News

Olympics off to a winning start for Japan

Published

5 years ago

July 21, 2021

Tokyo’s divisive Olympic Games don’t officially begin until Friday, but the sporting action has already started.

The Tokyo Games have got off to a winning start for the host nation, with Japan crushing Australia 8-1 in a spectator-less softball clash in Fukushima.

This was the first softball game played at the Olympics in over a decade, after the sport was dropped from the program after the 2008 Games.

Two other softball games, as well as the first of the women’s football matches, are also being played today ahead of the opening ceremony on Friday.

It comes amid widespread domestic opposition to the Games taking place

A majority of Japanese people also don’t believe the Olympics will be “safe and secure”, despite that being promised by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

68% of respondents to a poll published by the Asahi newspaper this week don’t believe organisers can keep the Games safe.

The first COVID-19 cases amongst competitors staying in the Athletes Village were recorded on the weekend. Games organisers have so far reported 79 infections that are linked to the Olympics.

“Solidarity and determination”

The chief of the World Health Organisation has addressed International Olympic Committee members in Tokyo, telling them “it is my sincere hope the Tokyo Games succeed“.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says “the mark of success…is not zero risk” but “is making sure that any cases are identified, isolated, traced and cared for as quickly as possible and onward transmission is interrupted.”

“It’s my sincerest hope that they succeed not only for the sake of the games themselves and the safety of the athletes, trainers and officials, but as a demonstration of what’s possible with the right plans and the right measures.”
Dr. Tedros

Doctor Tedros says he hopes these games will “be the moment that unites the world, and ignites the solidarity and determination we need to end the pandemic together”.

News

Iran live updates: Trump claims Khamenei dead as Iran insists he remains in command

Published

14 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Ahron Young

What’s happening in the Middle East?

President Donald Trump says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed.
Trump describes the moment as the greatest opportunity for the Iranian people to “take back their country”.
Iran insists its leader is “firmly commanding the field”.
Israel and the U.S. have carried out strikes on Iran.
Impacts have been reported in Israel and across Gulf states as Iran launches retaliatory attacks.
The escalation has sparked fear and panic, with civilians fleeing major cities.

News

U.S. and Israel strike Iran as missiles hit Gulf bases and oil surges

U.S. and Israel launch major military operation against Iran; tensions rise as conflict escalates, impacting global markets.

Published

14 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Ahron Young

U.S. and Israel launch major military operation against Iran; tensions rise as conflict escalates, impacting global markets.

The United States and Israel have launched a sweeping military operation against Iran, striking leadership targets and more than 500 military sites in what President Trump has dubbed Operation Epic Fury.

Explosions have rocked Tehran, with civilians fleeing the capital as U.S. sea and air assets carry out sustained attacks. Washington says the mission is designed to prevent a nuclear armed Iran and has even called on Iranians to rise up against the regime.

Iran has retaliated with a barrage of missiles and drones targeting Israel and U.S. bases across the region, including in Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. While many projectiles were intercepted, a U.S. base in Bahrain sustained damage.

Gulf states long seen as stable hubs for global business are now directly in the firing line, raising fears of a wider regional war.

Oil prices are climbing and tankers are diverting from the Strait of Hormuz as markets react to the escalating conflict. U.S. aircraft carriers, advanced fighter jets and missile destroyers remain in position, signalling more strikes could follow.

With global leaders scrambling diplomatically, the world is watching to see whether this spirals further or shifts back to negotiations.

News

Iran warns ships to avoid Strait of Hormuz

Iran warns ships to avoid Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions and military buildup in the region

Published

16 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Ahron Young

Iran warns ships to avoid Strait of Hormuz amid rising tensions and military buildup in the region

In Short:
– Iran’s Guard Corps advises ships to avoid the Strait of Hormuz due to rising tensions.
– Tankers have diverted to Qatar and UAE amidst concerns over safety and potential Iranian threats.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has instructed ships to avoid the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping lane linking to the Persian Gulf. About a hundred merchant vessels transit the strait daily, according to the U.S.Tensions have escalated recently as the U.S. increased military presence in the region and Iran issued threats. Western nations are concerned about Iran potentially laying sea mines to disrupt commercial traffic. Currently, no evidence suggests Iran has mined the strait.

Ships have been repeatedly warned against entering the strait, as stated by crews in the area and the European Union’s naval command, Aspides. On Saturday, dozens of tankers diverted, with some seeking refuge in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates while others opted to steer clear of the region, as reported by oil brokers and shipowners.

Shipping Concerns

Tensions continue to impact shipping operations as carriers remain cautious in the Gulf region.

Tanker crews reported hearing explosions near Iran’s Kharg Island, which is vital for the country’s oil exports, as it handles 90% of its crude oil shipments.