Oil prices rose on Sunday after prospects for a U.S.-Iran peace deal failed to materialise, while stock futures edged lower in response.The move came after the two sides did not reach an agreement, prompting an immediate reaction in markets.The supplied report does not give further details on the talks or the size of the price changes.The market response matters because any shift in U.S.-Iran diplomacy can affect expectations around energy supply and broader investor sentiment.In this case, traders appeared to treat the stalled talks as a fresh geopolitical risk.The incident is being watched closely because oil prices and stock futures... [Continue Reading]
President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social at 10 May 2026 at 18:52 BST: "Iran has been playing games with the United States, and the rest of the World, for 47 years (DELAY, DELAY, DELAY!), and then finally hit "pay dirt" when Barack Hussein Obama became President. He was not only good to them, he was great, actually going to their side, jettisoning Israel, and all other Allies, and giving Iran a major and very powerful new lease on life." "Hundreds of Billions of Dollars, and 1.7 Billion Dollars in green cash, flown into Tehran, was handed to them on... [Continue Reading]
Iran has sent its response to US proposals aimed at ending the war, according to Iranian state media.The reply was delivered through mediators in Pakistan, while no public details have been released about either side's proposals.The development comes as a ceasefire meant to support talks has largely held, despite occasional exchanges of fire.Iran has also continued to restrict the Strait of Hormuz, while the US has enforced a blockade of Iranian ports.The Strait of Hormuz remains central to the dispute because it is a major route for global oil shipments.Any change to access through the waterway could affect energy markets... [Continue Reading]
Iran says it has seized an oil tanker listed by the United States as a sanctions violator, in the latest maritime confrontation linked to the Strait of Hormuz.A maritime tracking company said the move was likely performative, noting that the Chinese-owned ship had an "established history within the Iranian trade ecosystem." The seizure adds to already heightened tensions in and around the waterway, which is one of the world's most important routes for oil and liquefied natural gas shipments.Any disruption there can quickly affect shipping and energy markets, making even limited incidents closely watched by governments and traders.The development comes... [Continue Reading]
The United Arab Emirates said its air defences were engaging missile and drone threats from Iran early on Friday, in a further test of the fragile ceasefire between the US and Iran.The latest reported attack came a day after exchanges of fire around the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for global oil and liquefied natural gas flows.Few immediate details were available about the incident in the UAE.US President Donald Trump said three US destroyers transited the strait under fire and were not damaged.He later said the ceasefire was still in effect and played down the exchange.Iran's top joint... [Continue Reading]
Officials in Pakistan have said the United States and Iran are close to a temporary agreement aimed at halting the war in the Middle East and keeping shipping lanes open while wider talks continue.The reported interim deal could be reached as early as this weekend, according to the Pakistani officials, who said Tehran was reviewing a US proposal.The claim comes after a near breakdown of the current ceasefire earlier this week.The possible agreement has immediate implications for regional security and global energy markets.A partial deal that could lead to the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz helped push global stocks... [Continue Reading]
Shell has reported a sharp rise in first-quarter profits after oil prices climbed following the start of the Iran war.The company said profits for the first three months of the year reached $6.92bn, up from $5.58bn a year earlier and above analysts' expectations.The increase came as the price of oil rose sharply after the conflict began and the Strait of Hormuz was effectively closed.The route usually carries about 20% of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies.Shell said its oil and gas output fell by 4% compared with the final three months of last year because of the conflict, which... [Continue Reading]
The United States has allowed Venezuela to begin a debt restructuring process as the country seeks to stabilise its economy.The move comes as Venezuela faces about $60 billion in defaulted bonds, according to the supplied report.The decision is significant because it opens a path for talks over obligations that have remained unresolved for years.It also comes at a time when Venezuela is trying to address wider economic pressures.Debt restructuring can affect how a country manages repayments, negotiates with creditors and restores access to financial markets.In Venezuela's case, the scale of the defaulted bonds makes the process potentially important for its... [Continue Reading]
Donald Trump used a White House event for Small Business Week to present the US economy in upbeat terms, describing it as "roaring" and saying gas prices would go down soon.The remarks came as he addressed the economic backdrop of the Iran war, but the supplied material does not include any new policy announcement or specific economic measures.The comments are notable because they frame the conflict's economic impact in political messaging terms rather than as an immediate domestic crisis.They also suggest the White House is seeking to reassure businesses and consumers about prices.The event was held at the White House... [Continue Reading]
As I sat in a recent debate at the historic Carlton Club in London, listening to Faisal Abbas, the Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, I felt a tangible shift in the room, not because a new fact had been revealed, but because an old illusion had finally lost its last breath. The old-world order has not merely changed, it has evaporated, leaving the Gulf to realize it is no longer watching a distant fire from the safety of marble towers and air-conditioned ministries, but is instead standing directly inside the smoke. The GCC today is caught in a lethal crossfire between... [Continue Reading]
As a journalist in my mid-fifties, I thought my skin had thickened to the point of being impenetrable. I have covered the rise and fall of regimes, the grinding gears of the Cold War's leftovers, and the digital revolutions that promised to unite us. I thought I had seen every trick in the political playbook. Then came Donald Trump’s 2026 foreign policy, and I realized I was not watching a statesman; I was watching a child play with a chemistry set he does not understand. The Willy Wonka of the West: Rule by Whim Walking into a press briefing lately... [Continue Reading]
Yesterday the war crossed a line! For years the Sejjil ballistic missile existed mostly as a symbol. A weapon paraded in military videos, discussed in defense briefings, whispered about in strategic circles as one of Iran’s most serious capabilities. A weapon that analysts described as deterrence, not something meant to be used. But on March 15, 2026, that line disappeared. Iran reportedly launched the Sejjil (also known as Ashoura) as part of what Tehran called the 54th wave of Operation True Promise 4, a massive strike package that also included the Fattah hypersonic missile and the Qadr ballistic missile system.... [Continue Reading]
A Voice in the Wilderness of War: Who Still Dares to Speak Truth While Empires March There are moments in history when the world suddenly accelerates toward disaster, moments when anyone who has studied history can feel the temperature rising even before the explosions reach their peak. The current escalation in the Middle East is one of those moments. According to the facts we now see unfolding, the United States and Israel made the unilateral decision to attack Iran without the approval of the United Nations, without a global coalition mandate, and without the support of most of the international... [Continue Reading]
Power, Greed, Oil, and the Theater of Modern Geopolitics The Business Model of Power Donald Trump does not govern like a traditional politician. He governs like a negotiator who believes every geopolitical crisis is leverage, every war threat is a bargaining chip, and every market panic is an opportunity. When markets tremble, someone profits. The question is, who? Global markets react instantly to political tension. Gold rises when conflict looms. Oil spikes when instability threatens production. Stock markets collapse on fear, then rebound on reassurance. Volatility is not chaos, it is opportunity. Historically, gold has surged during major geopolitical crises,... [Continue Reading]