The US military conducted strikes on Iran for a second consecutive day, targeting locations including Bandar Abbas and Bushehr province. President Trump stated the action was retaliation for Iran's earlier bombing of ships. The escalation follows an interim agreement to end a war, which Trump declared "over".
A tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was hit by a projectile on Saturday, amid escalating tensions between the US and Iran, with both countries violating an interim peace deal signed two weeks ago.
Explosions were reported near the Strait of Hormuz in Iran's southern coastal city of Sirik. The Mehr news agency stated a shell struck one of the piers. This follows a report by Axios that the US military conducted strikes in the area.
The H5N1 strain of avian influenza has been confirmed in Western Australia after two seabirds, a brown skua and a giant petrel, tested positive. Both birds have died, marking the first time the virus has reached Australia, raising concerns for wildlife and industry.
Mass protests, dubbed the 'flamingo revolution', have erupted in Albania over plans to build mega-resorts on Sazan island and the Zvërnec peninsula, backed by Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner. Locals and diaspora are outraged by the perceived exploitation of natural reserves and denial of access to cherished sites, fueling broader discontent with the government and oligarchic interests.
A large coastal development project in Albania, linked to Jared Kushner, is facing opposition from environmentalists and critics of Prime Minister Edi Rama. The luxury resort aims to boost tourism and EU aspirations but is planned for a wildlife reserve and a former military base.
A nine-meter southern right whale, entangled in fishing gear off New Zealand's Rakiura coast, was successfully freed after a multi-day rescue operation. Experts faced challenges due to the whale's size and unpredictable nature, but managed to cut it free, highlighting the species' vulnerability.
Five Mozambicans were killed in xenophobic attacks in Mossel Bay, South Africa, the Mozambican government reported. The violence, linked to protests against illegal immigration, also caused a road accident that killed two others. Hundreds of Mozambicans have been displaced and are being repatriated.
Norway’s energy minister says country has a ‘responsibility’ to address shortfalls caused by wars in Ukraine and Middle EastIn case of any doubt about Norway’s commitment to maintain – and expand – its production of gas and oil offshore, the energy minister, Terje Aasland, has a pithy response: “We will develop, not dismantle, activity on our continental shelf.”This week, to the alarm of environmental campaigners, he announced that three gasfields off the country’s southern coast would reopen by the end of 2028 – nearly three decades after they closed – to meet a shortfall caused by the impact of the war in Ukraine and disruption to supplies from the Middle East. Continue reading...
Sri Lanka's second international airport, built with Chinese loan funding near a wildlife sanctuary on the island's southern coast, has failed to generate revenue since opening in 2013. The airport, named after a former prime minister, has no regular flights and cannot cover its own electricity bills, straining state coffers. Analysts describe it as a vanity project that was sold based on proximity to Hambantota port, which has seen limited cruise traffic.
