Only nine oil tankers, cargo and container ships, some of which at times concealed their position, have been recorded crossing the Strait of Hormuz since Monday, according to MarineTraffic data analysed by AFP.
Daniel Berger opened up a substantial lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Friday, carding an impressive 68 to sit 13 under par midway through the tournament at Florida's challenging Bay Hill course.
The Milan-Cortina Winter Paralympics started on Friday with an opening ceremony marked by Russian athletes being booed as they paraded behind their national flag for the first time since 2014.
Technology
Four years ago, NASA purposely smashed a spacecraft into a small asteroid to see if they could deflect it -- a test to prove humanity could protect Earth from threatening space rocks.
March 06, 2026
RECENT NEWS
- Tom Brady flag football event moved from Saudi to Los Angeles: reports
- UN chief slams 'unlawful attacks', says Mideast could spiral out of control
- Middle East war a new shock for financial markets
- Only nine commercial ships detected crossing the Hormuz Strait since Monday
British detectives investigating sexual assault claims against late business magnate Mohamed Al-Fayed said Friday they had questioned three women on suspicion of "aiding and abetting rape" and "human trafficking for sexual exploitation".
March 06, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Crude prices surged higher Friday as oil fields in Iraq came under attack and US Donald Trump demanded Iran's unconditional surrender, while stocks slumped after data showed a surprise drop in jobs in the United States.
March 06, 2026
Antoine Dupont on Friday urged France to stay focused on beating Scotland at Murrayfield rather than become distracted by thoughts of another Six Nations title.
March 06, 2026
From Kurdistan in western Iran to the shores of the Gulf and in Tehran, AFP reporters have spoken to Iranians throughout the week to build a picture of their lives under daily US and Israeli bombardment.
March 06, 2026
Sports
Barcelona swept to a domestic treble last season but fell agonisingly short in the Champions League, beaten in the semi-finals by Inter Milan, making it their clear priority this year.
March 06, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Ukraine is preparing to despatch military drone specialists to Gulf states to help them fend off Iranian-designed drones -- something the Ukrainian army has been doing since the start of Russia's invasion.
Roma, battling for a Champions League spot in Serie A, will be without Argentine striker Paulo Dybala for over six weeks with a knee injury, Italian media reported on Friday.
As US and Israeli war planes pummel Iran with daily strikes, witnesses say that civilian deaths, damage to infrastructure and anxiety are mounting while security forces remain an intimidating presence on the streets.
Maro Itoje has called on England to "take the game to Italy" as they seek to salvage some pride in Rome on Saturday after the collapse of their Six Nations campaign.
March 06, 2026
Politics
Planet Labs PBC, a leading provider of high resolution images taken from space, said Friday it would hold back for 96 hours images of Gulf states targeted by Iranian drone attacks.
March 06, 2026
RECENT NEWS
Scotland captain Sione Tuipulotu has urged his team to rise to a "massive" challenge when they host champions France at Murrayfield on Saturday as they seek to stay in the Six Nations title race.
President Donald Trump said Friday that only Iran's "unconditional surrender" would bring an end to the Middle East war, as Tehran was rocked by some of the heaviest US-Israeli strikes of the spiralling, week-long conflict.
The US Justice Department released additional files Thursday related to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including previously withheld FBI interview summaries containing uncorroborated allegations that President Donald Trump sexually assaulted a minor decades ago.
The United States and France have promised to secure oil shipping threatened by the Middle East war, but experts warn warship availability and Iran's wide range of weaponry could make this complicated.
March 06, 2026
- Italy have to start beating the best, says captain Lamaro
- India's Bumrah only 'human' says Phillips ahead of T20 World Cup final
- Oil prices climb as Mideast war rages, stocks fall on US jobs
- US retail sales decline as consumer pullback deepens
- War in Middle East raises stagflation fears in Europe and beyond
- UN demands swift probe into Israeli strikes on Lebanon
- Chelsea happy to rotate goalkeepers, says Rosenior
- Soaring gas prices spark renewed debate about European electricity