Workers idle, trucks empty as war slams Iraqi oil hub

In the Iraqi oil hub of Basra, maintenance contractor Fawzi spends his days cooling his heels waiting for work that seldom comes, as the Middle East war puts a serious crimp on the once-bustling port town. Basra has long been a key cog in Iraq’s economy but, after months of Iran choking off Gulf oil exports with its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz, the city is suffering. Fuel trucks stand idle an