BERLIN — A whale that was stranded for days in shallow water at a Baltic Sea resort in Germany has swum free from a sandbank overnight after a last-ditch rescue effort. But it isn’t out of danger yet.
An excavator spent Thursday digging an escape channel. The whale then swam through it overnight, marine biologist Robert Marc Lehmann said Friday, German news agency dpa reported.
But he cautioned that it was only a small step in the right direction for the marine mammal, which is 12-15 meters (39-49 feet) long, and that it will only really be at home again if it reaches the Atlantic Ocean.
The whale was spotted stuck on an underwater sandbank in Timmendorfer Strand, a popular resort town, on Monday morning. Initial efforts to free it and coax it back toward deeper water, including using coast guard and fire department boats to create large waves, were unsuccessful. The Baltic Sea lacks strong tides that could have freed the whale.
On Thursday morning, rescuers brought in excavators to dig a trench in front of the whale’s head, while Lehmann approached the animal and guided the digging. They worked until well after sunset, but hadn’t quite been able to get the whale out by the time they had to stop work for the night.
Early on Friday morning, the whale was on its way out of Lübeck Bay, where Timmendorfer Strand is located, said Stephanie Gross of the Institute of Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research. She said the massive mammal, which was about 300 meters (nearly 1,000 feet) off the coast, was being accompanied by a coast guard ship and several boats.
Experts assume that the whale is a young male, as males, unlike females, tend to migrate. It also appeared to be the same whale that was spotted several times in the port of Wismar, east of Timmendorfer Strand, in recent weeks.
It was not immediately clear why the whale was in the area and got stranded.
Humpback whales aren’t native to the Baltic. This one faces a journey of several hundred kilometers (miles) through German and Danish waters if it is to reach the North Sea.
The Senate early Friday morning approved Homeland Security funds to pay Transportation Security Administration agents and most other agencies, but not the immigration enforcement operations at the heart of the budget impasse that has jammed airports, disrupted travel and imposed financial hardship on workers.The deal, which the Senate approved unanimously without a roll call, next goes to the House, which is expected to consider it Friday.“We can get at least a lot of the government opened up again and then we’ll go from there,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “Obviously, we’ll still have some work ahead of us.”With pressure mounting to resolve the 42-day stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the endgame emerged in the final hours before TSA workers miss another paycheck Friday. President Donald Trump said he would sign an order to immediately pay the TSA agents, saying he wanted to quickly stop the “Chaos at the Airports.” The deal did not include any of the restraints Democrats have demanded as they sought to rein in Trump’s mass deportation agenda.Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the outcome could have been reached weeks ago, and vowed that his party would continue fighting to ensure Trump’s “rogue” immigration operation “does not get more funding without serious reform.”What’s in and out of the funding packageSenators worked through the night on the deal that would fund much of the rest of the department, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard and TSA, but without funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Customs was funded, but Border Protection was not.The package puts no new limits on immigration enforcement, which has remained largely uninterrupted by the shutdown. The GOP’s big tax cuts bill that Trump signed into law last year funneled billions in extra funds to DHS, including $75 billion for ICE operations, ensuring the immigration officers are still being paid despite the lapse.Next steps in the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., holds a slim majority, are uncertain. Passage will almost certainly require bipartisan support, as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt.Conservative Republicans have panned their own party’s proposals, demanding full funding for immigration operations. Many have vowed to ensure ICE has the resources it needs in the next budget package to carry out Trump’s agenda.“We will fully fund ICE. That is what this fight is about,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said as he tried to offer legislation to fund the agency. “The border is closing. The next task is deportation.”On-again, off-again talks collapsedEarlier Thursday, Thune announced he had given a “last and final” offer to the Democrats. But as the day dragged on, action stalled out.Democrats argued the GOP proposals have not gone far enough at putting guardrails on officers from ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and other federal agencies who are engaged in the immigration sweeps, particularly after the deaths of two Americans protesting the actions in Minneapolis.They want federal agents to wear identification, remove their face masks and refrain from conducting raids around schools, churches or other sensitive places. Democrats have also pushed for an end of administrative warrants, insisting that judges sign off before agents search people’s homes or private spaces — something new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said he is open to considering.Trump had largely left the issue to Congress, but warned he was ready to take action, threatening to send the National Guard to airports in addition to his deployment of ICE agents who are now checking travelers’ IDs.The White House had floated the extraordinary move of invoking a national emergency to pay the TSA agents, a politically and legally fraught approach. Instead, Trump’s order would pay TSA agents using money from his 2025 tax bill, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss it publicly.If the Senate package is approved by the House and signed it into law, the action Trump announced to pay TSA agents may be temporary or unneeded.Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardshipsThe funding shutdown has resulted in travel delays and even warnings of airport closures as TSA workers missing paychecks stop coming to work.Multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates of TSA workers and nearly 500 of the agency’s nearly 50,000 transportation security officers have quit during the shutdown. Nationwide on Wednesday, more than 11% of the TSA employees on the schedule missed work, according to DHS. That is more than 3,120 callouts.Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said the union is grateful the TSA workers will be paid, but said Congress must stay in session to pass a deal “that funds DHS, pays all DHS workers, and keeps these vital agencies running.”At George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Melissa Gates said she would not make her flight to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after waiting more than 2½ hours and still not reaching the security checkpoint. She said no other flights were available until Friday.“I should have just driven, right?” Gates said. “Five hours would have been hilarious next to this.”___Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti, Kevin Freking, Rebecca Santana, Collin Binkley and Ben Finley in Washington, Lekan Oyekanmi in Houston, Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York, Rio Yamat in Las Vegas, Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, and Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed to this report.
WASHINGTON —
The Senate early Friday morning approved Homeland Security funds to pay Transportation Security Administration agents and most other agencies, but not the immigration enforcement operations at the heart of the budget impasse that has jammed airports, disrupted travel and imposed financial hardship on workers.
The deal, which the Senate approved unanimously without a roll call, next goes to the House, which is expected to consider it Friday.
“We can get at least a lot of the government opened up again and then we’ll go from there,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. “Obviously, we’ll still have some work ahead of us.”
With pressure mounting to resolve the 42-day stalemate over funding for the Department of Homeland Security, the endgame emerged in the final hours before TSA workers miss another paycheck Friday. President Donald Trump said he would sign an order to immediately pay the TSA agents, saying he wanted to quickly stop the “Chaos at the Airports.” The deal did not include any of the restraints Democrats have demanded as they sought to rein in Trump’s mass deportation agenda.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said the outcome could have been reached weeks ago, and vowed that his party would continue fighting to ensure Trump’s “rogue” immigration operation “does not get more funding without serious reform.”
What’s in and out of the funding package
Senators worked through the night on the deal that would fund much of the rest of the department, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Coast Guard and TSA, but without funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Customs was funded, but Border Protection was not.
The package puts no new limits on immigration enforcement, which has remained largely uninterrupted by the shutdown. The GOP’s big tax cuts bill that Trump signed into law last year funneled billions in extra funds to DHS, including $75 billion for ICE operations, ensuring the immigration officers are still being paid despite the lapse.
Next steps in the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., holds a slim majority, are uncertain. Passage will almost certainly require bipartisan support, as lawmakers on the left and right flanks revolt.
Conservative Republicans have panned their own party’s proposals, demanding full funding for immigration operations. Many have vowed to ensure ICE has the resources it needs in the next budget package to carry out Trump’s agenda.
“We will fully fund ICE. That is what this fight is about,” Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., said as he tried to offer legislation to fund the agency. “The border is closing. The next task is deportation.”
On-again, off-again talks collapsed
Earlier Thursday, Thune announced he had given a “last and final” offer to the Democrats. But as the day dragged on, action stalled out.
Democrats argued the GOP proposals have not gone far enough at putting guardrails on officers from ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and other federal agencies who are engaged in the immigration sweeps, particularly after the deaths of two Americans protesting the actions in Minneapolis.
They want federal agents to wear identification, remove their face masks and refrain from conducting raids around schools, churches or other sensitive places. Democrats have also pushed for an end of administrative warrants, insisting that judges sign off before agents search people’s homes or private spaces — something new Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has said he is open to considering.
Trump had largely left the issue to Congress, but warned he was ready to take action, threatening to send the National Guard to airports in addition to his deployment of ICE agents who are now checking travelers’ IDs.
The White House had floated the extraordinary move of invoking a national emergency to pay the TSA agents, a politically and legally fraught approach. Instead, Trump’s order would pay TSA agents using money from his 2025 tax bill, according to a senior administration official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss it publicly.
If the Senate package is approved by the House and signed it into law, the action Trump announced to pay TSA agents may be temporary or unneeded.
Airport lines grow as TSA workers endure hardships
The funding shutdown has resulted in travel delays and even warnings of airport closures as TSA workers missing paychecks stop coming to work.
Multiple airports are experiencing greater than 40% callout rates of TSA workers and nearly 500 of the agency’s nearly 50,000 transportation security officers have quit during the shutdown. Nationwide on Wednesday, more than 11% of the TSA employees on the schedule missed work, according to DHS. That is more than 3,120 callouts.
Everett Kelley, the president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said the union is grateful the TSA workers will be paid, but said Congress must stay in session to pass a deal “that funds DHS, pays all DHS workers, and keeps these vital agencies running.”
At George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, Melissa Gates said she would not make her flight to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, after waiting more than 2½ hours and still not reaching the security checkpoint. She said no other flights were available until Friday.
“I should have just driven, right?” Gates said. “Five hours would have been hilarious next to this.”
___
Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti, Kevin Freking, Rebecca Santana, Collin Binkley and Ben Finley in Washington, Lekan Oyekanmi in Houston, Wyatte Grantham-Philips in New York, Rio Yamat in Las Vegas, Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, and Gabriela Aoun Angueira in San Diego contributed to this report.
Coheed And Cambria already has a very busy warm season, as they’ve recently announced a North American tour with Shinedown, Black Stone Cherry, From Ashes To New and DJ Rockfeed.
Now they’ve got a whole slew of additional headlining shows around the trek with Kaonashi, Narrow Head, Arm’s Length and Cicada Rhythm (depending on what date you go to). Get all the Coheed And Cambria tour dates below. Get your tickets here.
Coheed And Cambria headlining shows
5/11 Columbia, SC The Senate (w/ Cicada Rhythm) 5/20 Fayetteville, AR Ozark Music Hall 5/25 Macon, GA Macon City Auditorium (w/ Cicada Rhythm) 6/1 Destin, FL Club LA 6/4 Asheville, NC The Orange Peel (w/ Cicada Rhythm) 6/9 Pittsburgh, PA Roxian Theatre (w/ Arm’s Length & Kaonashi) 6/10 Cleveland, OH Agora Theatre (w/ Arm’s Length & Kaonashi) 6/11 Buffalo, NY Buffalo RiverWorks (w/ Arm’s Length & Kaonashi) 6/13 Worcester, MA The Palladium (w/ Arm’s Length & Kaonashi) 6/14 Ottawa, ON Hard Rock Live 6/26 Birmingham, AL Avondale Brewing Company (w/ Narrow Head) 6/28 Fort Worth, TX Tannahill’s Tavern & Music Hall (w/ Narrow Head) 6/29 San Antonio, TX Aztec Theatre (w/ Narrow Head) 8/18 Calgary, AB The Palace Theatre
w/ Shinedown, Black Stone Cherry & DJ Rockfeed
5/13 Green Bay, WI Resch Center 5/15 Columbus, OH Sonic Temple Festival 5/16 Madison, WI Kohl Cente 5/18 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford PREMIER Center 5/19 Wichita, KS INTRUST Bank Arena 5/22 Austin, TX Moody Center 5/23 Oklahoma City, OK Paycom Center 5/26 Jacksonville, FL VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena 5/28 Estero, FL Hertz Center 5/30 Tampa, FL Benchmark International Arena 6/2 Biloxi, MS Mississippi Coast Coliseum 6/5 Norfolk, VA Chartway Arena 6/6 Hershey, PA GIANT Center
w/ Shinedown, From Ashes ToNew & DJ Rockfeed
7/11 Mt. Pleasant, MI Soaring Eagle 7/13 Toronto, ON Coca-Cola Coliseum (no From Ashes To New) 7/15 Quebec City, QC Centre Vidéotron 7/17 Uncasville, CT Mohegan Sun Arena (no From Ashes To New) 7/18 Albany, NY MVP Arena 7/20 Manchester, NH SNHU Arena (no From Ashes To New) 7/21 Newark, NJ Prudential Center (no From Ashes To New) 7/23 Philadelphia, PA Xfinity Mobile Arena (no From Ashes To New) 7/25 Knoxville, TN Food City Center 7/30 Lubbock, TX United Supermarkets Arena 7/31 Colorado Springs, CO Weidner Field (no From Ashes To New) 8/2 El Paso, TX UTEP Don Haskins Center 8/4 Tucson, AZ Tucson Arena 8/6 Ontario, CA Toyota Arena (no From Ashes To New) 8/7 Las Vegas, NV Michelob ULTRA Arena 8/9 Sparks, NV Nugget Event Center (no From Ashes To New) 8/10 Boise, ID ExtraMile Arena 8/12 Billings, MT First Interstate Arena at Metrapark 8/14 Spokane, WA Numerica Veterans Arena 8/15 Vancouver, BC PNE Pacific Coliseum 8/17 Edmonton, AB Rogers Place 8/20 Fargo, ND Fargodome 8/21 Welch, MN Treasure Island Resort (no From Ashes To New) 8/23 Springfield, IL Illinois State Fair
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Oh, how sweet it is. The first stanza of Sweet 16 basketball delivered the absolute goods. Trey Kaufman-Renn’s putback with less than a second to go propelled Purdue into the Elite Eight with a 79-77 win over Texas, and it came just moments after Iowa used a flurry to walk Nebraska down and send the Huskers home, 77-71, to book a trip to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987.
Let’s dive into winners and losers from Thursday’s slate.
Winner: The Ben McCollum hire for the ages
Once upon a time, Iowa had a legitimate decision to make between Ben McCollum or Darian DeVries to replace Fran McCaffery.
Take a bow, Beth Goetz.
McCollum was the A1 target, and McCollum just led No. 9 seed Iowa to the Elite Eight.
Is this real life? This year’s March Madness doesn’t have a Cinderella, but Iowa sure looks like it. This roster could cosplay as a mid-major outfit because it is. Nebraska’s historic season just got felled at the hands of Robert Morris transfer Alvaro Folgueiras, three-star Drake commit Tate Sage and former Division II point guard Bennett Stirtz.
It’s 40 minutes away from a Final Four, and McCollum may need an updated contract on his desk pronto. He’s won 80% of his games for a reason. – Isaac Trotter
Winner: Illinois’ defensive masterclass
Illinois is on the doorstep of its first Final Four since 2005, thanks to an unlikely source. The much-maligned Illinois defense rose to the occasion, holding Houston to just 0.90 points per possession in a 65-55 victory. Illinois coaxed the Coogs’ offense into attempting a jumper on 59 of its 67 shots. That’s a staggering number, even for a Houston club that entered Thursday with a dead-last rim rate among high-major teams. Illinois packed the paint, gobbled up space in the driving lanes and stayed home on elite snipers like Emanuel Sharp and Milos Uzan. It took Houston nearly 31 minutes to score just 30 points. That type of defense can take Illinois much farther than just the Elite Eight. – Trotter
Loser: Nebraska’s run ends in frustration
Nebraska had never won an NCAA Tournament game before last week, so Cornhuskers fans shouldn’t be too frustrated about a Sweet 16 exit. But the circumstances will irk them. It wasn’t reigning national champion Florida who eliminated Nebraska, which would have been a less frustrating potential outcome had the No. 1 seed Gators had survived the first weekend. Rather, it was Big Ten rival Iowa, who was a No. 9 seed. The Hawkeyes aren’t exactly basketball royalty, and their 2025-26 season didn’t feature nearly the same highs as Nebraska’s. The Cornhuskers reached No. 5 in the AP poll amid a 20-0 start and achieved their best NCAA Tournament seeding since 1991. This team beat the likes of Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan State during the regular season and came within a single victory of reaching the Elite Eight. But its strong defense ran out of steam against the Hawkeyes, leaving the Cornhuskers to stew over the fact that their corn country neighbor is dancing on with a 2-1 edge in the season series. – DavidCobb
Loser: Texas on the wrong side of heartbreak
Texas was the lone double-digit seed in the Sweet 16 and was just seconds away from potentially sending the game to overtime. However, what hurt Texas was allowing second-chance opportunities. In total, Purdue outscored Texas 22-12 in second-chance opportunities. None was more important — and will hurt more — than the final possession when Purdue star Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in a missed shot with 0.7 seconds left in the 79-77 win over the Longhorns. Texas had an incredible run from the First Four to the Sweet 16, but time ran out on the No. 11 seed in the West Region. — CameronSalerno
Winner: Purdue’s veterans show their savvy
Texas’ strategic decision to deploy a small-ball lineup for the final possession played right into the hands of a veteran Purdue team that read the situation perfectly. The Longhorns benched seven-footer Matas Vokietaitis for the play, which meant Kaufman-Renn was the biggest player on the floor.
The Longhorns intended to protect against Vokietaitis getting switched onto a smaller, quicker guard on the perimeter. But in the process, they left themselves vulnerable down low. At that point, Purdue point guard Braden Smith‘s primary objective was just to get a shot onto the rim. If it happened to go in, great. If not, Smith knew his four-year running mate Kaufman-Renn would be there for a chance at a putback.
That’s exactly how it worked out. Between Smith, Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer, Purdue’s three-man class of internally developed seniors combined for 54 points while advancing to their second Elite Eight. – Cobb
Loser: Darius Acuff Jr. sees his college career likely end, and John Calipari’s frontcourt whiff looms large
Arkansas star Darius Acuff Jr. saw his college career likely come to a close with a 109-88 lloss against Arizona. Acuff, a projected top 10 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, finished with 28 points against a tough and physical Arizona defense. Acuff put up one of the best offensive seasons by a guard in the last decade and will likely go down as one of the best first-year players to play for coach John Calipari. Acuff scored 60 points during his first two NCAA Tournament games, the most by a freshman ever.
Acuff’s season is ending prematurely largely because Arizona’s front-line went beast mode on the Hogs. Calipari went all-in on Malique Ewin and Nick Pringle last spring. Those two guys had absolutely no answers for Arizona all night long. Arkansas was one difference-making defensive center away from potentially being Final Four good. It just ran into an Arizona buzzsaw that could eviscerateits biggest Achilles heel. – Salerno and Trotter
Winner: Arizona bullies Arkansas into submission
Arizona bullied Arkansas with a relentless physical barrage that made the Razorbacks look like a lower-tier SoCon or Big South team instead of an SEC power. The Wildcats shot a blistering 63.8% from the field with the majority of that work coming inside the arc and at the free-throw line. The only reason Arkansas owned a 9-6 edge in offensive rebounds was because Arizona missed so infrequently that it didn’t have offensive rebounding opportunities. Arkansas may have had a bigger star in Acuff. But there was no doubt who had the better team. The Wildcats look like the best team in college basketball as they dance onward to face No. 2 seed Purdue for a spot in the Final Four. They also have a star freshman guard of their own in Brayden Burries, who led the Wildcats with 23 points on 7 of 11 shooting. – Cobb
Loser: Houston faces major questions heading into the offseason
After losing in the national title game last year, Houston brought a majority of its production back this season. This was supposed to be the year that Kelvin Sampson returned to the Final Four. Now, Houston faces major roster question marks heading into the offseason. Milos Uzan and Emanuel Sharp are out of eligibility. Kingston Flemings is a projected top 10 pick in the NBA Draft. And Chris Cenac and Joseph Tugler could also declare for the draft. The Cougars had a clear path to the Final Four in their backyard. This will go down as a missed opportunity for Sampson’s team. — Salerno
Winner: Jordan Pope’s toughness
Texas guard Jordan Pope revealed in the postgame scrum that he was playing on a broken foot against Purdue. Pope’s availability was very much in doubt in the lead-up to this one, but he played, started and delivered four treys in his last collegiate game. – Trotter
HONG KONG — He and his shipmates stay up on the deck at night, sometimes watching rockets fly over their heads.
What was supposed to be an uneventful first voyage transporting oil across the Persian Gulf has turned into a nightmare for a 28-year-old sailor from India, who has spent the past month stuck as his ship sits idled by the Iran war.
“We don’t sleep at night. We stay up on deck because you never know what might happen next,” said the sailor, who asked not to be named for fear of reprisals from authorities and his employer.
The seafarer, who has been at sea since November, was speaking to NBC News from Iraqi waters minutes after an air attack Tuesday afternoon, which he says landed on Iran just a few miles away.
“The ship is still vibrating,” he said in an interview in Hindi.
He and the three other crew members on the small oil vessel are among 20,000 sailors stranded on hundreds of ships in the Persian Gulf, according to the U.N.’s maritime agency, after Iran effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz in response to U.S.-Israeli strikes.
FORSUBSCRIBERS
The blockade of the crucial shipping route, which has sent global energy prices soaring, has also trapped the largely invisible workforce that keeps the world’s maritime trade afloat, prolonging their time away from their families and putting their lives at risk. At least seven seafarers have been killed and several others have been severely injured in what the U.N. says were Iranian attacks on commercial vessels.
“The world has relied on these people to keep trade moving under impossible conditions,” said Angad Banga, chief executive of the Caravel Group, a Hong Kong-based shipping conglomerate that manages more than 600 ships, including some that are stuck in the Gulf.
It has already been a difficult few years for the world’s nearly 2 million seafarers, who mostly come from the Philippines, India and other Asian nations. During the Covid pandemic they were confined to their ships for long periods, unable to take breaks on shore because of border restrictions that many countries imposed.
“The moment the crises fade from the headlines, the world forgets they exist, and that cycle has to break,” Banga added.
Thai bulk carrier Mayuree Naree near the Strait of Hormuz after being attacked on March 11.Royal Thai Navy via AFP – Getty Images
The International Maritime Organization, the U.N.’s maritime agency, has confirmed 18 incidents of damage to commercial vessels from March 1 to 19 in the Strait of Hormuz, the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. In one instance on March 11, there was an explosion on a Thai-flagged ship after it was hit by projectiles and 20 of its crew members had to be rescued, with three still missing on Friday as Iranian state media reported the ship had run aground off Iran’s Qeshm Island. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps said the ship had ignored “warnings.”
Even if their vessels are not directly hit, the stranded seafarers can only watch in fear as Iran trades strikes with the United States and Israel.
In the incident Tuesday, the sailor said, he heard missile strikes for nearly half an hour and counted more than a dozen explosions.
“I was initially in the engine room so I didn’t know what was going on,” he said. “When I came up to the deck, I saw the rest of my crew watching the rockets fly by, which would be followed by explosions in the distance.”
“I could see when they were hitting the ground, see smoke rise and feel the impact through the ship,” he added.
The same day, Banga’s firm showed NBC News just how bad the situation has become.
The “Bridge” at Caravel Group’s office in Hong Kong where onshore officers handle emergencies.The Caravel Group
Inside the Caravel Group’s headquarters in a Hong Kong office tower, in a room known as “the Bridge,” hundreds of white dots appeared across eight screens that formed a giant maritime world map, each representing a vessel under the group’s management.
The contrast is stark: While normally about 130 ships would pass through the Strait of Hormuz daily, some of them Caravel’s, virtually none are able to get through now. Several ships awaiting passage were visible on the screen.
As the stranded seafarers struggle to keep their spirits up, Banga said his firm has been conducting regular check-ins with crew members, who try to maintain somewhat of a routine that includes leisure activities and maintenance work on their ships.
“They exercise, they watch movies, some play basketball on the deck, sit there,” he said.
“When the routine breaks down is when people start to unravel,” he added. “The sun goes down, and that’s when the fear comes because most of the attacks happen in the dark.”
On Tuesday, the vessel tracking website MarineTraffic said in a post on X that only nine ships had passed through the strait since the day before, with apparent Iranian support.
One of them was a Chinese-owned vessel that successfully transited the waterway Monday.
A video shot by one of the sailors onboard the ship, shared on Chinese social media platform Douyin and geolocated by NBC News, showed the tanker passing through a narrow section of the strait off the coast of Bandar Abbas in southern Iran.
A screengrab from a video by a crew member on a Chinese-owned tanker appears to show it sailing through the Strait of Hormuz on March 23.Obtained by NBC News
The sailor panned the camera around the ship, showing small speedboats in the distance that were escorting his ship and at least three other tankers in an apparent convoy.
“We can see some large tankers. Not sure why they decided to anchor here,” the sailor filming the video can be heard saying in Mandarin in another video, pointing to the Iranian coastline and some high-rise buildings visible in the distance.
“I can’t shoot any videos outside anymore. It’s dangerous. Let’s hide in the cabin quickly,” he says.
NBC News reached out to the vessel’s manager for comment.
Iran said this week that “non-hostile vessels” would be allowed safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz in coordination with Iranian authorities.
“As we repeatedly emphasized, the Strait of Hormuz remains open, and maritime traffic has not been suspended,” the Iranian Foreign Affairs Ministry wrote in a letter to the United Nations seen by NBC News. “Navigation continues, subject to compliance with the necessary measures referenced above and the realities arising from the ongoing conflict.”
The letter defines “non-hostile vessels” as those that “neither participate in nor support acts of aggression against Iran.” It did not say which countries qualify, though it said vessels “belonging to the aggressor parties,” namely the U.S. and Israel, did not.
The sailor stuck in Iraqi waters is hoping his ship will be able to leave soon.
“My family is panicking,” he said. “We’ve packed all our bags and are ready the moment someone calls us.”
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – Neighbors were rattled Thursday evening as a Little League field near their homes caught fire. And people in the area said this isn’t the first fire they’ve seen something like this. Residents who live next to the Atrisco Little League said Thursday’s fire started quickly and grew within minutes. Albuquerque Fire Rescue […]
The special celebration, which begins streaming exclusively on Disney+ and Hulu on Tuesday (March 24), marks 20 years of the hit Disney Channel series.
The beloved show, which premiered on March 24, 2006, launched the career of Miley Cyrus and spawned a successful multi-media franchise including merchandise, music albums, movies, and more.
Is Emily Osment in the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special?
Hours before the special’s release, Osment, who played Miley’s excitable best friend Lilly Truscott in the show, finally revealed why she was unable to participate in the special.
Posted to her Instagram account, in a video taken on set of her CBS sitcom Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, Osment explained, “And that’s why I was not able to be a part of the 20-year reunion because we are here shooting our show!”
Osment added that she “wanted to say hello and thank you to everybody that has stuck by us for all these years,” sharing, “I’m so grateful that you guys all still love this show. I’m so proud to be a part of it.”
In the caption, the actress, who was 14 years old when the first season of Hannah Montana premiered on television, opened up about her experience on the show and reflected on the two decades that have passed since she first played Lilly.
“Hannah Montana changed my life, it gave me a lifelong respect for this medium of comedy, it taught me discipline, patience, timing and respect working in an adult space so young. I’ve met thousands of HM fans over the years, fans that now have children watching this show and fans that literally work beside me every day…” Osment wrote.
“I can’t tell you what your sweet messages mean to me and how lucky I feel to have been a part of this once in a generation goliath of a television show. Thank you for letting me into your living rooms and I hope to still be there many years from now. Would never be where I am without you guys, working on another beautiful show I love so dearly. With all my heart, THANK YOU!” she continued, signing off with a heart emoji and her character’s name: “Lilly.”
In early February, Osment tugged at longtime Hannah Montana fans’ heartstrings when she shared a photo of the original script for the show’s episode titled “That’s What Friends Are For?”
Ironically, the episode, which filmed in 2007, was directed by Osment’s Georgie & Mandy’s First Wedding director Mark Cendrowski.
“On the heels of our Hannah Montana 20 year milestone, our beloved Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage director Mark Cendrowski brought in his old copy of an HM episode this morning. Proves a few things. First, that I’m old, second that I’m still doing what I love but mostly, MOSTLY that Mark won’t leave me alone after all these years and I’m really starting to freak out about it,” Osment joked in the caption of the post.
Lost Disney Animated Movies That Were Never Made
From scrapped princess movies to sequels that never panned out, fans will sadly never see these lost Disney animated movies.
Matt Bowen is a fantasy football and NFL writer for ESPN. He joined ESPN in 2015, writes regularly for ESPN+ and spent multiple years on “NFL Matchup.” After graduating from the University of Iowa, Matt played safety in the NFL for St. Louis, Green Bay, Washington and Buffalo over seven seasons.
It’s important to remember that most top players primed for free agency in 2027 will sign contract extensions long before we reach next March. Players can also be franchise-tagged. But for now, let’s size up the potential of the 2027 class with the best players who are at least currently slated to hit the open market.
Age, positional value, expected future production and scheme versatility are all factors in making the list. We also included three players who received franchise tags this season and some 2023 first-round picks who are eligible for a fifth-year option in 2027.
Let’s get started with the quarterbacks, led by last season’s MVP.
Stafford led the NFL with 4,707 passing yards and 46 touchdowns last season, and won his first MVP award. A master of pocket movement, he can throw fastballs to every level in coach Sean McVay’s system. Stafford will turn 39 next February, and if he continues to play, the tape tells us he can still produce at a high level.
Mayfield pairs his aggressive throwing mentality with the ability to scramble and make plays outside of structure. His numbers dipped last season despite a strong start, but he threw for 4,500 yards and 41 touchdowns in 2024. Mayfield’s savvy play style is contagious — he battles.
If Murray wins the starting job in Minnesota over J.J. McCarthy, there is major opportunity here for him in coach Kevin O’Connell’s system. With a game plan built around Murray’s dual-threat ability (five seasons of 400-plus rushing yards), defined throws and play-action shots, he could cash in after his one-year deal is up.
Tagovailoa is coming off a rough 2024 season in Miami, with 20 touchdown passes and 15 interceptions before he was officially benched ahead of Week 16. But he now joins new coach Kevin Stefanski on a one-year deal in Atlanta. If Tagovailoa is named the starter over Michael Penix Jr., look for Stefanski to lean on his leveled play-action concepts and cater to the quarterback’s timing-and-rhythm style.
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Running backs
One of the league’s premier runners, Taylor combines power, vision and home run juice to rack up big-time production. He led the league with 323 carries and 18 rushing touchdowns last season; his 1,585 rushing yards ranked third. Plus, Taylor can produce as an outlet/underneath target in the passing game (46 receptions in 2025).
Swift boosted his value last season in coach Ben Johnson’s offense. He rushed for a career-high 1,087 yards and nine touchdowns, while adding 34 receptions. Part of a backfield rotation, he fits best in zone-heavy scheme where he can press the ball to daylight and contribute to the pass game.
Wide receivers
London fits the profile of a No. 1 receiver with the versatility to line up inside or outside. In 12 games last season, he caught 68 passes for 919 yards with seven touchdowns.
London creates conflicts for opposing defenses in scoring position. He has 19 red-zone touchdown grabs since entering the league in 2022 (eighth most in that time span).
Olave had 100 receptions, 1,163 yards and nine scores in 2025 (all career highs). He’s a three-level glider who can easily create his own separation. Olave has a history with concussions, including several in the 2024 season, but he answered availability questions in 2025 with 16 starts.
Still one of the league’s best at shaking press coverage, Adams led the league with 14 touchdown receptions last season (league-high 12 in the red zone). He will turn 34 years old in December, but his ability to make himself available to the quarterback from perimeter alignments brings value to any offensive system.
Rice has played in only 12 games over the past two seasons due to injuries and a suspension. When on the field, however, he can operate as a volume target on catch-and-run throws. In three seasons, 69.8% of Rice’s 1,794 receiving yards have come after the catch. Plus, he has the ball skills to win over the top.
Since entering the league in 2022, Watson has never played a full season due to injuries. But the 2025 tape tells us the arrow could be pointing up for him. With the 4.3 speed and vertical ability to threaten defenses, Watson is a proven target on the boundary who has averaged 17.3 yards per catch over his career.
Tight ends
A back injury limited LaPorta to nine games last season. However, he had 146 catches and 17 receiving touchdowns over his first two NFL seasons. Those marks ranked fourth most and second most among tight ends, respectively.
With the ability to stretch the seams and create favorable matchups from multiple alignments, LaPorta is a top-five tight end when healthy.
Kraft was amid a breakout season in 2025 before an ACL injury in Week 9. At that point, he had 32 receptions for 489 yards and six touchdowns. At 6-foot-5, 259 pounds, Kraft is a physical target in the route tree who can rumble after the catch.
A knee injury in 2024 cut Hockenson’s season short, and sub-par QB play in 2025 reduced his total production. At his best, Hockenson should be viewed as a rugged, three-down tight end who can win in the middle of the field or on seams and corner routes. He had a career-best 95 receptions in 2023.
Goedert is a multilevel target who can produce on manufactured touches in the low red zone. In 2025, his 11 touchdowns were tied for second most in the league despite only 15 appearances.
Kelce is back in Kansas City for this upcoming season after catching 76 passes in 2025. His production and overall play speed has declined, but Kelce can still uncover due to his high-level field awareness. We’ll see if he continues to play in 2027.
Offensive linemen
Williams will turn 38 years old this summer, but he still has ideal tools for an NFL left tackle. He has the power and mobility to win matchups on the edges in both the run and pass game. Williams allowed just three sacks last season; his 79.5% run block win rate ranked sixth among offensive tackles.
Nelson’s tone-setting play demeanor would be a fit for any O-line room in the league, and he’s still producing high-level tape. His 95.5% pass block win rate ranked seventh among guards last season. Plus, he can easily displace defenders in the run game.
A durable interior presence, Brewer has the foot quickness to match defensive tackles in pass protection and operate in a zone run scheme. Last season, his 96.0% pass block win rate ranked sixth among centers.
Edge rushers
Walker battled through a wrist injury last season, leading to a decline in his pass-rush production (3.5 sacks). However, he had at least 10 sacks and 40 pressures in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons. If Walker can stay healthy in 2026, the former No. 1 overall pick could be a problem off the edges.
After 11.5 sacks in 2024, Van Ginkel recorded 7.5 in 12 games last season. His skill set fits best in a defense that schemes one-on-one matchups and stunts for him off the edges as an outside linebacker.
Thibodeaux had 11.5 sacks in 2023, but he has missed 12 games over the past two seasons, getting just 8.5 sacks during that time. He lacks elite bend on the edges, but he should still grade out as a solid starter next free agency.
Defensive tackles
Williams has the versatility and frame (6-foot-5, 310 pounds) to play multiple spots on the defensive front. A physical pass rusher and run defender, Williams has 18 sacks and a run stop win rate of 39.2% over the past two seasons.
At 6-foot-4, 347 pounds, Vea is an athletic plugger in the run game. And on pass plays, he provides an interior push to dent the pocket. In eight seasons with the Bucs, Vea has 35 sacks and 154 solo tackles.
Buckner’s sack totals and pass rush win rate have slipped over the past two seasons in Indianapolis. However, he can fit in a variety of NFL fronts with his powerful traits and 6-foot-7, 295-pound frame.
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Daniel Jones joins Pat McAfee to discuss his excitement about being back with the Colts and his desire to play Week 1.
Linebackers
Al-Shaair is an urgent run stopper who racked up over 100 tackles in Houston last season. Plus, he showed up in the pass defense with two interceptions and six pass breakups. He should be viewed as a productive three-down defender in free agency.
The scheme fit will be key for Luvu if he makes it to free agency, as he’s a stack linebacker — inside linebacker or 4-3 outside linebacker — who can be set up as a pass rusher or blitzer. With the foot quickness to shake blockers or wrap to the quarterback in tight quarters, Luvu had 11 sacks over the past two seasons.
Queen has the run-and-chase ability to track the ball on the perimeter and hunt down screens. Plus, he can slice into the backfield on blitzes to make splash plays. Queen could improve against the run game at the point of attack, but he has had over 100 tackles in four straight seasons.
Cornerbacks
Humphrey has 10 interceptions over his past two seasons, and his physicality in coverage still shows up nine years into his NFL career. Plus, he is willing to set the edges of the defense in the run game. Humphrey should be viewed as a scheme versatile corner if he reaches free agency.
After signing a one-year deal in Philadelphia, Woolen can boost his free agent value in 2026 under coordinator Vic Fangio. Woolen must show improved eye discipline and more consistent tackling to match his elite length and speed. He has the tools of a top cover corner.
More of a ball disruptor than playmaker (three career interceptions), Porter’s 12 pass breakups in 2025 tied for the fifth most in the league. He has 25 over his three seasons in Pittsburgh. Porter has the play demeanor to challenge in press coverage, plus the vision to locate the ball in zone coverage.
Safeties
A three-level playmaker, James is one of the best at the position. At 6-foot-2, 215 pounds, he can blitz, match in coverage or patrol the deep zones of the field. He produced three interceptions, two sacks, 13 pressures and 94 tackles in 2025.
It’s hard to find safeties who consistently make plays on the ball from the third level of the field. Bates checks that box with 13 interceptions over his past three seasons in Atlanta, and a total of 27 in his career.
An Achilles injury limited Branch to 12 games in 2025. When healthy, he can play over the top, cover the slot and impact the game near the line of scrimmage. He has difference-making ability.
Franchise tags
With 22 receptions of 20 or more yards (fourth most in the league), Pickens has the explosiveness to flip the field. Plus, he finished third with 1,429 receiving yards. Splash plays pay in free agency. Pickens also improved with his route running at all three levels in Dallas, which boosts his free-agent profile even more.
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2:57
Stephen A.: Franchise-tagging George Pickens is a ‘huge mistake’
Stephen A. Smith sounds off on the Cowboys’ decision to franchise-tag George Pickens, calling it a “huge mistake.”
Hall has 188 receptions in his career and averages 90 scrimmage yards per game. He also has 87 rushes of 10 or more yards over four seasons. A three-down back with big-play juice, Hall should be in line to receive a multiyear deal in 2027.
Pitts plays tight end like a wide receiver, and his numbers were up in 2025. He caught 88 passes (career high) for 928 yards and five touchdowns, showing that he has the tools to thrive from a variety of alignments.
Fifth-year option candidates
Young threw for 3,011 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2025, both career highs. Plus, he delivered the ball with better location and timing in his second season under coach Dave Canales. In January, general manager Dan Morgan said the team plans on picking up his fifth-year option.
Stroud completed a career-best 64.5% of his throws last season in 14 games. An upgraded Texans offensive line, plus the trade for running back David Montgomery, should create more balance and better passing opportunities for Stroud in 2026.
Anderson had 12 sacks and 53 pressures in 2025; his 22.7% pass rush win rate ranked fourth in the league. He’s a game-wrecker who can win with power, speed and counter moves.
Robinson should be viewed as an offensive playmaker with the speed and splash-play chops to stress defenses. Last season, he had 2,298 scrimmage yards, 11 touchdowns and 36 rushes of 10 or more yards (tied for third most in the league).
In 11 games last season, Carter had three sacks and 21 pressures. At his best, he is a disruptive defensive tackle who can take over games.
A powerful mauler who can displace defenders in the run game, Wright had his best season as a pass protector in 2025. His 95.2% pass block win rate ranked fourth among tackles. He’s an ascending player who can lock down the right side of the line.
Skoronski’s 96.0% pass block win rate ranked fourth among guards, and he has the run-blocking ability to thrive in any scheme. He could develop into one of the league’s blue-chip guards.
A dual-threat back with big-time acceleration ability, Gibbs had 77 receptions last season and 1,839 scrimmage yards (fifth most in the NFL). On tape, it looks like Gibbs is playing at a different speed than his opponents.
With his long frame and pass-rushing range, McDonald has the physical traits to disrupt the pocket. He had eight sacks in 2025 after 10.5 in 2024.
Gonzalez didn’t record an interception in 2025 but had nine pass breakups as the anchor of New England’s secondary. I see the tools of a high-level cover corner on tape.
A catch-and-run maestro, Flowers caught 86 passes for 1,211 yards in 2025 (both career highs). Flowers is dynamic in space, while playcallers can get him to make splash plays on manufactured touches.
Smith missed five games last season due to a triceps injury, finishing with three sacks and 19 pressures. He was much more productive in a healthy 2024 season, with 6.5 sacks, one forced fumble and 4.5 run stuffs.
