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Rising Tensions Leave Ships Stranded in Key Oil Passage

Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz ⁠was closed for a fourth day on Tuesday, choking off a key artery accounting for about 20% of global oil and gas supply. Greece’s Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Vassilis Kikilias, has raised urgent concerns over an increasingly alarming situation in the Strait of Hormuz, where dozens of vessels remain stranded amid escalating conflict involving Iran. He emphasized the need to safeguard global shipping and protect seafarers as the strategic waterway—responsible for roughly 20% of global oil and gas flows—remains closed for a fourth consecutive day.  The closure has disrupted international trade routes and heightened anxiety across the maritime sector. Greek authorities have urged shipowners to exercise maximum caution and avoid high‑risk zones in the wider Persian Gulf region as tensions continue to rise. The prolonged shutdown underscores the vulnerability of global supply chains to geopolitical instability and highlights th...

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Tragedy in Fes: Building Collapse Claims 19 Lives

Emergency personnel search for victims in the rubble of two collapsed buildings in the Al Massira area of Fes late on December 9, 2025.  


At least 19 people were killed and 16 others injured after two residential buildings collapsed in Morocco’s historic city of Fes on Wednesday.

The four-storey structures, located in the Al-Mustaqbal neighborhood, were home to eight families. Local reports indicated that children were among the victims, intensifying national grief. Rescue teams and civil protection units rushed to the scene, while videos shared online showed frantic efforts to pull survivors from the rubble.

The injured were transported to the University Hospital Centre in Fes for treatment. Authorities evacuated the surrounding area as search operations continued, though the cause of the collapse remains unclear.

This disaster has renewed concerns over unsafe housing and ageing infrastructure in Moroccan cities. Fes has witnessed similar tragedies before, including a fatal collapse in 2024 that killed five people. The incident comes just weeks before Morocco is set to host the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), with Fes among the tournament’s venues.

Officials have launched an investigation, while residents mourn the loss of families caught in the collapse. The tragedy underscores the urgent need for stronger housing safety measures in Morocco’s urban centers.

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