All articles tagged with #pacific ocean
Artemis II returns to Earth with a Pacific splashdown, closing out the mission, while the morning briefing also covers a slate of other top headlines spanning geopolitics, politics, and social issues, including Hormuz oil traffic, a missing‑person case, and a Supreme Court ruling affecting an Ohio candidate.
The U.S. military struck a boat in the eastern Pacific, sinking its vessel and leaving three men adrift. The U.S. Coast Guard recovered two dead bodies and one seriously injured survivor from the same area and handed them to Costa Rica’s Coast Guard; the survivor was transported to Golfito for medical care. While officials said the rescue operation was not explicitly tied to the strike, the event occurred in the context of a broader anti‑drug campaign that has produced numerous casualties and drawn legal criticisms, making it the 46th such strike with at least 159 deaths.
An aging NASA satellite, Van Allen Probe A, reentered Earth’s atmosphere in an uncontrolled event over the Pacific after fuel depletion; most of the 600-kg spacecraft is expected to burn up, with NASA estimating a 1-in-4,200 chance of bodily harm on the ground. Its twin, Van Allen Probe B, remains in orbit and is not expected to reenter before 2030. Launched in 2012 to study the Van Allen radiation belts, the probes ceased operation after fuel ran out in 2019.
Mexico’s navy intercepted a semi-submersible off Manzanillo carrying about 4 tons of cocaine, bringing the week’s total seized in the region to around 10 tons, with U.S. intelligence assistance cited. Separately, El Salvador’s navy announced a record 6.6-ton cocaine seizure from a 180-foot vessel, arresting ten men from multiple countries. The two operations reflect intensified regional drug interdiction efforts in the Pacific.
The US Southern Command says it attacked a vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing three men it alleges were involved in drug trafficking, but no evidence was provided. The operation is part of a broader campaign the article says has killed at least 148 people across 43 attacks since September, prompting criticism from Latin American leaders, legal experts and human-rights advocates who question its legality and accuse the strikes of extrajudicial killings in international waters.
The U.S. Southern Command says two ‘narco-terrorists’ were killed in an attack on a vessel in the eastern Pacific, part of a campaign critics call illegal under international law. The death toll from these strikes has risen to at least 128 across 34+ attacks since September 2025. International legal scholars and rights groups condemn the actions as extrajudicial killings, arguing there is no recognized armed conflict to justify them, while the Trump administration defends them as counter-narcotics measures. Families of victims have raised questions about involvement and accountability.
The US Coast Guard is searching for survivors in the eastern Pacific after military strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats resulted in multiple deaths and people jumping overboard, amid ongoing US military operations targeting drug trafficking vessels in the region.
The U.S. military reported striking three alleged drug smuggling vessels in the Pacific, resulting in at least five deaths and the abandonment of others by the suspects, amid ongoing operations against narco-traffickers linked to Venezuela. The strikes have raised legal and ethical questions, especially regarding the treatment of survivors and the escalation of military actions without congressional approval.
The US military conducted a strike on a suspected drug vessel in the eastern Pacific, killing two men and bringing the total to 30 attacks since September, with at least 107 deaths. The operation was part of ongoing efforts to combat drug trafficking, justified by claims that each shipment could kill 25,000 Americans, and included a recent undisclosed strike in Venezuela. Donald Trump publicly supported these actions, asserting they targeted drug trafficking infrastructure.
The US military conducted strikes on three vessels in the Pacific accused of drug trafficking, resulting in eight deaths, amid a broader campaign against narco-trafficking and tensions with Venezuela over sanctions and resource control.
The U.S. military has conducted three more strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats in the Eastern Pacific, killing eight people, amid ongoing controversy over the legality and ethics of the campaign against drug cartels, which has resulted in at least 95 deaths across 25 vessels since September.
The US military conducted strikes on three alleged drug-trafficking boats in the eastern Pacific, killing 8 people, as part of Operation Southern Spear aimed at curbing narcotics trafficking, amid ongoing debates over the legality and oversight of these actions.
Scientists have identified a new deep-sea glass sponge named Advhena magnifica, found on a seamount in the Pacific Ocean, notable for its alien-like appearance and unique glass skeleton, highlighting the rich biodiversity and ecological importance of deep-sea habitats.
The US has been conducting nearly weekly strikes on vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, claiming they carry drugs into the US, though evidence has not been publicly confirmed; these actions are part of a broader strategy against narco-terrorists, notably targeting the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, raising legal and diplomatic concerns.
The US military is conducting strikes against alleged drug trafficking boats in the Pacific and Caribbean using drones, gunships, and fighter jets, with recent operations involving MQ-9 Reapers, AC-130J gunships, and F-35 fighters, primarily targeting vessels linked to drug cartels, and deploying additional naval assets like the Ford Carrier Strike Group to support these efforts.