INTERNACIONAL
Somali pirate and Houthi alliance targets $1T oil trade route with revived hijack tactic
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A surge in Somali piracy is fueling fears of a Red Sea «security vacuum» across the region as analysts warn of a revived maritime crime playbook, now linked to Iran-backed Houthis.
The warning follows a May 2 report from Yemen’s coast guard that armed men hijacked an oil tanker off Shabwa and steered it toward the Gulf of Aden, and the vessel has since been located with recovery efforts underway, Reuters reported.
«There is a fundamental shift in the maritime center of gravity amid a new phase of maritime instability in the region,» Ido Shalev, chief operating officer at RTCOM Defense, told Fox News Digital.
«Somali and Houthi-linked groups are teaming up — using skiffs and new tech to strike ships with coordination not seen in a decade — while Saudi crude rerouted from the Strait of Hormuz has created a ‘target-rich environment for them,’» he added.
COULD SOMALILAND BASE EMERGE AS US FOOTHOLD AGAINST IRAN, HOUTHIS IN KEY SEA LANES?
Members of the Puntland Maritime Police Force (PMPF) sit on a speed boat as they patrol the Gulf of Aden waters off the coast of Bosaso in the semi-autonomous region of Puntland, Somalia. (Abdirahman Hussein/Reuters)
«There is an opportunistic alignment, with the Houthis providing geopolitical cover and advanced GPS and surveillance, and Somali groups providing the boots on the ground or skiffs on the water,» Shalev said.
With the MT Eureka taken off Shabwa, Shalev, a former Israeli naval officer, suggested what he called the «Somali model» had returned «with a vengeance.»
«This is a transactional collaboration, and in the exact area where the Houthis are active and would like to cause damage and support their IRGC sponsor,» he said before describing how pirates would hijack the entire ship and cargo, taking them to a secure anchorage «like Qandala or Garacad.»
«They then demand a ransom for the entire package: the vessel, the tens of millions of dollars in oil, and the crew,» he said.
TRUMP HALTS MILITARY STRIKES ON HOUTHIS BUT EXPERT WARNS IRAN-BACKED TERRORIST GROUP REMAINS MAJOR THREAT
Somali and Houthi-linked groups are teaming up using skiffs and new tech to strike ships with coordination not seen in a decade. (Jason R. Zalasky/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
The surge in regional risk is also exacerbated, Shalev said, by the volatility of the Strait of Hormuz. As Iranian-backed threats persist in the Persian Gulf, global energy flows are shifting.
«Due to the closure and instability of the Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia has diverted millions of barrels of crude per day through its East-West pipeline to the Red Sea port of Yanbu,» the former Israeli naval officer said.
«This creates a target-rich environment in a sector that was previously a backbound route. With Brent Crude prices surging — peaking near $115/bbl this quarter — the prize for a successful hijacking has never been higher.»
The risk level in waters off Somalia was recently upgraded to «substantial» following a wave of hijackings and attempted attacks that began April 21, according to Windward AI and alerts from the U.K. Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).
At least three vessels were hijacked within days: a Somali-flagged fishing boat on April 21, followed by the Palau-flagged tanker Honour 25 (IMO 1099735), and, by April 26, a general cargo ship seized and redirected to Garacad.
ISRAEL’S NAVY HITS HOUTHIS IN YEMEN IN ‘UNIQUE’ STRIKE AFTER TRUMP PROMISES END TO US OPS
The surge in regional piracy risk is exacerbated by the volatility of the Strait of Hormuz as Iranian-backed threats persist in the Persian Gulf and global energy flows are shifting. (Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Cassandra Thompson/U.S. Navy via Getty Images)
Shalev, who served as the lead architect for Nigeria’s «Falcon Eye» project — a surveillance system that successfully reduced piracy in those waters to 0% — warned that the distraction of global warships is being exploited.
«Because international naval forces are preoccupied with missile threats, a ‘security vacuum’ has now opened in the region, so pirates can travel vast distances in skiffs to board vulnerable commercial vessels,» he said.
«Somali piracy, which had been suppressed for years, has seen this sharp resurgence that also correlates perfectly with the Houthi crisis in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden,» Shalev said.
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The Red Sea carries 12% to 15% of global trade and about 30% of container traffic, moving over $1 trillion in goods annually, including oil and LNG, according to reports.
«The current crisis proves that you cannot ‘patrol’ your way out of this; you have to see the threat before it ever reaches the ship,» Shalev said.
somali immigrant community, middle east, coast guard, saudi arabia, iran
INTERNACIONAL
Orsi regularizó obras y pagó una deuda tributaria tras la polémica por sus casas: “Debo tener más cuidado”
El presidente de Uruguay, Yamandú Orsi, regularizó la situación impositiva y el registro de obras de dos casas familiares en Salinas (Canelones). El mandatario uruguayo había quedado envuelto en una nueva controversia que involucró su patrimonio personal, luego de que el programa radial Informativo Carve informara que tenía una deuda vencida y que no había regularizado algunas construcciones.
“Lo resolvimos, lo resolvimos. Por suerte lo resolvimos”, dijo el presidente Orsi el pasado jueves en una rueda de prensa, al participar de actividades oficiales en el departamento de Colonia.
“Tengo que tener más cuidado, por supuesto”, reconoció ante los periodistas. “Tenés que estar atento. Lo que pasa es que también es un tema de tener claro todo lo que tenés que hacer. Son procesos que a veces son lentos y uno a veces se deja estar”, agregó.
El presidente dijo que este tipo de controversias pueden impactar en la aprobación de su gestión (hoy fuertemente desaprobada por la ciudadanía según las encuestas), aunque señaló que lo más importante es que cumplir con las obligaciones. “Eso está pasando”, se defendió.
“Todos los uruguayos –y fundamentalmente los que tenemos responsabilidades– tenemos que presentarle bastante más atención a estas cosas”, cerró Orsi.
Tras buscar cerrar la controversia por la compra de su camioneta con descuento de USD 25.000, una investigación periodística del programa Informativo Carve concluyó que Orsi tenía una deuda del impuesto de Primaria (que se destina a programas de educación pública) y no había actualizado ante organismos del Estado obras que había realizado en su casa.
El programa radial detalló que una de las casas –adquirida en octubre de 2024– tenía una deuda vencida del Impuesto de Primaria de 5.509 pesos uruguayos (unos USD 137). La segunda propiedad, que está al lado y que pertenece a su esposa Laura Alonsopérez, tuvo obras y mejoras que no figuran actualizadas en la documentación catastral disponible en el país.
Orsi vive junto a su familia en Pine Park, un barrio de la localidad de Salinas, en el departamento de Canelones. En su predio hay dos inmuebles linderos: una vivienda comprada en 2010 y otra casa obtenida en 2024.
La propiedad debía el Impuesto de Primaria de todo el ejercicio de 2025, sumado a la primera cuota de 2026 , multas y recargos. Mientras tanto, la segunda propiedad de la familia Orsi tiene declarados 198 metros cuadrados. Pero, según consignó el programa radial en base a imágenes de Google Earth, entre 2018 y 2019 se realizaron obras en el patio de la vivienda, que podrían corresponder a una piscina, una barbacoa o un área construida.
La actualización de ese valor catastral es la base para configurar el monto de la contribución inmobiliaria, uno de los tributos que los propietarios deben pagar a los gobiernos departamentales en el país (las municipalidades). En este caso, en Canelones.
Según detalló el noticiero Subrayado de Canal 10, el mismo día que se conoció la noticia, Orsi comenzó a encaminar ambas situaciones. El mandatario encomendó a una arquitecta que revisara planos y registros oficiales para registrar las obras que se habían hecho y que no se habían informado. Los trámites se cumplieron en la misma semana. Ahora la casa quedó registrada por su valor efectivo, en base a los metros de construcción que tiene y las obras incorporadas.
Alejandro Sánchez –secretario de Presidencia (jefe de gabinete) y uno de los jerarcas más cercanos a Orsi lo defendió públicamente. Entrevistado en Radio Sarandí, el funcionario señaló: “Ahí hay más responsabilidad de su secretaría, que es la que lleva adelante muchas cosas. Imagínese que el presidente no está mirando y llevando las cuentas personales cuando tiene que dirigir un país”.
democracia y desarrollo en américa latina y el caribe 2026,hombre,interior,pnud,políticos,presentaciones de informes,presidentes uruguayos,retrato
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Ukraine’s wartime government is getting another shake-up after Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko stepped down Sunday, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying he has offered her a «new, important» role as he reshapes his administration during the ongoing war with Russia.
Svyrydenko announced her resignation in a statement on social media, saying she was «proud to have had the honor of leading the government during one of the most difficult periods in Ukraine’s modern history.» She said she had discussed «next steps» with Zelenskyy, but did not disclose what her next position would be.
«I remain ready to serve the Ukrainian state and carry out every task aimed at strengthening Ukraine’s position, defending our national interests and bringing a just peace closer,» Svyrydenko wrote.
HOUSE REPUBLICAN DON BACON SAYS HE WANTS ‘PARIAH STATE’ RUSSIA BOOTED FROM UN SECURITY COUNCIL
Zelenskyy, who has remained in office under martial law because wartime elections are prohibited, framed the move as part of a broader shift in Ukraine’s governing strategy.
«Ukraine is changing its political strategy,» Zelenskyy wrote in a social media post, adding that he had offered Svyrydenko the chance to lead «a new, important area» in Ukraine’s relations with a key international partner.
Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko attends a session of Ukrainian parliament, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine July 17, 2025. (REUTERS/Andrii Nesterenko/File Photo)
The Ukrainian president said each major area of foreign policy would be assigned to an experienced official responsible for carrying out agreements reached with foreign leaders and advancing the interests of the Ukrainian people. He also announced planned changes to the country’s top law enforcement leadership, though he did not immediately provide additional details.
18 HOUSE REPUBLICANS DEFY TRUMP TO PASS UKRAINE AID PACKAGE HEADED FOR VETO FIGHT
The reshuffle marks the fourth major reorganization of Zelenskyy’s government since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, reflecting the president’s repeated efforts to inject new momentum into his wartime administration.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko visit the Dormition Cathedral of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra, which was hit during Russian missile and drone strikes, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine June 15, 2026. (Ukrainian Presidential Press Service/Handout via REUTERS)
Svyrydenko, who previously served as Ukraine’s economy minister, was appointed prime minister in July 2025 at age 39 after playing a key role in negotiating a minerals agreement between Ukraine and the United States. The deal was widely viewed as a way to strengthen U.S. economic interests in Ukraine while reinforcing Washington’s long-term commitment to the country’s security.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky speaks at a press conference after meetings with the heads of the EU and Ireland, following a formal ceremony to mark the launch of Ireland’s eighth EU presidency, at Dublin Castle in Dublin on July 1, 2026. (Paul Faith / AFP via Getty Images)
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Following the announcement, Zelenskyy met with several senior officials, including Energy Minister Denys Shmyhal, Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko and Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, signaling that additional changes to his government could be forthcoming.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
ukraine, volodymyr zelenskyy, world politics, world
INTERNACIONAL
Michigan Dem senator throws support behind candidate to replace him in contentious primary
Democratic candidates’ remarks under scrutiny as party attempts to flip red states
The ongoing Graham Platner scandal in Maine jeopardizes Democratic bids for Senate control, making the midterm elections even more precarious. Chief Congressional Correspondent Chad Pergram analyzes several other crucial Senate races featuring controversial candidates, including Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan and Mary Peltola in Alaska, whose rhetoric and past remarks are drawing scrutiny.
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Retiring Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., has abandoned his neutrality in Michigan’s high-stakes Democratic Senate primary, backing U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens as party leaders rally to stop progressive rival Abdul El-Sayed from winning the nomination.
Peters, who is retiring after two terms in the Senate, announced the endorsement Monday, saying Stevens «will be ready on day one to fight for Michigan.» The move reverses his position from late May, when he told The Associated Press he planned to stay neutral in the Aug. 4 primary.
Democrats are eager to keep the Michigan seat as they try to win back the Senate majority, and many party leaders have lined up behind Stevens, a four-term congresswoman they see as a stronger general election candidate.
DEMOCRATS’ CIVIL WAR HEADS TO MICHIGAN WHERE PROGRESSIVES FACE BIGGEST TEST YET IN HIGH-STAKES SENATE SHOWDOWN
Michigan U.S. Sen. candidate, Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., speaks with media after a debate at WoodTV studios on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/Kristen Norman)
Stevens has centered her campaign on manufacturing, jobs and Michigan’s auto industry. El-Sayed, a former Michigan health director who has never held elected office, has run on a more progressive platform that includes Medicare for All and campaign finance reform. He has also made the war in Gaza a central issue in his campaign, highlighting a divide that has surfaced within the Democratic Party.
Michigan U.S. Sen candidate, Abdul El-Sayed, speaks with media after a debate at WoodTV studios on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, in Grand Rapids, Mich. (AP Photo/Kristen Norman)
Peters’ endorsement comes weeks after State Sen. Mallory McMorrow ended her campaign, leaving Stevens and El-Sayed as the only major Democratic candidates in the race.
«Senator Peters knows what it takes to win in Michigan, and he knows what Michigan needs from our next U.S. Senator: grit, effectiveness, hard work, and Michigan common sense,» Stevens said in a statement. «I am honored to have his support.»
Peters has won two Senate elections in Michigan and previously chaired the Senate Democrats’ campaign committee during the 2022 and 2024 election cycles.
Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan, the chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, is interviewed by Fox News Digital, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, on August 19, 2024 (Fox News – Paul Steinhauser)
His endorsement follows similar backing for Stevens from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev. El-Sayed has been endorsed by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.
The campaign has become increasingly personal in recent weeks.
MICHIGAN SENATE HOPEFUL CALLS AIPAC DONATIONS ‘LEGALIZED BRIBERY,’ REMAINS SILENT ON OTHER DONATIONS
El-Sayed has criticized Stevens over tens of millions of dollars in outside spending supporting her campaign, including money from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Stevens has accused El-Sayed of refusing to release his personal financial records. During a July 7 debate, both candidates accused the other of running a negative campaign.
The Democratic nominee will likely face Republican Mike Rogers, a former Michigan congressman who is running unopposed for his party’s nomination. It is expected to be among the nation’s most expensive and closely watched Senate contests in November.
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Michigan has taken on added importance for Democrats after turmoil erupted in another key Senate race in Maine, where Democratic nominee Graham Platner withdrew following a sexual assault allegation. The unexpected vacancy has complicated the party’s efforts to challenge Republican Sen. Susan Collins, increasing the pressure to avoid setbacks in other battleground states such as Michigan.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
midterm elections, democrats senate, michigan, elections, politics
Laporta en EE.UU.: la oferta por Julián Alvarez y «Messi extraordinario»
Revelan el secreto mejor guardado de Lionel Messi a horas de la semifinal de Argentina contra Inglaterra: «Está en un momento…”
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Pablo Cervi, senador de LLA, defendió la eliminación de las PASO: “Hay que sacarle ese costo a la población”
Hackearon a la AFA y enviaron correos con falsas denuncias sobre el arbitraje ante Egipto
Shutdown en Argentina: la razón detrás de la idea de Milei de avanzar con un «apagón» del Estado
DEPORTE1 día ago“Hablame bien”: el tenso cruce de Lionel Messi con el árbitro en la victoria de Argentina ante Suiza en el Mundial
- POLITICA2 días ago
Pablo Cervi, senador de LLA, defendió la eliminación de las PASO: “Hay que sacarle ese costo a la población”
- POLITICA3 días ago
Hackearon a la AFA y enviaron correos con falsas denuncias sobre el arbitraje ante Egipto
