Why the Red Sea could be the next choke point for the global economy

With the Strait of Hormuz blocked after the assault by the United States and Israel, Iran has threatened another vital maritime trade choke point: the Red Sea.

The Islamic Republic said this week that the 1,400-mile inlet dividing Africa and Asia was fair game for retaliatory attacks because of the presence of the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.

“Therefore,” any facilities supporting the carrier group “will be regarded as potential targets by Iran’s armed forces,” its military said Monday, according to the semiofficial Fars News Agency.

Whether Iranian forces would assault Red Sea shipping themselves remains unclear, but in recent years the Houthis, Tehran's proxy militia based in Yemen, have vastly reduced traffic through the waterway with attacks on vessels there.

Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the militant group's leader, said March 5 that “our fingers are on the trigger, ready to respond at any moment should developments warrant it.”

So far, however, unlike other members of Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” — Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iraq’s Shiite militias — the Houthis have not yet entered the fight, almost three weeks after the U.S. and Israel began strikes on the Islamic Republic.

“It is too soon to call whether they will ultimately join Iran’s retaliation or not,” said Burcu Ozcelik, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute, a London-based think tank.

more:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/war-and-conflicts/military-organizations/why-the-red-sea-could-be-the-next-choke-point-for-the-global-economy/ar-AA1YUS5R

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After striking Iran, US eases sanctions on Iranian oil to curb prices

Yuliia Taradiuk

Sat, March 21, 2026

The U.S. Treasury Department issued a temporary license on March 20 to waive sanctions on Iranian oil purchases at sea as a response to surging global oil prices triggered by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.

According to the license, the actions are in effect for 30 days, until April 19.

United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on March 21 that by releasing the 140 million barrels of sanctioned Iranian oil that China is hoarding at low prices, the U.S. could quickly ease temporary supply pressures in global markets.

"This temporary, short-term authorization is strictly limited to oil that is already in transit and does not allow new purchases or production," Bessent wrote on X.

Global oil and gas prices surged after the U.S. and Israel launched strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Tehran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz — a maritime chokepoint through which roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply flows.

Bessent stated that the Trump Administration has been working to bring approximately 440 million additional barrels of oil to the global market, undermining Iran's ability to exploit its disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

Previously, on March 12, the Trump administration has temporarily eased restrictions on Russian oil transit and purchases.

The Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) found that Russian oil revenues have soared in two weeks of fighting between the U.S. and Iran, providing Moscow with an additional 6 billion euros ($6.9 billion) in revenue.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/striking-iran-us-eases-sanctions-092306802.html

Qatar's LNG exports disrupted for 5 years in Iran war: These nations impacted

The Iranian strikes on its Gulf neighbours have disrupted about 17 per cent of Qatar's liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity, causing an estimated $20 billion in lost annual revenue, Saad al-Kaabi, QatarEnergy's CEO and state minister for energy affairs, said.

According to al-Kaabi, the repairs will sideline 12.8 million tonnes per year of LNG for three to five years, threatening supplies to European and Asian nations, including China and India.

At least two of Qatar's 14 LNG trains and one of its two gas-to-liquids (GTL) facilities were damaged in the unprecedented Iranian strikes over the past few days.

"I never in my wildest dreams would have thought that Qatar would be Qatar and the region in such an attack, especially from a brotherly Muslim country in the month of Ramadan, attacking us in this way," al-Kaabi told news agency Reuters.

The state-owned QatarEnergy has said that it will have to declare force majeure on long-term contracts for up to five years for LNG supplies bound for Italy, Belgium, South Korea, and China due to the two damaged trains.

"I mean, these are long-term contracts that we have to declare force majeure. We already declared, but that was a shorter term. Now it's whatever the period is," al-Kaabi said.

more:

https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/general/qatar-s-lng-exports-disrupted-for-5-years-amid-iran-war-how-it-affects-india/ar-AA1Z16Px

U.S. citizen takes helm of Mexico’s fiercest cartel, shining uneasy light on birthright citizenship

The new cartel boss Juan Carlos Valencia González possession of dual citizenship presents challenges for U.S. intelligence surveillance, which led the Mexican government to his predecessor.

ACalifornia-born U.S. citizen whose mother is a Mexican national and is reportedly part of a drug and money laundering cartel herself, has now taken the helm of Mexico’s most dangerous cartel as the Supreme Court is set to consider a Trump administration challenge to the very citizenship tradition that granted him that birthright.

Multiple reports indicate that the 41-year-old Juan Carlos Valencia González, a dual U.S. and Mexican citizen, took charge of the notorious "Jalisco New Generation" cartel (CJNG) in the aftermath of a Mexican special forces raid that took out the cartel’s former boss, El Mencho, last month.

The raid was the most direct action Mexican authorities have taken against the cartels in coordination with the United States, which, under President Donald Trump, ramped up pressure on the drug trafficking organizations after naming them designated foreign terrorist organizations.

U.S. intelligence helped locate past cartel kingpin in Mexico

As a result, the American administration has increased surveillance of the cartels and, at times, has threatened to take direct military action if Mexico didn’t step up. It was reportedly U.S. intelligence that provided Mexico with the location of El Mencho, precipitating the successful operation.

more:

https://justthenews.com/government/courts-law/us-citizen-takes-helm-mexicos-strongest-cartel-putting-birthright-citizenship

‘Safe’ corridor opening up through Strait of Hormuz: What we know so far

Iran appears to be allowing certain vetted vessels to pass the chokepoint and is reportedly working on a standardized process

Iran has signaled that it is ready to allow passage through the Strait of Hormuz to vessels from certain countries. Media reports and tracker data also suggest that a handful of pre-vetted tankers have already sailed smoothly through the “safe” corridor, with at least one shipping company allegedly paying Iran $2 million.

The development comes as more than 15 tankers have been hit by drones and projectiles in the strait since the US and Israel launched their war on Iran in late February.

As the Middle East escalation has roiled energy markets, the impact of a few tankers passing through has so far remained limited. Brent is still trading well above $100.

Here is what to know about the latest developments in the Strait of Hormuz.

Who is allowed to pass?

In short, not everyone and not everywhere.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi stated that the strait is open to all except the US and Israel, while adding that some ships from “different countries” had already been allowed through. In practice, however, Western-linked vessels face significant hurdles in securing safe passage.

READ MORE: Hormuz war risk premiums spike – Euronews

According to Lloyd’s List, India, Pakistan, China, Iraq, and Malaysia are discussing transit plans directly with Tehran, with officials in the first three countries as well as Türkiye confirming clearance.

The Financial Times reported, citing maritime data, that at least eight ships – including oil tankers and bulk carriers tied to India, Pakistan and Greece, as well as Iran’s own fleet – have sailed through the strait but used an unusual route around the island of Larak, which is close to the Iranian coast and where waters are much shallower than in the middle of the strait.

more:

https://www.rt.com/news/635656-safe-corridor-hormuz-iran-oil/

Sleep deprivation damages your gut lining, which contributes to metabolic and cardiovascular disease

By Rhoda Wilson on March 21, 2026

Sleep deprivation damages your gut lining by triggering a brainstem-to-gut chain reaction that causes oxidative stress in intestinal stem cells, shrinking villi and weakening digestive defences.

Beneficial gut bacteria decline rapidly after sleep deprivation, reducing short-chain fatty acid production and shifting the microbiome toward inflammation-linked bacterial strains within hours to days.

Sleep deprivation increases intestinal permeability, allowing bacterial toxins into the bloodstream and activating inflammatory pathways tied to metabolic and cardiovascular disease.

Sleep timing matters as much as duration, since circadian misalignment from irregular schedules or late-night screen use disrupts the gut microbiome’s daily rhythm, worsening inflammation and metabolic dysfunction.

Optimise your sleep habits through strategies like morning sunlight exposure, consistent sleep schedules, cool and dark bedrooms, limited screen use after sunset and stress management.

Sleep Disruption Drives Digestive Damage and Gut Imbalance

By Dr. Joseph Mercola

Table of Contents

Introduction

Sleep Loss Hits Your Gut Repair System Faster Than You Expect

Sleep Deprivation Leads to Further Dysbiosis in Your Gut

Correct Your Sleep Habits with These Strategies and Get Proper Rest

Frequently Asked Questions About Sleep Disruption and Its Effects on Digestive Health

Sources and References

About the Author

Introduction

Have you been getting enough sleep lately? According to the latest statistics gathered by the National Sleep Foundation, six out of 10 adults in America don’t get enough sleep. Furthermore, almost half of all adults have trouble staying asleep three or more nights per week.1

Simply put, sleep deprivation is a serious yet growing health concern. In previous articles, I have discussed how it can affect different aspects of your health, such as overall shorter life expectancy and deteriorating eye health. Now, new research shows that it also affects another foundational aspect of your health, namely your gut. Specifically, your gut’s self-repair mechanisms become disrupted when you don’t get enough sleep.2

But that’s not all. Additional research shows that sleep deprivation affects the actual bacteria living in your gut. When the balance of the microbiota is disrupted, your risk for various metabolic and cardiovascular diseases goes up.

https://expose-news.com/2026/03/21/sleep-deprivation-damages-your-gut-lining/

Kentucky: Bill that Gives ‘Immunity’ to Monsanto/ Bayer for Glyphosate Is Close to Becoming Law

March 20, 2026

Last month, President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to promote domestic production of glyphosate-based pesticides, potentially giving manufacturers immunity from lawsuits over alleged health impacts and inadequate warning labels.

Bayer purchased Monsanto and its glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup in 2018.

Thomas Massie said that Bayer has spent over $9 million lobbying Congress and the executive branch for exemption from liability for harm its chemicals like glyphosate might cause. He said that both the federal government and state legislatures are “under siege” from lobbyists representing Bayer, a foreign corporation, to obtain immunity from prosecution.

Both chambers of the Kentucky state legislature passed Senate Bill 199 that would make any pesticide registered with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture or the Environmental Protection Agency that has an EPA-approved label automatically fit Kentucky’s warning label requirements. This will make it very difficult to sue for injury from pesticides.

A national fight over glyphosate has erupted as Bayer, which acquired Monsanto and its glyphosate-based weed killer Roundup in 2018, aims to settle tens of thousands of Roundup glyphosate injury cases in a $7.25 billion class action settlement. At the same time, the US Supreme Court prepares to hear a related case, Monsanto v. Durnell.

more:

https://needtoknow.news/2026/03/kentucky-bill-that-gives-immunity-to-monsanto-bayer-for-glyphosate-is-close-to-becoming-law/