The chopper failed to return from a tour off the Hawaiian island of Kauai and no electronic signals have been picked up. The weather conditions in the area were said to be "challenging."

The US decided to deploy the Coast Guard after accusing Beijing of foul play in the South China Sea, in waters that Beijing sees as belonging to China. Tensions between the two nations have been growing in recent months.

Images released by the US Coast Guard of the rescue of three Cuban nationals who were stranded for more than a month on Anguilla Cay, a desert island in the Bahamas. A Coast Guard surveillance plane spotted the castaways during a routine patrol, noticing some unusual flags and some different colors. When they returned to the area to investigate, the aircrew noticed a makeshift shelter and three people signaling them. The group, who reportedly survived on coconuts and rats, had been living on the island after their boat capsized.

Idalia is Florida-bound and has strengthened and will likely land as a Category 4 storm with 100 mph winds when it reaches the Gulf Coast. South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster has issued a state of emergency.

Idalia roared into Florida's Big Bend region but it has since weakened into a tropical storm. Georgia and the Carolinas now stand to be affected as the storm brings heavy rains and flooding.

The US president visited areas in Florida hit hard by the "extremely dangerous" storm. The visit was overshadowed, however, by the absence of the state's governor and presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis.