Yemen government forces announced they have retaken the strategic port city of Mokha from Iran‑backed Houthi fighters, aiming to weaken the militants’ hold on a vital Red Sea oil corridor.

In a rapid push, the Saudi‑backed Yemeni government said on Monday that its forces seized Mokha “after intense clashes with Iranian‑supported Houthi militant groups” and secured several coastal positions near the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait.

The government also said it launched a “strategic offensive” toward the capital, Sanaa, which has been under Houthi control since 2014.

Verum could not independently verify the claims. The Houthis have reportedly denied that Mokha has fallen.

Located roughly 75 km (46 miles) north of the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait, Mokha has long been the region’s primary coffee‑export hub and the origin of the term “mocha”.

Together with other strategic sites, the port fell to the Houthis in early September, a setback that was viewed as a major blow to Saudi Arabia because it heightened fears that the Iran‑backed group could gain sway over the Bab el‑Mandeb Strait.

Iran’s shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, another crucial oil artery on the opposite side of the Arabian Peninsula, has already disrupted energy markets and sent ripples through the global economy.

On Monday, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan agreed to enact “deterrence measures” and to swiftly deploy troops to bolster the oil‑rich kingdom and counter Houthi attacks in Yemen.

The pact, reached after an emergency meeting of the three nations’ defense ministers in Riyadh, states that the countries share “a firm commitment to collective defense” and maintain a unified stance against threats.

Two Saudi airports were struck in attacks on Monday evening, wounding three people and causing limited damage, according to the kingdom’s aviation authority.

In a Tuesday‑morning social‑media statement, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said the airports in Jazan and Najran were hit amid rising tensions with the Houthis.

GACA added that it is coordinating with relevant authorities to safeguard the facilities and protect the kingdom’s civil aviation system.

Energy market nervousness ‘likely to persist’

Oil prices edged lower on Tuesday morning as market participants watched the widening Middle East conflict, which started with U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.

International benchmark Brent

“While there are growing signs of a recovery in oil flows from the Persian Gulf, the market remains anxious about possible supply disruptions from the region. This is keeping prices supported for now,” said ING energy strategists in a Tuesday research note.

“Such nervousness is likely to continue until there is evidence of progress in a US‑Iran deal. Meanwhile, the risk of further escalation remains very real,” they added.

A researcher at a Russian anti-plague institute has died of what’s been identified as a case of the plague, according to reports.

Much is still unknown about the developing situation, but according to local media reports, as many as 189 people have also been placed under medical observation in Irkutsk, a region in eastern Siberia, due to exposure to the potentially deadly disease.

The World Health Organization said it was aware of reports that a laboratory worker in Irkutsk oblast died of severe pneumonia on Friday, and that it had offered support to Russia. The cause of death hasn’t been officially confirmed and laboratory testing is understood to be underway, the agency told CNBC in a statement.

“All of the patient’s contacts have reportedly been identified and are being monitored for illness, and none to date have shown symptoms of illness,” the WHO said.

What is the plague and how does it spread?

Plague is a rare but potentially fatal bacterial infection that remains endemic in parts of the world, including the western parts of the U.S., but can be treated with antibiotics if identified quickly. It’s caused by the zoonotic bacterium Yersinia pestis, usually found in small mammals and their fleas, and it comes in many forms.

Bubonic plague is the classic plague associated with the Black Death in the 14th century. Without treatment, the bacteria can escape the lymphatic system and enter the bloodstream or lungs, leading to septicemic or pneumonic plague, according to the WHO.

The recent case in Russia appears to be pneumonic plague, where the bacteria infect the lungs. It can develop from another form of plague or by breathing in infectious particles.

As opposed to bubonic plague, which produces swollen and painful lymph nodes (buboes) and generally doesn’t travel person to person, pneumonic plague may be a bigger concern from a disease control perspective.

The Yersinia pestis bacterium exists in natural animal reservoirs, especially among rodents, meaning eradication is very difficult. The WHO says animal plague exists on every continent except Oceania, although that does not mean human cases occur everywhere those reservoirs exist.

“Potentially this lab-acquired case of pneumonic plague could be transmitted by the respiratory route,” Brendan Wren, professor at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told CNBC. “Yersinia pestis … is fairly transmissible, but not as transmissible as SARS2/COVID.”

What’s happening with the suspected case in Russia?

According to Russia’s public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, the employee at the anti-plague research institute in Irkutsk had been diagnosed with “pneumonia of unknown aetiology.” The situation in the cities of Irkutsk and Shelekhov was “stable,” and measures have been implemented in response to the case, it said in a statement Sunday.

Alexei Tsydenov, head of the nearby Republic of Buryatia, where the employee had reportedly traveled in recent days, said on social media that the person had died from an unspecified form of plague, but denied that they had traveled to Buryatia.

CNBC has not been able to independently verify the reports. The Russian Ministry of Health didn’t immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.

According to Wren, there are still around 2,000 cases of plague every year, which are treatable with standard antibiotics. “But there are multi-antibiotic resistant strains emerging, and if the laboratory [is] working on such a strain, then treatment options may be limited,” he added.

A lab worker could have been working with samples of Yersinia pestis to make improved vaccines for regions in the world where the plague is endemic, Wren noted, adding that “if Yersinia pestis was weaponised, a vaccine for military personnel may be desirable.”

Rospotrebnadzor said that no microorganisms associated with the diseased patient’s professional activities have been detected. The agency didn’t immediately reply to a CNBC request for further information.

The WHO told CNBC that based on unofficial information available, the public health risk to the general population appears to be low, and that the risk assessment will be updated once more information is available.

— CNBC’s Jenny Lee contributed to this report.

It’s been just over a year since Paramount Skydance set out to buy one of Hollywood’s most iconic institutions.

After repeated rejections, a subsequent bidding war, a series of regulatory approvals, an antitrust challenge by state attorneys general and a timely settlement, the David Ellison-run company is set to close its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery on Tuesday.

The combined company, what amounts to one of the largest media conglomerates in history, will be newly named Skydance and trade under the ticker symbol “SKYD.” It will bring together two of the most storied film studios and control nearly one-third of basic cable programming.

Here’s a timeline of key events in Paramount’s pursuit of WBD:

The foundation is laid

June 9, 2025: Warner Bros. Discovery announces its plan to split into two public companies: a streaming and studios company and a global networks company. The plan to separate WBD’s movie properties and streaming platform from its cable channels comes as media companies grapple with how to maintain profitability in the face of declining linear viewership and a broad shift to streaming.

Aug. 7, 2025: Paramount closes its long-awaited merger with Skydance, the company founded by Ellison, a tech executive and the son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. Within days, newly installed CEO David Ellison buys the multiyear rights for TKO Group’s UFC in a $7.7 billion deal.

Within a month, Ellison acquires the rights to produce a film based on the Call of Duty video game franchise and signs a multiyear deal with “Stranger Things” creators the Duffer Brothers. The series of investments fits into Ellison’s plan to “define the next era of entertainment,” a strategy he outlines in a letter to shareholders.

Competition brews

Sept. 11, 2025: CNBC reports that Paramount is preparing a bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. Shares of both companies jump on the day of the news, and WBD shares notch their best day ever to that point.

Late September and early October 2025: Warner Bros. Discovery rejects three takeover bids from Paramount Skydance. Paramount’s third bid is for slightly less than $24 per share and 80% cash, CNBC reports at the time. In a letter to WBD’s board dated Oct. 13, Paramount lays out how its offer delivers “superior value” for shareholders over plans to split the company into two separate entities.

Oct. 21, 2025: Warner Bros. Discovery says it is open to a sale after receiving “unsolicited interest” from multiple parties. CNBC reports that Netflix and Comcast are among the interested suitors. WBD says it will continue to plan for the split while conducting a “strategic review.”

Mid-November 2025: Comcast, Netflix and Paramount submit formal takeover bids for Warner Bros. Discovery. Offers from Comcast and Netflix are for the company’s film and streaming assets, namely Warner Bros. studio and HBO Max. Paramount Skydance’s bid is for the entirety of WBD, including its linear TV networks.

Deals get done

Dec. 5, 2025: Netflix announces it has reached a deal to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s film and streaming assets in a deal worth nearly $83 billion on an enterprise basis.

WBD says it will spin off its TV networks, including TNT and CNN, into Discovery Global, in line with its plan from June. Before the deal is officially announced, attorneys from Paramount Skydance pen a letter to WBD CEO David Zaslav questioning the “fairness and adequacy” of the sale process and accusing WBD of favoring Netflix.

Dec. 8, 2025: Paramount Skydance launches a hostile bid for the entirety of Warner Bros. Discovery, seeking to upend the Netflix agreement. Paramount announces that it will go straight to WBD shareholders with an all-cash, $30-per-share offer. “We’re really here to finish what we started,” Ellison tells CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” in announcing Paramount’s plan. “We put the company in play.”

Jan. 7, 2026: Warner Bros. Discovery rejects Paramount’s offer again, doubling down on its deal with Netflix. Despite a guarantee in late December that billionaire Larry Ellison will backstop the financing of the Paramount-WBD deal, the Warner Bros. Discovery board unanimously recommends that shareholders reject the takeover bid from Paramount.

Jan. 12, 2026: Paramount sues Warner Bros. Discovery and Zaslav. The lawsuit asks the court to direct WBD to provide more transparent information on how the company decided to strike an agreement with Netflix instead of Paramount.

Jan. 20, 2026: Netflix amends its offer for assets from Warner Bros. Discovery to an all-cash deal. The new bid would see Netflix pay $27.75 per WBD share in cash instead of through a combination of cash and stock.

Feb. 17, 2026: Netflix grants WBD a seven-day waiver to reopen deal talks with Paramount.

Feb. 24, 2026: WBD says Paramount has increased its offer to $31 per share in cash.

Feb. 26, 2026: Netflix’s deal for Warner Bros. Discovery falls through after the company declines to match Paramount’s $31-per-share offer.

Feb. 27, 2026: With the road clear after Netflix’s withdrawal, Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery enter a definitive merger agreement.

April 23, 2026: Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approve Paramount’s acquisition of the company.

Securing regulatory approval

June 12, 2026: The Department of Justice approves the Paramount-WBD merger, a crucial step in winning full regulatory approval for the deal, which is valued at an estimated $110 billion on an enterprise basis.

July 13, 2026: A group of state attorneys general, led by California’s Rob Bonta, sues to block the merger over antitrust concerns. The lawsuit cites the potential for higher prices and lower-quality content if the merger goes through.

July 22, 2026: European Union antitrust regulators approve Paramount’s acquisition of WBD, marking a major win for Paramount among global regulators. The approval relies on a few concessions: Paramount agrees to divest its stake in United International Pictures in Europe and promises not to enter film distribution deals with Universal in Europe for a period of 10 years.

July 24, 2026: Paramount, already facing a temporary restraining order on the deal, agrees to delay its closing to as late as June 2027. The threat of a lengthy delay leaves WBD in limbo and casts a brief chilling effect over media M&A more broadly.

Sept. 21, 2026: Paramount and the state attorneys general settle the lawsuit, allowing the merger between the media giants to move forward. The news comes less than two weeks before the ticking fee would kick in and raise the deal price. The settlement includes a series of stipulations related to the number of theatrical films the combined company will release per year and the required budget for those films.

On the precipice

Sept. 30, 2026: With the final hurdle cleared, Paramount announces that outgoing Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz will serve as co-CEO of the combined company alongside Ellison. At Mattel, Kreiz earned a reputation as a turnaround man and oversaw the toymaker’s foray into entertainment, bringing Barbie to the big screen in 2023.

Oct. 2, 2026: Ellison announces that the combined company will be named Skydance after closing, saying the move will allow Paramount and Warner Bros. to remain distinct brands.

Oct. 5, 2026: Ellison and Kreiz announce their leadership team, including news leads Bari Weiss and Mark Thompson over CBS and CNN, respectively, and content heads Casey Bloys, George Cheeks and JB Perrette to oversee the streaming and TV businesses. CNBC reports CBS Sports chief David Berson will take over Skydance’s global sports group.

— CNBC’s Julia Boorstin, David Faber, Lillian Rizzo, Sara Salinas, Alex Sherman and Sarah Whitten contributed to this report.