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• Why is it so simple for Iran to close the Strait of Hormuz?

  Iran, following through on a long-standing threat, has closed the Strait of Hormuz in retaliation to U.S. and Israeli strikes. This waterway is vital, as it carries a fifth of all global oil supplies. The United States has said that it could consider escorting ships through the Strait of Hormuz, which would be very difficult to secure, as the Houthis from Yemen proved last year when they disrupted Red Sea shipping. According to United Nations data, about a fifth of global oil and LNG normally passes through the Strait. Traffic has decreased by 97% since February 28 when the U.S./Israeli war on Iran began. Why has Iran cut off the Strait now? The threat of cutting off the Strait was made before, when a commander from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in 2011 that it would be "easier to drink a glass water". The Guards warned that they would close the border in the past, especially during tensions about sanctions and Iran's nuke programme in 2016-2018, and also during Israeli and U.S. attacks in June of last year. Analysts have viewed the closing of the Strait of Hormuz as 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. This equation has been changed by the attack on Iran that began on 28 February with the death of its supreme leader. Iranian officials have described the war as a existential one, with the Guards taking over the strategy. What is at stake? Kuwait, Iran Iraq, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates are oil and gas producing countries. The only sea exit is the narrow passage of water that connects the Gulf of Oman with the Gulf of Iran. On Monday, oil prices briefly rose to their highest levels since 2022. According to the United Nations, high oil prices may trigger another cost of living crisis like what happened in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine. A prolonged conflict may also lead to a fertilizer shortage, putting the global food supply at risk. According to Kpler, about 33% of all fertilisers in the world, including ammonia and sulphur, travel through the Strait. A prolonged war could cause fears of an economic crisis in the world similar to the ones that followed the Middle East oil shocks of the 1970s. Why is it so difficult to secure the streit? According to shipping broker SSY Global, the shipping lanes are only two nautical miles wide. Ships must turn around and face Iranian islands as well as a mountainous coastline that offers cover for Iranian forces. Tom Sharpe said that although the conventional navy of Iran has been largely destroyed, there are still many options available to the Guards. These include fast attack craft and mini submarines. They also have mines as well as jetskis with explosives. According to the Centre for Information Resilience (a non-profit group of researchers), Tehran is able to produce 10,000 drones per month. Sharpe stated that it would be possible to protect three or four vessels a day in the strait using seven or eight destroyers as air cover. However, this would only be feasible for a short time, depending on the reduction of the mini-submarine threat. To sustainably do so over months, however, would require additional resources. Adel Bakawan of the European Institute for Middle East & North African Studies said that even if Iran were to lose its ability to deploy ballistic rockets, drones, and floating mines, there would still be a danger from suicide attacks. Kevin Rowlands, Editor of the RUSI journal at the Royal United Services Institute, explained that if the war continues for several weeks, an escort would be formed. He said that "the world needs oil flowing through the Gulf and there are plans in place to put protective measures in place." What have the US and other countries promised? On March 3, President Donald Trump stated that the U.S. will provide protection for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, but attacks have already occurred and very little has gotten through. He said that he also ordered the United States Development Finance Corporation (USDFC) to provide insurance and guarantee for shipping companies. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said that several European countries as well as India and?other Asian nations were planning a mission to 'provide protection. He said that such a mission could only be carried out once the conflict is over. France has deployed a dozen navy vessels, including an aircraft carrier strike group to the Red Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean and possibly the Strait of Hormuz. A spokesperson for the British government said that British Prime Minister Keir starmer had spoken with the German and Italian leaders on options to support commercial shipping through the Strait. "We are looking at various options," General Caine said to reporters on Tuesday at the Pentagon without giving any details. WHAT HAPPENED AT OTHER SHIPMENT CHOKEPOINTS? Yemen's Houthis - a group allied to Tehran, but with a much smaller arsenal than Iran - managed to close down the majority of traffic through the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab strait, and on the way to the Suez Canal, for over?two years despite the protection provided by U.S.-led forces. The majority of shipping companies still use a much longer route via southern tip Africa. Danish shipping company Maersk announced that it would return to the Suez Route in phases starting January. The EU-led force that countered piracy off the coast of Somalia has had more success than Iran's Revolutionary Guards, but they were fighting against forces much less well-equipped. AREN'T THERE OTHER WAYS TO USE 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 not operational at the moment. An attack by Houthi militants on a Saudi east-west pipeline in 2019 proved that they were vulnerable. (Additional reporting by Rene Maltezou, Kate Holton and Charlie Devereux, Writing by Angus McDowall and Timothy Heritage, Editing by Timothy Heritage).

• Sources claim that Iran has planted about 12 mines along the Strait of Hormuz.

  Two sources familiar with the issue said that Iran had deployed about a dozen mines in the Strait of Hormuz. This move was 'likely' to complicate the reopening of this narrow waterway. It is an important route for shipping liquefied gas and oil. The 'war' launched by Israel and the United States 12 days ago has effectively halted the exports of LNG and oil through the strategic chokepoint on the Iranian coast, which is helping to?drive up world energy prices. Iran's military leadership said on Wednesday that the world should prepare for oil prices to reach $200 per barrel. According to one source, the mines had been?deployed in the past few days and most of their locations were known. The source refused to reveal how the U.S. intended to deal with these mines. CNN reported on the mining of the Strait for the first time Tuesday. Iran has threatened for years to mine the Strait in retaliation against any military attack. The strait is normally the route of a fifth of the world's oil and LNG. Tehran has the ability to block shipping in the channel, giving it a huge advantage over the U.S. The U.S. military says it has eliminated 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels on Tuesday. The?U.S. The?U.S. Navy has declined to provide 'protective escorts for commercial ships through this strait. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, demanded on Tuesday that Iran remove all mines deployed in the Strait of Hormuz. He also warned it could face military consequences. (Reporting and editing by Jonathan Landay, Erin Banco and Timothy Heritage).

• Sources claim that Iran has planted about 12 mines along the Strait of Hormuz.

  Two sources with knowledge of the matter have confirmed that Iran has placed about 12 mines along the Strait of Hormuz. This move is likely to impede the reopening of the narrow waterway, which is an important route for the shipping of oil and LNG. The war that was launched by the United States and Israel 12 days ago has effectively halted the exports of LNG and oil through the strategic chokepoint on the coast of Iran, which is helping to push up the world's energy prices. Iran's military leadership said on Wednesday that the world must be ready for oil to reach $200 per barrel. Sources said that the U.S. knew the location of many of the mines but refused to reveal how they planned to deal with them. CNN reported on the mining of the Strait for the first time Tuesday. Iran has threatened for years to mine the Strait in retaliation against any military attack. The strait is normally the route of a fifth or more of all global oil and LNG. Tehran has enormous influence over the U.S. The U.S. Military says that it has 'targeted a 'Iranian vessel that was laying mines, destroying 16 of them Tuesday. The U.S. Navy, however, has?refused to provide a protective escort to?commercial vessels through the strait. Donald Trump, the U.S. president, demanded on Tuesday that Iran remove any mines in the Strait of Hormuz and warned that it could face military consequences. He did not specify what those would be. (Reporting and editing by Jonathan Landay, Erin Banco and Timothy Heritage).

• What are the challenges of securing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz?

  Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States, said that the Pentagon was looking into ways to safely escort vessels through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran, located on the northern coast of the country, has effectively closed this strait. According to United Nations data, traffic through the strait is down 97% since February 28 when the U.S. and Israel war against Iran started. The U.S. aims to calm the oil markets, as they are concerned that a prolonged war could cause a global crisis of energy. What is at stake? The Strait of Hormuz is a "narrow" passage of water that connects the Gulf of Oman with Iran. It's the only sea route for countries like Kuwait, Iran, Iraq and Qatar, which produce oil and gas. On Monday, oil prices briefly rose to their highest levels since 2022. According to the United Nations, high oil prices may trigger a new cost of living crisis similar to what happened in 2022 after Russia invaded Ukraine. A prolonged conflict may also lead to a fertilizer shortage, putting the global food supply at risk. According to Kpler, about 33% of all fertilisers in the world, including ammonia and sulphur, travel through the Strait. A prolonged war could cause fears of an economic crisis in the world similar to the ones that followed the Middle East oil shocks in the 1970s. What has Iran threatened? The Iranian Revolutionary Guards warned that ships passing through the Strait would be shot at. Since the conflict began, at least 11 ships were attacked. Most of the traffic is halted. This is partly due to caution, but also because insurance premiums have been raised by up to 300%. What have the US and other countries promised? On March 3, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. will provide protection for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz. He said that he also ordered the United States Development Finance Corporation (USDFC) to provide insurance and guarantee for shipping companies. Emmanuel Macron, the French president, said that several European countries as well as India and other Asian nations were planning a mission to provide security. He said that such a mission could only be carried out once the conflict is over. France has deployed about a dozen navy vessels, including an aircraft carrier strike group to the Red Sea, the Eastern Mediterranean and possibly the Strait of Hormuz. A spokesperson for the British Prime Minister Keir starmer said that he had spoken to the German and Italian leaders on options of providing support?for commercial shipping within the Strait. General Caine, speaking to reporters at the Pentagon Tuesday without giving any details, said: "We are looking at various options." Why is it so difficult to secure the HORMUZ? It is difficult to defend the Strait of Hormuz. According to shipping broker SSY Global, the shipping lanes are only two nautical miles wide. Ships must turn around and face Iranian islands as well as a mountainous coastline that offers cover for Iranian forces. IS IT POSSIBLE TO PROTECT SHIPS TRAVELING THROUGH HORMUD? Tom Sharpe (a retired Royal Navy Commander) said that although Iran's conventional naval force has been largely destroyed, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has plenty of weapons to do damage. These include fast attack craft, uncrewed surfaces vessels, speedboats mini submarines mines and even explosive-packed jet skis. According to the Centre for Information Resilience (a non-profit group of researchers), Tehran is able to produce 10,000 drones per month. Sharpe stated that it would be possible to air-cover three or four vessels a day in the short term using seven or eight destroyers. However, doing this for several months would require additional resources. Adel?Bakawan is the Director of the European Institute for Middle East & North African Studies. Kevin Rowlands is the Editor of RUSI's Journal, at the Royal United Services Institute. He said that "the world needs oil flowing through the Gulf and so there are plans in place to put protective measures in place." What happened in other shipping chokepoints in the region? Yemen's Houthis - a group allied to Tehran - but with a much smaller arsenal than Iran - managed to close down the majority of traffic through the Red Sea, Bab al-Mandab Strait, and on the way to the Suez Canal, for over two years despite the protection provided by U.S.-led forces and European Union-led troops. The majority of?shipping firms still use a much longer route via southern Africa. Danish shipping company Maersk announced that it would return to the Suez route in phases starting January. The EU-led force that countered piracy off the coast of Somalia has had more success than Iran's Revolutionary Guards, despite being a far inferior force. AREN'T THERE OTHER WAYS TO USE 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 not operational at the moment. An attack by Houthi militants on a Saudi east-west pipeline in 2019 proved that they were vulnerable. (Additional reporting from Renee Maltezou, Kate Holton and Charlie Devereux. Editing by Timothy Heritage.)

• Russian oil prices rise, but tanker costs reduce gains

  The war in Iran has pushed up the price of Urals oil from Russia, which was shunned due to sanctions imposed on Ukraine. However, costs are also increasing, traders reported Tuesday. After Iranian threats against Gulf shipping effectively stopped tankers from Saudi Arabia, the second largest seller in the world, Russia, was brought to attention. Urals crude On Monday, barrels from Russian ports were being sold at $76 on a FOB basis. Data showed that the price of a barrel in Russian ports was around $76 on Monday, free-on-board (FOB). Calculations show that the price of an Urals cargo?loading out of the Baltic Sea Port of Primorsk jumped from $35 million to $54 million last week. Russian exporters faced negative margins in the early part of this year on their?exports, traders reported. The price of Urals crude oil for delivery to Indian port is now higher than Brent crude benchmark for the first ever time, despite efforts by the G7 and others to limit Russian seaborne prices. The United States granted Indian refiners last week a temporary waiver allowing them to resume the import of Russian crude oil already on tankers. Traders said that Russian sellers face a sharply higher cost. The traders said that several vessels had been fixed at $22-23million?from Russia to India's Baltic Sea port due to a shortage of vessels. This is nearly double the rates of early February, and an increase of $5-8 million since late last week. The cost of shipping to India from the Black Sea port of Novorossiysk in Russia, which resumed its loadings after recent drone damage, has also risen above $20 million, traders reported. Brent oil rose to $119 per barrel on Monday, its highest level since mid-2022. This was due to supply cuts by Saudi Arabia and other Gulf producers. Prices fell after U.S. president Donald Trump said the Middle East war could be over soon. (Reporting and editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Jason Neely).

• France continues to push forward with its Hormuz plans, but there are no secret Iran discussions, according to sources

  Two French officials stated on Friday that France will continue to 'efforts to put a coalition together to secure the Strait of Hormuz once the security situation stabilizes, after a reported stating that 'Paris is negotiating safe passage for its ships. European countries have been largely ignored 'as?the U.S. and Israel war against Iran escalated. Iran carried out attacks against Israel, U.S. base, and Gulf state. The European powers are trying their best to protect themselves, but the shipping lanes have been affected by the conflict and oil prices have risen. In the last week, France has held consultations with European, Asian and Gulf Arab countries in order to develop a plan that will eventually see warships escorting tankers across the Strait. One official said: "In the present context, the conditions do not allow any mission to deploy forces. But we are first working on the diplomatic side so that we can enter into detail and eventually make it operational." The Financial Times reported France and Italy wanted to negotiate an agreement to ensure safe passage of their ships through this strait. The French 'presidency' did not reply to a comment request. A source in the Italian foreign ministry denied this report. Source: "In their diplomatic contacts, Italian leaders are trying to favor conditions that will lead to a general de-escalation of military tensions, but there's no secret negotiation meant to preserve only some merchant vessels at the expense others," said the source. Contacts with Iran Aspides is the main naval activity of the European Union in this region. It was launched in 2024 as a Red Sea mission to protect vessels from attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis. Emmanuel Macron, President of France, has stated that France will provide two warships to this mission. He said that France would deploy its aircraft carrier strike team, two helicopter carriers, and eight warships to the area. Macron stated this week that the Strait of Hormuz could be included in a future plan to help commercial vessels. France has maintained both direct and indirect contact with Iran. The presidents and the foreign ministers spoke and Paris kept its Tehran Embassy open. Unofficially, a French official stated that the focus was on the coalition and not on ensuring safe passage of French ships. Two diplomatic sources stated that there have been talks with several?European countries, India, Gulf Arab States, Canada, and others but nothing has been finalised. India is showing some resistance. A European diplomat said, "The French want to distance themselves from the American approach? because at the end of the day you'll need?to get a minimum approval?from Iran." The diplomat explained that the idea wasn't to force it, as some American officials had suggested. Reporting by John Irish from Paris, Chandni in Bengaluru, and Angelo Amante at Rome; Writing by John Irish with editing by Toby Chopra

• Before sanctions eased, Russian oil exports were slowed by thick ice and drone attacks in Ukraine.

  Data released on Friday showed that a barrage of Ukrainian drone strikes against Russia's Black Sea oil export facilities as well as severe storms and ice conditions in Baltic Sea affected Russian oil exports. The United States issued a waiver on Thursday for countries to purchase sanctioned Russian crude oil and petroleum products that were stranded in the sea. This was done to stabilize global energy markets, which had been roiled by war with Iran. The easing of U.S. sanctions may not have a major impact on Russia's oil production due to the drone attacks and the bad weather. The Russian oil supply through the Druzhba pipe via Ukraine, to Hungary and Slovakia remains halted after what Kyiv claims was an attack on the pipeline by Moscow?on January 27, According to LSEG's?ship-tracking?data, Russia's total crude oil exports between March 1-12 decreased by 14% compared to the same period last year to 3.6 millions barrels per day. The data revealed that exports from Russia’s Far East increased by a quarter over the period, to around 770,000 bpd. According to three sources, the Black Sea port Novorossiysk was running 10 days behind schedule due to persistent'storms' and a 'drone attack. One of these attacks forced a suspension in loadings at the beginning of this month. After a drone attack on the Sheskharis Terminal on March 2, Novorossiysk re-started oil transshipment on?tankers. The pace of loading is slow, however, because the port is often forced to stop operations and move the tankers from the berths, due to the threat drone attacks. (Reporting and editing by Susan Fenton; reporting by Nerijus Adomiaitis)

• Honda's $15,7 billion writedown on EVs is painful but China problems loom in the future

  Honda's $15,7 billion write-down of its electric car business is more than just a painful reversal in its strategy for the U.S. It also highlights that it will face even greater challenges from China where there is a growing technological gap. On Thursday, Japan's second largest automaker announced that it would restructure the EV business, primarily in the U.S., and write off the value of some Chinese operations. This could be worth up to 2.5 trillion yen (approximately $15.7 billion). It also said it would?report?its first ever annual loss since its 70-year history as a publicly listed company. It announced that it would cancel the three battery-powered models planned for the U.S. where demand for electric vehicles has plummeted since President Donald Trump cut subsidies. Batterie-powered cars made up just 2.5%, or 84,000 vehicles, of Honda's global sales in 2014. The size of the write-down reflects Honda's massive investments in research and production capacity, as it sought greater volumes of EVs. He said that the automaker should've acted faster to stop this investment when Trump came back to power. He said, "They took too long to think about this." They cancelled these projects almost on the eve before they were released. Honda unveiled its first two "Honda 0 Series" concept vehicles, including the Saloon Sedan, at the CES tradeshow in Las Vegas, in January 2024. It had anticipated that the first cars in the series would be available this year in North America. These plans have been cancelled, with the company canceling the three models which were to be produced in the U.S. The company will experience cash outflows up to 1.7 trillion Japanese yen as part of its financial hit. This is mainly due to the costs of compensating their suppliers. In a client note, Seiji Sugiura said, "We were stunned by the sheer magnitude" of the write-down. Tokai Tokyo Securities' research arm, Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory is the senior analyst. This decision was made at a critical time, before mass production and after significant budgets were already committed. It was therefore a difficult call. Honda said it will pivot to hybrids and look at strengthening its line-up in India and cost-competitiveness there, where it believes that it can expand. CHINA'S PERFORMANCE SIGNS DEEPER EV TRUUBLES Honda may be able to clear the decks, but fixing the China business could prove a greater challenge. The automaker said it was unable to compete with the newer Chinese companies, primarily because they have shorter development cycles and are stronger in software-driven vehicles. This includes advanced driver assistance systems. Honda said in a press release that it was unable to produce products with a better value than those of the newer EV makers, resulting in a decrease in competitiveness. Vincent Sun, senior analyst at Morningstar said that Honda was uncertain about its ability to meet the technology challenge in the long-term. He said, "This move makes me concerned about Honda's long-term technological competitiveness." Honda launched several battery-powered vehicles in China, the largest auto market in the world, but sold only 17,000 units last year. This was just 2.5% its sales of 677,000 cars and just one fifth of the global total of electric vehicles. Analysts said that Sony Honda Mobility, the joint venture between Honda and Sony Group to develop the Afeela sedan, could also pose a risk. Honda announced on Thursday that the direction of its joint venture is being discussed but no decision has been made.

• Minister says Turkish ship can pass through Strait of Hormuz

  Abdulkadir Uraloglu, Turkish Transport and Infrastructure minister, said that a Turkish-owned ship which had been awaiting near Iran received permission to pass through the Strait of Hormuz after he and his officials contacted Tehran. Uraloglu, in comments made to Turkish media Thursday and released Friday, said that Ankara has declared the highest level of security warning for?strait. He also stated that Ankara continues contact with Iranian officials about the situation regarding the remaining 14 Turkish owned vessels. Uraloglu stated that "Fifteen Turkish-owned ships were present; we received permission from the Iranian authorities to use an Iranian port by one of these vessels, and it was approved." The ministry confirmed that the Rozana was the ship which 'passed the strait. The ministry added that Turkish vessels in the area had 171 crew members. The U.S. and Israeli war against Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz. This has left tankers, other ships, stranded. This has stoked fears about global energy supply. The ministry also announced that Turkish Airlines and Ajet cancelled flights from March 19 to March 20, including flights to Iran. Pegasus Airlines has cancelled flights from?Kuwait to Bahrain, Doha, Beirut, Iraq and Dubai, Abu?Dhabi and Sharjah, until 23 March, while cancelling Iran flights till 28 March. Turkish Airlines has announced that it will be adding flights to Oman. It also said that 76 flights have been diverted from Turkey since the beginning of the conflict on February 28. Tuvan Gumrukcu, Darin Butler, Alex Richardson and Darin Butler edited the article.

• BofA defers the BoE rate cut to June due to rising energy prices

  BofA Global Research has pushed back its call for the Bank of England to begin cutting rates to June. It says that rising energy prices are reviving 'inflation risk and have clouded policy outlook. Wall Street brokerages, who had previously penciled in a reduction in March and in June, are now expecting a quarter-point cut in both June and September of this year. Higher energy prices, driven largely by geopolitical tensions, in the Middle East have increased uncertainty about?inflation, and the BoE rate-cutting trajectory. The conflict has thrown off expectations for inflation in the near term. Inflation had slowed to 3.0% in January, and was expected to move towards the BoE's target of 2% in the months ahead. Brent crude has returned to $100 per barrel after almost reaching $120 earlier in the week. BofA stated that "we could see an earlier reduction in April if prices of energy revert by then. However, there are risks for further delays this year and a lesser number cuts if the conflict continues." It added that the BoE will likely maintain its easing bias, but would also stress that uncertainty is increasing, and that policy tightening still has a high bar. Goldman Sachs Standard Chartered, and Morgan Stanley also delayed their Bank of England easing predictions, now expecting the initial cut?into the second quarter, as the Iran War lifts energy 'prices and inflation -risks. BofA's note on Thursday said that the central bank will be able to make a more accurate decision about whether or not it should ease policy further. The key factors influencing this decision are the downside risks of growth and the weakening labour market. An official from the Office for Budget Responsibility stated that Britain's inflation could end the year at a rate of around 3% rather than the roughly 2 percent assumed by fiscal forecasters. This is if the current energy prices are maintained. (Reporting by Akriti Shah in Bengaluru; Editing by Sumana Nandy)

• Amazon withdraws its drone unit from the trade group and raises safety concerns

  Prime Air, Amazon.com's drone division, has withdrawn from the Commercial Drone Alliance. The group was opposed to a proposed regulatory change that would have allowed drones to avoid collisions with crewed aircraft by using 'detect and avoid' systems. The Amazon unit stated that the alliance's "positions on the most consequential safety issues facing the commercial drone sector are incompatible with Prime Air’s core safety principles." Prime Air stated in a letter sent late Wednesday that its detect-and avoid system had performed "successful?maneuvers for collision avoidance on two potential midair collisions that could have resulted in catastrophic safety consequences including the loss or life." Last year, the Federal Aviation Administration proposed that drones be equipped with systems to detect and avoid aircraft who are not broadcasting their positions. This could be due to equipment failure. The Commercial Drone Alliance was against the requirement. The requirement was included in proposed federal rules that aimed to accelerate the deployment of drones outside of their operators' line of vision. The Washington-based group said that the FAA should instead require aircraft below 500 feet (152 meters), to be able?to broadcast their?position using satellite-based technologies, which allow them to automatically broadcast their exact location, speed, and other data or other electronic devices. The proposed rules are not finalized. Commercial Drone Alliance members include Skydio's Wing Aviation and Alphabet’s Wing Aviation. The group expressed regret on Thursday at Prime Air's departure, but noted that its members had conducted millions of safe drone missions, "demonstrating that performance-based frameworks, rather than prescriptive technology requirements, (enable) safe operations, while fostering innovation and competition." Prime Air stated in its letter that it is the highest priority for Prime Air to ensure the safe integration and use of drones within the national airspace. In its letter, it stated that "this requires rigorous capability-based standards - including requirements mandating drone technologies capable to detect non-cooperative crewed airplanes." Non-cooperative crewed aircraft refers to aircraft or helicopters which do not communicate or transmit position or identification signals. Prime Air said one of the two ?potential mid-air collisions it cited involved a helicopter that was not broadcasting a safety system known ?as the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast as required, and without Amazon's detect-and-avoid system "would have led to a catastrophic outcome." The company stated that the risk of a drone colliding with an aircraft crewed by humans is not hypothetical. The?crash that killed 67 people near Washington, DC last year highlighted the problem of congested airspace in some parts of the United States. However, the incident was not caused by a drone. In January 2025, a mid-air collision between a U.S. Army chopper and an American Airlines passenger plane killed 67 people. The incident prompted recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board for reforms.

• Sources say that Kazakhstan's Tengiz oil field is recovering daily production, but the average March production falls short of target.

  Two industry sources said that oil output at Kazakhstan's biggest Tengiz Field rose to 810,000 barrels of oil on March 11 but only averaged 495,000 barrels per day (bpd), lagging behind the capacity goal. Sources claim that the average production in Tengiz between March 1-10 was 16 % lower than it was in February when output was around 590 000 bpd. Tengizchevroil, a U.S. Chevron company that operates in Tengiz, is now restoring production after a January 18 emergency shutdown caused by an fire. The main export route, the Caspian Pipeline Consortium system (CPC), is constrained by adverse weather conditions as well as the threat of drone attack. TCO is looking for alternative export routes in order to recover production. Traders say the company intends to export 120,000?metric tons of oil in March, from Tengiz, to the Baku-Tbilisi Ceyhan (BTC), pipeline. Traders said that?TCO also seeks?another opportunity to ship 100,000-tonne KEBCO via Russia's Ust-Luga Port this month. Erlan Akkenzhenov, Kazakhstan's Minister of Energy, told reporters that the oil production in Tengiz had increased to 120,000 tonnes per day (955,000 bpd) on Wednesday. Erlan Akkenzhenov, Kazakhstan's Energy Minister, did not mention the exact date. According to the sources, daily deliveries of Tengiz oil into the CPC system reached 932,000 barrels per day on 10 March, up from 700,000 at the end?of?February. Crude deliveries from a producer company can differ from production volume, since they include stocks held in its facilities. TCO does?not comment on the details of its export and production activities. KazTransOil, Kazakhstan's state-owned oil pipeline operator, did not respond immediately to a comment request. The Future Growth Project (FGP), which was completed in 2016, allowed TCO to increase its crude production from 27.8 millions tons in 2024 to 39.01million tons last year. Chevron is the largest shareholder in TCO, with a 50% stake. Exxon Mobil holds a 25% stake. KazMunayGas has a 20% share. And Russia's Lukoil owns a 5% share.