live Iran’s Araghchi blames U.S. for Hormuz tensions, urges diplomacy
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional issues should be res...
Following U.S. military strikes on Iran, at least two supertankers reversed course near the Strait of Hormuz, reflecting heightened fears of disruption in one of the world’s most vital oil shipping lanes.
Recent U.S. strikes on Iran have raised concerns over the security of the Strait of Hormuz, a key maritime chokepoint through which about 20% of global oil and gas supplies pass. As tensions rise, at least two supertankers temporarily changed course near the strait, according to shiptracking data.
Fears that Iran might retaliate by closing the strait have pushed oil prices to five-month highs and caused tanker freight rates to more than double in a week. Tanker operators are now adjusting routes, pausing near Oman, or minimizing time inside the Gulf.
Meanwhile, shipping activity in the region has decreased—entry of empty tankers into the Gulf has dropped 32%, and departures of loaded vessels are down 27% compared to early May.
Some Japanese and Taiwanese companies said their ships are still transiting the strait but with stricter safety protocols. Iran's parliament has passed a measure to close the waterway, though any action would need approval from its top security body. Historically, Tehran has threatened closures but never implemented them.
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for continuing to target Russia's energy infrastructure, while Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight killed at least one person and damaged a metro station.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
The day after waiving sanctions and tariffs related to Russian exports, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he has yet to announce a final decision on the matter as Secretary of State Marco Rubio said officials want more time to evaluate the situation.
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the violence, looting and vandalism that erupted during cost-of-living protests across France. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held crisis talks on Monday, calling for partial curfews and raising the possibility of a state of emergency.
An oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said late Sunday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
Beijing says it deployed naval forces to monitor a U.S. warship near Sabina Shoal, while Taiwan reports a separate confrontation with a Chinese coast guard vessel near the Pratas Islands.
Tensions are mounting across Asia, with North Korea warning of war, China clashing with the U.S. and the Philippines, and protests gathering pace in Indonesia and India. Military threats, diplomatic disputes and political unrest are fuelling uncertainty across the region.
Canada’s oil-rich province of Alberta voted to remain part of the country in a non-binding referendum on Monday, 19 October, CBC News reports, delivering a much-needed victory for Prime Minister Mark Carney amid an ongoing trade war with the United States.
A Kenyan court has convicted cult leader Paul Mackenzie and 28 co-defendants of murder over the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children, in a case that shocked the world and exposed one of the deadliest cult-related tragedies in recent memory.
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