US aircraft carrier collides with merchant ship

The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman was involved in a collision with a merchant ship near Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea on Wednesday night, a US Navy spokesperson said Thursday.

It’s not clear what caused the collision between the US warship and the Panamanian-flagged vessel Besiktas-M, but the spokesperson said it did not result in any flooding on board the Truman and its nuclear propulsion plants were unaffected.

No injuries were reported on either vessel, though the merchant ship sustained some damage, a Navy official said.

An investigation is ongoing to determine how they collided, but the official noted that the area they were in near the Suez Canal is typically very densely packed with ships.

The Besiktas-M, a 617-foot (188-meter) long bulk carrier, had exited the Suez Canal and was heading to Romania, according to tracking website Marine Traffic.

The Truman, a 1,100-foot-long Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, was heading toward the canal, tracking data indicates.

Marine expert Sal Mercogliano, a professor at Campbell University, said in an X Spaces conversation that the area where the collision occurred, near an anchorage off Egypt’s Port Said, had around 100 ships in it at the time of the incident.

Former US Navy captain Carl Schuster, an instructor at Hawaii Pacific University, said such conditions leave little room for error.

“There is not a lot of room for maneuvering in a restricted seaway and both ships require about one nautical mile to stop,” Schuster said.

Small navigation mistakes, misreading of the other ship’s intentions or delayed decision-making from the crew of either ship could have put them in danger quickly “with very few viable options,” Schuster said.

Last week the Truman was in Souda Bay, Greece, for a “working port visit” after two months of combat operations in the Central Command region, a Navy statement said. During that time, it conducted multiple strikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen and launched airstrikes against ISIS in Somalia, the Navy said. The Truman is one of 11 aircraft carriers in the US Navy fleet.

Accidents involving huge ships and commercial vessels are rare as the carriers usually travel with a strike group, protected by a screen of destroyers.

But ships entering the Suez Canal must travel in single file, which could make them more vulnerable to a collision, experts said.

The last known time a US carrier collided with a merchant vessel was on July 22, 2004, when a dhow, a sailing vessel common in the Middle East, struck the former USS John F. Kennedy in the Persian Gulf, according to maritime outlet USNI News.

Two US Navy destroyers were involved in fatal collisions in 2017. Seven sailors died after the USS Fitzgerald struck a cargo ship off Japan in June that year, and 10 sailors were killed when the USS John S McCain collided with a tanker off Singapore and Malaysia two months later. 

OIC extraordinary session on Gaza

The Iranian Foreign Ministry's proposal to convene an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) foreign ministers to address the forced displacement of Palestinians from Gaza has reportedly gained significant support.

According to a report by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), citing an informed source within Iran's Foreign Ministry, the session is expected in the first half of March, following extensive diplomatic efforts by Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

The proposal, formally submitted to the OIC Secretary General, followed a series of recent consultations between Araghchi and his counterparts in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, Turkey, Pakistan, Malaysia, and Gambia, as well as the current OIC chair.

The discussions focused on possible measures against controversial US-Israeli plans to relocate Gazans to countries such as Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.

Araghchi has repeatedly condemned these proposals, warning that they would "complete the colonial erasure of Palestine."

He urged unified action to thwart this "conspiracy" against Palestinian rights.

“The US-Zionist plan to forcibly expel Gazans and scatter them across other nations is a blatant attempt to destroy Palestinian identity," Araghchi stated.

He further noted that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent suggestion of establishing a Palestinian state on Saudi territory was an "unprecedented aggression" and a "threat to regional peace and security."

Indirectly referencing Netanyahu’s remarks, Araghchi emphasized the need for the OIC to adopt "urgent measures" to prevent the normalization of "genocidal policies" by the Israeli regime.

He stressed that the international community, particularly Muslim-majority nations, must oppose efforts to legitimize violations of international law.

“The Organization of Islamic Cooperation must take a decisive and effective decision as soon as possible by holding an extraordinary meeting with the presence of the foreign ministers of the member states to defend the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,” Iran's top diplomat said in a phone call with OIC Secretary General Hussein Ibrahim Taha.

US President Donald Trump recently proposed that Washington take “ownership” of the Gaza Strip and transform it into a tourism hub, permanently displacing the Palestinian inhabitants.

“We’ll own it [Gaza] and be responsible for clearing it out and rebuilding it into the Riviera of the Middle East [West Asia],” Trump said during a news conference with Israel’s convicted war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu.

Later, while sitting next to Jordan’s King in the Oval Office, Trump refused to elaborate on how he would proceed with his plan, given the opposition from both the residents of Gaza and the countries to which he plans to relocate the population of over 2 million. He said the US would just “take” the territory.

The US president's statements have ignited international outrage, with rights and legal bodies accusing him of helping Israel complete the genocide it could not finish during 16 months of brutal war on Gaza.

 

US exports 1.91 billion gallons ethanol in 2024

The United States exported 194.42 million gallons ethanol in December, taking export volumes for the full year 2024 to a record 1.91 billion gallons, according to data released by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service on February 05, 2025. Distillers grains exports were at 1.06 million metric tons in December, to a total 12.23 million metric tons for the full year.

The 194.42 million gallons of ethanol exported in December was up from both the 187.6 million gallons exported the previous month and the 155.4 million gallons exported in December 2023.

The US exported ethanol to approximately three dozen countries in December. Canada was the top destination for US ethanol exports at 62.82 million gallons, followed by the Netherlands at 32.07 million gallons and the Britain at 27.06 million gallons. 

The value of US ethanol exports reached US$421.66 million in December, up from both US$398.46 million in November and US$365.93 million in December of the previous year. 

Total US ethanol exports for 2024 reached 1.91 billion gallons at a value of US$4.31 billion, as compared to 1.4 billion gallons exported in 2023 at a value of US$3.81 billion. Canada was the top destination for US ethanol exports last year, at 674.6 million gallons, followed by the Britain at 243.84 million gallons and India at 187.03 million gallons.  

The 1.06 million metric tons of distillers grains exported in December was up from both the 946,804 metric tons exported the previous month and the 1.02 million metric tons exported in December 2023. 

The US exported distillers grains to nearly three dozen countries in December. Mexico was the top destination for US distillers grains exports at 195,409 metric tons, followed by Colombia at 118,765 metric tons and Vietnam at 104,626 metric tons. 

The value of US distillers grains exports was US$282.97 million in December, as compared to US$228.98 million in November and US$288.41 million in December of the previous year. 

Total US distillers grains exports for 2024 reached 12.23 million metric tons at a value of US$3.2 billion, as compared to 10.78 million metric tons exported in 2023 at a value of US$3.29 billion. Mexico was the top destination for US distillers grains exports last year at 2.54 million metric tons, followed by South Korea at 1.49 million metric tons and Vietnam at 1.02 million metric tons. 

 

Iran demands OIC meeting to thwart Trump’s nefarious plan

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has demanded the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to hold an emergency meeting to discuss the disgraceful US-Israeli plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip.

Islamic countries now have a responsibility to defend the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, especially their right to self-determination, Araghchi told OIC Secretary-General Hissein Brahim Taha in a phone call.

“The plan to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza is not only a major crime and tantamount to genocide, but will also have dangerous implications for regional and global stability and peace,” Araghchi added.

The Iranian foreign minister emphasized the need for a coordinated and unified stance from the Muslim world to thwart this “nefarious scheme”.

The minister said Islamic countries have a crucial responsibility to support the legitimate and fundamental rights of the oppressed Palestinian people, particularly their right to self-determination and a secure life in their homeland.

For his part, OIC chief Taha welcomed Iran's proposal for holding an extraordinary meeting of OIC foreign ministers for the purpose, saying he would consult with member states regarding the matter.

 

“I am committed to buying and owning Gaza”, says Trump

US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his plan to take control of Gaza, and said that he could allow other states in the Middle East to rebuild parts of the war-ravaged enclave.

“I’m committed to buying and owning Gaza. As far as us rebuilding it, we may give it to other states in the Middle East to build sections of it," Trump told reporters onboard Air Force One as he traveled to the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday.

"Other people may do it through our auspices. But we’re committed to owning it, taking it, and making sure that Hamas doesn’t move back. There’s nothing to move back into. The place is a demolition site. The remainder will be demolished," he added.

Trump described the enclave as "the most dangerous site anywhere in the world to live in," but said "we'll make it into a very good site for future development by somebody".

"We'll let other countries develop parts of it. It'll be beautiful. People can come from all over the world and live there," he told reporters.

"But we're going to take care of the Palestinians. We're going to make sure they live beautifully and in harmony and in peace, and that they're not murdered."

The US president announced his plan to take over Gaza almost a week ago, following a meeting at the White House with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

At the time, he said that displaced Palestinians would not want to go back to Gaza. On Sunday, Trump told reporters that Arab nations would agree to take in Palestinians after speaking with him and insisted Palestinians would leave Gaza if they had a choice.

“They don’t want to return to Gaza. If we could give them a home in a safer area — the only reason they’re talking about returning to Gaza is they don’t have an alternative," Trump said. "When they have an alternative, they don’t want to return to Gaza."

Trump's plan to resettle Palestinians and turn the enclave into the "Riviera of the Middle East" drew widespread international condemnation from leaders and officials worldwide.

Countries including Jordan, Saudi Arabia, France, Spain, Ireland, Germany, Türkiye, Iran, and Brazil voiced their opposition to any forced displacement. Australia, Russia and China said a two-state solution is the only way forward. UN Secretary-General António Guterres said "it is essential to avoid any form of ethnic cleansing".

 

Can Trump impose tariffs on Chinese drugs?

According to The Hill, President Trump’s tariffs on China are in place and hitting all products imported from the country — including a number of pharmaceuticals that Americans rely upon.

Chinese imports account for a significant proportion of US prescriptions and over the counter drugs. Many of the Chinese-produced medicines are generics, which account for 91 percent of prescriptions dispensed in the United States.

“The Chinese market is a key supplier for key starting materials and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) to the generic supply chain,” said John Murphy, president and CEO of the Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM). 

“I will say they’re sort of less important any longer for the actual finished fill and final manufacturing,” Murphy noted. “But really, it’s the rare minerals, the key starting materials which are obviously critical to the supply chain.” 

Stakeholders were hopeful that medications would be spared from tariffs. Some noted that the US is a signatory to the World Trade Organization’s (WTO) 1994 Agreement on Trade in Pharmaceutical Products which calls for the elimination of tariffs on many pharmaceutical products. China has vowed to sue over the 10 percent tariffs, which it says are in violation of WTO rules. 

But a White House official said no exceptions are planned, and the administration will not be recognizing the WTO agreement. 

The country’s dependence on China to maintain pharmaceutical supply chains has long been an issue that lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have sought to address.

In 2018, the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission noted that the country was “heavily dependent” on drugs and API originating from China.

A 2023 analysis from the Atlantic Council found that the value of Chinese-imported APIs has continued to grow in recent years. 

According to Monica de Bolle, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, the US isn’t unique in its dependence on China for drugs, noting that the European Union is similarly reliant.   

De Bolle said China’s dominance in the market grew as it sought to enhance its drug producing capacity while US pharmaceutical companies turned to other manufacturing pursuits. 

“What happened is that we developed this huge biotech sector where we have a lot of stuff going on,” said de Bolle. “The manufacturing market just turned to producing these more sophisticated drugs; the stuff that’s used in treatments, the stuff that’s going through clinical trials.” 

“That’s why we went from, you know, producing a lot of these things to not producing many of these things and buying them from elsewhere. And elsewhere eventually became China,” she added. 

The margins for manufacturing generic drugs are razor-thin, and any disruptions to the supply chain are apt to cause shortages or delays. 

“That additional 10 percent tariff is going to have a fairly significant impact on the cost of goods for the generic and by a similar supply chain,” said Murphy. “We don’t hold massive stockpiles of generic drugs in the United States. It’s a fairly just-in-time inventory.” 

According to Murphy, some manufacturers may find it economically unviable to produce generic drugs, resulting in shortages. 

Across all industries, analysts have warned that increased costs brought on by tariffs will be passed to consumers. But some manufacturers may instead drop out of the market entirely rather than pass on costs, partly due to a key provision in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

As part of its cost-cutting measures, the IRA included a provision that requires drug makers to pay Medicaid a rebate if the price of their drugs rises faster than the rate of inflation.  

Tom Kraus, vice president of government relations at the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, said incurring that penalty on top of tariffs could mean more than just shortages. 

“You’ve got to sort of factor in paying that penalty, which is going to make you less profitable or you’re going to have to drop out of the market,” said Kraus. 

He noted that group purchasing organizations, companies that help hospitals and pharmacies buy drugs and save money, may decide that manufacturers whose products originate from China are too expensive and turn away from them entirely. 

 

 

Saudi Navy taking part in AMAN-25 Exercise in Pakistan

The Royal Saudi Navy is participating in the joint naval exercise titled “AMAN-25,” which started in Karachi, Pakistan on Friday, as part of its efforts to enhance international cooperation in maritime security.

Naval forces from as many as 60 countries are taking part in the five-day multinational maritime exercise, which aims to strengthen global collaboration in combating piracy and terrorism while improving security coordination among the participating naval forces.

The 9th edition of the naval drill, organized by the Pakistan Navy, focuses on safeguarding economic waters, sharing expertise, enhancing combat readiness, and preparing participants for complex maneuvers and counter-techniques.

The Royal Saudi Navy is participating in the exercise with two war ships –HMS Jazan and HMS Hail- along with specialized forces from the Marine Corps and the Royal Navy’s Special Security Units.