Kuwait
IMF: Middle East to see economic contractions in 2026 - Statista
Several Middle Eastern economies are expected to contract in 2026 in the wake of the war in Iran, which broke out in late February, according to the International Monetary Fund’s latest World Economic Outlook, reports Statista.
Ankara proposes grand rewiring of Middle East energy export map amid Hormuz blockade
Turkey wants to see a slew of Gulf and other pipelines converge on its territory to ensure the world will never again be cut off from sufficient oil and gas.
Kuwait citizenship purge tops 50,000 as new decree tightens revocation rules
Kuwait has stripped more than 50,000 people of citizenship since September 2024 with the latest decree tightening revocation rules, DNA testing authorised and nationality decisions shielded from judicial review.
IMF the first to improve Russia’s growth outlook on Iran war windfall
The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices.
World leaders head to Beijing, as China becomes geopolitical fulcrum
The Trump administration’s being ostracized by the international community for America’s war mongering. That is making China a fulcrum in the East-West clash that now has its centre of gravity in the Middle East.
IMF the first to improve Russia’s growth outlook on Iran war windfall
The International Monetary Fund has become the first institution to raise its forecast for Russia’s economic growth in 2026 in anticipation of the windfall it is expected to earn from the effects of the Iran war related spike in energy prices.
COMMENT: The US and Israel ostracised by the global community
For most of the first year of the Trump administration, America’s so-called western allies spent most of their time flattering, toadying and attempting to manipulate the US President’s ego. That time is over.
Kremlin flags Hormuz risk, cautious on Magyar victory in Hungarian elections
The Kremlin has warned that a potential US naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would deliver a direct shock to global markets, even as Moscow positions itself as both an energy anchor and a diplomatic intermediary in a rapidly widening crisis.
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Quality matters: how the Hormuz crisis tests refinery flexibility
The disruption highlights a key reality often overlooked in the oil market: while volumes may be globally fungible, crude quality is not.
COMMENT: The US naval blockade of Iran won't work
The US is moving to choke Iran’s oil lifeline. The market is starting to price something much bigger because the Trump administration naval blockade of Iran is not going to work.
Trump orders naval blockage of Iran in a new shockwave for energy markets
Following the collapse of ceasefire talks this weekend US President Donald Trump has ordered a full naval blockade of shipping into and out of the Persian Gulf.
US naval showdown with Iran in strait of Hormuz
As talks got underway in Islamabad between Iran and the US to find a ceasefire formula, a dramatic showdown was playing out in the Strait of Hormuz, as several US Navy vessels attempted to sneak through and exit the Persian Gulf,
Naphtha shortages leading to petrochemical plants force majeures and record prices
Petrochemical producers across Asia have begun shutting down operations after disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz reduced supplies of the critical naphtha and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) feedstocks.
Iran's military warns forces 'on the trigger' as Islamabad talks set to begin
Iran's central military command says forces remain "on the trigger" and vows to keep control of the Strait of Hormuz, hours before US-Iran ceasefire talks are due to begin at Islamabad's Serena Hotel.
US-Iran ceasefire eases oil prices but Gulf economies showing strain – Oxford Economics
A fragile two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran has led to a sharp fall in oil prices, but fresh data points to mounting economic damage across Gulf economies and rising uncertainty in Egypt.
Shipping begins moving through Strait of Hormuz
Marine data shows vessels beginning to move through the Strait of Hormuz on April 9, a day after the ceasefire, but Iran is pushing ahead with toll plans regardless.
US-Europe relations strains bring Nato alliance close to breaking point
The West is discussing a new defence alliance format to replace Nato that would include Ukraine. Nato's current form is ineffective, so it is worth creating a new defence structure.
Ukraine’s hope for a peace deal with Russia rekindled by Iran ceasefire
Ukraine’s hopes for restarting peace talks with Russia have been rekindled after a two-week ceasefire deal in Iran was agreed on April 7.
Oman rules out transit fees in Strait of Hormuz despite ceasefire proposal
Oman has said it will not impose the $2mn transit fees on vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz that were part of the two-week ceasefire deal agreed on April 7, reaffirming its adherence to longstanding international agreements.
UAE, Kuwait intercept Iranian drones targeting oil and energy infrastructure
Kuwait says its air defences dealt with 28 Iranian drones since 8am, with strikes causing significant damage to oil infrastructure, power stations and water desalination plants in the south of the country.