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Indian rescuers are searching for 22 missing people after a cargo ship sinks
Indian coastguards and navy carried out search-and rescue operations on Sunday off the eastern coast of India after a Panama flagged?bulk ship?carrying a crew of 24 sank. Two Chinese nationals were rescued. Shyam Jagannathan of India's Maritime Administration told Shyam that the two Chinese seafarers claimed the vessel called Ocean Winner developed a list and sank in eight minutes. This forced the crew to abandon the ship. Jagannathan stated that the chances of finding survivors usually fall after?the initial 12 hours. However, rescuers continued their search. Sarbananda Sonowal said, in a post on social media, that "all agencies are coordinating closely and actively doing search and recovery efforts." MISSING CREW MEMBERS According to India's Coastguard, the missing crew members includes 18 more Chinese, three Myanmarese and one Bangladeshi. In a recent post, the Indian Navy stated that it is working closely with the Coastguard to find?the missing sailors. A coastguard spokesperson confirmed that two coastguard vessels were sent from Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair), the capital of India’s Andaman and Nicobar archipelago. According to an initial report by India's Maritime Administration, the Ocean Winner carried?iron ore bound towards China after leaving India's eastern Paradip Port on Friday. According to government sources, it sank 240 nautical miles from the port. The cause of this sinking wasn't immediately known. Disha Mishra, Bengaluru (additional reporting); Mayank Bhardwaj (writing); Raju Gopalakrishnan & Helen Popper (editing)
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Iran announces that the Pakistani army chief will visit Tehran on Monday
Esmaeil baghaei, the'spokesperson' for the Iranian foreign ministry, said that Asim Munir, the Pakistani army chief, will visit Tehran on Monday in order to continue his 'efforts' to bring peace and stability to the region. Pakistan has assumed a role as a mediator in the negotiations between Iran, the U.S., and Israel to end the war that began in February with the U.S.-Israeli strikes against Iran. Two sources in the Pakistani government confirmed Munir’s visit. First source: Iran and Pakistan are in direct contact. Second source: The 'talks' would also cover recent developments, such as the threat by Donald Trump to impose tougher sanctions on Iran. "He (Munir) will discuss peace under Islamabad's MoU, Trump's ?warning and the ?situation after the Pakistan-Turkey-Saudi Arab Agreement and Houthi issues with Iranian leaders," the source said. The visit coincides with heightened tensions, as Iran threatens to respond militarily to U.S. sanctions plans that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic’s already-ailing economy. The announcement will be made on Monday, when U.S. officials are expected to announce details about the planned sanctions that they have described as "the most severe sanctions in history" against?Iran. Trump has warned of the economic consequences for any country providing "any kind of lifeline" to Iran as he seeks to isolate it. The Strait of Hormuz is a virtual standstill for oil shipments. Tehran has threatened to hit unauthorized oil tankers who try to?transit the vital waterway. Iran's economic situation is already being impacted by sanctions.
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Search for 22 people after Bulker sinks off India
India's Coast Guard &?Navy conducted search and rescue operations on Sunday off the east coast of India after a cargo vessel?flagged by Panama sank with a crew of?24. Two Chinese nationals were rescued. Shyam Jagannathan is the director general of India’s Maritime Administration. He told reporters that two Chinese seafarers were rescued. They said their vessel began to list and sank in eight minutes. This forced crews to abandon ship. Jagannathan stated that the chances of finding survivors usually fall sharply after 12 hour, but rescuers are continuing their search. According to the Indian Coast Guard, 22 crew members are still'missing' from Ocean Winner. These include 18 Chinese nationals, 3 Myanmar?nationals, and 1 Bangladeshi. In a recent post, the Navy stated that the Indian Navy was working closely with the Coast Guard in order to locate the rest of the crew. A Coast Guard spokesperson said that two vessels were sent from Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly Port Blair) to help with the search and rescue operation. According to an initial report from India's Maritime Administration, the Ocean 'Winner' was carrying iron ore bound towards China when it left India's eastern 'Paradip' port on Friday. According to government sources, the cargo ship sank 240 nautical miles away from the port. It was not known what caused the sinking. (Disha Mishra, Bengaluru, contributed additional reporting; Mayank Bhardwaj wrote the article; Raju Gopalakrishnan edited it)
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India launches rescue operations after bulk carrier sinks near east coast
The Indian Coast Guard reported that India's maritime rescue agency had lost contact with a cargo vessel flying the Panamanian flag, which sank near the eastern coast of India. According to Commandant Amit?Uniyal?, a spokesperson for Coast Guard, the vessel was manned by 24 people, 20 of whom were Chinese, three Myanmarese and one Bangladeshi. Uniyal reported that the Coast Guard dispatched?two vessels from Sri Vijaya Puram (formerly known as Port Blair) for a search and rescue mission. The Coast Guard has rescued two people from life rafts. The agency reported that a search and rescue mission was underway for seafarers aboard the vessel. According to government sources the Ocean Winner was carrying ore from India to Singapore after leaving India's eastern Paradip Port on Thursday. They added that 240 nautical mile away, the ship sank. The cause of the sinking is unknown. Captain Alekha Charan Sahoo said that he hoped for the best and prayed for the safety of all the crew on board. Reporting by Nidhi verma, Saurabh sharma, Jatindra dash, and Disha mishra from Bengaluru. Editing by Sharon Singleton, Rod Nickel, and Rod Nickel.
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Two US tanker planes leave Bulgaria one month after their deployment infuriated Iran
Bulgaria's defence ministry announced on Saturday that two U.S. aircraft, tankers, had departed the Bezmer base in Bulgaria. This comes nearly a month after their deployment angered Iran. The United States has been at war against Iran since February 28 and requested that their temporary deployment be made under an agreement governing the?joint use of military installations. Sofia rejected the charge made by Iran that their deployment would be complicity in "aggression" and "war crimes". Defense Minister?Dimitar?Stoyanov informed reporters that two U.S. KC-135 aircraft left Bulgaria 'on Friday. It was not possible to reach the U.S. authorities for comment immediately. Residents in the area protested the deployment of the aircraft approved by Bulgarian parliament on July 22. They feared that the planes could be attacked by Iranian missiles and drones. Stoyanov stated that all of the aircraft's flights during their temporary deployment were training missions over other countries, and that Bulgaria had "no direct threats to our national safety." He said: "We work in full coordination with the U.S. Government?and have prior?information. This is why our decisions are well-founded." (Reporting and editing by Timothy Heritage, Aleksandar Vasovic)
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Seven people killed in UK when vehicle traveling the wrong way strikes police car
The local police said that seven people, including two police officers, died in a crash on Saturday in the?northeast of England after a vehicle driving 'the wrong way' down a major highway hit a marked police vehicle. The incident took place around 3:39 am (0239 GMT), near the South Bank area, east of Middlesbrough. All occupants of both vehicles died on the spot. Cleveland Police Chief Constable, Victoria Fuller said: "This tragic incident will be felt throughout Cleveland and our communities as well as the entire policing community." The police force said that it was still investigating and working to identify all of the victims. As is standard in these cases, the Independent Office for Police Conduct will review the incident. Ireland's chief of police warned this week that following two recent head on crashes near Dublin in which five people died, some young drivers were driving wrong way on the motorway "for social network likes". A?parliamentary committee in Ireland has asked TikTok how it removes "content that appears to glorify dangerous and illegal behavior?on our streets". Ireland's media regulator issued a similar demand on Tuesday. (Reporting and editing by Alexandra Hudson, Joe Bavier, and David Milliken)
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South Korea ships test Arctic commercial route amid Western concern
On Saturday, a South Korean container vessel set sail?for Europe via arctic in the nation's first commercial trip on the route. The?nation is testing its viability and hopes to turn the southeastern port of Busan into a maritime hub. The PanStar Acro is expected to sail north hugging the eastern Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula, crossing the Bering Sea and taking the Northern Sea Route. It will stop in Felixstowe, Britain, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Poland's Gdansk before returning in a trip that should take between 40 and 45 days. President Lee 'Jae Myung made Arctic shipping for South Korea a priority, making it a "shipping powerhouse". Officials claim that this could transform Busan, and make the Arctic a regular trading route by 2030. The project could cause friction with Western allies who want to?keep Russia isolated? during its war in Ukraine. Seoul has spoken to Moscow about the trip, including whether or not the ship needs help if it gets stuck in the ice. The Oceans Ministry of South Korea and the Foreign Ministry of Russia did not respond when asked for comments. According to Norway's Center?for High-North Logistics, last year?88 ships made 103 transits along the route. This is up from 97 vessels in 2024 and 42 in 2022. These vessels were primarily from countries such as Russia and China. Scientists say that melting Arctic ice makes it easier to travel through the north, and the increased shipping speeds up global warming. PanStar, a South Korean container ship operator, has secured 837 TEU cargo on the government-backed trip. This includes auto parts and chemical products as well as 100 empty containers. A government official stated that the PanStar?Acro will flag off at around 8 pm (1100 GMT), depending on loading and other preparations.
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Muslim group condemns Texas's request for federal investigation of airport wash facilities
Texas Governor Greg Abbott?on Friday requested a federal probe into airport facilities to determine if ritual washing was performed before islamic prayers. A Muslim advocacy group referred to this as an "anti-Muslim" political stunt. Abbott, in a letter sent to the Department of Justice urging it to review immediately the ablution stations at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFWIA) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (GWIA), criticized them for being discriminatory. Abbott's office stated that because airports receive federal funding, they are required to adhere to a number of conditions. This includes complying with all applicable laws against discrimination. Before daily prayers, many Muslims wash their arms, legs and faces. The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (an advocacy group) said that these?are not spaces for Muslims only, any more than nursing rooms or interfaith prayer rooms are 'Christian-only.' "These are accommodations that are open to all travelers, but are primarily used by the Muslim community." This is not discrimination. This is how accessible public infrastructure should look," CAIR Texas said in a press release. Abbott threatened to revoke funding for the state airports last week after referring them to Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of Transportation. Abbott stated that DFW has abandoned its plans to build more ablution stations as a result of this referral. The airport announced?this past week that it had determined the benefit originally expected may not be realized if more ablution stations are built. World Population Review reports that there are 4.5 million Muslims living in the United States, including more than 300,000. U.S. rights activists?say Islamophobia is on the rise since September 11, 2001 attacks in New York and Washington, D.C., and recently due to anti-immigration policy, white supremacy, and?the aftermath of Israel's Gaza war. Rights advocates have also documented a spike in anti Muslim messaging and rhetoric during U.S. campaigning, as Muslim American politicians rose to high office. Republican governors of Florida and Texas have branded CAIR as a terrorist organization. The group has opposed Republican President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration, and pro-Palestinian demonstrations. CAIR and civil rights groups denounced these claims, and claimed that Republicans were trying to incite fear towards Muslims.
Trump wants to charge fees for Hormuz, just like Iran. Is that legal?
Donald Trump announced on Monday that after the ceasefire broke down with Iran over Tehran's attempts to maintain control of the strategic waterway, the United States will charge cargoes 20% more for the use of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran closed down the 34 km wide strait, which was the main route for a 5th of the world's oil supply and other essential goods such as fertilisers. This caused a global energy crisis when the U.S.
It's important to understand the differences between Trump and Iran, and what it means for the rest of the world.
HAS THE U.S. Has the U.S. In response to Iran's request for fees, U.S. Secretary Marco Rubio stated in a meeting with Gulf States on June 25 that "no nation on Earth has the rights to charge for the usage of international waterways." He also said that shipping fees would never be included in any agreement.
Trump had previously suggested that the U.S. could charge tolls in the event of a failure to reach a deal with Iran. There will be no tolls in the Hormuz strait during the Cease Fire period for 60 days, and after that, there will be no tolls, unless the United States of America imposes them for the services rendered by the Guardian Angel in the Middle East countries.
He now seems to have returned to his previous stance, with the ceasefire in tatters.
In a post on social media on Monday, he stated that "the U.S.A. would be known from now on as 'THE GUARDIAN of the HORMUZ STREET'. But as such, as a matter FAIRNESS will be reimbursed at a rate of 20% for all cargo shipped."
Trump hasn't explained how such charges would be imposed, nor what legal authority could he use to require their passage.
How is TRUMP's demand for a toll different from IRAN's request for fees? Iran's main negotiation priority is to maintain control of the Strait waters, which it shares with Oman. It sees this as the strongest strategic lever it has in the world, and the best assurance for its security from future attacks.
Washington may have accepted this from the language of the interim agreement signed last month, which stated that Iran would "make arrangements with its best efforts to ensure the safe passage of commercial ships without charge for 60-days only".
The U.S., however, interpreted this language to mean that Iran should only facilitate safe passage of vessels and not impose any restrictions backed by force.
During the war in Iran, Tehran created the Persian Gulf Strait Authority with which it said any vessel transiting the waterway had to coordinate and that ships were only allowed to transit near the Iranian shoreline. It has targeted vessels that have tried to pass the Omani coast without its permission.
The company has stated that it will eventually charge a fee for the passage of passengers, but hasn't specified what this would be.
What was the situation before the war and is it legal to charge for using a 'STRAIT'?
The Strait is made of the territorial waters between Iran and Oman with the maritime border running through the middle.
UNCLOS, the international maritime law convention, says that states bordering straits can't demand payment for a simple permission to pass through.
They can, however, impose a limited fee for certain services, such as tugging, piloting or port services. These fees may not be imposed more heavily on ships from a particular country.
UNCLOS is not signed by either Iran or the United States, but it is widely accepted as international maritime law. Hormuz has been referred to as an international strait.
In 1968, Iran & Oman reached an agreement with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to use the sea lanes in the middle of the Strait for major vessels. According to the IMO, the mines laid by Iran during the war have made this passage dangerous.
Would other countries accept tolls or fees for transiting HORMUZ?
Shipping industry officials claim that no such unilateral decision to charge fees for crossing a strait was ever made in modern history.
Oman and Iran have held a dialogue on this issue. It issued guidelines last month to vessels that transited the Strait via its waters without paying any fees. Gulf States, whose primary access to high seas is through the Strait for vital energy exports, are especially concerned about fees.
Trump's proposed 20% surcharge for cargoes could also alarm major consumers of Gulf energy and fertilisers. This could cause global oil prices to rise significantly.
(source: Reuters)