US inflation slows in July as energy prices briefly retreat amid Strait of Hormuz disruption
US consumer inflation slowed in July as energy prices eased briefly, but the data still showed persistent pressure from fuel costs linked to disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. Consumer prices rose 0.1% from June and were 3.4% higher than a year earlier, according to the Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. The figures point to a modest monthly cooling, while leaving the broader inflation picture elevated.Energy prices fell 1.5% over the month, yet remained 14.7% higher than in July last year. Petrol prices dropped 2.9% month on month, but were still up 39.1% year on year, underscoring how... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 12 Aug 2026 17:29 LONDON
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Iran keeps Strait of Hormuz closed as security chief links reopening to US demands
Mohsen Rezaei, Iran's newly appointed security chief, has reiterated that the Strait of Hormuz will remain closed until the United States ends what Tehran calls the war and blockade, releases frozen Iranian assets and agrees to a region-wide ceasefire. He made the comments after meeting China's ambassador to Tehran, in a fresh sign that Iran is tying the maritime dispute to wider diplomatic and military demands. The statement keeps pressure on one of the world's most sensitive shipping routes, where commercial traffic remains disrupted.Rezaei said any arrangement with Oman over the strait is separate from Washington, suggesting Tehran is still... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 12 Aug 2026 16:59 LONDON
Strait of Hormuz transit falls to one-week low as Trump repeats control claim
Transit through the Strait of Hormuz fell to a one-week low on Tuesday, with only eight vessels crossing the waterway, according to the supplied material. The drop comes as talks aimed at easing the wider conflict remain stalled and shipping continues to face heightened risk. The strait is one of the world's most important maritime chokepoints, so even a short-term fall in traffic has immediate implications for energy flows and freight movement.The new figures compare with roughly 130 to 140 vessels before the war, underscoring how sharply traffic has been reduced. The supplied rows also say the latest count was... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 12 Aug 2026 16:29 LONDON
Trump says the U.S. has total control of the Strait of Hormuz and will keep it
President Donald Trump made multiple posts on Truth Social in the last hour: A. has total control over the Strait of Hormuz. Our Naval Blockade is being called, by everyone, "A WALL OF STEEL, " and there is nothing Iran can do about it. They have no Navy, they have no Air Force, their remaining soldiers are unpaid, the IRGC is decimated and fleeing, and their "Leadership" is uncertain, at best! They have No Money - Their country is "shot." All they have is FAKE NEWS and 300% INFLATION, and getting worse! Iran is all talk and no action, the... [Continue Reading]
Breaking-360LiveNews | 12 Aug 2026 16:00 LONDON
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Breakfast News Recap: Middle East shipping crisis deepens as Colombia quake toll climbs and North Korea fires missile
Rescue teams in Colombia are still searching for survivors after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake killed 216 people, with the death toll continuing to rise as emergency crews work through the wreckage. đź”—In the Middle East, oil prices climbed again as renewed attacks on shipping sharpened fears over the Strait of Hormuz and other vital maritime routes. Iran's top security official said the strait will stay closed unless the United States meets Tehran's conditions, while the US military said it disabled a Panama flagged ship near an Iranian port after repeated warnings were ignored. đź”— đź”— đź”—The maritime violence widened further... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Recap | 12 Aug 2026 08:36 LONDON
US military disables Panama-flagged ship near Iranian port as blockade enforcement continues
US Central Command said a Navy MH-60 helicopter fired missiles into the engine room of the Panama-flagged M/V Vela Nova after the vessel ignored repeated warnings and tried to approach an Iranian port. The command said the ship was disabled on Tuesday and was no longer transiting to Iran in violation of the US blockade. The incident was described as the third forced halt since Washington reinstated the blockade on 14 July.CENTCOM said it has redirected 55 ships that tried to run the blockade and boarded two others as of Tuesday. It also said the earlier blockade period, from 13... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 12 Aug 2026 04:31 LONDON
Houthis blamed for deadly Bab al-Mandeb cargo ship attack as death toll rises to six
Yemen's internationally recognised government says a Houthi attack on the Egyptian-owned cargo vessel Tihamah in the Bab al-Mandeb strait killed at least six people and wounded 10 others. The strike, which officials described as a double-tap attack, is the latest escalation in a key maritime corridor linking the Red Sea to the Gulf of Aden. It also marks the first shipping deaths linked to the Houthis since the wider conflict involving Iran intensified, according to the supplied reports.Yemen's Transport Ministry said three Pakistani nationals and one Indonesian national were among those killed after the Houthis fired three ballistic missiles at... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 12 Aug 2026 04:29 LONDON
Breakfast News Recap: Ebola spreads in Congo as Middle East tensions, Ukraine strikes and oil risks mount
The World Health Organization says the Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is still spreading, with health teams struggling to keep pace as the response lags behind the virus. đź”—In the Middle East, violence has widened on several fronts, with Houthi forces launching ballistic missile attacks on al Makha and Marib in Yemen, while UN peacekeepers said Israeli forces fired 455 projectiles into south Lebanon and breached Lebanese airspace 97 times over the same period. đź”— đź”—Gaza diplomacy also remains stalled after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formally rejected a 15 point peace plan drafted by the US... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Recap | 11 Aug 2026 08:36 LONDON
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Day News Recap: Ukraine strikes deep in Russia as heat, war and security alerts spread
Ukraine said its drones hit the Taneko refinery in Nizhnekamsk in Russia's Tatarstan region, in an attack that also struck a hostel, as the death toll from the wider strike rose. đź”—Oil prices climbed sharply as traders lost hope that the Strait of Hormuz would reopen soon, with the prolonged closure keeping one of the world's most important shipping routes under pressure. đź”— Iran also appointed former Revolutionary Guard commander Mohsen Rezaei as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, a move that comes as talks over the strait continue. đź”—In the Middle East, Yemen's Houthis renewed missile and drone... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Recap | 10 Aug 2026 18:21 LONDON
Breakfast News Recap: China evacuates a million as wildfires, drones and Gaza tensions dominate
More than one million people have been evacuated across eastern China as Typhoon Dolphin brings heavy rain, flooding risk and transport disruption, while Hong Kong recorded its hottest day ever after the storm pushed warm air over the city. đź”— đź”—In Canada, British Columbia is battling fast moving wildfires that have forced about 22,000 people from their homes, with one 80 year old woman killed while trying to leave and federal aid now approved. đź”— đź”—Russia said its air defences intercepted 456 Ukrainian drones overnight across around 15 regions, including Tatarstan, in one of the largest reported drone attacks of... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Recap | 10 Aug 2026 08:36 LONDON
Iran reacts cautiously as Mecca defence pact expands to include Turkiye
Iran has responded cautiously to a new mutual defence pact signed in Mecca by Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye, with officials stressing Muslim unity and a reduced reliance on the United States. The agreement says an armed attack on one of the three countries will be treated as an attack on all, raising questions about how the arrangement could affect regional security. Iranian officials have not described the pact as an immediate threat, but the development has drawn attention in Tehran because of its possible longer-term implications.Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that when Muslims stand together, they... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 09 Aug 2026 20:31 LONDON
Royal Navy reports surge in Russian warships and shadow-fleet activity near UK waters
The Royal Navy says it has seen a sharp rise in Russian naval activity around UK waters, with patrols tracking warships and shadow-fleet tankers in the Dover Strait, the North Sea and the North Atlantic. The latest report says operations to monitor Russian vessels rose by 25% in July compared with the same month last year. It also says British patrol vessels were deployed to follow Russian frigates escorting tankers linked to sanctions evasion.According to the report, HMS Tyne, HMS Mersey and HMS Severn monitored the Russian ships Neustrashimy and Admiral Grigorovich during the month. HMS Tyne also tracked Neustrashimy... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 09 Aug 2026 13:31 LONDON
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Houthi attacks kill at least 10 in Yemen's Marib as fighting intensifies
Houthi attacks in Yemen's Marib province have killed at least 10 people, including eight members of government forces and two civilians, according to officials and a military source cited in the supplied material. The strikes hit the oil-rich province on Friday and were reported to have affected both military positions and civilian areas. The violence marks a further escalation in a region that has been relatively stable under a truce that began in 2022.A Yemeni military source said 12 others were wounded in the attacks on government forces, while the health minister for the Saudi-backed government said shelling struck residential... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 07 Aug 2026 22:32 LONDON
Iran and Oman agree shipping-route coordinates as Trump says war may end soon
Iranian officials are reviewing a preliminary bill that would bar US, Israeli and other "hostile" vessels from transiting the Strait of Hormuz, according to reports cited by a parliamentary source. The development comes as Iran and Oman said they had agreed on coordinates for shipping routes through the strait, a waterway that remains central to global energy and maritime security. The latest comments also follow remarks by Donald Trump that he believes the war with Iran is nearing an end and that he is involved in negotiations.The reported bill is being examined by an Iranian parliamentary committee, while Iran's Fars... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 07 Aug 2026 13:00 LONDON
US push for Hormuz naval coalition stalls as Europe hesitates
The United States is still trying to assemble an international naval mission for the Strait of Hormuz, but key European partners appear reluctant to move ahead. The effort is aimed at escorting vessels through the strategically vital waterway, where disruption has continued to strain the global economy. According to the supplied material, the United Kingdom and France had previously left open the possibility of taking part, but now seem unwilling to proceed without clearer conditions.The reporting says Washington has spent months promoting the idea of a coalition to secure shipping in the strait. It adds that the plan was first... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 07 Aug 2026 12:00 LONDON
Taiwan president joins emergency evacuation drill during Han Kuang exercises
Taiwan's President William Lai has taken part in an emergency evacuation drill as part of the island's annual Han Kuang military exercises. The drill was carried out during the wider series of exercises running from 5 August to 14 August. It was presented as part of preparations for a potential Chinese invasion.The confirmed details indicate that the evacuation drill involved the president directly, underlining the symbolic and practical importance of the exercise. The annual Han Kuang drills are Taiwan's main military preparedness exercises, and this year's programme spans 10 days. The timing of the drill, described as taking place in... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 07 Aug 2026 07:02 LONDON
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Sea drones and explosive-laden robots could help clear Strait of Hormuz mines
Preparations are under way for a possible mine-clearing operation in the Strait of Hormuz, with uncrewed surface vehicles, underwater drones, explosive-laden robots and helicopter-mounted lasers among the tools being discussed. The waterway is one of the world's most important shipping routes, and any reopening effort would begin with removing or neutralising sea mines. The report says the challenge would fall first to the US military and its allies if a deal is reached to reopen the passage.The Strait of Hormuz has long been treated as a strategic chokepoint because of the volume of energy shipments that pass through it. The... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 07 Aug 2026 02:30 LONDON
Netanyahu signals possible unilateral action as Iran war drags on
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested that Israel may act alone as the war with Iran continues, even as Washington and Tehran appear close to an interim deal on the Strait of Hormuz. The remarks came during a state ceremony in West Jerusalem and were framed by Netanyahu as a matter of Israel's security. The comments add to signs of strain in the US-Israeli campaign against Iran and raise fresh questions about the next phase of the conflict.Netanyahu said he was determined to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and described the United States as Israel's greatest ally.... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 06 Aug 2026 18:30 LONDON
Saudi Arabia names commander for new maritime defence coalition
Saudi Arabia has appointed Rear Admiral Abdullah bin Salem Al-Shehri to lead a new multinational maritime defence coalition focused on protecting navigation through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. The announcement marks the first command appointment since the coalition was formed on July 30. The move signals that the group is now shifting from its launch phase into planning and coordination.The Saudi Ministry of Defence said Al-Shehri will oversee joint naval defence, coordinate with member states and work with other maritime coalitions under the alliance charter. The ministry said the coalition is intended to... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 06 Aug 2026 17:07 LONDON
Fear the Shia, Arm the Sunnis: The Uncomfortable Numbers Behind America’s War Narrative
“When fear is managed carefully enough, a nation can be taught to look away from the blood on the floor and stare instead at the shadow on the wall.” A friend of mine, whose name I will not reveal because he asked me not to, sat across from me over dinner and placed a question on the table that would not leave me alone. He was born into a Muslim Shia background, and for the angle of this article, that detail matters, not because I wish to reduce a man to a sect, but because sect has become one of... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 23 May 2026 08:00 LONDON
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GAS, GOD, AND GUNS: The Secret Agenda Behind the Washington Talks and the Death of the Maritime Border
The mahogany tables of the U.S. State Department are hosting a ghost today. As official delegations from Israel and Lebanon convene for a third round of high-stakes negotiations this Friday, May 8, 2026, the air in Washington is thick with the scent of a "peace" that looks increasingly like a strategic ambush. While the world watches the diplomatic theatre, the reality on the ground in Southern Lebanon tells a story of a predatory recalibration. Prime Minister Netanyahu isn’t just looking for a ceasefire; he is aiming to hit three birds with one single, devastating stone: the annexation of land, the... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 08 May 2026 12:29 LONDON
The Mirage of the Umbrella: The Shifting Sands of the U.S.-Israel-GCC Alliance
As I sat in a recent debate at the historic Carlton Club in London, listening to Faisal Abbas, the Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, I felt a tangible shift in the room, not because a new fact had been revealed, but because an old illusion had finally lost its last breath. The old-world order has not merely changed, it has evaporated, leaving the Gulf to realize it is no longer watching a distant fire from the safety of marble towers and air-conditioned ministries, but is instead standing directly inside the smoke. The GCC today is caught in a lethal crossfire between... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 29 Apr 2026 21:40 LONDON
Shadows of Fire: The Long Arc of Iran–United States Tensions
A Region on Edge: The Latest Escalation In recent months, tensions between Iran and the United States have intensified once again, fueled by disputes over regional security, nuclear development, maritime incidents in the Persian Gulf, and the broader strategic balance in the Middle East. Officials in Washington have expressed renewed concern over Iran’s uranium enrichment levels, while leaders in Tehran have accused the United States of economic warfare through sanctions and diplomatic isolation. The fragile equilibrium that followed earlier rounds of indirect negotiations appears increasingly strained, with both sides engaging in sharp rhetoric at the United Nations, reinforcing military postures... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews-Opinion | 19 Feb 2026 08:49 LONDON
