A cargo vessel sent a distress alert on Sunday saying it was under attack by unknown armed assailants about 30 nautical miles southwest of Hodeidah, Yemen, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency said.
UKMTO said local authorities were investigating the incident.
It advised vessels to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity.
Cattle have been filmed feeding on hospital waste at a landfill in northern Iran, exposing failures in waste management that risk contaminating livestock, soil and the human food chain, according to a report by Rokna website on Saturday.
The video from the landfill in Talesh shows cattle roaming through piles of refuse, including hospital waste, highlighting the apparent lack of effective segregation, containment and disposal measures for hazardous materials.
Hazardous waste enters food chain
Hospital waste ranks among the most dangerous categories of refuse because it can contain infectious materials, contaminated equipment, sharp objects and hazardous chemicals. Allowing livestock to graze in direct contact with such waste, according to the report, raises concerns that contaminants could spread through meat, milk and other agricultural products consumed by people.
The footage also points to broader shortcomings in landfill management beyond the presence of medical waste. Open dumping without effective isolation, daily cover or barriers preventing animal access leaves waste exposed to livestock, wildlife and the surrounding environment.
Such conditions, Rokna wrote, can contaminate soil, generate polluted leachate that may seep into groundwater, attract disease-carrying insects and animals, and release foul odors and harmful gases. When cattle graze freely in these areas, the potential for biological and chemical contaminants to enter the food chain increases.
The risks, based on the report, are particularly acute in Talesh, where mountains, forests, farmland, residential areas and the Caspian Sea lie in close proximity, allowing pollution to spread more rapidly through interconnected ecosystems.
Environmental and public health concerns
Environmental degradation extends beyond the immediate health risks. Large volumes of uncovered waste can damage natural habitats, reduce land quality and increase the likelihood of contaminants spreading into surrounding soil and water resources, added the report.
The conditions documented by Rokna also suggest failures in basic waste management practices, including separating hazardous medical waste from ordinary refuse, safely treating infectious materials and preventing livestock from entering disposal sites.
Without urgent measures to improve waste segregation, strengthen landfill controls and restrict animal access, the Talesh landfill risks becoming a continuing source of contamination affecting livestock, the environment and public health, the report added.
Qatar’s transport ministry said on Sunday that maritime navigation activities could resume normally for all types of vessels and ships as of the date of its announcement.
The ministry urged operators to follow maritime regulations and instructions to ensure safety and security for all trips.
Iran’s army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia said on Sunday that any mistake by Iran’s enemies would be met with a “crushing and decisive” response by the country’s armed forces.
Speaking on the sidelines of funeral prayers for late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Akraminia said Iran had used the ceasefire to upgrade its combat readiness.
“We have not lost even a moment and will not be negligent,” he said.
Quran verses recited for foreign delegations attending the funeral of Iran's slain Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei have sparked debate after Iranian media and social media users argued the passages were carefully chosen to send political and diplomatic messages to visiting officials.
Organizers did not explain why different Quranic passages were recited for each delegation. However, several Iranian media outlets portrayed the selections as deliberate rather than routine religious readings.
The news website Fararu wrote that the verses appeared to have been chosen "not randomly, but deliberately." Conservative outlet Tabnak described the practice as "an innovation in public diplomacy," saying the tailored recitations could be interpreted as ethical and political messages to each delegation.
The verse that drew the greatest attention was recited as Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed bin Abdulkarim approached Khamenei's coffin.
The passage, Verse 13 of Surah Al Imran, recalls the Battle of Badr, in which the Prophet Muhammad's followers defeated a much larger force. It concludes: "God supports whom He wills with His help. Surely in this is a lesson for those with insight."
Some linked the choice to Iran's recent conflict with Israel and the United States, during which Saudi Arabia was reported to have allowed US military operations from its territory while also urging Washington to avoid a wider regional war.
The verse recited for Turkey's delegation highlighted the superiority of believers who fight in God's cause over those who stay behind without valid reason. Some commentators interpreted it as a reference to Ankara's cautious approach during the recent conflict and broader regional crises.
Lebanon's official delegation and a separate delegation from Hezbollah received different passages. The Lebanese state delegation heard a verse suggesting that following divine guidance and making sacrifices in God's cause would have been better for them. Hezbollah, whose name means "Party of God," was greeted with a verse promising victory for the "Party of God."
The Hamas delegation received a verse praising believers "who have remained true to the covenant they made with God" and never broke their pledge.
Khomeini’s grandson draws attention
Another widely discussed moment came when members of the family of Islamic Republic founder Ruhollah Khomeini approached the coffin.
Verse 95 of Surah An-Nisa, which contrasts believers who stay at home with those who strive "with their wealth and their lives" in God's cause, began to be recited as former leader’s grandson Hassan Khomeini approached.
Videos circulating online appeared to show him leaving the ceremony shortly after the recitation began, prompting criticism from some conservatives.
Hassan Khomeini is generally associated with Iran's reformist camp.
Mixed reactions
The choice of Quranic passages prompted widespread discussion on Persian and Arabic-language social media.
Supporters argued the selections reflected the recent conduct of regional governments rather than personal criticism.
One Persian-language user wrote that reminding neighboring countries of the consequences of their policies during the war was "a reminder of responsibility, not an insult."
Others argued that using Quranic verses to criticize official mourners was inappropriate.
"If the selection of the verses recited during yesterday's ceremony was intentional, then it was a mistake," one user wrote. "Taunting a guest who has come to offer condolences is consistent neither with our cultural traditions nor with religious teachings."
Another user wrote: "I do not agree with reciting Quranic verses to criticize anyone who has come to pay their respects. It is inappropriate. As far as I know, reproaching guests was never the practice of the prophets, the Prophet Muhammad, the Imams, or the martyred leader."
The discussion also spread across Arabic-language social media. Iraqi commentator Yaseen Aziz described the verses recited for the Saudi delegation as "an indicator of the existing hatred and the diplomatic stupidity of the current leadership in Iran."
A hardline media figure said on X that President Masoud Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf played a role in a chain of events that led to the killing of Ali Khamenei.
In a four-point statement, Amir Hossein Jafari said the two officials carried out what he called “economic surgery,” which he said contributed to a crisis in January that later escalated into war and the killing of Khamenei. He added that they later held talks with “the killer” and attended the funeral, where they mourned the late leader.