German cross-country skiers turned their backs on gold Russian medallists on the Winter Paralympics podium in protest against the country’s inclusion in the Games.
For the first time since 2014, Russian athletes are competing under their country’s flag at the Paralympics, after the International Paralympic Committee lifted the country’s suspension in September.
Russia and its athletes were banned following a state-sponsored doping scandal before further sanctions were imposed following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
On Tuesday, Anastasia Bagyan and her guide, Sergei Siniyakin, won gold in the women’s sprint classic visually impaired event, Russia’s second of three golds so far at the Games.
As the national anthem played, silver medallist Lynn Kazmaier of Germany and her guide, Florian Baumann, turned their backs on the Russians.
Speaking to German outlet Bild, external Kazmaier said: “The medal ceremony felt completely strange. I don’t know. [Russians] I don’t know; maybe they support this system in Russia as little as we do.
“Maybe they’re genuinely people we can be friends with. It’s completely covered up in politics; it’s a complete shame that the true sentiments of the people are often overshadowed by governmental actions and propaganda.
A group of Democrats in the United States Senate are demanding public hearings on the country’s war against Iran after receiving a series of classified briefings from President Donald Trump’s administration officials.
Lawmakers say the White House has not clearly explained why the US entered the conflict, what its goals are or how long it might last.
Republicans currently hold a narrow, 53-47 Senate majority, giving them the power to control what legislation comes to the floor for debate.
Some Democrats have expressed frustration after the latest closed-door briefing.
“I just came from a two-hour classified briefing on the war,” Connecticut State Senator Chris Murphy said Tuesday. “The briefing confirmed to me that the strategy is completely inconsistent.
“I think it’s very simple: if the President did what the Constitution requires and came to Congress to ask for authorisation for this war, he would not get it — because the American people would demand that their members of Congress vote no,” he said.
Here’s what we know:
What happened till now?
Since the US and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, senior officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, have held several closed-door meetings to brief members of Congress on the military operation and its progress.
Because the meetings are classified, lawmakers are prohibited from publicly disclosing the information they receive.
US President Donald Trump listened to Foreign Minister Marco Rubio. [File: Nathan Howard/Reuters]
What are the Democrats saying?
Several Democratic senators said they left the briefing disappointed, arguing that the administration did not provide clear answers about war objectives, a timeline or a long-term strategy to guide their approach to the conflict.
Earlier this week, six Democratic senators also called for an investigation into the attack on a girls’ school in Minab, southern Iran. Reports indicate that the attack, which investigators say involved US forces, killed at least 170 people, the majority of whom were children.
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal said, “It looks like there is no endgame.” “The president, in a contradictory manner, states that the war is almost over, while simultaneously asserting that it has just begun.” This presents a contradiction.
Senator Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts expressed concern over the cost of the war.
“One part that seems clear is that while 15 million Americans have lost their health care, there’s no money for them, but there’s a billion dollars a day to spend on bombing Iran,” Warren said Tuesday.
“One thing Congress has the power to do is stop actions like this through the power of money,” he said.
Others seem concerned that there could be a ground-level deployment.
“It looks like we’re on track to deploy American troops on the ground in Iran to meet any potential objective here,” Blumenthal, of Connecticut, told reporters after Tuesday’s classified briefing.
He said, “The American people deserve to know more than what this administration has told us about the cost of war, the danger to our sons and daughters in uniform, and the potential for this war to escalate and widen.”
Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut [File: Ben Curtis/AP]
What are the Republicans saying?
Republicans, who hold slim majorities in both houses of Congress, have almost unanimously supported Trump’s campaign against Iran, with only a handful expressing scepticism about war.
Some Republican leaders say the strikes are necessary to curb Iran’s military capabilities, missile programme and regional influence.
They have also argued that the operation is limited in scope and designed to weaken Iran’s ability to threaten US forces and allies in the region.
Republican Representative Brian Mast of Florida, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, last week publicly thanked Trump for taking action against Iran and said the president is using his constitutional authority to defend the US against the “imminent threat” posed by Tehran.
But some Republican members of Congress have expressed concern.
Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina said in a post on X that she “did not want to send the sons and daughters of South Carolina to war with Iran”.
Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky accused the Trump administration of changing its narrative and rationale for war on a daily basis.
“We keep hearing new reasons for war with Iran – none are solid,” he wrote on X.
Why does debate matter?
The controversy has revived a long-running debate in Washington, D.C., about the limits of presidential war powers.
Under the US Constitution, Congress has the authority to declare war, but modern presidents have often launched military operations without formal congressional approval, citing national security or emergency threats.
The law allows the President to deploy U.S. troops for up to 60 days without Congress’s permission, followed by a 30-day withdrawal period if Congress does not approve the action.
Some lawmakers and legal experts say the war on Iran highlights the need for stronger congressional oversight of military action.
“In the 1970s, we adopted something called the War Powers Resolution that gives the president a limited ability to do that,” said David Schultz, a professor in the department of political science and law at Hamline University.
“And so, you can either argue that what the president is doing violates the Constitution… No [being] formally declared war; or B, it exceeds his authority, either as Commander-in-Chief or under the War Powers Act,” he said.
“And so, you can argue that domestically, their actions are illegal and unconstitutional,” Schultz said.
The Trump administration has argued that the February 28 attacks were justified as a response to an “imminent threat”, an argument often used by presidents to justify military action without prior congressional approval.
However, US intelligence agencies themselves stated before the war began that they had no evidence of an imminent Iranian threat to the US or its facilities throughout the Middle East.
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) announced on Wednesday (March 11) that it has destroyed several Iranian naval vessels, including 16 minelayers, near the Strait of Hormuz.
CENTCOM released a video on its official
US forces destroyed several Iranian naval vessels on March 10, including 16 mines
In a separate post, US Central Command said US forces were “degrading the Iranian regime’s ability to project power at sea and harass international shipping.”
It condemned Tehran for endangering “freedom of navigation in waters essential to American, regional and global security and prosperity.”
U.S. forces are weakening the Iranian regime’s ability to project power at sea and harass international shipping. For years, Iranian forces have threatened freedom of navigation in waters vital to American, regional, and global security and prosperity.
The announcement comes after US President Donald Trump said US forces have attacked and destroyed 10 decommissioned mine-laying boats in the Strait of Hormuz.
He threatened to increase attacks on Iran and warned Tehran not to plant any mines in the Strait of Hormuz.
In a post on Truth Social, the US President said, “If Iran has placed any mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and we have had no reports of it doing so, we want them removed immediately! If the mines were placed for any reason, and they are not immediately removed, the military consequences for Iran would be at a level never seen before.
Conversely, their removal would represent a significant advancement! Additionally, we are using the same technology and missile capabilities deployed against drug smugglers to permanently destroy any boat or ship that attempts mining in the Strait of Hormuz. We will handle them swiftly and ruthlessly. Be careful.”
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Dakar, Senegal — at American Dara Academy, Senegal, it marketed itself as an affordable boarding school for families in the United States where their children could study the Quran alongside the American curriculum. Parents and families – many of whom are of West African descent – sent their children to the school, believing it would provide a rigorous and affordable religious education.
But according to an official close to the case,
the school is being investigated for alleged physical abuse.
Hundreds of students have withdrawn from the academy and one of the two campuses – where most of the alleged abuse took place – is now closed.
In accounts shared with The Associated Press, students alleged that supervisors repeatedly beat disobedient students in the so-called “magic room”. Schoolchildren said they were sometimes ordered to remove their underwear or remain naked and were asked to sit with their arms outstretched while holding heavy rocks. If rocks fell, the damage increased further.
Senegalese officials confirmed to the AP that an investigation is ongoing. The country’s gendarmerie, its child protection services and the Justice Ministry are involved in the investigation, according to an official close to the case.
In late January, the school’s director and three administrators were arrested, according to parents and a person with direct knowledge of the arrests and investigation. He said the director was released and placed under house arrest.
Senegal’s child protective services, known by its French acronym AEMO, did not respond to a request for comment. A spokesman for the Gendarmerie, Ibrahima Ndiaye, confirmed that the force had been informed about the abuses but said the investigation was now with the Justice Ministry.
The arrested school director and administrators told the AP they could not talk about the case due to the ongoing investigation. Exact charges have not been announced.
Justice Ministry spokeswoman Aminata Diagne said of the ongoing investigation into the abuse, “The children are in the care of the authorities, and charges will be filed against whoever is found responsible.”
The American Daraa Academy enrols 311 students across two campuses in Senegal – including 120 US citizens. Most of the students were children of West African descent born in the United States, with some from European countries such as France, the United Kingdom, and Belgium. Only a few were from West Africa.
According to a January 12 written complaint sent to Senegalese authorities by the US Embassy in Dakar, several American students reported severe corporal punishment. According to the letter, the minors accused the school’s director, who is a dual American-Guinean citizen, and three other administrators of being responsible for the abuse.
The AP spoke to dozens of parents and officials involved in the case to verify the authenticity of the complaint letter and its claims about abuse. The parents and officials who agreed to be interviewed did so without worrying about their children’s safety because they were not allowed to speak on the issue.
In their accounts, the students reported that administrators beat them with sticks on their legs, backs and private parts, forcing them to maintain a tense posture.
Some students said that steel rods were sometimes used on areas that did not leave visible marks. He said that many times the blows also fell on his head.
It is unclear whether any injuries required hospitalisation, but some students have reported getting marks on multiple parts of their bodies.
According to the embassy complaint letter and a person familiar with the matter, the students were warned by their abusers not to speak to U.S. embassy officials or police; otherwise, their parents in the United States could be arrested and deported by immigration authorities.
The ministry and other related agencies have released few details about the case or possible charges.
Some parents told the AP they chose the American Dara Academy for its combination of religious education and an American curriculum at a relatively low cost of about $300 a month, including tuition, housing and meals.
The school ran two campuses, one in the capital, Dakar, and the other in Toubab Diallah, a coastal village 55 kilometres (34 mi) from the capital.
Before its closure, the high school campus in Taubab Diylaw – where most of the alleged abuse took place – consisted largely of a construction site with trailers, no running water, frequent power outages and makeshift zinc toilets. However, an official with direct knowledge of the investigation reported that the facility was teaching students.
After the embassy contacted the families, about two-thirds of the students—about 250 children, including about 100 Americans—withdrew from the school and returned to their home countries, according to parents and a person familiar with the investigation. The Dakar campus, in better condition, received the remaining students.
Dozens of parents spoke to the AP, many of whom reported receiving contact from the US Embassy regarding the alleged abuse. None said their children told them about the abuse.
One parent, who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their child’s privacy, said they have taken their children back and are waiting to be brought back to the US. He claimed that his children were not among those who reported experiencing abuse.
“When I went to school for the first time, I stayed with them for a week,” the parent said. “I really thought I was leaving them in a safe place.”
In Senegal, corporal punishment in homes is legal under the country’s family law, which gives the “right to correction” to those with parental authority, although criminal laws punish violence that causes serious injuries.
While corporal punishment is prohibited in schools for children under 14, the law does not explicitly extend to children outside that age range, private schools, or religious schools, where the “right to reform” may still potentially apply.
The United Nations and the Children’s Rights Organization report that corporal punishment continues in practice.
It is unclear whether prosecutors will file charges or if further action is being considered.
Right now, the investigation is ongoing, and the children who once filled its dorms have dispersed—some back home, others still in school and waiting for answers.
The school building in Dakar is under tight security and police are guarding the place.
——-
Associated Press writer Babacar Dion in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this report.
What effect will the Iran war have on the economy?
Read more from Sky News:
Inside Frontline Ghost Town
Erdogan’s clear message on Iran war
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard says it will “determine the end of the war”.
In a statement, it said Tehran would not allow the export of “one litre of oil” from the region if US and Israeli attacks continued.
Trump posted on Truth Social: “If Iran does anything that stops the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz, the United States will hit them twenty times more heavily than they have already.”
If a businessman is sitting in London, Houston, or Singapore, the question is not what Trump says but what happens on the ground.
In times of conflict, the price of a barrel speaks louder and more truthfully than a president’s promise of peace.
Global airlines are starting to pass the burden of rising fuel costs on to passengers amid rising oil prices. The America-Israel war is going on in Iran.
New Zealand’s national carrier, Air New Zealand, said on Tuesday it had raised ticket prices across its network and warned that further fare adjustments could be made if fuel prices remain high, news agency Reuters reported.
According to the airline, the escalating conflict in the Middle East has sharply raised jet fuel prices, significantly increasing operating costs and creating uncertainty for the global aviation industry.
Air New Zealand has confirmed it has implemented fare increases on several routes to compensate for the rise in jet fuel prices. According to the news agency, the airline said one-way economy fares had increased by NZ$10 (USD 5.92) on domestic routes, NZ$20 on short-haul international flights and NZ$90 on long-haul services. Reuters informed.
Jet fuel prices, which were around $85 to $90 a barrel before the conflict, have risen dramatically recently to between $150 and $200 a barrel, the airline said.
The carrier also announced it was suspending its financial outlook for 2026, citing uncertainty arising from the conflict and volatile fuel markets, the report said. “If jet fuel costs continue to rise due to the conflict, we may need to take further pricing actions and adjust our network and schedules as necessary,” the airline said in its statement to Reuters.
Air New Zealand said there are currently no disruptions to jet fuel supplies in New Zealand, but the airline is working closely with suppliers and government agencies to monitor the situation.
During this time, Hong Kong Airlines announced on its website that it will increase its fuel surcharge by 35.2% from Thursday, with the sharpest increases on flights between Hong Kong and the Maldives, Bangladesh and Nepal, where the charge will rise from HK$284 to HK$384 ($49).
Cathay Pacific also reviewed its fuel surcharges on a monthly basis, after keeping them stable last month – i.e., before the conflict began – at $72.90 each way on flights between Hong Kong and Europe, and North America.
In Southeast Asia, Vietnam Airlines officials have been asked to remove environmental taxes on jet fuel to help maintain operations. The Vietnamese government said the country has seen operating costs for airlines rise by 60% to 70% due to higher fuel prices, while suppliers are struggling to meet rising demand, which has led to increased financial pressure on airlines and contributed to a decline in their stock prices.
Airlines shares fall after oil price rise
Oil prices fell from a high of $119 on Monday to around $90 a barrel on Tuesday, allaying some investors’ concerns, according to Reuters. However, airline stocks in Asia showed signs of recovery after US President Donald Trump said on Monday that the conflict could end soon.
Airline stocks rose as a result. Shares of Air New Zealand rose nearly 2%, Korean Air Lines rose 8%, Australia’s Qantas Airways rose 1.5%, and Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific rose more than 4%, recovering part of losses recorded earlier in the week.
Iran war-related oil price surge could slow international travel
The US-Israeli military campaign against Iran has roiled global oil markets, sending crude prices soaring and raising fears of a significant slowdown in international travel.
Rising fuel costs are a major concern for airlines, as fuel is typically the second largest expense after labour, accounting for 20%–25% of operating costs.
Conflict-related airspace disruptions are also complicating flight operations, forcing airlines to reroute aircraft and increasing travel time and fuel consumption.
The travel industry is bracing for prolonged disruption
The ongoing conflict is also beginning to impact travel demand and tourism in many areas.
Airlines are already navigating congested airspace as pilots reroute flights to avoid conflict areas, reducing capacity on key long-haul routes and sending ticket prices rising.
According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, Middle Eastern carriers—including Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Etihad—normally transport about a third of the passengers travelling from Europe to Asia and more than half the passengers flying from Europe to Australia, New Zealand, and the nearby Pacific islands. Any disruption to these networks could have a cascading effect on global travel.
Tour operators are also adjusting plans. South Korea’s Hanatour service said it had cancelled group tours involving flights to the Middle East and waived cancellation fees for affected customers. All Middle East-related tours have been suspended for March.
Economies dependent on tourism are also warning of financial losses. Thailand’s Tourism Ministry has estimated that if the conflict continues for more than eight weeks, the country could lose 595,974 visitors and approximately 40.9 billion baht ($1.29 billion) in tourism revenue.
As global travel patterns and fuel markets continue to struggle to reshape, airlines are bracing for further volatility. Industry analysts have warned that if oil prices remain high and airspace restrictions continue, travellers around the world could face higher ticket prices and fewer flight options in the coming months.
According to Forbes, the number of billionaires has reached a record-breaking 3,428, with Elon Musk retaining the title of the world’s richest person.
of the magazine’s latest ranking The boss of Tesla and SpaceX, who dominates the tech sector, came out on top with a net worth of $839bn (£623bn), followed in second place. Google co-founders Larry Page with $257 billion and Sergey Brin with $237 billion.
Donald Trump’s wealth increased by 27% to $6.5 billion due to crypto transactions, and after the fraud fine was dropped in New York, the US President became the 645th richest person in the world.
image: Donald Trump is now estimated to be the 645th richest billionaire in the world. Photo: AP
Money Blog: How to grow your retirement pot
Forbes’ 40th annual World Billionaires list also saw some notable debuts, including rapper Dr. Dre ($1 billion), singer Beyoncé Knowles-Carter ($1 billion) and tennis star Roger Federer ($1.1 billion).
image: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is among the newcomers to the annual list. Photo: Reuters
The 390 newcomers also include Greg Abel, Warren Buffett’s successor as chief executive of Berkshire Hathaway ($1 billion); Mr Musk’s brother, Kimbal Musk ($1.4 billion); and former vice-presidential candidate and Mr Brin’s ex-wife, Nicole Shanahan ($1.4 billion).
Overall, those on the list are worth a record $20.1 trillion, an increase of $4 trillion from last year. As the wealth of the world’s richest people is increasing.
image: Investor Warren Buffett is ranked 9th in the list. File photo: Reuters
Last year’s list included 3,028 billionaires.
The number of people with a net worth of more than $100 billion rose to 20, from 15 a year ago.
Forbes also estimates that crypto baron Changpeng Zhao, better known as CZ, is now richer than Microsoft founder Bill Gates with a net worth of $110 billion.
The six richest people on the billionaires list are all Americans, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ($224 billion), chief executive of Meta Mark Zuckerberg ($222 billion) and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison ($190 billion), who also ranked high.
image: Mark Zuckerberg, the Chief Executive of Meta, has an estimated wealth of $222 billion. Photo: AP
French luxury goods titan Bernard Arnault and his family are in seventh place with an estimated net worth of $171 billion.
The top ten richest billionaires also include Nvidia founder Jensen Huang ($154 billion), investor Warren Buffett ($149 billion) and Spanish fashion mogul Amancio Ortega ($148 billion).
Only a handful of Britons placed lower in the rankings, including hedge fund manager Michael Platt. With an estimated net worth of $20 billion, he is ranked 120th in the list.
From November: How Elon Musk could spend $1 trillion
mr musk The dollar also saw its biggest gain, adding $497 billion to its wealth.
Meanwhile, Chinese electronics company Xiaomi founder Lei Jun suffered the biggest loss, with his wealth falling by $15.6 billion.
Read more from Sky News:
Iran War: Outlook for Your Finances
Energy prices fall amid peace hopes
The average net worth of the world’s richest billionaires also increased to an average of $5.8 billion from $5.3 billion last year.
The list also excluded 89 individuals this year, including real estate developer Charles Cohen and entrepreneur and NASA chief Jared Isaacman.
While the list has traditionally been dominated by men, this year 122 self-made women were included, with a net worth of $462 billion.
The world’s youngest billionaire is 20-year-old heiress Emily Voigt Trejes, a Brazilian whose grandfather founded industrial machinery firm WEG, who has an estimated net worth of $1.1 billion.
Surya Midha, co-founder of AI hiring start-up Mercor, is the youngest self-made billionaire at the age of 22.
The American is one of 12 self-made billionaires under the age of 30 on the list.
Iran’s move to close the Strait of Hormuz has brought navigation in the 24-mile stretch of water to a near halt.
Only a few ships have transited in recent days, many of them having turned off their tracking systems or joined “shadow fleets.”
“They can’t physically close a waterway of that size, but the threat exists,” said Richard Meade, editor-in-chief of maritime risk company Lloyd’s List Intelligence.
Mr Meade said Iran has a proven history of using everything from ballistic missiles, which are weapons that deliver explosive payloads over long distances, to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and maritime drones, which are aircraft and watercraft that operate without a human pilot on board.
Through what medium is it being made?
Sky News’ data and forensics team focused on 13 ships that transited the Strait of Hormuz between March 2 and 9.
We know the actual number of crossings is much higher, as some ships turn off their tracking systems, known as going “dark”.
More on Data and Forensics
image: Tracking data shows that the bulk carrier disappears from tracking daily and reappears after transiting the Strait of Hormuz. The dashed line indicates the missing data. Source – Maritime Traffic
Data from maritime analysis firm IMF Portwatch shows that in normal times, about 30,000 ships transit the strait per year, or 82 per day.
The animation below shows how shipping traffic changed dramatically.
We have identified many ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz that are associated with Iran.
China, or Russia. Ships from Greece, India, the United Arab Emirates and Singapore also arrive here.
According to Kepler’s maritime tracking data, five ships managed by Greek firm Dynacom have transited the strait since the war began.
US President Donald Trump has been urging shipowners to “show some courage” and keep sailing.
The ‘Fleet of Shadow’ has passed the most
According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, shadow fleet tankers dominate the current crossing of the Strait of Hormuz.
They found that eight of the 13 large oil and gas carriers that transited between March 2 and 9 were classified as part of the so-called shadow fleet.
A tanker is classified as a shadow fleet if it carries sanctioned oil cargo from Iran, Russia or Venezuela.
Has there been an attack?
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) reports that since Iran blocked the waterway, ten ships have faced attacks in or around the Strait of Hormuz.
Four ships were attacked on 1 March, killing three and injuring several more that day. Attacks on two ships occurred on 3 March, with at least one attack occurring every day until 7 March.
According to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), a total of 14 incidents from February 28 to March 10 have affected vessels operating in and around the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman.
The interactive map below displays suspicious activity, attacks, and advisories.
These ships fly the flags of many different countries, including the United States, the Marshall Islands, Gibraltar, the United Arab Emirates, the Bahamas, Panama and India.
On 4 March, a Malta-flagged container ship attempted to transit the strait and was hit by a projectile as it approached the midpoint.
image: Source- Maritime Transport
Tracking shows that Safin Prestige has been stopped. The attack resulted in a fire in the engine room, forcing the crew to abandon the ship.
Sky News has confirmed CCTV video of another attack on the same day. An unmanned drone boat attacked the American-managed ship, the Sonangol Namibe.
The ship was 30 nautical miles southeast of the Kuwait coast. UKMTO reported oil spillage as the cause of the incident.
The IRGC warned that any American, Israeli or European ship found in the strait “will certainly be attacked.”.
image: US-registered tanker in Gulf damaged by Iranian maritime drone
Increase in GPS Jamming
There has been a huge increase in GPS jamming in this area. Hundreds of ships hop around the map and then cluster into tiny areas.
Disrupted signals lead to GPS ship jamming, where ships transmit incorrect locations.
image: There is a traffic jam at these ship locations. Ship tracking data shows them all almost on top of each other. Source – Maritime Traffic
It is impossible to know who is behind the jamming, but analysts say it is likely both Iran and others.
While Iran is widely suspected of trying to disrupt shipping in the region, analysts say the increase in GPS jamming could also be linked to others, including ships trying to hide their activities or responding defensively to threats, making it difficult to attribute the interference to any one source.
How has cargo shipping changed?
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz also has global implications for commercial shipping routes. The two largest companies, Maersk and Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), account for about 30% of the global containerised shipping capacity in the world.
Both of these companies have suspended shipping to the Middle East.
Maersk said, “This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of our personnel and ships.”
Tracking data from MarineTraffic shows the container ship ‘Maersk Cincinnati’ is changing course away from the strait.
On March 2, data showed the ship made a U-turn at approximately 2 a.m. UTC. It continued to retreat from the area until 4 March, eventually returning to the port of Salalah in Oman and heading for the Gulf of Kutch on 10 March, where it appeared “laden,” heavily loaded with ammunition.
Mr Meade said, “We are seeing a number of ships doing U-turns. They are probably getting orders to go and conduct alternative operations. While it may be acceptable for ships entering the Gulf, those already in the region find themselves essentially stranded.
Additional reporting by data journalist Jolie Santa-Cruz
The Data X Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We collect, analyse, and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open-source information. Through multimedia storytelling, our goal is to better understand the world while also showing how our journalism is done.
Washington – Iran may be preparing to deploy naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, US officials told CBS News, in an effort to further disrupt key shipping lanes.
US officials said Iran was using small vessels
that can carry two to three mines each to lay in the strait. Although Iran’s mine stock is not publicly known, it has been estimated over the years to be about 2,000 to 6,000 naval mines, largely produced by Iran, China, or Russia. The officials spoke to CBS News on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak publicly to the press.
President Trump posted on Truth Social Tuesday afternoon, “If Iran has placed any mines in the Strait of Hormuz, and we have no reports of them doing so, we want them removed immediately!”
He also threatened, “If for any reason the mines were placed, and they are not immediately removed, the military consequences for Iran would be at a level never seen before,” adding, “If, on the other hand, they remove whatever was planted, that would be a huge step in the right direction!”
On Monday, Mr Trump did warn Iran regarding the consequences of stopping the flow of commercial ship traffic in the Strait. Truth posted on Social, “If Iran does anything that stops the flow of oil within the Strait of Hormuz, the United States will hit them twenty times more heavily than they have already.”
At a press conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday morning, Gen. Dan Kaine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said US Central Command, which oversees military operations against Iran, continues to hunt and attack “mine-laying vessels” and “mine storage facilities”.
At the mouth of the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important energy chokepoints. Oil tankers carrying crude from countries including Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates must pass through the narrow waterway to reach global markets, making the strait essential for a steady flow of energy. 20% of the global oil supply passes through the strait.
Even small disruptions in the strait can have a profound impact on oil prices and the global economy, as evidenced by historical events where conflicts in the region led to significant fluctuations in oil prices and economic instability worldwide.
During the “Tanker War”, which was part of the larger Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s, Iran regularly placed naval mines on major shipping routes used by oil tankers. Last year, Reuters reported that Iranian forces loaded naval mines on ships in the Persian Gulf, increasing tensions between Washington and Tehran following Israel’s air campaign against Iran during the 12-day war.
As the war continues, major marine insurers have pulled back. According to CBS News, NorthStandard, the London P&I Club and the American Club have warned that they will suspend coverage for ships operating in Iranian waters and parts of the Gulf, citing the increased risk of ships getting caught in the conflict. reporting last week.
Alabama’s governor made a last-minute decision to save a 75-year-old death row inmate from execution.
Charles ‘Sonny’ Burton was scheduled to be executed with nitrogen gas on Thursday, but Kay Ivey ruled two days earlier that, because he had not pulled the trigger in a murder case more than three decades earlier, he could not in “good conscience” be given the death penalty.
Burton has served 33 years on death row for the murder of Doug Battle, whose father was shot and killed in a 1991 robbery at an AutoZone store in Talladega. Burton did not pull the trigger, and five other suspects were involved, but anyone who takes part in a robbery that ends in death can still be convicted of murder in the state of Alabama.
The man who pulled the trigger, Derrick DeBruce, was convicted of murder, but in 2014 his death sentence was commuted to life in prison without parole. He died in 2020.
Kay Ivey said, “I cannot in good conscience proceed with Mr Burton’s execution under such extreme circumstances. I believe it would be unjust to execute any participant in this crime while the actual shooter remains unexecuted.
Recently, campaigners have rallied outside Burton’s mansion to have him removed from death row. His victim’s daughter, Tori Battle, also opposed the execution. He wrote a letter to Montgomery Consultants explaining why it should not proceed.
It states: “Like any child who suffered sudden, senseless violence, I asked a question to which there was no answer: Why did you have to kill him? More than three decades later, I’m asking that question again. This time, the question is directed towards the state of Alabama.
She further said, “I am a family member of a victim. My voice should matter. My love for my father does not require another death, especially one that defies logic.”
Priscilla Townsend, who served on the jury during Burton’s conviction, also questioned his execution.
He said, “Mr Burton was not inside the AutoZone at the time of the murder. He was not the shooter, and yet the state sought and secured the death penalty against him. ” Death Penalty Information Center.
After it was confirmed that Burton had been saved from execution, an Instagram account dedicated to commuting his sentence thanked the governor.
“This decision ensures that final and irreversible punishment will not be carried out… Today is a reminder that mercy is an essential part of justice,” the ‘life4sonnyb’ page said.
Burton previously wrote a letter to the Battle family apologising. He also claimed that he never thought the robbery would end in murder and that he was “terrified” when he learned that it did.
