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The Yemeni rebel group Houthis have declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia and attacked Saudi tankers in the Red Sea. This escalates the conflict in Yemen and increases tensions involving Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United States, especially around the important Bab al-Mandeb Strait used for global shipping.
Key Facts
The Houthis, a Yemeni rebel group supported by Iran, announced a maritime siege on all shipping to Saudi Arabia.
They attacked several Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea.
The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is a key waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean and is crucial for energy supplies to Europe and imports to Saudi Arabia.
Houthis threaten to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait amid the ongoing conflict involving the U.S. and Iran.
Yemen’s internationally recognized government claimed an air strike on Sanaa airport to stop an Iranian plane, while Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia.
In response, the Houthis fired missiles into Saudi Arabia and declared the naval blockade.
Saudi Arabia faces a new threat from sea, complicating its security and oil export routes.
The Yemeni government's military forces include the National Army and regional brigades, with about 400,000 troops mainly in areas outside Houthi control.
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Tropical Storm Bertha hit Louisiana and is moving west toward Texas, where it is expected to arrive by Thursday evening. The storm brings strong winds, heavy rain, and rising water levels, which may cause flooding and dangerous surf conditions along the Gulf Coast.
Key Facts
Bertha made landfall in Louisiana and is moving toward the Texas coast.
Maximum sustained winds are near 45 mph, with stronger gusts.
Tropical storm warnings are active from Morgan City, Louisiana, to Sargent, Texas.
Coastal flooding of 2 to 3 feet is expected in parts of Louisiana, affecting homes and businesses.
Rainfall of 2 to 4 inches, with isolated heavier amounts up to 6 inches, is forecast along the Texas Gulf Coast.
The storm may cause flash flooding, especially in cities and urban areas.
Dangerous surf and rip currents are expected along the northern and northwestern Gulf Coast.
Bertha is expected to weaken and dissipate after moving inland over Texas by Friday.
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The United States and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on June 17 to extend a ceasefire and restart negotiations, temporarily improving conditions in the Strait of Hormuz. However, the agreement quickly fell apart because it lacked clear rules for how to carry out its terms and those who helped negotiate it could not enforce it.
Key Facts
The MoU aimed to extend a ceasefire and reopen talks between the U.S. and Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz is a key shipping route that handles about 20% of the world’s oil trade.
After the agreement, oil shipping and Iranian exports increased for a short time.
Military actions resumed, and many commercial ships stopped passing through the Strait again within weeks.
The deal focused on political agreement but did not set clear procedures for enforcement and daily operations.
Important details, like which nuclear activities were allowed and how sanctions relief would work, were left vague.
The MoU called for Iran to ensure safe commercial shipping and work with Oman on administration but did not create clear rules or frameworks.
Disagreements quickly appeared over how frozen Iranian assets ($12 billion) would be managed and accessed.
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Scientists at McGill University studied lungs from people who never smoked, currently smoke, and quit smoking. They found that while some lung damage from smoking improves after quitting, other changes last for years and might explain why former smokers still face health risks.
Key Facts
Researchers analyzed over 100,000 lung cells from 21 people: never smokers, ex-smokers, and current smokers.
Some lung cells recover after quitting smoking, but others show lasting changes in genes related to lung structure and immune function.
Former smokers have unique molecular lung patterns that differ from both active smokers and never smokers.
These lasting changes may explain why ex-smokers still have a higher risk of lung diseases like cancer and COPD.
Understanding which lung damage is permanent can help develop better treatments for smoking-related illnesses.
The research was published in the journal Translational Research.
Next steps include finding why some lung cells do not fully heal after quitting smoking.
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A former governor in Kenya, Okoth Obado, was found guilty of killing a pregnant university student, Sharon Otieno, with whom he had an affair. He and two others were convicted for planning and carrying out the murder, which sparked protests about violence against women in Kenya.
Key Facts
Sharon Otieno, a 26-year-old pregnant student, was found dead in 2018 in western Kenya.
Okoth Obado was governor of Migori county at the time of the murder.
The court ruled that Obado planned the killing, provided the motive and money.
Two other people helped with the murder and tried to hide the crime.
Sharon had contacted a journalist about her affair with the governor before she was kidnapped.
The journalist escaped, but Sharon was found stabbed and possibly raped two days later.
Police tracked the vehicle used in the crime and found its GPS was turned off and on to hide its movements.
The court used 42 witnesses and evidence to convict Obado and his co-accused.
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The threat of a blockade at the Bab al-Mandab strait by Yemen’s Houthi militias has caused global oil prices to rise above $100 a barrel. This narrow sea route is important for Saudi oil exports, especially since the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed due to conflict between the US and Iran.
Key Facts
The price of Brent crude oil rose more than 13% in a few days, exceeding $100 per barrel.
Houthis, who control parts of Yemen near Bab al-Mandab, warned shipping companies not to use Saudi ports or face attacks.
Bab al-Mandab is a key route carrying about 4.1 million barrels of oil daily, about 5% of the world’s total oil trade.
Saudi Arabia rerouted around 75% of its oil exports through the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab after the Strait of Hormuz was blocked.
The breakdown of the US-Iran ceasefire and Houthi attacks have reduced shipping traffic through Hormuz and Bab al-Mandab.
The conflict led many shipping companies to avoid Bab al-Mandab, disrupting global oil supply routes.
A Houthi official threatened that controlling Bab al-Mandab could push oil prices to $200 a barrel.
Saudi Arabia views the Houthi threats as retaliation after a ceasefire breach and continues to respond.
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The article explains a new leadership approach called "mission command" used at Singapore's National University Hospital. This method gives health care workers more authority to make decisions quickly and encourages leadership at every level to improve patient care and reduce staff burnout.
Key Facts
Traditional hospital management often relies on strict, top-down control, which can slow decision-making.
Mission command is a military leadership style that focuses on clear goals but trusts people to decide how to achieve them.
At National University Hospital, nurses, pharmacists, and support staff are empowered to lead in critical moments.
Leaders provide training and support rather than micromanage, allowing frontline workers to act confidently.
The hospital continuously removes outdated rules and processes to reduce barriers for staff.
This leadership style aims to reduce burnout by giving health care workers control over their work conditions.
Research shows health care workers quit mainly because they feel powerless, not just because their jobs are hard.
Mission command transforms patient care by promoting responsibility and autonomy across the organization.
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A former BBC journalist, Vincent Kearney, was awarded £20,000 after MI5 and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) illegally accessed data from his mobile phone. A special UK court ruled the surveillance was unlawful and disproportionate, violating journalistic protections designed to safeguard public interest.
Key Facts
Vincent Kearney worked as the BBC’s Northern Ireland home affairs correspondent and is now RTÉ’s northern editor.
MI5 and PSNI unlawfully obtained Kearney’s phone data between 2006 and 2018 during seven separate operations.
The data included call and text numbers, times, subscriber names, and addresses, but not the content of communications.
PSNI ran four operations and created a profile on Kearney, including car registrations and family members’ names.
The Investigatory Powers Tribunal said journalists have legal protections to help them protect their sources for the public good.
The PSNI Chief Constable accepted the ruling, apologized, and said the police have since changed their policies and practices.
The case followed a previous ruling that found PSNI and Metropolitan Police unlawfully spied on journalists who exposed police collusion with paramilitaries.
The BBC said the case raised serious concerns about journalistic freedoms and trust in public-interest journalism.
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Nicaragua’s National Assembly, controlled by President Daniel Ortega’s government, is discussing a law to keep opposition parties from competing in upcoming elections. President Ortega has accused opposition groups of trying to take power with foreign help, and critics worry this move blocks fair voting and democracy in the country.
Key Facts
Nicaragua’s National Assembly will vote in early August on whether to bar opposition parties from elections.
President Daniel Ortega said opposition groups will no longer be allowed to try to win power.
Ortega claims the opposition is funded by the United States.
UN and US officials have criticized Ortega, saying all political groups must be allowed to vote and run for office.
Ortega has been in power since 2007, with a record of jailing or exiling opponents.
In 2025, Nicaragua’s constitution was changed to extend the presidential term to six years and named Ortega’s wife, Rosario Murillo, as "co-president."
Ortega’s government cracked down on protests in 2018, killing over 300 people and arresting many opposition members.
Opposition leaders in exile say Ortega wants to create a one-party state like China, North Korea, and Cuba.
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Protesters in Mumbai, India, led by the Cockroach Janty Party, copied a famous Norway Viking Row video but changed the word "ro" to "resign." They did this to demand the resignation of India’s federal education minister due to cheating scandals involving exam papers.
Key Facts
The protest took place in Mumbai, India.
The group leading the protest is called the Cockroach Janty Party.
They recreated a viral video from Norway known as the Viking Row.
In their version, they changed the word "ro" to "resign."
The protest called for the federal education minister to step down.
This demand was triggered by scandals involving leaked exam papers.
The protest aimed to highlight corruption in the education system.
The federal education minister is responsible for overseeing education policies in India.
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Two Palestinian men were shot and killed by Israeli forces in the West Bank after trying to put out fires on Palestinian farmland. The incident occurred amid ongoing clashes between Palestinians, Israeli soldiers, and settlers in the area.
Key Facts
Two Palestinians died from gunshot wounds after attempting to extinguish farmland fires.
Four other Palestinians were injured in the nearby town of Beit Furik.
It is unclear whether Israeli soldiers or settlers fired the shots.
Israeli forces blocked entrances to Beit Furik and increased security presence.
Fires damaged electricity poles, and settlers reportedly burned two Palestinian vehicles.
Israel said Palestinians set fires and attacked settlers, injuring one Israeli man.
A third Palestinian man was shot dead after allegedly stabbing an Israeli soldier.
The violence happens amid increased military raids and settler actions in the West Bank.
Thousands of Israeli settlers and far-right figures raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in East Jerusalem, performing Jewish rituals at the Muslim holy site.
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Prime Minister Andy Burnham has paused a plan to release some prisoners early until a quick review is done. This decision follows concerns raised after reports that two killers of a police officer might be freed early.
Key Facts
Andy Burnham announced that no prisoners will be released early until he completes an urgent review.
The pause was prompted by reactions to news that two killers of PC Andrew Harper could be freed early.
The widow of PC Andrew Harper called the idea of early release "deplorable."
Andy Burnham also announced a separate policy to cut business rates by 20% for pubs, clubs, and live music venues in England starting April.
The funding and impact of the tax cuts on businesses are being discussed by experts and government representatives.
The announcement was part of a broader news podcast episode presented by Adam Fleming on the BBC.
The early release scheme relates to the prison system and government policies on criminal justice.
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Parts of Wales are now officially in drought due to very low rainfall, low river levels, heatwaves, and wildfires. July is set to be the driest month in Wales in nearly 200 years, causing serious problems for wildlife, farming, and water supplies.
Key Facts
North Wales and the Upper Severn are declared drought areas by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
Rivers including Clwyd, Alwen, Alyn, and Wye have recorded record low water flows.
Prolonged dry weather and heatwaves have caused several wildfires in Wales, some still burning.
The Welsh government activated crisis plans due to firefighting resource shortages.
July’s rainfall is less than 2% of the expected amount in the drought areas.
Welsh Water has issued hosepipe bans in parts of west Wales despite reservoir levels being generally healthy.
The drought follows a summer of similar conditions across parts of England, Wales, and Scotland.
Scientists link the drought and heat to climate change, which is expected to make UK summers hotter and drier by 2070.
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Countries in the Middle East are building new pipelines to avoid shipping oil through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow sea passage near Iran. This move comes as a response to risks of disruption and rising oil prices, with several major pipeline projects under construction or planning to send oil to ports on the Red Sea and Gulf of Oman instead.
Key Facts
About 15 million barrels of oil used to pass daily through the Strait of Hormuz before the Iran war.
Oil prices have risen above $100 per barrel for Brent Crude amid tensions around the strait.
Gulf countries are investing billions of dollars in pipeline projects to bypass the strait.
At least seven major pipeline projects are underway or being planned.
Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline, built in the 1980s, carries oil from its east coast to the Red Sea as an alternative route.
The UAE is expanding oil exports through Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman with a new $3 billion pipeline project.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels have recently attacked Saudi oil tankers and pipelines on alternative routes.
Iraq is planning pipelines to export oil from its southern fields to ports in Turkey and Syria to reduce reliance on Hormuz.
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For the first time since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister over 12 years ago, large protests openly called for his resignation. The protests, led by young people in New Delhi, started over demands for education reforms but grew to include calls for the resignations of top officials and criticism of government actions like police violence.
Key Facts
Students, led by a group called Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), have been protesting in New Delhi for over a month.
Their initial demand was education reforms and the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The protest expanded to call for Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah to resign.
Activist Sonam Wangchuk, on hunger strike since June 28, was forcibly hospitalized, increasing support for the protests.
Police used force, including pellet guns, tear gas, and batons, injuring at least 200 people during a march near parliament.
The protests spread to other Indian cities like Patna, Mumbai, and Goa and included diverse groups such as families of children affected by exam leaks and farmers.
Opposition parties organized protests outside the Prime Minister’s residence following police actions.
The government has not apologized for police violence nor indicated investigations into officers accused of excessive force.
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President Donald Trump said he is close to deciding on a large military strike against Iran, potentially bigger than previous attacks. He has not made a final decision, and officials say no new military orders have been given yet. Tensions are rising in the region, affecting oil prices and security.
Key Facts
President Trump told Axios he is considering a massive attack on Iran, larger than "Operation Epic Fury."
No final decision or military orders have been made or given at this time.
Oil prices have risen above $100 per barrel due to increased tensions.
Iran has not accepted recent negotiation proposals and continues attacking commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen have attacked Saudi ships in the Red Sea, increasing regional tensions.
Trump said Israel would quickly join U.S. strikes if asked but warned of possible Iranian retaliation against Israel.
Trump blamed Iran for Houthi attacks and threatened major military punishment on both Iran and the Houthis.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to attend a memorial event in Washington, and Trump said he would meet with him.
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A group of 120 wealthy people in the UK, called the Patriotic Millionaires, asked Prime Minister Andy Burnham to raise taxes on the richest citizens. They say higher taxes on the super-wealthy can help reduce inequality and support public services and small businesses. Burnham is open to considering new taxes on wealth, but no decisions have been made yet.
Key Facts
120 UK millionaires, including Gary Lineker and Julia Davies, signed a letter asking for higher taxes on the ultra-wealthy.
They believe wealth is too concentrated and want to help the country by paying more taxes.
The money from these higher taxes could fund public infrastructure, reduce inequality, and support small businesses.
Lineker said paying a fair share of taxes is a basic value and that the richest can afford to contribute more.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said his government may ask for more taxes to create fairness, mentioning the possibility of a wealth tax.
A proposed 2% annual tax on people with more than 100 million pounds in assets could raise about 10 billion pounds yearly.
Increasing the tax on wealth above 10 million pounds could raise 24 billion pounds per year, plus 12 billion pounds from capital gains tax changes.
The Treasury welcomed the discussion but said any major tax changes will be announced during official budget talks.
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The Swedish owners of a Viking ship used in the film The Odyssey say the film studio Universal damaged the ship and has not paid the $6,000 bill for repairs. The ship was returned after six months of filming, but the owners say they have not received payment despite an agreement.
Key Facts
The Viking ship Glad av Gillberga, based on a 1040 AD wreck, was used in the movie The Odyssey.
The ship sailed in the North Sea, Baltic Sea, and even Canada over nearly 30 years.
Universal promised to pay for any damage caused during the six months of filming.
The ship suffered damage to its stern (rear) and mast (vertical pole for sails).
Vikingaleden, the nonprofit running the ship, invoiced Universal $6,000 for repair materials.
No payment has been received from Universal, despite repeated requests.
The Vikingaleden association has about 200 members and says the amount is significant for them.
The movie The Odyssey made $264 million in its opening weekend and features actors Matt Damon and Tom Holland.
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A large wildfire is spreading quickly in the southwest of France near popular tourist areas. Thousands of people have had to leave their homes as firefighters work to control the fire.
Key Facts
The wildfire is moving very fast in a peninsula near the dune du Pila and Cap Ferret.
This area is known as a popular tourist destination, sometimes called "the Hamptons of France."
Thousands of residents and visitors have been evacuated for safety.
Firefighters are having a hard time containing the wildfire because of dry conditions.
The fire has destroyed around 2,000 hectares (about 4,942 acres) of land.
The dry weather and heatwave are factors making the fire spread faster.
Officials are monitoring the situation closely to protect people and property.
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Laura Loomer, a political activist known for previously opposing U.S. aid to Ukraine and echoing Russian propaganda, visited Ukraine and changed her views about the war. During her visit, she supported Kyiv’s defense, apologized for her earlier statements, and witnessed the effects of the conflict firsthand, including an air raid warning and damage from Russian attacks.
Key Facts
Laura Loomer had previously criticized U.S. aid to Ukraine and repeated claims that Ukraine harbored Nazis, echoing Russian government narratives.
On a recent trip to Ukraine, she reversed many of her prior views and expressed support for Ukraine’s war effort.
During her visit, Loomer visited Bucha, where she saw evidence of Russian war crimes such as mass graves.
She experienced an air raid warning in Kyiv and shared videos showing damage from Russian drone strikes.
Loomer apologized for her past posts that amplified Russian propaganda but said she would not delete them.
Ukrainian officials welcomed Loomer’s change of heart and praised her courage to visit during the conflict.
Earlier, Loomer had accused the Biden administration of working to stage a coup in Russia and funding "Nazi death squads" in Ukraine, statements she later distanced herself from.
Her change in opinion reportedly started around March 2024 after reviewing research suggesting Russia was spreading misinformation.
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