The slick off the coast of Oman from a grounded tanker carrying Russian crude had reportedly reached the mainland by Wednesday

International News via Reuters:

A vast oil spill in the Gulf is quickly becoming one of the world’s worst in years after being allowed to spread almost unchecked for weeks, according to international agencies, satellite imagery and environmental groups.

The slick off the coast of Oman from a grounded tanker carrying Russian crude had reportedly reached the mainland by Wednesday, the U.N.’s shipping agency told Reuters.

The slick now covers an area of more than 2,000 square km, said John Amos, an oil spill specialist who reviewed satellite imagery obtained by Reuters.

The Caroline Bezengi, carrying an estimated 800,000 barrels of Russian oil and under international sanctions, ran aground on June 30 at an Omani island that is part of a marine nature reserve.

The ship first reported difficulties off Yemen on June 8. Maritime sources said a blast appeared to have occurred aboard the Caroline Bezengi.

No party has claimed an attack, but the vessel was navigating two separate wars on its journey from Russia to India.

In April it sailed from the port of Novorossiysk on the Black Sea, a flashpoint in the Russia-Ukraine war. Ukraine has carried out assaults on a so-called shadow fleet carrying Russian oil, which the Caroline Bezengi is part of. 

It then passed through the Suez Canal at the end of May, ship-tracking data shows, before sailing past Yemen, where the Iran-aligned Houthi militants have entered a wider regional war between the United States, Israel and Iran.

A web of complex war- and sanctions-related rules governing shipping and oil spills is already hampering efforts to respond and could yet get in the way of halting an impending disaster, insurers and analysts say.

The IOPC Funds, an intergovernmental agency dealing with tanker spills compensation, told Reuters it would not be involved in clean-up costs because the incident was being treated as an “act of war” rather than a simple accident.

The 25-year-old tanker is also not insured by any recognised Western insurance provider.

“A nightmare scenario is there’s no adequate response to keep the worst from happening,” said the oil spills specialist Amos, CEO of SkyTruth, a nonprofit organisation aiming to strengthen environmental conservation through the use of satellite images.

Amos said that in this case, the vessel would “continue to break up under the steady onslaught of wind and waves and to lose the entire cargo and that could be a spill upwards of 40 to 50 million gallons.”

Amos said this would rival the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill in sheer size.

The ship is similar in size and capacity to the Sanchi, an Iranian ship that collided with a freighter off China in 2018 in the world’s worst oil tanker disaster in decades.

RAPIDLY SPREADING SLICK

The spill, first detected by analysts in early July, has begun reaching the Omani mainland, the U.N.’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) said.

“Oil is drifting offshore to the northeast of (Oman’s) Al-Qibliyyah Island, with some oil reported to be reaching the mainland. Oil spill contingency planning is in place,” an IMO spokesperson told Reuters.

The IMO said that seasonal monsoon conditions had limited access to the tanker and delayed salvage operations.

Satellite imagery shows it grounded at Al-Qibliyyah Island, part of a nature reserve that includes the Hallaniyat Islands, putting wildlife including endangered turtles, humpback whales and coral reefs at risk.

Oman said on Monday the slick covers almost 400 square kilometres. It has not responded to Reuters requests for further detail or comment on the containment efforts, but said it had used booms to try to stem the spread.

Environmental agencies and oil spill specialists put it at up to several times that size, and say that the spread has accelerated dramatically since the beginning of August.

Greenpeace on Tuesday reported a quickening spread.

“The affected area went from around 45 square km by the end of July, to 150 at the beginning of August. And then within two days, it quadrupled to 600 by the 4th or 5th of August,” said Hanen Keskes, political campaigns lead for Greenpeace in the Middle East.

Amos’s assessment of 2,000 square km means it has swelled by more than 40 times since the beginning of August.

He said that measures required, beyond the use of booms, including stabilising the vessel and transferring whatever crude oil was left onboard to another tanker.

“The longer we wait, the more damaged and decrepit that tanker gets, the more complicated and difficult and potentially dangerous that salvage operation is going to be,” he said.

Reporting by Jonathan Saul in London, Catherine Cartier in Beirut, Kate Abnett in Brussels, Dmitry Zhdanikov in London, Imad Creidi in Dubai; writing by John Davison; editing by Alison Williams and Jason Neely

By Wednesday afternoon, one Indonesian had been confirmed dead and 172 people had been evacuated to ports in Bali and Lombok

International News via Reuters:

Indonesian authorities rescued 172 people on Wednesday after a ferry travelling from the tourist island of Bali caught fire in waters off Lombok, officials said, as the search continued for any other missing passengers. 

The KM Putri Yasmin ferry left Padangbai port in Bali for Lembar port in Lombok in the province of West Nusa Tenggara, said Muhammad Hariyadi, the head of the local rescue agency. 

The incident took place in the Lombok Strait at 4:39 a.m. on Wednesday (2039 GMT Tuesday), Hariyadi told Reuters.

By Wednesday afternoon, one Indonesian had been confirmed dead and 172 people had been evacuated to ports in Bali and Lombok, Hariyadi said.

Of the survivors, one was Australian and the rest were Indonesian.  

“We have deployed some boats to carry out the evacuation and coordinate with other boats surrounding the location of the incident,” Hariyadi said, adding that more than 200 personnel had been deployed to handle the operation.

It was unclear how the ferry caught fire, or whether overcrowding was a factor. 

Earlier in the day, an official at Padangbai port in Bali, Heri Wiyanto, told local broadcaster Kompas TV that only 114 passengers and 17 crew were registered in the ferry’s manifest. 

The incident took place less than a month after another ferry, KM Mutiara Sentosa 2, caught fire off Madura island, killing five people. The vessel was also carrying more people than its manifest showed.  

Indonesia, an archipelago of 17,000 islands, relies heavily on ferries as a key mode of transportation, with sea routes more affordable and readily available than air travel.

However, safety standards are not always rigorously enforced, resulting in a relatively high rate of accidents.

Reporting by Ananda Teresia; Editing by John Mair and David Stanway

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on X that the company has the option to backstop up to $125 billion, or 25% of the potential deals

International News via Reuters:

Nvidia said on Monday it has partnered with six major financial institutions to launch compute financing platforms aimed at raising over $500 billion in third-party capital for AI infrastructure.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on X that the company has the option to backstop up to $125 billion, or 25% of the potential deals.

The move highlights how surging demand for AI computing capacity is drawing institutional investors, as governments, companies and startups race to build out data centers to support AI workloads.

Big Tech companies have signaled that spending on AI would ​not slow down, with combined outlays set to surpass $730 billion this year.

Nvidia signed memorandums of understanding with Apollo, BlackRock, Blackstone, Brookfield, Goldman Sachs and KKR for the financing platforms. 

The initiative is intended to broaden access to Nvidia-based infrastructure among frontier AI developers, enterprises, governments and cloud providers, while creating longer-duration, usage-linked investment opportunities for large asset managers and private capital firms.

“These financing platforms will help customers access scarce compute at scale and build the AI factories that will power every industry and country in the age of AI,” Huang said.

Nvidia said the arrangements would “create dedicated pools of capital at significant scale at attractive rates” for its customers.

The company did not disclose the financial terms, investment commitments by individual firms or a timetable for deploying the planned $500 billion.

The Financial Times had reported the development first on Monday, later confirmed by Reuters. 

Reporting by Isla Binnie in New York and Juby Babu in Mexico City, additional reporting by Max A. Cherney in San Francisco; Editing by Jonathan Ananda and Shinjini Ganguli

Authorities were expecting up to 6 million visitors in mostly rural areas within the eclipse’s path across northern Spain and the Balearic Islands

International News via Reuters:

Millions of people across Spain and Iceland geared up to witness a total solar eclipse on Wednesday, packing their protective glasses and travelling to areas where the rare astronomical event can be observed in full. 

Humans’ fascination with eclipses is well-documented. Historically, the sudden darkening of the sky was often interpreted as an omen, a cosmic struggle or a sign of divine power.

Modern-day skywatchers seek to experience the same uncanny sensation when day briefly turns into twilight and some animals fall quiet as the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun.

“I hope that tonight will see the emergence of a wonderful generation of astrophysicists,” said Juan Cruz, Spain’s Secretary of State for Science. “It’s such a special moment.”

Authorities were expecting up to 6 million visitors in mostly rural areas within the eclipse’s path across northern Spain and the Balearic Islands, Cruz said. In Spain, the eclipse will be quickly followed by the sunset, making the event particularly alluring. 

Since this year’s eclipse coincides with one of the highest-risk periods for wildfires, Spain has rolled out a massive police operation and public safety campaign.

The government also views it as a chance to showcase seldom-visited regions and help address concerns about overtourism on the coast by redistributing crowds away from saturated beach resorts. 

The Iberian Peninsula last saw a total solar eclipse in 1912. It is set to experience another one on August 2, 2027, and an annular eclipse in January 2028, completing the so-called “Iberian Eclipse Trio.”  

ECLIPSE FEVER IN THE LAND OF SAGAS

In Iceland’s capital Reykjavik, eclipse glasses have been sold out for days as the Nordic country of roughly 400,000 people expects to welcome up to 80,000 visitors.

A narrow path of totality will reach Iceland’s westernmost coast at about 5:44 p.m. (1744 GMT), before the Moon’s shadow races east.

Totality will last up to 2 minutes and 13 seconds in the far west, though most cities will see shorter periods of darkness. Authorities have warned of heavy traffic and urged viewers to arrive early.

Singer Björk was due to perform a DJ set at an eclipse-themed event south of Reykjavik. 

U.S. space agency NASA plans to fly a high-altitude WB-57 aircraft from Iceland to follow the Moon’s shadow, and NASA-funded teams will launch balloons to study how the sudden darkness and cooling affect the lower atmosphere.    

“Oh man, it’s so cool,” said Krista Kern, a visitor from North Carolina who described her expectations of totality as a “whole-body feeling,” adding though she was nervous about the Icelandic weather.

CHASING THE SHADOW

Aside from casual observers, the event also draws “eclipse chasers”, enthusiasts who crisscross the globe to be in the path of totality whenever an eclipse occurs. 

Gordon Telepun, a retired plastic surgeon and amateur astronomer from the U.S. who has photographed six total eclipses, said he would watch from the island of Mallorca because Spain checked all the boxes for eclipse chasers.

“It has pretty reasonable weather chances in August, a decent totality duration at over one-and-a-half minutes and is easy to travel to,” he said.

Reporting by Corina Pons, David Latona and Guillermo Martinez in Spain; Tom Little in Iceland and Stine Jacobsen in Denmark; Writing by David Latona; Editing by Andrei Khalip and Nick Zieminski

Two Yemeni rescuers from an anti-Houthi military group were also killed in the Bab el-Mandeb attack, Yemen’s Coast Guard said

International News via Reuters:

Four crew members were killed in an attack by Iran-backed Houthis on a cargo ship in the Bab el-Mandeb strait on Tuesday, Yemen’s transport ministry said, while the U.S. military said it struck a container ship attempting to sail toward an Iranian port.

Two Yemeni rescuers from an anti-Houthi military group were also killed in the Bab el-Mandeb attack, Yemen’s Coast Guard said.

The fatalities aboard the Egyptian-owned Tihamah, if confirmed, would mark the first deaths in a Houthi strike on shipping since the Iran war began on February 28.

Later in the day, the Houthis confirmed they attacked a ship in the Bab el-Mandeb, which they said was carrying Saudi military equipment but did not name the ship.

The Saudi Center for International Communication did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

The British navy-affiliated agency UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported one incident in the strait on Tuesday, saying a ship was hit by an unknown projectile.

Reuters was able to confirm the cargo ship as Tihamah by the shape of the deck and mast of the ship, which matched archive imagery of the vessel. Corroborating visuals from the dock matched satellite imagery and topography mapping of the area.

Ship-tracking data showed the vessel Tihamah near Murad, Yemen, on August 11. The date was verified by two Yemeni coast guard sources and two military officials in the government who said a small cargo ship was attacked by Houthis. British maritime security company Ambrey also said there was an attack on the vessel on August 11.

Three Pakistanis were killed in the attack, Pakistan’s foreign minister confirmed. The Yemeni ministry said one Indonesian was also killed, adding the crew lost control of the vessel after being attacked.

Two rescuers from the National Resistance Forces (NRF), an anti-Houthi force, were also killed when the Houthis struck again after rescue crews arrived, the Yemeni Coast Guard said.

Ten people were injured, including seven crew members, two Coast Guard personnel and one NRF member, according to the Coast Guard.The Houthis declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea on July 20 in response to what they described as a Saudi siege. Riyadh denies that Yemen is under siege.

The incident occurred while the ship was at anchor northeast of Perim Island, Yemen, British maritime security group Ambrey said.

ATTACK OFF PAKISTAN

Separately, U.S. Central Command said it had fired two Hellfire missiles, disabling the steering gear of the Panama-flagged container ship Vela Nova while it was sailing in the Gulf of Oman toward an Iranian port.

The vessel ignored repeated warnings to stop violating a naval blockade on Iranian ports, Central Command added.

It is the 12th vessel attacked by U.S. forces since its blockade was announced in April and the third since the blockade was reimposed on July 14.The ship recently made port calls in Mumbai and Port Klang, Malaysia, where Iran-linked ships have also been spotted, said Charlie Brown, senior advisor at U.S. advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, which monitors Iran-related tanker traffic using ship and satellite tracking.

“The reported U.S. disabling and stopping of the Panama-flagged Vela Nova near the blockade line in the Gulf of Oman, after its recent Mumbai port call alongside these vessels, underscores the heightened scrutiny now being applied to Iran-related shipping,” he said.

The ship was believed to have been hit some 71 nautical miles (131 km) off Pakistan’s coast, UK maritime risk management group Vanguard said.

SHIPPING TRAFFIC

Shipping through the Bab el-Mandeb strait and Red Sea has fallen by more than 50% since an earlier wave of Houthi attacks on shipping from 2023 to 2025.

Traffic has fallen further since the Houthis announced their blockade last month, with an average of 32 ships per day passing through the strait last week, according to Kpler data, down from an average of 50 before the blockade.

Ambrey noted the cargo ship, which sources said was the Tihamah, was not Saudi-owned or operated and that it had departed the Yemeni government-held port of al-Mokha on Saturday.

LSEG data lists Egyptian companies as owners and managers of the ship. Neither responded to emails and phone calls seeking immediate comment.

Traffic is even more disrupted in the Strait of Hormuz, with just six ships passing through on Monday, down from a 10-day average of about 11 and prewar levels of some 130 to 140.

Reporting by Mohammed Ghobari in Aden, Jonathan Saul in London, Nerijus Adomaitis in Oslo, Maha El Dahan and Tala Ramadan in Dubai; Additional reporting by Edward Carron and Monica Naime; Writing by Nayera Abdallah and Nafisa Eltahir; Editing by Michael Georgy, David Goodman, Jason Neely and Jamie Freed

Chemicals company Covestro said the lack of transport capacity could not be offset fully despite shifting volumes to trucks and trains wherever possible

International News via Reuters:

German companies are reporting growing disruption from Rhine water levels that have hit record lows, with chemical producers, utilities, steelmakers and agricultural traders warning of higher costs, transport bottlenecks and curbed production.

While Germany has not yet suffered the widespread production outages experienced during previous Rhine crises, traders said on Tuesday it was no longer possible to book some cargo shipments after weeks of drought and companies are increasingly reporting operational issues.

Chemicals company Covestro said the lack of transport capacity could not be offset fully despite shifting volumes to trucks and trains wherever possible and it has declared force majeure for polyether polyols made at its Dormagen site, used in mattresses and refrigerator insulation.

COMPANIES FACE HIGHER FREIGHT COSTS

The Rhine is one of Europe’s main arteries for transporting grains, fuels, minerals and manufactured goods, but its shallow waters are increasingly leaving companies facing higher freight costs and a lack of suitable alternatives.

“Alarm bells are ringing loudly: the extremely low water levels are increasingly pushing logistics and supply chains to their limits,” Wolfgang Grosse Entrup, CEO of German chemical industry association VCI, told Reuters.

Production at rival Evonik’s Marl chemical park has been hampered by reduced cargoes, it said without disclosing further details.

State-owned utility Uniper, meanwhile, pointed to lower output at its German hydroelectric plants, chiming with similar comments from local rival EnBW last week.

Salzgitter, Germany’s second-largest steelmaker, said that the low Rhine levels had forced it to transport coal via train from Rotterdam to its HKM division.

“The current situation shows that we need to pay greater attention to waterways as part of our critical transport infrastructure,” Tim-Oliver Mueller, head of the German Construction Industry Federation, told Reuters.

“Low water levels cannot be prevented.”

He said certain construction materials could not easily be transported by road or rail because of capacity shortages and high volumes, with up to 150 trucks needed to replace a single barge.

At German agricultural trader RWZ, company executive Katharina Stelzer described the prospect of Rhine levels falling further as “catastrophic”.

Stelzer said that in normal years, the company usually shipped 50,000 metric tons or more from its water terminals in the German cities of Worms and Andernach in the months of July and August.

She said that RWZ has not even shipped 10% of that volume in the comparable period this year and was switching to more expensive truck transport.

“If Rhine levels do not recover in October, things will get really challenging for us,” she said.

Reporting by Patricia Weiss and Christoph SteitzAdditional reporting by Petra Wischgoll, Petra Haverkamp, Emanuele Berro and Anastasiia KozlovaEditing by Matt Scuffham and David Goodman