A US-sanctioned tanker with links to China, the Rich Starry, has transited the Strait of Hormuz, despite the US blockade of the waterway. According to the respected maritime news and intelligence agency Lloydslist, the Rich Starry is falsely registered in Malawi, but is Chinese owned and carrying a Chinese crew. It is subject to US sanctions for carrying Iranian goods. It is not known what the vessel is currently transporting.

Having been anchored off the UAE, the Rich Starry is not technically in breach of the blockade, but the incident has raised fears of a potential confrontation between the US and China in the region. Other vessels are reported to be waiting to transit the Strait, despite the US blockade.

The decision to impose a blockade on Iranian ports in the vicinity of the Strait was announced by the US president, Donald Trump, following the breakdown of US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad on April 11. Trump’s announcement was clarified by a statement on April 12 from US Central Command, which stipulated that the operation would prevent ships entering and exiting Iranian ports and coastal areas while not impeding vessels transiting the Strait to and from non‑Iranian ports.

Trump also announced that: “I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.” It remains unclear as to whether this will be implemented.

The Strait of Hormuz has been as good as closed since shortly after the US and Israel launched their attacks on Iran at the end of February. Most ship owners, charterers and insurers are unwilling to accept the financial risk – and risk to human life – that transiting the Strait under threat of Iranian attack would entail.

Blockades are used to convert naval dominance into advantage on land by preventing imports and exports of goods, in Iran’s case oil, to put pressure on an adversary’s population and government by hurting their economy. Likewise, Iran’s strategy of closing down the Strait after it was attacked intended to disrupt the global economy in order to put international pressure on the Trump administration.

Iran has long threatened to use its geographical proximity to the Strait of Hormuz to close it down. Having demonstrated how effective this can be in disrupting oil and liquid natural gas prices, Tehran has been flexing its muscles by demanding that ships wanting to transit the waterway pay a tariff of up to US$2 million (£1.5 million). Lloydslist reported on March 25 that “a total of 26 vessel transits through the strait have followed a route pre-approved under an IRGC [Islamic Republican Guard Corps] ‘toll booth’ system that requires the ship operators to submit to a vetting scheme”.

This was reportedly a sticking point in negotiations between the US and Iran in Pakistan on April 11. Tehran wants to retain control of the Strait and the ability to levy tolls from transiting ships. The US is demanding that the maritime right of free passage must be enforced. It was when the first round of talks ended in deadlock that the US president decided to impose the naval blockade.

Former US diplomat to the Middle East, David Satterfield, told the BBC on April 13 that it was now about which country could absorb more pain, adding: “The Iranians believe … that they can absorb more pain for a longer period than their opponents can.”

Expensive – and risky – gambit

The cost calculus is asymmetric. It will be more expensive for the US to maintain its blockade than it was for Iran to close the Strait. The question will be whether Washington can sustain interdiction long enough to effectively undermine the regime – always remembering that the Islamic Republic has potentially had decades to prepare for this sort of scenario.

If the blockade can be implemented effectively, it could – in time – have an effect on an economy wrecked by years of sanctions and further weakened by the recent war and nationwide protests in January. The question is how long that might take.

To be effective, the blockade will require considerable naval resources. The US is reported to have as many as 21 warships in the Middle East, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship with a complement of marines who are trained to board ships using helicopters and small boarding craft.

This introduces another layer of risk as assets operating near to the Iranian coasts will need to be protected against Iranian missiles, drones and fast attack craft. So, this would be resource‑intensive, operationally demanding and thus politically exposed for the US.

How the US will go about enforcement remains to be seen. In December and January, US naval and coastguard ships boarded and seized several vessels linked to Venezuela’s shadow fleet that had broken America’s blockade. Whether it would pursue the same action with a vessel linked to China is another matter though. And while another option would be to fire warning shots, these can be dangerous around tankers because of the risk of oil spillage, as well as the obvious political risk attached to Chinese-linked vessels.

It’s not clear at present that imposing a blockade on the Strait of Hormuz will restore free navigation of the waterway any time soon. But it now appears that, in the absence of free navigation, some countries have decided to call America’s bluff and attempt to transit the waterway in defiance of the US blockade. And the big concern must be the serious risk of escalation if the US attempts to enforce the blockade on a Chinese-owned vessel.

None of this will be welcomed by the US president and his national security team.

“The motion is excellent, but we have to hold the British Government’s feet to the fire as much as possible.”

A heated row over letting the British government “off the hook” on increasing household oil payments has flared in a Co Down chamber amid an Irish unity call.

Newry, Mourne and Down District Counci this week agreed a Sinn Fein motion on a majority vote to urge the release of £17m UK funding from the Department for Communities ahead of a heating oil paper to the Executive on Thursday.

However, unionist support for the motion was “lost” over a constitutional matter.

READ MORE: Lisburn HGV transport depot approved amid Middle East fuel crisis concerns.

READ MORE: Lisburn councillor cleared after Palestine ‘cheerleaders for head choppers’ post.

Bringing forward the motion, Deputy chairperson Geraldine Kearns said: “This council recognises the immense pressure being placed on workers, families and businesses as a result of huge price hikes on energy costs, especially home heating oil as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran.

“Newry, Mourne and Down,calls on the Communities Minister who has the responsibility for tackling fuel poverty to set up a scheme to get this money (£17m) into the pockets of those who are struggling with heating costs.”

She added:”This council further calls on the British government to end its inadequate and delayed response to the fuel crisis, and to act with the urgency that it demands to protect households, sustain local businesses, and safeguard our rural economy.

“And to write to the British Secretary of State for the North and the Minister of State for Energy to clearly convey this council’s deep frustration at their failure to act, and to demand the immediate delivery of real, effective support for those struggling with rising energy crisis.”

Slieve Gullion Sinn Fein councillor Aine Quinn who seconded the motion added:”This exposes something that we already know, partition does not work…this is why the case for Irish unity has never been more relevant not as an abstract idea, but as a common sense solution.”

The huge hike in heating costs from the Middle East conflict is now said to be impacting the budgets of 500,000 homes in NI.

The UK Government has stepped in with an offer of £17 million in support to NI, which economists calculated as £35 per household. The money is due to be delivered by the DfC.

Mournes DUP councillor Glyn Hanna said:”Gordon Lyons (DfC Minister) has demonstrated previously that he will step in and deliver support when it falls within his remit including administrating a winter fuel payment, he stands ready to do so again.

“The DUP position is clear funding must be increased by a meaningful level, delivery mechanisms must be urgently put in place and both the Executive and the UK Government must act in a coordinated way to provide real relief.”

A further amendment by Downpatrick SDLP councillor Conor Galbraith saying:”Last month we witnessed an 80% rise in heating oil in just one week.

“The SDLP supports the motion, but also recognise a huge gap in it as it stands.

“The motion focuses primarily on the Communities Minister, but an energy crisis of this scale cannot be addressed by one department alone.

“We propose to write to the First and Deputy First Minister, the Executive and the UK Government to urgently establish a joint energy task force…to roll out practical steps that reflect the reality that people are facing.”

The amendment was not accepted by Sinn Fein with a majority voting against the proposal (11 for, 20 against and 6 abstaining).

SDLP Slieve Gullion councillor Pete Byrne said:”We want more money from the British Government.

“So, if we’re not taking the amendment, don’t try and blame it on the British Government getting off the hook, this sticks them on a hook.

“The motion is excellent, but we have to hold the British Government’s feet to the fire as much as possible.”

Slieve Gullion UUP councillor David Taylor added:”It has been reported that the Communities Minister is due to bring a paper to the Executive this Thursday, which will hopefully bring some welcome news.

“This issue effects everyone in the community irrespective of political background.

“I want to express my disappointment that in seconding the motion, Councillor Quinn really took that cross community support aspect away by making a political point on constitutional position of Northern Ireland, there was no need for that.

“And what you have done is actually lost support from the unionist side.”

The Sinn Fein motion was then approved with unionists voting against (31 for and 6 against).

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

The debate came as fuel protests took place across Northern Ireland

DUP deputy leader Michelle McIlveen has hit out at other MLAs after they opposed a motion from the party calling for a full cost-benefit analysis of net zero policies in all of Stormont’s departments.

The motion expressed “deep concern” that aspirational climate targets are impeding the delivery of high-quality public services and infrastructure across Northern Ireland after the High Court quashed the A5 Western Transport Corridor due to it conflicting with the yet-to-be-finalised Climate Action Plan. This has had major implications for other infrastructure projects, including the A4 Enniskillen bypass.

Among other concerns raised by the party were the current legal requirement for minimum spend on active travel which thet said “perversely acts as a barrier to vital investment in roads maintenance and repairs” and also aspects of the draft Climate Action Plan which they added “contains a range of proposals that are not quantified and would place additional burdens on farmers and households during a cost-of-living crisis.”

Speaking following the debate, Ms McIlveen said: “Today the Assembly had an opportunity to take a sensible and responsible step to calculate the cost of net zero for our budget. Instead of looking at affordability or grasping transparency, every other major party chose to turn a blind eye to the real costs being imposed on households, businesses and public services.

“Our motion simply asked that departments properly assess the costs and benefits of net zero policies. That is the minimum standard of good government, yet it was rejected.“The reality is that many of the proposals being advanced under the current Climate Action Plan are not fully quantified. Families and businesses are being asked to shoulder additional burdens without clarity on what those costs will be or what the return will be.“At a time when people are already facing a cost-of-living crisis, that is simply unacceptable.“We have already seen how rigid climate targets are impacting major infrastructure projects, including the A5 and A1. There is a growing risk that vital investment in roads and economic development will be delayed or deprioritised because of policies that have not been properly stress-tested.“Other parties may be content to pursue aspirational targets without asking hard questions, but the DUP will not. We will continue to stand up for a fair and balanced approach. One that protects our environment while also safeguarding public services and household finances.“The refusal of others to even examine the cost of their policies raises serious questions about whether their approach is driven by evidence or ideology.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

NFL reporter Dianna Russini has resigned from The Athletic less than a week after published photos of her and New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel at an Arizona resort prompted an internal investigation at The New York Times-owned sports outlet.

The New York Post last week published the photos of Vrabel and Russini at the Sedona hotel and said they were taken before the NFL owners meetings that began in Phoenix on March 29.

Vrabel didn’t attend New England’s pre-draft news conference on Monday.

The New York Times reported Saturday that the digital outlet was investigating Russini’s conduct.

That decision came after Ginsberg previously told the Post that the photos “lacked essential context” and lauded her work with The Athletic.

Vrabel, who won three Super Bowls as a player with New England, is preparing for his second season as coach of the Patriots. He was the AP NFL Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 14-3 finish last season, which ended with a Super Bowl loss to Seattle. Vrabel previously won the AP NFL Coach of the Year award with Tennessee in 2021.

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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL

Dr Ann Burgess is at the heart of BBC Two’s true crime docu-series Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer.

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Dr Ann Burgess worked on cases involving some of America’s most notorious serial killers, including Ted Bundy, Ed Kemper, and Dennis Rader.BBC Two is broadcasting the first episode of Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer tonight, Tuesday, April 14, a three-part documentary series examining the life of Dr Ann Burgess.

Having initially trained as a psychiatric mental health nurse, Burgess became one of the FBI’s most valuable assets as she transformed criminal profiling, aiding in the capture of killers throughout the 1970s and 1980s, with her contributions remaining vital to this day.So much so that she helped inspire Netflix‘s hugely popular crime thriller Mindhunter, with psychologist Dr Wendy Carr from the FBI’s Behaviour Science Unit (BSU) being modelled on Burgess.

Where is Dr Ann Burgess now?

Dr Ann Burgess may be 89-years-old, but she shows no signs of slowing down as she continues to work on profiling.Rather than focusing on serial killers, however, Burgess has turned her attention to profiling school shooters, collaborating alongside her granddaughter Alex, according to CBS.

Together, they gather data based on what school shooters have written in their manifestos, hoping to develop a profiling technique to assist teachers and others in identifying students who may be displaying worrying signs.Burgess told CBS that the motivation “always includes a grievance”, as she continued: “And then they start researching and developing their plan.

“Law enforcement is onto this, and I think that they are making great strides on the cases that don’t turn out to be lethal.”This isn’t the only area in which Burgess operates, as she also trains nurses in Boston to identify signs that women with dementia have been sexually assaulted in care homes.

Very little is known about her private life, as Burgess prefers to remain out of the public eye.

Her husband, Allen, was a computer engineer and a staunch supporter of her work with the FBI.

As a qualified pilot, Allen was able to fly her to and from Quantico, Virginia, enabling her to conduct her research before Burgess obtained her own licence.

Together, they have four children, two sons and two daughters, and she is currently collaborating closely with her granddaughter Alex on her latest project.

Mastermind: To Think Like A Killer is available to watch on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

More than 13 million people of State Pension age can defer claiming to boost payments or stop paying National Insurance contributions if still working

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More than 13 million people across Great Britain have reached State Pension age and are receiving weekly payments of up to £241.30. Those who have reached the official retirement age, which is currently undergoing a phased increase from 66 to 67 between now and 2028, have the option to stop working and claim their State Pension, defer their claim, or continue working while claiming it.

If you are considering claiming your pension while remaining in employment, it is worth bearing in mind that the Personal Allowance is frozen at £12,570 until April 2031, and any earnings above this threshold will be subject to taxation. While deferring your claim can increase annual State Pension payments by nearly £700, many older workers may be unaware that upon reaching State Pension age, they are no longer required to pay National Insurance Contributions (NICs) through their wages.

However, this financial benefit does not take effect automatically and must be brought to your employer’s attention, though assistance is also available through HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). If you are an employee who has already reached State Pension age and is still paying NICs, you are entitled to reclaim that money. Guidance published on GOV.UK outlines the full process for removing NICs from your pay, whether you are employed or self-employed, reports the Daily Record.

It states: “If you’re self-employed, your Class 2 National Insurance contributions will no longer be treated as paid. You stop paying Class 4 National Insurance from 6 April (start of the tax year) after you reach State Pension age. You only pay Income Tax if your taxable income – including your private pension and State Pension – is more than your tax-free allowances (the amount of income you’re allowed before you pay tax).”

According to official guidance, if you carry on working past retirement age, you must provide your employer with proof of your age to ensure you cease paying National Insurance. This can be done using a birth certificate or passport. Should you prefer not to show your employer either document, HMRC is able to issue a letter to present to them instead.

The letter will confirm that you have reached State Pension age and that you do not need to pay National Insurance. It is worth noting that you will need to write to HMRC explaining your reasons for not wishing your employer to see your birth certificate or passport.

If HMRC does not hold a record of your date of birth, they will request that you submit your birth certificate or passport for verification. Certified copies are acceptable.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Former Michigan football coach Sherrone Moore was placed on probation Tuesday for 18 months for a confrontation with his executive assistant soon after he was fired for having an inappropriate relationship with her.

Moore was facing a possible sentence of up to six months in jail after pleading no contest to trespassing and malicious use of a telecom device. But Judge J. Cedric Simpson ordered no time in custody.

He said jail wasn’t warranted, though he warned Moore that “all bets are off” if he violates probation.

Moore, 40, was fired on Dec. 10 after leading the Wolverines for two seasons, following Jim Harbaugh’s move to the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers. It was a stunning dismissal at one of college football’s most prestigious programs.

Moore was accused that same day of confronting Paige Shiver, with whom he had been having an affair, and blaming her for his firing, even threatening to kill himself with butter knives and kitchen scissors in her apartment. Authorities said she had ended the affair and spoken to school officials about it.

By ordering probation, “I would let Ms. Shiver know that this court is not by any means lessening the impact of those events,” the judge said.

“Frankly, Mr. Moore, you had no right to do what you did,” he added. “I know that she was placed in fear. It was a traumatic experience that day for you. It was certainly a traumatic experience for her. But you had no right to spread your pain to her.”

Shiver did not attend the hearing but released a statement, saying the sentence “does not reflect the harm done to me.”

“He broke into my apartment, crying, yelling, enraged, and came at me with knives. I was threatened, and I feared for my life,” she said.

Moore was initially charged with felony home invasion, stalking and illegal entry. But Washtenaw County prosecutors agreed to a deal in which he pleaded no contest to two other misdemeanors.

Moore spoke briefly in court. He thanked his wife, Kelli, for standing by him but did not say anything about Shiver.

The judge, too, praised Kelli Moore. Simpson said he was especially moved by a letter she wrote in support of her husband. He also noted that she was concerned about Moore’s mental health when she calmly called police on the day of the incident in search of him.

“The person, quite frankly Mr. Moore, that is saving you from the full wrath of this court is the one you betrayed,” Simpson said. “I don’t know where your wife Kelli finds her strength.”

The judge also cited the “courage” of prosecutors “in doing what is right” by backing off from the initial charges.

“When the charges were filed they were appropriate,” Simpson said. “But as with any case, as more facts become known and as more things happen, the facts and the analysis change.”

The plea deal came after defense lawyer Ellen Michaels planned to aggressively challenge how police gathered and shared information to get an arrest warrant. She argued that police didn’t disclose that Moore and Shiver had a working relationship.

Moore did not harm himself and was peacefully arrested in a parking lot away from Shiver’s apartment.

After the hearing, outside the courthouse, Moore held a Bible in one hand and his wife’s hand with the other.

“Sherrone is grateful for this matter to be resolved and he and his wife, Kelli, are ready to move forward with their family and focus on the next chapter,” Michaels said.

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White reported from Detroit.

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EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org

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Today, a former Nato chief has said that the UK’s security and safety is “in peril” and Sir Keir Starmer’s government has shown “corrosive complacency” towards defence.

In a directly political intervention, Lord Robertson – who is now a key government adviser – says “We cannot defend Britain with an ever-expanding welfare budget.”

It comes on the day the IMF has warned the energy shock from the Iran war will hit the UK the hardest of the world’s advanced economies.

Adam and Chris are joined by Ben Chu from BBC Verify and Helen Miller from the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

You can now listen to Newscast on a smart speaker. If you want to listen, just say “Ask BBC Sounds to play Newscast”. It works on most smart speakers.

You can join our Newscast online community here: https://bbc.in/newscastdiscord

Get in touch with Newscast by emailing newscast@bbc.co.uk or send us a WhatsApp on +44 0330 123 9480.

New episodes released every day. If you’re in the UK, for more News and Current Affairs podcasts from the BBC, listen on BBC Sounds: https://bbc.in/4guXgXd

Newscast brings you daily analysis of the latest political news stories from the BBC. The presenter was Adam Fleming. It was made by Jack Maclaren with Shiler Mahmoudi and Anna Harris. The social producer was Gabriel Purcell-Davis. The technical producer was Jonathan Greer . The assistant editor is Chris Gray. The senior news editor is Sam Bonham.

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Viewers took to social media to share their frustration after an ITV scheduling shake-up.

I’m A Celebrity… South Africa viewers were left fuming just seconds into the ITV programme’s timeslot tonight, after they realised it would be airing 10 minutes later than usual.

The Ant and Dec-fronted series has returned with another batch of celebrities returning to take on some stomach-churning bushtucker trials.

This year, the likes of Ashley Roberts and Gemma Collins are joining Adam Thomas, Harry Redknapp, Scarlett Moffatt, David Haye, Beverley Callard and Sir Mo Farah.

Seann Walsh, Sinitta, Craig Charles, Jimmy Bullard and Adam Thomas complete the line-up for the highly anticipated series.

The series is well underway, but tonight’s show sparked outrage from fans when they realised it would be airing at the slightly later time of 9.10pm rather than 9pm.

READ MORE: BBC star hints at Celebrity Race Across The World stint after filming admissionREAD MORE: BBC drops first look at ‘poignant’ new drama based on best-selling book

The weeknightly show, which has been pre-recorded, was pushed back due to ITV’s coverage of the Women’s World Cup Qualifiers.

Taking to X to share their frustration before the episode even properly began, one viewer fumed: “Why the f*** is football on I’m crying.” Another slammed: “F off pointless football,” while someone else wrote: “It’s #ImACeleb 0’clock.”

Someone else shared an eye-rolling meme, writing: “Omg Im a celeb being delayed by football.” Another person shared an image of the pundits on ITV, saying: “Can these people talk faster? Wrap it up… #ImACeleb.”

Yet another echoed: “The only people watching b****y football are waiting for #ImACeleb.”

Someone else saw the brighter side of things, writing: “People moaning about a match which delayed it by 10 minutes yet it started 2 mins earlier than the delayed time.”

As the programme returned tonight, several others took to social media to bemoan David Haye’s comments from a previous episode. The boxer sparked outrage over a rant about “ugly birds”, while talking about his partner Sian.

He had first called her “lovely”, but then horrified his campmates when he carried on: “She’s got the personality of a proper ugly bird.”

He went on: “She has, honestly. Most ugly girls realise they’ve gotta have a personality and the banter to tell jokes and s**t, so people overlook the fact that they’re not aesthetically amazing straight away.” He didn’t stop there, going on: “It’s called ugly duckling syndrome.”

As his campmates listened in shock, he went on: “Where girls are ugly when they start off, then they get pretty as they get older, but they’ve still got the personality of when they were ugly.”

“You get a girl who was pretty from day one, everyone tells her she’s amazing, so she grows up thinking ‘I’m amazing, everyone loves me, I can open up any door, I can go anywhere I want’. They don’t have to have a personality because most super pretty girls are idiots.

“But their ugly friend, they’ve got to work a bit harder. They’ve got to be more personable, they’ve got to be nicer to everyone.”

David’s shocking comments sparked outrage from fans and celebrities alike, with Susanna Reid on Good Morning Britain dismissing them, as she said: “I just don’t think it bears scrutiny.”

I’m A Celebrity… South Africa airs weeknights at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.