Qatar
Satellite imagery confirms extensive damage at Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG plant
Satellite imagery indicates significant damage at Qatar’s Ras Laffan LNG plant that was hit by Iranian missiles on March 18, including the apparent collapse of primary heat exchangers at Train 6 and structural damage to adjacent facilities.
Pashtun leaders express support for Iran at Pakistan meeting
Pashtun tribal leaders in Pakistan voiced support for Iran during a gathering at the Iranian consulate in Peshawar, signalling the potential for broader regional unrest.
Turkey and Middle East states working to protect US-Iran talks from sabotage
Turkey and regional states are preparing measures to protect US-Iran talks from sabotage, a Turkish diplomatic source says, as both sides trade accusations of bad faith over the negotiating process.
Ukraine and Qatar sign defence cooperation agreement
Ukraine and Qatar have signed a defence cooperation agreement covering joint projects, technology development and investment in missile and drone defence, according to a statement released during a Ukrainian delegation’s visit to Doha.
Yemen’s Houthis enter the Gulf war on Iran's side
Yemeni Houthis officially entered the war on March 28 and announced its first operation, firing a ballistic missile against "Israeli military targets."
Israel hits Iran’s biggest steel plants, Tehran to retaliate
Three co-ordinated Israeli strikes hit all of Iran’s largest steel plants simultaneously on March 28. Iran issued evacuation orders for six of the largest steel plants in neighbouring Gulf countries as well as Israel as it prepared to retaliate.
Iran oil revenues surge as exports rise despite regional tensions
Iran’s oil revenues have climbed sharply in March, rising by an estimated $25mn per day from the previous month to reach $139mn per day, as exports increase and price discounts narrow despite tensions in the Middle East, says Goldman Sachs.
Russian businesses in Middle East slow activity as conflict disrupts deals
There are 14,000 Russian companies registered in the UAE, and 150,000 Russians live there. Without the need for visas and the can-do attitude to business, Dubai has become a favourite destination for Russian entrepreneurs escaping from sanctions.
Anti-Trump protests outweigh supporter rallies - Statista
Protests in the United States against President Donald Trump or the Trump administration by far outweigh rallies organized by Trump supporters, Statista reports.
COMMENT: Could Iran target undersea cables?
Iran's deadliest weapon is not airborne. Seventeen submarine cables on the Persian Gulf floor carry 30% of global internet traffic and the world's financial bloodstream. The IRGC may already have orders to cut them.
Second attack on Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power station raises Chernobyl radiation cloud spectre
A second missile attack in the proximity to Iran’s Bushehr nuclear power plant (NPP) has raised the spectre of a Chernobyl-like cloud of radiation drifting over the Gulf region, making some countries uninhabitable and poisoning the water.
Crisis-virus: From disruption to destruction
“We are facing a real shock that is probably beyond what we can imagine at the moment,” said European Central Bank (ECB) head Christine Lagarde in a recent interview.
US Treasury bill market under growing strain from Middle East turmoil
The $30 trillion US Treasury market is exhibiting mounting signs of stress as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East trigger heightened volatility in government bonds that underpin the global financial system.
Iran war creates perfect storm for the petrodollar - Deutsche Bank
The world was already dedollarising thanks to rising East-West tensions and the US decision to weaponize the dollar in 2022 by seizing the Russian central bank’s reserves. Trump has gone a step further.
Iran war is Asia's Ukraine moment, rapid green energy rollout will accelerate
Three quarters of the world's population live in fossil importing countries and bleed out at least 3% of GDP every year to import oil to run their cars and power plants.
Israel, US have armed themselves for the wrong war
The Israeli Army took its heaviest tank losses in over 40 years after Hezbollah ambushes destroyed 21 Merkavas main battle tanks in a single day on March 26. Israel and the US have armed themselves for the wrong war.
Qatar Airways parks 22 jets at Spain's Teruel airport as Gulf War continues
Qatar Airways has parked 22 jets at Spain's Teruel airport in under a week as Gulf airspace closures force carriers to store surplus capacity, echoing fleet grounding patterns last seen during Covid-19.