The outbreak of hantavirus on a cruise ship carrying passengers from across the world is a situation that authorities say they are taking incredibly seriously. Three passengers have died either on board or after travelling on the ship, which set sail from Argentina a month ago. Four others have been medically evacuated from the ship for treatment. BBC – 7 May 2026 A huge operation is in place to trace people potentially exposed to the virus who have already taken flights home to numerous countries, including the UK, South Africa, the Netherlands, the US and Switzerland. Health experts stress the…
Author: Humaydh Sariffodeen
The exit of the United Arab Emirates from OPEC and OPEC+ will deal a heavy blow to the groups at a time when the war in Iran has caused a historic energy shock. DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday (Apr 28) it quit OPEC and OPEC+, dealing a heavy blow to the oil exporting groups and their de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, at a time when the Iran war has caused a historic energy shock and unsettled the global economy. The country said it would leave the organisations effective May 1. The stunning loss of the UAE, a longstanding OPEC…
Just when we were on the cusp of recovery, a bolt from the blue – and not for the first
Gas prices in the United States soared past $4 per gallon for the first time since 2022, as energy infrastructure is increasingly targeted and threatened by all major parties in the war. Overnight, a Kuwaiti oil tanker was struck by what Kuwaitis said was an Iranian drone attack. That came after US President Donald Trump threatened to “obliterate” Iran’s energy facilities if Washington and Tehran don’t reach a deal soon. CNN – March 30, 2026 At the same time, Trump and his administration claim talks with Tehran are still ongoing but they have offered little detail on who they are communicating with,…
Cyclone Ditwah created what seemed to be an insurmountable challenge. While raising
The global economy is under “major threat” from the energy crisis caused by the Middle East war, International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol said Monday (Mar 23). Speaking at the National Press Club in Australia’s capital, Birol described the crisis in the Middle East as “very severe” and worse than the two oil shocks of the 1970s, as well as the impact of the Russia-Ukraine war on gas, put together. “This crisis, as things stand, is now two oil crises and one gas crash put all together,” he said. CNA – 23 March, 2026 “The global economy is facing a major, major…
The U.S. dollar jumped on Monday as soaring oil prices sent investors scrambling for cash on worries that a protracted Middle East war could severely disrupt energy supplies and hurt global growth. The greenback pared some gains in the Asian afternoon on a Financial Times report that the G7 finance ministers will discuss on Monday a joint release of oil from emergency reserves coordinated by the International Energy Agency, which sent oil prices retreating slightly after they earlier spiked to just shy of $120 per barrel. Still, the euro and sterling were left trading 0.6% and 0.7% lower, respectively, while the Aussie…
Despite mounting speculation about regime change, analysts warn that without boots on the ground, any meaningful shift in Iran is more likely to stem from internal power dynamics than from external pressure. A US-Israeli strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has thrust the Islamic republic into one of its most uncertain moments in decades, raising questions over succession and the risk of wider regional escalation, analysts say. CNA: Mar 1, 2026 Khamenei was working in his office in Tehran at the time of Saturday’s (Feb 28) attack, state media said, which also killed his daughter, grandchild, daughter-in-law and son-in-law.…
Travel warnings have multiplied across the Middle East as the United States and Israel launched an attack on Iran on Saturday morning, with President Donald Trump confirming “major combat operations” are underway. Iran launched several retaliatory attacks on Saturday, targeting several Gulf nations, including the UAE, Bahrain, Doha, and Kuwait. The attacks follow failed negotiations in Geneva this week, causing an increasing number of governments to urge citizens to leave Iran, Israel and parts of the wider region. Airlines have also adjusted routes, suspended services and rerouted aircraft in response to rapidly shifting security risk assessments. Multiple Middle East airspaces have closed as a…
Source: CNN