INTERNACIONAL
Hormuz crisis spurs $24B Iraq trade corridor as Gulf routes shift
Iran’s Strait of Hormuz blockade fuels global oil market concerns as Trump admin meets execs
Jonathan Hunt reports live from London on Iran’s aggressive actions in the Strait of Hormuz, leading to a 95% reduction in commercial shipping traffic. Mohamed El-Erian, Gramercy Funds Management Chair, analyzes the global oil market disruption, with crude oil prices soaring. The Trump administration meets with oil executives as international allies like Japan and European nations issue a joint statement, expressing readiness to ensure safe passage through the vital waterway.
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The Strait of Hormuz crisis is driving nations’ efforts to develop alternative Gulf-to-Europe trade routes, with Iraq’s $24 billion «Development Road» project at the forefront, analyst says.
The route from Iraq’s Grand Faw Port to Turkey and on to Europe, is advancing «with discipline,» Middle East Council on Global Affairs analyst Muhanad Seloom told Fox News Digital, calling it a «permanent» and «transformative» wartime shift.
Seloom’s comments came as President Donald Trump warned Tehran against further escalation in the Gulf and signaled the U.S. is prepared to act to keep the strait open.
Iranian forces have laid mines and threatened commercial traffic in the narrow waterway. As of Sunday, the shipping route remains effectively closed.
IRAN IS ‘TRYING TO GIVE THE GLOBAL ECONOMY A HEART ATTACK’ BY CLOSING STRAIT OF HORMUZ, UAE MINISTER SAYS
A man walks along a road during a sand storm in Basra, Iraq, on March 4, 2022. (Hussein Faleh/AFP)
«Iraq’s Development Road means every container moving through Basra instead of Iranian-controlled waters is a reduction in Tehran’s leverage over Iraq,» said Seloom.
«The real scale, independent estimates put the Development Road closer to $24 billion, and the project is now moving with discipline,» he said.
Iraq’s Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani inaugurated the first 63-kilometer stretch of the Development Road in 2025. Phase 1 is due for completion by 2028.
«What was described by the Iraqi government as a flagship of Iraqi statecraft now has a regional rationale that governments and financiers treat as essential rather than aspirational,» Seloom, an assistant professor at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies, explained.
«Sudani seems to be positioning Iraq exactly where he thinks its geography always suggested, as a connecting state between the Gulf, Turkey and Europe,» he said.
WATCH SHIPPING THROUGH THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ GRIND TO A HALT AMID IRAN CONFLICT
Cargo ships are anchored in the Gulf near the Strait of Hormuz as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates, on March 11, 2026. (REUTERS/Stringer/File Photo/File Photo)
But other regional infrastructure, Seloom says, is also being pushed forward in parallel.
Saudi Arabia’s East-West Petroline pipeline is operating near its 7 million-barrel-per-day capacity, with expansion plans under review.
The UAE’s ADCOP pipeline to Fujairah is also at maximum use, with a second line under discussion, he said. «Turkey’s Zangezur and Middle Corridors bypass Iran via the Caucasus and are four to five years out.»
He added: «Six Gulf-backed overland fiber projects are also underway through Syria, Iraq and the Horn of Africa.»
Iran reimposed closure measures on the Strait of Hormuz on April 18, reducing traffic to just a handful of vessels per day compared with a pre-war average of roughly 130 to 140.
The restrictions, including on ships, have come under fire in recent days, and interceptions trace back to the start of the war on Feb. 28, when Tehran first moved to block transit following U.S.-Israeli strikes.
IRAN WAR, 11 DAYS IN: US CONTROLS SKIES, OIL SURGES AND THE REGION BRACES FOR WHAT’S NEXT
Maps4Media processed and enhanced Sentinel-2 satellite imagery shows a broad view of the Strait of Hormuz between southern Iran and Oman’s Musandam Peninsula, including surrounding islands, coastal terrain, and turquoise shallow-water zones at the entrance to the Persian Gulf. (Maps4media via Getty Images)
«Hormuz remains indispensable for energy, but it is no longer treated as a default. That shift is permanent given the war,» Seloom said.
For Iraq’s corridor, it is «potentially transformative,» Seloom said, with $4 billion per year in projected transit revenue and a repositioning from an oil rentier state to a logistics state.
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«Turkey will be the single largest beneficiary. Combined with the Zangezur and Middle Corridors, Ankara becomes the overland bridge between Asia and Europe,» he said. «Europe will have an additional overland option on a 2028-plus timeline, but nothing for the current crisis. It marginally reduces structural dependence on the unreliable Suez–Red Sea axis.»
iraq, middle east, turkey, trade, iran
INTERNACIONAL
American rescue teams pull infant alive from rubble in Venezuela days after devastating twin earthquakes
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American search-and-rescue teams pulled an infant alive from beneath the rubble in Venezuela days after the country’s devastating earthquakes, the U.S. Department of State said Saturday.
The State Department shared video on social media showing U.S. personnel pulling the infant from the rubble as rescue crews continued searching for survivors more than 72 hours after two powerful earthquakes struck the South American country.
The rescue came as emergency crews raced against time to locate survivors before the critical rescue window closes.
«Against impossible odds, hope endures,» the State Department posted on X.
TRUMP SAYS VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES LEFT ‘DEVASTATING NUMBER OF DEATHS’ AS US READIES AID
American search-and-rescue teams rescued an infant trapped beneath the rubble following this week’s deadly earthquakes in Venezuela, according to the State Department. (Department of State)
«American search and rescue teams rescued an infant from beneath the rubble following the earthquake in Venezuela,» the post continued. «Every life saved is a victory.»
The White House also shared the video, calling it «America at its best.»
«Thank you to the American search and rescue teams providing assistance in Venezuela,» the White House wrote.
PLAYERS, FANS FLEE STADIUM AS POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES STRIKE DURING VENEZUELA BASEBALL GAME
Rescue workers search through the rubble three days after earthquakes struck Catia la Mar, Venezuela. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara)
Round-the-clock rescue efforts have continued since magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck Venezuela’s northern coast Wednesday.
As of Saturday evening, officials said the death toll from the twin earthquakes had reached 1,430.
Earlier Saturday, officials reported that 243 people had been rescued.
FORMER METS PITCHER NARROWLY ESCAPES DEATH IN VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES THANKS TO ELEVATOR MALFUNCTION
Rescue personnel with a rescue dog assist in rescue efforts after earthquakes hit the country, in La Guaira, Venezuela, Saturday. (REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)
According to The Associated Press, more than 68,000 people remain missing across the country.
Aid groups consider the first 48 to 72 hours after a disaster to be the most critical window for finding survivors, though access to food and water can extend that period.
Venezuelan officials said 17 flights carrying more than 1,600 rescue personnel had arrived Saturday to assist with search-and-rescue efforts.
US RESCUE TEAMS TO DESCEND ON HARD-HIT CARIBBEAN AFTER CATASTROPHIC HURRICANE MELISSA’S IMPACT
Members of the County of Los Angeles Fire Department’s international urban search and rescue team (USA-2) prepare to leave for Venezuela, in Pacoima, Calif., on Thursday. (Blake Fagan/AFP via Getty Images)
Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams from Virginia, California and Florida were dispatched to Venezuela on Friday to help search collapsed buildings.
According to the State Department, the three USAR teams include 312 personnel and 18 canine teams, including firefighters, physicians, structural engineers and canine search specialists. The teams also deployed more than 200,000 pounds of specialized rescue equipment.
The Los Angeles County team includes 73 members equipped with concrete-breaking equipment and specialized listening devices used to detect survivors trapped beneath debris.
COLORADO AVALANCHE VICTIM RESCUED IN DRAMATIC VIDEO
Responders search for victims in a demolished building in Caracas, Venezuela, after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake and a 7.5 aftershock struck the region. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
Rescuers have fanned out across La Guaira, where the worst destruction occurred, and parts of Caracas, where families and volunteers have spent days pulling survivors and victims from the rubble.
The United States has pledged $150 million in emergency assistance and support for international relief organizations responding to the disaster.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department for additional information on the rescue.
Fox News Digital’s James Cirrone, and The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
aftermath disasters, aftermath, disaster response disasters, missing persons, virginia, earthquakes, world
INTERNACIONAL
La policía de Austin arresta a dos sospechosos por el asesinato de un mecánico nicaragüense
La Policía de Austin reportó la detención de dos hombres como presuntos responsables del asesinato de José Salgado Amador, un mecánico nicaragüense que falleció tras recibir un disparo durante un intento de robo en un estacionamiento de la ciudad.
La investigación por la muerte de José Salgado Amador, ocurrida el pasado 15 de junio en Austin, continúa bajo la supervisión de la Unidad de Homicidios del Departamento de Policía de Austin (APD). De acuerdo con la información divulgada por las autoridades y recogida por Univisión, Israel Medina, de 19 años, y David Pérez, de 26, fueron arrestados como sospechosos del crimen que sacudió a la comunidad nicaragüense en Texas.
Según informó Univisión, los hechos se registraron alrededor de las 22:47 horas en el estacionamiento de una tienda AutoZone situada en East Riverside Drive. Salgado Amador se encontraba realizando reparaciones mecánicas cuando uno de los agresores se le acercó y presuntamente intentó despojarlo de sus pertenencias. Tras el forcejeo, el sospechoso disparó contra la víctima y huyó del lugar antes de que llegaran los servicios de emergencia.
La policía de Austin detalló que Salgado Amador fue trasladado a un hospital cercano, donde falleció poco más de una hora después a causa de las heridas. El caso se convirtió en el homicidio número 27 registrado en la ciudad durante 2026, según los datos oficiales citados por Univisión.
De acuerdo con el reporte de las autoridades, Israel Medina enfrenta cargos de asesinato capital, una figura penal que en Texas contempla la posibilidad de pena de muerte o cadena perpetua sin libertad condicional. Medina se encontraba en libertad bajo fianza tras una acusación previa por robo de automóvil cuando ocurrió el homicidio. Por su parte, David Pérez está acusado de robo agravado.
El Departamento de Policía de Austin no ha confirmado si existen más personas vinculadas al caso ni ha proporcionado información adicional sobre el móvil del crimen, más allá del intento de robo señalado en las primeras diligencias. Las autoridades cuentan con grabaciones de cámaras de seguridad y han solicitado colaboración ciudadana para fortalecer la investigación.
La muerte de José Salgado Amador provocó conmoción entre quienes integran la comunidad nicaragüense en Texas. Según reportó Univisión, la familia del mecánico, que deja a una esposa y una hija de cuatro años, inició los trámites para la repatriación de sus restos a Nicaragua. El velatorio se programó para el 25 de junio en Austin, antes del traslado final al país de origen del fallecido. Univisión informó que los familiares esperan poder sepultarlo junto a sus padres y allegados en su ciudad natal.
La comunidad nicaragüense en Estados Unidos alcanza unas 839,600 personas, una cifra que integra tanto a residentes de larga data como a migrantes que han arribado en los últimos años por distintas vías, incluyendo programas migratorios y rutas irregulares. La distribución geográfica de esta población muestra una concentración destacada en dos estados principales:
Florida representa el principal destino para los nicaragüenses en el país. El área metropolitana de Miami y, en particular, la ciudad de Sweetwater —conocida popularmente como “Little Managua”— reúnen a una parte significativa de esta comunidad, que ha establecido una red social, cultural y económica sólida.
California acoge al segundo grupo más numeroso de nicaragüenses, con presencia relevante en ciudades como Los Ángeles, San Francisco, San Diego y San José. En estos centros urbanos, la población nicaragüense ha conformado comunidades activas, manteniendo tradiciones y vínculos con su país de origen.
El crecimiento reciente de la comunidad responde a factores migratorios y a la búsqueda de mejores oportunidades. Esta dinámica ha reforzado la presencia nicaragüense en el panorama migratorio de Estados Unidos, con un impacto notable en la vida social y económica de las regiones donde se asientan.
manos,esposas,prisión,barrotes,encarcelamiento,reclusión
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