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Friday March 13, 2026 Oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates on March 11, 2026 The U.S. military is “not ready” to escort oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Thursday, as Iran keeps the strategic waterway largely shut and global oil prices whipsaw. Wright told CNBC that the market shock is a “short-term disruption,” predicting the war would last “weeks, not months.” He cast the current squeeze as “short-term…

WASHINGTON — The United States is dispatching additional Marines and warships to the Middle East as the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran enters its third week, amid escalating attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz and a renewed surge in global oil prices, according to multiple U.S. media reports. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Japan-based amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli and attached Marines are en route to the region. The New York Times said as many as three ships carrying roughly 2,500 Marines were…

Erdogan vows to keep Turkey out of regional war as Ankara says it intercepted Iranian missile ANKARA, Turkey — President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pledged Friday that Turkey will not be drawn into the escalating conflict between a U.S.-Israeli alliance and Iran, even as Ankara said it intercepted another Iranian missile that entered Turkish airspace. Speaking at a Ramadan fast-breaking dinner, Erdogan disclosed that Turkish defense systems had downed a third Iranian ballistic missile crossing into the country’s airspace. He said…

Fire aboard USS Gerald R. Ford injures two; carrier remains operational in Red Sea RED SEA — Two U.S. sailors sustained non-life-threatening injuries after a fire broke out Thursday aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, the U.S. Navy said, adding the ship remains fully mission capable as it continues operations in the Red Sea. In a statement, the Navy said the blaze started and was contained in the Ford’s main laundry facility and was not combat-related. The sailors were treated and are in stable condition. “There…

Pentagon elevates probe into Iranian girls’ school strike as preliminary findings point to possible U.S. role WASHINGTON — The U.S. military said today it has elevated its investigation into a Feb. 28 strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school in southern Iran, following media reports that preliminary findings indicate U.S. forces were likely responsible. Iran says 168 children were killed, a toll that, if confirmed, would make it among the deadliest civilian casualty incidents linked to U.S. military action in the Middle…

Arab League hails Somalia’s revised constitution as ‘historic milestone’ despite opposition backlash MOGADISHU, Somalia — The Arab League on Friday welcomed Somalia’s adoption of a revised federal constitution, calling it a historic step in the country’s state-building and a boost to political stability, even as domestic opponents questioned the process and timing. Ahmed Aboul Gheit, secretary-general of the League of Arab States, said the Somali Parliament’s approval of the new charter and its entry into force complete a…

Somali traders dominate entire swaths of commerce across East and Central Africa—fuel distribution, cross-border transportation, cement imports and wholesale food supply. Their shops are busy, warehouses stacked high, and trucks constantly on the move. Yet beneath this visible dynamism lies a quieter, more consequential truth: a set of habits that quietly erode margins, breed fragile businesses, and undermine the very institutions entrepreneurs depend on. At its core, the Somali trading model thrives on speed, trust networks…

Domestic Petrol Prices Rise Amid Global Supply Concerns Initial hopes for a reduction in domestic petrol prices sparked by the International Energy Agency (IEA) announcing that oil-producing nations would ramp up production now appear to be short-lived. Just as expectations rose, the Iranian government's alarming statement regarding the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical global supply route—sent international oil prices surging again. This unexpected turn of events followed assurances of price cuts from…

Domhnall Gleeson, Maura Tierney and director Lee Cronin were honored in Los Angeles as the Oscar Wilde Awards marked their 20th anniversary, spotlighting Irish talent in the final days before the Academy Awards. The annual celebration, staged by the US-Ireland Alliance, has grown into a staple of Oscars week, recognizing the creative contributions Ireland makes to film, television and music. This year’s ceremony took place at the Ebell of Los Angeles, with comedian Matt Walsh hosting and performances by Dermot Kennedy and…

Six U.S. airmen were killed when a U.S. military refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday during an in-flight incident involving another aircraft, U.S. Central Command said Friday. The military said the loss was not the result of hostile or friendly fire. Six crew members confirmed dead; investigation underway Crash involved a second aircraft that landed safely U.S. says no hostile or friendly fire; Iran-backed group claims responsibility Deaths bring U.S. toll to 13 since operations against Iran began Feb. 28…