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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.
An oil pipeline fight shows US gains in Iraq
In mid-July Iranian drones flew through the mountains of northern Iraq's Kurdistan Region, zeroing in on their target: American oilfields.
One of the missiles was fired by a militia group in Iraq that is likely to be Iranian-backed, and probably as retaliation against the U.S. strike on Iran's nuclear facilities weeks earlier. It hit the Sarsang oil field, which is operated by HKN Energy. This company belongs to the son Ross Perot, a Texas billionaire.
A second hit was reported in a field near Dallas, operated by Hunt Oil.
Nearly half of Kurdistan's production was halted by the end of a four-day offensive that also affected operations at DNO and a local company.
Nine sources with knowledge of the situation claim that Washington was enraged by Baghdad's direct attack on U.S. interest. It felt Iraq had not done enough to combat pro-Iranian forces and stepped up its pressure campaign.
This campaign led to Iraq reopening an important export pipeline for Kurdistan’s oil. It was a major concession, which indicates a shift in the balance of power within Iraq from Tehran to Washington.
Sources within the Trump administration said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent some strong messages to Baghdad in order to make it clear to Baghdad that the time for decision was near.
Sanctions Threat
Since 2023, when the pipeline was shut down due to a dispute between Baghdad's Kurdistan Regional Government and the federal government over oil sales, Washington has been pushing for its reopening.
The closure of the pipeline was done to reduce global oil prices and to aid U.S. companies operating in Kurdistan. It also served to divert crude to the south and feed smuggling rings that bring huge amounts to Iran and its proxy networks.
The drone strikes led Donald Trump, the U.S. president, to escalate Washington's campaign.
One of the sources involved with the pressure campaign said that in the two months after the attacks, his representative threatened Iraq's highest energy officials with sanctions, if the pipeline wasn't restarted.
The senior State Department official did not confirm the threat of sanctions, but stated that the U.S. exerted "extremely intense" diplomatic pressure to restart the pipeline.
The White House refused to comment if it had threatened sanctions against Iraq. Hunt Oil, the KRG, and the Iraqi government declined to comment. HKN Energy did not respond to requests for comments.
After two months of intense U.S. pressuring, oil started flowing on September 27, after a preliminary agreement was announced to restart the pipeline on July 17, the last day of the drone strikes.
The details of the U.S. press campaign were not reported previously.
No group has claimed responsibility. A source in the Iraqi government, citing a security investigation, claimed that they were the work a powerful pro Iranian militia group. He declined to identify them.
Baghdad, according to a source in the Iraqi security sector, warned the group of any future attacks that would place it directly in conflict with the government.
US EXPECTS A 'SIGNIFICANT RETURN" ON ITS INVESTMENT
This episode reveals the U.S.'s energy ambitions for the Middle East. Iraq is the second largest oil producer in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Trump has repeatedly criticised the organization for its efforts to keep the price of oil high.
This also highlights the close ties between U.S. diplomatic interests and U.S. commercial interests under Trump.
The U.S. source stated that "having invested so much into this country...in terms of national treasures and the loss of U.S. life alongside our Iraqi partner in the defeating of terrorism...we expect there to a significant return on investment."
Iraq's concession is a sign of a change in the balance in the country.
Baghdad has walked the diplomatic tightrope for years between Washington and Tehran, its two key allies.
Iran, under U.S. sanctions and Western sanctions because of its nuclear ambitions backs 10 hardline Shi'ite militias in Iraq, with 50,000 fighters. It also holds a lot of political power.
Israel's attacks on its regional proxies and Iran have severely damaged Iran's power and reputation.
COMPLICATIONS
The pipeline deal is not certain to last or whether the power shift will continue.
Baghdad will review the agreement at the end December.
A 1973 agreement between Iraq, Turkey and the United States that established the legal basis for oil exports expires in July.
Baghdad continues to oppose the two Kurdistan Gas deals that HKN Energy, a Vancouver-based company, and WesternZagros signed with KRG in May.
HKN is a part of Dallas-based Hillwood, a real estate and energy company founded by Ross Perot Jr. Ross Perot was Texan billionaire Ross Perot's son and he ran for president twice.
According to public records, the Perot family has been a major donor to the Republican Party. They have donated more than $3,000,000 in 2025 and 2024.
Baghdad claims that agreements regarding Iraq's natural resource can only be reached with the federal government. Baghdad filed a lawsuit on May 26 against the KRG for the deals, and signed an agreement with China's Geo-Jade Petroleum in the same week to expand a southern Iraq oilfield.
There are still signs that the U.S. and Iraqi relations are improving.
Washington sent a new Special Envoy to Iraq to the UN on October 19. This was just days after Exxon Mobil, the U.S. energy company, agreed to return to Iraq to expand production there.
Exxon CEO Darren Woods said at a conference held in London, on October 13, that "it's a very important first step in terms the work we intend to do." "We have a long way to go before anything comes to fruition but we are optimistic and look forward to evaluating this." Ahmed Rasheed reported from Baghdad; Maha El Dahan from Dubai; Humeyra Pauk and Timothy Gardner were in Washington; Dmitry Zhdannikov, Anna Hirtenstein, and Nerijus Adomatis in Oslo. Richard Valdmanis, Mark Potter and Richard Valdmanis edited the article.
(source: Reuters)