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Iran sends tankers loaded with oil past US military blockadeShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleThomas CopelandandShruti Menon,BBC Verify
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US Department of Defense
Michelle Petix raised her two daughters in the rural haven of Steamboat Springs, in northwestern Colorado, where they spent their childhoods skiing freely with friends or swimming in the river on balmy summer days.
“We lived off the grid, plowed our own road, built our home board by board,” Petix, 57, said of her family’s idyllic life in Routt County. “Tourism and ranching are truly a unique mixed vibe. We need a community to survive out in the rural areas.”
Tourism is the main driver of the local economy, powered by tens of thousands of visitors who come to “Ski Town USA” to hit the slopes, fly fish on local rivers, or attend the professional rodeo series held at the base of Colorado’s oldest public ski area, in operation since 1915.
Managing the influx of tourists while preserving the area’s ranching culture and history is a delicate balance. But Petix and others in the community fear that balance could soon be upended by a powerful real estate developer’s proposal to open a private..
Iran steps up claim to control Strait of Hormuz5 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleThomas CopelandandPaul Brown,BBC VerifyBBCIran has said it is significantly expanding the area around the Strait of Hormuz over which it claims military control in an effort to assert its sovereignty of the key trade route.
A map published by Iran's newly-created “Persian Gulf Strait Authority” claims “Iranian armed forces oversight” across more than 22,000 sq km (8,800 sq miles).
It extends into the territorial waters of Oman and the UAE. The UAE described Iran's claims of control as “nothing but fragments of dreams”.
Iran's new authority added that all transit through the strait “requires coordination with and authorization from the Persian Gulf Strait Authority”.
The US and Gulf allies have repeatedly rejected Iranian attempts to assert control over the strait. The US has told ships not to comply with Iran's rules.
The diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, Anwar Gargas..
Madonna joins Sabrina Carpenter to surprise Coachella5 hours agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleAndre Rhoden-PaulGetty ImagesMadonna surprised fans at Coachella making a guest appearance during Sabrina Carpenter's Friday night headline set.
The Queen of Pop joined Carpenter on stage for a duet of Vogue, Like A Prayer and a song seemingly from Madonna's new album.
The performance followed days of speculation that Madonna would appear at the festival in the Colorado desert in California.
On Wednesday, Madonna officially confirmed the release of Confessions II – a sequel to her 2005 Confessions On A Dance Floor.
After Carpenter finished a rendition of Juno, Madonna emerged while the intro of Vogue played out and dancers struck a pose.
With matching blonde hair and lace corsets, the pair sang the 1990 house hit, before strutting across the stage to perform a new song.
“Thank you so much for inviting me on your show,” the Hung Up singer said.
“No thanks needed, Madonna,” Carpe..