World’s rarest whale may have washed up on New Zealand beach, possibly shedding clues on species

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Spade-toothed whales are the world’s rarest, with no live sightings ever recorded. No one knows how many there are, what they eat, or even where they live in the vast expanse of the southern Pacific Ocean. However, scientists in New Zealand may have finally caught...

Faced with threats from Russia and its Asian supporters, NATO and Indo-Pacific partners get closer

WASHINGTON (AP) — Four Indo-Pacific countries attending the NATO summit issued a joint statement Thursday to “strongly condemn the illicit military cooperation" between Russia and North Korea, showing how the military alliance and its Pacific partners are forging closer ties to counter what...

US Coast Guard patrol spots Chinese naval ships off Alaska island

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A U.S. Coast Guard cutter on routine patrol in the Bering Sea came across several Chinese military ships in international waters but within the U.S. exclusive economic zone, officials said. The crew detected three vessels approximately 124 miles (200...

Woman swept to sea while swimming at a Japanese beach rescued 37 hours later and 50 miles away

TOKYO (AP) — A Chinese woman who was swept out to sea while swimming at a Japanese beach was rescued 37 hours later after drifting in an inflatable swim ring more than 80 kilometers (50 miles) in the Pacific Ocean, officials said Thursday. Japan's coast guard launched a search for...

Tropical Storm Aletta forms in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico's coast and is forecast to head away from land

MIAMI (AP) — Tropical Storm Aletta forms in the Pacific Ocean off Mexico's coast and is forecast to head away from land.

A US aircraft carrier and its crew have fought Houthi attacks for months. How long can it last?

ABOARD THE USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER IN THE RED SEA (AP) — The combat markings emblazoned on the F/A-18 fighter jet tell the story: 15 missiles and six drones, painted in black just below the cockpit windshield. As the jet sits on the deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft...

UN report says that education, social safety nets vital for Asia to grow rich, cope with aging

TOKYO (AP) — As economies in Asia and the Pacific slow and grow older, countries need to do more to ensure that workers get the education, training and social safety nets needed to raise incomes and ensure social equity, a United Nations report said Tuesday. The report by the...

China and Russia reaffirm their close ties as Moscow presses its offensive in Ukraine

BEIJING (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday reaffirmed their “no-limits” partnership that has deepened as both countries face rising tensions with the West, and they criticized U.S. military alliances in Asia and the Pacific region. ...