The U.S. military has confirmed that it will permanently end live-fire training in Makua Valley on Oahu, a major win for Native Hawaiian groups and environmentalists after decades of activism.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has dispatched two armed patrol vessels to watch over more than a hundred Chinese boats that it said were “swarming” the disputed area around a small reef in the South China Sea.

On Sunday, the PCG released photos and videos that it said show ships belonging to the Chinese Maritime Militia, moored close to each other near the small, boomerang-shaped Julian Felipe Reef. This tactic allows them to create floating outposts at sea, according to Philippine media.

"Winter wonderland" isn't a term often associated with Hawaii, but that's exactly how one meteorologist described the Aloha State on Thursday.

Nearly half a foot of snow fell at the Mauna Kea Weather Center on Hawaii Island throughout the day on Thursday. Meteorologists shared photos and videos of the snowfall across social media. The images shocked many people who have never seen snow in a tropical climate before.