Ancient port city in southern Yemen
The IEA has warned Africa risks remaining energy-poor unless investment in energy infrastructure increases significantly. Nigeria remains at the center of Africa’s energy challenge, with 85 million people lacking electricity. Despite major World Bank-supported projects and several reforms, the grid remains unreliable and industrial activity suffers. The government has cancelled undisbursed World Bank funding, aggravating liquidity constraints and pushing manufacturers to rely on costly generators.
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi's campaign targets officials accused of embezzlement and corruption. Authorities have detained dozens, with immunity removals enabling more arrests. The operation is expanding to Wasit, Kirkuk and Anbar as the government seeks to recover state funds and lock out faction-linked networks.
Yemen’s internationally recognised government and Houthi forces are mobilising along multiple fronts amid renewed clashes near Hodeidah. Reports confirm deadly exchanges in Jabal Dabbas and Hays district, with a sharpened U.N.-brokered truce under pressure. The government has reinforced positions on the western coast while the Houthis threaten airports and shipping routes in the Red Sea.
Yemen's Houthi movement has declared an immediate maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, saying it will close the Bab al‑Mandab to Saudi vessels in retaliation for a reported Saudi blockade of Houthi ports and last week's strikes on Sanaa airport. The announcement has raised fears of renewed attacks on Red Sea shipping and wider disruption to oil routes that already bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
The Iran-aligned Houthis have declared an immediate maritime embargo against Saudi ships at Bab el-Mandeb, citing what they call an oppressive siege on Yemen. The move threatens Red Sea navigation and Saudi oil exports, as ships reroute and insurers weigh risks. The threat comes amid rising regional tensions and recent attacks along major shipping routes.
Yemeni authorities have moved to resume crude exports from Hadramout and Al-Dhabba ports, directing revenues toward salaries and services. Security forces are tightening patrols around oil facilities and transport routes amid rising tensions with the STC and ongoing clashes with the Houthis. Officials warn that resuming exports will require robust protection for pipelines and ports, and that trust from buyers hinges on sustained security.
The Red Sea region has seen renewed tensions as the Houthi movement threatens to impose tolls on ships transiting Bab al-Mandeb, while a Saudi-led maritime coalition works to secure freedom of navigation. The dispute has sent oil prices higher and drawn in multiple international actors amid ongoing US-Iran confrontations.
The New Arab and other outlets report that Yemen faces a critical moment as diplomatic efforts attempt to avert a broader war. Houthis push back on blockade demands while negotiations centre on reopening Sanaa Airport and halting cross-border attacks. Government forces reinforce western coastlines, and regional powers weigh actions as tensions flare along multiple fronts.
Tensions between the Yemeni government and Houthi rebels have intensified, with the Houthis threatening a maritime blockade and both sides exchanging fire near Hodeidah. Afrah al-Zouba has warned the Houthis may copy Iranian strategies in Hormuz to control Red Sea access, raising the risk to global shipping.