Wildlife rescuers have been praised after freeing a young dugong tangled in a car fanbelt near Exmouth, on Western Australia's north-west coast. Fifteen responders returned the roughly two-metre animal to deeper water in less than 24 hours after it was spotted struggling at Wapet Creek. Officials said the animal showed no major signs of distress. Dugongs are endangered, and each one saved may help the wider Exmouth Gulf population. Helene Marsh, a conservation scientist, said the species is increasingly under threat across the country.
A new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reports that a deepwater ecosystem across the northern Gulf of Mexico collapsed after the 2011 Deepwater Horizon spill, with recovery still uncertain. Populations of octopus, krill, squid and shrimp fell by 60 to 85 percent within three and a half years, and few signs of recovery have appeared since. Researchers said other causes such as temperature and oxygen were ruled out, pointing to the blowout as the most likely explanation. Scientists also noted toxic effects on marine life, and one study found sharp declines in deep-diving whales.
Former crew member John Adderley says the lighthouse tender MV Cape Don is rusting in Sydney Harbour, far from her home port of Fremantle. The ship is recognised as national marine heritage, but the NSW Government has seized her over fears of harbour pollution, and her conservation is in doubt. Built in Australia in 1963, the 2,100-tonne vessel serviced lights, beacons and buoys along the Western Australian coast and into the Northern Territory. Adderley calls on the State Government and Maritime Museum to highlight her history and help prevent its loss.
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Almost 400,000 hectares of land in Queensland will become new national parks, but the state government has not yet decided how many rangers will manage them. Three cattle stations, including part of Westmoreland, all of Kendall River Station and part of Cliffdale Station, will become protected state-owned land. The deal was funded by the Queensland government, $21 million from the Nature Conservancy and $3.5 million from the federal government. Burke Shire Mayor Ernie Camp said councils will still have to maintain roads serving the new parks, creating a financial burden on the shire's small rate base.
Federal and Queensland governments have teamed up with The Nature Conservancy to secure almost 400,000 hectares of land in Cape York and the Gulf of Carpentaria. The acquisitions include parts of Kendall River, Westmoreland and Cliffdale stations. The land is home to threatened species, including the palm cockatoo and grey falcon. Queensland Environment Minister Andrew Powell said the purchases would grow the state's protected area estate. Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt said the Commonwealth contributed $3.5 million to the Westmoreland purchase.
The mayor of Burketown in Queensland says the town's airstrip may need to move to a more flood-resistant site, even after a $27 million upgrade. The Queensland and federal governments funded the work, which raised the airstrip by 400 millimetres. Commercial flights are expected to resume in mid-November after about nine months of repairs, during which the only access was by bus on unreliable dirt roads. Mayor Ernie Camp said he remains worried the airstrip would not survive another flood like the one in 2023. A regional council group said long-term planning is needed to protect air services.
Storms that have hit central Queensland this week are expected to continue through the weekend and reach parts of the Gulf. The Bureau of Meteorology says more widespread showers and thunderstorms are likely across the central and southern interior. Isolated coastal showers are forecast for parts of Brisbane and the Gold Coast, with a high-pressure system possibly keeping them going into next week. Cloud and showers are expected to keep temperatures lower across much of the state over the next few days.
Severe thunderstorms are moving east from Central Australia towards NSW and Queensland, bringing heavy rain, large hail and strong winds. Flash flooding has already hit northern NSW, and the State Emergency Service received more than 220 call-outs in 24 hours, mostly for fallen trees and damaged roofs. Several people were rescued from floodwaters in Greater Sydney. In Alice Springs, storms left about 3000 homes without power on Wednesday, and Power and Water NT says restoration in some areas could take several days. The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast damaging wind gusts for central Queensland.
Asian share markets started cautiously as earnings season approached, amid doubts over high tech valuations. Oil prices were choppy after strikes on shipping and airports in the Gulf. Brent crude slipped 1.1 per cent to $US103.50 a barrel. Investors are questioning whether AI revenues can keep pace with rising borrowing costs, according to economist My Bui. Markets now imply an 85 per cent chance of a US rate rise in December.
At least 139 migrants have died and dozens are missing after a boat carrying 305 people capsized while sailing from Djibouti to Yemen, the International Organization for Migration says. The boat overturned near Guhere on Thursday night into Friday morning local time. More than 80 survivors, all Ethiopian nationals, have been rescued, while 84 remain missing. The International Organization for Migration says the vessel sank soon after departing, mainly because it was overcrowded. Djiboutian authorities are continuing search and rescue operations and burials.
Oil tanker captains in the Persian Gulf are being offered up to $US100,000 a month to navigate the Strait of Hormuz, as Iran and the United States impose separate blockades. The payments aim to persuade seafarers to continue operating in the dangerous area despite attacks by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. At least 24 seafarers have been killed in 100 confirmed incidents since the war began, with nine attacks recorded this month alone.
US stocks dipped as crude oil prices surged due to Middle East tensions and reduced US output, fueling inflation and rate-hike fears. The Nasdaq saw the steepest loss, with semiconductor stocks underperforming after a report suggested OpenAI's revenues were lower than expected. Oil prices rose following attacks in the Strait of Hormuz and hurricane-related output cuts, with WTI and Brent crude up 3.6 per cent and 4.1 per cent respectively. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell, while the Dow Jones rose slightly.
Tropical Storm Isaias is forecast to become the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season’s first hurricane, with winds of 65 mph. It is expected to strengthen over warm waters before weakening slightly and making landfall between Mississippi and Florida. Hurricane watches have been issued for parts of Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida, with up to 10 inches of rain and 7-foot storm surges predicted. Isaias could also set a record as the latest first Atlantic hurricane on record, potentially tying a 1905 storm.
