In a surprising move on Friday, August 22, the Trump administration took action against an 80 percent installed offshore wind farm being built by Denmark’s Ørsted and a subsidiary of BlackRock. The Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management ordered a “halt to ongoing activities related to the Revolution Wind project on the outer continental shelf (OCS) to allow time for it to address concerns that have arisen.”

Unlike previous orders, which stopped projects before construction commenced, Revolution Wind has been under construction since 2024. Ørsted reports that the project is 80 percent complete, with all its offshore foundations installed and 45 out of 65 wind turbines installed. Steel in the water started in May 2024, and the first turbine installation was completed in September.

The company says Revolution Wind is employing hundreds of local union workers both on and offshore and that approximately two million labor union hours have been spent on the project. The shore operations are at ProvPort and Quonset in Rhode Island, and State Pier in New London, Connecticut.

BOEM was vague in its reasoning, writing in the letter to Ørsted North America that it is “seeking to address concerns related to the protection of national security interest of the United States and prevention of interference with reasonable uses of the exclusive economic zone, the high seas and the territorial seas.” The letter signed by Acting Director of BOEM Matthew Giacona also refers to “concerns that have arisen” during its review under the President’s Memorandum of January 20 which directed agencies to review the industry.

“Ørsted is evaluating all options to resolve the matter expeditiously,” the company said in a statement confirming it was complying and taking steps to stop offshore activities. “This includes engagement with relevant permitting agencies for any necessary clarification or resolution, as well as through potential legal proceedings, with the aim being to proceed with continued project construction towards COD in the second half of 2026.”

In its statement, the company notes the project spent more than nine years in review and is fully permitted. It received approval of its Construction and Operations Plan in November 2023. 

Revolution Wind is located more than 15 miles south of Rhode Island and 32 miles southeast of Connecticut, with power contracts with both states. The nearest point of land is Martha’s Vineyard with the project approximately 12 miles southwest. Power was expected to start by the spring of 2026, and when the project is completed, it would generate a total of 704 MW, with 400 MW going to Rhode Island and 304 MW to Connecticut. Ørsted points out that the project is using the same turbine technology as South Fork Wind, which was completed as the first large, commercial offshore wind farm in the United States in 2024.

The stop work order pertains to all offshore activities on the OCS. The company can continue any emergency or safety work, as well as onshore activities. BOEM says the project may appeal this determination.

Ørsted said in its statement that it is considering “a range of scenarios, including legal proceedings.” The company is 50 percent owned by the Danish state, and just announced it was facing financial challenges due to the actions of the new U.S. government. It launched a rights offering to raise $9 billion from existing shareholders, which it is said is necessary to fund the construction work for another U.S. wind farm, Sunrise Wind, as well as completing Revolution Wind, after investors determined the risks are too great in the U.S. market based on the uncertainties raised by the Trump administration’s assault on wind energy.

Last year, Eversource sold its 50 percent interest in its partnership with Ørsted to Global Infrastructure Partners and its Skyborn Renewables fund. GIS was acquired last year by BlackRock to expand the group's investment in renewable energy and infrastructure, with BlackRock’s CEO, Larry Fink, reported to be a friend and supporter of Donald Trump.

This is the second time the administration has issued a stop work order on an offshore wind farm. In April, the Department of the Interior suspended licenses to Equinor just as offshore work was due to begin on the Empire Wind project off New York. The suspension lasted for a month and drew broad criticism, while there were reports of pressure, including from the Norwegian government, which owns Equinor. There were reports of a deal where New York State will permit an oil pipeline it was blocking in exchange for the lifting of the stop work order on Empire Wind. Equinor reported it would take a $1 billion impairment charge related to the impact of the U.S. actions on the project and the offshore wind industry. 

Last week, the Trump administration also announced a further review of the manufacture of wind turbines and their components. Trump has repeatedly said they are made in China, although none of the U.S. projects are using Chinese turbines. The Commerce Department was ordered to start a trade investigation citing national security concerns over the importing of components for wind energy projects. 

Experts point out that 40 percent of the components for wind energy projects come from Europe, while Mexico is supplying more than 30 percent of the material used in the construction. The Trump administration has said it will include aluminum and steel components for wind turbines in the 50 percent tariff on imports, and the new trade investigation could impose further tariffs on components. The administration has already suspended future licensing and revoked previous approvals. Trump has promised to “stop the windmills.”

 

The US Coast Guard arrested the master of a containership this week after the pilot guiding the ship to port reported the captain was exhibiting signs of intoxication. A field sobriety and breathalyzer test administered by the USC after the vessel docked found the captain was impaired more than six times the legal limit for commercial mariners.

The vessel, the MSC Jubilee IX, is a 108,770 dwt containership with a capacity of 8,800 TEU. The ship had arrived in the anchorage near Everett, Washington, coming from Busan, South Korea, with a stop in Vancouver, Canada. Built in 2008, the vessel, which is registered in Liberia, appears to have joined the MSC fleet in March 2025.

A Puget Sound pilot boarded the MSC Jubilee IX on August 20 to guide the ship to port in Seattle and reported to the US Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound that the vessel’s captain was exhibiting signs of intoxication. The pilot and first mate operated the vessel during the transit from an anchorage to Terminal 5 at the Port of Seattle without incident.

After the vessel docked, a Coast Guard boarding team and the Coast Guard Investigative Service boarded the ship and commenced a port state control examination. During the investigation, they administer the sobriety test.

The captain was arrested and transported to the King County Jail, where charges were referred to the King County Prosecutor for boating under the influence. 

The vessel was detained by the Coast Guard until a relief captain was identified and confirmed. The vessel was later cleared to resume operations and departed Seattle on August 22 for Prince Rupert, Canada, and a return trip to Yantian, China.

The incident is similar to a January 2024 arrest when the captain of another MSC containership, a Polish national commanding MSC Roshney V, was also detained after the pilot in Felixstowe in the UK also suspected the master was intoxicated. Tests revealed his blood alcohol level was nearly four times over the limit. The master pleaded guilty in a UK court and was given a suspended sentence and a small fine. He told the court he was sorry for his actions and that his career at sea was over.
 

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The federal government has extended its lease on a downtown Milwaukee property used by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to federal lease records and the building’s owner. 

The property at 310 E. Knapp St. is owned by the Milwaukee School of Engineering but will remain in use by the federal government through at least April 2026, with options to extend through 2028, said JoEllen Burdue, the college’s senior communications director. 

“We do not have immediate plans for the building and will reevaluate next year when we know whether or not the government wants to extend the lease,” Burdue said.

The lease was originally scheduled to expire in April 2025. 

With a new ICE facility under construction on the city’s Northwest Side, the downtown lease extension raises the possibility that the federal government is expanding local immigration infrastructure or enforcement. This would be consistent with other forms of expansion in immigration enforcement, statewide and nationally. 

“I’m upset and concerned about what this means for my immigrant constituency. For my constituents, period,” said Ald. JoCasta Zamarripa, who represents the 8th District on the South Side.

Immigration infrastructure

The Knapp Street property is used by ICE as a field office for its Enforcement and Removal Operations, according to ICE. 

This includes serving as a check‑in location for individuals under ICE supervision who aren’t in custody and a processing center for individuals with pending immigration cases or removal proceedings.

According to a Vera Institute of Justice analysis, the number of people held at the Knapp Street location has been increasing. 

The Vera Institute is a national nonpartisan nonprofit that does research and advocates for policy concerning incarceration and public safety. 

The most people held by ICE at a given time at that Knapp Street location during the Biden administration was six. On June 3, 22 people were held there – also exceeding the high of 17 during President Donald Trump’s first administration, according to data from Vera Institute. 

The office generally does not detain people overnight but can facilitate transfer to detention centers that do. 

The functions carried out at the Knapp Street office mirror those planned for the Northwest Side facility.

City records show the West Lake Park Drive property will be used to process non-detained people as well as detainees for transport to detention centers.

The records also state that the property will serve as the main southeastern Wisconsin office for immigration officers and staff.

The U.S. General Services Administration, the federal government’s real estate arm, initially projected the new site would open in October. However, a spokesperson said there was no update and did not confirm whether that timeline still stands.

Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE, responded to NNS’ requests for comment. 

Rise in immigration enforcement

As local immigration enforcement grows, so does enforcement throughout the state and the rest of the country. 

Nationally, the number of immigrants booked into ICE detention facilities increased in less than a year – from 24,696 in August 2024 to 36,713 in June 2025, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. 

The Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse is a nonprofit at Syracuse University that conducts nonpartisan research. 

Not only are more people being detained, but they are being detained for longer, said Jennifer Chacón, the Bruce Tyson Mitchell professor of law at Stanford Law School. 

A July 8 internal memo from ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons instructs agents to detain immigrants for the duration of their removal proceedings, effectively eliminating access to bond hearings. 

Eighty-four of 181 detention facilities exceeded their contractual capacity on at least one day from October 2024 to mid-April 2025, according to a July report from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. 

The Dodge County Jail, which ICE uses to detain people apprehended in Milwaukee, is one of the facilities that exceeded its contractual capacity. On its busiest day, it held 139 individuals – four more than its 135-bed limit.   

In addition to Dodge County, Brown and Sauk county jails have also entered into agreements with ICE to house detained immigrants, according to records obtained by the ACLU of Wisconsin. 

ICE’s unprecedented budget

Noelle Smart, a principal research associate at the Vera Institute, notes that it remains unclear whether increased immigration enforcement drives the need for more detention infrastructure or expands to catch up with more infrastructure. 

But, Smart said, with ICE’s unprecedented new budget, the question of which one drives the other becomes less relevant.

Trump’s proposed ICE budget in 2025 was $9.7 billion – a billion more than ICE’s 2024 budget. An additional $29.85 billion was made available through 2029 for enforcement and removal as part of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act.” 

“We know this administration intends to vastly increase the number of people subject to arrests and detention, and we expect to see increases in both given this budget,” Smart said.

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Jonathan Aguilar is a visual journalist at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service who is supported through a partnership between CatchLight Local and Report for America.

Federal government extends lease at downtown Milwaukee building used by ICE is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

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Wicky arrives at a stately home to clean up a burglary gone wrong.

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Perseverance is exploring Mars’ sandy ripples, strange frozen waves that could reveal how wind still shapes the planet. Along the way it uncovered unusual helmet-shaped rocks, sparking new questions about Mars’ present and future.

Scientists may have uncovered the missing piece of quantum computing by reviving a particle once dismissed as useless. This particle, called the neglecton, could give fragile quantum systems the full power they need by working alongside Ising anyons. What was once considered mathematical waste may now hold the key to building universal quantum computers, turning discarded theory into a pathway toward the future of technology.

Researchers have created plant-based microbeads that trap fat in the gut, helping rats lose weight without side effects. Unlike current drugs, the beads are safe, tasteless, and easy to mix into everyday foods. Human trials are now underway.

Too much salt may inflame the brain, triggering hormones that push blood pressure higher. Scientists found this pathway could explain why many patients resist current hypertension drugs, pointing toward the brain as a new treatment target.

St. Jude researchers revealed that midkine blocks amyloid beta from forming harmful clumps linked to Alzheimer’s. Without it, the damaging assemblies accelerate, but with it, growth halts. The finding could inspire new drugs that harness midkine’s protective power.

By using quantum dots and smart encryption protocols, researchers overcame a 40-year barrier in quantum communication, showing that secure networks don’t need perfect hardware to outperform today’s best systems.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia have shown that a small bench-top reactor can enhance nuclear fusion rates by electrochemically loading a metal with deuterium fuel. Unlike massive magnetic confinement reactors, their experiment uses a room-temperature setup that packs deuterium into palladium like a sponge, boosting the likelihood of fusion events.

Researchers at Zhejiang University have found a way to stop performance-killing Auger recombination in perovskite lasers, using a clever additive during processing. Their method produced a record-breaking laser with unprecedented efficiency, pointing toward chip-ready optical devices.

Astronomers have detected the closest and brightest fast radio burst ever recorded, a dazzling signal from a galaxy just 130 million light-years away. The extraordinary flash, nicknamed RBFLOAT, outshone every other radio source in its galaxy for a split second, offering scientists a rare opportunity to study these mysterious cosmic outbursts in unprecedented detail.

Electric muscle cars were supposed to mark a bold new chapter, but the reality has been less than thrilling. Dodge may not want to admit it, but the Charger Daytona has not ushered in an exciting era for all-electric muscle cars as the brand would have hoped.

In the first quarter of the year, just 2,115 were sold in the US and Canada, prompting Dodge to kill off the entry-level R/T model. And for at least one buyer, it seems to be riddled with issues.

Read: A V8 Dodge Charger Could Be Closer Than You Think

This particular Charger R/T Daytona, which we must say looks excellent painted in Peel Out Orange, is currently being leased by a man named Nicholas Sharrett. He collected it in May from Wetzel Dodge in Richmond, Indiana, and says it has been nothing but trouble. In fact, he now describes the car as “practically useless.”

The Trunk That Won’t Open

Sharrett’s biggest frustration is with the trunk. It doesn’t open, and it hasn’t worked from the day he picked it up. Curiously, Dodge has not added a trunk opener to the keyfob, nor is there a button or a latch in the cabin.

Instead, the only way to open it is to press a tiny rubber button on the taillight. That button doesn’t work, so the only way to load things into the trunk is to open the door, lower the back seats, and throw items to the rear.

Doors Out of Line

The problems don’t end with the trunk. Sharrett says the driver’s door is so badly misaligned that it rubs against the body in three different spots, even wearing away the paint at one point. Wetzel Dodge, located more than 100 miles from his home, tried to correct the alignment but told him Stellantis refused to repaint the exposed metal.

Additionally, there’s a fault with the passenger door, and it only works roughly half the time. So, if Sharrett needs to open the passenger door, he has to do so from inside the Daytona. He also says he receives error messages on the Uconnect infotainment system almost every single time he starts up the car.

The driver’s seat comes with an especially frustrating flaw. When someone in the back pulls the strap to move it forward, the seat slides as expected. But once it reaches the end of its track, it won’t stay in place and immediately begins sliding back on its own. This glitch once trapped Sharrett’s seven-year-old daughter as she was trying to climb out of the rear seat.

Sharrett’s experience might be just one case, but it leaves room for a bigger conversation. If you own a Charger Daytona, have you faced similar issues, or has your car lived up to expectations? Share your experience in the comments below.

Hawaii's Kilauea volcano resumed erupting Friday by shooting an arc of lava 100 feet into the air and across a section of its summit crater floor.

(Image credit: M. Zoeller/AP)

 

The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) is carrying out another major operation in its fight against drug cartels and human smuggling in the Eastern Pacific. Recent efforts in coordination with the U.S. Navy have already led to the seizure of over 13,000 pounds of cocaine and the arrest of 11 suspects.

Homeland Security announced that just days after the USCG embarked on Operation Pacific Viper with the deployment of large numbers of forces and warships to fight Latin American drug cartels, the results are evident. In a matter of days, the agency has hunted down, interdicted, and boarded several illegal vessels, resulting in seizures and arrests.

The first seizure happened on August 8 when the Legend-class cutter Hamilton interdicted a drug smuggling vessel south of Mexico, seizing over 4,000 pounds of cocaine and arresting three smugglers.

Three days later, the Navy guided missile destroyer Sampson was operating in the known drug trafficking corridor when she interdicted a smuggling boat. Sailors, together with USCG Law Enforcement Detachment officers onboard, identified the suspicious vessel, prompting the launch of MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter and a rigid-hull inflatable boat to intercept it.

 

Destroying smugglers' boats (USCG)

 

The smuggling vessel attempted to flee with the traffickers trying to dump their cargo overboard before they were subdued, leading to the seizure of about 1,300 pounds of cocaine and the arrest of two suspects. Due to deteriorating seaworthiness and heavy seas, the smuggling vessel was left to sink.

In yet another case on August 16, USCG cutter Stone interdicted a smuggling vessel south of the Galapagos Islands, with officers disabling it by shooting its engine out from a helicopter. Three suspected drug smugglers were detained with over 3,500 pounds of cocaine being confiscated. The vessel was set on fire.

A day later, Stone carried out another interdiction, disabling the engine on a smuggler’s vessel with fire from a helicopter. It resulted in the arrest of three smugglers and the seizure of over 4,000 pounds of cocaine. The suspects arrested in the two cases are said to be Ecuadorian nationals.

Another seizure of nearly 3,000 pounds of cocaine occurred on August 19 after Stone yet again interdicted a smuggling vessel. On the same day, a boat launched from the Reliance-class medium endurance cutter Venturous seized over 750 pounds of cocaine that was jettisoned by a target of interest.

 

Seized cocaine on the deck of USS Sampson (Homeland Security)

 

“80 percent of illicit drug seizures occur at sea,” said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The U.S. Coast Guard is surging maritime interdictions in the Eastern Pacific to stop the cartels and criminal organizations, cutting off drugs and human smuggling before it reaches American shores.”

Operation Pacific Viper is taking place while reports indicate that President Donald Trump has also ordered the deployment of three warships off the coast of Venezuela to intensify the fight against drug trafficking. 

Reuters is reporting that the Aegis guided-missile destroyers USS Graverly, John Dunham, and Sampson, and a contingent of 4,000 sailors and marines are designed to increase pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, for whom the U.S. is offering a $50 million reward for his arrest over his alleged links to cocaine trafficking.
 

 

The Port of Auckland in New Zealand is finally set to embark on major infrastructure expansion projects aimed at enhancing its competitiveness. It is proceeding after getting a government greenlight under a new law designed to cut red tape in the approval process for huge infrastructure and development projects.

Under the Fast-track Approvals Act, Auckland’s wharf expansion project has become the first mega project to be granted consent. The greenlight now allows New Zealand’s main import terminal to proceed with the implementation of the Bledisloe North and Fergusson North projects, as well as the construction of a cruise passenger terminal and other upgrades.

The consent was granted by an expert panel set up under the Act, which was introduced in Parliament in March last year and enacted in record speed as part of the coalition government’s plan for its first 100 days in office. The Act, which received Royal Assent in December and became effective in February, establishes a permanent fast-track regime that makes it easier and quicker for large projects to gain approvals. The decision came just 66 working days after the panel was convened.

“The Act helps cut through the tangle of red and green tape and the jumble of approvals processes that have, until now, held New Zealand back from much-needed economic growth,” said Chris Bishop, New Zealand Infrastructure Minister.

Having become the first to get approval under the act, the Port of Auckland will, starting next month, embark on implementing key projects that are critical to future growth. The Bledisloe and Fergusson wharves expansion forms the core of the projects that will not only allow berthing of larger containerships but also make Auckland a hub for cruise shipping.

The Bledisloe North wharf project will include a new reinforced concrete-piled wharf at the terminal, giving it enough depth for large cruise ships and RoRos. For Fergusson North, the project involves a wharf extension that will enable the port to handle 10,000 TEU ships in the future. Currently, the port can only handle ships with a 5,000 TEU maximum capacity.

Auckland has termed the projects as once-in-a-generation infrastructure that is needed to serve the city for decades to come, not only by making the port “big ship capable” but also by providing long-term fit-for-purpose infrastructure. In February, the port that is owned by the Auckland Council revealed it intends to invest NZ$120 to NZ$150 million (US$70 to $88 million) over the next three to four years in infrastructure expansion.  

“The Bledisloe North wharf extensions will enable larger cruise ships to berth, and increase New Zealand’s importing and exporting capacity,” said Bishop. The project will deliver lasting economic benefits by boosting the efficiency of a critical part of Auckland’s economy and supporting long-term growth.

Auckland’s infrastructure investments come when the port, the second largest after Port of Tauranga, is recording growth in container throughput to hit the 900,000 TEU mark in 2024.

The Auckland project was among a total of 149 projects on the fast-track list, with others involved in mining, power, and residential development, among others, being under consideration.
 

APM Terminals, the terminal operations for AP Moller-Maersk, has entered into an agreement with the authority overseeing ports on India’s east coast along the Bay of Bengal. Under the Memorandum signed in India on August 22, they plan to explore the development of ports to create an “Eastern Gateway” as part of India’s plan to expand trade.

According to officials, the agreement while help realize the vision of creating Andhra Pradesh as the logistics hub of the east. The region has more than 620 miles of coastline. The vision is to develop marine infrastructure such as ports, fishing harbors, and fish landing centers every 30 miles. 

The region is currently home to Visakhapatnam, a port city and industrial center, which is the third-largest port by volume in India and one of the country’s 12 major ports. However, it is mostly a bulker port with smaller container operations in the region. The coast currently hosts a total of 15 ports in eight coastal districts, with five operational non-major commercial ports and four green field projects, which will be operational by 2026.

Working with APM, the goal is to accelerate port and terminal development in the state. APM has expressed its intent as part of the MoU to invest approximately $1 billion to modernize ports and terminals. They will focus on the development of the Machilipatnam, Mulapeta, and Ramayapatnam ports and infrastructure. 

These are three of the ports currently being developed by the authority in the region. In June, the local authorities reported that Ramayapatnam Port was the most advanced with Phase 1 work nearly two-thirds (64 percent) completed. Both Machilipatnam and Mulapeta have completed more than 40 percent of their Phase 1 development.

APM is seen as a logical partner for the next phase of development, with the local officials noting that it is at the forefront of introducing advanced cargo handling technologies, promoting sustainable operations, and enhancing efficiency in container and bulk handling. APM Terminals has been present in India since 2004 and operates two key assets. The Gujarat Pipavav Port is located 152 nautical miles (10 hours steaming time) from Nhava Sheva in Mumbai. It was India’s first public-private port operation and has a capacity for 1.35 million TEU annually.

APM is also in partnership with India for the operations of APM Terminals Mumbai (Gateway Terminals India), which is the largest container facility in the country. Efforts are currently expanding its capacity above 2 million TEU annually.
 

Fire concerns and the potential for toxic, runaway fires spurred by lithium-ion batteries continue to weigh heavily on the shipping industry. Lynden’s Alaska Marine Lines has become the latest carrier to report it will no longer ship electric vehicles or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles due to the increased safety risk.

The company operates a vital cargo barge service across Alaska as well as to Hawaii. It is a vital connection for moving commercial freight and is used by Alaskans for shipping materials or to bring items from the “Lower 48.”

“Although we have previously shipped EVs and PHEVs, the increased complexity and fire risk associated with shipping large lithium-ion batteries on vessels at sea has caused us to reevaluate how to best keep our employees and equipment safe. While issues with lithium-ion batteries are infrequent, the inability to extinguish or contain this type of fire, especially while at sea, can lead to catastrophic results,” the company said in a customer statement released on August 12.

The new policy is effective immediately for Central Alaska, Western Alaska, and Hawaii. The company said it would continue to carry the vehicles for the next few weeks until September 1 for Southeast Alaska. The decision does not impact other hybrid vehicles, smaller electric recreational vehicles, e-bikes, and four-wheelers. Alaska Marine Lines said it will continue to reassess the ability to safely ship these vehicles as industry standards and safety procedures improve.

Alaska Public Media highlights that the restrictions will be especially hard for the Southeast, where electric vehicles are growing in popularity. It reports that the State of Alaska’s Alaska Marine Highway System and its ferries will continue limited transport of EVs. 

The ferry system limits just two EVs per trip, and a spokesperson told KCAW Alaska that special precautions are in place on the ferries. They have designated spaces with more area around the two spots for EVs, and each ferry carries two special fire blankets designed to smother EV battery fires. 

Alaska Marine Lines’ policy follows a similar decision announced by Matson in June. The carrier reported that its vessel from California to Hawaii and Guam would no longer transport EVs despite the precautions that it had put in place to control possible fires.

Similar policies have also emerged in Europe. Havila, for example, which carries cars on the Norwegian Coastal voyages, announced in 2023 that it was banning EVs and hydrogen vessels from its ships.