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Trump aggressively launches Latin America cartel alliance
Donald Trump, the U.S. president, welcomed Latin American leaders to Florida on Saturday, to launch a coalition against drug cartels. He also struck a dismissive note toward the region by telling officials that their countries had allowed gangs seize territory, and joked about not having time to learn their language. Trump described the effort as "an aggressive campaign to combat drug cartels", citing them as the primary reason for increasing U.S. involvement Latin America. This included a pressure campaign on Venezuela, which culminated in January with the capture of President Nicolas Maduro. Trump said at one point that the United States would use missiles to take out cartel leaders, if their partners asked for it. He said that Mexico was the hub of cartel activity, and predicted a major political shift in Cuba. The country is "very close to the end," he said. He repeated previous statements about Cuban officials negotiating with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and him. A dozen leaders of Central America, South America and the Caribbean attended the "Shield of the Americas", where Trump signed the proclamation that launched the coalition. Trump stated that "leaders in this area have allowed large swaths to land in the Western Hemisphere come under the control of transnational gangs and they have run parts of your country." "We won't let that happen." In a speech lasting more than 30 mins, Trump touched on many other topics besides drug cartels. These included Iran, Ukraine?Pakistan, India, political endorsements by former president Jimmy Carter and Dominican sugar. He also spoke about building battleships and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s "soothing personality". Trump made jokes about the language differences between him and the majority Spanish-speaking leaders. He said, "I am not going to learn your language." "I don't want to." Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants who spoke briefly in both English and Spanish later, echoed Trump’s position. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth also spoke. Hegseth joked, "I only speak American." Trump joked that Kamla Persad Bisssar's name sounded similar to the former U.S. vice president Kamala Harris. Trump has worked to create a regional coalition to fight organized crime and drug cartels more aggressively. The event on Saturday gave him the opportunity to show his strength at home, as the war against Iran escalates. This could push global oil and gas costs higher. Trump had earlier in the day said that Iran would be "hit hard" on Sunday and that he considered expanding the areas and people targeted. He did not provide any details. Allies of the Right Attend SUMMIT Among the attendees were Argentine president Javier Milei and Chile's newly-elected President Jose Antonio Kast, as well as Salvadoran President 'Nayib' Bukele. His gang crackdown has been criticized by rights groups but is now a model of sorts for some parts of Latin America. Politicians from the region toured Bukele’s sprawling "mega prison", where the United States deported over 200 Venezuelans last year without trial. The Honduran president Nasry Asfura was also in attendance. He narrowly won an disputed 'election' with Trump's support. And Ecuador's president Daniel Noboa who has echoed some of Trump's agenda on the economy and who recently announced joint military operations with the U.S. to 'crackdown' on drug trafficking. Many of these?leaders are in agreement with Trump's hardline views on crime and immigration, preferring crackdowns to deeper social fixes, and private enterprise over the state. Their rise is a reflection of a wider rightward shift in Latin America, at a moment when the region finds itself caught between Washington and Beijing. CHALLENGING CHINA'S GROWING RELATIONAL INFLUENCE Trump didn't mention China directly, but warned the United States that it would not allow "hostile influence" in the Western Hemisphere to take root, including at the Panama Canal - a major global freight route. Washington, while not explicitly saying so, increasingly views Latin America as a strategic rivalry with Beijing. According to Ryan Berg, of the Center for Stratégic and International Studies, China's trade in the Western Hemisphere will reach $518 billion by 2024. Beijing has also extended loans worth more than $120 million to government officials in the Western Hemisphere. The U.S. has been concerned about China's increasing footprint, from satellite tracking in Argentina to the Chinese-backed Peruvian port and its economic support for Venezuela. The Trump administration has responded by urging governments in the region to curtail Beijing's involvement in strategic infrastructure, such as ports, energy projects, and other strategic infrastructure. (Reporting from Nandita BOSE in Miami, Florida; David Brunnstrom, Washington, and Sarah Morland, Mexico City. Additional reporting by Simon Lewis, Washington, and Natalia Siniawski, Mexico City. Editing by Sergio Non and Himani Sarkar.
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Sweden claims ship confiscated in Baltic Sea was falsely flagged, and one crew member has been notified of the crime
The Swedish police announced on Saturday that a ship taken by 'Sweden' in the Baltic Sea was sailing under a false flag and had been suspected of 'violating maritime law and the national ship-safety act due to its lack of seaworthiness. Johan Andersson said at a press briefing that one crew member had been notified of the suspected violation of national and international laws. The police and coast guard took control on Friday of the Guinea-flagged Caffa off southern Sweden. They said it was unclear about its flag status, and therefore suspected of being a stateless vessel. Andersson said on Saturday that "our investigation has confirmed our suspicions, and we are of the opinion that this ship is a sea vessel with extensive safety deficiencies." He said that he had also received information that the ship would be on the Ukraine sanctions list. Andersson stated that the majority of the 11 crew on the?Caffa ship, which, according to?ship-tracking service MarineTraffic, is a 96 meter general cargo vessel, are Russian.
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Floods in Nairobi kill 23 and disrupt flights at a major airport
Authorities said that aid workers pulled bodies from the floodwaters in Nairobi after flash floods began over night. The floods killed 23 people and swept away cars, disrupting flights at East Africa’s largest airport. William Ruto, Kenyan president, said that he has deployed a team to coordinate rescue efforts. This includes soldiers. He also offered condolences for the communities affected. In a statement on social media, he added: "I've also ordered that food relief from our?national strategically reserves be released immediately and distributed to the families affected by floods." John Lomayan (34), a security guard in the industrial area of Grogan, saw the body of a man trapped under a car washed away when the Nairobi River burst its banks. He pointed up the road and said: "I saw him getting carried by the water up there." "We didn’t know where he was. We only just now see him underneath the car. John Mwai, a bus driver in Kenya, described how he converted his bus to a rescue vehicle so that he could move people up to higher ground. Kenya Airways reported that rains disrupted some flights to Nairobi, forcing them to divert. Scientists claim that global warming is causing droughts and floods to worsen in East Africa, by concentrating rain into short bursts of 'intense rainfall. A 2024 World Weather Attribution Study found that climate change made the likelihood of devastating rains twice as high as it was before. The reporter saw three bodies pulled from underneath cars. A reporter saw three dead bodies being pulled out from under cars. Some of the dead were electrocuted due to damaged power lines. Kenya Power, the national provider of electricity, said that water had damaged equipment in a substation. It listed 14 affected neighbourhoods. "I don't even know how many cars there are, or what all the stuff is. All washed away. "All of the water came from that river," said Cedric Mwanza, an astonished resident, referring the Nairobi River. Humphrey Malalo contributed additional reporting from Nairobi. Tim Cocks is the writer. Mark Potter (editing)
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Ten people killed by flash floods in Nairobi, disrupting flights at a major airport
Authorities said that aid workers pulled bodies out of floodwaters in Nairobi after overnight flash flooding killed at least ten people and swept away dozens cars. Flights at East Africa's largest airport were also disrupted. John Lomayan (34), a security guard in the industrial area of Grogan, saw the body of an elderly man that he recognized - a roadside seller. The car had been washed out by the Nairobi River. He pointed up the road and said: "I saw him being carried by water up there." "We didn't even know where he was. We only just now see him underneath the car. Three bodies were pulled out from under cars by a reporter. The police said that 10 people have been confirmed dead so far. Scientists claim that global warming worsens floods and dry spells in East Africa because it concentrates?rainfalls into shorter, intense bursts. The 2024 World Weather Attribution Study found that climate change made the likelihood of devastating rains twice as high in the region. Kenya?Airways reported that the rains disrupted?flights into Nairobi, forcing some to divert their flights to Mombasa. "I don't even know how many cars there are, or what all the stuff is. All of it was (washed away). "All of the water came from that river," said Cedric Mwanza, a shocked resident. (Written by Tim Cocks. Mark Potter edited the text.
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Shipper MSC introduces emergency fuel surcharge
Shipping company MSC announced on Saturday that it would implement a fuel surcharge for all cargo from the Mediterranean (including West Mediterranean and Adriatic Sea, East Mediterranean and Greece) and Black Sea, to the Indian Subcontinent, the Red Sea and East Africa. This will be effective March 16, 2019. The surcharge was set at $30 per twenty-foot equivalent unit for dry containers and $50 per TEU refrigerated containers from the Mediterranean, Black Sea and Red Sea. The world's largest ocean container carrier said that dry containers traveling from the Mediterranean, Black Sea, and East Africa would be charged at $60 per TEU. Refrigerated containers, however, will be charged at $90. MSC will also charge a surcharge for dry containers of $40 per TEU from the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea, to the Indian subcontinent. For refrigerated containers the surcharge is $60 per TEU. (Reporting by Chandni Shah in Bengaluru. Mark Potter edited the article.
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At least seven people were killed in Kharkiv by Russian drones and missiles.
Russian officials reported that overnight on Saturday, Russia fired a barrage of drones and missiles into Ukraine, killing at least seven people, including two children, in Kharkiv. Volodymyr Zelenskiy, the Ukrainian president, said that Russia had launched 480 drones as well as 29 missiles against the energy sector and rail infrastructure in the country. "Partners should respond to these brutal attacks against life," Zelenskiy said on Telegram. "Russia is not giving up its efforts to destroy Ukraine's critical infrastructure and residential areas, so?support should continue," Zelenskiy said. He urged partners to continue their air defence and weapon supplies. Oleh Syniehubov said, Kharkiv Regional Governor, that seven people were killed, including two kids, after a Russian missile struck a five-storey building. He said that rescue workers are still clearing rubble from the site. According to?Syniehubov, the Russians attacked Kharkiv and damaged seven residential apartment buildings, 'commercial and administrative' buildings, electricity distribution lines and cars. Officials in Ukraine said that Russia attacked four railway stations in central Ukraine and other rail infrastructure, as well as port infrastructure in the southern Odesa area. They also claimed that containers containing vegetable oil were set on fire and a grain storage facility was damaged. Reporting by Olena Hartmash. Tom Hogue, Mark Potter and Tom Hogue edited the article.
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Azerbaijan claims to have foiled Iranian plots, including a plan to attack a major pipeline
Azerbaijan has said that it prevented several "terrorist" sabotage plots by Iran's Islamic?Revolutionary?Guard?Corps (IRGC), which included a plot to target a major oil pipeline running -through the South –Caucasus and into?Turkey. According to the Azertag news agency, a statement from the State Security?Service late Friday night, targets included the Baku, Tbilisi, Ceyhan (BTC), oil pipeline and the Israeli Embassy in Azerbaijan. Also, there was an Ashkenazi Synagogue as well as a leader of an ancient Jewish group in Azerbaijan known by the Mountain Jews. Iran has not responded to the statement. BTC is a pipeline that travels through?Georgia, Turkey, and Europe to deliver oil. It also accounts for about a third of Israel's oil imports. The Middle East war is now in its second week. Any damage to the?infrastructure of the BTC pipeline could increase global energy prices. Azerbaijan's statement was made just one day after Baku had vowed retaliation for what it claimed were four Iranian drones that intruded into its Nakhchivan Exclave and injured four people, as well as damaging airport infrastructure. Iran denied that it had sent the drones to Azerbaijan. Baku reported that an investigation revealed that 'two Iranian citizens and an Azerbaijani citizen had colluded in bringing over seven kilograms C-4 'explosive?into Azerbaijan under the orders of the IRGC. Four people have been issued with international arrest warrants. Azerbaijan ordered the evacuation of its diplomats from Iran on Friday, citing'safety concerns.' This comes amid already strained relations between the two nations over Baku’s ties with Israel and Turkey.
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Airline pilots are faced with increasing stress as the war continues to spread. They must contend with drones and missiles.
In recent years, airline pilots have been faced with a growing number of risks. From drone incursions to conflict-induced flight paths, the dangers are increasing. The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran have made the skies more dangerous, increasing the pressure for those who fly through them. As a result of the 'outbreak of war' in the Middle East, hundreds of ballistic rockets and attack drones have been launched above some of the busiest airports around the globe. Tehran has retaliated against the U.S., and its allies by hitting airports. Scores of flights were grounded from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. A small number of rescue flights have been able to reach thousands of passengers. Eight pilots and more than half a dozen aviation and security experts said that the accumulation of conflicts, from Ukraine to Afghanistan to Israel has increased the burden for pilots. They are forced to manage a shrinking airspace as well as the use of military drones away from active war zones. This has increased the stress on pilots who are desperate to ensure the safety of themselves and their passengers. "We aren't military pilots." Tanja Harter is a Middle East-experienced pilot and the president of the European Cockpit Association. She said that the current crisis was the latest of a series of security threats to the aviation sector over the years. This could cause pilots "fear and worry." She said that airlines have peer-to-peer programs, and as a pilot, she would not want "to share airspace with missiles." Industry experts say that airspace safety has deteriorated over the past two and a half years due to an increase in conflicts. This is due to a combination GPS spoofing, which involves intentionally tricking planes as their location, and increased drones and missiles. Air France's flight from the United Arab Emirates to return stranded French nationals was forced to turn back on Thursday due to missiles. On Friday, a Lufthansa flight diverted to Cairo from Riyadh due to regional security concerns. FLYING HIGHER IS THE BEST WAY TO AVOID MISSILES The head of Lebanon's Civil Aviation said that pilots trained in the Middle East have grown accustomed to emergency situations. The escalating war put these skills to the ultimate test. On March 5, video footage showed smoke rising from buildings in Beirut as planes took off. "Lebanon's Civil Aviation Authority Director General, Captain Mohammed Aziz said that Middle East pilots are always facing crises. We trained them from the beginning on how to handle contingencies, emergency situations and other things." No one can guarantee they won't or won't bomb an airport. One Middle East Airlines pilot with over a decade's experience says routes to Beirut are more complicated. He said that shoulder-fired missiles used by the Lebanese army had a maximum range of 15,000. Pilots therefore increased their altitude in order to avoid being hit. They also carried extra fuel to be prepared in case of a forced divert. Most missile strikes are still far enough away to not be a threat, and most pilots are too busy to even think about them. He said, "You are so busy on the plane making sure that you have permission to land and everything is in order that you don't even have time to think about what's going on outside the plane." DRONES DISRUPT EUROPEAN AERIALPORTS Risques are not limited to the Middle East. Drones have been a major weapon for both sides since the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine. Drone disruptions have been reported in airports from Stockholm to Munich - though the cause has not yet been confirmed. Airline Captain Christian von D'Ahe is concerned by this 'emerging' threat. He has been a commercial pilot for over 15 years, and is the head of the Danish Air Line Pilots Association. Von D'Ahe stated that drones were not easy to detect. We can see them flying in the sky, and they are very small. "So sooner or later something will happen." Drones that damage an aircraft's wings or engines can cause a total loss of power. Drones, on the other hand, do not emit any signal. This leaves pilots in a 'dark place. Airport radars are unable to detect drones. There are specialised radars, but they are usually operated by the military or law enforcement. Dedrone, which produces counterdrone technologies, reported that there will be over 1.2 millions drone?violations? in the U.S. by 2025. There's not much you can do Airports can counter drones using radar, frequency sensors, and jamming devices, while other systems can "spoof them off their course". Airports are not allowed to shoot down drones due to safety concerns. Tim Friebe is an air traffic controller based in Germany, and vice president of the Air Traffic Controllers European Unions Coordination. He said that drones are a growing threat to airports. We have reports from pilots or controllers who spot drones. He said that there is not much one can do other than shutting down an airport. According to a half dozen industry officials, drones caused the closure of some of the biggest airports in the world, from Munich to London Gatwick, last year. This prompted operators to upgrade their foreign object detection and drone detection systems. Moritz Burger is a German commercial pilot who recalled seeing an object which looked like a ballon with a structure beneath it as he was about to arrive at a European Airport. I was looking out of the window when an object passed just below our plane. He said that he could only see it for a maximum of two seconds. It was a startling sight and he had no time to react. When you come across a near miss or a passing object, the time is too short to react. It is therefore unrealistic to think that pilots can fly around an object of this size. "There's not much we can do."
ADNOC manages offshore output and onshore operations continue
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company announced on Saturday that it was 'actively managing offshore production levels to meet storage requirements amidst the U.S. -Isaeli war on Iran', and its onshore operations are continuing.
ADNOC stated in a press release that "this approach will preserve operational flexibility and enable the company resume normal operations with no prolonged delay."
Eight-day war has now blocked shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - the vital waterway that supplies 20% of the world's oil and LNG. Analysts predicted that the UAE and Saudi Arabia would soon be forced to reduce production as their oil reserves fill up.
ADNOC stated that its operations were 'continuing' and that it was using export capacity which?bypasses strait, as well as international storage facilities to guarantee supply continuity to global market.
The UAE can bypass this strait by using the Abu Dhabi Crude Oil Pipeline (also known as the Habshan Fujairah Pipeline). The pipeline transports oil directly from Abu Dhabi to Fujairah, on the Gulf of Oman. It has a daily capacity of between 1.5 million and 1.8 million barrels.
"Business units ?are assessing the situation on a product-by-product and transaction-by-transaction basis, considering the ongoing disruption that is ?affecting shipping through the Strait of Hormuz," it ?said.
ADNOC said it has activated protocols that are well-established and works closely with authorities to safeguard its people, assets and operations. Kuwait Petroleum Corporation cut oil production on Saturday, declaring force majeure. This was in addition to the earlier reductions of oil and gas from Iraq and Qatar. Yousef SABA, Timothy Heritage and Jan Harvey edited the report.
(source: Reuters)