U.S. forces struck five Iranian oil tankers and Iran fired on a base in Jordan; Brent crude climbed above $100; and Washington banned key Canadian imports after Ottawa’s counter-tariffs. Ten stories as of Wednesday morning, September 9.
1. Gulf of Oman / Jordan. U.S. Central Command said American forces destroyed five IRGC-linked crude carriers after Iran twice targeted a U.S. warship; the M/T Riesco sank, and Iran fired on Al Azraq in Jordan, the BBC and Al Jazeera reported.
2. London. Brent crude rose about 2% to trade above $100 a barrel for the first time since July as Hormuz risks mounted, the BBC and Guardian reported.
3. Washington / Ottawa. Trump ordered bans on certain Canadian alcohol, dairy, and motorcycles effective Sept. 29 after Canada’s counter-tariffs took effect, Reuters and the BBC reported.
4. Starokozache / Odesa. Russian drones killed two civilians and wounded three at the Ukraine–Moldova border crossing; Kyiv saw fires but no casualties, Al Jazeera and Reuters reported.
5. Berlin. Chancellor Merz told the Bundestag AfD’s remigration agenda is “nothing other than ethnic cleansing,” after the party’s Saxony-Anhalt win, the Guardian reported.
6. Barranquilla. Secretary Rubio and Colombia sealed memoranda on critical minerals and civil nuclear cooperation (the Barranquilla Accords), El País reported.
7. Wellington. Australian F-35As are exercising in New Zealand as partners push toward force integration, Reuters reported.
8. Kalimantan / Sumatra. Indonesian wildfires released 19.7 million tons of CO₂ Sept. 1–7 — over a third of the global total that week — Reuters reported, citing Copernicus.
9. Banjul. Blackout protests hit Gambia as President Barrow faces “Barrow must go” chants ahead of December’s vote, Al Jazeera and the BBC reported.
10. Dallas. Republicans opened a midterm convention with Trump set to keynote, about 55 days before the vote, ABC News reported.
Coming up. ECB rate decision through Thursday (Berlin). Sat–Sun — BRICS, New Delhi. Sunday — Sweden election. Sept 15–16 — FOMC with projections. UNGA high-level week Sept 22–26 and 28. Standing calendar: The Watch.
Sources: BBC; Al Jazeera; Reuters; The Guardian; El País.
