International
South Korea Successfully Navigates First Oil Tanker Through Red Sea Amid Strait of Hormuz Blockade
A South Korean oil tanker has safely transited the Red Sea, marking the country’s first successful crude oil shipment via this alternative route since the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year.
The development comes as South Korea intensifies efforts to secure its energy supplies amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and the blockade of one of the world’s most vital oil chokepoints, triggered by the prolonged conflict involving Iran.
According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, the tanker, which loaded crude oil at Yanbu port in Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea, has now exited the waterway. President Lee Jae-myung welcomed the news, describing it as a positive step for the nation’s energy security.
“It is good news that our vessel is transporting crude oil via the Red Sea for the first time since the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz,” President Lee posted on social media, commending officials and the crew for their efforts.
The move forms part of a broader strategy to diversify import routes and reduce reliance on the blocked Strait of Hormuz.
South Korea has already secured more than 270 million barrels (approximately 273 million barrels according to some reports) of crude oil and naphtha from the Middle East and Kazakhstan through alternative channels unaffected by the crisis.
These supplies are expected to sustain the country’s needs for several months.
Officials noted that the government plans to deploy additional Korean-flagged vessels to the Red Sea port of Yanbu in phases to further stabilise imports, despite risks such as potential threats from Houthi rebels in the region.
The successful transit highlights growing global shifts in energy logistics, as import-dependent nations adapt to disruptions in traditional shipping routes caused by the ongoing Middle East conflict.
South Korea, which relies heavily on Middle Eastern oil, continues to explore bypass options, including discussions on alternative pipelines and storage facilities, to ensure uninterrupted energy flows and protect its economy from volatility.
International
FG hails Elias’ election to UN International Law Commission
Elias emerged successful in a competitive election conducted to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Kenya’s representative, Professor Phoebe Okowa. Candidates from Ghana and Botswana also contested the seat.
The Federal Government has hailed the election of Nigerian international legal expert, Taoheed Elias, into the United Nations International Law Commission during the commission’s 77th session held in Geneva.
Elias emerged successful in a competitive election conducted to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Kenya’s representative, Professor Phoebe Okowa. Candidates from Ghana and Botswana also contested the seat.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Ebienfa, the government described the election as a recognition of Nigeria’s contributions to the development of international law and multilateral diplomacy.
The government said Elias brings decades of experience in international legal affairs to the commission, having previously served as Registrar of the International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals with the rank of United Nations Assistant Secretary-General.
CNN’s founder Ted Turner / AFP
Ted Turner, the flamboyant US entrepreneur who transformed television news with the creation of CNN in 1980, has died at the age of 87, the network said Wednesday.
The mustached southerner, yachting enthusiast and philanthropist, whose empire also included sports clubs, had been suffering from the degenerative disease Lewy Body Dementia.
Cable News Network upended established broadcasting with its dedication to around-the-clock breaking news and shot to global recognition with its coverage of the Gulf War in 1990-91.
The 24-hour network was the first in the United States to run non-stop news and quickly built a worldwide footprint.
Correspondents brought live coverage from major events ranging from the collapse of the Soviet Union to the Chinese crackdown on the Tiananmen Square protests.
CNN’s decision to keep reporters in Baghdad amid US bombing on the Iraqi capital cemented the network’s reputation as an indispensable source of breaking news.
International
Explosion at China fireworks factory kills 21 people
Authorities deployed nearly 500 personnel to conduct search and rescue operations and treat the injured, while robots were used to help find those trapped within the building.
A blast at a fireworks factory in China’s Hunan province has killed 21 people and left 61 wounded, according to state media.
The explosion at the Huasheng Fireworks plant happened at around 16:40 local time (08:40 GMT) on Monday, in the city of Liuyang, leading rescuers to evacuate everyone within a 3km (1.9mi) radius of the plant.
Authorities deployed nearly 500 personnel to conduct search and rescue operations and treat the injured, while robots were used to help find those trapped within the building.
Police, who are investigating the cause of the blast, have taken “control measures” against the person in charge of the fireworks company, Chinese state media reported.
Authorities said that two gunpowder warehouses within the factory area posed a high risk amid rescue efforts, state media reported.
Rescue teams had to evacuate everyone within a 3km (1.9mi) radius of the fireworks plant.
They also implemented measures like humidifying the area to “prevent secondary accidents during the rescue”.
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