BEIJING — BEIJING (AP) — China’s factory activity was flat in May, according to an official survey released Sunday, raising questions about how much further the country’s economy can shield itself from the fallout of the ongoing Iran war and pressure on demand. The official manufacturing purchasing managers index moderated to 50 from 50.3 in … Read more
BENGALURU, India — Taxi driver Ravi Ranjan, who lives with his wife and child in New Delhi said shipping disruptions caused by the Iran war have forced him to pay higher prices for cooking fuel at a time when India’s prime minister is also urging residents to reduce driving and travel. It’s all hitting Ranjan’s … Read more
BANGKOK — Ship operators rely on a sludgelike substance known as bunker fuel to keep vessels running. The Iran war ‘s closure of the Strait of Hormuz has choked off the supply of this fuel that powers the global maritime industry and its largest refueling hub in Asia. Bunker fuel is a literal bottom of … Read more
The container ship Astrid Maersk, operated by AP Moller-Maersk A/S, sails from the port of Barcelona, Spain, on Thursday, April 30, 2026. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images The chief executive of Maersk, one of the world’s largest shipping companies, said Thursday that one of its commercial vessels was able to successfully pass through the … Read more
PANAMA CITY — Businesses have doled out up as much as $4 million to move boats through the Panama Canal with the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed, according to the Panama Canal Authority, in a move that has created a seismic shift in global trade flows. While passage through the waterway usually comes at a … Read more
TEL AVIV, Israel — Aid groups are warning that the war in the Middle East has upended their ability to get food and medicine to millions of people around the world in need, and that the suffering will deepen if the violence continues. Not only has the conflict cut off vital shipping routes, creating a … Read more
HAVANA — HAVANA (AP) — Cuba is preparing to receive its first shipment of Russian oil this year, just days after the government announced it was operating on natural gas, solar power and thermoelectric plants as severe power outages continue to hit an island whose power grid is crumbling. The Russian-flagged Anatoly Kolodkin is some … Read more
Commercial ships anchor off the coast of the United Arab Emirates due to navigation disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Dubai on March 2, 2026. Stringer | Anadolu | Getty Images Oil supertanker costs in the Middle East climbed to their highest level on record as conflict between the U.S. and Iran disrupts shipping through … Read more
This aerial view shows a cargo ship sailing out of the Panama Canal on the Pacific side in Panama City on October 6, 2025. Martin Bernetti | Afp | Getty Images Panama annulled key port contracts held by a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison in its official gazette Monday, transferring interim operations of the … Read more
An Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) speed boat sailing along the Persian Gulf near a cargo vessel. Nurphoto | Nurphoto | Getty Images U.S.-flagged ships have been advised to stay “as far as possible” from Iranian waters when navigating the Strait of Hormuz as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain elevated. In a notice issued … Read more