News

Live updates: Ships hit in Strait of Hormuz as US, Israel and Iran trade strikes  NewsNation

Donald Trump to Newsweek on Hormuz Opening: ‘Working Out Very Well’  Newsweek

Middle East crisis live: three ships hit in strait of Hormuz as ‘largest ever’ oil reserve release agreed by 32 countries  The Guardian

IEA to release one-third of total oil reserve stock to combat energy crisis Sean Mathews on Wed, 03/11/2026 - 16:12 Vessels carrying Iranian crude for China have been passing through the Strait of Hormuz, but it's effectively closed for western ships A general view shows Ras Tanura's oil production plant near Dammam in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province, on 27 December 2004 (Bilal Qabalan/AFP) Off The International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday that its member countries agreed to unlock 400 million barrels of oil from their reserves, as the US-Israeli war on Iran cut off supplies from the Gulf. "The oil market challenges we are facing are unprecedented in scale; therefore, I am very glad that IEA member countries have responded with an emergency collective action of unprecedented size," IEA executive director Fatih Birol said. The release is a historic record for IEA member countries and far exceeds the 182 million barrels of oil they released in 2022 after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine jolted energy markets. The US, UK, France, Germany, and Turkey are just some of the 32 IEA members that hold over 1.2 billion barrels of public emergency oil stocks, with a further 600 million barrels of industry stocks held under government mandates. "The emergency stocks will be made available to the market over a timeframe that is appropriate to the national circumstances of each member country and will be supplemented by additional emergency measures by some countries," the IEA said. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); The statement, however, left key questions unanswered. For example, it did not specify how many barrels per day would be released immediately to offset Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Separately, Japan announced that it would release roughly 80 million barrels from its reserves starting on Monday, equivalent to about 45 days of supply. If that oil hits the market next week, it could be more meaningful in the short term. Roughly 20 percent of the world’s seaborne crude and natural gas passes through the Strait of Hormuz. In sum, that is around 18 million barrels per day (bpd) of oil and four million bpd of refined product crossing the strait. The Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed for western vessels as a result of Iranian attacks and insurance companies dropping war risk coverage for vessels. But a shadow fleet of tankers that is used to ferry Iranian crude to China has continued to transit the waterway. In fact, Iran is exporting more oil than before the war, according to data from energy firm Keplr. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); 'Bottleneck' Oil and gas shipments from Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, the UAE, and Qatar, however, are effectively blocked from the Strait of Hormuz. The closure has put a spotlight on a 750-mile desert pipeline in Saudi Arabia. The East-West pipeline runs from the Abqaiq oil field on the kingdom's eastern Gulf coast to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, and can transport seven million bpd. 'Swinging into action:' The Saudi Arabian pipeline designed to bypass Hormuz Read More » The US and its allies have been able to keep the market price of Brent Crude in check by releasing reserves and leaning on Saudi Arabia’s pipeline, but experts say Brent’s price does not tell the whole story for the global economy. Brent was trading up 4.46 percent on Wednesday at $91.66 per barrel. The global economy, however, faces shortages of diesel, jet fuel, and fuel oil, which are refined products of crude oil. Releasing more Brent will not address those shortages unless Gulf refineries can resume exports through the Strait of Hormuz. “The bottleneck is in the refined products more than crude oil,” Arne Lohmann Rasmussen, chief analyst and head of research at Global Risk Management, told Middle East Eye. “The market and economists don’t understand this.” War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

U.S. casualties rising in Iran as concerns grow over oil supply in Strait of Hormuz  CBS News

France’s Macron says ‘no confirmation’ of Iranian mines in Strait of Hormuz  The Times of Israel

The International Energy Agency has agreed to release a record 400 million barrels of oil.

What to know about the Strait of Hormuz, a key passageway essential for global energy supply  WISN

What to know about the Strait of Hormuz, a key passageway essential for global energy supply  KCRA

Live - Iran mines Hormuz as Trump says few targets left  ایران اینترنشنال

Qatar announced a production halt at a facility last week and declared force majeure on LNG shipments.

Trump has ‘no answers’ on Strait of Hormuz: Jake Sullivan  The Hill

Attacks have targeted around 20 commercial vessels in or near the Strait of Hormuz, data analyst groups report, as the blockaded waterway becomes a front line in the Middle East war. Iran's quest to inflict maximum pain on the global economy in retaliation for US-Israeli strikes on its territory has all but shut the narrow strait through which 20 percent of global crude and LNG normally passes. Only a tiny fraction of the vessels that used to navigate the strategic waterway have made it through, while some have ended up in flames. - Vessels hit -

People on the coast of the United Arab Emirates can see oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz while playing on swings, riding horses and camping out on the beach near Khor Fakkan, as the war in Iran affects the global energy supply.

submitted by /u/Christian-Rep-Perisa to r/worldnews [link] [comments]

'If I don't work, I go hungry': The migrant workers risking their lives to keep the Gulf running Areeb Ullah on Wed, 03/11/2026 - 13:54 Migrant workers from across the Gulf share the experience of having no choice but to work despite the threat posed by Iranian missile strikes Migrant workers sit on a wall against the backdrop of the city skyline as they take a break in Dubai on March 11, 2026 (AFP) Off The day after the missiles struck the Gulf, a Bangladeshi delivery rider in Dubai was back on his bike. The roads were quieter than usual, but the tips were better. But for a Pakistani rider who has spent four years working 12-hour shifts in the same city, there was never really a choice. “I came here to earn money, and working in any situation has become a necessity for me,” the driver told Middle East Eye. “Although many people feel afraid, we riders still have to continue working with courage. I get paid for every delivery. So if I do not work, I may go hungry.” The worker is one of hundreds of thousands of cleaners, construction workers, drivers and security guards keeping the Gulf running as the region comes under attack by Iranian missiles. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Since the conflict between Iran, the US and Israel escalated, Iranian strikes have killed at least 12 civilians across the Gulf states. Notably, in the UAE, every civilian casualty so far has been a migrant worker from Bangladesh, Nepal or Pakistan. Among the dead was Saleh Ahmed, 55, from Bangladesh, who was killed while delivering water in the UAE on the first day of the war.  But as missiles target the Gulf, the region’s vast population of migrant workers - who make up the majority of residents in countries such as Qatar and the UAE - are being left to fend for themselves, according to a human rights organisation with researchers embedded in the affected countries. Mustafa Qadri, executive director of Equidem, told MEE that the organisation’s network of migrant worker investigators across the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Jordan has documented widespread panic, psychological trauma and systematic exclusion from official safety measures. “There is universal trauma, panic, worry, regardless of who the workers are,” said Qadri. Huge crude oil spike and Asia plummet: How the Iran war hit the markets Read More » “And I’m talking about workers that come from different countries, different jobs - both men and women.” Qadri said workers face two distinct forms of discrimination. The first is exclusion from official safety communications. While some formal statements have referenced all residents, workers on the ground say they have not received meaningful guidance on shelters, evacuation routes or emergency support. The second is structural discrimination. As essential workers in every sector of Gulf society - construction, hospitality, healthcare, security, domestic service and logistics - many of these workers are required to continue working through attacks, often moving toward danger rather than away from it. "There is a conscious choice made to get workers that are from relatively poor countries, who don't get paid as much and have a lot less power in the social dynamic of these countries, to do this difficult work - because they're less likely to complain or to demand protection," Qadri said. Particularly alarming, he added, is the situation of delivery riders and other gig economy workers, who remain on the streets while their wealthier clients shelter at home. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); And since the start of the conflict, more and more residents in the Gulf are using delivery services, opting to stay inside instead of venturing out to buy basic goods and necessities.  ‘Back to back orders’ MEE spoke to three delivery riders working for major platforms in the UAE, all of whom described continuing to work through the attacks with no instruction, support or choice. The drivers described an increased workload since the onset of the war and wished to remain anonymous to protect their employment. 'Although many people feel afraid, we riders still have to continue working with courage.... If I do not work, I may go hungry' - Pakistani delivery driver in Dubai A Bangladeshi rider who has worked for his company for two years said that on the day of the first attack, the roads were empty. But the day after, he was back out making deliveries. Customers, he noted, were tipping more generously than usual. A Pakistani rider based in Abu Dhabi, who has been in the country for five years, described the days immediately following the attack as relentless. With many local residents refusing to leave their homes, orders kept flooding in. “I worked day and night, taking only short rests,” he told MEE. He believed only around 70 percent of the usual number of people were out on the roads. People, he suspected, were bulk-ordering food and groceries in anticipation of the situation worsening. Another Pakistani rider in Dubai, who has worked for the same company for four years, described a system that offers no margin for fear. He lives in a shared rented room with friends, works 12-hour commission-based shifts, and said stopping was not an option. “The company only pays me for the orders I complete,” he said. “If I do not work, I do not earn anything.” As the attacks unfold, migrant workers are also becoming the primary witnesses documenting their impact. Much of the visual documentation of strike impacts circulating online has been captured and shared by migrant workers filming on their phones. The war on Iran has ignited rare civil unrest in Bahrain Read More » Earlier this week, Bahrain arrested five Pakistanis and one Bangladeshi worker for allegedly praising Iranian strikes while filming footage of the aftermath of the attacks. Qadri fears more workers could face arrest and bear the brunt of any further crackdown, particularly in the UAE, which has a strong track record of imprisoning people who film security-related incidents. "It's very similar to Gaza, where the most vulnerable people in a society become the eyes and ears in a conflict zone," Qadri said. "They should not face persecution for doing that." Compounding the crisis is the historically poor record of sending countries - among them Nepal, Kenya, India, Bangladesh and Ethiopia - in providing meaningful consular support to their nationals. While communities back home are pressing their governments to act, Qadri said the response so far has been inadequate. Workers on US and western military bases in the Gulf, many of them Nepali nationals hired specifically because of Nepal’s perceived neutrality, are thought to be particularly exposed. Standard operating procedures on such bases typically evacuate western civilians when risk rises - while essential services continue to be run by migrant workers who remain behind. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); "The US, which started this war, and other western nations, which are mostly indirectly supporting it - they've got a lot of political pressure to get their own nationals out of the region. So there's not much pressure from those states to make sure migrant workers are protected," Qadri said. Numbness In Qatar, Shaheen Abdullah was turning onto the main road near his house when the explosions began. He stopped the car. A piece of shrapnel, still on fire, fell directly in front of him. His family, in the car behind, saw everything. “I wish they hadn’t seen it,” he told Middle East Eye. He called the police. While they put him on hold, officers arrived and cordoned off the area. “I was stunned by the moment, but then I didn’t give it much thought.” Iran war and Hormuz shock fuels cost-of-living crisis across South Asia Read More » That numbness, he says, has become the norm. Abdullah runs a shop in Doha and describes a community of migrant workers who have no option but to absorb what is happening and carry on - the shops, restaurants and delivery services cannot close. “Nobody can take a day off,” he said. He also points to a sharp disparity in how different communities are responding. “Everyone is watching how European countries are evacuating their citizens,” he said. “But evacuations are not in the minds of people who have nothing to go back to. They can’t afford any of that.” When the conflict does come up in conversation within his community, Abdullah says the discussion rarely turns to personal safety. “The conversations are not about wellbeing or safety. They’re political and existential.” Trauma, he says, goes unspoken. “Mental health is passive. It’s about being prepared and navigating this if it prolongs. Spending 15 minutes of our day worrying about falling shrapnel is something people have made peace with.” War on Iran News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

U.S. Plan to Unblock Strait of Hormuz Collides With Realities of Global Insurance  WSJ

submitted by /u/Immediate-Link490 to r/worldnews [link] [comments]

Iran war and Hormuz shock fuels cost-of-living crisis across South Asia Tauseef Ahmad on Wed, 03/11/2026 - 15:00 India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka all suffering from spike in energy and fuel costs Kashmiris queuing for fuel, March 2026 (Junaid Bhat/MEE) Off When tensions erupted around the Strait of Hormuz in early March, the impact was felt far beyond the Gulf’s narrow shipping lanes.  Within days, the shock from the world’s most important energy chokehold rippled across South Asia, from petrol pumps in Karachi to vegetable markets in Dhaka and taxi stands in Mumbai.  With oil prices surging as the US-Israeli war on Iran escalated, governments across the region scrambled to contain rising fuel costs while millions of households began bracing for higher transport fares, food prices and electricity bills. For the people of South Asia, already grappling with high inflation, the surge in fuel costs is rapidly turning into a complete cost-of-living crisis, highlighting how vulnerable the global energy market is to geopolitical disruptions, particularly in the Gulf. For South Asian economies that rely heavily on imported fuel and natural gas - India gets 40 percent of its gas from Qatar - the surge has immediate consequences: higher transport costs, rising food prices, electricity shortages and growing pressure on already strained government budgets. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Roughly 20 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum products pass through the narrow Strait of Hormuz every day, accounting for nearly one-fifth of global oil consumption. “South Asia’s energy systems remain deeply tied to Gulf oil,” Fatima Rahman, an energy analyst at the Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad, told Middle East Eye. “When a geopolitical shock hits the Strait of Hormuz, the economic shock reaches households here within days,” Rahman said. Countries across South Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal, import the majority of their energy needs.  With limited domestic production and volatile currencies, even a modest increase in global oil prices can quickly strain public finances and household budgets. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Ramadan in Pakistan In Pakistan, the effects have been swift and visible. Petrol prices have risen by roughly 55 rupees (20 cents) per litre, pushing retail prices above 321 rupees ($1.15) per litre, while diesel has climbed to nearly 336 rupees ($1.20). For transport workers and small businesses, the increase has been immediate and painful. Ahmed Khan, a bus driver in Lahore who operates a route between the city’s suburbs and the old railway station, said his daily fuel expenses have surged in just a few days. “Earlier I spent around 6,000 rupees ($21) on diesel for a full day,” he said while waiting for passengers near Badami Bagh. “Now it’s close to 7,000 rupees ($25). I had no choice but to raise fares, otherwise I cannot run the bus.” (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Transport operators across Lahore have increased fares by 15 to 20 percent, adding pressure on commuters who already struggle with rising living costs. The price shock is also rippling through food markets. In Karachi’s Empress Market, vegetable vendors say transport costs have pushed prices up by nearly 10 percent within a week. For families observing the holy month of Ramadan, the timing has been particularly difficult. Sara Ahmed, a mother of three in Islamabad, said the cost of everyday items such as dates, milk and cooking oil has climbed noticeably. People wait to break their fast at an event during the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, in Karachi, Pakistan, February 2026 (Akhtar Soomro/Reuters) “We budget carefully during Ramadan,” she said. “But this year prices change almost every day. Even a small increase makes a difference for families like ours.” Pakistan’s government has introduced austerity measures to reduce fuel consumption. Schools in Punjab and Balochistan are scheduled to close for two weeks from 16 March, universities have shifted to online classes and public offices have adopted a four-day work week with partial remote staffing. Cabinet members have also agreed to forgo their salary for two months as part of cost-cutting efforts. Economists at the Pakistan Institute of Development Economics warn that sustained oil prices above $100 per barrel could add two to three percentage points to inflation, which already stood at about 23 percent in February. Meanwhile, the country’s foreign exchange reserves - estimated at roughly $8.5bn - could face additional strain as the import bill rises. Fuel rationing in Bangladesh In Bangladesh, where nearly 95 percent of energy demand depends on imports, the crisis has triggered fuel rationing and panic buying. Authorities have limited vehicles to 40 litres of fuel per purchase at petrol stations in an effort to prevent shortages. 'Without the generator we cannot manage the heat and the power cuts' - Fatima Begum, Dhaka resident In cities such as Dhaka and Chittagong, long lines stretching more than a kilometre have become a common sight as drivers wait hours for fuel. Fatima Begum, a Dhaka resident who relies on a diesel generator during frequent power outages, said she spent four hours waiting to buy fuel. “Without the generator we cannot manage the heat and the power cuts,” she said. “But fuel is becoming harder to find.” Electricity shortages have worsened as natural gas supplies tighten, forcing urban areas to endure power cuts lasting up to six hours a day. The disruptions are also affecting Bangladesh’s crucial export industries. In Chittagong’s garment district, factory workers say production shifts have shortened because of unreliable electricity. Rahim Uddin, a sewing machine operator at a clothing factory, said the changes have reduced his income. “My salary is the same, but I used to earn extra through overtime,” he said. “Now production stops early because of electricity problems.” Zahid Hussain, a former lead economist in Dhaka, said rising energy costs could significantly widen Bangladesh’s trade deficit. “For a country that imports nearly all its fuel, every $10 increase in oil prices puts serious pressure on the balance of payments,” Hussain said. Bangladesh’s inflation rate stood at about 9.5 percent in February, but analysts warn it could climb above 12 percent if oil prices remain elevated. India transport and cooking costs India, the world’s third-largest oil importer and a significant importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar, is being hurt by the Iran war. Petrol prices in Delhi have risen roughly 12 percent to about 108 rupees ($1.17) per litre, while diesel prices have reached around 95 rupees ($1.03). To cushion the impact, the government has released about five million barrels of crude from strategic reserves, but analysts say this is only a temporary measure.  A bird flies next to a logo of Indian Oil outside a fuel station in New Delhi, India, 4 March 2025 (Anushree Fadnavis/Reuters) For workers who depend on fuel for their livelihoods, even modest price increases can have significant consequences. Rajesh Singh, a taxi driver in Mumbai, said his monthly fuel expenses have increased by about 4,000 rupees ($44). “Earlier I could save some money after paying rent and fuel,” he said. “Now most of what I earn goes straight into petrol.” Higher transport costs are also beginning to hit food prices. In Kolkata, wholesale onion prices have increased by about 10 percent in recent days as trucking costs rise. In rural Uttar Pradesh, households report higher cooking gas prices, with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders approaching 950 rupees ($10). The Indian government has invoked emergency powers and directed oil refiners to maximise the production of LPG to try and prevent a shortage of cooking fuel. The country is the second-largest importer of LPG in the world. The gas, a mixture of propane and butane, is widely used as a primary cooking fuel in millions of Indian households, making stable supply critical. Structural inequality The shock of the war has been even more severe in smaller economies like Nepal and Sri Lanka. Iranian warship hit by US torpedo was 'defenceless', former Indian official claims Read More » In Sri Lanka, which is still recovering from the financial crisis that triggered mass protests in 2022, petrol prices have risen by roughly 18 percent. Authorities have introduced restrictions on imports of non-essential goods in an effort to protect foreign exchange reserves. In Nepal, petrol prices have increased, while the Nepal Oil Corporation has reduced fuel supplies to dealers by around 20 percent. Transport strikes in Kathmandu have disrupted food deliveries, pushing rice and vegetable prices upward. Across South Asia, rising energy prices are disproportionately impacting poorer households. Low-income families typically spend 15 to 20 percent of their income on food and energy, compared with roughly five percent for wealthier households. Energy analyst Anirban Mukherjee, based in Kolkata, said the current crisis exposes a deeper structural problem. “The lesson is clear,” Mukherjee said. “Energy security cannot rely solely on imported oil. Countries in the region need to accelerate investments in renewable energy and regional power cooperation.” War on Iran Sajid Raina Delhi Delhi News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

Iran threatens to stop oil through Strait of Hormuz  Sky News