Stories for March 2026

Friday, March 13th 2026 - 11:24 UTC
Iran exploits its asymmetric edge in Hormuz, narrowing the U.S. Navy’s room to act

Iran is shifting a key part of the war to the sea, where its conventional naval power is far weaker than that of the United States but where it still retains enough tools to disrupt global energy traffic. In the Strait of Hormuz, a corridor that carries roughly a fifth of the world’s oil, attacks on merchant shipping, the threat of mines and the use of fast boats and coastal missiles have raised the cost and complexity of any escort operation.
Friday, March 13th 2026 - 04:34 UTC
U.S. temporarily allows sales of Russian oil already loaded on tankers to ease energy pressure

The United States has temporarily authorized the sale of Russian oil and petroleum products already loaded on tankers, in a limited easing of sanctions adopted as global energy prices rise because of the Middle East war. The measure was announced by the Treasury Department and will remain in force until April 11.
Friday, March 13th 2026 - 03:12 UTC
Petro sends ministers to Caracas after meeting with Delcy Rodríguez is called off

Colombia and Venezuela shifted their planned bilateral contact to the ministerial level on Friday after a presidential meeting announced for the border was abruptly canceled under the formula of “force majeure.” Instead of the face-to-face encounter scheduled between Gustavo Petro and Delcy Rodríguez at the Atanasio Girardot bridge, Bogotá sent a delegation to Caracas led by Foreign Minister Rosa Villavicencio and including the ministers of defense, trade, and mines and energy.
Friday, March 13th 2026 - 02:57 UTC
Thousands of Venezuelans in Santiago de Chile rally behind María Corina Machado

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado drew thousands of supporters to central Santiago on Thursday in the largest public demonstration she has led since leaving Venezuela in late 2025. The gathering, held between Paseo Bulnes and Parque Almagro, exceeded initial expectations and became one of the most visible displays of the Venezuelan diaspora in Chile in recent years. According to estimates by Carabineros cited by Chilean and Spanish media, turnout ranged between 16,000 and 17,000 people.
Friday, March 13th 2026 - 02:49 UTC
Falklands: Loligo squid returns, “sufficient biomass abundance” for fishing season

Fisheries surveys in the Falkland Islands indicate that there is “sufficient biomass abundance” of Loligo squid to sustain a commercial fishing season.
Friday, March 13th 2026 - 02:41 UTC
Falklands mark anniversary of March 2013 referendum

The Falkland Islands this week mark thirteen years since the referendum in which residents overwhelmingly voted to remain a British Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom.
Friday, March 13th 2026 - 02:24 UTC
Falklands: Mount Pleasant Complex to hold public open day

The Mount Pleasant Complex (MPC), which includes the Falkland Islands’ international airport and the headquarters of the British Forces South Atlantic Islands (BFSAI), will open its doors to the public on Sunday, March 22, allowing residents to visit its facilities and equipment.
Friday, March 13th 2026 - 01:08 UTC
NASA sets April 1 for Artemis II, first crewed Moon mission in over 50 years

NASA said on Thursday that Artemis II had passed its flight readiness review and received the go-ahead to proceed toward a launch attempt on April 1, in what would be the first crewed mission around the Moon since the Apollo era. The agency said the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are set to roll out to pad 39B on March 19 once remaining closeout work is finished.
Thursday, March 12th 2026 - 10:45 UTC
Chile's new era with Kast in power

Chile entered a new political phase on Wednesday with the inauguration of José Antonio Kast, the most conservative figure to reach La Moneda since the return to democracy. Kast was sworn in at Congress in Valparaíso and then moved to the presidential palace, where he defended the idea of an “emergency government” and said he was receiving “a country in worse conditions than we could have imagined.”
Thursday, March 12th 2026 - 10:42 UTC
Iran broadens regional attacks as Israel launches new strikes on regime targets

The war involving Iran, Israel and the United States entered a broader regional phase on Thursday, with fresh Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure, shipping routes and military positions across Gulf states, while Israel responded with a new wave of strikes on Iranian territory. The escalation again tightened pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and pushed oil prices back above $100 a barrel.