but once the morning sunset in, they wandered the island and were finally found by security and then taken to hospital, said local police, according to CNN affiliate Nine News.

The police had serious concerns about the safety of the group and it was almost a miracle that they were found alive, said Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Terence Rowlands. Local residents claimed the teenagers were safe and well when they encountered them on their regular morning walk. Initially, the police had launched an emergency search overnight, patrolling the area in helicopters and boats with no success.&nbsp;

Read now | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-australia-virtual-summit-both-countries-firm-up-series-of-initiatives-to-boost-ties-464458">India-Australia virtual summit: Both countries firm up series of initiatives to boost ties</a>

Jack Shi, father of one of the teens was quoted as saying that they were happy and relieved that the group was found as they had become very desperate after not knowing about their whereabouts initially.

One of the teenagers, Rong Shi, 18 describes it as an ordeal that now feels like a dream, after their much-anticipated adventure went wrong.&nbsp; 
Reports in the Guardian say that Shi who was speaking from a hospital in Geelong explained how they were swept away by strong winds and carried across the bay.&nbsp; 
“There was a point where we were really tired. When I closed my eyes, I felt like I couldn’t feel my hands were still attached to my nerves. It still feels like a dream to me. I can’t believe we made it – if you look back, it’s really, it’s a miracle," he told the ABC.&nbsp;

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As they drifted further from shore and failed to attract the attention of passing boats, two of them fell in the water and they decided to stay on the boards. 
“We found out that we really couldn’t turn direction so we just decided to stay on board and do nothing, to keep some energy. There was a point that it was really hard, because we could see the helicopters and boats searching for us,” Shi said.&nbsp;

Island security and military personnel ultimately alerted police who after the rescue said that this was like a Çhristmas miracle.' 
Winds in the area were easterly and south-easterly on Monday evening and overnight, blowing at 20-30km/h, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. 
However at South Channel Island – a close observation point – they reached 30-40km/h. The highest gust recorded was 52km/h at about 4 am, although the observation point is particularly exposed, duty forecaster Ilana Cherny said.&nbsp;

The group’s belongings including phones and IDs were found on the beach by a passerby at about 8 pm on Monday, triggering the search. The effort was called off at about 4 am due to deteriorating conditions but resumed at first light.

Rosebud is a popular summer tourist destination. Its main beach faces Port Phillip bay, approximately 25km from where the bay opens out into the Bass Strait.

(With inputs from agencies)

In what is being seen as a 'Christmas miracle', four teenagers were found alive on an island in southwestern Australia today, after drifting overnight on choppy waters for about 30 kilometres (19 miles), authorities said.

In what is being seen as a 'Christmas miracle', four teenagers were found alive on an island in southwestern Australia today, after drifting overnight on choppy waters for about 30 kilometres (19 miles), authorities said. They drifted the whole night on inflatable paddleboards in choppy waters off Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula after being unable to fight the strong gusts of winds. They floated with the tide and arrived at Swan Island, a military training base on the opposite side of the bay, at around 2 a.m., police said. According to reports in the Guardian, the set of friends described their escape as a “miracle.” The two boys aged 18 and two girls aged 18 and 19 were found on Swan Island off the Bellarine Peninsula about 9 am today after they got caught in strong easterly winds. Victoria Police said the group had set off Monday on two stand-up paddle boards from the town of Rosebud before the strong winds pushed them onto Port Philip bay, according to reports in CNN. Read now | Australia to open mission in Maldives; invest in Bangladesh After battling the cold and feeling disoriented, the four found shelter in a hut but once the morning sunset in, they wandered the island and were finally found by security and then taken to hospital, said local police, according to CNN affiliate Nine News. The police had serious concerns about the safety of the group and it was almost a miracle that they were found alive, said Victoria Police Acting Superintendent Terence Rowlands. Local residents claimed the teenagers were safe and well when they encountered them on their regular morning walk. Initially, the police had launched an emergency search overnight, patrolling the area in helicopters and boats with no success. Read now | India-Australia virtual summit: Both countries firm up series of initiatives to boost ties Jack Shi, father of one of the teens was quoted as saying that they were happy and relieved that the group was found as they had become very desperate after not knowing about their whereabouts initially. One of the teenagers, Rong Shi, 18 describes it as an ordeal that now feels like a dream, after their much-anticipated adventure went wrong. Reports in the Guardian say that Shi who was speaking from a hospital in Geelong explained how they were swept away by strong winds and carried across the bay. “There was a point where we were really tired. When I closed my eyes, I felt like I couldn’t feel my hands were still attached to my nerves. It still feels like a dream to me. I can’t believe we made it – if you look back, it’s really, it’s a miracle," he told the ABC. Watch | WION Climate Tracker: Australia seeks to grow plants on moon by 2025 As they drifted further from shore and failed to attract the attention of passing boats, two of them fell in the water and they decided to stay on the boards. “We found out that we really couldn’t turn direction so we just decided to stay on board and do nothing, to keep some energy. There was a point that it was really hard, because we could see the helicopters and boats searching for us,” Shi said. Island security and military personnel ultimately alerted police who after the rescue said that this was like a Çhristmas miracle.' Winds in the area were easterly and south-easterly on Monday evening and overnight, blowing at 20-30km/h, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. However at South Channel Island – a close observation point – they reached 30-40km/h. The highest gust recorded was 52km/h at about 4 am, although the observation point is particularly exposed, duty forecaster Ilana Cherny said. The group’s belongings including phones and IDs were found on the beach by a passerby at about 8 pm on Monday, triggering the search. The effort was called off at about 4 am due to deteriorating conditions but resumed at first light. Rosebud is a popular summer tourist destination. Its main beach faces Port Phillip bay, approximately 25km from where the bay opens out into the Bass Strait. (With inputs from agencies)

Teenagers found alive on island after drifting away overnight on Australian waters

Wondering whether aliens exist is perhaps the most favorite pastime of the modern era. Though the topic has, and continues to get serious scientific consideration, popular culture has been creative enough for people to periodically claim that they have seen or have been abducted by aliens. The seemingly laughable assumptions do sometimes have a point. How else would we fully explain construction of pyramids? The jury is still out.

Just like pyramids, how do we account for a 'yellow brick road' found 3000 metres below the sea level?

The question came into larger consideration after researchers from Ural Federal University (UrFU) and the University of Tubingen (Germany) found this underwater 'road' ('to Atlantis' they said!).

Nautilus, a sea exploration vessel, stumbled upon this 'road' earlier this year. The vessel was exploring a deep sea ridge just north of Hawaiian islands in the Pacific Ocean.

The 'brick road' was observed while the Nautilus surveyed the Liliʻuokalani ridge within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM).

PMNM is a huge marine conservation area, one of the world's largest. PMNM is so big that its total area exceeds that of all national parks in the US combined.

When Nautilus stumbled upon the 'road' it was time for researchers who were transfixed to screens at the surface to jump in their chairs.

"It's the road to Atlantis," a researcher on the radio can be heard saying

"The yellow brick road?" says another voice&nbsp;

"This is bizarre," added another member.&nbsp;

"Are you kidding me? This is crazy."

Best part is, we can see this moment as the expedition is available on Youtube.

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Those searching for conspiracy theories for this structure may have to be dejected this time. This 'brick road' has formed due to fractures in volcanic rocks on the seabed.&nbsp;

"The unique 90-degree fractures are likely related to heating and cooling stress from multiple eruptions at this baked margin," reads a caption to the YouTube video.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-might-have-found-first-record-of-a-dinosaur-eating-a-mammal-544987">Scientists might have found ‘first record of a dinosaur eating a mammal’</a>

The conspiracy theorists need not be crestfallen. First glance at this structure may make anyone think that its a road to the unknown. And when it comes to sea exploration isn't this a fitting ode to our efforts till date?

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Wondering whether aliens exist is perhaps the most favorite pastime of the modern era. Though the topic has, and continues to get serious scientific consideration, popular culture has been creative enough for people to periodically claim that they have seen or have been abducted by aliens.

Wondering whether aliens exist is perhaps the most favorite pastime of the modern era. Though the topic has, and continues to get serious scientific consideration, popular culture has been creative enough for people to periodically claim that they have seen or have been abducted by aliens. The seemingly laughable assumptions do sometimes have a point. How else would we fully explain construction of pyramids? The jury is still out. Just like pyramids, how do we account for a 'yellow brick road' found 3000 metres below the sea level? The question came into larger consideration after researchers from Ural Federal University (UrFU) and the University of Tubingen (Germany) found this underwater 'road' ('to Atlantis' they said!). Nautilus, a sea exploration vessel, stumbled upon this 'road' earlier this year. The vessel was exploring a deep sea ridge just north of Hawaiian islands in the Pacific Ocean. The 'brick road' was observed while the Nautilus surveyed the Liliʻuokalani ridge within Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM). PMNM is a huge marine conservation area, one of the world's largest. PMNM is so big that its total area exceeds that of all national parks in the US combined. When Nautilus stumbled upon the 'road' it was time for researchers who were transfixed to screens at the surface to jump in their chairs. "It's the road to Atlantis," a researcher on the radio can be heard saying "The yellow brick road?" says another voice "This is bizarre," added another member. "Are you kidding me? This is crazy." Best part is, we can see this moment as the expedition is available on Youtube. × Those searching for conspiracy theories for this structure may have to be dejected this time. This 'brick road' has formed due to fractures in volcanic rocks on the seabed. "The unique 90-degree fractures are likely related to heating and cooling stress from multiple eruptions at this baked margin," reads a caption to the YouTube video. Also Read | Scientists might have found ‘first record of a dinosaur eating a mammal’ The conspiracy theorists need not be crestfallen. First glance at this structure may make anyone think that its a road to the unknown. And when it comes to sea exploration isn't this a fitting ode to our efforts till date? You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

'Yellow brick road' found 3000 metres below surface of the sea

A research mission in the Maldives is diving 1,000 metres to probe the links between surface water and deep water. Can this underwater mission uncover deep sea mysteries? Mariam Wardak tells you.

South Asia Diary: Maldivian mission to probe deep sea mysteries

Three European MPs claim that by permitting raw sewage to be thrown into the North Sea and the Channel, the UK is endangering the health and marine life along the French coast.

Following sewage overflows into rivers and the sea brought on by heavy rain, pollution alerts have been issued for over 50 beaches in England and Wales.

The French MEPs charge that the UK has disregarded its environmental obligations and put fishing and marine life at risk.

British water firms have stated that they are spending money to find a solution.

The MEPs said in a letter requesting that the European Commission take legal or political action that the United Kingdom has ignored its environmental obligations since leaving the European Union.

Their claim was "just not true," according to a UK government spokesperson.

The UK was still a signatory to pertinent United Nations conventions on protecting shared waterways, the MEPs contended, even though it was no longer subject to EU laws.

The three MEPs are all members of En Marche, a pro-EU group supported by French President Emmanuel Macron. The chairman of the fishing committee of the European Parliament is one of them, Pierre Karleskind.

He stated that the UK could not be permitted to disregard its obligations under the terms of Brexit and jeopardise the 20 years of advancement of water quality standards in Europe.

The MEPs warn that short-term sewage leaks could endanger fishing, oyster farming, and bathing waters around the French coast. They could also have a negative impact on marine biodiversity.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Three European MPs claim that by permitting raw sewage to be thrown into the North Sea and the Channel, the UK is endangering the health and marine life along the French coast.

Three European MPs claim that by permitting raw sewage to be thrown into the North Sea and the Channel, the UK is endangering the health and marine life along the French coast. Following sewage overflows into rivers and the sea brought on by heavy rain, pollution alerts have been issued for over 50 beaches in England and Wales. The French MEPs charge that the UK has disregarded its environmental obligations and put fishing and marine life at risk. British water firms have stated that they are spending money to find a solution. The MEPs said in a letter requesting that the European Commission take legal or political action that the United Kingdom has ignored its environmental obligations since leaving the European Union. Their claim was "just not true," according to a UK government spokesperson. The UK was still a signatory to pertinent United Nations conventions on protecting shared waterways, the MEPs contended, even though it was no longer subject to EU laws. The three MEPs are all members of En Marche, a pro-EU group supported by French President Emmanuel Macron. The chairman of the fishing committee of the European Parliament is one of them, Pierre Karleskind. He stated that the UK could not be permitted to disregard its obligations under the terms of Brexit and jeopardise the 20 years of advancement of water quality standards in Europe. The MEPs warn that short-term sewage leaks could endanger fishing, oyster farming, and bathing waters around the French coast. They could also have a negative impact on marine biodiversity. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

French MEPs outraged by the UK's discharge of raw sewage into the sea

Extreme ocean temperatures have caused the largest bleaching of sea sponges in New Zealand, scientists have said following recent marine heatwaves.

Last month, researchers found sea sponges bleached for the first time ever off the country’s southern coastline. They warned that the issue could rapidly become widespread, reports The Guardian.

Scientists have dubbed it an “alarming” development, saying that it highlights the&nbsp;climate crisis&nbsp;the world is facing.

Sea sponges are marine animals that have been around for about 600 million years. Their skeletons are dense and porous, and they adapt well to their particular habitat, attaching themselves to different types of surfaces, from rocks and corals&nbsp;to soft sediments, like mud and sand. They have even been known to fasten themselves to&nbsp;floating debris, according to the National Ocean Service.

Sponge gardens play a key role in marine ecosystems by creating habitats for fish and releasing carbon that other species feed on.

“As far as we’re aware, it’s the largest scale and largest number of sponges bleached in one event that’s been reported anywhere in the world… certainly in cold waters,” said James Bell, marine ecologist and professor at Victoria University of Wellington, as reported by The Guardian.

Bleaching does not necessarily mean the death of sponges per say, rather it evicts those organisms that dwell within them after they struggle to get food through photosynthesis, denying nutrients and reducing their defences. As a result, the sponges turn completely white.

Bell said that while some species can recover from severe bleaching, others do not.

She said that at least millions of sponges have been bleached in those environments, “maybe even tens of millions - this is one of the most abundant sponges in Fiordland and so it’s a really wide-scale event.”

Till last month, such bleaching had never been seen before in New Zealand, and there were few reports of it happening in cold waters internationally.

Bell said initial experiments confirmed warmer water was the likely cause of the bleaching.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Extreme ocean temperatures have caused the largest bleaching of sea sponges in New Zealand, scientists have said following recent marine heatwaves. Last month, researchers found sea sponges bleached for the first time ever off the country’s southern coastline.

Extreme ocean temperatures have caused the largest bleaching of sea sponges in New Zealand, scientists have said following recent marine heatwaves. Last month, researchers found sea sponges bleached for the first time ever off the country’s southern coastline. They warned that the issue could rapidly become widespread, reports The Guardian. Scientists have dubbed it an “alarming” development, saying that it highlights the climate crisis the world is facing. Sea sponges are marine animals that have been around for about 600 million years. Their skeletons are dense and porous, and they adapt well to their particular habitat, attaching themselves to different types of surfaces, from rocks and corals to soft sediments, like mud and sand. They have even been known to fasten themselves to floating debris, according to the National Ocean Service. Sponge gardens play a key role in marine ecosystems by creating habitats for fish and releasing carbon that other species feed on. “As far as we’re aware, it’s the largest scale and largest number of sponges bleached in one event that’s been reported anywhere in the world… certainly in cold waters,” said James Bell, marine ecologist and professor at Victoria University of Wellington, as reported by The Guardian. Bleaching does not necessarily mean the death of sponges per say, rather it evicts those organisms that dwell within them after they struggle to get food through photosynthesis, denying nutrients and reducing their defences. As a result, the sponges turn completely white. Bell said that while some species can recover from severe bleaching, others do not. She said that at least millions of sponges have been bleached in those environments, “maybe even tens of millions - this is one of the most abundant sponges in Fiordland and so it’s a really wide-scale event.” Till last month, such bleaching had never been seen before in New Zealand, and there were few reports of it happening in cold waters internationally. Bell said initial experiments confirmed warmer water was the likely cause of the bleaching. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

New Zealand sees record sea sponge bleaching, scientists 'alarmed'

A study published in a scientific journal has rung alarm bells for Indian megacity Mumbai. The study says that the coastal city is sinking into the sea. And though the rate of 2 mm per year may seem small, the report has recommended that urgent remedial measures should be taken in order to avoid increased flooding in future.

The study has been published in Geophysical Research Letters journal. It said that sinking of Mumbai city was due to a phenomenon called land subsidence. The study, carried out by researchers at University of Rhode Island is titled Subsidence in Coastal Cities Throughout the World Observed by InSAR. It studied land subsidence in 99 countries in the world.

It found that Tianjin in China was the fastest sinking city in the world. The city is sinking at the rate of 5 cm per year.

Land subsidence is downward, vertical movement of the earth. Land subsidence is permanent and irreversible. This is why it is critical to prevent it rather than try for measures afterwards.

The study has found that Tianjin is the fastest sinking city in the world. These are the cities that find place on the list next.

Semarang (3.96cm per year) and Jakarta (3.44cm per year) in Indonesia, Shanghai (2.94cm year) in China, and Ho Chi Minh (2.81mm per year) and Hanoi (2.44cm per year) in Vietnam.

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A study published in a scientific journal has rung alarm bells for Indian megacity Mumbai. The study says that the coastal city is sinking into the sea. And though the rate of 2 mm per year may seem small, the report has recommended that urgent remedial measures should be taken in order to avoid increased flooding in future.

A study published in a scientific journal has rung alarm bells for Indian megacity Mumbai. The study says that the coastal city is sinking into the sea. And though the rate of 2 mm per year may seem small, the report has recommended that urgent remedial measures should be taken in order to avoid increased flooding in future. The study has been published in Geophysical Research Letters journal. It said that sinking of Mumbai city was due to a phenomenon called land subsidence. The study, carried out by researchers at University of Rhode Island is titled Subsidence in Coastal Cities Throughout the World Observed by InSAR. It studied land subsidence in 99 countries in the world. It found that Tianjin in China was the fastest sinking city in the world. The city is sinking at the rate of 5 cm per year. Land subsidence is downward, vertical movement of the earth. Land subsidence is permanent and irreversible. This is why it is critical to prevent it rather than try for measures afterwards. The study has found that Tianjin is the fastest sinking city in the world. These are the cities that find place on the list next. Semarang (3.96cm per year) and Jakarta (3.44cm per year) in Indonesia, Shanghai (2.94cm year) in China, and Ho Chi Minh (2.81mm per year) and Hanoi (2.44cm per year) in Vietnam. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Mumbai is sinking in the sea, says a study

Bombings on Ukrainian cities has intensified. A report has claimed Russia is planning a "lightning advance" to encircle the Ukrainian army and claim victory. Palki Sharma brings you the top 10 updates from the battleground.

Gravitas: Will Russia target Ukraine from the sea next?

We often think ancient shipwrecks are found deep in sea but what if one is found just 50 metres from a busy beach? A roman-era merchant ship had sunk 1700 years ago. The shipwreck lay just 50 metres from a now-busy beach near Mallorca, Spain but it went undetected...for centuries.

Roman boat sinks 1700 years ago, remains undetected just 50 metres from a beach

Its's one thing to train in blue-water sailing in a creek and entirely another to be doing so at the high seas, in the Bay of Bengal. Well, you could call the transition a sea change. This is precisely the feeling that nine women officers of the Indian army experienced, after completing a historic expedition from Chennai to Visakhapatnam and back.&nbsp;

Sailing on a German-origin, class A yacht, which is meant for navigating the open ocean. However, this is unlike any other expedition. While the boat does have an engine for backup and emergency purposes, its primary propulsion is the ability and seamanship of the crew to dynamically adjust the sails and harness the winds, ocean current to reach their destination.&nbsp;

WION spoke to the crew to understand their mission and how they accomplished it successfully. 
&nbsp; 
Belonging to different arms and services of the Indian army and having no prior experience in sailing, it was their thirst for adventure that brought the women officers together.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-to-evacuate-stranded-citizens-in-ukraine-from-neighbouring-countries-sources-456437">Also read |&nbsp;India to evacuate stranded citizens in Ukraine from neighbouring countries: Sources</a>

"Most of us did not know anything about sailing. Our training at army heavy bridging training camp, Marve, began with an introduction to sailing, what it is about, the nuances, different kinds of boats, principles of sailing and even navigation in day and night conditions. It's amazing how our team of women officers have completed the mission successfully, with specialised training for a few weeks" said Captain Shubham Solanki, who was part of the sailing crew.

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The yacht with sails that’s being towed was home to 9women officers of <a href="https://twitter.com/adgpi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@adgpi</a> for 7days,as they sailed 2000kms <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chennai?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chennai</a> - <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Vizag?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Vizag</a> and back.. 
 
It’s cabin is barely 150sqft in size and that’s where everything from, comms to resting, Kitchen, storage washrooms are <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/india?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#india</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/women?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#women</a> <a href="https://t.co/LGn9F5XY6U">pic.twitter.com/LGn9F5XY6U</a>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1497220796451856385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2022</a></blockquote>
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At the high seas, their yacht was at the mercy of the elements. While the nearly 2000km round-trip was expected to take only four days, the challenges posed by the wind conditions made the trip longer by three days.&nbsp;

While sailing, the crew took turns to perform all functions on-board, which included manning the boat, navigating, cooking, communications etc. While the sailors did get to rest after their task, it was near-impossible to catch sleep while sailing on a vessel that was being tossed around by the ocean current. The nine-member crew had an onboard shelter that was barely 150 square feet, where they had to manage everything from cooking to dining to communications, storing supplies and even getting some rest. 
&nbsp; 
According to Major Mukta Shree Gautam, the captain of the expedition, it was a rare privilege and opportunity to lead the first-ever mission by women officers of the army.&nbsp;

"I cannot be thankful enough to have a team who excel in whatever they do. We shared the same passion for adventure. We learnt that women make an amazing team. It was the most cherished memory. We learnt how to keep calm, manage at high sea, implement the learnings when conditions are unfavourable. How we cooperated and implemented our learnings and kept the team morale high, was amazing," she said.

For Major Priya Das, who was part of the expedition crew, the deep blue seas have always been a fascination and her love for adventure sports was an added advantage.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/want-to-change-your-photo-on-your-aadhaar-card-click-here-to-see-the-steps-456532">Also read |&nbsp;Want to change your photo on your Aadhaar card? Click here to see the steps</a>

"I'm extremely fond of adventure sports… Land, sky and sea have always been mesmerising for me… On land, I have experienced horse-riding and many other adventure sports, in terms of flying I have done a micro-light flying course in a fixed-wing aircraft… To date, I was painting deep blue only on canvas and now I have had the experience to have such a great experience of the real deep-blue at sea, via this expedition," she expressed. 
&nbsp; 
Although initiated by the Indian army adventure wing, this maiden sea-sailing expedition by women officers of the Indian Army has a greater goal.&nbsp;

It is aimed at motivating young women to consider a career in the Indian defence forces and to promote adventure sports and specifically sailing. With a 7500-km-long coastline, sailing is a sport with immense potential in India.

Its's one thing to train in blue-water sailing in a creek and entirely another to be doing so at the high seas, in the Bay of Bengal. Well, you could call the transition a sea change.

Its's one thing to train in blue-water sailing in a creek and entirely another to be doing so at the high seas, in the Bay of Bengal. Well, you could call the transition a sea change. This is precisely the feeling that nine women officers of the Indian army experienced, after completing a historic expedition from Chennai to Visakhapatnam and back. Sailing on a German-origin, class A yacht, which is meant for navigating the open ocean. However, this is unlike any other expedition. While the boat does have an engine for backup and emergency purposes, its primary propulsion is the ability and seamanship of the crew to dynamically adjust the sails and harness the winds, ocean current to reach their destination. WION spoke to the crew to understand their mission and how they accomplished it successfully. Belonging to different arms and services of the Indian army and having no prior experience in sailing, it was their thirst for adventure that brought the women officers together. Also read | India to evacuate stranded citizens in Ukraine from neighbouring countries: Sources "Most of us did not know anything about sailing. Our training at army heavy bridging training camp, Marve, began with an introduction to sailing, what it is about, the nuances, different kinds of boats, principles of sailing and even navigation in day and night conditions. It's amazing how our team of women officers have completed the mission successfully, with specialised training for a few weeks" said Captain Shubham Solanki, who was part of the sailing crew. The yacht with sails that’s being towed was home to 9women officers of @adgpi for 7days,as they sailed 2000kms #Chennai - #Vizag and back.. It’s cabin is barely 150sqft in size and that’s where everything from, comms to resting, Kitchen, storage washrooms are #india #women pic.twitter.com/LGn9F5XY6U — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) February 25, 2022 × At the high seas, their yacht was at the mercy of the elements. While the nearly 2000km round-trip was expected to take only four days, the challenges posed by the wind conditions made the trip longer by three days. While sailing, the crew took turns to perform all functions on-board, which included manning the boat, navigating, cooking, communications etc. While the sailors did get to rest after their task, it was near-impossible to catch sleep while sailing on a vessel that was being tossed around by the ocean current. The nine-member crew had an onboard shelter that was barely 150 square feet, where they had to manage everything from cooking to dining to communications, storing supplies and even getting some rest. According to Major Mukta Shree Gautam, the captain of the expedition, it was a rare privilege and opportunity to lead the first-ever mission by women officers of the army. "I cannot be thankful enough to have a team who excel in whatever they do. We shared the same passion for adventure. We learnt that women make an amazing team. It was the most cherished memory. We learnt how to keep calm, manage at high sea, implement the learnings when conditions are unfavourable. How we cooperated and implemented our learnings and kept the team morale high, was amazing," she said. For Major Priya Das, who was part of the expedition crew, the deep blue seas have always been a fascination and her love for adventure sports was an added advantage. Also read | Want to change your photo on your Aadhaar card? Click here to see the steps "I'm extremely fond of adventure sports… Land, sky and sea have always been mesmerising for me… On land, I have experienced horse-riding and many other adventure sports, in terms of flying I have done a micro-light flying course in a fixed-wing aircraft… To date, I was painting deep blue only on canvas and now I have had the experience to have such a great experience of the real deep-blue at sea, via this expedition," she expressed. Although initiated by the Indian army adventure wing, this maiden sea-sailing expedition by women officers of the Indian Army has a greater goal. It is aimed at motivating young women to consider a career in the Indian defence forces and to promote adventure sports and specifically sailing. With a 7500-km-long coastline, sailing is a sport with immense potential in India.

7 days at sea, harnessing the wind, Indian army women officers sail 2000 kms, making history

US sea levels are expected to rise to a foot over the next 30 years, revealed a major US federal government report. It claims that the sea levels along the US shoreline are expected to rise 10-12 inches on average by 2050.&nbsp;

It is projected that the sea levels will be higher along the Atlantic and Gulf shores. This is because of greater land subsidence there.&nbsp;

This development makes Americans vulnerable to disastrous flooding.&nbsp;

Bill Nelson, administrator of Nasa, in a report by The Guardian said, "Sea levels are continuing to rise at an alarming rate, endangering communities around the world."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/18-billion-thats-how-much-governments-fund-every-year-to-human-extinction-and-climate-change-454012">Also read |&nbsp;$1.8 billion; that's how much governments contribute every year to human extinction &amp; climate change</a>

Rick Spinrad, the administrator of the National oceanic and atmospheric administration, said that the report comes as a “wake-up call.”&nbsp;

The study has been designed as a planning tool to mitigate and adapt to rising sea levels.&nbsp;

The seawater has already risen by about a foot since 1920. This is a &nbsp;faster increase than the 6-8 inches which is experienced regularly. This is expected to double within 30 years around the US.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

US sea levels are expected to rise to a foot over the next 30 years, revealed a major US federal government report. It claims that the sea levels along the US shoreline are expected to rise 10-12 inches on average by 2050.

US sea levels are expected to rise to a foot over the next 30 years, revealed a major US federal government report. It claims that the sea levels along the US shoreline are expected to rise 10-12 inches on average by 2050. It is projected that the sea levels will be higher along the Atlantic and Gulf shores. This is because of greater land subsidence there. This development makes Americans vulnerable to disastrous flooding. Bill Nelson, administrator of Nasa, in a report by The Guardian said, "Sea levels are continuing to rise at an alarming rate, endangering communities around the world." Also read | $1.8 billion; that's how much governments contribute every year to human extinction & climate change Rick Spinrad, the administrator of the National oceanic and atmospheric administration, said that the report comes as a “wake-up call.” The study has been designed as a planning tool to mitigate and adapt to rising sea levels. The seawater has already risen by about a foot since 1920. This is a faster increase than the 6-8 inches which is experienced regularly. This is expected to double within 30 years around the US. (With inputs from agencies)

'Wake-up call': US sea level to rise majorly by 2050, reveals study

In a striking revelation, a rogue wave, which was measured 58 feet (17.6 meters) tall, was recorded off the coast of Vancouver Island. &nbsp;

The wave&nbsp;has set new record as it was three times the size of the surrounding waves. &nbsp;

Johannes Gemmrich, one of the lead researchers on rogue waves at the University of Victoria, said, "Only a few rogue waves in high sea states have been observed directly, and nothing of this magnitude. The probability of such an event occurring is one in 1,300 years." &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/drought-in-spain-gives-birth-to-a-ghost-village-its-truly-real-452580" hreflang="en">Drought in Spain gives birth to a ghost village. It’s truly real!</a>

It seems to have taken the scientific community by storm as it is proportionally the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded in the world. &nbsp;

The wave occurred in November 2020. But the study confirming it was released on February 2 this year. &nbsp;

"They look like a large four-storey lump sticking out of the water with a large peak and big troughs before it," Scott Beatty, CEO, MarineLabs, the company operating the buoy, which measured the wave, told CNN. &nbsp;

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-deforestation-in-amazon-rainforest-hits-record-january-high-452599" hreflang="en">Brazil: Deforestation in Amazon rainforest hits record January high</a>

"Rogues, called 'extreme storm waves' by scientists, are those waves which are greater than twice the size of surrounding waves, are very unpredictable, and often come unexpectedly from directions other than prevailing wind and waves," The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) explained. &nbsp;

In simple terms, "A rogue wave is actually just a wave that is large compared to the surrounding wave field," Gemmrich clarified. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

In a striking revelation, a rogue wave, which was measured 58 feet (17.6 meters) tall, was recorded off the coast of Vancouver Island. The wave has set new record as it was three times the size of the surrounding waves.

In a striking revelation, a rogue wave, which was measured 58 feet (17.6 meters) tall, was recorded off the coast of Vancouver Island. The wave has set new record as it was three times the size of the surrounding waves. Johannes Gemmrich, one of the lead researchers on rogue waves at the University of Victoria, said, "Only a few rogue waves in high sea states have been observed directly, and nothing of this magnitude. The probability of such an event occurring is one in 1,300 years." Also Read: Drought in Spain gives birth to a ghost village. It’s truly real! It seems to have taken the scientific community by storm as it is proportionally the most extreme rogue wave ever recorded in the world. The wave occurred in November 2020. But the study confirming it was released on February 2 this year. "They look like a large four-storey lump sticking out of the water with a large peak and big troughs before it," Scott Beatty, CEO, MarineLabs, the company operating the buoy, which measured the wave, told CNN. Also Read | Brazil: Deforestation in Amazon rainforest hits record January high "Rogues, called 'extreme storm waves' by scientists, are those waves which are greater than twice the size of surrounding waves, are very unpredictable, and often come unexpectedly from directions other than prevailing wind and waves," The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) explained. In simple terms, "A rogue wave is actually just a wave that is large compared to the surrounding wave field," Gemmrich clarified. (With inputs from agencies)

58-feet-high rogue wave recorded off coast of Vancouver Island, says study

As soon as the remotely operated camera glimpsed the bottom of the Weddell Sea, more than 1,000 feet below the icy ceiling at the surface, Lilian Boehringer, a student researcher at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany, saw the icefish nests. The sandy craters dimpled the seafloor, each the size of a hula hoop and less than a foot apart. Each crater held a single, stolid icefish, dark pectoral fins outspread like bat wings over a clutch of eggs.

Aptly named icefishes thrive in waters just above freezing with enormous hearts and blood that runs clear as vodka. Their blood is transparent because they lack red blood cells and hemoglobin to transport oxygen throughout the body. Icefishes’ loss of hemoglobin genes was less an evolutionary adaptation than a happy accident, one that has allowed them to absorb the oxygen-rich Antarctic waters through their skin.

The sighting occurred in February 2021 in the camera room aboard a research ship, the Polarstern, which had come to the Weddell Sea to study other things, not icefish. It was 3 a.m. near Antarctica, meaning the sun was out but most of the ship was asleep. To Boehringer’s surprise, the camera kept transmitting pictures as it moved with the ship, revealing an uninterrupted horizon of icefish nests every 20 seconds.

“It just didn’t stop,” Boehringer said. “They were everywhere.”

Half an hour later, Autun Purser, a deep-sea biologist at the same institute, joined Boehringer. On the camera feed, there remained nothing but nests.

“We were like, is this ever going to end?” Purser said. “How come no one has ever seen this before?”

The nests persisted for the entire four-hour dive, with 16,160 recorded on camera. After two more dives by the camera, the scientists estimated the colony of Neopagetopsis ionah icefish stretched across 92 square miles of the serene Antarctic sea, totaling 60 million active nests. The researchers described the site — the largest fish breeding colony ever discovered — in a paper published Thursday in the journal Current Biology.

“Holy cow,” said C.-H. Christina Cheng, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, who was not involved with the research. “This is really unprecedented,” she said. “It is crazy dense. It is a major discovery.”

The paper provides “evidence of a complex and so far undescribed benthic ecosystem in the Weddell Sea,” said Mario La Mesa, a biologist at the Institute of Polar Sciences in Bologna, Italy, who was not involved with the research.

“I would not be surprised to find other massive colonies of breeding fishes elsewhere,” said La Mesa, who last year described the same Antarctic icefish species’ nest-guarding behavior from sites near the newly discovered colony.

Each of the newly discovered nests held, on average, 1,735 large, yolky eggs — low fecundity for a fish. An unprotected clutch would prove an easy snack for predators like starfish, polychaete worms and sea spiders, Cheng said. So the males stand sentry to ensure their offspring are not devoured, at least not before they have the chance to hatch, and may clean the nests with their elongated lower jaw, according to Manuel Novillo, a researcher at the Bernardino Rivadavia Museum of Natural Science in Argentina, who was not involved with the research.

About three-quarters of the colony’s nests were guarded by a single fish. The others had eggs but no fish, a fish carcass furred white with bacteria or nothing at all. Near the edges of the colony, many unused or abandoned nests cradled several icefish carcasses, many with starfishes and octopuses feasting on their eyes and soft parts.

“If you die in the fish nest area, you rot there,” Purser said. “But if you die at the edges, then it seems to be everyone grabs you and starts eating you there.”

The researchers observed that the colony occupied an unusually warm patch of deep water, with temperatures up to about 35 degrees Fahrenheit — practically toasty compared to other Antarctic waters.

Although the discovery of the nests contributes to scientists’ understanding of the icefish life cycle, it raises even more questions. How often are the nests built, and are they reused? Do the fish die after the eggs hatch? Or, perhaps the most obvious: “Why there?” Cheng asked.

The authors have no sure answers, only speculations. Maybe the warm deep currents guide the fish to the grounds. Maybe there is a bounty of zooplankton for the fry to devour. Or maybe it’s something else.

But there must be something special about the location of the active colony. Around 31 miles west, the researchers found a patch of seafloor similarly littered with nests: all empty. These nests were abandoned, overtaken by sponges and corals — long-living creatures that take years to grow, Purser said.

Waters above the icefishes’ expansive settlement also host hungry, foraging Weddell seals. When the researchers collected satellite tracking data from seals during the expedition and analyzed it with historical data, they found, unsurprisingly, that the seals dive primarily to the icefish nests. “They’re having a nice dinner,” Purser said.

Before the end of the cruise, the researchers deployed a camera that will photograph the site twice daily for two years, hopefully revealing even more about the life cycle of the icefish. Novillo said he is looking forward to seeing what the camera captures. “It might constitute the first field observation of courtship behavior and/or nest preparation,” he wrote in an email.

New insights into how icefish reproduce and contribute to polar food webs could help manage and conserve populations. The authors argue the new paper provides enough evidence to protect the Weddell Sea under the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.

“The seafloor is not just barren and boring,” Purser said. “Such huge discoveries are still there to be made, even today in the 21st century.”

As soon as the remotely operated camera glimpsed the bottom of the Weddell Sea, more than 1,000 feet below the icy ceiling at the surface, Lilian Boehringer, a student researcher at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany, saw the icefish nests.

As soon as the remotely operated camera glimpsed the bottom of the Weddell Sea, more than 1,000 feet below the icy ceiling at the surface, Lilian Boehringer, a student researcher at the Alfred Wegener Institute in Germany, saw the icefish nests. The sandy craters dimpled the seafloor, each the size of a hula hoop and less than a foot apart. Each crater held a single, stolid icefish, dark pectoral fins outspread like bat wings over a clutch of eggs. Aptly named icefishes thrive in waters just above freezing with enormous hearts and blood that runs clear as vodka. Their blood is transparent because they lack red blood cells and hemoglobin to transport oxygen throughout the body. Icefishes’ loss of hemoglobin genes was less an evolutionary adaptation than a happy accident, one that has allowed them to absorb the oxygen-rich Antarctic waters through their skin. The sighting occurred in February 2021 in the camera room aboard a research ship, the Polarstern, which had come to the Weddell Sea to study other things, not icefish. It was 3 a.m. near Antarctica, meaning the sun was out but most of the ship was asleep. To Boehringer’s surprise, the camera kept transmitting pictures as it moved with the ship, revealing an uninterrupted horizon of icefish nests every 20 seconds. “It just didn’t stop,” Boehringer said. “They were everywhere.” Half an hour later, Autun Purser, a deep-sea biologist at the same institute, joined Boehringer. On the camera feed, there remained nothing but nests. “We were like, is this ever going to end?” Purser said. “How come no one has ever seen this before?” The nests persisted for the entire four-hour dive, with 16,160 recorded on camera. After two more dives by the camera, the scientists estimated the colony of Neopagetopsis ionah icefish stretched across 92 square miles of the serene Antarctic sea, totaling 60 million active nests. The researchers described the site — the largest fish breeding colony ever discovered — in a paper published Thursday in the journal Current Biology. “Holy cow,” said C.-H. Christina Cheng, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign, who was not involved with the research. “This is really unprecedented,” she said. “It is crazy dense. It is a major discovery.” The paper provides “evidence of a complex and so far undescribed benthic ecosystem in the Weddell Sea,” said Mario La Mesa, a biologist at the Institute of Polar Sciences in Bologna, Italy, who was not involved with the research. “I would not be surprised to find other massive colonies of breeding fishes elsewhere,” said La Mesa, who last year described the same Antarctic icefish species’ nest-guarding behavior from sites near the newly discovered colony. Each of the newly discovered nests held, on average, 1,735 large, yolky eggs — low fecundity for a fish. An unprotected clutch would prove an easy snack for predators like starfish, polychaete worms and sea spiders, Cheng said. So the males stand sentry to ensure their offspring are not devoured, at least not before they have the chance to hatch, and may clean the nests with their elongated lower jaw, according to Manuel Novillo, a researcher at the Bernardino Rivadavia Museum of Natural Science in Argentina, who was not involved with the research. About three-quarters of the colony’s nests were guarded by a single fish. The others had eggs but no fish, a fish carcass furred white with bacteria or nothing at all. Near the edges of the colony, many unused or abandoned nests cradled several icefish carcasses, many with starfishes and octopuses feasting on their eyes and soft parts. “If you die in the fish nest area, you rot there,” Purser said. “But if you die at the edges, then it seems to be everyone grabs you and starts eating you there.” The researchers observed that the colony occupied an unusually warm patch of deep water, with temperatures up to about 35 degrees Fahrenheit — practically toasty compared to other Antarctic waters. Although the discovery of the nests contributes to scientists’ understanding of the icefish life cycle, it raises even more questions. How often are the nests built, and are they reused? Do the fish die after the eggs hatch? Or, perhaps the most obvious: “Why there?” Cheng asked. The authors have no sure answers, only speculations. Maybe the warm deep currents guide the fish to the grounds. Maybe there is a bounty of zooplankton for the fry to devour. Or maybe it’s something else. But there must be something special about the location of the active colony. Around 31 miles west, the researchers found a patch of seafloor similarly littered with nests: all empty. These nests were abandoned, overtaken by sponges and corals — long-living creatures that take years to grow, Purser said. Waters above the icefishes’ expansive settlement also host hungry, foraging Weddell seals. When the researchers collected satellite tracking data from seals during the expedition and analyzed it with historical data, they found, unsurprisingly, that the seals dive primarily to the icefish nests. “They’re having a nice dinner,” Purser said. Before the end of the cruise, the researchers deployed a camera that will photograph the site twice daily for two years, hopefully revealing even more about the life cycle of the icefish. Novillo said he is looking forward to seeing what the camera captures. “It might constitute the first field observation of courtship behavior and/or nest preparation,” he wrote in an email. New insights into how icefish reproduce and contribute to polar food webs could help manage and conserve populations. The authors argue the new paper provides enough evidence to protect the Weddell Sea under the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. “The seafloor is not just barren and boring,” Purser said. “Such huge discoveries are still there to be made, even today in the 21st century.”

‘Major discovery’ beneath Antarctic seas: A giant icefish breeding colony

Plastic is everywhere around us, the land, the oceans and even the air now and this is what will dominate our special broadcast. We bring you some shocking findings.

Land, sea and air: Plastic is everywhere

The Israeli Sea Turtle Rescue Centre releases two sea turtles that were injured during a fishing incident earlier this year back to sea, following treatment and full recovery.

Israel rescue centre releases sea turtles back into the sea

A 69-year-old man has been rescued in rough seas off Japan after spending 22 hours drifting in open water, with one official calling his survival a "miracle."

The man, whose name has not been released, was alone on a boat off southwestern Kagoshima prefecture and en route to the Yakushima resort island Saturday afternoon when his boat capsized.

He managed to call a colleague on the island to alert him, but was not found until nearly a full day later, the coastguard told AFP, when rescuers spotted him sitting on the engine of his capsized boat, clasping a propeller part.

"He was out in the sea alone for 22 hours. I am amazed by his survival skills," a coastguard official told AFP, declining to be identified.

Dramatic footage released by the coastguard showed a team approaching him by boat calling out: "We are coming! Just a little bit longer! Hold on tight!"

The man was able to wrap himself in a grey plastic sheet, helping him stay warm, officials said.

"It's a miracle he survived," a coastguard official told the Asahi Shimbun daily.

A 69-year-old man has been rescued in rough seas off Japan after spending 22 hours drifting in open water, with one official calling his survival a "miracle." The man, whose name has not been released, was alone on a boat off southwestern Kagoshima prefecture and en route to the Yakushima resort island Saturday afternoon when his boat capsized.

A 69-year-old man has been rescued in rough seas off Japan after spending 22 hours drifting in open water, with one official calling his survival a "miracle." The man, whose name has not been released, was alone on a boat off southwestern Kagoshima prefecture and en route to the Yakushima resort island Saturday afternoon when his boat capsized. He managed to call a colleague on the island to alert him, but was not found until nearly a full day later, the coastguard told AFP, when rescuers spotted him sitting on the engine of his capsized boat, clasping a propeller part. "He was out in the sea alone for 22 hours. I am amazed by his survival skills," a coastguard official told AFP, declining to be identified. Dramatic footage released by the coastguard showed a team approaching him by boat calling out: "We are coming! Just a little bit longer! Hold on tight!" The man was able to wrap himself in a grey plastic sheet, helping him stay warm, officials said. "It's a miracle he survived," a coastguard official told the Asahi Shimbun daily.

'Miracle' rescue of Japan man after 22 hours at sea

The UN climate summit is underway in Glasgow, it has thousands of leaders making remarks, hundreds of sessions making it extremely difficult for your cost to stand out. Grim climate reality for Pacific nations, the image of Tuvalu minister goes viral.

Tuvalu minister stands in sea to film COP26 statement

No one knew the man’s name when he washed ashore. His body had floated in the ocean for weeks, and it then sat much of the summer unidentified in a refrigerator in a Spanish morgue.

He was one among thousands lost at sea during what has been a record year for migrant drownings in Spain. And he might have been sent with the other unclaimed dead to an unmarked grave if Martín Zamora had not figured out that the body had a name, and a life.

He was Achraf Ameer, 27, a mechanic from Tangier. He had been missing for weeks when Zamora reached his family by WhatsApp. He had found their son’s body. He could bring it to them in Morocco, for a price.

“Sometimes, I get the feeling that some years ahead — in 30, 40, 50 years, I don’t know how many — they will look at us like monsters,” he said. “They’ll see us all as monsters because we just let people die this way.”

Zamora, a 61-year-old father of seven, is the owner of Southern Funeral Assistance, a mortuary in Algeciras. But in this port city where the lights of Morocco can be seen across the Mediterranean, he has become more than that. Zamora is the body collector of those who don’t make it to Spain alive.

Zamora, who says he has repatriated more than 800 bodies in two decades, has forged a business model like few others. He wrestles with municipal officials to hand over bodies so he can embalm them. He works contacts with smugglers to find the people the remains belong to, and has made scores of trips to make contact with them, his last, to Morocco, in the month before the pandemic.

For families who had given up their loved ones as missing, Zamora’s work can offer a kind of closure they had lost all hope for.

But his services come at a steep cost — he charges $3,500 or more to get a body home. No Spanish agency will pay for what he does, and the profit margins of the work are low, he says. And so it leaves him in the gray zone, not uncommon in border towns like this, between the will to do good and the need to make a living.

“My next worry is finding the money,” Zamora said. “The family has nothing.”

Spain is witnessing a devastating procession of migrants drowning at sea.

During the first six months of the year, 2,087 people died or went missing trying to make it to the country’s shores, including 341 women and 91 children, according to Caminando Fronteras, a nongovernmental group that tracks the deaths. The International Organization for Migration, a United Nations body that keeps a more conservative count, has recorded more than 1,300 deaths so far this year.

Helena Maleno Garzón, who heads Caminando Fronteras, said Spain’s situation was especially perilous because it is the only European country with smuggling routes on both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. “These include some of the most dangerous routes which are now being used,” she said.

Dozens of boats have gone down this year near the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off West Africa. In May, others perished swimming around a border fence that extends into the sea at Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa encircled by Morocco.

Migrant boats also are tempted by the narrowness of the Gibraltar Strait, only 9 miles wide in one section, despite strong currents that sink many boats. Some drown only hours after leaving Africa, their bodies later washing ashore on beaches in Spain’s southern region of Andalusia.

The Spanish media sometimes carry stories about the latest bodies. Then, when the headlines recede, Zamora’s work begins.

The World We Live In

The body is the mystery. The clothes are often the only clues.

“It can be hard to identify someone’s face,” Zamora said. “But a shoe, a jersey, a T-shirt — suddenly a family member will recognize it, because it once was a gift.”

His first clue came in 1999, when he found a note inside the clothes of a dead Moroccan man. Back then, the government was outsourcing to funeral homes the job of burying unclaimed remains in a field alongside the local cemetery.

Zamora was on call when that body and 15 others were discovered on the beaches. He brought the corpses back to his mortuary and discovered the damp note with a phone number in Spain.

He called and a man on the other end of the line claimed to know nothing. But a few days later, Zamora recalled, the same man called back and admitted he was the brother-in-law of the young man who had drowned.

“I told him, ‘I’ll make you a deal: I’ll charge you half the price to get the body home, but you have to help me look for the rest of the families,’” Zamora said.

The man agreed to guide him to the region in southeastern Morocco where his brother-in-law had lived. Zamora first took care of the body of the young man, embalming it and sending it back to Morocco. Then he got permission from a local judge to take the clothes of the other dead migrants to Morocco.

Zamora and the relative went from village to village, carrying a large rack on which they hung the clothes of the dead migrants, along with rings and other personal effects, which they took to markets where they knew people would go.

After two weeks they had identified the remaining 15 relatives and repatriated every body.

Zamora realized he had a solution to what had been seen as a lost cause in Spain. Yet it costs thousands of euros to repatriate the bodies. And the families that he was meeting had far less than he did.

“You find the family, you get the father and the mother, they take you to where they live and you see it’s a tin shack on the side of a mountain with two goats and a rooster, and they tell you they want their son back,” he said. “What do you do? Be a businessman or be sentimental?”

Mohammed El Mkaddem, an imam at the mosque in Algeciras which makes collections for the families of the dead, said he understood Zamora’s constraints. “In the end, they run a funeral home and it’s a business,” said the imam. “But they do what they can, and we’re thankful for it.”

José Manuel Castillo, the director of the city morgue in Algeciras, said Zamora filled a gap left by the authorities. “Someone has to take care of the paperwork and the repatriation of the bodies, and if it’s Martín Zamora, that is great,” he said.

Even in the heat of southern Spain, Zamora wears a tie and loafers, looking more like a lawyer than an undertaker. On a recent afternoon, he was working on a body with his son, Martín Jr., 17.

“They found him in his work clothes,” Martín Jr. said of the corpse. “Maybe he went straight from work into the boat.”

The boy wandered off for a moment, and Zamora began to speak, almost to himself. His son was 15 the first time they worked together, after a boat carrying 40 people capsized off the coast of Barbate, just north of Algeciras, leaving 22 dead.

He was afraid his son would have nightmares, but Martín Jr. wanted to work, he said.

“No father wants his son to see these things,” Zamora said. “But this is the world we live in.”

A Mechanic From Tangier

Just before the summer, Zamora said he received a WhatsApp message from a man who identified himself as Yusef and said he worked at a mosque in the city of La Linea, across the border from the Rock of Gibraltar.

“There were two boys we don’t know if they are alive or dead — surely they are dead,” began the voice message. “The family was looking everywhere and I said we would ask someone we know who is involved in this kind of thing.”

The next message contained a picture of three men in a dinghy with homemade life vests, taken moments before they left Morocco. One was Achraf Ameer, the illiterate mechanic from Tangier.

With that, Zamora contacted the local authorities, who had a body in the morgue. They gave Zamora’s photographs of the man’s clothes, and Zamora — helped by Yusef — located Ameer’s sister in Tangier and showed her a photo of the clothes. These days, Zamora rarely needs to make the trips to Morocco that he used to, making identifications from afar.

“The paint on his clothes was the paint he has on his clothes at work,” the sister, Soukaina Ameer, 28, said in a telephone interview from Tangier.

She said her brother had tried once before to cross into Spain, only to be deported. This time, he didn’t tell anyone but left cryptic hints when the family began making plans to move to a new home.

“He was always telling us: ‘I won’t be living with you in the new house,’” Soukaina Ameer recalled.

He left on April 13, she said, his boat likely sinking the same night. His body floated in the sea for much of April before it came ashore around the end of the month. For the rest of the spring and part of the summer, it was placed in a morgue, where it deteriorated from not being frozen.

And so on a sweltering day, Zamora loaded Achraf Ameer’s body into his hearse and, with his son, drove past pines and sunflower fields. The body was wrapped in blankets from the Red Cross, which had found him. A hospital tag was affixed to one leg. At the mortuary, Zamora and his son arrived dressed in hazmat suits and began embalming.

Ten pumps from a long needle into Ameer’s shoulder. Another 10 into his chest. After an hour, Zamora wrapped the body in a shroud which he covered in a green cloak and sprinkled it with dried flowers, re-creating a Muslim rite that an imam had once shown him. Then he shut the lid on the coffin and he and his son took off their hazmat suits. The two were covered in sweat.

In the adjoining room sat stacks of case files, people whose bodies Zamora was still trying to locate after their relatives had gotten in touch with him. There was an Algerian man, born in 1986. There were two Moroccans who had been lost at sea; and a Syrian man, who once had a wife and lived in Aleppo.

And there was a ringing from the other room, and with it, another possible lead.

“Martín, go get my phone,” Zamora said to his son, taking off his gloves.

No one knew the man’s name when he washed ashore. His body had floated in the ocean for weeks, and it then sat much of the summer unidentified in a refrigerator in a Spanish morgue.

No one knew the man’s name when he washed ashore. His body had floated in the ocean for weeks, and it then sat much of the summer unidentified in a refrigerator in a Spanish morgue. He was one among thousands lost at sea during what has been a record year for migrant drownings in Spain. And he might have been sent with the other unclaimed dead to an unmarked grave if Martín Zamora had not figured out that the body had a name, and a life. He was Achraf Ameer, 27, a mechanic from Tangier. He had been missing for weeks when Zamora reached his family by WhatsApp. He had found their son’s body. He could bring it to them in Morocco, for a price. “Sometimes, I get the feeling that some years ahead — in 30, 40, 50 years, I don’t know how many — they will look at us like monsters,” he said. “They’ll see us all as monsters because we just let people die this way.” Zamora, a 61-year-old father of seven, is the owner of Southern Funeral Assistance, a mortuary in Algeciras. But in this port city where the lights of Morocco can be seen across the Mediterranean, he has become more than that. Zamora is the body collector of those who don’t make it to Spain alive. Zamora, who says he has repatriated more than 800 bodies in two decades, has forged a business model like few others. He wrestles with municipal officials to hand over bodies so he can embalm them. He works contacts with smugglers to find the people the remains belong to, and has made scores of trips to make contact with them, his last, to Morocco, in the month before the pandemic. For families who had given up their loved ones as missing, Zamora’s work can offer a kind of closure they had lost all hope for. But his services come at a steep cost — he charges $3,500 or more to get a body home. No Spanish agency will pay for what he does, and the profit margins of the work are low, he says. And so it leaves him in the gray zone, not uncommon in border towns like this, between the will to do good and the need to make a living. “My next worry is finding the money,” Zamora said. “The family has nothing.” Spain is witnessing a devastating procession of migrants drowning at sea. During the first six months of the year, 2,087 people died or went missing trying to make it to the country’s shores, including 341 women and 91 children, according to Caminando Fronteras, a nongovernmental group that tracks the deaths. The International Organization for Migration, a United Nations body that keeps a more conservative count, has recorded more than 1,300 deaths so far this year. Helena Maleno Garzón, who heads Caminando Fronteras, said Spain’s situation was especially perilous because it is the only European country with smuggling routes on both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. “These include some of the most dangerous routes which are now being used,” she said. Dozens of boats have gone down this year near the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago off West Africa. In May, others perished swimming around a border fence that extends into the sea at Ceuta, a Spanish enclave in North Africa encircled by Morocco. Migrant boats also are tempted by the narrowness of the Gibraltar Strait, only 9 miles wide in one section, despite strong currents that sink many boats. Some drown only hours after leaving Africa, their bodies later washing ashore on beaches in Spain’s southern region of Andalusia. The Spanish media sometimes carry stories about the latest bodies. Then, when the headlines recede, Zamora’s work begins. The World We Live In The body is the mystery. The clothes are often the only clues. “It can be hard to identify someone’s face,” Zamora said. “But a shoe, a jersey, a T-shirt — suddenly a family member will recognize it, because it once was a gift.” His first clue came in 1999, when he found a note inside the clothes of a dead Moroccan man. Back then, the government was outsourcing to funeral homes the job of burying unclaimed remains in a field alongside the local cemetery. Zamora was on call when that body and 15 others were discovered on the beaches. He brought the corpses back to his mortuary and discovered the damp note with a phone number in Spain. He called and a man on the other end of the line claimed to know nothing. But a few days later, Zamora recalled, the same man called back and admitted he was the brother-in-law of the young man who had drowned. “I told him, ‘I’ll make you a deal: I’ll charge you half the price to get the body home, but you have to help me look for the rest of the families,’” Zamora said. The man agreed to guide him to the region in southeastern Morocco where his brother-in-law had lived. Zamora first took care of the body of the young man, embalming it and sending it back to Morocco. Then he got permission from a local judge to take the clothes of the other dead migrants to Morocco. Zamora and the relative went from village to village, carrying a large rack on which they hung the clothes of the dead migrants, along with rings and other personal effects, which they took to markets where they knew people would go. After two weeks they had identified the remaining 15 relatives and repatriated every body. Zamora realized he had a solution to what had been seen as a lost cause in Spain. Yet it costs thousands of euros to repatriate the bodies. And the families that he was meeting had far less than he did. “You find the family, you get the father and the mother, they take you to where they live and you see it’s a tin shack on the side of a mountain with two goats and a rooster, and they tell you they want their son back,” he said. “What do you do? Be a businessman or be sentimental?” Mohammed El Mkaddem, an imam at the mosque in Algeciras which makes collections for the families of the dead, said he understood Zamora’s constraints. “In the end, they run a funeral home and it’s a business,” said the imam. “But they do what they can, and we’re thankful for it.” José Manuel Castillo, the director of the city morgue in Algeciras, said Zamora filled a gap left by the authorities. “Someone has to take care of the paperwork and the repatriation of the bodies, and if it’s Martín Zamora, that is great,” he said. Even in the heat of southern Spain, Zamora wears a tie and loafers, looking more like a lawyer than an undertaker. On a recent afternoon, he was working on a body with his son, Martín Jr., 17. “They found him in his work clothes,” Martín Jr. said of the corpse. “Maybe he went straight from work into the boat.” The boy wandered off for a moment, and Zamora began to speak, almost to himself. His son was 15 the first time they worked together, after a boat carrying 40 people capsized off the coast of Barbate, just north of Algeciras, leaving 22 dead. He was afraid his son would have nightmares, but Martín Jr. wanted to work, he said. “No father wants his son to see these things,” Zamora said. “But this is the world we live in.” A Mechanic From Tangier Just before the summer, Zamora said he received a WhatsApp message from a man who identified himself as Yusef and said he worked at a mosque in the city of La Linea, across the border from the Rock of Gibraltar. “There were two boys we don’t know if they are alive or dead — surely they are dead,” began the voice message. “The family was looking everywhere and I said we would ask someone we know who is involved in this kind of thing.” The next message contained a picture of three men in a dinghy with homemade life vests, taken moments before they left Morocco. One was Achraf Ameer, the illiterate mechanic from Tangier. With that, Zamora contacted the local authorities, who had a body in the morgue. They gave Zamora’s photographs of the man’s clothes, and Zamora — helped by Yusef — located Ameer’s sister in Tangier and showed her a photo of the clothes. These days, Zamora rarely needs to make the trips to Morocco that he used to, making identifications from afar. “The paint on his clothes was the paint he has on his clothes at work,” the sister, Soukaina Ameer, 28, said in a telephone interview from Tangier. She said her brother had tried once before to cross into Spain, only to be deported. This time, he didn’t tell anyone but left cryptic hints when the family began making plans to move to a new home. “He was always telling us: ‘I won’t be living with you in the new house,’” Soukaina Ameer recalled. He left on April 13, she said, his boat likely sinking the same night. His body floated in the sea for much of April before it came ashore around the end of the month. For the rest of the spring and part of the summer, it was placed in a morgue, where it deteriorated from not being frozen. And so on a sweltering day, Zamora loaded Achraf Ameer’s body into his hearse and, with his son, drove past pines and sunflower fields. The body was wrapped in blankets from the Red Cross, which had found him. A hospital tag was affixed to one leg. At the mortuary, Zamora and his son arrived dressed in hazmat suits and began embalming. Ten pumps from a long needle into Ameer’s shoulder. Another 10 into his chest. After an hour, Zamora wrapped the body in a shroud which he covered in a green cloak and sprinkled it with dried flowers, re-creating a Muslim rite that an imam had once shown him. Then he shut the lid on the coffin and he and his son took off their hazmat suits. The two were covered in sweat. In the adjoining room sat stacks of case files, people whose bodies Zamora was still trying to locate after their relatives had gotten in touch with him. There was an Algerian man, born in 1986. There were two Moroccans who had been lost at sea; and a Syrian man, who once had a wife and lived in Aleppo. And there was a ringing from the other room, and with it, another possible lead. “Martín, go get my phone,” Zamora said to his son, taking off his gloves.

The body collector of Spain: When migrants die at sea, he gets them home

Before being rescued off the coast of Papua New Guinea, two men were stranded at sea for around 29 days. The men survived only on oranges, coconuts and rainwater. &nbsp;

The two men, Junior Qoloni and Livae Nanjikana, were travelling between islands in the Solomon Sea when their motorboat got caught in rough weather on September 3, reported the Guardian.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/richest-1-per-cent-of-americans-now-own-more-wealth-than-the-entire-middle-class-419838" hreflang="en">Richest 1 per cent of Americans now own more wealth than the entire middle class</a> &nbsp;

In the bad weather, the coastline they were following for guidance got lost and their vessel was swept out to sea. &nbsp;

“I look forward to going back home but I guess it was a nice break from everything. When the bad weather came, it was bad, but it got worse and became scary when the GPS died. We couldn’t see where we were going and so, we just decided to stop the engine and wait, to save fuel,” Nanjikana told the Guardian.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/african-regional-bloc-loses-92-per-cent-tourism-earnings-due-to-covid-419833" hreflang="en">African regional bloc loses 92 per cent tourism earnings due to Covid</a> &nbsp;&nbsp;

In 29 days at sea only, the two men say they survived on rainwater, coconuts and oranges they had packed. A fisherman found and rescued them off the coast of New Britain, Papua New Guinea, roughly 400 km from where they departed. &nbsp;

For treatment, both the men were taken to a health clinic. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Before being rescued off the coast of Papua New Guinea, two men were stranded at sea for around 29 days. The men survived only on oranges, coconuts and rainwater.

Before being rescued off the coast of Papua New Guinea, two men were stranded at sea for around 29 days. The men survived only on oranges, coconuts and rainwater. The two men, Junior Qoloni and Livae Nanjikana, were travelling between islands in the Solomon Sea when their motorboat got caught in rough weather on September 3, reported the Guardian. Also Read: Richest 1 per cent of Americans now own more wealth than the entire middle class In the bad weather, the coastline they were following for guidance got lost and their vessel was swept out to sea. “I look forward to going back home but I guess it was a nice break from everything. When the bad weather came, it was bad, but it got worse and became scary when the GPS died. We couldn’t see where we were going and so, we just decided to stop the engine and wait, to save fuel,” Nanjikana told the Guardian. Also Read: African regional bloc loses 92 per cent tourism earnings due to Covid In 29 days at sea only, the two men say they survived on rainwater, coconuts and oranges they had packed. A fisherman found and rescued them off the coast of New Britain, Papua New Guinea, roughly 400 km from where they departed. For treatment, both the men were taken to a health clinic. (With inputs from agencies)

After being stranded at sea, two islanders survive for 29 days on rainwater, oranges

A commercial flight flew into&nbsp;La&nbsp;Palma&nbsp;in the Canary Islands on Wednesday, the first since an erupting volcano forced a weekend airport closure, the plane landing hours after rivers of molten lava reached the sea.&nbsp;

The dramatic eruption which began 10 days ago, has forced thousands out of their homes, with the lava destroying hundreds of homes, businesses and huge swathes of banana plantations.

Fears that the lava's entry into the ocean would cause further harm to the local population by generating clouds of toxic gas were allayed earlier Wednesday as a brisk wind blew the vapours out to sea.&nbsp;

Although the volcano is still erupting,&nbsp;La&nbsp;Palma's airport resumed operations on Wednesday, with a first flight from the neighbouring island of Tenerife landing at 1230 GMT.&nbsp;

"Flights to #LaPalma have resumed," local airline Binter tweeted, saying it was due to "an improvement in security conditions" on the tiny island which has an area of 708 square kilometres.

The airport shut down on Saturday due to the accumulation of ash. Although it reopened 24 hours later, all flights had remained cancelled.

La&nbsp;Cumbre Vieja lies about 15 kilometres (nine miles) west of the airport as the crow flies, although the lava has only spilt down the western side of the volcano.

Molten lava cascading over cliffs

Late on Tuesday, a vast stream of white-hot lava poured into the sea, sending plumes of acid fumes into the air that experts said could irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory tracts, possibly causing breathing difficulties.

But good weather conditions had reduced the risk, Ruben Fernandez of the Pevolca volcanic emergency committee told Spain's public radio.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canaries-volcano-lava-reaches-sea-raising-toxic-gas-fears-416824">Also read |&nbsp;Canaries volcano lava reaches sea, raising toxic gas fears</a>

"We have a strong wind in the area which is blowing the cloud of gases towards the sea, so the risk for the local population is much lower" than expected, he said.&nbsp;

La&nbsp;Cumbre Vieja straddles a southern ridge in&nbsp;La&nbsp;Palma&nbsp;island, which is home to 85,000 people, with the September 19 eruption forcing some 6,000 to flee as the lava slowly edged towards the western coastline.

When it arrived, dramatic television images showed rivers of molten rock cascading off a cliff into the water, churning up huge clouds of vapour and gas.&nbsp;

Since early on Monday, some 300 residents in the nearby town of Tazacorte have been under home confinement to avoid injury from the gases.&nbsp;

The authorities also set up an exclusion zone of 3.5 kilometres (two miles) around the site, which also extends two nautical miles out to sea.

'Tremendous devastation'

La&nbsp;Palma&nbsp;has been declared a natural disaster zone, with the lava scorching its way across more than 268 hectares (662 acres) of land and destroying 656 buildings, according to the European Union's Copernicus Earth Observation Programme.

So far, nobody has died or been injured.&nbsp;

But Canary Islands regional head Angel Victor Torres said the impact on land and property had been vast.&nbsp;

"We are talking about lava flows that are 600 metres wide. In all that area, there's nothing left. The devastation is tremendous," he told COPE radio on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The banana industry "has suffered tremendous damage, we are talking about a third of the banana production of the entire Canary Islands," he said, indicating the current harvest "has been completely lost". The local banana plantations make up one of the island's key industries.

Madrid on Tuesday released 10.5 million euros in aid for those left homeless by the volcano.

Last week, Torres had estimated the damage would exceed 400 million euros.

Experts believe the eruption could last for several weeks, or even months.

A commercial flight flew into La Palma in the Canary Islands on Wednesday, the first since an erupting volcano forced a weekend airport closure, the plane landing hours after rivers of molten lava reached the sea.

A commercial flight flew into La Palma in the Canary Islands on Wednesday, the first since an erupting volcano forced a weekend airport closure, the plane landing hours after rivers of molten lava reached the sea. The dramatic eruption which began 10 days ago, has forced thousands out of their homes, with the lava destroying hundreds of homes, businesses and huge swathes of banana plantations. Fears that the lava's entry into the ocean would cause further harm to the local population by generating clouds of toxic gas were allayed earlier Wednesday as a brisk wind blew the vapours out to sea. Although the volcano is still erupting, La Palma's airport resumed operations on Wednesday, with a first flight from the neighbouring island of Tenerife landing at 1230 GMT. "Flights to #LaPalma have resumed," local airline Binter tweeted, saying it was due to "an improvement in security conditions" on the tiny island which has an area of 708 square kilometres. The airport shut down on Saturday due to the accumulation of ash. Although it reopened 24 hours later, all flights had remained cancelled. La Cumbre Vieja lies about 15 kilometres (nine miles) west of the airport as the crow flies, although the lava has only spilt down the western side of the volcano. Molten lava cascading over cliffs Late on Tuesday, a vast stream of white-hot lava poured into the sea, sending plumes of acid fumes into the air that experts said could irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory tracts, possibly causing breathing difficulties. But good weather conditions had reduced the risk, Ruben Fernandez of the Pevolca volcanic emergency committee told Spain's public radio. Also read | Canaries volcano lava reaches sea, raising toxic gas fears "We have a strong wind in the area which is blowing the cloud of gases towards the sea, so the risk for the local population is much lower" than expected, he said. La Cumbre Vieja straddles a southern ridge in La Palma island, which is home to 85,000 people, with the September 19 eruption forcing some 6,000 to flee as the lava slowly edged towards the western coastline. When it arrived, dramatic television images showed rivers of molten rock cascading off a cliff into the water, churning up huge clouds of vapour and gas. Since early on Monday, some 300 residents in the nearby town of Tazacorte have been under home confinement to avoid injury from the gases. The authorities also set up an exclusion zone of 3.5 kilometres (two miles) around the site, which also extends two nautical miles out to sea. 'Tremendous devastation' La Palma has been declared a natural disaster zone, with the lava scorching its way across more than 268 hectares (662 acres) of land and destroying 656 buildings, according to the European Union's Copernicus Earth Observation Programme. So far, nobody has died or been injured. But Canary Islands regional head Angel Victor Torres said the impact on land and property had been vast. "We are talking about lava flows that are 600 metres wide. In all that area, there's nothing left. The devastation is tremendous," he told COPE radio on Wednesday. The banana industry "has suffered tremendous damage, we are talking about a third of the banana production of the entire Canary Islands," he said, indicating the current harvest "has been completely lost". The local banana plantations make up one of the island's key industries. Madrid on Tuesday released 10.5 million euros in aid for those left homeless by the volcano. Last week, Torres had estimated the damage would exceed 400 million euros. Experts believe the eruption could last for several weeks, or even months.

La Palma flights resume as volcanic lava reaches sea

China is swelling into a military superpower. India, Vietnam and Singapore are spending more on defense. Japan is leaning to do the same. Now Australia, backed by the United States and Britain, has catapulted the military contest with Beijing in Asia into a tense new phase.

Their deal last week to equip Australia with stealthy, long-range nuclear-powered submarines better able to take on the Chinese navy could accelerate an Asian arms buildup long before the submarines enter service.

In response, China may step up its military modernisation, especially in technology able to stymie the submarines. And by confirming the Biden administration’s determination to take on Chinese power in Asia, the new weapons deal may tilt other big military spenders like India and Vietnam into accelerating their own weapons plans.

Countries trying to stay in the middle, like Indonesia, Malaysia and others, face a potentially more volatile region and growing pressure, as Australia did, to choose sides between Washington and Beijing.

“The picture is one of three Anglo-Saxon countries drumming up militarily in the Indo-Pacific region. It plays to the narrative offered by China that ‘outsiders’ are not acting in line with the aspiration of regional countries,” said Dino Patti Djalal, a former Indonesian ambassador to the United States. “The worry is that this will spark an untimely arms race, which the region does not need now, nor in the future.”

The submarines will not hit the water for at least a decade. But the geopolitical waves from their announcement have been instant, while giving Beijing time to marshal opposition among Asian neighbours and plot military countermoves.

Japan and Taiwan, both strong US allies, quickly endorsed the security agreement.

Other Asian governments have, through their remarks or silence, signified misgivings or apprehension about riling China. Many leaders in Southeast Asia want the United States to remain a security mainstay, said Ben Bland, director of the Southeast Asia program at the Lowy Institute in Sydney.

“But they also fear that the increasingly strident approach taken by the U.S. and allies such as Australia will push China to respond in kind,” he said, “driving a cycle of escalation that is centred on Southeast Asia but disregards Southeast Asian voices.”

Even before the deal, some governments had deployed new ships, submarines and missiles, at least partly out of worry about China’s rapid military buildup and contentious territorial claims. China accounts for 42% of all military spending across Asia, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

Japanese policymakers have begun to publicly consider increasing military spending beyond 1% of its gross domestic product, a cap that the country has maintained since the 1970s. South Korea, focused on the threat from North Korea, has increased its defence budget by 7% a year on average since 2018.

India has ratcheted up military spending as tensions with China have risen, though the economic hit from the coronavirus may slow that trend.

Indian plans to acquire another 350 locally assembled military aircraft in the next two decades, its air force chief said this month. Japan is working on hypersonic missiles that could threaten Chinese naval ships in a conflict. Taiwan, the self-governed island that China regards as its own territory, has proposed a $16.8 billion military budget for next year, including $1.4 billion for more jet fighters.

The Biden administration promises to help Asian nations counter China’s military buildup, something the new agreement with Australia highlights. That agenda is likely to be discussed in the White House this week when President Joe Biden hosts other leaders from the “Quad,” the grouping that includes Australia, Japan and India.

“China is the pacing threat that we have to be concerned about, not only today, but also in the near term and in the long term,” Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at an event for the Brookings Institution last week.

But many governments across Asia, especially in Southeast Asia, hope to avoid having to make the same choice that Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia made last week in declaring a “forever partnership” with the United States.

India, which has veered between border clashes with China and efforts to patch up ties with its neighbour, has been muted about the agreement. So has South Korea, which wants to keep steady relations with Beijing while it focuses on potential conflict with North Korea.

Indonesia’s foreign ministry said it was “deeply concerned over the continuing arms race.” Malaysia has voiced worry.

Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister of Singapore, a city-state with good ties to both Beijing and Washington, diplomatically told Morrison that he hoped “the partnership would contribute constructively to the peace and stability of the region,” the Straits Times reported.

Outwardly, Australia’s plan to eventually build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines might seem to make little difference to China’s calculus. With about 360 vessels, the Chinese navy is the biggest in the world by number, and has around a dozen nuclear-powered submarines. Its nuclear submarine fleet is likely to grow to 21 by 2030, according to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence.

The US Navy has about 300 vessels, including 68 submarines, all of them nuclear. Even if Australia is relatively swift and efficient, not traits that have marked its submarine acquisitions over the decades&nbsp;its first nuclear-powered submarines may not be commissioned until later in the 2030s.

Positioning the hard-to-track submarines closer to seas near China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula could be a powerful deterrent against China’s military, said Drew Thompson, a former Pentagon official responsible for relations with China.

“The Middle East wars have ended,” said Thompson, now a visiting senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore. “We are in an interwar period, and the next one will be a high-end, high-intensity conflict with a near-peer competitor, probably involving China, and most likely in northeast Asia.”

After condemning the submarine agreement last week, the Chinese government has said little else. But China’s leaders and military planners are sure to consider military and diplomatic countermoves, including new ways to punish Australian exports, already hit by bans and punitive tariffs as relations soured in the past few years.

Beijing can also accelerate efforts to develop technologies for finding and destroying nuclear-powered submarines well before Australia receives them. Most experts said a technological race was more likely than a generalised arms race. China’s output of new naval ships and fighter planes is already rapid. Its anti-submarine technology is less advanced.

Nearer term, Chinese officials may step up efforts to marshal regional opposition to the submarine plan and the new security grouping, called AUKUS, for Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

“If you’re China, this also makes you think, ‘Well, I better get ahead of this,’” said Elbridge Colby, a former deputy assistant secretary of defence in the Trump administration. “If Australia takes this big step, then Japan could take a half step, and Taiwan takes a half step, and then India and then maybe Vietnam.”

But Beijing has created its own high barriers to winning support from neighbours. China’s expansive, uncompromising claims to waters and islands across the South China Sea have angered Southeast Asian countries. Beijing is also locked in territorial disputes with Japan, India and other countries.

“This AUKUS agreement very vividly shows that East Asia has become the focus of United States global security strategy,” said Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University in east China. “It’s a reminder to China that if we can’t ease tensions with neighbours over the South China Sea and East China Sea, the US&nbsp;will continue trying to take advantage of this tension.”

China is swelling into a military superpower. India, Vietnam and Singapore are spending more on defense. Japan is leaning to do the same. Now Australia, backed by the United States and Britain, has catapulted the military contest with Beijing in Asia into a tense new phase.

China is swelling into a military superpower. India, Vietnam and Singapore are spending more on defense. Japan is leaning to do the same. Now Australia, backed by the United States and Britain, has catapulted the military contest with Beijing in Asia into a tense new phase. Their deal last week to equip Australia with stealthy, long-range nuclear-powered submarines better able to take on the Chinese navy could accelerate an Asian arms buildup long before the submarines enter service. In response, China may step up its military modernisation, especially in technology able to stymie the submarines. And by confirming the Biden administration’s determination to take on Chinese power in Asia, the new weapons deal may tilt other big military spenders like India and Vietnam into accelerating their own weapons plans. Countries trying to stay in the middle, like Indonesia, Malaysia and others, face a potentially more volatile region and growing pressure, as Australia did, to choose sides between Washington and Beijing. “The picture is one of three Anglo-Saxon countries drumming up militarily in the Indo-Pacific region. It plays to the narrative offered by China that ‘outsiders’ are not acting in line with the aspiration of regional countries,” said Dino Patti Djalal, a former Indonesian ambassador to the United States. “The worry is that this will spark an untimely arms race, which the region does not need now, nor in the future.” The submarines will not hit the water for at least a decade. But the geopolitical waves from their announcement have been instant, while giving Beijing time to marshal opposition among Asian neighbours and plot military countermoves. Japan and Taiwan, both strong US allies, quickly endorsed the security agreement. Other Asian governments have, through their remarks or silence, signified misgivings or apprehension about riling China. Many leaders in Southeast Asia want the United States to remain a security mainstay, said Ben Bland, director of the Southeast Asia program at the Lowy Institute in Sydney. “But they also fear that the increasingly strident approach taken by the U.S. and allies such as Australia will push China to respond in kind,” he said, “driving a cycle of escalation that is centred on Southeast Asia but disregards Southeast Asian voices.” Even before the deal, some governments had deployed new ships, submarines and missiles, at least partly out of worry about China’s rapid military buildup and contentious territorial claims. China accounts for 42% of all military spending across Asia, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Japanese policymakers have begun to publicly consider increasing military spending beyond 1% of its gross domestic product, a cap that the country has maintained since the 1970s. South Korea, focused on the threat from North Korea, has increased its defence budget by 7% a year on average since 2018. India has ratcheted up military spending as tensions with China have risen, though the economic hit from the coronavirus may slow that trend. Indian plans to acquire another 350 locally assembled military aircraft in the next two decades, its air force chief said this month. Japan is working on hypersonic missiles that could threaten Chinese naval ships in a conflict. Taiwan, the self-governed island that China regards as its own territory, has proposed a $16.8 billion military budget for next year, including $1.4 billion for more jet fighters. The Biden administration promises to help Asian nations counter China’s military buildup, something the new agreement with Australia highlights. That agenda is likely to be discussed in the White House this week when President Joe Biden hosts other leaders from the “Quad,” the grouping that includes Australia, Japan and India. “China is the pacing threat that we have to be concerned about, not only today, but also in the near term and in the long term,” Gen. John Hyten, vice chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said at an event for the Brookings Institution last week. But many governments across Asia, especially in Southeast Asia, hope to avoid having to make the same choice that Prime Minister Scott Morrison of Australia made last week in declaring a “forever partnership” with the United States. India, which has veered between border clashes with China and efforts to patch up ties with its neighbour, has been muted about the agreement. So has South Korea, which wants to keep steady relations with Beijing while it focuses on potential conflict with North Korea. Indonesia’s foreign ministry said it was “deeply concerned over the continuing arms race.” Malaysia has voiced worry. Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister of Singapore, a city-state with good ties to both Beijing and Washington, diplomatically told Morrison that he hoped “the partnership would contribute constructively to the peace and stability of the region,” the Straits Times reported. Outwardly, Australia’s plan to eventually build at least eight nuclear-powered submarines might seem to make little difference to China’s calculus. With about 360 vessels, the Chinese navy is the biggest in the world by number, and has around a dozen nuclear-powered submarines. Its nuclear submarine fleet is likely to grow to 21 by 2030, according to the U.S. Office of Naval Intelligence. The US Navy has about 300 vessels, including 68 submarines, all of them nuclear. Even if Australia is relatively swift and efficient, not traits that have marked its submarine acquisitions over the decades its first nuclear-powered submarines may not be commissioned until later in the 2030s. Positioning the hard-to-track submarines closer to seas near China, Japan and the Korean Peninsula could be a powerful deterrent against China’s military, said Drew Thompson, a former Pentagon official responsible for relations with China. “The Middle East wars have ended,” said Thompson, now a visiting senior research fellow at the National University of Singapore. “We are in an interwar period, and the next one will be a high-end, high-intensity conflict with a near-peer competitor, probably involving China, and most likely in northeast Asia.” After condemning the submarine agreement last week, the Chinese government has said little else. But China’s leaders and military planners are sure to consider military and diplomatic countermoves, including new ways to punish Australian exports, already hit by bans and punitive tariffs as relations soured in the past few years. Beijing can also accelerate efforts to develop technologies for finding and destroying nuclear-powered submarines well before Australia receives them. Most experts said a technological race was more likely than a generalised arms race. China’s output of new naval ships and fighter planes is already rapid. Its anti-submarine technology is less advanced. Nearer term, Chinese officials may step up efforts to marshal regional opposition to the submarine plan and the new security grouping, called AUKUS, for Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. “If you’re China, this also makes you think, ‘Well, I better get ahead of this,’” said Elbridge Colby, a former deputy assistant secretary of defence in the Trump administration. “If Australia takes this big step, then Japan could take a half step, and Taiwan takes a half step, and then India and then maybe Vietnam.” But Beijing has created its own high barriers to winning support from neighbours. China’s expansive, uncompromising claims to waters and islands across the South China Sea have angered Southeast Asian countries. Beijing is also locked in territorial disputes with Japan, India and other countries. “This AUKUS agreement very vividly shows that East Asia has become the focus of United States global security strategy,” said Zhu Feng, a professor of international relations at Nanjing University in east China. “It’s a reminder to China that if we can’t ease tensions with neighbours over the South China Sea and East China Sea, the US will continue trying to take advantage of this tension.”

Australia’s submarines make waves in Asia long before they go to sea

Sea surfers and scuba divers beware! A new study has claimed that highly venomous sea snakes who are sexually aroused have the tendency to attack human divers after confusing them with other snakes during the mating season.

The snakes seem to believe that divers are rivals or potential mates, the study noted.

Researchers from three Australian universities working on the southern Great Barrier Reef found that Olive sea snakes, especially males, had repeatedly approached divers, made “fast, jerky movements” and were particularly active in the winter when they breed.

The acts of aggression are likely because of “mistaken identity during sexual interactions”, wrote Tim Lynch, of CSIRO in Hobart, Ross Alford of&nbsp;James Cook University in Townsville and Richard Shine of Macquarie University&nbsp;in Sydney, in the study published by Scientific Reports.

“At first sight, the idea that a snake might mistake a human diver for another snake seems ludicrous, given the massive disparity in size and shape between those two objects,” the Guardian cited the researchers’ observations

“Nonetheless, this offers the most plausible explanation for our observations.”

Though there have been other several examples of marine animals sexually targeting humans, including male dolphins, dugongs, sea lions and sea turtles

But the latest study has raised eyebrows since the olive sea snakes have the capacity to inject deadly venom and instantly decapitate humans.

“A bite is unlikely unless the animal is threatened or injured,” the researchers wrote, advising divers to stay still and allow snakes to investigate them, including by using their tongues to look for chemical cues.

“Attempting to flee is likely to be futile and may even increase the ardour of the pursuit,” the researchers noted. “Attempting to drive the animal away may induce retaliation.”

Sea surfers and scuba divers beware! A new study has claimed that highly venomous sea snakes who are sexually aroused have the tendency to attack human divers after confusing them with other snakes during the mating season.

Sea surfers and scuba divers beware! A new study has claimed that highly venomous sea snakes who are sexually aroused have the tendency to attack human divers after confusing them with other snakes during the mating season. The snakes seem to believe that divers are rivals or potential mates, the study noted. Researchers from three Australian universities working on the southern Great Barrier Reef found that Olive sea snakes, especially males, had repeatedly approached divers, made “fast, jerky movements” and were particularly active in the winter when they breed. The acts of aggression are likely because of “mistaken identity during sexual interactions”, wrote Tim Lynch, of CSIRO in Hobart, Ross Alford of James Cook University in Townsville and Richard Shine of Macquarie University in Sydney, in the study published by Scientific Reports. “At first sight, the idea that a snake might mistake a human diver for another snake seems ludicrous, given the massive disparity in size and shape between those two objects,” the Guardian cited the researchers’ observations “Nonetheless, this offers the most plausible explanation for our observations.” Though there have been other several examples of marine animals sexually targeting humans, including male dolphins, dugongs, sea lions and sea turtles But the latest study has raised eyebrows since the olive sea snakes have the capacity to inject deadly venom and instantly decapitate humans. “A bite is unlikely unless the animal is threatened or injured,” the researchers wrote, advising divers to stay still and allow snakes to investigate them, including by using their tongues to look for chemical cues. “Attempting to flee is likely to be futile and may even increase the ardour of the pursuit,” the researchers noted. “Attempting to drive the animal away may induce retaliation.”

Venomous attraction: Sea snakes may attack divers during mating season, says study

Who says volcanic eruption brings only destruction, an undersea activity of same sorts has created a new landmass in Japan. All thanks to the eruption, the 6,000-plus islands, which make up the Japanese archipelago, have got a new addition around 1,200 km (745 miles) south of Tokyo, said scientists. &nbsp;

After observing the eruption in the air, the island was discovered by the Japan’s Coast Guard on Sunday, a report in the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper said.&nbsp;

The island has come up naturally in the Pacific Ocean. It is about 50km south of Minami Ioto, which is the southernmost island of the Ogasawara group.&nbsp;

The new island is crescent-shaped and has a diameter of about 1km, said the coast guard. Taking history as a precedent, its appearance may be ephemeral.&nbsp;

Some islands had formed in 1904, 1914 and 1986 in a similar way in the area but all disappeared due to erosion.&nbsp;

It depends on the material it is formed from. Ash and other fragments are highly unlikely to bear the constant battering of waves, but continued volcanic activity has the power to produce lava flows that eventually form a more durable hard shell.&nbsp;

The latest eruption, which began late last week, could continue, said Japan’s meteorological agency. It has also issued warnings about smoke and large ash deposits in the nearby waters.&nbsp;

Who says volcanic eruption brings only destruction, an undersea activity of same sorts has created a new landmass in Japan. All thanks to the eruption, the 6,000-plus islands, which make up the Japanese archipelago, have got a new addition around 1,200 km (745 miles) south of Tokyo, said scientists.

Who says volcanic eruption brings only destruction, an undersea activity of same sorts has created a new landmass in Japan. All thanks to the eruption, the 6,000-plus islands, which make up the Japanese archipelago, have got a new addition around 1,200 km (745 miles) south of Tokyo, said scientists. After observing the eruption in the air, the island was discovered by the Japan’s Coast Guard on Sunday, a report in the Mainichi Shimbun newspaper said. The island has come up naturally in the Pacific Ocean. It is about 50km south of Minami Ioto, which is the southernmost island of the Ogasawara group. The new island is crescent-shaped and has a diameter of about 1km, said the coast guard. Taking history as a precedent, its appearance may be ephemeral. Some islands had formed in 1904, 1914 and 1986 in a similar way in the area but all disappeared due to erosion. It depends on the material it is formed from. Ash and other fragments are highly unlikely to bear the constant battering of waves, but continued volcanic activity has the power to produce lava flows that eventually form a more durable hard shell. The latest eruption, which began late last week, could continue, said Japan’s meteorological agency. It has also issued warnings about smoke and large ash deposits in the nearby waters.

Volcanic eruption under sea creates new crescent-shaped island in Japan 

Container shipping prices have reached record highs some 18 months after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic which disrupted maritime logistics chains and drove demand sky-high.

"We are basically running out of vessels and of empty containers," Alan Murphy, head of the consultancy Sea Intelligence, told AFP.

"There's been a massive shortage of empty containers, they are in the wrong place, they are stuck in ports and not in Asia ready to be loaded."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-orders-investigation-into-ransomware-attack-that-targetted-1000-businesses-395642">Also read |&nbsp;Joe Biden orders investigation into ransomware attack that targetted 1,000 businesses</a>

The Freightos Baltic Index, a benchmark for major shipping routes, has more than tripled in a year to nearly $7,000 (5,900 euros) for a trip from China to the west coast of the United States.

A trip to Europe has exceeded $10,000, compared with just $1,600 at the same time last year.Murphy said the unprecedented situation compounded the troubles of the last 10 years, which he said had been "really bad for the shipping lines".

Blighted by overcapacity in the sector, he said the firms "were losing money every time they were moving a container".

'Unprecedented drop'

The Covid-19 pandemic, which initially brought global shipping to a virtual standstill, did not bode well for the industry and led to "an unprecedented drop in demand", said Didier Rabattu, of Lombard Odier Investment Managers.

But this did not account for the trends among US and European consumers who during lockdown stopped spending in restaurants and theatres or going on holiday and instead used their money to purchase material goods -- many of them imported from Asia.

"Imagine how many televisions you can buy if you don't go skiing for a week with four people?" said Paul Tourret, director of France's Higher&nbsp;Institute&nbsp;of&nbsp;Maritime&nbsp;Economics (ISEMAR).

Disruptions to loading and unloading operations, from dockers falling ill and Covid restrictions to unforseen events like the shipping backlog caused the blockage of the Suez Canal in March, have only exacerbated the trend.

As a result, ship owners have never been in better shape.

The Marseille-based CMA CGM container and shipping company for example posted a net profit of more than $2 billion for the first quarter of 2021 alone, 40 times more than the previous year.

Its Danish competitor AP Moller-Maersk announced an even higher net profit of $2.7 billion for the first three months of the year -- 13 times what it saw last year.

'Reached a peak'

"It is true that shipowners are making a lot of money at the moment," Tourret said.

"But it is also a way for them to renew their fleets and accelerate their liquefied natural gas (LNG) programmes," he added.

CMA CGM placed an order in April for 22 container ships, more than half of which are LNG-powered.

Maritime transport is "one of the main emitters of sulphur dioxide", the French expert said, adding that although figures were favourable for each tonne transported, the sector nevertheless emitted levels of CO2 "comparable to Germany".

The price of container transport depends on the level of demand, but also on the supply-side capacity to meet it.

"Whether or not shipowners decide to wage a trade war is a major factor," Tourret said.

"None of them has any interest in driving prices down. Their collective discipline today must be not to sell out," he added.

The situation could last, Tourret said, driven in part by the need to transport perishable goods.&nbsp;

"If you are carrying perishable goods that will be worth nothing if they don't move, how much are you prepared to pay?" he asked.

Jean-Marc Lacave, the executive officer of the body for France's maritime service professionals, Armateurs de France, said he did not expect things to return to normal before the first quarter of 2022.

"I think we have reached a peak," he said. "If demand continues to rise, there is a not-insignificant risk that prices could rise again, but we are more or less at the top of the curve," he added.

Container shipping prices have reached record highs some 18 months after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic which disrupted maritime logistics chains and drove demand sky-high.

Container shipping prices have reached record highs some 18 months after the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic which disrupted maritime logistics chains and drove demand sky-high. "We are basically running out of vessels and of empty containers," Alan Murphy, head of the consultancy Sea Intelligence, told AFP. "There's been a massive shortage of empty containers, they are in the wrong place, they are stuck in ports and not in Asia ready to be loaded." Also read | Joe Biden orders investigation into ransomware attack that targetted 1,000 businesses The Freightos Baltic Index, a benchmark for major shipping routes, has more than tripled in a year to nearly $7,000 (5,900 euros) for a trip from China to the west coast of the United States. A trip to Europe has exceeded $10,000, compared with just $1,600 at the same time last year.Murphy said the unprecedented situation compounded the troubles of the last 10 years, which he said had been "really bad for the shipping lines". Blighted by overcapacity in the sector, he said the firms "were losing money every time they were moving a container". 'Unprecedented drop' The Covid-19 pandemic, which initially brought global shipping to a virtual standstill, did not bode well for the industry and led to "an unprecedented drop in demand", said Didier Rabattu, of Lombard Odier Investment Managers. But this did not account for the trends among US and European consumers who during lockdown stopped spending in restaurants and theatres or going on holiday and instead used their money to purchase material goods -- many of them imported from Asia. "Imagine how many televisions you can buy if you don't go skiing for a week with four people?" said Paul Tourret, director of France's Higher Institute of Maritime Economics (ISEMAR). Disruptions to loading and unloading operations, from dockers falling ill and Covid restrictions to unforseen events like the shipping backlog caused the blockage of the Suez Canal in March, have only exacerbated the trend. As a result, ship owners have never been in better shape. The Marseille-based CMA CGM container and shipping company for example posted a net profit of more than $2 billion for the first quarter of 2021 alone, 40 times more than the previous year. Its Danish competitor AP Moller-Maersk announced an even higher net profit of $2.7 billion for the first three months of the year -- 13 times what it saw last year. 'Reached a peak' "It is true that shipowners are making a lot of money at the moment," Tourret said. "But it is also a way for them to renew their fleets and accelerate their liquefied natural gas (LNG) programmes," he added. CMA CGM placed an order in April for 22 container ships, more than half of which are LNG-powered. Maritime transport is "one of the main emitters of sulphur dioxide", the French expert said, adding that although figures were favourable for each tonne transported, the sector nevertheless emitted levels of CO2 "comparable to Germany". The price of container transport depends on the level of demand, but also on the supply-side capacity to meet it. "Whether or not shipowners decide to wage a trade war is a major factor," Tourret said. "None of them has any interest in driving prices down. Their collective discipline today must be not to sell out," he added. The situation could last, Tourret said, driven in part by the need to transport perishable goods. "If you are carrying perishable goods that will be worth nothing if they don't move, how much are you prepared to pay?" he asked. Jean-Marc Lacave, the executive officer of the body for France's maritime service professionals, Armateurs de France, said he did not expect things to return to normal before the first quarter of 2022. "I think we have reached a peak," he said. "If demand continues to rise, there is a not-insignificant risk that prices could rise again, but we are more or less at the top of the curve," he added.

Pandemic drives sea freight prices to record high

Recent figures from the US space agency, NASA, suggest that the loss of the minimum Arctic sea-ice extent is in the region of 13.1% per decade, based on the 1981 to 2010 average.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report in the year 2007 concluded that the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is solely responsible for the decline in sea-ice extent in the region.

This further leads to a rise in the temperature. The sea-ice is estimated to reflect 80 per cent of sunlight back into space. This means that it does not warm the surface.

However, when the sea-ice has melted, the darker ocean surface is exposed. This absorbs about 90 per cent of the sunlight hitting it. This is what results in the warming of the region.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/home-for-polar-bears-is-vulnerable-to-warming-says-study-395268">Also Read |&nbsp;Home for polar bears is vulnerable to warming, says study</a>

Known as the Albedo effect, the phenomenon occurs because light surfaces reflect more heat than dark surfaces.

One impact of the decreasing density of ice in the northern polar region is the opening of the Northwest Passage. This trading route links the North Atlantic Ocean with the North Pacific Ocean.&nbsp;

There are also shreds of evidence that suggest that the thinning sea ice is affecting wildlife. This also includes top-of-the-food-chain predators such as polar bears.

The ice is not strong enough to support the animals' weight. This further forces them to embark on energy-sapping swims and making it more difficult to catch prey.

Meanwhile, another study has revealed that an area of the Arctic Ocean, which is critical for the survival of polar bears is becoming vulnerable to climate change.

Deemed as the "last ice area", the area has suffered record melting last summer, says the new study. As per the researchers, high winds allied to a changing climate were behind the unexpected decline.

Axel Schweiger, from the University of Washington and lead author of this latest study, was quoted by BBC saying, "Sea ice circulates through the Arctic, it has a particular pattern, and it naturally ends up piling up against Greenland and the northern

Canadian coast". He added, "In climate models, when you spin them forward over the coming century, that area has the tendency to have ice survive in the summer the longes".

Recent figures from the US space agency, NASA, suggest that the loss of the minimum Arctic sea-ice extent is in the region of 13.1% per decade, based on the 1981 to 2010 average.

Recent figures from the US space agency, NASA, suggest that the loss of the minimum Arctic sea-ice extent is in the region of 13.1% per decade, based on the 1981 to 2010 average. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report in the year 2007 concluded that the increasing concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is solely responsible for the decline in sea-ice extent in the region. This further leads to a rise in the temperature. The sea-ice is estimated to reflect 80 per cent of sunlight back into space. This means that it does not warm the surface. However, when the sea-ice has melted, the darker ocean surface is exposed. This absorbs about 90 per cent of the sunlight hitting it. This is what results in the warming of the region. Also Read | Home for polar bears is vulnerable to warming, says study Known as the Albedo effect, the phenomenon occurs because light surfaces reflect more heat than dark surfaces. One impact of the decreasing density of ice in the northern polar region is the opening of the Northwest Passage. This trading route links the North Atlantic Ocean with the North Pacific Ocean. There are also shreds of evidence that suggest that the thinning sea ice is affecting wildlife. This also includes top-of-the-food-chain predators such as polar bears. The ice is not strong enough to support the animals' weight. This further forces them to embark on energy-sapping swims and making it more difficult to catch prey. Meanwhile, another study has revealed that an area of the Arctic Ocean, which is critical for the survival of polar bears is becoming vulnerable to climate change. Deemed as the "last ice area", the area has suffered record melting last summer, says the new study. As per the researchers, high winds allied to a changing climate were behind the unexpected decline. Axel Schweiger, from the University of Washington and lead author of this latest study, was quoted by BBC saying, "Sea ice circulates through the Arctic, it has a particular pattern, and it naturally ends up piling up against Greenland and the northern Canadian coast". He added, "In climate models, when you spin them forward over the coming century, that area has the tendency to have ice survive in the summer the longes".

Arctic sea loses more ice, here is all you need to know

In&nbsp;an air-sea&nbsp;coordinated operation, the&nbsp;Indian&nbsp;Coast Guard(ICG) rescued a distressed fishing vessel ‘RSN-TWO’ and its seven crew, on Thursday. The vessel was off Tillanchong Island, nearly&nbsp;350 Km south of Port Blair.

This mission highlighted the significance of a home-grown satellite communication device that helps fishermen&nbsp;in&nbsp;distress, by alerting the concerned authorities.

The Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Port Blair received an unregistered DAT (Distress Alert Transmitter) alert around Wednesday noon.

As the DAT was unregistered, its data was unavailable with the ICG, hence the details were sought from the fisheries department.&nbsp;

On learning that the said vessel was ‘RSN-TWO’, which left Port Blair earlier&nbsp;in&nbsp;the week for fishing, ICG tasked ship C-422 from Kamorta, besides ship Vishwast and Dornier aircraft for&nbsp;Search and Rescue. On locating the boat off Tillanchong island and establishing contact, early on Thursday, it was learnt that the boat had machinery failure.&nbsp;

AN ICG team that boarded the distressed vessel provided basic necessities and first aid, following which&nbsp;attempts were made to rectify the defect.

Due to the non-availability of specific spares the on-site repair was not possible, also considering the&nbsp;inclement weather conditions, the distressed vessel was towed for passage to Kamorta, by ICGS Vishwast.

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Jointly&nbsp;developed&nbsp;by the&nbsp;Indian&nbsp;Space Research Organization(ISRO) and&nbsp;Indian&nbsp;Coast Guard, the DAT(Distress Alert Transponder) is a low-cost and effective satellite transmitter built for fishermen.&nbsp;

At&nbsp;a press of a button, this device transmits distress alerts to the&nbsp;Search and Rescue Authorities through the&nbsp;INSAT series of&nbsp;satellites. The&nbsp;Indian&nbsp;Coast Guard has been emphasizing that fishermen must carry the DAT device and also register it for effective, timely&nbsp;search and rescue.

The&nbsp;Indian&nbsp;National Satellite (INSAT) system is one of the largest domestic communication satellite systems&nbsp;in the Asia-Pacific region with multiple operational communication&nbsp;satellites&nbsp;placed&nbsp;in&nbsp;Geo-stationary orbit. Established&nbsp;in&nbsp;1983 with the commissioning of&nbsp;INSAT-1B, it&nbsp;initiated a major revolution&nbsp;in&nbsp;India’s communications sector and sustained the same later.

According to ISRO, the&nbsp;INSAT system with more than 200 transponders&nbsp;in&nbsp;the C, Extended C and Ku-bands provides services to telecommunications, television broadcasting, satellite news-gathering, societal applications, weather forecasting, disaster warning and&nbsp;Search and Rescue operations.

In an air-sea coordinated operation, the Indian Coast Guard(ICG) rescued a distressed fishing vessel ‘RSN-TWO’ and its seven crew, on Thursday. The vessel was off Tillanchong Island, nearly 350 Km south of Port Blair.

In an air-sea coordinated operation, the Indian Coast Guard(ICG) rescued a distressed fishing vessel ‘RSN-TWO’ and its seven crew, on Thursday. The vessel was off Tillanchong Island, nearly 350 Km south of Port Blair. This mission highlighted the significance of a home-grown satellite communication device that helps fishermen in distress, by alerting the concerned authorities. The Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) Port Blair received an unregistered DAT (Distress Alert Transmitter) alert around Wednesday noon. As the DAT was unregistered, its data was unavailable with the ICG, hence the details were sought from the fisheries department. On learning that the said vessel was ‘RSN-TWO’, which left Port Blair earlier in the week for fishing, ICG tasked ship C-422 from Kamorta, besides ship Vishwast and Dornier aircraft for Search and Rescue. On locating the boat off Tillanchong island and establishing contact, early on Thursday, it was learnt that the boat had machinery failure. AN ICG team that boarded the distressed vessel provided basic necessities and first aid, following which attempts were made to rectify the defect. Due to the non-availability of specific spares the on-site repair was not possible, also considering the inclement weather conditions, the distressed vessel was towed for passage to Kamorta, by ICGS Vishwast. Also Read | Drone spotted inside Indian mission in Islamabad; matter raised Jointly developed by the Indian Space Research Organization(ISRO) and Indian Coast Guard, the DAT(Distress Alert Transponder) is a low-cost and effective satellite transmitter built for fishermen. At a press of a button, this device transmits distress alerts to the Search and Rescue Authorities through the INSAT series of satellites. The Indian Coast Guard has been emphasizing that fishermen must carry the DAT device and also register it for effective, timely search and rescue. The Indian National Satellite (INSAT) system is one of the largest domestic communication satellite systems in the Asia-Pacific region with multiple operational communication satellites placed in Geo-stationary orbit. Established in 1983 with the commissioning of INSAT-1B, it initiated a major revolution in India’s communications sector and sustained the same later. According to ISRO, the INSAT system with more than 200 transponders in the C, Extended C and Ku-bands provides services to telecommunications, television broadcasting, satellite news-gathering, societal applications, weather forecasting, disaster warning and Search and Rescue operations.

ISRO-ICG developed tech, Indian satellites prove crucial in saving lives at sea

Demonstrations were held across Spain on Friday as Spanish rescuers searched waters off the coast of Tenerife for a one-year-old girl after a body, which was reportedly confirmed to be her six-year-old sister was found weighed down in the ocean, prompting an outpouring of rage and grief. 
 
Their father, Tomas G, is the main suspect in the disappearance of Olivia, six, and Anna, one, after failing to return them to their mother as agreed at the end of April. He is also missing. 
 
Fingerprint checks have confirmed that the body found weighed down in the sea was that of Olivia, according to judicial sources cited by El Pais newspaper. 
 
The family lived on Tenerife, where officials and a few local residents observed a minute of silence in memory of the sisters in front of the main city hall and outside other official buildings on the Canary Islands. 
 
"We are here to denounce a situation that happens more often than it should and to say that enough is enough and that we have to protect women and children, who are victims of male violence," said Nuria Fernández at a protest in Tenerife on Friday. 
 
Other protests were organised in Madrid and cities across the country. 
 
"All Spain is shocked, all our support for the families whose pain is absolutely unbearable and unimaginable, all our rejection of sexist violence, the vicarious violence that some still deny in our country," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday during a visit to Costa Rica. 
 
The body of the six-year-old, which authorities had said was likely that of Olivia, was found on Thursday afternoon at a depth of 1,000 metres (1,090 yards) inside a sports bag tied to an anchor, near where her father's boat was drifting. 
 
Another empty sports bag was also found next to them, a court statement said. 
 
Authorities were about to call off the maritime search earlier this week when they found personal belongings of the father at sea. 
 
On the streets of Tenerife people mourned the girls. 
 
"Every mother and grandmother feels the greatest sorrow, mainly for her (the girls' mother). ... It`s as if they were our own daughters or granddaughters," said local resident Maria Victoria. 
 
Spain's left-wing government has put women's rights at the top of its political agenda and sought to combat prevailing macho attitudes. 
 
In Seville, a former boyfriend of Rocio Caiz, 17, was arrested after he allegedly confessed to killing her and cutting up her body. 
 
Almost 1,100 women have been killed by partners or former partners since a register was created in 2003, shortly before a gender violence law was approved, while some 39 children have been killed during attacks on their mothers since 2013. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Demonstrations were held across Spain on Friday as Spanish rescuers searched waters off the coast of Tenerife for a one-year-old girl after a body, which was reportedly confirmed to be her six-year-old sister was found weighed down in the ocean, prompting an outpouring of rage and grief.

Demonstrations were held across Spain on Friday as Spanish rescuers searched waters off the coast of Tenerife for a one-year-old girl after a body, which was reportedly confirmed to be her six-year-old sister was found weighed down in the ocean, prompting an outpouring of rage and grief. Their father, Tomas G, is the main suspect in the disappearance of Olivia, six, and Anna, one, after failing to return them to their mother as agreed at the end of April. He is also missing. Fingerprint checks have confirmed that the body found weighed down in the sea was that of Olivia, according to judicial sources cited by El Pais newspaper. The family lived on Tenerife, where officials and a few local residents observed a minute of silence in memory of the sisters in front of the main city hall and outside other official buildings on the Canary Islands. "We are here to denounce a situation that happens more often than it should and to say that enough is enough and that we have to protect women and children, who are victims of male violence," said Nuria Fernández at a protest in Tenerife on Friday. Other protests were organised in Madrid and cities across the country. "All Spain is shocked, all our support for the families whose pain is absolutely unbearable and unimaginable, all our rejection of sexist violence, the vicarious violence that some still deny in our country," Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Friday during a visit to Costa Rica. The body of the six-year-old, which authorities had said was likely that of Olivia, was found on Thursday afternoon at a depth of 1,000 metres (1,090 yards) inside a sports bag tied to an anchor, near where her father's boat was drifting. Another empty sports bag was also found next to them, a court statement said. Authorities were about to call off the maritime search earlier this week when they found personal belongings of the father at sea. On the streets of Tenerife people mourned the girls. "Every mother and grandmother feels the greatest sorrow, mainly for her (the girls' mother). ... It`s as if they were our own daughters or granddaughters," said local resident Maria Victoria. Spain's left-wing government has put women's rights at the top of its political agenda and sought to combat prevailing macho attitudes. In Seville, a former boyfriend of Rocio Caiz, 17, was arrested after he allegedly confessed to killing her and cutting up her body. Almost 1,100 women have been killed by partners or former partners since a register was created in 2003, shortly before a gender violence law was approved, while some 39 children have been killed during attacks on their mothers since 2013. (With inputs from agencies)

Spanish rescuers search sea for missing toddler after girl found dead

Cyclone Yaas is close to the east coast of the country, a few days after the deadly cyclone Tauktae collided with the west coast. The IMD said that "Yaas" is likely to turn into a 'very severe cyclonic storm' (VSCS) by Tuesday evening.

IMD: Cyclone Yaas likely to turn into a 'very severe cyclonic storm'

An estimated 100,000 seafarers are stranded at sea due to the pandemic. Many are marooned because of border closures and immigration restrictions aimed at containing the coronavirus pandemic.

Around 100,000 seafarers stranded during pandemic

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