Latest News
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Turkish Airlines evacuated after a tyre flame ignited on landing in Kathmandu
Authorities said that a Turkish Airlines tyre caught fire after it landed in Kathmandu on Monday. The airport was closed for one hour. After the fire, all 277 passengers on the Airbus A330, including 11 crew members, were evacuated using the emergency exits. The fire started in the rear right tire of the aircraft. The plane was towed onto the taxiway after the fire was extinguished. "It is grounded," Bhul stated. Turkish Airlines reported that a smoke was detected in the landing gear as it towed and that technical inspections had been conducted. Initial assessments suggest that the smoke was caused by a malfunctioning hydraulic pipe," Yahya Ustun said, senior vice president of communications for the airline, on social media platform X. He added that an additional flight was planned to?return the passengers. (Reporting and writing by Gopal Sharma, Sakshi Dayal, Clarence Fernandez & Jamie Freed).
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British paratroopers drop hantavirus-suspected samples on Tristan da Cunha
British paratroopers dropped medics and supplies on Britain's remotest overseas territory, Tristan da Cunha. This was after a suspected case of hantavirus had been confirmed. Six paratroopers - and two military clinicians - from the 16 Air Assault Brigade jumped 'from a RAF A400M transport plane that flew 6,788km (4,218miles) from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire to Ascension Island. Then another 3,000km due south to Tristan da Cunha. On Saturday, oxygen and other medical supplies were dropped alongside the aircraft. A RAF Voyager refueled the A400M in mid-flight. In a statement, the Ministry of Defence stated that this was the first time UK military personnel have deployed medical 'personnel' to provide humanitarian assistance via parachute jump. Supplies were intended for a British passenger who, according to UK authorities, was on a cruise ship that docked in the island between April 13-15 and was affected by an outbreak of hantavirus. The WHO reported that the man had symptoms consistent with hantavirus and was stable in isolation. The Ministry of Defence said that oxygen supplies were at an all-time low on the island, and an airdrop of medical personnel with vital care was the only way to reach the patient before it was too late. Tristan da Cunha is home to around 200 people and lies halfway between South Africa, South America, and Africa. It's the most remote inhabited island in the world, located more than 2,400km away from its nearest inhabited neighbor, St Helena. The island is usually staffed by a two-person medical team to provide for its needs. It can only be reached by boat, as there is no airstrip. On May 7, a military plane delivered PCR tests to Ascension Island where a British man had debarked from the cruise ship before he was'medically evacuated' to South Africa. "The arrival of parachutists, medical personnel, and medical supplies has hopefully reassured Tristan da Cunha's people," said Brigadier Ed Cartwright. He is the Officer Commanding 16 Air Assault Brigade. (Reporting and editing by Aislinn laing)
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Ministry of Defense: South Korean ship hit by unidentified object in Strait of Hormuz on May 4, says
After a Friday inspection, the Foreign Ministry announced on Sunday that the stern of a South Korean shipper's bulk carrier, HMM, was struck by an unidentified object while it was stranded on the Strait of Hormuz on May 4. Seoul reported an explosion and fire on the same vessel, the HMM Namu, in the strait while it was anchored near the United Arab Emirates. The incident did not cause any injuries. U.S. president Donald Trump stated at the time that an Iranian attack was responsible for the incident. Seoul investigated the incident and the vessel, which was damaged by fire on Monday, was towed into a port in Dubai. The ministry stated that it was unclear what the object was and that debris would be collected to analyze. Trump asked South Korea to join a U.S. led effort, currently suspended, dubbed "Project Freedom" to ensure shipping through the Strait after?the incident. The Iranian embassy in South Korea denied responsibility for this attack. The embassy did not respond immediately to a request made outside of normal working hours for comment on the object. A spokesperson for the HMM declined to comment on this statement. Reporting by Heejin KIM Editing by Bernadette BAUCH
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Swiss Air CEO says no immediate fuel shortage, eyes contingency plans
Swiss International Air Lines' CEO said in the NZZ on Saturday that the airline has enough jet fuel to last for the next six weeks. However, the company is exploring contingencies such as "tankering", amid industry warnings of fuel shortages linked to the Iran War. The newspaper Neue Zurcher Nachricht quoted SWISS CEO Jens Fehlinger as saying that "the current forecasts of our suppliers, oil companies and refineries, are good." European airlines are warning of possible jet?fuel shortages in the coming weeks due to the U.S. - Iran conflict, which has caused energy prices to soar and curtailed'supply. "If there were to be a kerosene shortage, it would be first seen in Africa and?Asia. He told NZZ that he saw no evidence of this at the moment. The outlook is stable. However, Fehlinger stated that the airline, along with its parent company, Lufthansa Group were working on contingency planning, including "tankering," which involves filling up aircraft to capacity at a location where fuel supplies are plentiful, and then bringing additional fuel back to Zurich. Fehlinger said that such practices are currently prohibited by regulation, but there may be discussions with policymakers about reopening the possibility. He said that another option would be to strategically refuel at airports with good infrastructure along flight routes. For example, in Vienna, for flights from Europe to Asia. According to Fehlinger, the high oil prices will likely affect fares in time. SWISS has protected itself against recent fuel market volatility by hedging 80% of its kerosene requirements for the year. This will limit the immediate impact of increasing prices. He said that the airline had only seen a 20% rise in fuel costs.
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Tenerife welcomes a cruise ship affected by the hantavirus epidemic
The cruise ship that was hit by the deadly hantavirus epidemic arrived early on Sunday morning near Granadilla Port in Tenerife. The cruise ship will anchor near the Port of Granadilla in Tenerife for the evacuation and re-boarding of passengers. According to Spanish officials, the passengers will be tested to make sure they are asymptomatic by Spanish health authorities. They will then be transported on small boats to land. The passengers will be transported by sealed-off buses to the main airport of the Spanish island, which is about 10 minutes away. From there they will board their planes to fly to their respective countries. As a precaution, all passengers aboard the luxury cruise ship MV Hondius were deemed high-risk contacts by Europe's Public Health Agency late on Saturday. According to Spanish authorities, the evacuation will begin between 7:30 a.m. and?8.30 a.m. (06300-0700 GMT). Government officials announced on Saturday that Spanish nationals will disembark in groups first, followed by other nationalities. The ship will sail to Holland where it will be disinfected. Cape Verde's coast was the first port of call for the ship, which left on Wednesday to head towards Spain after World Health Organization and the European Union requested that the country?manage evacuation of passengers following the detection of the hantavirus. The WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, along with Spain's Interior and Health Ministers, and its Minister for Territorial?Policy, arrived in Tenerife on Saturday evening to coordinate the arrival of a ship. The WHO announced on Friday that 8 people were sick, three of whom died - a Dutch family and a German citizen. The WHO said that six of these people have been confirmed as having contracted the virus. Two other cases are suspected, it added. Hantavirus is usually transmitted by rodents, but can be transmitted from person to person in rare instances. WHO says the risk is low for the global population, but moderate for passengers and crew aboard the ship. Reporting by Corina Poons and Victoria Waldersee, Editing by Philippa Fletchcher
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Qatari LNG tanker sailing towards Hormuz Strait, shipping data shows
According to LSEG shipping information, the Qatari 'LNG tanker Al Kharaitiyat sailed towards?the Strait?of?Hormuz after departing Qatar Ras Laffan enroute to Port Qasim Pakistan on?Saturday?. If the passage is successful, it will be the first time a Qatari LNG-tanker has transited the Strait since the beginning of the war against Iran. QatarEnergy has not yet responded to the?comment. According to LSEG, the vessel is managed by Nakilat Shipping Qatar Ltd, and sails?under Marshall Islands flag. It has a cargo capacity of 211,986 cu m. Sources at the time said that Iran's Revolutionary Guards stopped two Qatar LNG tanks, Al Daayen, and Rasheeda on April 6, and told them to remain in their positions without any explanation. Qatar is the second largest LNG exporter in the world, with most of its shipments going to Asian buyers. The 'Iranian attack' knocked down 17% of Qatar LNG export capacity. Repairs are expected to take three - five years. Reporting by Andrew Mills and Timour Azhari, Writing by Eman Aboushassira, Editing by Alexandra Hudson
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Airport says that a Frontier Jet hit and killed a pedestrian on the runway in Denver while taking off.
The airport released a statement on May 9, stating that a Frontier Airlines passenger plane struck and killed a pedestrian?on the runway?at Denver International Airport?during a planned takeoff to Los Angeles late Friday night. Frontier reported that it had struck a person during takeoff, and the flight was abandoned. The unidentified pedestrian had jumped over the perimeter fence and was struck just two minutes after crossing the runway. The?statement' said that the individual was not believed to be a member of staff at the airport. A brief engine fire caused smoke to fill the cabin of an Airbus A321 carrying 224 passengers, seven crew members and all were safely evacuated. The airport reported that 12 people had minor injuries, and five of them were taken to hospitals in the area. Frontier stated that it was investigating the incident, and gathering additional information in coordination with airport authorities and other safety?authorities. It said that the airport had closed the runway where the incident took place and expected to reopen it within a few hours. They also added that they had 'examined and found intact the fence line which the individual crossed. Sean Duffy, the U.S. Transport secretary, said that local?law enforcers are investigating the occurrence with the support of the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration. Reporting by Shivani Tana, Preetika Parshuraman and Gursimran K. in Bengaluru. Editing by Aidan Lewis & Toby Chopra.
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UK warships deployed to Middle East in anticipation of possible Hormuz missions
Britain announced on Saturday that it would be sending its warship HMS Dragon, to the Middle East to prepare for a possible multinational 'effort to protect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz once conditions permit. HMS Dragon was an air defence destroyer that was sent to Eastern Mediterranean in March shortly after the Iran War to defend Cyprus. The move to the Middle East comes after France deployed its carrier strike group in the southern Red Sea as part of a joint defensive plan to restore confidence in the trade routes. A spokesperson from the British Ministry of Defence stated that "the?prepositioning of HMS Dragon" is part of "prudent planning". This will ensure the UK's readiness to join a multinational coalition led by France and the UK, in order to secure the Strait when the conditions permit. France and Britain are preparing a plan to ensure a safe transit through the Strait when the U.S. and Iran reach a possible end of their 10-week-old war. Plan would require coordination with Iran, and?adozen countries have expressed a willingness to?take part. The Royal 'Navy is stretched and has to retire ships before they are replaced. (Reporting and editing by Alexandra Hudson.)
What is the Strait of Hormuz? Why is it important to the world and what is its significance?
Iran's Foreign Minister said that the Strait of Hormuz is open to all commercial vessels during the remaining 10 days of the U.S. brokered ceasefire between Israel, Iran-backed Hezbollah and the United States. This led to a?sharp fall in oil prices.
Senior Iranian officials said that all vessels except naval ships would be allowed to?sail through the strait, but that their plans would need to be coordinated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and transiting ships would only be permitted on lanes Iran considered safe.
The U.S. and Israeli war against?Iran that began on February 28 has resulted in the deaths of thousands, destabilised the Middle East, and shook global energy markets.
Here are some details on the Strait of Gibraltar and its importance.
What is the STRAIT of HORMUZ?
The strait, which is located between Oman, Iran, and the Gulf of Oman, links the Gulf of Oman in the north with the Gulf of Oman in the south, and the Arabian Sea to the east. Its narrowest point measures 21 miles (33 kilometers) and has a shipping lane that is only 2 miles (3km) wide either way.
The waterway, which is approximately 104 miles long (167 km), is the most important shipping channel for energy in the world.
After the U.S. and Israeli strikes against Iran began on 28 February, Tehran closed the strait in order to fulfill an old threat. Iran threatened to charge ships for passing through the strait during the standoff. Shipping industry officials claim that no such unilateral action to charge fees for ships to cross a strait was ever made in modern history. Meanwhile, U.S. president Donald Trump said that free oil traffic through the strait should be part of any deal.
WHY FERTILISERS, JET FUELS, OIL AND GAS MATTER
Around a fifth (or more) of the world's oil, liquefied gas and natural gas supplies pass through this strait. It is the only sea-exit for fuels from the main exporting countries.
OPEC members Saudi Arabia and Iran, as well as Kuwait, Iraq, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, export most of their crude oil via?the riverway.
Qatar, one of the largest LNG exporters in the world, sends most of its LNG via the Strait. Kpler, an analytics firm, estimates that 33% of all fertilisers around the globe, including ammonia and sulphur, also pass through the Strait.
Data from the United Nations shows that traffic has fallen by 97% in the U.S. and Israel since the war began on February 28.
Long History of Tensions over the Strait
A commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in 2011 that closing the strait was "easier" than drinking just a glass of water. The threat had been made to the strait many times before.
In the Tanker War that lasted from 1980 to 1988, both sides tried to disrupt the other's exports.
In January 2012, Iran also threatened to close the Strait as a retaliation against U.S. sanctions and European ones. In May 2019, four vessels, including two Saudi oil tanks, were attacked near the UAE coast outside the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran seized three vessels in the Strait, two in 2023, and one in 2020. Some of these seizures were in response to U.S. seizure of Iranian tankers. Iran had considered closing the Strait last year after U.S. airstrikes on its nuclear facilities.
Analysts had always considered the closing of the Strait a last resort due to the strategic changes that it could cause among Iran's adversaries and the possibility of retaliation by its own energy sector.
Why is it so difficult to secure the streit?
Shipping broker SSY Global stated that the shipping lanes were narrow and that ships had to make a turn towards Iranian islands, as well as a mountainous coastline which provides cover for Iranian troops.
Tom Sharpe said that although Iran's naval force has been largely destroyed, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps still has options, including mini submarines, mines, and even jetskis with explosives.
According to the Centre for Information Resilience, Tehran is able to produce 10,000 drones per month.
IS THERE ANY OTHER WAYS TO GET RID OF THE STRAIT?
The UAE and Saudi Arabia are looking for ways to bypass this strait. They have built more oil pipelines.
These alternatives are also vulnerable, but they're not operational at the moment. An attack by Houthi Militia in 2019 on a Saudi east-west pipeline showed that.
Qatar's Foreign Ministry said that all countries of the region had the right to freely use the Strait and that any future discussions on financial mechanisms should be delayed until it has been reopened. Shipping firms had to find alternate routes for basic goods while the strait was closed. To ensure a shipment to Qatar, for example, required rerouting via the UAE.
What does international law say?
UNCLOS, the 1982 international maritime law convention, has been in effect since 1994 and states that they cannot charge a fee for allowing a ship to pass through if it is on their border.
They can, however, impose limited fees for services like piloting, tagging or port services. However, these 'fees' cannot be imposed more heavily on vessels of a particular country.
UNCLOS or UN Convention on the Law of the Sea Article 38 gives vessels the right to "transit pass" unhindered through more than 100 straits around the world, including the Strait of Hormuz.
UNCLOS has been ratified by around 170 countries, including the European Union. Iran and the United States, however, have not.
It is unclear whether the rules of the treaty allowing freedom of navigation in the maritime domain have been incorporated into customary international law or only bind the ratifying nations.
(source: Reuters)