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Stranded travellers endure travel chaos in hand-washed underwear and fake Adidas
Stranded travellers exchange tips about where to find underwear in the lobby of an old hotel near Doha Airport. They wear identical fake Adidas t-shirts purchased from a nearby shop. Erika Macikova said, "It is our uniform." She was stranded after returning from an ayurvedic resort in Sri Lanka. Her luggage is still at the airport but she and hundreds of other passengers were evacuated together to a hotel. Macikova, who had no spare clothing, began to share the names of open shops with other globetrotters. After escalating conflicts between the U.S. and Israel, Macikova and other travellers in the Middle East entered limbo for a third consecutive day. The biggest change in global air travel since COVID-19 Macikova was one of many stuck in the area who were just changing planes. Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi and other nearby cities handle more than 1,000 flights per day. They are at the intersection of east-west travel and funnel long-haul traffic from Europe to Asia via tightly-scheduled connecting flights. Tens of thousands of passengers are stranded all over the world, including in Bali, Kathmandu, and Frankfurt. The UAE civil aviation authority reported that it helped about 20,200 travelers on Saturday. At least 4,000 cancelled flights occurred in just three days, according to data. James Gaskin, a resident of?Dubai spent the morning of Monday washing his underwear in his bathroom sink. He also had a bunch of novelty socks. The 53-year old procurement manager, originally from England's north, was already out of clean clothes after a week spent in India on business when his connecting flight back to Britain was canceled. The 53-year-old procurement manager from northern England was already short of clean clothes when his connecting flight back to Britain was cancelled. Gaskin, like many others, said that he was unaware of the events unfolding at Dubai Airport when he arrived. "A lady came up to the gate, stood on a chair, and announced that everyone had to leave the airport. "All very calm and ordered," he said. "In the British way, six hours of queueing went by without any drama." He said that the baggage hall was a mess as people pulled their bags off of carousels to find theirs. He said, "Even though there was chaos, I was quite relaxed." He said that "there was quite a bit of banging, and the airport was hit". "That brought it all home." The general feeling is that the longer the situation continues, the more edgy the people become. Passengers can share tips via WhatsApp. Strangers in hotels across the region exchange information about where to find a washing machine, how to use airline helplines, or retrieve luggage. They also discuss whether it is better to pool resources to try and leave by car. In the lobby of hotels, they play games and watch sports. They also go to shopping malls for snacks. Whatsapp groups have been formed. Many people are trying to not dwell on their situation even when loud bangs overhead reminds them of why they're stuck. Macikova spent as much time inside the hotel as she could because she felt safe there. Gaskin, on the other hand, was bored. She was engrossed in a romance novel. He had received logins for various streaming services from his wife, but had not wanted to watch them. The British friends, Julie Hardy and Francis McKay who were on a 2-week tour in southern India, stayed at the same hotel. They took a taxi on?Sunday to the mall nearby to buy cheese, crackers and medication. They said it was fun. The nights are more difficult. Hardy's mobile phone rang twice on Saturday night and she hurried to the hotel in her nightie. She said, "I don't want to sleep up here." I would prefer to stay downstairs as long as I could. I can't rest because I fear something will happen during the night. I'll have to evacuate quickly. McKay, too, was worried. She even feared that she might not see her family ever again. It's an unknown and I have never been to a warzone. (Reporting from Lucy Craymer, in Dubai, and Justyna Pawelak; Editing and production by Josephine Mason and Kevin Liffey.
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The US trade court will determine the next step in US tariff cases
A?U.S. A?U.S. The U.S. Court of Appeals, Federal Circuit, issued a single-page order granting importers' motion to return the case?to the Trade Court where it was originally filed in early 2025. The Trump administration opposed the motion, saying it wanted to delay the case for up to 4 months so that it could 'consider its options. The Supreme Court ruled on February 20, 2019 that Trump's tariffs, imposed as part of an economic emergency law, were invalid. The Supreme Court gave no guidance on how to refund the money paid by more than 300,000 imported goods. Trump also said that the process could take five years. Around 2,000 people have sued for refunds. Many of them are large multinational companies such as FedEx. Importers of smaller goods hope that customs officials will use a low-cost and simple process to obtain refunds. Once the case is brought back under the jurisdiction of the trade court, the importers will ask the court to order the government in the first instance to start a refund procedure. (Reporting and editing by Bill Berkrot in Wilmington, Delaware)
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No impact on operations after drone attack on UAE fuel tank terminal Musaffah
The Abu Dhbai Media Office reported on Monday that a fire broke out after a drone targeted the Musaffah Fuel Tank Terminal?in United Arab Emirates, without affecting?its operations. "Abu Dhabi authorities responded today to an fire that resulted from a drone targeting a Musaffah?terminal fuel tank. The situation was quickly contained," the office stated. There were no reported injuries. Abu Dhabi National Oil Company operates an oil facility in Musaffah, from where fuel is delivered?by truck. A 1,600-kilometre pipe network distributes finished products throughout the emirate Abu Dhabi. In 2022, the Houthis of Yemen who are aligned with Iran targeted the Mussafah Fuel Depot during their war against the Saudi-led Coalition. On Monday, the Saudi Arabian state 'oil giant Aramco closed its Ras Tanura refinery following a drone strike. This was an apparent escalation in the 'third -day-long campaign of strikes in the region by Tehran as a response to the u.s. and Israeli attack on Iran. Sources with knowledge said that QatarEnergy also announced it would halt production of LNG, and related products due to the attacks on Ras 'Laffan facilities. (Reporting and editing by Menna alaa el-din, Jaidaa taha, and Yousef saba; Alex Richardson).
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Bousso: The bet of the oil markets on a short Iran shock will soon be tested.
Investors are betting that disruptions to Middle East oil supplies will be brief. This optimism, however, may not be justified. The third day of conflict has not yet caused any damage to the oilfields in the region, but the inability of fuel to be shipped out of the Gulf has already put a strain on a global energy system that is tightly interconnected. Each day of disruption increases pressure on both producers and consumers, causing bottlenecks in the Middle East for exporters and a worsening of shortages elsewhere. The oil prices rose by more than 10% on Monday, reaching the highest level in a year. They then fell back to $79. This was a reaction to the extensive U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Iran that took place over the weekend. These strikes killed the Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, and provoked retaliatory attacks against Israel and Gulf States, plunging this region into the gravest crisis it has experienced in decades. The oil industry was hit hard by the fallout. After at least three vessels were hit, tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz - the narrow waterway that connects Iran and Oman and carries 20% of the world's oil - was all but halted. Although the strait is not officially closed, on Monday, 150 ships were stuck nearby as their operators avoided entering into the Gulf for fear of further attacks or being trapped. Iran has also targeted energy infrastructure and ports in the region. Saudi Aramco on Monday shut its largest domestic refinery, the 550,000-barrel-per-day (bpd) Ras Tanura plant, after a drone strike. Qatar, the second largest producer of LNG in the world, has halted LNG production at its massive Ras?Laffan plant following drone attacks. The news caused European benchmark gas to surge by up to 50%. The global oil market will likely be able to absorb this disruption if it lasts for only a few short days. Global oil supply is abundant due to increased production around the world. Several major consumers such as China and the U.S. could use strategic reserves to temper price spikes and cushion shortages. The backlog could be overwhelming if the conflict continues. The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed and the clock is ticking. Around 15 million barrels per day of crude oil and over 4 million barrels per day of refined products (including gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel) leave the Middle East via the Strait of Hormuz. Once the tankers are full, producers may be forced to divert oil into onshore storage if the war doesn't end soon. The region does have extensive storage facilities but they are only able to accommodate a few days worth of normal exports in the event that flows are blocked. According to Augustin Prate, an analyst at Kayrros, Saudi Arabia has around 82 millions barrels of crude in its onshore storage. This represents 56% of the country's capacity. The remaining storage space could be filled in 10 days with a production rate of 10 million barrels per day and an export rate of 7 million barrels per day. According to Prate, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have respectively 34 million barrels and 28 million, which is equivalent to more than 40% capacity. Saudi Arabia could ease pressure by diverting its exports via a pipeline capable of carrying around?5million bpd to the Red Sea Port of Yanbu. The UAE has also built a pipeline that connects it to Fujairah, a storage terminal beyond the Strait of Hormuz. Both pipelines are in use, so their capacity to transport extra oil is likely limited. The length of the conflict is still unknown. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, said on the weekend that military activities could last for at least four weeks. The Republican President, who has promised to combat the high cost living at home, will 'likely' deploy all available tools, including the U.S. Navy, to keep oil costs in check by securing the shipping lanes. This effort is not guaranteed to be successful. Even if there are formal assurances in place, insurers and shipowners will likely remain cautious. They may limit flows even with naval escorts. Long considered the worst-case scenario for the energy industry, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz is now a reality. The more time the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, the greater the pressure on Middle East producers who may be forced to reduce output if storage is full. This would then transform what the markets currently treat as a temporary shock, into a much more durable challenge to the global oil system. You like this column? Open Interest (ROI) is your new essential source of global financial commentary. Follow ROI on LinkedIn and X. Listen to the Morning Bid podcast daily on Apple, Spotify or the app. Subscribe to the Morning Bid podcast and hear journalists discussing the latest news in finance and markets seven days a weeks.
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Sources say that the US is still struggling to derisk Congo's "war zone minerals" even after the pact.
Diplomats and industry officials say that the U.S. has made some progress in its efforts to wrest Congo's strategic mineral resources from China. However, conflict, contested licenses, and compliance requirements are still slowing Washington's advancement into a dominant region. The U.S. is focusing on the Democratic Republic of Congo because it has the largest cobalt reserves in the world and rich 'copper' and 'lithium' reserves. This country's role is crucial to cutting the West's dependence on China when it comes to rare minerals. Kinshasa handed Washington, last month, a list of 44 projects spanning copper and cobalt to lithium, tin and gold. The U.S. State Department stated that the U.S.-Congo Partnership is intended to unlock investment and support implementation of an agreement Washington mediated between Congo and Rwanda. Kinshasa accused Rwanda of supporting M23 fighters who are fighting Congolese forces in its eastern part. Sources, including Congolese mining and government officials, say that several of the assets short-listed are located in politically volatile zones or have permit disputes, which makes it unlikely for mining deals to be made quickly. The sources asked to remain anonymous because the discussions were sensitive. Source: CONGO slowing down deals A U.S. diplomat claimed that Kinshasa deliberately delays new deals in order to "push Washington into increasing pressure on M23" before any further action is taken. Could not independently verify this claim. The Congolese Government did not respond immediately to requests for comments. A senior government official called the allegations "speculation" in background. The official explained that "the 'agreement' has its own rhythm. There is a time for offers and a time for negotiations." Rwanda, which denies supporting M23, didn't immediately respond to comments. The U.S. State Department said that the U.S. is "deeply worried" about the violence in eastern Congo. It has urged regional partners to strengthen the ceasefire and urged Rwanda to stop supporting M23 and withdraw according to the December peace agreement. The Department of State said Washington hopes for rapid progress on important deals. These include a proposal by Glencore to sell cobalt and copper?assets to a U.S. backed consortium called Orion, Virtus Minerals bid to acquire Congo-focused Chemaf and the extension to the Lobito Corridor rail line. Joshua Walker, NYU's Congo Research Group, says that Kinshasa is on the shortlist for the Rubaya Mine, which provides about 15% of global coltan, and lies under M23/AFC's control. This shows Congo wants "stronger U.S. actions on M23". He said that investment is unlikely as long as the group controls territory. Some mines have already seen the influence of the U.S. on security. Alphamin Resources restarted the Bisie tin mining operation only after U.S. diplomats helped to ease fighting around the mine. However, it warns of renewed clashes which could threaten operations and access. PERMITTING GRIDLOCKS Michael Bahati is the chief analyst of Ascendance Strategies. He said that Congo's gridlock in permitting was a structural barrier to new U.S. investments. KoBold, a U.S.-backed company, is attempting to resolve a dispute between Australia's AVZ and China's Zijin, which is also located in Manono. Both companies are preparing shipments for June. Political disputes and permitting history deter Western lenders from lending on high-grade copper and cobalt assets. The sale of Chemaf to U.S. backed Virtus is slowing down after owners indicated that the $30 million offer does not cover heavy debts. Kinshasa says that even for "easy wins", such as tailings reprocessing or cobalt refineries, the success depends on security and governance reforms that Washington alone can deliver. Geraud Christian Neema is an analyst who specializes in the "geopolitics" of natural resources. Washington continues to focus on assets that are "ready-to produce". He said that a longer-term shift will require U.S. businesses to be willing to take on Congo-level risks and wait for years to see returns. WESTERN PACE VS. CHINESE PROCEDURE Officials in Congo acknowledge that they would like American players to move more quickly, but they say they can't circumvent their compliance obligations. Chinese firms are not bound to the same obligations as U.S. or other Western companies, such as proving that their title chains are clean and documenting any community impact risks. Zijin has already shaped the Manono project with its head start in building roads, ports, and power links. KoBold Congo's Congo Head said that the company would look to share this infrastructure once ownership disputes are resolved. This pace reflects the compliance burden that U.S.-backed companies face. The contrast is evident in the Congo's mining industry - Chinese firms can absorb uncertainty while Western firms cannot, allowing Beijing linked companies to progress projects as U.S. Companies remain stuck in due diligence loops. NYU's Walker stated that Kinshasa is currently succeeding in bringing Washington further into its orbit of critical minerals, as it believes the attention given by the U.S. will result in security and political benefits. It is still unclear how the engagement will end up looking. The Chinese have already seized over 70% of Congo’s rare minerals, including copper and cobalt. Washington has yet to show any signs that it can loosen Beijing's hold. Maxwell Akalaare Adombila, reporting and writing from Dakar and Veronica Brown, and Jan Harvey, editing.
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After US and Israel attack Iran, airlines cancel flights
The global air travel industry was in chaos on Monday, as the war in Iran caused the closure of major Middle Eastern hubs such as Dubai, Doha, and Abu Dhabi, for a third consecutive day. This left tens and thousands of passengers stranded and thousands of flights disrupted. Global Airlines has cancelled flights in the Middle East following the United States' and Israel's strikes on Iran, which plunged the region into another conflict. The following is a list of the most recent flights by airline, alphabetically: AEGEAN AIRLINES Through March 3, Greece's largest airline suspended flights from and to Tel Aviv, Israel, Beirut in Lebanon, and Erbil in Iraq. AIR BALTIC AirBaltic, a Latvian airline, announced that all flights from and to Tel Aviv had been cancelled until March 9. Through March 4, all flights to and out of Dubai, as well as the flight from Dubai to Vilnius (March 5) have been cancelled. AIR EUROPA The Spanish airline has cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv up until the 4th of March and said that, depending on what happens in the future, flights between March 5 and 8 could be affected. AIR FRANCE KLM Air France has cancelled flights from and to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Dubai until March 3. KLM has suspended flights from and to Tel Aviv and Dubai as well as Riyadh, Dammam and Dubai. AIR INDIA Through March 2, the airline has suspended all flights from and to United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia (SA), Israel and Qatar. The airline also cancelled some flights from and to Europe on March 2. BRITISH AIRWAYS British Airways, owned by IAG, has cancelled flights from Larnaca to Amman, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, Dubai and Doha, as well as services to Doha, Tel Aviv and Doha, up until and including the 5th of March. CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS Hong Kong Airlines said that it had cancelled all flights from and to Dubai until March 5, and suspended flights to Riyadh until March 3. The U.S. airline said that it had cancelled flights between New York-JFK and Tel Aviv (TLV), through March 8, and from TLV back to JFK, through March 9. EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES EL?AL flights and Sundor flight to and from Israel have been cancelled up until 2:00 am on March?4. EMIRATES Emirates has suspended all flights from and to Dubai until 11:01 GMT on March 3. ETIHAD AERWAYS The airline said that it has suspended all flights from and to its hub in Abu Dhabi until 10 am GMT on 3 March. FINNAIR The Finnish airline said that it has halted Doha and Dubai flights up until the end of March, and will avoid the airspaces of Iraq, Iran and Syria. FLYDUBAI Emirates Airlines has suspended all flights from and to Dubai until 11:00 GMT on March 3. INDIGO IndiGo, India's largest airline, announced that it has suspended all flights using Middle Eastern airspace at least until March 2. Other flights were cancelled until March 5. ITA AIRWAYS ITA Airways suspended all flights to and out of Tel Aviv, and will not be using the airspace in Israel, Lebanon Jordan, Iraq, and Iran until 8 March. It has also extended its Dubai halt through to 4 March. Flights from and to Riyadh have also been halted between March 2 and 4. JAPAN AIRLINES Japan Airlines has suspended its Tokyo/Doha flight scheduled between February 28 and March 7, as well as Doha/Tokyo on March 8. LOT POLISH AERLINES LOT Polish Airlines announced that all flights to and out of Tel Aviv have been cancelled until March 19. The Polish airline has also cancelled flights from Riyadh and Dubai until the 8th of March. LUFTHANSA The German airline suspended flights from and to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman until 8 March, and flights from and to Dubai until 4 March. MALAYSIA AIRLINES Malaysia Airlines has suspended all flights from and to Doha, Jeddah?and Madinah, until March 4. NORWEGIAN AIR The Nordic airline has suspended all flights from and to Dubai until 9 March. A spokesperson for the company said that flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut were not affected as they are only operated in summer. PEGASUS Turkish Airlines announced that it has 'cancelled all flights from Pegasus to Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria until 6 March and flights to Iran till 12 March. Pegasus has cancelled all flights to Egypt until March 2 except for those departing from Cairo Airport. SINGAPORE Airlines Singapore Airlines has cancelled all flights from and to Dubai until March 7. Scoot, its low-cost airline, has cancelled flights from and to Jeddah until March 7. QATAR AIRWAYS The airline suspended flights from and to Doha because of?the closing of Qatari airspace. Romania's flag airline said it had suspended all flights from and to Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman until March 2. The flight schedule for Tel Aviv, Beirut and Amman on March 3 is still being reviewed. TURKISH AIRLINES Some flights to and from Bahrain and Dammam were cancelled. TUS AIRWAYS All flights from and to Israel were cancelled by the Cypriot airline until March 5. WIZZ AIR The airline suspended flights from and to Israel, Dubai Abu Dhabi, Amman, and Saudi Arabia, until March 7. (Compiled by Josephine Mason and Jamie Freed; reporting by bureaus. Editing by Barbara Lewis and Louise Heavens. Christian Schmollinger, Matt Scuffham, and Matt Scuffham.
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Zelenskiy: Ukraine will complete preparations in days for EU accession negotiations, Zelenskiy
Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the president of Ukraine, said that Ukraine would complete all technical work required to begin negotiations on all issues for its European Union accession within a few days. Zelenskiy urged the EU partners to set a date for Ukraine's accession to the EU. He said that this would be an important guarantee to the future security of the country as Kyiv negotiates to end the conflict with Moscow. "We are prepared, but not every leader of the European Union is... "I?mean not everyone is prepared to give Ukraine this chance," Zelenskiy said in a WhatsApp chat with reporters. Ukraine became a formal EU-candidate country shortly after the Russian invasion of February 2022. Hungary has so far blocked Kyiv from completing the EU process. It has refused to give the necessary approval to officially open each of the six "clusters" (groups) of issues that need to be resolved. Viktor Orban has derailled the latest EU aid package for Ukraine worth 90 billion euro over the next two years. Orban accuses Ukraine of blocking Russian oil deliveries to Hungary through the Druzhba Pipeline, a Soviet-era pipeline that crosses Ukraine. Ukraine claims that a Russian drone attacked the pipeline, causing damage. KYIV SEES EU MEMBERSHIP KEY TO UKRAINE'S FURTURE Kyiv sees its membership in the EU as a key factor to its future post-war. In drafts of a 20-point plan for peace that Ukraine and the United States agreed on and is currently negotiating with Russia, a reference to Ukraine joining EU at a specific date was included. EU officials said that Ukraine's mixed record in terms of transparency, corruption and rule of law may require many years of reforms to meet the EU entry criteria. Zelenskiy reiterated on Monday that Ukraine will?be technical ready for EU membership by next year, and that the timing of the country's entry into the bloc of 27 nations depends on the political inclination of its partners. He said that if the partners truly "believe" in Ukraine and want to see Ukraine join the EU at the end, they should give Ukraine a date. They shouldn't repeat their mistake with NATO. Reporting by Yuliia Dyesa and Olena Harma; Editing by Daniel Flynn & Peter Graff
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Etihad Airways resumes certain operations; commercial flights are still halted due to the Iran conflict
The 'airline' said that Etihad Airways, Abu Dhabi, resumed a few?limited flight services?on Sunday, as airlines around the world, including Middle East carriers, adapt to the disruptions caused by the escalating conflict in Iran since Saturday. Due to the Israeli and U.S. attacks against Iran, and the military response of?Tehran, airspace was closed in several?countries throughout the Middle East including the United Arab Emirates and key airports such as Dubai and Doha. The airline announced that some repositioning flights, cargo flights, and repatriation flight may be operated 'in coordination with UAE officials and subject to strict operational and safety approvals.' All scheduled commercial flights from and to Abu Dhabi remain cancelled. On the airline's site, it was shown that several flights left?Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport Monday morning for destinations such as London, Paris and Amsterdam. The website also listed more flights for 'Jeddah' and Kochi among other destinations. Etihad didn't specify which flights would be used to repatriate stranded people. In a note posted on the airline's website, it had stated that all flights to and from Abu Dhabi would be suspended until Tuesday 10:00 GMT. Reporting by Federico Maccioni from Dubai and Alexander Cornwell from Tel Aviv. Editing by Gareth Jones.
Iran Revolutionary Guards claim that a fuel tanker caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz following a drone strike.
Iranian news agencies reported that the Revolutionary Guards of Iran said a fuel tanker had been set ablaze in 'the Strait of Hormuz, after it was hit by two drones.
The Strait of Hormuz is the most important oil export route in the world, connecting Gulf oil producers such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates with the Gulf of Oman.
A Guards statement named the vessel as Athen Nova. This was an apparent reference to Honduras flagged asphalt tanker Athe Nova which, it stated, was acting in "unison with America."
The statement didn't?explicitly say that the ship had been hit by Iranian drones. However, the incident was mentioned?in a line of a report on the Guards military operations.
The registered owner of Athe Nova could not be contacted immediately.
(source: Reuters)