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Charity groups say that ships near Italy have rescued 32 migrants and 71 others who were lost at sea.
Rescue charities reported that two merchant ships near the Italian coast recovered the bodies?of?two migrants?and rescued 32 survivors?from a boat attempting to?cross?to europe from Libya at Easter weekend. The survivors claimed 71 other people were lost at sea. Mediterranea Save Humans and Sea-Watch, two groups that work together to save lives in the Mediterranean, have confirmed the victims' transfer to a patrol boat of the Italian coast guard and their arrival on the Italian island of Lampedusa. The Italian?interior minister said that it did not have any comment to make on the report. The Italian?Coast Guard didn't immediately respond to a request for a comment. Sunday is Easter in Italy. The rescue charities reported that survivors said 105 people were on board the ship, but 71 of them drowned at sea. A video released by Sea-Watch showed a dozen people holding on to a capsized, orange boat when the merchant ship approached it. The 'Mediterranean has been ravaged by bad weather this year. This has limited the number of departures out of North Africa, and caused serious problems for those who have managed to set sail. IOM estimates that at least 683 people have died in the central Mediterranean this year. This is the highest death toll since 2014. (Reporting and Editing by William Maclean, Joshua McElwee and Matteo Negri)
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Trump says he will strike Iran's infrastructure on Tuesday, if the Strait is blocked
In a sarcastic social media post published on Sunday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States would target Iran's bridges and power plants on Tuesday if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened. In Iran, Tuesday will be "Power Plant Day" and "Bridge Day", all rolled into one. It will be a first !!!" Trump stated in a "Truth Social" post that Tehran had effectively closed the main shipping lane since the U.S. launched its attacks against Iran over a month ago. Trump concluded his?Easter Morning post by saying: "Praise to Allah." Separately, the president said that he would hold a news conference in the Oval Office on Monday after?the U.S. The?pilots of the?downed aircraft in Iran. (Reporting and editing by Susan Heavey; Dan Burns, Ros Russel)
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Shipping data shows that a tanker loaded with Iraqi crude oil passes through Hormuz.
Data from LSEG/Kpler showed that an oil 'tanker' loaded with Iraqi crude was seen transiting the Strait of Hormuz near the Iranian coast a few days after Iran announced Iraq was exempted from any restrictions on transiting this vital -sea route. Kpler data shows that the Ocean Thunder loaded approximately 1 million barrels of Basrah heavy crude on March 2. It is expected to "discharge" its cargo in Pengerang, Malaysia by mid-April. Iran closed the Strait after U.S. airstrikes and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February escalated a conflict. Later, it said that vessels without U.S. and Israeli connections would be allowed to pass through the strait. In recent days, three Omani tankers, as well as a French-owned container vessel?and a Japanese owned?gas carrier?have crossed.
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Leaders say that explosives were found near a gas pipeline in Serbia that supplies Hungary.
Leaders from Serbia and Hungary said that explosives of "devastating power" were discovered near the Turkstream pipeline in Serbia, which carries Russian gas to Hungary. Hungarian Prime Minster Viktor Orban claimed that Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic had told him explosives were found near the pipeline transporting Russian gas from the Balkans into Central and Eastern Europe. Vucic, an ally close to Orban, wrote on Instagram that "our units found explosives of devastating power." "I told Orban, the?PM that we would keep you updated on this investigation." Orban, after a phone call with Vucic on Sunday, announced in a post on Facebook that he called an "extraordinary defence council meeting". The incident occurs a week ahead of the pivotal election on April 12, where Orban, a nationalist, is fighting to maintain his 16-year hold on power. His party trails in polls the opposition Tisza Party. Orban had increased security around the energy infrastructure of?the nation in February. He raised the stakes for?the elections by saying that it was a matter of choosing between war and peace. Budapest is also embroiled in a dispute with Ukraine due to a halt in oil deliveries via the Druzhba Pipeline. Orban's Fidesz has tried to link?opposition leader Peter Magyar with Brussels and Ukraine by suggesting that voting for his Tisza Party means voting for war and tanks. (Reporting and writing by Krisztina than; editing by Hugh Lawson, Helen Popper, and Edward McAllister)
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After drone attacks, a fuel reservoir was hit in Primorsk. The NORSI refinery is on fire.
Russian authorities reported that a drone attack caused fuel to leak at the port of Primorsk in Russia's Baltic Sea, and an oil refinery called?NORSI? caught fire after a drone strike. Ukraine intensified its attacks against Russian energy infrastructure over the last month to damage Russia's main source of revenue, and undermine its military power. Alexander Drozdenko, the governor of Leningrad's north-western?region, initially claimed that a pipeline had been damaged in Primorsk. Primorsk is one of Russia’s major oil exporting ports. Later, he said on Telegram that the pipeline wasn't damaged but the fuel reservoir near the port was leaking when it was struck by shrapnel. U.S. commercial images of satellites taken by on Thursday showed that the drone attack in Ukraine last month destroyed at least 40% of Primorsk's storage facilities, which are capable of handling 1 million barrels of oil per day. Around 40% of Russia's ability to export oil was shut down last month due to the attacks and the closing of the Druzhba Pipeline in Ukraine. Also, tankers with a Russian connection were seized. OIL REFINERY ON FIRE Gleb Nikitin (the Governor of Nizhny Novgorod Region) said on Telegram on Sunday that a fire broke out at Russia's NORSI Oil Refinery, the fourth largest in the country, after a drone strike. He added that two facilities were also?hit. According to initial information, a "power station" and "several houses" were damaged in the attack. However, no one was injured. NORSI can process up to 16 million metric tons of oil a year or 320,000 barrels a day. Andrey Kravchenko is the mayor of Novorossiysk, Russia's biggest?port along the Black Sea. He said that an air alert had been triggered due to the drone attack threat. During such alerts, oil loadings are typically suspended, including at the Caspian Pipeline Consortium terminal that handles Kazakhstan's oil exports. Kevin Buckland, Hugh Lawson and Kevin Buckland edited the report.
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Sheriff's Office: Vehicle crashes into Louisiana crowd injuring 15 at least
Law enforcement officials reported that a car slammed into crowd in New Iberia (Louisiana) on Saturday. Some of the injuries were critical. Rebecca Melancon, spokesperson for the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office, said that a suspect was arrested and an investigation is?ongoing' following the incident. The incident occurred near a celebration of 'Lao New Year'. She said it was not clear whether the incident in the car was intentional. Acadian Ambulance announced on social media that it transported 13 people to hospital. The ambulance service posted on X that two of the 13 people were airlifted. The Louisiana Lao New Year Festival organizers announced on Facebook that they were canceling Saturday night's concerts as well as the alcohol sales. The organizers posted on Facebook: "We're?deeply saddened" by the news about the?incident that occurred near the festival grounds. "We are pleading for the?victims and their families in this difficult time." This three-day festival, held every Easter weekend, includes live music and a parade as well as other activities celebrating the Lao new year. Noel Randewich reported from San Francisco, Sergio Non edited by Matthew Lewis and Matthew Lewis.
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Chelsea tries to turn the corner after Port Vale's 7-0 FA Cup defeat
Chelsea is hoping Saturday's 7-1 thrashing over Port Vale, in the FA Cup quarterfinals, will?draw a line under the dismal.run of form and the internal turmoil that threatened to?ruin their season. Chelsea's coach Liam Rosenior announced on Friday that Enzo Fernandez, the club's vice captain and record-breaking signing, would be suspended from playing for two matches after suggesting he may leave. Chelsea has been in a state of crisis ever since they were beaten 8-2 on aggregate by European champions Paris St Germain in the Champions League and suffered domestic league losses to?Newcastle United & Everton in a fraught 10-day period in March. The goal-fest on Saturday, despite being against Port Vale who are likely to be relegated into the fourth division of English football in the near future, at least brought smiles to Chelsea's fans and players. Rosenior said to reporters that "when you 'go through a difficult time, like we did during that 10-day period... you come out stronger, and you know what you want to fix," he explained. Rosenior said that the recent international break, and the big win on Saturday could help lift his mood after he had been thrown into a busy?schedule in January when Enzo Maresca unexpectedly left Stamford Bridge. Rosenior stated, "I have a group who believe as I do that we can still have an outstanding year in terms winning the FA Cup and qualifying for Champions League." Rosenior, when asked about Fernandez’s reaction to the suspension of his player, said that it was "brilliant", to see him in attendance at Saturday’s match. Next Sunday, in the Premier League, Chelsea will face a tougher test. They will host Manchester City in second place. Both teams will be chasing the table-toppers Arsenal. Fernandez is still absent. Chelsea hadn't scored a goal in more than 300 minutes in any competition before Saturday, but the Dutch defender Jorrel hato put them in front after Port Vale failed to clear a set-piece. Brazil striker Joao Peter misled his marker with an ingenious dummy, before making it to 2-0. The Blues went 3-0 ahead before the half when Port Vale’s Jordan Lawrence Gabriel deflected Cole Palmer's shot into his own goal. Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos and Tosin Adarabioyo scored goals with their heads in the eighth minute. Brazil's Estevao then reacted quickly to an Alejandro Garnacho effort that had hit the post. The rout was halted by a late Garnacho penalty. Port Vale's fans, despite the fact that they failed to score a single goal in the game, took over Stamford Bridge's Shed End. (Writing and editing by Andrew Cawthorne; William Schomberg)
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Kenya fuel executives resign as state probes supply chain irregularities
The office of President William Ruto announced on Saturday that senior executives in Kenya's Energy Sector resigned after being accused of manipulating fuel stock data and procuring a 'emergency cargo' at inflated prices. Ruto accepted Mohamed Liban's resignation as principal secretary for Petroleum. The Kenya Pipeline Company also confirmed that Joe Sang had resigned from his position as managing director. According to the?statement, Daniel Kiptoo Bargoria has also resigned as director general of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority. It said that a formal investigation was launched into alleged irregularities within?Kenya’s petroleum supply chain. The government claimed that the manipulated data had been used to 'justify' the importation of fuel despite existing contracts with Saudi Aramco Trading Fujairah Ltd., Abu Dhabi’s ADNOC Global Trading Ltd. and Emirates National Oil Company Singapore Ltd. All of these companies are fulfilling their contractual obligations. The emergency shipment, it claimed, was overpriced and of poor quality. It also claimed that the rates were significantly higher than what had been agreed in existing agreements. The statement stated that "this appears to have been done in order to exploit rising global prices and public anxieties, thus creating a false impression of an impending shortage." Fuel?supply issues linked to the Iran conflict have affected the global energy market. The statement stated that administrative action was taken against other officials, and?arrests were made by investigative agencies'. The arrestees were not identified. No charges have been filed. Reporting by Humphrey Malolo; Writing by Isaac Anyaogu; Editing by Bate and Ali Williams.
How US freight rail became dirtier than coal-fired power plants
BNSF Railways, a crown jewel of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway, claims to be an environmental leader within the U.S. railway industry, with the cleanest fleet of locomotives in North America.
In its latest sustainability report, BNSF urges people to "think green" when they see the steel wheels of orange locomotives and freight cars moving along steel rails.
The company has the biggest share in an industry with a serious pollution problem. According to government data, U.S. railroads emit more nitrogen oxides, the main component of smog than all of the coal-fired plants combined.
U.S. railways produced together about 485,000 tonnes of nitrogen oxides in 2024, compared with 452,000 tonnes emitted by U.S. power plants that burn coal, according to a calculation based on reported annual fuel consumption multiplied the EPA’s 2023 average weighted emission rates.
BNSF is the largest freight railroad in the United States. It accounts for a third of that total and will produce 161,500 tonnes of smog causing nitrogen oxide by 2024. "We don't dispute your number. BNSF stated in an email that it is the largest Class I railroad based on volume. Morningstar railroad analyst Greggory Warren believes that BNSF’s position as the largest rail company in the United States, and its profitability will be challenged if a $85 billion merger of Union Pacific with Norfolk Southern is approved by regulators. This would create the U.S.’s first coast-to-coast rail freight operator.
Four industry experts agreed that the calculations were fair. Class I railroads produce 80% of all NOx tonnes produced in the industry. Class I refers to six major railroads that generate more than $1 billion annually.
BNSF has not reported on its share of the recent NOx emission performance of the rail industry, or the factors that are driving the high levels of pollution.
According to the EPA’s Co-Benefits Risk Assessment Tool, railroad locomotive pollution costs the United States $48 billion annually in healthcare costs. It also causes 3,100 premature deaths.
Bill Magavern is the policy director for Coalition for Clean Air in California, an organization that promotes public health. He said that the EPA should force railroads to upgrade their fleets.
The EPA declined comment on rail pollution specifically for this article, but stated: "The Trump EPA has a commitment to enhancing its ability to provide clean air, land, and water for all Americans."
AGGING FREIGHT LOCOS
Railroads' poor performance in terms of emissions is mainly due to the fact they have stopped replacing their aging locomotive fleet. According to EPA reports and industry reports, the average age of U.S. trains is 28 years old, compared to 20 years in 2009.
This is a problem, because the federal emission?standards are based on the age of the locomotives. The oldest locomotives have the lowest limits.
The U.S. rail freight industry has been slow to buy new locomotives because there is no requirement for retiring old ones. This fear of new regulations that could be implemented by future administrations may have exacerbated the situation.
Edward Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat Senator, claims that railroads are no longer interested in innovation. Markey stated that the air pollution standards of railroads have a loophole the size of an engine, which is being used by companies to keep dirty, old trains on tracks.
Rail industry claims that rail is the most environmentally friendly option to transport freight on land. They cite data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. A locomotive can transport a ton (about 500 miles) of freight on one gallon of gasoline, which is up to three or four times as efficient as trucks.
The Association of American Railroads also said that it was unfair to compare rail with?powerplants, saying locomotives had little choice but diesel. The power plants in question have many other options to generate electricity - hydropower, wind, coal, natural gases, etc. The rail industry is different, the trade group said.
BNSF has said that it will reduce its emissions by improving efficiency and technology. It also stands behind its claim of having the cleanest fleet based on its number of modern locomotives.
BNSF reported that 360 of the 6,780 locomotives it owns are modern locomotives, Tier 4 engines, which meet the strictest federal emission standards. This is the largest number in the entire industry.
Surface Transportation Board data shows that only 5% of the total fleet is in use or stored. Analysts and CN press release about new locomotives claim that Canadian National's rival has about 300 Tier 4 engines, which make up 27% of their total fleet. BNSF's closest competitors operate about 270 Tier 4 locomotives at Union Pacific, and about 225 at CSX Corp. EPA data and company press releases, as well as trade industry reports, show that there are about 80 Tier 4 locomotives at Norfolk Southern and 270 at Union Pacific.
BNSF spent 394 million dollars on?165 rebuilt and new locomotives between 2020 and 2024. This was a 69% decrease from the previous five years, when the company spent $1.26billion on 558 engines. According to BNSF's annual reports filed to the U.S., the replacement of aging locomotives--some lasting as long as 40 years-slowed down sharply. Surface Transportation Board.
CLEANEST FEET?
BNSF's large size is not the only reason for its high emissions.
According to statistics submitted by the U.S. Department of Transportation, BNSF has the lowest fuel efficiency amongst the six largest railroads in the United States. Surface Transportation Board is the industry's economic regulator.
BNSF used 1.14 gallons per ton of weight moved over 1,000 miles in 2024. This industry metric is called a gross-ton mile. Union Pacific used 1.08 gallons of diesel to move the same amount of weight over the same distance. The most efficient railroad, Canadian National, consumed 0.88 gallons.
According to railroad industry analysts interviewed, BNSF's fuel efficiency is low because it transports more intermodal cargo than its peers.
The high-priority containers must move faster than normal freight, as they are usually more time-sensitive. This is according to Jason Kuehn a vice president and railroad analyst at the consulting firm Oliver Wyman.
BNSF will ship 5.3 million intermodal shipments in 2024. This is nearly 60% more than the No. According to the company's disclosures, Union Pacific is ranked No. 2.
Analysts say BNSF is likely to be less efficient due to its limited use of precision-scheduled railing. This industry practice aims at reducing fuel consumption and costs by using longer trains, fewer engines, and a shorter idle time. Fuel efficiency is also affected by mountainous terrain, and the congestion of a railroad network.
BNSF refused to comment on why it has a relatively low fuel efficiency, but maintained that it was an environmental leader 'in the industry based upon its adoption of the new locomotives which allows it to burn fuel cleaner.
The company said that it had the "cleanest fleet" of locomotives and platform locomotives.
It refused to give details about its fleet-wide emission intensity and could not verify whether it was better than competitors.
According to the EPA, Tier 4 locomotives reduce NOx by up to 80% compared with Tier 3 models.
Fear of Regulation
Railroads have stopped investing in new locomotives because of new regulations, including zero-emissions standard proposed by California. They are concerned that these new rules could make them obsolete.
Roger Nober, former chief legal officer of BNSF and director of George Washington University’s Regulatory Studies Center, said: "These locomotives are 40-45 years old, but you say they won't be able use them because we will have zero emissions."
"Railroads do not see this as an efficient use for their capital."
In 2008, EPA hoped that it could clean up the freight rail industry by setting higher standards for new locomotives. These standards included new Tier 3 models and Tier 4 models. Rail companies have slowed their purchase of new locomotives in order to encourage the replacement of older locomotives.
The EPA predicted in 2008 that by 2025, at least 30 percent of freight locomotives will be operating within the most stringent limits. According to the EPA, only 6.5% out of 19,303 locomotives that are currently active and operated by the six major railroads will meet this limit in 2023.
According to the U.S. Office of Transportation and Air Quality, American railroads had replaced their locomotives annually at a rate of 4% before 2008. By 2024 the replacement rate for the railroad industry had fallen to 0.5% annually.
Neither BNSF, nor its competitors provide precise data about the model year of?active locomotives within their national fleets.
The industry's biggest battle has been against California's proposed emission standard. This would have prohibited locomotives older than 22 years from operating within the state and required that all locomotives be zero-emissions in 2035.
California, with its large market size, can set a standard for the nation.
According to officials at the California Air Resources Board, the stricter regulations would reduce 7,400 tons diesel soot and 386,000 tons NOx by 2050. They also estimate that the cancer risk of those who live near rail operations could be reduced by 90%.
Rail officials claim that the bill would also have prohibited 65% of freight locomotives in operation from operating within the state.
California retracted the proposal a week before Donald Trump was inaugurated as U.S. President in January.
Trump is a frequent critic and would be expected to block this initiative by refusing California the waiver needed to establish state pollution regulations that are stricter than federal ones.
House Republicans introduced in May the Locomotives Act. This would prevent California from receiving such waivers. The bill was referred to Energy and Commerce Committee.
FIGHTING GREEN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
Rail industry lobbyists have also been very active in opposing the adoption of new technologies. BNSF informed the EPA at a public meeting last year that its test of a battery electric locomotive did not deliver enough power to transport tons of freight across long distances.
John Lovenburg said that the battery contained two megawatts usable energy. This is about 1/40th the energy needed for locomotives that haul line-haul freight.
Alex Scott, professor of supply-chain management at the University of Tennessee, says that electric locomotives can be used for short routes, replacing diesel locomotives, and in switch yards. However, for longer distances, they are limited by their battery weight.
In the United States, and in other parts of world, battery-electric locomotives do not exist. In China, India, and Russia the majority of freight locomotives are powered by overhead electric lines or catenary system.
According to an Association of American Railroads study from February 2025, electrifying 139,000 miles of track by six major railroads in North America could cost over $1.1 trillion.
Scott explained that the railroad industry was slow to adapt new technologies because, if there are problems, they're not only yours. You're creating issues for your customers as well as other railroads, because they all share the same track.
(source: Reuters)