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Indian techie in Paris says Europe’s ‘problems’ are what many Indians wish they had, sparks debate

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Indian techie in Paris says Europe’s ‘problems’ are what many Indians wish they had, sparks debate


A post by an Indian software engineer living in Paris has started an interesting conversation on X. Instead of talking about salaries, career growth, or life abroad, he highlighted something much more basic. He pointed out how the everyday concerns in his neighbourhood are very different from the challenges many people in India continue to face. The comparison quickly drew attention online, with some users agreeing with his observation and others questioning the way it was presented.

What the Indian techie said

Akhilesh, a software engineer based in Paris, shared that while Western Europe is not free from problems, the nature of those problems is very different from those faced by many people in India.“I live in Western Europe. It’s not that there are no problems, but the problems people here have are the kind many Indians would wish to have,” Akhilesh said.

The incident that led to the post

To explain his point, Akhilesh shared a translated screenshot of a conversation between residents in his housing complex.The discussion was about a blue van parked near the entrance of the residential complex. Residents said it was blocking visibility for drivers leaving the parking area and could become a safety concern. They also discussed a traffic mirror at the entrance, saying it was not properly aligned and could increase the risk of accidents.Referring to the difference in civic concerns, he wrote:“While many people in India are still debating access to clean water, clean air, and uninterrupted electricity, here are the ‘problems’ people in my residence are discussing: 1 – a blue van is blocking the view when exiting the residence parking area, creating a potential safety hazard. 2 – The traffic mirror at the entrance to the residence is misaligned and could increase the risk of accidents.”The translated conversation also showed neighbours discussing possible solutions. One resident said the police had already been contacted about the parked vehicle.

The post received mixed reactions

The comparison soon divided opinion on X.Some users said the post reflected how priorities change when basic public infrastructure is already in place. Others felt such comparisons do little to encourage meaningful discussion.Among them was X user Shaiv Roy, who wrote:“I agree criticism should be done but one thing I don’t get is people who have left to live abroad. Some of them, the way they criticise is not so that things improve in India. It’s more to boast about how they have it better and they do have it better but be upfront.”The post continues to attract reactions, with users sharing different views on whether it offers a fair comparison or simply reflects the different realities people experience in different countries.Disclaimer: The article is based on publicly available social media content. The opinions expressed by users are their own, and The Times of India does not endorse or verify these claims independently. Thumb image: Canva (for representative purposes only)



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Ukraine’s new prime minister takes office with a hard winter looming and protests on the streets

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Ukraine’s new prime minister takes office with a hard winter looming and protests on the streets


KYIV, Ukraine — Serhii Koretskyi, the state-energy company chief who was named as Ukraine ‘s new prime minister on Thursday, is not a typical choice to lead the government.

Unlike many of Ukraine’s senior government officials, Koretskyi, 48, did not climb through political parties, parliament or the civil service. A trained engineer, he built his career in business, spending more than two decades managing fuel and food industries before being picked to run some of Ukraine’s most troubled state-owned energy companies.

Quickly, he garnered a reputation as an effective crisis manager, reviving struggling state enterprises and making them profitable.

Now, he faces his biggest management challenge yet, one where business acumen alone will not be enough. Leading Ukraine’s cash-strapped wartime government will require political dexterity, diplomacy and power plays.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has tasked him with steering the country through what officials expect could be the hardest winter of the war due Russian attacks. He is Ukraine’s third prime minister since Russia’s full-scale invasion.

His premiership is already off to a rocky start. As lawmakers voted to confirm him, hundreds of protesters gathered in the city center, enraged at Zelenskyy and accused him of unfairly sidelining popular Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov in the sudden government reshuffle announced this week.

Koretskyi’s immediate priorities include protecting Ukraine’s battered energy system, stabilizing the economy, ensuring international aid is spent effectively and expanding domestic arms production, he said, addressing the parliament.

In 2022, after the government seized control of oil producer Ukrnafta and refinery operator Ukrtatnafta from oligarch Ihor Kolomoiskyi, Koretskyi was appointed to lead both companies simultaneously.

Within two years, Ukrnafta had reported record profits, cleared its tax debts and expanded production. The company became one of Ukraine’s largest taxpayers and a major contributor to the war effort, supplying fuel to the military and funding drones.

Last year Koretskyi was selected to lead Naftogaz, the state energy giant, at a troubled moment. Gas reserves had fallen to record lows after the previous management failed to secure sufficient imports and Russia intensified strikes on production facilities.

He launched an audit which triggered sweeping restructuring, eliminating overlapping functions and streamlining staffing in moves that drew criticism internally.

Under his leadership, Naftogaz rebuilt gas reserves to more than 13 billion cubic meters and raised nearly $1 billion.

Zelenskyy has described Koretskyi as “the most prepared candidate” for prime minister, highlighting his priority of being prepared for the winter.



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Puerto Rico announces emergency water rationing as drought worsens

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Puerto Rico announces emergency water rationing as drought worsens


SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico announced water rationing measures on Thursday as a drought grips the U.S. territory, worsening chronic water shortages that have forced the governor to declare a state of emergency.

Thousands of people in the island’s northeast region face 48-hour rationing periods from Friday, said Luis González, executive president of the island’s water and sewer authority.

The rationing program will affect several communities in the cities of Canovanas and Rio Grande as temperatures keep rising.

“There’s just not enough water,” he said, adding that rationing will likely be extended to other areas.

González blamed a lack of rain, although severe water shortages began affecting some of the island’s most populated areas months before the drought began, with officials yet to identify the problem.

Those outages prompted the mayor of San Juan to sue the island’s Water and Sewer Authority in late May, with Gov. Jenniffer González acknowledging that the agency’s infrastructure has lacked investment and maintenance for decades.

Almost 40,000 customers were left without water last month, leading González to activate the National Guard. That outage was not tied to the current drought.

The U.S. Drought Monitor says 14% of Puerto Rico is currently under a severe drought and another 59% under a moderate drought, up from 18% in late June. Around 2.3 million people out of Puerto Rico’s 3.2 million inhabitants are currently living in a region affected by drought, it estimates.

Previous droughts have forced Puerto Rico to implement strict rationing measures. In 2016, some 400,000 utility customers received water only every third day.

Those hit by water shortages have organized protests, while a growing number of legislators are demanding answers.

“What’s happening with the Puerto Rico Water and Sewer Authority cannot be attributed solely to the drought,” said Rep. Domingo J. Torres. “What we’re seeing is a management that improvises, that reacts only when the crisis is already upon us, and that has failed to present a clear plan to guarantee access to drinking water.”

Torres filed a formal request on Wednesday for information about what actions the water and sewer authority is taking to confront the drought and ensure access to potable water, among other things.

A spokesman for Puerto Rico’s water and sewer agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Legislators also held a public hearing this week on the financial impact of water shortages on an island with a nearly 40% poverty rate.



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Coventry City transfer news: Aurele Amenda signs in deal worth more than £17m

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Coventry City transfer news: Aurele Amenda signs in deal worth more than £17m


Coventry City have signed Eintracht Frankfurt defender Aurele Amenda in a deal worth more than £17m.

The Switzerland centre-back has cost an initial £15.4m, with a further £1.7m in add-ons, and has signed a four-year contract with the newly-promoted Premier League club.

Amenda, 22, is understood to have been persuaded by a strong pitch from manager Frank Lampard and Coventry’s recruitment staff.

“After the first call with the gaffer, I felt the trust and I liked the project, so I feel this is a really good step for me,” he said.

“I cannot wait to meet everyone at the club, especially the fans but of course my teammates.

“I like to defend my goal but I like to play, I’m really calm with the ball so I can help the team with this.”

He was part of the Switzerland squad that reached the World Cup quarter-finals, although he did not make an appearance in the tournament.

Amenda is Coventry’s third signing of the summer following the arrivals of winger Loum Tchaouna from Burnley and midfielder Frank Onyeka, who made his move from Brentford permanent.

The Sky Blues remain keen to sign goalkeeper Carl Rushworth from Brighton but have so far been unable to agree a deal and Chelsea’s Filip Jorgensen is viewed as an alternative.

After renewing Lampard’s contract this summer, Coventry began pre-season with a 3-2 behind-closed-doors friendly defeat by Wimbledon.

They next face Northampton Town and Espanyol as they prepare for their first top-flight campaign in 25 years.



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Tesla helped save a driver; is your car ready?

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Tesla helped save a driver; is your car ready?


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A medical emergency behind the wheel is terrifying because every second suddenly feels bigger. You are trying to stay calm, stay safe and get help before things spiral.

That is why John Brandt’s story is getting so much attention. His Tesla Model Y helped keep him moving during a heart attack, while his son used the Tesla app to reroute the car to a nearby emergency room.

The bigger takeaway isn’t that your car can replace 911. It cannot. The lesson is that connected-car settings, trusted app access and emergency contacts should be ready before you ever need them.

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A Tesla Model Y helped keep John Brandt moving toward help after chest pain hit during an early morning highway drive. (Tesla)

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How a Tesla Model Y helped during a medical emergency

Brandt said he was driving from Atlanta to Birmingham on I-20 around 4 a.m. when severe chest pain made it unsafe for him to keep driving on his own. 

His Model Y had Full Self-Driving Supervised enabled, which helped keep the car on course while he called his son, Jack.

Jack then acted from his own phone. Because he was an authorized driver on his father’s Tesla account, he could send a new destination to the vehicle through the Tesla app. He found Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Georgia and rerouted the car there.

He also called ahead, so emergency room staff knew a possible heart attack patient was coming. Brandt later said doctors found three blocked arteries and told him the fast reroute likely saved his life.

Brandt credited his family, the hospital team and Tesla’s technology for helping him survive. His experience also shows why trusted access should be set up before a crisis starts.

Why the Tesla FSD medical emergency feels so personal

This story hits home because it sounds like something that could happen to any of us. You may be driving to help a parent. You may be on a highway before sunrise. You may think you feel heartburn or stress until the pain gets worse.

Most of us think about car safety in terms of brakes, airbags and tires. However, this story shows that app access, navigation settings and trusted contacts can also play a role in a crisis. That does not mean your car becomes a paramedic. It means your connected vehicle can give your family more ways to help if something goes wrong.

Brandt’s experience raises a question every driver should consider: If you suddenly could not manage the trip alone, would someone you trust know how to step in and help?

How Tesla owners can prepare for a medical emergency

If you own a Tesla, start with trusted driver access. Add someone you trust completely, such as a spouse, adult child or close family member. Tesla lets owners add drivers through the Tesla app. Once added, that person may be able to access key vehicle features from a phone.

Choose carefully. A trusted driver may be able to see your vehicle location and use important app controls. That access can help in an emergency, but it also deserves serious thought.

TESLA ROBOTAXI MIAMI LAUNCH COMES WITH LIMITS

Next, show that person how to send a destination to your Tesla. Do not make this something they figure out during a crisis. Sit in the parked car and test it together.

Have them send a familiar destination to the vehicle. Make sure you both understand what appears on the screen. Then talk through what they should do if you ever call and say something is wrong.

Also save useful locations in your navigation system. Add home, work and hospitals you would likely use. If you often drive between two cities, look at hospitals along that route before you need them.

Why Full Self-Driving Supervised isn’t an emergency plan

Tesla calls the system Full Self-Driving Supervised for a reason. The driver still needs to pay attention and stay ready to take over at any time. Brandt’s experience shows how the technology and app connectivity helped during one frightening emergency. But a Tesla cannot replace 911, an ambulance or a trained medical team.

If you feel chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, lightheadedness or pain in your arm, back or jaw, treat it as an emergency. Pull over safely if you can. Call 911 immediately. Emergency responders can start care on the way to the hospital and alert the ER before you arrive.

Telsa Model Y

The car’s connected navigation features allowed Brandt’s son to reroute the vehicle to the nearest emergency room from his own phone. (Tesla)

Your car may help your family find you or send a destination. Still, it should never delay a medical call.

How to prepare any connected car for an emergency

You do not need a Tesla to learn from this story. Many newer vehicles have connected apps, navigation tools, roadside assistance buttons or emergency calling features. First, remember this: Your car should never replace 911. If you are having a medical emergency, pull over safely if you can and call for help immediately. These steps are about giving your family extra ways to help, not replacing emergency responders.

1) Check your vehicle app access

Open your automaker’s app and review what it can do. Look for vehicle location, shared driver access, remote lock controls, roadside assistance and navigation features. Then make sure your trusted contact can use the app if your car allows it. If the app requires a login, two-factor code or owner approval, handle that now. Also, check app access after you get a new phone. Permissions can change when you upgrade. Also, because vehicle apps can show location and control certain car features, use a strong unique password, store it in a password manager and turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) if available. Only give app access to someone you fully trust.

2) Turn on location and alert permissions

Make sure your vehicle app can use location services when needed. Also allow important notifications from the app so you do not miss alerts about your car. Ask your trusted contact to check the same settings on their phone. If they cannot see your vehicle, receive alerts or open the app quickly, they may not be able to help during a crisis.

3) Test sending a destination to your car

Some vehicles let you send a destination from your phone to the dashboard. Others do not. Find out now. Sit in your parked car and send a destination from your phone. Then ask your trusted contact to try it if they have authorized access. This quick test can prevent confusion later. It also shows you what your car will display when a new destination arrives.

4) Learn what your SOS button really does

Many vehicles have an SOS button, emergency assistance button or roadside help button. Do not assume they all work the same way. Check your owner’s manual or automaker app. Find out whether the button calls 911, a private call center or roadside assistance. Also, learn whether the system shares your vehicle location. That detail can be critical if you cannot explain where you are.

5) Set up phone emergency features

Your phone may help even more than your car. Add emergency contacts, fill out your Medical ID or emergency information and make sure your family can reach you even when Do Not Disturb is on. Apple says iPhone emergency contacts can receive a text and your location after an emergency call, while Samsung lets Galaxy owners add emergency contacts, medical info and SOS sharing from Safety and emergency settings.

On iPhone

  • Open the Health app
  • Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner
  • Tap Medical ID
  • Scroll down and under each section in red, tap Edit or Add 
  • Add important details, such as medical conditions, allergies, medications and blood type
  • Scroll to Emergency Contacts and tap Add Emergency Contact 
  • Choose a trusted contact and select their relationship to you
  • Turn on Show When Locked and Share During Emergency Call if those options appear
  • Tap < in the upper left to save

To make sure key people can reach you, go to Settings → Focus → Do Not Disturb → People and allow calls or notifications from your trusted contacts. You can also open a contact, tap Edit, choose Ringtone or Text Tone and turn on Emergency Bypass. Emergency Bypass can allow that person’s calls or texts to come through even when Focus settings would normally silence them.

On Samsung Galaxy

Settings may vary depending on your Android’s manufacturer

  • Open Settings
  • Tap Safety and emergency
  • Tap Medical info
  • Add important details, such as medical conditions, allergies, medications and blood type
  • Tap Save
  • Go back to Safety and emergency
  • Tap Emergency contacts
  • Tap Add emergency contact or Add member
  • Choose your trusted contacts and tap Done
  • Turn on Show on Lock screen if available
  • Go back to Safety and emergency and tap Emergency SOS to review how your phone calls for help and whether it sends SOS messages to emergency contacts

On Galaxy phones, also check Settings → Safety and emergency → Emergency Location Service and turn it on if available. This can help share your location with emergency responders in supported regions.

To let important calls through Do Not Disturb, go to Settings → Notifications → Do not disturb → Calls and messages or Allowed during Do not disturb, then allow favorite contacts or selected contacts. Favorite contacts can be allowed through while Do Not Disturb is on.

6) Keep a written backup in the car

Technology can fail. Phones lose battery. Apps can lock you out. Keep a small emergency card in your wallet or glove box. Include emergency contacts, allergies, medications and your preferred hospital. If you have a heart condition or another medical concern, ask your doctor what details should be listed.

7) Review access every few months

Trusted access should not be set once and forgotten. Remove anyone who no longer needs access to your vehicle app. Add someone new if your family situation changes. Also, update emergency contacts after a move, phone change or major health update.

Kurt’s key takeaways

John Brandt’s story is scary because it could happen to anyone. His Tesla helped, but the real lesson is preparation. If your car has an app, know what it can do before an emergency. Add a trusted family member, test the navigation tools and make sure your phone’s emergency features are filled out. A car should never replace calling 911. However, the right setup can give your family one more way to help when every second counts.

If your car were involved in an emergency, would your family know what to do? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

Telsa Model Y

The story is a reminder to set up trusted app access and emergency features before you ever need them. (Tesla)

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.



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Trinity Rodman says NWSL record-crowd game in NY should not have been played amid poor air

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Trinity Rodman says NWSL record-crowd game in NY should not have been played amid poor air


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The largest crowd at Citi Field this year has not been for a New York Mets game, but rather for Wednesday night’s record-setting contest between Gotham FC and the Washington Spirit of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL).

A total of 42,175 fans braved the poor air quality in New York stemming from wildfires in Canada, the most ever for a women’s sporting event in New York City, but the spectacle, one of the stars on the pitch said, should not have been played.

“If we have to have a hydration break every 15 minutes, then we shouldn’t be playing the game, and that’s my opinion,” Washington’s Trinity Rodman said, via The Athletic. “But at the end of the day, there’s 40,000 people. It’s a whole event, so it’s really tough. It’s just a really hard situation for everyone to work around.”

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Trinity Rodman of the Washington Spirit controls the ball against Midge Purce of NJ/NY Gotham FC during an NWSL match at Citi Field in New York on July 15, 2026. (Dustin Satloff/NWSL via Getty Images)

The air quality in the tri-state area has been deemed “unhealthy,” perhaps putting a wrinkle in Sunday’s World Cup Final at nearby MetLife Stadium. Rodman said the air quality was “rough” to go along with temperatures that neared triple digits.

“Not to make excuses at all, but I think on both sides we were all like, ‘another break, another break, another break,'” Rodman, whose team lost 1-0, said.

Earlier this month, Gotham announced the club would play at the new Etihad Park adjacent to Citi Field starting in 2028. They currently play at Sports Illustrated Stadium, the home of MLS’ New York Red Bulls, in New Jersey.

Citi Field stands empty before the Queens Classic match.

Citi Field before the Queens Classic match between Washington Spirit and Gotham FC in New York. (Brenden Willsch/Imagn Images)

DIGITAL ENTREPRENEUR CREDITS THE WORLD CUP WITH TEACHING ABOUT SOCCER AND BOOSTING HER MONTHLY INCOME

NYCFC has played most of its home games at Yankee Stadium but has also started to frequent Citi Field, as it will be moving to Etihad Park as well.

Due to the air quality, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherill said she “directed” NJ Transit and the New Jersey Turnpike Authority “to make select quantities of masks available to commuters and at rest areas along the Turnpike and Parkway.”

Smoke from Canadian wildfires loom over New York City's Times Square on Wednesday, June 7, 2023.

Smoke from Canadian wildfires loom over New York City’s Times Square on June 7, 2023. (Julia Bonavita/Fox News Digital)

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani urged residents to “stay somewhere cool” and “drink plenty of water.”

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.





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Bank offers new 2 per cent deposit mortgage for first-time buyers

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Bank offers new 2 per cent deposit mortgage for first-time buyers


Leeds Building Society has launched a new mortgage product aimed at helping first-time buyers step onto the property ladder with a deposit as low as 2 per cent.

The “Start Mortgage” allows eligible borrowers to access loans worth up to five times their annual income. However, a minimum deposit of £5,000 is required, meaning the 2 per cent deposit option is applicable for properties valued at £250,000 or more.

The maximum loan available under the scheme is £500,000, and applicants must demonstrate a minimum income of £30,000.

The mortgage, which is subject to standard affordability assessments, can be accessed either directly through Leeds Building Society or via mortgage brokers.

Notably, the society has confirmed that self-employed individuals are welcome to apply, and gift deposits are accepted, potentially allowing family members to contribute.

The five-year product has a fixed rate of 5.65 per cent with a free standard valuation and no fee payable on completion.

Leeds Building Society’s Start Mortgage allows borrowers to access loans worth up to five times their income (PA Archive)

Some other lenders also offer low or no deposit mortgages to help first-time buyers.

Matt Bartle, director of mortgages at Leeds Building Society, said: “Saving for a deposit remains one of the biggest hurdles for first-time buyers.

“By reducing that barrier to just 2 per cent and combining it with flexible lending criteria, we’re helping more people move closer to owning their own home.”

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Rachel Springall, a finance expert at Moneyfacts, said: “The Start Mortgage is a rare 98 per cent loan-to-value deal and as applicants can borrow up to five times their income, this launch could make a meaningful difference for would-be homeowners who might otherwise remain stuck in the rental cycle.”

Fixed mortgage rates have fallen at the fastest rate since October 2024, as lenders bring back down prices which spiralled at the start of the Iran war.

The number of mortgage deal choices also continued to rise and the number of days they stayed on the market for remains at just 14 on average, as the industry grapples with fast-changing outlooks on inflation and borrowing costs.

At the end of February, the interest rate on an average two-year residential fix was 4.84 per cent, but it shot as high as 5.9 per cent by early April at the high of uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz.

By late that month the downturn had begun, and Moneyfacts data shows fixed rates dropped for a second consecutive month in June, with the biggest monthly reductions since October 2024.

Average two-year fixes fell 0.16 per cent, while five-year fixes dropped 0.11 per cent, both back to 5.52 per cent on average.



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Iran calls on Houthis to prepare to cut off Red Sea gateway — can the terror group do it?

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Iran calls on Houthis to prepare to cut off Red Sea gateway — can the terror group do it?


Iran threatens to close Strait of Hormuz, impacts global oil prices

FOX Business’ Lauren Simonetti details escalating tensions in the Strait of Hormuz as Iran threatens to block shipping lanes and impose new conditions. This move follows reports of vessels being struck by Iranian drones since March. The uncertainty surrounding the vital waterway has led to a 2% drop in crude oil prices, affecting the global market.

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Iran has reportedly instructed Yemen’s Houthi terrorists to prepare to close a critical Red Sea gateway if the United States attacks Iranian power infrastructure Reuters reported, a threat experts warn could sharply disrupt global shipping even if the group cannot completely seal the waterway.

“This threat should be taken seriously,” Nadwa Al-Dawsari of the Middle East Institute told Fox News Digital. “With recent escalation and U.S. strikes on Iran, Tehran has already signaled that the Bab al-Mandab could become part of its response.”

Three sources told Reuters on Thursday that Iran’s leadership had discussed using the Houthis to shut the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and recently conveyed the request to the group. A source close to the Houthis said missiles and drones had been deployed near the waterway and that the group was awaiting an order to begin attacking shipping.

IRAN-BACKED TERROR PROXY HOUTHIS THREATEN FRESH ATTACKS AFTER YEMEN AIRPORT STRIKE

A Houthi follower looks on, during a pro-Iran demonstration, as the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran continues, in Sanaa, Yemen April 6, 2026. (Khaled Abdullah/Reuters)

Edmund Fitton-Brown, a former British ambassador to Yemen and senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, warned in a recent Fox News Digital report that a full resumption of the Houthi maritime campaign could trigger wider fighting.

“It will be interesting if the Houthis do go all in, and resume their campaign against Red Sea shipping with full intensity,” Fitton-Brown said. “This will draw international anger and likely result in Israeli and U.S. strikes on Sana’a and Hodeida.”

“There is potential for a general escalation if this happens, albeit one in which the allies have a clear military advantage,” he added. 

Al-Dawsari said the Houthis have continued developing the weapons needed to threaten the narrow shipping corridor despite largely refraining from maritime attacks over the past year.

“While the Houthis have largely refrained from attacking shipping for about a year, they have continued to advance their maritime capabilities, including missiles, drones and sea mines,” she said. “They may not be able to fully close the strait, but they could significantly disrupt shipping and raise costs and risks for commercial traffic,” she said.

US CLAWS BACK KEY CONCESSION TO IRAN AFTER FRESH ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL SHIPS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ

Rebel fighter with a gun

This photo released by the Houthi Media Center shows Houthi forces boarding the cargo ship Galaxy Leader on Sunday, Nov. 19, 2023. Yemen’s Houthis have seized the ship in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen after threatening to seize all vessels owned by Israeli companies. (Houthi Media Center via AP)

But the group would not necessarily need to physically control the waterway. Its previous missile and drone campaign demonstrated that repeated attacks — or even a credible threat of them — can push major shipping companies to reroute vessels around Africa, driving up insurance, fuel and freight costs.

The Bab el-Mandeb connects the Gulf of Aden to the Red Sea and Suez Canal, making it one of the world’s most important maritime chokepoints. The consequences of renewed attacks would be especially severe because Iran has already disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, historically the principal route for roughly one-fifth of global energy supplies.

A substantial volume of Gulf oil has consequently been redirected through Saudi Arabia to the Red Sea port of Yanbu. Reuters reported that the Bab el-Mandeb route now carries approximately 7% of global energy supplies and that Saudi Arabia has shifted about 70% of its energy exports through Yanbu.

The reported instructions also raise new questions about how much control Tehran exercises over major Houthi military decisions. 

American ships in Red Sea

In this image provided by the U.S. Navy, the amphibious dock landing ship USS Carter Hall and amphibious assault ship USS Bataan transit the Bab al-Mandeb strait on Aug. 9, 2023. (Mass Communications Spc. 2nd Class Moises Sandoval/U.S. Navy via AP)

“Any decision to escalate in the Bab al-Mandab would be strategic and tied more to the interests of Iran and the Axis of Resistance than to Houthi interests alone,” Al-Dawsari said. “Decisions of this magnitude are likely coordinated through the Axis’s joint operations room under IRGC oversight.”

A source close to the Houthis claimed representatives of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Yemen would control the timing of any move against the strait, Reuters reported.

The latest warning follows earlier Houthi threats against maritime traffic. In the June 12 report, Fox News Digital reported that the group had announced a complete ban on Israeli-owned ships in the Red Sea and declared them “legitimate targets.”

EXPERT WARNS OF ‘GENERAL ESCALATION’ OF FIGHTING IF HOUTHIS RESUME RED SEA CAMPAIGN

A satellite imagery shows Bab el Mandeb Strait

A satellite imagery shows Bab el Mandeb Strait, a key shipping waterway and the gateway to the Red Sea, as Iran threatens using Yemen’s Houthi allies to shut the Bab el-Mandeb gateway to the Red Sea, in this handout picture dated July 12, 2026. (Nasa Worldview/Handout via Reuters)

A State Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital at the time that the actions of Iran and the Houthis were “unacceptable” and “dangerous,” warning that they could inflame regional tensions and further disrupt global supply chains.

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres has “repeatedly condemned” Houthis attacks against ships in the Red Sea and called on all parties Thursday to avoid further escalation, his spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, told Fox News Digital.

“Any disruptions or attacks would endanger the safety and security of seafarers, freedom of navigation and the stability of global supply chains and have a negative impact on the economic and humanitarian situation in Yemen and beyond,” Dujarric said. “The Secretary-General underscores that U.N. Security Council Resolution 2722 (2024) must be fully respected in its entirety,” he said on the resolution condemning at least two dozen Houthis attacks on commercial vessels since November 2023 and demanding an immediate end to the attacks. 

The emerging threat has also renewed scrutiny of the Iranian weapons networks that helped build the Houthis’ missile and drone arsenal.

Amr Al-Bidh, foreign affairs chief of the Southern Arabian Transitional Council, said that the reported threat also exposed broader failures in the handling of Yemen’s security crisis. “The fact that individuals convicted of trafficking Iranian weapons to the Houthis and leading terrorist operations are now being released under a U.N.-brokered deal only underscores how poorly the Yemen crisis is being managed,” he said, “the main beneficiary of this vacuum is Iran, as seen in its credible threat to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait.”

In a July 15 letter obtained by Fox News Digital, the Southern Arabian Transitional Council formerly known as the Southern Transitional Council, a southern Yemeni separatist movement that seeks greater autonomy or independence for the territory of the former South Yemen, warned U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen Hans Grundberg that a U.N.-facilitated detainee agreement may include people the council says were convicted of assisting Iranian weapons transfers to the Houthis.

Missile launched

A missile is launched from a warship during the U.S.-led coalition operation against military targets in Yemen, aimed at the Iran-backed Houthi militia that has been targeting international shipping in the Red Sea, from an undisclosed location, in this handout picture released on January 12, 2024. (US Central Command via X/Handout via REUTERS/ File Photo)

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An annex identifies individuals the council alleges were members of a cell that smuggled drones, aviation fuel and heavy and medium weapons from Iran to Sanaa.

The Office of the U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen said it received the letter only after the agreement had already been signed and stressed that it does not determine which detainees are released.
“We have received the letter after the agreement was signed,” spokesperson Ismini Palla told Fox News Digital. “The United Nations – as well as the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) – do not decide who is released and who remains in detention. Our role is limited to mediating the negotiations and ICRC leads on the implementation of the release operation.”
Palla added that “the names of those released are proposed and agreed between the parties under the framework of the Stockholm Agreement on prisoners’ exchange of 2018.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department and the Iranian Mission to the United Nations on the latest developments.

Fox News’ Paul Tilsley and Reuters contributed to this report.

Efrat (Effie) Lachter is an investigative journalist, filmmaker and war correspondent. She has directed and produced over 200 documentary segments across more than 40 countries. Recipient of the 2022 Peres Center for Peace Award, Lachter is also a 2023-24 Knight-Wallace Journalism Fellow at the University of Michigan. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communication and a master’s degree in political science.



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‘Fibroids left me in excruciating pain

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abdulwadud
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‘Fibroids left me in excruciating pain



Woman’s Hour discusses fibroids and the need for greater knowledge about the pain they can cause women.



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Foreclosure filings surged 21% this year. Here are the states where they are rising fastest.

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abdulwadud
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Foreclosure filings surged 21% this year. Here are the states where they are rising fastest.



Foreclosures across the U.S. ballooned in the first half of the year, a sign of the increasing financial strain facing the nation’s homeowners.

Foreclosure filings reached nearly 228,000 from January to June, up 21% from a year ago and 28% from two years ago, according to data released Thursday from real estate data company ATTOM.

Rising foreclosure rates indicate that more homeowners are in financial distress, Rob Barber, CEO of ATTOM, said in a statement. Homes go into foreclosure when the owner falls behind on mortgage payments, often due to extenuating life circumstances such as a job loss. ATTOM defines foreclosures as default notices, scheduled auctions or bank repossessions.

The states with the biggest jumps in foreclosure activity in the first half of the year were:

  • Idaho, where filings increased 59% compared to the same period in 2025
  • Colorado, where filings increased 57%
  • Georgia, where filings were up 52%. 

When it comes to the highest overall foreclosure rates, Florida dominates. In June alone, one in every 2,106 housing units in the state had a foreclosure filing.

Foreclosures, which totaled 640,864 in 2019, dipped during the pandemic but are now creeping back up, per ATTOM data. 

With the data showing that foreclosure rates are returning to their pre-pandemic levels, “the increases also suggest that some homeowners may be facing greater financial strain than they were a year ago,” Barber said.

In another sign of strain for American homeowners, new data from Realtor.com reveals that short sales — when a homeowner sells a home for less than what they owe on their mortgage often to avoid foreclosure — are climbing. 

While the measure is less drastic than a foreclosure, it indicates the homeowner is in some sort of financial crunch. Short sales rose 16% in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same time last year, according to Realtor.com.

Edited by

Aimee Picchi




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