Jason and the Arthropods

In November 2022, three men from Nigeria secretly hid on the rudder of the Maltese-flagged oil and chemical tanker Alithini II in an attempt to reach Europe. The men departed from Lagos and endured an extremely dangerous 11-day journey across the Atlantic Ocean while sitting on the rudder blade just above the waterline. When the ship arrived in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, on 28 November 2022, Spanish maritime rescue teams discovered the three men still perched on the rudder and brought them safely to shore. One of the survivors later described the experience as incredibly harsh, saying the long journey left them severely exhausted and weak. Authorities initially returned two of the men to the vessel with plans to deport them back to Nigeria, but the situation later changed after the men requested asylum.

Spain has officially withdrawn its ambassador from Israel, marking one of the strongest diplomatic protests yet over the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. The move significantly downgrades relations between the two countries and signals Madrid’s growing frustration with Israel’s military campaign. While embassies remain open, recalling an ambassador is a major diplomatic step often used to show serious political condemnation without fully cutting ties. Spain’s government says the decision reflects its demand for an immediate ceasefire and greater protection for civilians, as tensions between Israel and several European governments continue to escalate.

President Donald Trump has reportedly expressed growing frustration over the length of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, telling senior military advisers that he is “getting tired” of the prolonged war with Iran. Despite recent Pentagon statements that U.S. forces have been “unleashed” to carry out operations against Iranian targets, the President is said to be questioning why a decisive outcome has not yet been achieved. The situation has become increasingly complex as the conflict spreads across the region. Reports indicate that U.S. and allied strikes have targeted key Iranian infrastructure, while Iran has responded with missile attacks against regional targets and energy facilities, raising fears of wider escalation. At the same time, global markets are reacting sharply. Concerns over disruptions to energy supplies — particularly around the Strait of Hormuz — have triggered major volatility in oil prices and heightened fears of a broader economic crisis. International leaders are now calling for restraint as diplomatic pressure grows to prevent further escalation. Analysts warn that the gap between expectations of a quick resolution and the reality of a prolonged regional conflict could shape global politics and energy markets in the months ahead. #WorldNews #MiddleEast #Geopolitics #GlobalEconomy #USPolitics

More than 12 years after it vanished, a new search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 has ended without finding the missing plane. Malaysia’s transport ministry confirmed that the latest operation, carried out by marine exploration company Ocean Infinity, concluded in January 2026 without locating the wreckage. The search began in December and covered about 15,000 square kilometres of ocean using advanced autonomous underwater vehicles capable of diving thousands of metres below the surface. Flight MH370, a Boeing 777 carrying 239 people, disappeared on 8 March 2014 while traveling from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Despite multiple investigations and the largest aviation search effort ever conducted, the aircraft’s main wreckage and flight recorders have still not been found. On the 12th anniversary of the disappearance, families of the passengers criticised authorities, saying they had received limited updates about the most recent search. In an open letter, relatives said they had not been given any search briefings since mid-January and called for clearer communication from officials. More than a decade later, the disappearance of MH370 remains one of aviation’s greatest unsolved mysteries, with no confirmed explanation for what happened to the aircraft.