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We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
We have a curated list of the most noteworthy news from all across the globe. With any subscription plan, you get access to exclusive articles that let you stay ahead of the curve.
French police have thwarted a suspected bomb attack outside a Bank of America building in Paris, authorities said.
Authorities apprehended one individual while another managed to flee.
The national anti-terrorism prosecutor’s office, or PNAT, told The Associated Press that it has opened an investigation into alleged terrorism-related offences.
Police stand outside the Bank of America building in Paris. (AP)
The charges under investigation include attempted arson or using hazardous methods, crafting incendiary or explosive devices, possessing and transporting such devices with the intent to cause significant damage, and participation in a terrorist organization.
A suspect is currently in police custody.
“Kudos to the swift response of a unit from the Paris police prefecture, which successfully prevented a potentially violent terrorist act last night in Paris,” stated Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez.
“I commend all security and intelligence forces, fully mobilised under my authority in the current international context.”
One suspect was detained and another escaped. (AP)
RTL radio, citing police sources, reported that the incident took place early Saturday (Paris time) when police officers spotted two suspects carrying a shopping bag near the premises of the Bank of America in the 8th arrondissement of the French capital.
One of the suspects, holding a lighter, was attempting to ignite a device, RTL said, while the second suspect managed to escape.
The Paris police prefecture declined to comment.
Since the Iran war broke out, French authorities have increased personal protection of some figures from the Iranian opposition and stepped up security around sites that could be a target, including sites linked to US interests and to the Jewish community, Nuñez said earlier this week.
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Blake Lively recently delighted fans by posting some affectionate photos from her London getaway with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, after the duo made a stop in Wales to support his team, Wrexham.
The celebrity couple jetted to the UK earlier this month to witness Wrexham face off against Premier League giants Chelsea in the FA Cup’s fifth round, held in the Welsh northeast.
While in the UK, Blake and Ryan took the opportunity to enjoy London, with Blake sharing a collection of photos capturing their experiences in the city.
The pair roamed around London and paused for a coffee date at a charming cafe with red stone walls, adding a touch of romance to their adventure.
Blake also showcased her holiday fashion, snapping a mirror selfie on UK Mother’s Day. She was dressed in a chic black and white gingham shirt dress, layered with a stylish two-tone knitted cardigan, and accessorized with an array of bold jewelry.
During her trip to London, Great British Bake Off super fan Blake also shared a photo from a catch up with former host Prue Leith.
Blake Lively has shared loved-up snaps with her husband Ryan Reynolds as she enjoyed a slew of date nights in London
The couple took selfies as they explored the city with friends and family
She captioned the snaps: ‘So grateful for the best week with my loved ones.
‘Thank you @wrexham_afc and all the players and everyone who works at that stadium for the performance of a lifetime. ♥️The greatest 10,000 people to share an emotional roller coaster with is in Wrexham.
‘*shout out to everyone (like my sweet sister in slide 10) who thinks someone is taking a photo of their cute outfit, when it’s really a video.’
Despite Wrexham, which Ryan notably owns with fellow actor Rob McElhenney, being eliminated from the FA Cup, the pair looked happier than ever as they watched from a private suite at the Racecourse Ground earlier this month.
Blake and Ryan stepped onto the field after the game to pose for a sweet photo after the Deadpool star had made his debut as a football commentator on Sky Sports during the match.
Elsewhere during their trip to the Welsh countryside, the Gossip Girl star and the Red Notice actor enjoyed a date to an Owl Sanctuary where they held the nocturnal birds of prey.
Blake looked stylish as she wrapped up in a khaki long waterproof jacket which she teamed with a matching winter hat, a brown suede shirt, checked trousers and tan shoes.
Meanwhile Ryan cut a smart figure in a beige jumper which he layered under a navy coat and trousers as he held a large owl.
The pair cosied up for a loved-up selfie as they beamed into each other’s eyes during the outing.
During her trip to London, Great British Bake Off super fan Blake also shared a photo from a catch up with former host Prue Leith
She captioned the snaps: ‘So grateful for the best week with my loved ones. Thank you @wrexham_afc and all the players’
And Blake showed off some of her holiday looks as she posed for a mirror selfie taken on UK Mother’s Day as she wore a black and white gingham shirt dress
In another look Blake opted for a white tracksuit featuring brown striped lining and a pair of chunky beige boots
The Hollywood couple flew to the UK earlier this month to watch his team Wrexham take on Premier League side Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round clash in the north-east of Wales
Despite Wrexham, which Ryan notably owns with fellow actor Rob McElhenney , being eliminated from the FA Cup, the pair looked happier than ever
Despite the couples wholesome week, Ryan couldn’t help but turn back to his superhero film background as he posed wearing two green hulk hands.
Ryan captioned the post: ‘What a week.’
It comes just two months before Blake is set to go to trial for her lawsuit against Justin in May in New York City.
The actress filed a lawsuit in December 2024 where she accused Justin of sexual harassment and launching a smear campaign against her. The pair had previously starred in the 2024 film It Ends With Us, which Justin also directed.
Justin responded with a $400 million lawsuit against the actress as well as filing a $250 million libel claim against the New York Times which reported on Lively’s allegations. The case was later dismissed by a judge in June of last year.
Last month in February, Blake and Justin attended a settlement hearing in NYC – but the actress abruptly left following six hours of negotiations.
She made her way out of the courtroom while also accompanied by her lawyer Michael Gottleb at the time.
Just minutes later, Justin also exited the courthouse and was joined by his wife Emily for support.
His attorney Bryan Freedman had been asked if settlement conversations could resume and he simply replied, ‘I don’t know that he will.’
A previous settlement conference had taken place on January 22, but neither Blake or Justin attended.
Perry Bamonte, renowned guitarist of The Cure, bequeathed a substantial seven-figure inheritance to his widow upon his passing at 65 years old.
The talented musician succumbed to a brief illness, departing this life on Christmas Eve the previous year.
Bamonte’s entire estate and personal belongings were entrusted to his wife, Donna Bamonte, whom he married in 2009.
Donna was named the executor of his will, inheriting a substantial sum of £1.4 million.
Residing together in Crediton, near Exeter, Devon, Perry and Donna had no children.
The gross value of his estate was £1.9m, but about half a million was deducted.
His grant of probate document reads: ‘The last will and testament of Perry Archangelo Bamonte was proved and registered before the High Court of Justice.
‘The application has stated that the gross value of the estate in the United Kingdom amounts to £1,983,419 and the net value amounts to £1,444,123.’
Perry Bamonte, the longtime guitarist and keyboardist for iconic British band The Cure, died last December (pictured in 2023)
Perry – born on September 3, 1960 – wrote his will on May 22, 2024.
It reads: ‘I give all my personal chattels not otherwise specifically gifted by my will or any codicil free of inheritance tax to Donna absolutely.
‘My trustees shall hold by residuary estate and the income thereof upon trust for Donna absolutely.’
Perry – who also played the keyboard – performed over 400 shows for The Cure over 14 years.
After his music career he was a keen fly-fisherman and also drawing.
Perry and Donna rehabilitated and retrained racehorses and ran a ‘retirement home’ for them.
Police investigated his passing after receiving a report from a family member who had been ‘alarmed at something he was told’.
The band’s official website confirmed the sad news that the musician passed away over Christmas 2025 following a short illness (Pictured L-R in 1992: Perry, Simon Gallup and Robert Smith)
But Donna believed the investigation was ‘bulls***’ and asserted that he ‘died of terminal bowel cancer, nothing more’.
She revealed he was diagnosed with the deadly disease in 2020 and was given the all clear a year later.
However, she explained it returned in 2024 and was diagnosed as terminal prior to Mr Bamonte’s death in December.
‘His doctors can confirm he was first diagnosed in 2020 and had the all-clear in 2021, but there was a recurrence in 2024,’ she told The Sun.
‘I have had no contact with the police since his death. This is all complete and utter nonsense.’
The Cure’s official website confirmed the news that the musician passed away over Christmas following a short illness.
In a statement, they said: ‘It is with enormous sadness that we confirm the death of our great friend and bandmate Perry Bamonte who passed away after a short illness at home over Christmas.
‘Quiet, intense, intuitive, constant and hugely creative’, “Teddy” was a warm hearted and vital part of the cure story. “Looking after the band” from 1984 through 1989, he became a full time member of The Cure in 1990, playing guitar, six string bass and keyboard on the Wish, Wild Mood Swings, Bloodflowers, Acoustic Hits and The Cure albums, as well as performing more than 400 shows over 14 years.
‘He rejoined The Cure in 2022, playing another 90 shows, some of the best in the band’s history, culminating with the show of a lost world concert in London 1st November 2024.
Perry was one of five siblings and grew up in Basildon, Essex.
One month into the war, Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis say they may also be ready to intervene militarily.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US expected to conclude military operations within weeks.
The Iran-affiliated Houthi rebels in Yemen have launched missiles targeting Israel for the first time since the outbreak of the conflict involving Iran. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has indicated that the United States anticipates wrapping up its military engagements within a few weeks.
The Houthis, whose actions could potentially widen and extend the conflict now in its fifth week, have declared they will persist with their operations until what they describe as aggression on all fronts ceases. In response, Israel announced that it successfully intercepted a missile originating from Yemen.
The conflict began with U.S. and Israeli military strikes against Iran on February 28 and has since spread throughout the Middle East. The hostilities have resulted in thousands of casualties and have significantly disrupted energy supplies, impacting the global economy and stoking fears of inflation.
The Houthis announced on Friday their readiness to retaliate if the perceived escalation against Iran and the “Axis of Resistance” continues.
Historically, the group has demonstrated its capability to target locations far beyond Yemen’s borders and disrupt key shipping routes around the Arabian Peninsula and the Red Sea. This was notably evident in their support for Hamas in Gaza following the events of October 7, 2023.
If the Houthis open a new front in the conflict, one obvious target would be the Bab al-Mandab Strait off the coast of Yemen, a key shipping choke point that controls sea traffic towards the Suez Canal, after Iran effectively shut the critical Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking on Friday before the Houthi attack, Rubio said Washington was “on or ahead of schedule” and expects to conclude military operations in “weeks, not months”.
He also told Group of Seven counterparts in France that European and Asian countries which benefit from trade through the Strait of Hormuz — a conduit for a fifth of global oil and natural gas supplies — should contribute to efforts to secure free passage.
Trump questions why US would ‘be there’ for NATO
The war has driven a wedge between the US and its traditional allies, who have stayed on the sidelines. President Donald Trump said this lack of support had implications for NATO, the West’s most important alliance.
“We would have always been there for them, but now, based on their actions, I guess we don’t have to be, do we?” Trump told an investment forum in Miami on Friday. “Why would we be there for them if they’re not there for us? They weren’t there for us.”
Donald Trump has this week seemed eager to wind down the war, which is unpopular in the US. Source: AP / Mark Schiefelbein
The charter underlying the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which has long been led by the US, says an attack on one member is an attack on all, requiring them to support each other.
Rubio said the US could achieve its aims without ground troops but acknowledged it was deploying some to the region “to give the president maximum optionality and maximum opportunity to adjust the contingencies, should they emerge”.
Washington has dispatched two contingents of thousands of Marines to the region, the first of which is due to arrive in coming days on a huge amphibious assault ship. The Pentagon is also expected to deploy thousands of elite airborne soldiers.
The deployments have raised concerns that the war could turn into a prolonged ground battle.
More strikes while Trump speaks of negotiations
The conflict has led to worldwide concerns over fuel shortages and soaring prices.
In the US, where Trump is politically vulnerable to rising fuel prices, he has appeared eager to wind down the unpopular war. He emphasised this week what he called productive negotiations with Iran aimed at reaching a diplomatic end to the conflict.
Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey have been relaying messages between the warring sides, though Tehran has repeatedly asserted that there have been no such negotiations with Washington.
Two people familiar with the back-channel efforts expressed doubt that direct talks would take place anytime soon.
On Thursday, Trump extended a deadline by 10 days for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face attacks against power stations and other energy infrastructure. While those strikes were on hold, the US and Israel have continued to bomb Iran.
An Iranian attack on an air base in Saudi Arabia wounded 12 US military personnel, two seriously, a US official told Reuters on Friday, as drones and missiles continued to strike around the Gulf.
More than 300 American troops have been wounded since the start of the war on February 28, US Central Command said.
A US official who asked not to be identified told AFP that 10 US soldiers remained seriously wounded.
The United Arab Emirates and Bahrain reported missile attacks early on Saturday, with five people injured and fires reported after a missile was intercepted near Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Port, one of the Gulf’s main deepwater container ports.
At least five people were killed and seven injured after a US-Israeli attack on a residential unit in Iran’s northwestern city of Zanjan, Iranian media reported early on Saturday. The Iran University of Science and Technology in Tehran was also struck, media reported.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said on X that Israel, in coordination with the US, had also hit two steel factories and a power plant. “Attack contradicts POTUS extended deadline for diplomacy. Iran will exact HEAVY price for Israeli crimes,” Araqchi said on Friday, using an acronym for president of the United States.
Tehran has experienced consecutive explosions amid ongoing US-Israel attacks. Source: Getty / Anadolu
Meanwhile Israel’s military struck Beirut’s southern suburbs again on Friday, saying it was targeting Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.
In south Lebanon, Hezbollah said its fighters had clashed with “Israeli enemy army forces… with light and medium weapons”.
Syrian state television reported explosions heard above the capital Damascus from Israeli intercepts of the Iranian missiles.
A daring thief was captured on surveillance video as he targeted a California educational facility dedicated to individuals with intellectual disabilities, stealing gas from a transport van and causing significant disruption for nearly 200 students who rely on its services.
Employees at the Diamond Learning Center in Clovis are expressing growing frustration after a suspect breached their gated parking area, siphoning fuel from one of their essential transport vans.
According to footage, a man entered the lot around 5 p.m. on Sunday, directly approaching the vehicle with numerous gas containers, seemingly prepared to extract more fuel than he ultimately did, as reported by KMPH.
“When we arrived, one of the vans had clearly been tampered with—there was oil all over the ground, which was our first clue,” explained Isaac Jimenez, the center’s senior director, to the news outlet. “Gas cans were left at the scene, and the gas had been taken.”
The suspect is observed fleeing with a gas container after allegedly siphoning fuel from a van used to transport students at the Diamond Learning Center in Clovis, California.
The suspect fled with a large red container, leaving behind two others, evidence, staff say, that the theft was planned.
Clovis Police confirmed to Fox News Digital that a report was taken early Monday morning for three separate misdemeanors, which included vehicle tampering, trespassing and theft.
Investigators say the suspect either climbed over or somehow got through a perimeter fence to access the gated lot. The stolen fuel was valued at roughly $40, and police noted there was minor damage to the vehicle.
Surveillance video shows the suspect entering a gated parking lot with containers before stealing gas from a school van at Diamond Learning Center in Clovis.(Diamond Learning Center/KMPH)
Despite the surveillance video, the case is currently suspended due to a lack of investigative leads, with officers saying the video quality is not clear enough to identify a suspect.
Officials say the theft would likely be classified as petty theft, with the value of the stolen fuel estimated at under $900.
While gas thefts remain relatively uncommon, police note they tend to increase when fuel prices rise.
Police described the incident as “disappointing,” noting that any theft is a violation of property—especially when it involves breaking into a secured area.
For the school, the impact goes far beyond the cost of the gas.
The Diamond Learning Center in Clovis, California, serves nearly 200 individuals and was targeted in a gas theft incident.(Diamond Learning Center/KMPH)
The vans serve about 190 students, many of whom rely on strict daily routines. Staff say the theft forced them to reshuffle routes, delay pickups and scramble to notify parents – throwing off entire school days.
“It also throws off the student for the day,” Jimenez said. “It’s hard to get them back, to refocus.”
Jimenez had a blunt message for the suspect: don’t come back.
“You got away with it once—you’re not going to get away with it again,” he said.
Police are investigating and urging anyone with information to come forward.
Officials also recommend drivers take precautions, including locking gas caps and parking in secure areas whenever possible.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
Stepheny Price is a Writer at Fox News with a focus on West Coast and Midwest news, missing persons, national and international crime stories, homicide cases, and border security.
During a speech at a Saudi-backed investment conference on Friday evening, former President Donald Trump humorously remarked that he prefers to be surrounded by “losers” as they are more receptive to hearing about his own achievements.
Trump made this comment while addressing a question at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) summit in Miami, where the discussion focused on the leadership qualities he finds lacking globally.
“Winning is key; you have to be a winner,” Trump emphasized to the audience, noting that there are “mostly losers, fortunately.”
He went on to say, “I actually enjoy being around losers because it boosts my confidence. I dislike those who are extremely successful and share their success stories. I prefer those who appreciate hearing about my successes.”
“Well, it’s winning, you’ve got to win,” the president told the crowd, before adding that there are “mostly losers, fortunately.”
“I always like to hang around losers actually because it makes me feel better,” he continued. “I hate guys that are very, very successful and you have to listen to their success stories. I like people that like to listen to my success.”
Trump added later that he was “only kidding, I want to say that eh, sort of.”
He made similar comments while on the campaign trail in 2024, telling a crowd of supporters during a rally that does not “like anybody that doesn’t like me” in reference to late-night TV show hosts.
‘I’ll be honest, when they don’t like me, I don’t like them. OK?” Trump said at the time. “Sounds childish… That’s the way it is. Call it a personality defect.”
When asked on Friday to expand on which nations he views as “winners” or “losers,” the president said he “respect[s] China greatly” for its economic prowess.
Trump is scheduled to travel to China in May to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Their original meeting was delayed due to the U.S.’s ongoing military operations against Iran.
“You have to have great respect for China for the job they do,” he said. “Like them or not like them, you have to respect them.”
The FII Institute was established by Saudi Arabian royal decree in 2017 to promote global economic growth. The organization’s annual conference in Miami this year hosted top business leaders from around the world.
The president, during his speech at the event, claimed Iran was the “bully no longer” after the U.S. and Israel launched joint strikes on the country a month ago following failed nuclear deal negotiations. The Middle East conflict continues to rage, even as the Trump administration and Tehran officials go back-and-forth on potential terms to end the strikes.
Trump told the Miami crowd on Friday that Iran would have had a nuclear weapon “within two to four weeks” if the U.S. had not “knocked the hell” out of Iran.
“They would have used it on you, and on Israel, and on everyone else,” he added.
AIKEN, S.C — This Saturday, Aiken will host a unique Easter celebration, emphasizing inclusivity and raising awareness about autism.
The Autism Easter Egg Hunt invites families to enjoy a day filled with joy, connection, and community support.
Dan Perkins, one of the event’s coordinators, explained that the concept emerged from within their group. “Several members of our organization have children on the autism spectrum,” Perkins noted. “That served as our inspiration.”
Now in its second year, the event sees collaboration from eight to ten organizations, all united in supporting families and enhancing awareness.
Attendees can look forward to an afternoon brimming with activities such as Easter egg hunts, live music, and delicious food. Children will have ample chances to play and socialize. Additionally, there will be vendors and informative booths providing insights into autism, including resources for testing and support services.
Perkins says the event is about more than just fun. It’s also about visibility and understanding. “You get to see the children, how they interact, how they play with one another,” he said. A speaker will also be on site to talk about autism and resources available to families.
The event is on March 28 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Aiken Shrine Temple on Abbeville Avenue. Organizers say volunteers are still welcome to come out and help.
Left: James Martin (Johnson County Jail). Right: Amber Martin (Amber Martin/Facebook).
New revelations have surfaced regarding the chilling case of an Iowa man accused of plotting and subsequently executing the murder of his wife.
James Martin, aged 47, faces charges of first-degree murder in connection with the death of his 41-year-old wife, Amber Martin. He has been detained at the Johnson County Jail since January, with his bail set at $1 million.
On January 16, on Spring Rose Circle in Coralville, Iowa, James Martin allegedly orchestrated the murder of his spouse.
“In the hours preceding the victim’s death, the defendant devised a plan to kill her,” detectives stated in a criminal complaint obtained by Law&Crime. “He armed himself with a kitchen knife and ambushed her as she emerged from another room, repeatedly stabbing her,” the report detailed.
Authorities arrived at the Coralville apartment, located in the eastern part of Iowa, around 6:40 a.m. following reports of a stabbing incident. Upon entry, officers discovered Amber Martin with multiple stab wounds. She was declared dead at the scene.
This week, authorities released additional details in the case — namely that James Martin”s mother was reportedly a witness to the harrowing attack.
According to Cedar Rapids-based ABC affiliate KCRG, the mother told officers that she arrived at the apartment around 1:00 a.m. that morning due to her son’s mental health “spiraling.” She said she fell asleep on the couch but woke up to noises from the laundry room.
She reportedly thought it was the couple’s cat, but then heard the words, “help, help me.” She approached, and though there was no light on, she allegedly could see her son stabbing her daughter-in-law.
The mother is said to have rushed into the room and “begged” James Martin to stop. When he did, she could not find her phone and asked him to call the police.
Officers said that when they entered the home, they found a a bloody knife in the kitchen sink as well as smears of blood and bloody clothing in the home. James Martin admitted to killing his wife, the complaint stated.
The suspect was arrested, and investigators sought to uncover a motive.
They say James Martin told them he stabbed his wife to “put her out of her misery,” per KCRG. He reportedly believed they were in financial trouble that they could not come back from.
Amber Martin worked as a medical laboratory scientist supervisor for the University of Iowa Health Care system. Her boss, Connie Floerchinger, told Muddy River News that they were “shocked and horrified” by her death, adding that she was “sweet, smart and had an amazing personality.”
DE LAND, Ill. (WCIA) — The Tomko family from Springfield faced a life-altering situation last year when they received a heart-wrenching medical diagnosis for their son. Now, the community is rallying to ensure he gets the lifesaving treatment he needs.
At just three and a half months old, Braxton Tomko is battling polycystic kidney disease. This condition requires him to undergo daily dialysis, a procedure that is both costly and demanding. Fortunately, the family is not navigating this challenge alone.
If oil stopped flowing around the world tomorrow, different countries would find themselves in markedly different levels of a bind, and the figures don’t paint an overly pretty picture for Australia – although the government says there’s a good reason for it.
The Australian government continues to affirm the stability of the nation’s fuel supply in the near future. Despite the cancellation or postponement of six shipments, replacements have been secured along with three additional shipments.
Australia’s oil stocks lag behind those of other developed economies. (Nine)
As a participant in the International Energy Agency (IEA), Australia is mandated to maintain a fuel reserve equivalent to at least 90 days of consumption.
Unlike some countries that maintain a national reserve, Australia relies on oil companies to uphold a “minimum stock holding” of emergency reserves instead.
By the end of last year, Australia possessed reserves covering 38 days of gasoline, 32 days of diesel, and 29 days of jet fuel, figures that fall short of the IEA’s stipulated requirement.
These numbers have shown little change since the onset of the conflict.
Japan, by comparison, had a whopping 254 days’ worth of oil in combined government and private reserves, and South Korea around 200.
The United States has the Western world’s largest strategic reserve: some 415 million barrels before the war started, good enough for 125 days, according to the White House.
That is much smaller than it was at the start of the decade, when it was sitting above 650 million barrels, before the Biden administration ordered the release of 180 million barrels in response to the energy shock caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
On top of the 415 million barrels, the US has a further 439.3 million barrels of commercial reserves in private hands.
Even larger is China’s estimated stockpile.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has created the biggest oil supply shock in history. (Adobe Stock)
The Asian superpower doesn’t publish official figures, but according to energy analytics firm Vortexa, its inventory would have hit 1.13 billion barrels at the end of 2025.
Using daily imports of 10.6 million barrels, that’s enough for more than 100 days.
In Europe, nations such as Italy and Germany legally mandate holding at least 90 days’ worth of oil in reserve, while French economy minister Roland Lescure said his country’s stockpile was sitting at 108 days in early March.
The UK has about 68 million barrels of oil in its stockpile – enough for 52 days, taking the Energy Institute’s daily usage estimate of 1.3 million barrels, although other estimates have put it closer to 90 days or more.
Australia is not the only nation that had less than 90 days’ fuel at the start of the war.
New Zealand currently has less than 50, and Canada is the only G7 member which doesn’t have a strategic reserve, although, as a net exporter of oil, it’s not required to by the IEA.
However, according to official IEA data for December 2025 – which differs slightly from official figures – Australia had the smallest oil holdings of any of the organisation’s members, and was the only one with less than 80 days’ worth of imports on hand.
The nation hasn’t met the 90-day obligation for more than a decade, and Energy Minister Chris Bowen has argued it would be too expensive and not address domestic needs.
“Ninety days is not how much petrol is used,” he told the 7am Podcast earlier this week.
“It’s a 90-day import days, and they can be held anywhere and it’s not for domestic supply. It’s to be able to sell it if things get rough and the IEA asks us to.
“Now, we don’t comply with that. But if we did try to keep 90 days’ worth in Australia, that would cost $20 billion over four years… that’s $20 billion we’re not spending on schools, hospitals or anything like that. So that’s a big, big call.
“There’s a reason why consecutive governments haven’t done the 90 days. I think every new energy minister has asked – I certainly did – ‘why don’t we do 90 days?’. And you get the advice it’s going to cost $20 billion.
“And you think, well, that’s pretty hard to find.”
Energy Minister Chris Bowen says meeting the IEA’s stockholding obligation would be too expensive for Australia. (Alex Ellinghausen)
He and the rest of the government has insisted Australia was better prepared before the start of this conflict than it was previously.
“It’s a legitimate conversation, but we’re actually more prepared… certainly than when we went into Ukraine,” Bowen said.
“We’ve got those 38 days of petrol, 30 days of diesel, 30 days of jet fuel and, you know, sure, people can say we need more, but it’s a lot more than we’ve had previously.”
However, some experts have argued Australia should hold more oil on hand because of its place in the supply chain.
“Australia remains exposed to global disruptions because it imports a large share of its refined petroleum,” Professor Sajid Anwar from the University of the Sunshine Coast said after the outbreak of the war.
“The country typically holds around 30 days of fuel stocks, well below the 90-day level recommended by the International Energy Agency.
“Although Australia draws on multiple suppliers, including Singapore, South Korea and Japan, these sources sit within the same Asia-Pacific supply chain, meaning major regional disruptions could still affect supply.”
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