Two tankers carrying Saudi crude to Asia have reversed course in the Red Sea after Yemen’s Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi ports, raising fears that disruptions to another of the world’s most important shipping routes could further restrict global oil supplies.
The vessels, the Rodos and Xin Long Yang, were carrying a combined 2.8 million barrels of oil from Saudi Arabia’s western port of Yanbu when they turned north after initially sailing towards Bab al-Mandeb, the strait that separates Yemen from the Horn of Africa, according to the shipping analytics firm Kpler.
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Their movements are the first visible sign that the Houthi threat is beginning to affect Saudi oil exports. They also expose a growing weakness in Riyadh’s efforts to protect its energy trade from the United States-Israel war on Iran.
Saudi Arabia had been able to partially bypass disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz by transporting crude through pipelines to Yanbu on the Red Sea. But with shipping through Bab al-Mandeb now also under threat, the alternative corridor that helped reduce the kingdom’s dependence on Hormuz faces its own security risks.
Asian refiners are now considering an exceptionally long diversion: sending oil northwest from Yanbu, through Egypt’s Suez Canal and into the Mediterranean before sailing around Africa and the Cape of Good Hope and on to Asia.
The route could keep some Saudi crude moving if Bab al-Mandeb becomes impassable. But it would add weeks to delivery times, substantially increase freight and fuel costs, and create logistical problems that could limit how much oil Saudi Arabia is able to export.
So can the Suez Canal offer a route that can carry oil quickly and affordably enough to prevent a deeper supply shock for Asian consumers while preventing oil prices from spiking to above $100 a barrel? Here’s what we know:
Two crucial waterways under pressure
The threat in the Red Sea comes as shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is already severely disrupted by the conflict between Washington and Tehran.
Before the war, about one-fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas supplies passed through the narrow waterway, which connects Gulf producers with international markets. But traffic has fallen sharply as Iran restricts passage through the strait and the US blocks vessels travelling to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas.
Only three commodity vessels were recorded sailing through the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, down from four a day earlier, according to Kpler data. No very large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas tankers were sighted passing through the strait, leaving Gulf exporters with sharply different levels of exposure.
Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain depend almost entirely on Hormuz to export their oil or liquefied natural gas. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are also heavily reliant on the waterway but have pipelines connecting production centres to alternative terminals on the Red Sea and the Gulf of Oman.
During the Strait of Hormuz’s essential closure for most of the past five months, Saudi Arabia redirected growing volumes of crude through Yanbu. The port exported about 4.1 million barrels per day in June, rerouting roughly 64 percent of the Saudi oil that would otherwise have left through Hormuz, according to Kpler.
But that workaround is now in doubt as the Houthis announced a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia on Monday, days after threatening to impose a “siege” on the kingdom in response to an attack on Sanaa International Airport.
Kpler said 12 vessels loaded with crude from Yanbu remained in the Red Sea while another two had turned off their automatic identification system transponders near Bab al-Mandeb. Incoming empty tankers were also showing signs of hesitation.
“The movements are the first visible indication that the blockade threat is beginning to affect Saudi crude routing,” Kpler analysts Emmanuel Belostrino and Jashan Prema said.
“They also expose a growing vulnerability in Riyadh’s conflict response: The Red Sea corridor that allowed Saudi Arabia to reduce its dependence on the Strait of Hormuz is now facing its own security risk.”
This is not the first time the Red Sea has been targeted by the Houthis. During their previous Red Sea campaign from 2023 to 2025 during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, the Houthis used missiles, drones and small boats to attack commercial shipping that they said was linked to Israel. Four vessels were sunk, and nine seafarers were killed while traffic through Bab al-Mandeb fell to a record low.
Subsequent US attacks, according to the Yemen Data Project, killed at least 238 civilians from March 15 to May 6, 2025, including more than 68 people in a strike on a migrant detention centre in Saada and 84 civilians at the port of Ras Issa.
Analysts also said there is a risk the Houthis could escalate further by trying to attack Saudi oil refineries. Saudi Arabia’s western coast has nearly 1.9 million barrels per day of refining capacity and is an important supplier of diesel fuel to Europe. Any attacks on refineries could, therefore, further tighten fuel supplies in Europe while putting even more pressure on global oil prices.
Which countries are most exposed?
The disruption is expected to be felt most acutely in Asia, where many countries rely heavily on crude oil shipped from the Middle East because of its proximity and lower transport costs.
That dependence has already been tested by the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, and with shipping through Bab al-Mandeb also under threat, some of the region’s biggest oil importers could face longer delivery times, higher freight costs and rising crude prices.
About 6 million barrels of crude per day currently pass through Bab al-Mandeb to Asia, according to Kpler. Two-thirds of that has come from Saudi Arabia. The rest – 1.9 million barrels per day of Russian crude – also travels through the Red Sea to Asian buyers.
India is likely to be the hardest hit with more than half of its crude imports currently transiting through Bab al-Mandeb, according to Kpler. The country also relies on the Strait of Hormuz for almost half of its oil imports from Gulf producers, meaning prolonged disruptions at both chokepoints would leave it with fewer alternative routes than many other major economies.
Other major Asian importers are also heavily exposed, including Pakistan, 36 percent of whose crude imports pass through Bab al-Mandeb; the Philippines (37 percent); South Korea (31 percent); Japan (28 percent); Taiwan (22 percent) and China (19 percent).
With Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea export route now under pressure, refiners are increasingly looking for ways to keep supplies moving.
Can the Suez Canal provide an alternative?
One option is to send Saudi crude on a loop around Africa to Asia.
The route through the Suez Canal avoids both Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb, allowing cargoes to bypass those immediate security risks.
But analysts said doing so would come at a significant cost. According to Kpler, rerouting cargoes from Yanbu to South Korea via that route would increase the journey from about 24 days to roughly 54 days. The exact increase would depend on the final destination, but voyages to Asia would generally take several weeks longer than the direct route across the Arabian Sea, experts said.
Some companies are already preparing for that possibility. Ship-tracking data from LSEG and Kpler showed the Liberia-flagged tanker Rodos, which had loaded crude at Yanbu destined for India’s west coast, had turned around and signalled it was heading for the Suez Canal.
South Korean refiner Hyundai Oilbank has also sought a very large crude carrier capable of loading at Yanbu with the option of using both the Suez Canal and Egypt’s SUMED pipeline before continuing to South Korea.
Is the Suez route a realistic solution?
One of the biggest challenges is logistics in terms of the type of tankers that carry Saudi crude. Most exports from Yanbu are loaded onto very large crude carriers (VLCCs), but fully laden VLCCs cannot pass through the Suez Canal because they sit too deep in the water.
Operators instead would either have to transfer part of the cargo before reaching the canal using Egypt’s SUMED pipeline or switch to smaller Suezmax tankers that can transit the canal more easily. Both options would add time and costs.
Homayoun Falakshahi, head of crude oil analysis at Kpler, said the challenge is whether enough oil can actually by physically moved quickly enough to keep up with demand.
Saudi exports from Yanbu are “predominantly loaded on VLCCs”, he said, meaning redirecting cargoes through Suez would require “a material shift towards Suezmax liftings or additional lightering operations”, increasing costs while reducing the amount of crude that can be exported.
“Maintaining current export rates would require materially higher terminal productivity, making logistics the key bottleneck,” Falakshahi said.
Sumit Ritolia, lead refining and energy analyst at Kpler, also told Al Jazeera that longer voyages would increase fuel consumption, tanker demand insurance premiums and freight rates.
“The impact is, therefore, expected to extend beyond the affected cargoes by reducing effective tanker availability and supporting freight markets more broadly,” he said.
The disruptions could also have wider consequences for global energy markets as longer shipping times delay crude deliveries.
If the disruptions continue simultaneously in both the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb, Ritolia said the impact would extend beyond shipping, increasing import costs and tightening the availability of crude on international markets.
Are there any other options?
Analysts said alternatives do exist, but each option comes with significant limitations. One possibility is increasing imports from Russia. However, that option may become less viable if the Houthi blockade expands beyond Saudi-linked shipping because large volumes of Russian crude bound for Asia also pass through the Red Sea.
“Substitution is possible but would be limited,” Ritolia said, warning that any expansion of the blockade would expose western Russian crude grades moving to Asia and “significantly reduce Asian refiners’ ability to substitute Saudi barrels”.
Energy policy researcher and consultant Marc Ayoub told Al Jazeera that Russia is also “facing its own constraints after Ukrainian attacks on refineries”, making it unlikely to fully replace lost Gulf supplies.
Crude from the US and Venezuela could become more attractive if disruptions persist, but those cargoes involve much longer shipping distances and higher transport costs as well.
Ritolia cautioned that Kpler had not assessed how easily refiners could substitute Saudi crude with supplies from countries such as the US or Venezuela.
But Ayoub warned that the US is also facing “shortages in products’ reserves while its refineries work at almost full capacity”.
“While the Suez Canal can help ease some of the disruption, it cannot fully replace the scale and efficiency of the direct routes through Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb.
“If both chokepoints remain under pressure, the consequences are likely to extend far beyond shipping, increasing costs for Asian importers, pushing up global freight rates and adding further upward pressure to oil prices.”

New Delhi, India — Tens of thousands, mostly students, will march from the protest site located in the middle of India’s capital city to the Parliament to call for the resignation of Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, and his Education minister.
Supporters of India’s “cockroach” viral movement, who have been occupying the Jantar Mantar protest area in New Delhi, India’s largest and most popular site for demonstrations located just a few kilometres away from the parliament building, since nearly a week ago. This is after scandals involving examination papers, computer glitches, and tests that were cancelled sparked outrage across the most populous nation on earth.
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List 1 of 4Indian Police forcibly hospitalsise an activist after a 20-day Hunger Strike
List 2 of 4. ‘Come back my son!’ Indian exam leak leads to death, despair and anger
List 3 of 4How India’s CBSE Exam Scandal Set Off Student Outrage Against PM Modi
List 4 of 4: “My voice has been heard”: A Month of India’s Cockroach Janta Party
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Sonam Wangchuk, a 59-year old Gandhian, began her hunger strike 20 days ago in support of the Cockroach Movement.
The police cited the court order as well as Wangchuk’s “deteriorating health conditions” to justify their actions. Gitanjali Angmo Wangchuk, Wangchuk’s wife, claimed that her husband had been taken against his wishes to the hospital. She accused the government, in disguise of medical treatment, of “illegal detention”.
Abhijeet Dippe, founder of Cockroach Janta Party, has demanded Modi’s resignation. He also urged CJP supporters to attend the monsoon session of parliament, which begins on Monday.
New Delhi, which is suffering from a massive deployment of paramilitary and police forces as thousands respond to Dipke’s appeal, has been on high alert. Other groups of activists and parties expressed solidarity and encouraged people to take part in the protest.
What you should know about Gen Z and the protests that led to this situation:
What is the Cockroach Movement?
The group is dominated by young Indians, who call themselves “cockroaches” and see themselves as the survivors of a political system that they believe to be “decaying”.
The CJP is a mock “people’s Party” that was born from a joke made by India’s highest judge, who compared government critics to parasites.
Dipke’s comment sparked a riot, and he asked on X, “What if cockroaches all came together?”. The joke struck a chord. Dipke created a sign-in website within days as his Instagram account grew to millions of fans.
Dipke, who was originally from the United States landed in New Delhi last month to turn a viral moment on the internet into a movement. It began with one demand, the dismissal of Dharmendra Pradosh, the Education Minister, for his inaction in response to frequent leaks of exam papers, which led to the suicides of many students over the last decade.
In recent years, South Asia became the epicenter of Gen Z demonstrations. India’s neighbors Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal saw mass protests as well as unpopular government overthrown. India is home to the largest Gen Z group in the world, and it has faced unemployment, high inequality, religious tensions, as well as a decline in democratic indicators since 2014.
What’s happening at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar today?
CJP is demanding sweeping changes to India’s examination system, as well as compensation for families of those students who committed suicide due to the leaked exam results and leaks.
Pradhan, however, has not resigned and he even called protesters “B Team of Terrorists”. Modi has yet to react, despite the fact that he hasn’t held a press conference for more than 12 year, but is very active on social networks.
Meanwhile, Wangchuk, an acclaimed engineer-turned-educator from the northern region of Ladakh, continued a hunger strike he started on June 28. In September, Wangchuk held a strike similar to this one, calling for a special status of Ladakh. This Himalayan region was separated from India administered Kashmir by Modi in 2019.
Wangchuk was joined by three doctoral students, Neha Bora Aameen Amitoj Manish on his indefinite hunger-strike. The students are all members of All India Students Association, the student arm of the Communist Party of India.
The police stormed into the site of the protest in civilian clothing and draped it in white to remove Wangchuk. Social media was flooded with images of the police operation, which sparked anger and fueled the protest movement.
The police also entered the AISA tents before being ejected by the protesters.
Delhi Police, controlled by the Federal Government, has repeatedly requested that the protesters leave the area.
Why do protesters march to Parliament?
Wangchuk, on July 8th announced that he would march to Parliament to call for the resignation of Pradhan.
He wrote on X that “if you want to really help, do a bit more than just send messages on your couches, come to Delhi, on the 20th of July,” and later called this protest “India’s second liberation movement”.
It was not a random choice.
On Monday, the Parliament will begin its Monsoon Session, which is one of three legislative sessions held annually.
This march aims to “reclaim India”. This is a fight to ensure a brighter future for all, including students. “People must turn out in great numbers, and find a way to reach parliament,” Saurav das, chief spokesperson of the CJP told Al Jazeera.
This march will decide if we as a society and nation are still alive.”
Wangchuk, Dipke and the Hindu Nationalist Government’s supporter and the police have repeatedly urged the protesters not to be violent despite the provocation.
Dipke was assaulted twice within the last month. He received a slap during an event held in Jaipur City, and was attacked on Saturday with a substance that looked like ink.
Dipke, who broke down in tears on Saturday morning, vowed to continue Wangchuk’s hunger strike.
He said, “We were demanding Dharmendra’s resignation until now. But after this vile act, now we are going to demand Narendra Modi’s resignation.”
What do the “cockroaches” want?
Jantar Mantar packed up on Saturday night as tens of thousands of people gathered after Wangchuk’s forced removal.
Shreya, a student at Delhi University, told Al Jazeera that she felt shaken when she saw how the police “cheated” the protesters.
I came to the hospital because my blood was boiling. The government is taking everything for granted. “They are cheaters and liars,” declared the student of 19, who was accompanied by friends.
Das, CJP’s spokesman said that Wangchuk was being held in “illegal custody and we haven’t been given any grounds to justify such a detention”.
Angmo petitioned the Court, demanding her husband’s transfer from a Government Hospital to a Private Facility of their Choice.
The action taken against Wangchuk is very dictatorial. Das stated that it shows the government doesn’t believe in dialog, deliberation, or discussion — the three tenets to democracy.
Kumar, who spent a night on the scene, worries that the police could overpower protesters as the prepare to march towards parliament.
She said, “We’re all prepared to take on the police and paramilitary.” We say, “Bring it on!” “But the Minister must resign.”

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PoliticsIndia
India News: CJP says ‘infiltrators may disrupt protest
Shakeel Sobhan AFP, AP, Reuters
Published July 18, 2026
CJP claimed that people connected to the BJP of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Police infiltrated their protest, and were planning to use provocative remarks to disrupt it. DW provides more information.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HLR8
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You need to Know
Sonam Wangchuk, an activist in hospital, continues his hunger strike
CJP declared strict non-violence for the July 20th march
Dipke calls for Modi to resign and announces an indefinite hunger strike
Sonam Wangchuk, on his 21st hunger strike day was transferred to hospital by police
Wangchuk, a student from Delhi University who is demanding that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigns since 28 June.
This is the round-up of all the news that has been reported from India over the past weekend, Saturday, 18th and Sunday, 19th July:
Are you tired of not receiving our updates in real time? Please click here to make us your Google Preferred Source. Tap “Star” and “Preferred”, then “Keep DW News on top” of your news feed.
Next section: Police break up a protest in Madhya Pradesh
07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Madhya Pradesh police break up a protest
Media reports stated that in Madhya Pradesh, a state in central India, the police had cleared a site where a protest lasted 15 days and returned demonstrators to their villages on Sunday.
Villagers in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur District protested against a project that would transfer water from Ken River into Betwa River, as well as other development plans.
Demonstrators, led by tribal women in large numbers, started the protest on 3 July, alleging that there were irregularities with regard to land acquisition, rehabilitation and environmental protection, as well as project implementation.
According to the Times of India, Divya Ahirwar, a protest leader, claimed that early on Sunday morning, police detained Amit Bhatnagar who was on a hunger strike since 11 days along with other protesters.
After massive protests, government officials in Uttarakhand’s northern state have backed down and stopped the cutting of over 4,000 trees in Dehradun for the purpose of a road-widening project.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNiJ
Continue to next section: Police report that CJP parliament march was not approved by the police
07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Report: Police claims CJP parliament march was not authorized
According to Indian Express, the Delhi Police stated on Sunday that Cockroach Janta Party protesters did not have permission to continue the demonstrations at Jantar Mantar or to march as planned on Monday.
CJP plans to march on Parliament to protest the suicides of students due to exam irregularities. They are demanding that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign.
The report stated that the police have said the march is not allowed because of prohibitory order around the Parliament as the Monsoon Session has begun.
CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke, and activist Sonam Wangchuk called for supporters to march on Parliament Monday on the first day Monsoon Session.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNgQ
Continue to next section CJP accuses ‘infiltrators’ of plotting protest disruption
07/19/2026July 19, 2026
CJP says ‘infiltrators’ plotted to disrupt the protest
Cockroach Janta Party claimed on Sunday that between 30-40 individuals linked to the nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Police were infiltrating its protest. They planned to use provocative remarks to disrupt it.
The group posted a message on X urging protesters to recognize these “goons”, and dissociate themselves from them, saying that they weren’t supporters of the CJP, or activist Sonam Wangchuk.
CJP said that a large police presence and Rapid Action Forces (RAF) were building at the protest location, and multiple police vehicles as well as detention buses had been deployed.
The report also claimed that tear gas launchers were ready at the scene.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNbU
Continue to next section Wangchuk’s wife takes court action to transfer activist Wangchuk to another hospital
07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Wangchuk’s wife files court motion to transfer activist to other hospitals
Gitanjali Wangchuk’s wife, Gitanjali, told reporters on Sunday she had approached the Delhi High Court to request an urgent hearing to ask for permission to transfer her husband to the hospital of their choice.
She had earlier said that she lost trust in the hospital, where her husband was being treated. The hospital and government were both responsible for anything bad happening to the activist.
She wrote: “Despite our repeated requests, the Hospital has refused to release him from their care or to allow us to transfer him to any private hospital we choose.”
Our movement is restricted by the presence of over 100 police officers in and around the hospital. This is not medical treatment. “It is not medical care. It’s illegal detention.”
Angmo claimed that the hospital informed the family Wangchuk’s potassium levels had dropped to a dangerous 2.9, but failed to disclose this figure in the public health bulletin. According to her, an independent testing showed that the potassium level was 3.5. She described this as normal.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNSy
Next section: Wangchuk on Monday calls for “India’s Second Freedom Movement”
07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Wangchuk on Monday calls for “India’s Second Freedom Movement”
Sonam Wangchuk, an Indian activist who has been forced to continue his hunger strike in a hospital where he had to be shifted to, called the 20th July march to parliament “India’s Second Freedom Movement” and urged everyone to join it.
The Delhi Police moved Wangchuk to an hospital on Saturday on his 21st hunger strike day in New Delhi, ahead of the planned march for Monday.
According to the police, Wangchuk had been transferred from his protest location on court orders and medical grounds.
Wangchuk (59) has fasted since 28 June in solidarity with the Cockroach Janta Party supporters who protested an entrance examination scandal and demanded the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, Education Minister.
CJP posted on X the following rules: “We will never raise our arms, no matter what the circumstances.”
In fact, Mahatma Ghandi’s Dandi March of 24 days in 1930 was a defining moment of India’s Independence Movement, as it challenged the British salt monopoly.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNRU
Watch: Cockroach Party supporter Sonam Wangchuk in hospital
07/19/2026July 19, 2026
Watch: Cockroach Party supporter Sonam Wangchuk is hospitalized
Delhi Police moved Indian activist Sonam Wangchuk, who was on a hunger strike for 21 days, to hospital. The authorities said that there was a “much needed medical intervention,” while the founder of Cockroach Janta Party claims he had been “kidnapped”.
Was Sonam Wangchuk saved or kidnapped? Indian police arrest Sonam Wangchuk
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https://p.dw.com/p/5HNQ2
Next section: Welcome Back!
07/19/2026July 19, 2026
We are glad to see you back.
Hello! Hello! This is Shakeel, from DW New Delhi Studio. Welcome back to the coverage of India’s top stories.
We are following updates on the Cockroach Janta Party protest in Jantar Mantar this Sunday morning.
Rahul Gandhi wrote to Narendra Modi in the Parliament and called his silence on the theft of donations at the Ayodhya Temple “unacceptable”.
Stay tuned for more!
https://p.dw.com/p/5HNPT
Next section is skipped. We are pausing coverage
07/18/2026July 18, 2026
Our coverage is being paused
Today, we’re stopping our coverage of India on the news blogs.
Stay tuned tomorrow for more!
https://p.dw.com/p/5HMq5
Next section: Opposition leaders express solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk and Modi
07/18/2026July 18, 2026
Modi remains silent as opposition leaders express solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk
Sonam Wangchuk, who was on his 21st day of hunger strike and demanding accountability from government, had been transferred to hospital by the Delhi Police on Saturday.
Rahul Gandhi, the Congress Party leader, said that it would be “wrong”, to dismiss Wangchuk when he was on non-violent strike. Gandhi highlighted the paper leaks and rising costs of education in a blog post about X. These are the same issues Wangchuk has been on hunger strike for.
Mallikarjun Kharge, the president of Congress Party, called Wangchuk’s dismissal “yet another stain” on democracy and Constitution.
Mamata banerjee, the leader of Trinamool Congress party (TMC), posted a message on X saying that public trust cannot be gained by “suppressing protests peacefully or refusing to dialogue”.
Mahua Moitra, a TMC MP, said that the removal of Wangchuk ahead of the 20 July march to parliament and the changing of Delhi’s police chief showed the fear of the government. The Education Minister must be removed! She said.
Anish Gawande, Nationalist Congress Party NCP said: “His wife cannot meet him in Safdarjung Hospital if she does not have a telephone.” His arrest has not been warranted. “This is an illegal detention.
Arvind Kjriwal, former Delhi chief minister and leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, posted on social media a video calling for people to unite. He said that only then would something in the country change.
Aam Aadmi Party Leader and Former Delhi Chief Minister Atishi described the incident as “shocking and ashamed”.
Chandrashekhar Azad, a member of parliament and Bhim army chief Chandrashekhar Azad wrote on X that “Democracy has once again been disgraced!”
Amit Amit or Prime Minister Narendra Modi have not released any statement regarding the incident.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HMP2
Next section: Images of scenes from Jantar mantar following Sonam Wangchuk’s removal
07/18/2026July 18, 2026
Images: Jantar Mantar scenes after Sonam Wangchuk was removed
This is a selection of pictures from Saturday’s Cockroach Janta Party protest held at Jantar Mantar:
https://p.dw.com/p/5HMQK
Continue to next section: Three people go on an indefinite hunger-strike after Soman Wangchuk was ‘brutally moved’
07/18/2026July 18, 2026
After Soman Wangchuk’s ‘brutally-moved’, three people go on an indefinite hunger strike
Wesley Dockery Editor
Three people told DW that they started an indefinite strike of hunger on Saturday.
The two, both from Rajasthan, began fasting on Saturday in protest at the fact that activist Sonam Wangchuk was taken to hospital.
Bharat Bhushan said that he was a recent protester.
Tezveer told Tezveer that he saw the police take Wangchuk from him. He said that the police had taken Wangchuk away in a brutal manner.
Yash Mihsra, the third protester said he was on a strike since the very first day, but stopped when he fell ill. On 16th July, he returned and continued the hunger strike. He said that he will continue to hunger strike from Saturday, “until he dies.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5HMG8
Continue the next section to read about Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike.
07/18/2026July 18, 2026
Sonam Wangchuk continues her hunger strike in hospital
Sonam Wangchuk, an activist with the Cockroach Janta Party announced Saturday he will continue to hunger strike in hospital.
Wangchuk was taken to hospital by the police after he began his 21st hunger strike on Saturday in the capital.
CJP wrote on X that Wangchuk will “continue his fight” from the hospital.
CJP asked for people to pray about the 59 year-old activist.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HMJc
Skip to next section Jantar Mantar commotion after woman throws dipke
07/18/2026July 18, 2026
Woman throws dipke at Jantar Mantar causing a commotion
Shalu Yadav at New Delhi
Shalu Yudav, DW’s correspondent in Delhi said that a woman threw a substance which appeared to be black ink towards Abhijeet Dipke (founder of the Cockroach Janata Party) on Saturday while he addressed his supporters at Jantar Mantar.
Yadav stated that Dipke had been speaking to Sonam Wangchuk about his decision to continue her hunger strike while in hospital at the time of the incident.
Yadav observed that the disruption was caused by the commotion surrounding him as soon as he had finished speaking.
Yadav claims that Dipke called the Delhi Police who, within minutes, escorted her away.
Dipke later called the incident a “mark of pride” and said he wouldn’t back down from such an attack. Yadav added that Dipke would never be discouraged by attacks like this.
Witnesses told DW that the woman was chanting, “Jai Shri Ram”. The slogan is used widely in religious contexts. It has been adopted by India’s Rightwing government under Narendra Modi.
The identity of the victim is unknown.
https://p.dw.com/p/5HM9A
Next section: Sonam Wangchuk’s wife claims that authorities moved him without notifying family
07/18/2026July 18, 2026
Sonam Wangchuk’s wife claims that authorities moved him without notifying family
Gitanjali Wangchuk, the wife of activist Sonam Wangchuk, accused authorities on Saturday that they had moved him from Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, to a nearby hospital, without notifying him or his relatives.
Wangchuk, on his 21st hunger strike day, was transferred to Safdarjung Hospital after the police stated that the decision was made in accordance with the Delhi High Court’s orders and expert medical advice because of his declining health.
Angmo questioned authorities explanations, saying that doctors from Safdarjung Hospital examined Wangchuk on the protest site Friday evening and found Wangchuk’s vital signs normal.
Now they’re telling us that his potassium level has fallen and is life-threatening. “But when we requested to see the report they did not give it to us”, she said to reporters in front of the hospital.
She stated that the protest march planned for Monday to Parliament would still take place even if Wangchuk is unable to attend.
Angmo stated that “Even if Sonam is unable to join, I will lead the march and represent him, so it will take place on Monday, as scheduled.”
https://p.dw.com/p/5HM0C
Continue to next section Delhi Police action inconsistent with Court Order
07/18/2026July 18, 2026
Delhi Police action in conflict with Court Order
Delhi Police said on Saturday that Sonam Wangchuk had been transferred to a hospital on the orders of a court, and for medical reasons.
According to expert medical advice and orders from the Honourable High Court, due to Sh. Sonam Wangchuk has been transferred to the hospital in order to receive essential medical treatment,” Delhi Police announced on its X.
The CJP stated that Wangchuk’s health was deteriorating. However, this statement from the Delhi High Court on Thursday seemed to be different. It had directed the authorities to closely monitor Wangchuk’s condition daily.
The police claimed that the protesters “attempted to cause obstruction and a slight disturbance ensued” while claiming that the authorities exercised “maximum control during the training.”
The police told the protesters camped at New Delhi’s historic Jantar Mantar to leave the site.
Anurag Kumru, the new head of Delhi Police (which is under Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s purview) was appointed on Friday.
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Stock Market Today: On Wednesday, July 15th, the Indian stock market closed in green. The benchmark indices Sensex, and Nifty50 posted modest gains. However, the small and mid-cap indices gained up to a half-percent amid escalating US/Iran tensions, and increasing crude oil prices.
The Nifty 50 closed at 24,078.50 after gaining 26 points or 0.11%.
The Nifty Smallcap Index rose 0.67%, while the Nifty Midcap index grew by 0.28%.
UltraTech Cement Eternal and HDFC Life Insurance Company were the three top gainers on the Nifty50 index. Tata Steel, Power Grid Corporation of India and Hindalco Industries ended up as the three top losers.
Oil and Gas (0.69%), Consumer Durables (0.73%) and Nifty Public Sector Banks (+0.95%) all ended the day with solid gains.
Nifty Bank rose 0.51% while Financial Services Index grew by 0.59%.
Nifty Metal, on the other hand shattered 1.11%. The IT, FMCG, Media, and Realty indexes all fell by 0.67%, 0.49, 0,46, and 0.38%, respectively.
The wealth of investors increased by Rs1.5 lakh in one session, as the market capitalisation for BSE listed companies rose from Rs479.5 lakh to Rs481 lakh.
According to reports, the US military conducted strikes on Iran’s port for the fourth day in a row, Tuesday, local time. They also reimposed their naval blockade, which prevents ships from entering or leaving Iran.
Brent crude for September delivery rose over 1% to close at $86 per barrel.
Close of the previous session was 96.20. The rupee ended at 96.2550 per dollar.
What is driving the markets today?
Take a look below at the five main factors which influenced Wednesday’s domestic stock markets:
1. Soft US inflation data
The biggest factor behind today’s market increase is the soft US inflation data. The soft US inflation data has impacted sentiment worldwide as market participants have reduced expectations for aggressive rate increases by the US Federal Reserve in this year.
In June 2026, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation in the US, will drop to 3.5% from its previous 4.2%. The US CPI decreased 0.4% month-on-month after rising 0.5% the previous month. This is the first decrease since the COVID-19 Pandemic in April 2020.
The annualised core inflation rate, which excludes volatile components such as food and energy, rose by 2.6% compared to expectations of 2.8% and 2.9% in May.
The US CPI June data was welcomed by markets around the world. South Korea’s Kospi index jumped by 8%. The Nikkei225 and Hang Seng indexes in Japan also traded higher.
2. Trump pulls back the proposed transit charge
On Tuesday, a day after Donald Trump announced a transit fee of 20% through the Strait of Hormuz he dropped his call for the toll. He said that he would replace the toll with deals for trade and investments between Gulf States. He also declared that the Strait of Hormuz is open for all ships, except Iran.
3. Updated Russia sanctions legislation
The U.S. Senate unveiled a revised Russia sanctions bill Tuesday that reduces the threat of tariffs for countries such as China and India who import Russian oil and natural gas from 500% originally to 100%.
This bill allows the Trump Administration to set tariffs at an amount above zero, but well below the full value of the oil for countries that are identified as being the biggest buyers.
4. Auto counters and financial counters offer value buying
Analysts also say that the rise in the stock market today is due to the value-buying of banking, financials and auto stocks, as well as the expectation of strong Q1 earnings.
The Q1 results for leading banks, auto stocks and NBFCs will be positive. VK Vijayakumar is Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Investments. He noted that digital platform companies will likely report strong growth figures.
The risk/reward ratio appears to be favorable from a mid-term perspective. Ashutosh Tiwari is MD and CIO – Public Equities at Equirus Asset Management. He told Mint that the recent rally itself shows how sentiments can change quickly once prices become appealing.
5. The Technical Factor
Nifty is firmly supported at 24,000, a level that’s crucial. Today, the index recovered from its previous closing of 24,052 at yesterday’s session.
Rajesh Palviya is the research head at Axis Direct. He pointed out that the 24,000 level, which corresponds to the 20-day average moving price, was a critical support. A decisive break could accelerate the weakness toward 23,900-23880. However, he added that 24,200 is still the main hurdle and any sustained movement above this level could lead to 24,350-24500.
According to Sachin Gupta, VP – Research, Technical Research, Choice Broking, the Nifty trading range is between 23,900 and 24250.
On the upside, an upward move could lead to 24,400-24.500. However, on the downside, the index could be pushed towards the critical 23,800-23.700 zone of support if it breaks below 23,900. The index will likely remain within this range if a new catalyst does not emerge, Gupta said.
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Disclaimer: The article does not provide investment advice and is only for informational purposes. Mint does not endorse the views or recommendations of any individual analyst. Before making investment decisions, we recommend that investors consult certified experts. Market conditions and circumstances can vary rapidly.

As his health worsens and he enters the 17th of a fast, a prominent Indian activist who is demanding that the education minister resign over the leakage of exam papers has been on a hunger-strike for the past seventeen days. Opposition leaders have urged him to end the strike.
Sonam Wangchuk is fasting in central New Delhi at a protest location since the 28th of June.
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List 1 of 4Indian ‘Cockroaches’ Movement Camps Out Until Education Minister Resigns
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List 3 of 4Telegram calls India’s app ban unconstitutional
List 4 of 4Modi uses a cannon for a cockroach
End of List
This fast was in solidarity with Gen Z, the leader of the Cockroach Janta Party in India. He is holding a sit-in to demand that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resign over leaks of May which affected millions of Indian students.
This rare act of rebellion against the 12-year-old rule by Prime Minister Narendra modi is being staged at India’s Jantar Mantar Observatory near Parliament.
CJP was founded in May by Abhijeet Dikke (30). Within a short time, the CJP gained 22 million Instagram followers.
Wangchuk (59), lying on a mattress in a small room, in front of a few people, said to Reuters that he could not talk. He had said that his fast would last for six weeks, unless he dies first.
CJP posted a photo on X showing Wangchuk surrounded by doctors. He said that Wangchuk had lost 8.5kg of weight since Tuesday, and that his health “continues to deteriorate”.
Dipke spoke to YouTubers and onlookers between his talks.
Sonam Sir wants us to continue preparing to march on the 20th of July to Parliament. “I feel that the government is trying to kill Sonam Sir and those on hunger strike.”
On Monday, a young man who had also been on hunger strike on the protest site was taken to hospital after fainting.
Several top opposition leaders also called on Wangchuk, an engineer-turned-activist who inspired a character in the blockbuster Bollywood film, 3 Idiots, to end his fast.
Akhilesh Y. Yadav (a former Chief Minister of the state of Uttar Pradesh) posted on X that “His Life is Invaluable to the Entire World Because It Embodys a Commitment to Humanity and Environment That Is As Deep as His Commitment to Democracy.”
Reuters reported that Pradhan’s ministry, as well as the chief spokesperson for the government, did not respond immediately to a comment request.
CJP claims to represent “the unemployed, lazy and chronically incorrect”. The rapid rise of CJP online reflects the frustrations felt by young Indians who make up approximately half of India’s 1,42 billion people.
Government data revealed that the unemployment rate in India for those aged 15 or older was 3.1% by 2025. The rate is nearly 10% among people aged between 15 and 29, but it rises to 13.6% in cities.
The leak of the question paper led to an annulment of the medical college exam taken by over 2.3 millions candidates. The exam was finally held in the last month.