Government Update News


Mnuchin: US, Chinese Call Could Produce 'in-person' Talks

Jul 18, 2019

U.S. and Chinese officials will hold a telephone call later on Thursday that could pave the way for further in-person trade talks, U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC.Mnuchin, speaking from the G7 meeting in Chantilly, France, said he and U…

US to Work "aggressively" for Free Gulf Passage

Jul 18, 2019

U.S. Central Command chief General Kenneth McKenzie said on Thursday it was talking to other countries about freedom of navigation in the Gulf and would work 'aggressively' to find a solution to enable free passage.The United States has beefed…

UK PM to Discuss Grace 1 Tanker with Gibraltar

Jul 17, 2019

British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet with Gibraltar's Chief Minister Fabian Picardo later on Wednesday to discuss the detained Iranian oil tanker Grace 1, a spokesman for May said.The tanker was seized earlier this month by British Royal…

Unarmed Guards Deployed to Navigate Gulf

Jul 17, 2019

Shipping companies are hiring unarmed security guards for voyages through the Middle East Gulf as an extra safeguard after a wave of attacks in the region, security companies involved said.Relations between Iran and the West are increasingly…

U.S. Unsure About Details of Tanker Towed to Iran

Jul 17, 2019

U.S. officials say they are unsure whether an oil tanker towed into Iranian waters was seized by Iran or rescued after facing mechanical faults as Tehran asserts, creating a mystery at sea at a time of high tension in the Gulf.The MT Riah disappeared…

CBP Seizes Bogus Speakers from China

Jul 12, 2019

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers seized 1,626 counterfeit Edison Professional speakers in Philadelphia July 9. If authentic, the speakers would have a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of $253,572.The speakers arrived in two shipments to Philadelphia from China June 13…

Big Easy Braces for Barry Flooding; Emergency Declared

Jul 12, 2019

New Orleans braced for severe flooding with residents told to hunker down as a growing tropical storm in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico headed for landfall late on Friday or early on Saturday as the first Atlantic hurricane of 2019.U.S. President Donald…

Iran Attempts UK Tanker Block, Fails

Jul 11, 2019

Britain says it fended off Iranian attempt to block its oil tankerThree Iranian vessels tried to block a British-owned tanker passing through the strait that controls the flow of Middle East oil to the world, but backed off when confronted by a Royal Navy warship…

UK Does Not Want to Escalate Hormuz Tensions

Jul 11, 2019

Britain does not intend to escort every British-flagged merchant vessel through the Strait of Hormuz, a security source said on Thursday, after a Royal Navy warship had to stop three Iranian vessels from blocking the passage of a BP-operated tanker…

New Orleans Braces for TS Barry

Jul 11, 2019

Some residents and visitors prepared to flee New Orleans on Thursday as Tropical Storm Barry closed in and city officials warned of severe flooding if it makes landfall by early Saturday as the first Atlantic hurricane of the 2019 season.The…

New UK Center for Maritime Innovation

Jul 11, 2019

A consortium of British companies, academia and government  formally established a new national center for maritime innovation and technology (MarRI-UK). The center, offering  development opportunities for the UK’s $45B maritime sector, is based at the University of Strathclyde…

DP World to Issue $700 million in Bonds, Sukuk

Jul 11, 2019

Port operator DP World plans to raise at least $700 million through conventional and Islamic bond issues on Thursday, documents issued by banks involved in the deal showed.Majority owned by the Dubai government, DP World plans to issue benchmark sukuk with a 10-year maturity…

National Hurricane Center Miami Issues Hurricane Watch

Jul 11, 2019

A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for: Mouth of the Pearl River to Intracoastal City. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for: Mouth of the Mississippi River to Cameron. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for: Mouth of the Mississippi River northward to the Mouth of the Pearl River…

Britain Foils Iranian Attempt to Block Tanker

Jul 11, 2019

Three Iranian vessels tried to block a BP-operated tanker passing through the Strait of Hormuz but backed off when confronted by a Royal Navy warship, the UK government said on Thursday.Britain urged Iran to 'de-escalate the situation in the region' after the British Heritage…

Special Weather Bulletin for Gulf Region

Jul 10, 2019

Invest 92-L, which may become Tropical Storm Barry by Thursday, is becoming better organized this morning as satellite imagery and surface weather observations indicate that a circulation seems to be developing over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico…

Current News

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