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- GOP runoffs in Georgia and Alabama, plus primaries in California and Oklahoma
- American man mistaken for child abuser while saving son from choking
- UN report reveals at least 58 countries contaminated by landmines
- Manitoba extends disaster aid eligibility for residents affected by flood
- US and Iran set to formalise peace deal on Friday as Trump warns Israel
- Trump claims Strait of Hormuz is safe but shipping companies remain cautious
- British father claims torture in Dubai jail amid new abuse allegations
- Zelenskyy seeks US support for Ukraine’s air defence amid Russian reluctance
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GOP runoffs in Georgia and Alabama, plus primaries in California and Oklahoma
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Get you up to speed: Georgia and Alabama GOP runoffs and more primaries to watch today
Polls have closed in Georgia, where significant runoff races were held for the Republican nominations for the U.S. Senate and governor. In the Senate primary runoff, Rep. Mike Collins defeated former college football coach Derek Dooley, while Lt. Gov. Burt Jones is competing against billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson for the governor’s position.
The Georgia runoff elections were necessitated as no candidate achieved the required 50% threshold in the previous primary held on May 19. In Alabama, Rep. Barry Moore and U.S. Navy Seal Jared Hudson are vying for the GOP nomination to fill the Senate seat vacated by Tommy Tuberville, who is pursuing a gubernatorial run.
Rep. Mike Collins has been projected as the winner of the GOP Senate primary runoff in Georgia, positioning him to challenge Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff in November, while Lt. Gov. Burt Jones leads in the GOP governor runoff against Rick Jackson, both backed by Donald Trump. The victorious candidates from these runoffs will face Democratic opponents in the elections set for later this year, increasing the stakes for Republicans aiming to maintain Senate control.
What remains unclear — The potential impact of voters who supported eliminated candidates on the Georgia gubernatorial runoff outcome is undetermined.
GOP runoffs in Georgia and Alabama, plus primaries in California and Oklahoma
Washington — Polls have closed Tuesday in Georgia, which held a high-profile runoff race to take on Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff and a GOP runoff in the contest for governor.
Georgia is one of four states and the District of Columbia where voters are casting their ballots. There is Republican runoff in Alabama, a primary in California aimed at filling former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s seat and primaries in Oklahoma for the Senate seat that was held by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin.
Here are the major races to watch on Tuesday:
Georgia runoff in GOP Senate primary
Rep. Mike Collins defeated former college football coach Derek Dooley in Tuesday’s GOP Senate primary runoff in Georgia, WTX US News has projected, as Republicans vie to take on Ossoff in November.
Voters returned to the polls after no candidate secured 50% of the vote in last month’s primary.
Collins, a second-term congressman and the owner of a trucking business, finished first in the initial round of the primaries last month with almost 41% of the vote. Dooley, an attorney who coached football at the University of Tennessee and is the son of legendary University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley, won around 30% of the vote last month. And a third candidate, Rep. Buddy Carter, was eliminated from the race, coming in behind Collins and Dooley.
The two remaining candidates represented differing visions of the GOP — and what it will take to defeat Ossoff. While Dooley was backed by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Collins secured President Trump’s endorsement over the weekend. Collins positioned himself as a staunch ally of the president, while Dooley kept more of a distance, billing himself as a political outsider though he’s pledged to work with Mr. Trump to deliver for Georgians.
The runoff sets up a key contest, as Republicans aim to flip the seat in their effort to maintain control of the Senate. Ossoff, who was elected to the Senate in 2021 by a 1.2-point margin, is the sole Democrat facing reelection in a state that Mr. Trump won in 2024. And while the dynamic has made him a top target of the GOP, the prolonged Republican primary process has been a boon for the Democrat, who’s amassed a significant warchest as he looks to combat the inevitable Republican attacks.
Georgia governor’s race GOP runoff
Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and billionaire healthcare executive Rick Jackson are facing off in a Tuesday runoff after neither failed to secure 50% of the vote on May 19. Jones, who has Mr. Trump’s backing, received the most votes on primary day, coming out more than 50,000 votes ahead of Jackson.
But first-place finish doesn’t necessarily mean a win in the runoff — in 2018, Gov. Brian Kemp received 25% of the vote in the primary and 69% in the runoff. There had been several other Republicans on the primary ballot in May, including Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger, who received 15% of the vote, and state Attorney General Chris Carr, who received nearly 12%. Both their voters could be crucial to winning the runoff, and Jackson won Carr’s endorsement.
But neither candidate has made a play for Raffensperger, who is most well known for his public role opposing Mr. Trump’s effort to overturn the election results in Georgia, or his voters, which could alienate Mr. Trump’s supporters. Jones was one of Mr. Trump’s alternate electors in 2020 and he has touted his endorsement from Mr. Trump, while Jackson has vowed to be “Trump’s favorite governor.”
The primary had already been expensive before the runoff, and the battle between Jones and Jackson has turned into a slugfest.
On Monday, the eve of the primary, Mr. Trump’s son, Donald Trump Jr., posted on social media in support of Jackson, although he stopped short of an endorsement. “This has been a hard-fought race with a lot of mudslinging, but I know Rick Jackson to be a good man — and that counts for a lot,” Trump Jr. wrote.
The winner of Tuesday’s runoff will go on to face the Democratic nominee, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, who secured the nomination outright in the primary.
Alabama runoff in GOP Senate primary
A pair of Republicans are vying for the GOP nomination in Tuesday’s runoff in Alabama as they look to replace Sen. Tommy Tuberville.
With Tuberville leaving the Senate to seek the governor’s mansion, Republicans have faced off for the nomination — which will put the winner on a glidepath to the Senate in the ruby red state that Mr. Trump won by 30 points in 2024.
The president has thrown his support behind Rep. Barry Moore, who’s represented Alabama in the House since 2021. Moore secured nearly 40% of the vote in the primary against U.S. Navy Seal Jared Hudson, who won almost 26%. Another candidate, state Attorney General Steve Marshall, was eliminated.
The race represents another test of the president’s continued influence over the party. While Moore has run as a staunch supporter of Mr. Trump, and touts being among the first to endorse the president in 2015, Hudson, a political newcomer, has positioned himself as an outsider and fighter, while also stressing his commitment to the president’s America First agenda.
Oklahoma Senate race
One of Oklahoma’s Senate seats is open after Mullin vacated it to become Homeland Security Secretary. Gov. Kevin Stitt tapped energy executive Alan Armstrong, who had never held elected office before, to temporarily replace Mullin, but Oklahoma law prevents Armstrong from running in November.
GOP Rep. Kevin Hern quickly secured Mr. Trump’s endorsement, and he faces four primary challengers on Tuesday. Hern has also gotten the backing of Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Sen. Tim Scott, the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.
There are five Democrats vying to be on the ballot in November: Jim Priest, N’Kyla Jasmine Thomas, Troy Green, Ervin Stone Yen and R.O. “Joe” Cassity Jr.
Oklahoma is a solidly Republican state, with Mr. Trump capturing 66% of the vote in 2024, so whoever wins the GOP Senate primary is favored to win in November.
California special election
A special election primary will be held Tuesday in Swalwell’s district to fill out the remainder of his term. Swalwell resigned in March amid allegations sexual assault and other misconduct accusations from several women.
Eleven candidates are vying to finish out Swalell’s term, and the top two finishers, regardless of party, in Tuesday’s primary will advance to a special election on Aug. 18.
Democrat Aisha Wahab has already advanced to the general election in November, while the second candidate to advance after the June 2 primary has yet to be determined. The district is rated by nonpartisan Sabato Crystal Ball at UVA’s Center for Politics as Safe Democratic.
D.C. delegate
Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton has represented Washington, D.C., as the non-voting delegate since 1991, only the second person ever to hold the job. Now 89 years old, the onetime powerhouse had retreated from the public view as she had gotten older and faced questions about her fitness for office before she announced in January that this term would be her last.
There are five candidates running for the seat: Holmes’ former staffer Trent Holbrook, Councilmembers Brooke Pinto and Robert White, former Justice Department official Kinney Zalesne and Greg Jaczo, a a physicist and former chair of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Holmes Norton has not endorsed a successor.
Looming over both the race for delegate and the mayor’s race is Mr. Trump’s push for a federal takeover of Washington and the district’s push for statehood. Congress retains the authority to amend or block D.C. laws, and did so in 2023 when it nullified a crime bill that would have eliminated most mandatory minimum sentences. Mr. Trump also commands the D.C. National Guard — the only unit of all 54 states and territories which reports only to the president.
All of the candidates running are supporters of D.C. statehood, which passed the House six years ago but died in the Senate.
D.C. mayor
Washington, D.C., residents will be choosing their mayor using ranked choice for the first time after approving a ballot measure in 2024. Mayor Muriel Bowser announced last year that she would not be seeking a fourth term, and the winner of Tuesday’s primary is heavily favored to win in November given D.C.’s Democratic leaning.
There are two leading Democrats in the race: Councilmembers Kenyon McDuffie and Janeese Lewis George, the only member of the D.C. council who is also in the Democratic Socialists of America. Last week, Mr. Trump weighed in on the race, saying he “wouldn’t like it” if Lewis George won, since she is focusing on democratic socialist policies.
“And maybe we’d take back Washington and run it on the federal basis,” he added. “We won’t put up with it.”
American man mistaken for child abuser while saving son from choking
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Get you up to speed: American ‘nearly lynched’ by peadohunters had ‘been saving his son from choking’ | News World
A 36-year-old American man from Texas was arrested in Bogotá, Colombia, on suspicion of child abuse after a viral video showed him with his adopted son on a balcony, prompting claims of abuse from passersby. However, it has since been confirmed that he was attempting to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre to prevent the child from choking.
Authorities confirmed the three children found in the suspect’s apartment are now in the care of Colombia’s state agency for child protection. An official report from the prosecutor’s office indicated that there had been no sexual abuse or physical violence, and no evidence of criminal conduct was found.
Bogota Mayor Carlos Galan stated that the three children found in the suspect’s apartment are now in the care of Colombia’s state agency for child protection. President Gustavo Petro noted that an official report from the prosecutor’s office indicated “there had been no sexual abuse and no physical violence,” urging society to be wary of manipulation through artificial intelligence.
What remains unclear — It is not specified what actions, if any, will be taken against the individuals who formed the angry mob.
American man mistaken for child abuser while saving son from choking
An American who was filmed giving his adopted son the Heimlich manoeuvre was mistaken for abusing the child by an angry mob.
In the viral clip, the woman screams out at him ‘He’s abusing the child, let him go!’ with several others yell for the police.
The man looks out at the people shouting and then ushers the child inside.
He was quickly surrounded by an angry mob trying to break into the apartment complex. Protests formed outside the tower’s lobby so he couldn’t flee before authorities arrived.
Police were called and arrested him on suspicion of child abuse, escorting him through the baying crowds whipped up by child sex tourism abuses in the country.
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The man, a 36-year-old, was initially accused of abusing a 7-year-old boy.
But it was later revealed that the Texan had, in fact, been trying to stop his adopted son from choking to death on food.
The suspect, a 36-year-old man from Texas, was arrested and taken away before the angry mob could get to him. (Picture: @dianadiago/X)
President Gustavo Petro said: ‘I must notify Colombian society because my commitment is to the truth, that the American citizen of Texan origin, captured in an apartment in northern Bogotá, apparently did not violate any of his adopted children in Colombia.
‘He took him out to the balcony due to a clog from eating the food poorly. The images deceived the Colombians who went en masse to defend the child. Now we have indeed made victims of boys and girls. If these indications of the facts are confirmed, justice must grant him all his rights as a human being.’
Three children were found by authorities when they entered the suspect’s apartment and were taken to a medical centre to be evaluated, Mayor Carlos Galan said in a post on X.
Colombia’s state agency for child protection confirmed that the three children are now in its care.
The President said the children had now been made victims following the actions of the crowd.
He also warned that AI had riled up crowds and that Colombia would be vulnerable to manipulation from foreign powers, especially during elections.
Invoking Simon Bolivar, he added: ‘A good lesson in reality for those of us who can easily be collectively deceived by images that do not match reality, and that is precisely what the entire Colombian society lives through, bombarded by companies with artificial intelligence
‘Here they transformed, as it seems to be the same case of the supposedly paedophile American, reality into virtuality.
‘Massive, collective deception through manipulation of consciousness. Colombians are exposed, like the whole world, to computer manipulation, and it is being fully used in these elections in Colombia.
‘They want to dumb us down through artificial intelligence on information channels.
‘I believe we have transformed into a paedophile, someone who is not.’
An official report from the prosecutor’s office determined ‘there had been no sexual abuse and no physical violence,’ and ‘no evidence indicating criminal conduct,’ according to the Colombian news outlet Noticias Caracol.
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UN report reveals at least 58 countries contaminated by landmines
10:00 pm
UN report reveals at least 58 countries contaminated by landmines
Mine Casualties
At least 945 people were killed and 4,325 injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war in 2024.
At least 945 people were killed and 4,325 injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war in 2024.
Scale of Impact
In 2024 alone, anti-personnel mines caused at least 945 deaths and 4,325 injuries, with civilians comprising approximately 90% of casualties, highlighting extensive humanitarian consequences.
In 2024 alone, anti-personnel mines caused at least 945 deaths and 4,325 injuries, with civilians comprising approximately 90% of casualties, highlighting extensive humanitarian consequences.
Urgent Call
“It is essential that all states recommit to putting an end to the production, use and transfer of these weapons,” stated UN rights chief Volker Türk.
“It is essential that all states recommit to putting an end to the production, use and transfer of these weapons,” stated UN rights chief Volker Türk.
At least 58 states and territories contaminated by landmines, UN human rights chief says
Published on
At least 58 states and territories are contaminated by anti-personnel mines, the UN rights chief said on Tuesday, with heavy civilian casualties in Myanmar, Syria, Afghanistan and Ukraine.
“It is deeply troubling that almost 30 years since the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Treaty was adopted, these explosive weapons continue to kill and injure people, often decades after they were placed,” Volker Türk said in a statement.
“It is essential that all states recommit to putting an end to the production, use and transfer of these weapons and redouble their efforts to cooperate in clearing mines already placed.”
Türk produced a report on the situation, drawing on information from governments, NGOs, humanitarian organisations and civil society.
At least 945 people were killed and 4,325 injured by landmines and explosive remnants of war in 2024 alone, it said, citing the Landmine and Cluster Munition Monitor.
“Among victims where the status as military or civilian was known, civilians made up approximately 90% of all recorded casualties in 2024,” the report said.
The states with the highest number of casualties in 2024 were Myanmar with 2,029, Syria with 1,015, then Afghanistan with 624, followed by Ukraine, Nigeria, Mali, Yemen and Burkina Faso, which each recorded more than 200 casualties.
In a separate statement, the International Campaign to Ban Landmines said mines and explosive remnants of war, including cluster munitions, killed or injured more than 5,000 people in 2025, again with the vast majority being civilians.
Türk’s office noted that children make up more than 40% of all civilian casualties of anti-personnel mines recorded since 1999.
Besides killing and maiming, anti-personnel mines turn areas into no-go zones, Türk’s office said, hampering rights, prolonging displacement and stopping land from being used for agriculture.
While the Ottawa mine ban convention has 162 states parties, Türk noted that other countries with considerable stockpiles are not yet members.
Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland recently withdrew and Ukraine is suspending its implementation.
“States that have not yet ratified the treaty should promptly do so and those that have withdrawn should quickly rejoin,” said Türk.
He hailed Lebanon’s recent decision to join the Ottawa convention, despite the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
Türk’s report said that in the seven years to 2025, contributions to the UN Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Action sharply decreased from $125 million to $46 million (€107 million to €39 million).
Additional sources • AFP
Manitoba extends disaster aid eligibility for residents affected by flood
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Get you up to speed: Climate change prompting Manitoba to extend disaster aid to more residents
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced that residents who did not purchase flood insurance prior to last week’s storm are still eligible for disaster aid. The statement comes as recovery efforts continue in the affected areas.
Manitoba’s disaster aid programme will be available to residents impacted by last week’s storm who lack flood insurance. The provincial government has not specified when applications for the aid will commence or the duration of the assistance.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced that residents who lacked flood insurance prior to last week’s storm may still be eligible for disaster assistance. The provincial government is preparing to implement measures to support affected communities in the recovery process.
What remains unclear — It is not known how many residents are eligible for disaster aid without flood insurance.
Manitoba extends disaster aid eligibility for residents affected by flood
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said residents who didn’t buy flood insurance before last week’s storm can still qualify for disaster aid.
US and Iran set to formalise peace deal on Friday as Trump warns Israel
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Get you up to speed: Middle East live: Oil dips to lowest price since March on talk of Hormuz Strait reopening
A formal signing ceremony for a deal between the United States and Iran will take place on Friday at the Bürgenstock resort near Luzern, Switzerland. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Majid Takht-Ravanchi confirmed that the two-month US naval blockade on Iranian ports has been lifted ahead of this event.
Brokered in Pakistan, Swiss officials confirmed that the signing ceremony for the US-Iran deal is scheduled for Friday at the Bürgenstock resort near Luzern. Following the planned agreement, negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme and sanctions relief are expected to commence within a 60-day timeframe.
Switzerland’s foreign ministry confirmed that a signing ceremony for the US-Iran deal will occur at the Bürgenstock resort on Friday, with close cooperation from mediators in the region. Following the signing, Iranian officials indicated that talks on the nuclear programme and further sanctions relief will commence in a 60-day window to reach a final agreement.
What remains unclear — The specific details of the US-Iran deal, including any potential reconstruction fund, have not been disclosed.
US and Iran set to formalise peace deal on Friday in Geneva, says Switzerland and issues a warning to Israel, stop destroying Lebanon and killing innocent civilians.
At a G7 meeting in France, the US president has also made unusually critical comments about Israel’s military offensive in Lebanon.
The President of the United States Donald Trump has rebuked Israel over its military offensive in Lebanon in unusually critical comments during his visit to a G7 summit in France.
Israel is out of control
Trump said on Tuesday that he had a “great relationship” with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but added the Israeli leader “has to be more responsible with respect to Lebanon”.
Trump told reporters “You don’t have to knock down an apartment house every time you’re looking for somebody because there’s a lot of people in those apartment houses – and they’re not all Hezbollah,” he said.
“I suggested to Israel to let Syria take care of Hezbollah because to be honest with you, I think they’d do a better job of doing it.”
This comes the day after Ben Gvir and other Israeli leaders issues a warning to the USA; ‘telling them we don’t need the USA, and we (Israel) needs to continue on with the Greater Israel project without the US.’ In defiance of the United States, who has made great sacrifices to the US.
Israelis tried to destroy peace plan
After the peace deal was agreed, which included the Israelis, the Israelis bombed an apartment block in Lebanon killing civilians.
Israel has tried to derail peace negotiations between the US and Iran. Pakistan intelligence foiled a plot to kill Iranian negotiators, which even went as far as carrying out an strike in Pakistan. Trump was forced to intervene and call off the Israelis.
Pakistani intelligence was also forced to foil a second plot to kill the Pakistani ambassador in Iran, who was fundamental to the peace talks. Pakistani army issued a direct warning to Israel, if Israel attacked any of its Ambassador’s or military personnel, Pakistan would respond in Israel.
Israel will not leave Lebanon and Syria
Israel’s occupation of territory in Lebanon and Syria will continue, prime minister insists, despite US deal with Iran.
Netanyahu told a press conference on Monday that Israel’s forces will remain in Lebanon, where it occupies around 570sq km (220sq miles) of territory, which is the size of the Isle of Man. Israel’s conflict with the Lebanon has killed more than 3,000 civilian people and displaced over million.
Israelis wont abide by the peace plan and Israeli PM Netanyahu, which is fighting for his political survival, said that Israel would continue to target “Iran’s terror arms” and “will need to continue to stand guard” against Iran.
Trump claims Strait of Hormuz is safe but shipping companies remain cautious
5:00 pm
Get you up to speed: Trump says the Strait of Hormuz is “safe, secure and pristine.” Shipping companies aren’t convinced.
Major shipping companies are cautious about resuming operations in the Strait of Hormuz, despite a tentative agreement between the U.S. and Iran to lift traffic restrictions. The Joint Maritime Information Center has warned that the U.S. blockade will remain in effect until at least Friday, maintaining a “SEVERE” maritime security threat level in the area.
Major shipping companies remain cautious about resuming operations through the Strait of Hormuz, stating that security guarantees are essential despite the planned lifting of restrictions by the U.S. and Iran. The Joint Maritime Information Center has advised that the U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports will continue until the implementation of the ceasefire is completed on Friday.
Major shipping companies remain hesitant to resume operations through the Strait of Hormuz, citing a need for “firm security guarantees” despite President Trump’s assurance of a “totally safe, secure, and pristine” route. The U.S. and Iran are expected to sign a memorandum of understanding to officially lift restrictions, but industry experts warn a full return to normal cargo flows could take three to four months as security assessments are conducted.
What remains unclear — The text of the agreement between the U.S. and Iran has not been shared, leaving practical steps to safely reopen the Strait of Hormuz undefined.
Trump claims Strait of Hormuz is safe but shipping companies remain cautious
Major shipping companies still see transiting the Strait of Hormuz as “very risky” and say there’s little appetite to resume normal operations through the vital waterway until more details of the U.S.-Iran deal become clear. Multiple companies say firm security guarantees are needed, despite an assurance from President Trump of a “totally safe, secure, and pristine” route through the strait.
The U.S. and Iran are set to sign a memorandum of understanding Friday in Switzerland that will formally lift restrictions imposed by both countries on traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. Before the U.S. and Israel launched their war with Iran on Feb. 28, about a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies typically transited the strait.
Iran’s attacks on and threats against commercial vessels, launched in retaliation for the U.S.-Israel strikes, brought that traffic to a virtual standstill, driving global energy prices up significantly.
Mr. Trump, in a Sunday post on his Truth Social platform announcing the agreement with Iran, said: “I hereby fully authorize the toll free opening of the Strait of Hormuz, and, simultaneously herewith, authorize the immediate removal of the United States Naval blockade.”
“Ships of the World, start your engines,” Mr. Trump said. “Let the oil flow!”
A day later, the president said tankers were “starting to move, many loaded up with Oil, out of the Strait of Hormuz.” He said ships could take a southern route through the strait, “which is totally safe, secure, and pristine. There are other areas of travel, also!!!”
As Mr. Trump urged a resumption of strait crossings, however, the Joint Maritime Information Center, a multinational naval operation that includes the U.S. military, warned Monday that the U.S. blockade of Iran’s ports and vessels would remain in effect until Friday, “pending execution” of the ceasefire.
“The maritime security threat level in the Strait of Hormuz remains SEVERE due to blockade operations,” read an advisory note.
Amid the mixed messages, shippers have welcomed the tentative agreement between Iran and the U.S., but remained cautious.
“Our policy remains unchanged”
Mr. Trump’s announcement of an agreement on the memorandum of understanding with Iran sparked a major rally on global equity markets, and crude oil prices have dropped nearly 5% this week.
Public tracking data shows shipowners have been repositioning empty vessels in anticipation of a spike in demand when the strait reopens, and a handful of tankers have transited the waterway this week, but compared to pre-war levels — around 135 ships per day — it’s just a trickle.
Shipping analyst Richard Meade at Lloyd’s List said “none of this should be mistaken for a return to normality.”
“Due to lack of details and a history of overly optimistic reassurances, we believe the security situation for the shipping industry remains volatile, and we still consider it very risky for ships to commence transits at this point,” Jakob Larsen, head of safety and security at BIMCO, one of the largest international shipping associations, said Monday.
“The next step is for shipowners to be reassured that transiting the Strait of Hormuz is not only permitted but also safe,” he added.
Most shippers appear to be waiting for concrete assurances.
A spokesperson for Mitsui OSK Lines, a major Japanese logistics company, told WTX US News on Tuesday that the firm recognizes “signs of movement toward a ceasefire,” but its “policy remains unchanged: Operations will not be resumed until safety has been sufficiently confirmed.”
“What will have to come in place is not just a simple agreement between the relevant countries, but it has to be material and translated into the real situations in the Strait of Hormuz, so that shipping lines can make themselves comfortable to go through,” the company’s CEO Jotaro Tamura told the Financial Times.
“Given the experiences in the last couple of months, I think it’s reasonable to assume that it may take at least a couple of weeks, or if not, a month,” he said.
Even that could be optimistic.
A return to normal cargo flows in the strait will “most likely take around three to four months,” Leon Schulz, a spokesman for Hapag-Lloyd, another major shipping company, told WTX US News on Tuesday.
The tentative agreement between Tehran and Washington does give “reason to hope” for an improved security situation, Schulz said, adding that the “risk assessment for transits of Hapag-Lloyd vessels through the Strait of Hormuz is currently being reevaluated.”
The Danish shipping giant Maersk told the Reuters news agency on Monday that it was still “too early to assess” the impact of the deal, adding: “At this stage, there are no changes to our operations in the region.”
“Solid evidence”
The path back to real normality in the Strait of Hormuz may be a minefield, literally and figuratively.
Reuters quoted sources in the shipping industry as saying Monday that removing Iranian sea mines from the strait could take 40 to 50 days.
“The threat of mines in the area remains a concern immediately as well as further down the line, and mine-free routes need to be established,” Larsen, of BIMCO, said Monday.
The text of the agreement between the U.S. and Iran has not been shared by either government, and the practical steps expected in the immediate future to reopen the strait safely remain unclear.
In the longer term, Iran has demonstrated an ability over the last 109 days to effectively use the Strait of Hormuz as a pressure-point, and analysts believe the risks of another closure may linger.
Marine insurance firms have said they’re not yet ready to readjust rates that soared during the war. Premiums are “quick to go up, slow to go down,” one maritime insurer in Singapore told Lloyd’s List, adding that it would only change its prices after seeing “solid evidence” of safety improvements for ships in the region.
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