US military strikes 3 more alleged drug boats in Eastern Pacific, Caribbean, killing 11: SOUTHCOM
The U.S. military says it hit three more vessels suspected of carrying drugs in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, killing 11 men. (U.S. Southern Command/X)
(NEW YORK) — The United States military says it hit three more vessels suspected of carrying drugs in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea, killing 11 men.
U.S. Southern Command says in an online post that the vessels were traveling along drug-trafficking routes and “engaged in narco-trafficking.” A video accompanying the strike shows the three separate strikes.
Officials said four men were killed in the strike on the first vessel in the Eastern Pacific, four on the second vessel in the Eastern Pacific and three on the third vessel in the Caribbean.
No U.S. military forces were harmed, according to SOUTHCOM.
According to the government’s count, the U.S. has killed a total of 144 people in the strikes, which are now being led by U.S. Southern Command Gen. Francis Donovan.
NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) captured this image of an X5.8 solar flare peaking at 9:23 p.m. EDT, May 10, 2024. (NASA)
(NEW YORK) — A moderate geomagnetic storm could bring northern lights displays to U.S. states further south than usual, forecasts show.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Space Weather Prediction Center has issued a storm watch for a G2 geomagnetic storm due to a coronal mass ejection expected to begin Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET and continue until Thursday at 8 p.m. ET.
A coronal mass ejection is a massive eruption of solar material and magnetic field from the sun’s outer atmosphere.
Auroras can occur when the charged particles from the sun clash with the atoms and molecules in Earth’s upper atmosphere — causing those atoms and molecules to emit a glow that appears as a spectrum of light in the night sky.
In the U.S., northern lights could be visible in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire or Maine, according to the NOAA aurora viewline map.
A G2 storm can also impact high-latitude power systems, spacecraft operation and high frequency radio propagation, according to NOAA. Fluctuations to weak power grids and minor impacts on satellite operations can occur as well.
Migratory animals could possibly be affected by geomagnetic storms, according to NOAA. A 2023 study found that inclement space weather may cause fewer birds to migrate during the disturbances — likely due to more difficulty in navigating — and NASA has researched whether solar storms cause an increase in marine mammal strandings, possibly due to similar navigation issues.
The month of March is often an active month for northern lights displays.
The weeks before and after the spring equinox on March 20 are considered “aurora season,” as geomagnetic storms are more likely due to the way solar wind interacts with the Earth’s magnetosphere, according to EarthSky.org.
The spring equinox comes as the solar maximum comes to a close. The sun’s 11-year cycle peaked around late 2024 and has continued to emit strong solar activity and geomagnetic storms, leading to an increase in aurora displays.
The best time to see the northern lights in the U.S. is generally between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. local time, and traveling to the darkest location possible is recommended for the best viewing, according to NOAA.
(MOORE HAVEN, Fla.) — A 19-year-old Mexican immigrant died in Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody this week, according to a notice sent to lawmakers.
Royer Perez-Jimenez, 19, died March 16 at the Glades County Detention Center in Moore Haven, Florida, according to the notice from ICE that was reviewed by ABC News.
Perez-Jimenez is the 44th person to die in ICE custody during the second Trump administration, according to lawmakers.
“He died of a presumed suicide; however, the official cause of his death remains under investigation,” ICE stated.
In the notice, ICE said the 19-year-old entered the United States from Mexico on Feb. 19, 2022, and was granted voluntary return. On an unknown date, according to ICE, he reentered the U.S.
The notice said Perez-Jimenez was arrested in Florida and charged with felony fraud for impersonation and misdemeanor resisting an officer. ABC News has not verified this claim from the Department of Homeland Security.
“ICE placed an immigration detainer on him that same day, and he was transferred into ICE custody on February 21, 2026,” the agency said in the notice.
ABC News reached out to DHS for comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
An employee emerges after being rescued from a Family Dollar store destroyed by a tornado on March 10, 2026 in Lake Village, Indiana. The National Weather Service had issued an urgent warning about a large tornado moving through the area, calling it a “life-threatening situation.” (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — At least two people are dead and multiple others suffered injuries in Indiana due to severe weather overnight that is expected to continue into Wednesday, according to the Lake Township Fire Department.
More than 65 million people are in the path of more severe weather sweeping across parts of the U.S. Wednesday, from Houston to Philadelphia.
The system was forecast to spawn strong tornadoes, destructive winds and hail the size of baseballs.
At least 10 tornadoes were reported from Texas to Indiana. The National Weather Service issued at least 45 tornado warnings across seven states.
The most damage was potentially in Kankakee County, Illinois, and Starke County, Indiana. Hail larger than grapefruit in size fell in Illinois — up to 5.2 inches in diameter.
There were reports of houses that collapsed in Indiana and people stuck in homes but as of Wednesday morning there are no reports of missing people, according to the fire department.
Thunderstorm winds of 60 to 80 mph were recorded from Texas to Indiana.
Wednesday morning, thunderstorms continued to surge east, now forming a line more than 1,600 miles long across America from Canada to Mexico and from New York to Texas.
A level 2 out of 5 slight risk threat is in place Wednesday for more than 65 million Americans from Houston to Philadelphia and includes other cities such as Pittsburgh; Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; Louisville, Kentucky; Nashville and Memphis, Tennessee; Birmingham, Alabama; Shreveport, Louisiana; and New Orleans.
The main risks are for tornadoes, damaging wind and large hail.
Flash flooding is possible especially from East Texas through Louisiana, Mississippi, and southern Arkansas, where training, or consecutive, thunderstorms could dump multiple inches of rain over localized areas within hours.
Storms will reach Cleveland around 9 am and Pittsburgh around 11 am. Memphis will see storms in the morning and Nashville in the afternoon.
There were numerous reports of damage in Kankakee County, Illinois, where a large and extremely dangerous tornado was on the ground earlier Tuesday evening.
The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office said “extensive damage” was reported in Aroma Park. There were no immediate reports of injuries, the sheriff’s office said in a news release.
A tornado watch was issued for North Central Illinois, along with small portions of Missouri, Iowa and Indiana until 11 p.m. local time.
The severe weather is expected to move offshore on Thursday morning, followed by a cold front that is expected to cause temperatures to quickly drop.
There’s a chance that lingering moisture behind the severe weather system may turn to snow for some areas, including Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, on Thursday.
