News

Tornado death toll in U.S. rises to 29

Published

3 years ago

April 3, 2023

Residents in the affected areas have been assessing the damage as cleanup efforts begin.

The death toll from violent storms that whipped up tornadoes in the South and Midwest over the weekend rose to at least 29, as residents in the affected areas assessed the damage and began a daunting cleanup effort.

U.S. President Joe Biden declared a “major disaster” in Arkansas on Sunday, ordering federal aid to help with the recovery.

In Tennessee, the Department of Health confirmed seven weather-related deaths near the Mississippi border.

Officials reported four deaths in Illinois, including one in Belvidere, where a 50-year-old man died at a concert after the theatre’s roof collapsed, which left another 40 people injured.

Officials also reported deaths in Indiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

One person was killed in Delaware, according to an ABC News affiliate, after a line of powerful storms tore through the region on Saturday night.

The National Storm Prediction Centre warned of severe weather on Sunday in parts of Texas around Dallas and Fort Worth, including a “strong tornado or two.”

The Storm Prediction Centre also forecast severe weather for Tuesday in much of the Midwest between Chicago and Little Rock.

News

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

Published

2 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Ahron Young

What’s happening in the Middle East?

President Donald Trump says Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has been killed
Iran is entering a transitional period, with a three man leadership council temporarily taking control
The U.S. military confirms three American service members were killed in the joint Israeli U.S. operation
The White House says U.S. forces have destroyed and sunk nine Iranian naval ships
Israel and the United States continue strikes on Iranian targets, with Tehran launching missile and drone retaliation across Israel and Gulf states
Shipping, aviation and oil markets have been disrupted, with civilians fleeing major cities amid escalating tensions

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

1 day 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

1 day 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.