Gulf: six cargo ships hit. At least one dead, three Thai sailors missing

Today's headlines: Jakarta and Canberra want to extend the security cooperation agreement signed last month to Japan. UNHCR inaugurates the largest carpet weaving centre in Afghanistan, which will employ 400 returning migrants, mostly women; UNESCO “deeply concerned” about the fate of world heritage sites in Iran and the Gulf; South Korean president orders “tough disciplinary measures” against those responsible for the Jeju plane crash.

THAILAND - GULF

Twenty members of a Thai cargo ship hit yesterday while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz have been rescued, but at least three others are still missing. The Ministry of Transport in Bangkok reports that the sailors abandoned the ship in a lifeboat and were rescued by the Omani navy. According to the latest information, the three missing sailors are believed to have been “trapped” on board. Yesterday, Iranian vessels loaded with explosives and missiles struck at least six vessels: two oil tankers in Iraqi waters, with one fatality, and four other ships - including the Thai vessel - in the Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

INDONESIA - JAPAN - AUSTRALIA

Jakarta and Canberra want to expand cooperation on security matters, including Japan and Papua New Guinea. This was stated today by the Indonesian Defence Minister after a meeting with his Australian counterpart. The leaders of the two countries signed a security treaty last month committing them to consult each other in the event of a threat.

AFGHANISTAN

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank, yesterday inaugurated the largest carpet weaving centre in the province of Herat, in western Afghanistan. The initiative will support 400 returnees, more than three-quarters of whom are women, by providing livelihoods and training. The centre, explains the UNHCR, aims to “empower returnees and host communities by helping them rebuild sustainable livelihoods”, a “priority” need identified by migrants returning from Iran (around two million in the last year).

JAPAN

The Japanese office of Meta Platforms, the US company that runs Instagram, has announced the introduction of a feature to alert parents if their children aged between 13 and 17 search for content related to suicide or self-harm on the app. There will also be restrictions on access to posts about drugs or dangerous behaviour, such as the use of guns or weapons. The platform already restricts the display of posts when they contain sexual images or refer to alcohol or tobacco.

IRAN - UNESCO

UNESCO says it is “deeply concerned” about the fate of World Heritage sites in Iran and throughout the region after Tehran's Golestan Palace, often compared to Versailles, a historic mosque and a palace in Isfahan were damaged. The UN agency urges the parties involved to “protect the region's exceptional cultural sites”, 29 of which at least four “have already been affected” since the start of the US and Israeli war against Iran.

SOUTH KOREA

South Korean President Lee Jae-myung has ordered tough disciplinary measures against officials responsible for delays in recovering the remains of victims of the 2024 Jeju plane crash that killed 179 people. In addition, according to the investigation, the Ministry of Transport cut construction costs and approved improper airport security facilities for over 20 years.

RUSSIA - CHINA

In Russia, the number of companies whose owners or co-directors have become Chinese entrepreneurs or companies has increased tenfold since 2022. Currently, Beijing's contribution accounts for over 22% of organisations with foreign participation, as documented by the newspaper Vedomosti, while in 2021 the share stood at 3.6%, increasing from 1,434 companies to 14,798, of which 4,000 in 2025 alone, a record in recent years.

UZBEKISTAN

The Home Office has announced that 45 organised crime gangs have been uncovered and dismantled in the last two months. There have been 116 cases of fraud, 315 of illegal possession of weapons, 86 illegal gambling organisations, 40 human trafficking cases and 790 brothel cases. In addition, 533 of those wanted were arrested in over 6,000 special operations, including 806 night raids and 2,876 searches.