United Arab Emirates
New initiative launched to redirect Gulf energy flows away from Strait toward Mediterranean
Syria envisioned as key cog in new energy distribution network.
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COMMENT: Iran and the GCC, the memory remains
Relations across the Gulf have been ruined following more than 100 days of war between Iran, Israel and the US with the Gulf neighbours to the south and east of the Islamic Republic left exposed following a new memorandum with the Trump admin.
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EU-regulated CI Ratings assigns BBB international rating to EDB with stable outlook
Highlights strong capital position, robust asset quality, comfortable liquidity profile and low refinancing risk.
Illicit gold networks fuelling conflict, organised crime across Africa and global south, GI-TOC warns
Illicit gold has become a critical source of financing for organised crime, armed groups and sanctioned regimes across Africa, a Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime report finds.
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Fitch raises oil and gas sector outlook to improving on Hormuz closure price effect
Fitch has raised its 2026 oil and gas outlook to improving, lifting its Brent assumption to $87 on a five-month Strait of Hormuz closure, with prices seen at $100-110 before easing to $70 by September.
Asia needs Azerbaijan as Hormuz risks grow
The escalating crisis in the Middle East and severe disruptions to energy transportation through the Strait of Hormuz have once again demonstrated how vulnerable the global oil and gas market remains to instability.
Botswana signs $2bn deal with Dubai firm Albaddad Group for new mixed-use city
Albaddad Group's planned New Botswana City development is expected to rank among the largest foreign direct investment projects in the African country's history.
Inventory drawdowns mask impact of Hormuz disruption as clock runs down towards a September supply crunch
Global oil markets are relying heavily on inventory drawdowns to offset a supply shock caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, with OECD stockpiles potentially reaching stress levels by mid-September if current trends persist, according to Oxf
US votes through new war powers act to try and halt Iran war
The US House just voted 215 to 208 to end the Iran war, by passing a new War Act, that is unlikely to have any impact on the Iran conflict as US President Donald Trump is widely expected to veto the motion.
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Iran strikes US base in Bahrain and Kuwait International Airport
Iran announced that it had struck the headquarters of the US 5th Fleet in Bahrain as well as the Kuwait International Airport, resulting in one death.
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COMMENT: A new world of asymmetrical diplomacy
The world has changed in a very fundamental way. For most of the last century the world has been run on the lines of Great Power Geopolitics: them and us; the enlightened and the barbaric; the rich and the poor.
Trump seeks tougher terms in revised Iran deal
Ceasefire and nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran have moved forward after US and Iranian negotiators drafted a new agreement, but President Donald Trump has sent the proposal back with tougher demands, with Iran to respond this week.
Global oil inventories falling at record pace, critical storage threshold about to be breached - IEA
Global oil inventories are declining at a record rate as the market absorbs a major Middle East supply disruption, raising the risk of sharp price increases if the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, according to the International Energy Agency.
Trump's Abraham Accords gambit appears doomed to fail, given Iran's regional strength
With Iran making itself a heavily relied upon partner to regional allies, US President Donald Trump's bid to bring Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey into the Abraham Accords with Israel appears destined to fail.
UAE walks political tightrope with Strait of Hormuz warning
The United Arab Emirates is walking a political tightrope, opposing Iran during the ongoing war while also appearing to placate its Arab partners with opposition to Israel on numerous occasions.
US and Iran near nuclear deal, US officials say agreement 95% done
The United States and Iran are within reach of a landmark nuclear agreement, with negotiators reporting that a framework deal is 95% complete, according to officials cited by Fox News on May 24.
Russia oil and gas revenues up 40% in May on Iran war pressures
Russia’s oil and gas revenues are expected to jump 39% year on year in May to about RUB700bn ($9.8bn), buoyed by higher global crude prices driven by the conflict involving Iran, according to Reuters calculations published on May 20.
Silver Fern Farms airlifts 90 tonnes of chilled NZ meat to UAE in supply push
New Zealand meat processor Silver Fern Farms has airfreighted 90 tonnes of chilled lamb and beef from Auckland to Abu Dhabi on a single customer-chartered flight.
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Emirates breaks ground on $5.1bn aircraft engineering facility in UAE
Emirates has broken ground on a $5.1bn aircraft engineering complex at Dubai South, billed as the world's largest aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul facility, due for completion by mid-2030.
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Drone strike sparks fire at UAE's Barakah nuclear plant as IAEA voices concern
A drone strike has sparked a fire on the perimeter of the UAE's Barakah nuclear power plant, prompting the IAEA to express "grave concern", though authorities said radiation levels remain normal and operations were unaffected.