Global Oil Volatility and Political Tensionsactive

Brent crude has jumped more than 50% since the Iran conflict began, as Asian markets fall and European stocks are set to open lower.

Disruption comes as investors see Jim Ratcliffe’s chemicals group boosted by energy market ructions from Iran conflict

Donald Trump told this to reporters aboard his plane on route from West Palm Beach, Florida, to Washington

Prices for Brent crude rise 3 per cent during early trading in Asia

Partners urged to ‘act together’ and not ‘weaken collective resilience’ as nations grapple with Strait of Hormuz closure

The crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is rippling beyond Asia. Though Latin America is far from the key oil and gas artery that’s been mostly choked off by Iran, it’s still heavily exposed to oil price volatility. Leer más

Nigel Farage has called Tate an ‘important voice’ for young men and held back from criticising his misogynistic views Reform insiders are becoming increasingly irritated by the party’s association with Andrew Tate and other extreme online celebrities whose views are too toxic for the mainstream voters Nigel Farage needs to win over. Insiders have revealed that as Reform prepare for power they are trying to end their association with more controversial figures on the right such as Tate, whose extreme and misogynistic content could taint the party’s credibility. Continue reading...

Peter Alexander is set to leave NBC News after more than two decades, marking a major shift for the network

Peter Alexander, NBC's chief White House correspondent, departs after 22 years, citing personal reasons.

A Hong Kong resident has been rescued from Myanmar and transferred to Thailand after being held captive and forced to perform illegal work, an experience he described as a "horror movie." The Security Bureau announced on Saturday that its dedicated task force had previously received a request for assistance from the resident who was trapped in Myanmar. It then coordinated with the Chinese embassies in Myanmar and Thailand, the city's economic and trade office in Bangkok, and Thai authorities to launch a joint operation. The bureau...

The war has disrupted shipping routes, raised fuel and insurance prices, closed airports, and left aid groups with tons of essential supplies stuck in warehouses.

The escalating confrontation in the Gulf is entering uncertain territory, with risks extending well beyond the region. For India, the stakes are unusually high—economically, strategically and politically—sparking calls for India to step in as a mediator. Given its deep economic stakes and wide-ranging relationships in the region, India appears, at first glance, to be a […] The post India’s calculated silence on the Iran war appeared first on Asia Times.

The announcement was made by the Thai Prime Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul.

Prime minister says country’s natural gas imports bill has tripled since start of Iran war

In response to a cyberattack on Kash Patel, Candace Owens dismisses allegations tying her to the breach, referencing Patel's girlfriend, Alexis Wilkins.

The U.S. President threatens to cut spending for NATO and is considering another intervention in Cuba.

Trump has, on several occasions in the past, claimed that the government in Havana, which is facing a severe economic crisis, is on the verge of collapse.

Raid on Iranian nuclear sites. Following a meeting of the G7 foreign ministers, the U.S. Secretary of State stated: "The United States can achieve its objectives without deploying ground troops."

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence is transforming how companies measure productivity and reward employees, with "tokens" — the units that quantify AI model usage — increasingly serving as a new benchmark for workplace performance.

In tonight's edition, Egypt orders shops, restaurants and shopping malls to shut their doors from 9:00 pm Saturday as it hopes to cushion the blow of energy prices that have more than doubled because of the Iran war. Also, rising jihadist violence in the Sahel is hitting tourism in Benin. And Somali women defy Al-Shabaab threats and conservative norms to play football.

In the Philippines, facing an energy supply crisis due to the impact of the situation in Iran, a state of energy emergency has been declared. In response, bus drivers and citizens held demonstrations, demanding that the government lower fuel prices and take other measures.

Gulf countries are increasingly frustrated with the US over the Iran war, privately questioning American security guarantees and expressing concern about the Trump administration’s apparent lack of strategy, according to people familiar with the matter.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers on Tuesday called on the Trump administration to impose sanctions on ex-Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik for undermining peace and security in the Balkans, coming five months after the president removed the penalties.  In a letter obtained exclusively by The Hill, Senate and House lawmakers called on Treasury Secretary Scott…

President Donald Trump announced new loan guarantees for farmers and food suppliers to bolster US agricultural communities. He spoke at the White House on Friday. (Source: Bloomberg)

President Trump will host hundreds of farmers, ranchers and executives Friday afternoon at the White House to outline his administration’s agriculture agenda. During the event, he is expected to announce actions to assist farmers and food suppliers, including new guidance on farm equipment regulations and ways to cut costs within the industry, as energy and…

According to Catherine Vautrin, France is taking a "defensive" position, seeking a diplomatic solution, particularly regarding the Strait of Hormuz

Matvei Rumiantsev, who became jealous of woman’s friendship with US president’s son, jailed for four years A Russian man has been jailed for four years for assaulting a woman in an attack in London that was witnessed on a video call by Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron. Matvei Rumiantsev, 23, attacked the woman when he became jealous of her friendship with Trump, 19, after she met him through social media, a court heard. Continue reading...

Read the BoJ’s March forecast from the FT’s Monetary Policy Radar team

Republican unity is showing early signs of fraying

The war in the Middle East is turning into a global oil crisis and fuel costs in Europe are escalating - sending governments scrambling to find solutions.

TOKYO — News of currency troubles in Thailand has a way of raising blood pressure amongst even the most battle-tested Asian investors. The baht’s dubious honor of being Asia’s worst-performing currency amid surging oil prices is making headlines and triggering more than a little PDST. It was Bangkok’s devaluation in July 1997 that set in motion the […] The post Iran war restores King Dollar’s crown, for now appeared first on Asia Times.

A cornucopia of bargains is lighting up booking sites for Thailand, where five-star luxury hotel rooms are going for huge discounts during the peak holiday season – the unplanned spin-off from the Iran war which threatens to hit international tourist arrivals at a crucial time of the year. At the same time, the surge in diesel costs caused by the choking of the Strait of Hormuz has forced many Thais to pause or scrap domestic travel plans, fearing such expenses will continue to rise during the...

Malaysian leader says oil tankers granted clearance by Iran as government introduces measures to conserve fuel.

The discussions come as the alcohol sector faces a difficult global environment, with consumption falling among younger drinkers and new tariffs – particularly in the United States – hurting major producers. Pernod Ricard has been especially affected by US duties.

Investors are racing to respond to the largest oil-supply disruption in history.

In the summer of 1998, the normally calm atmosphere at the Hong Kong Monetary Authority's headquarters in Citibank Tower abruptly vanished as regional currencies collapsed one after another. Greedy speculators had bet against currencies such as the Thai baht, the Indonesian rupiah, and the Korean won, and had made substantial profits. The crisis appeared to be about to bring the Hong Kong dollar to its knees as well. As those who lived through that time remember, during that sweltering month of August, the "wolves" were at...

Discussions under way with Brown-Forman to create premium alcohol group as sector battles subdued demand

It’s the latest instance of the US president putting his name and likeness on American cultural institutions. The plans come in tandem with an ongoing effort to get Trump's face on a coin.

Empty streets expose another crisis as Filipinos battle soaring oil prices, dwindling incomes, and a stagnating economy.

Tehran says US list of 15 demands does not reflect reality.

According to sources, INPEX, a major resource development company, has decided to prioritize selling crude oil from oil fields in Central Asia, where it holds interests, to Japanese companies. This move aims to diversify its sources of supply amid growing concerns about the stable supply of crude oil.

President Donald Trump extended his deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz until April 6, saying that talks are “going very well” on a deal between Washington and Tehran.

Despite threatening to intervene in the war in Iran, the Iran-backed Yemeni Houthi militia has so far remained passive. What are the reasons?

The two countries unveiled an action plan to build a plurilateral pact on critical minerals, setting shared rules, price floors and stockpiling goals with other willing partners.

The reprieve would ease disruptions in Malaysia’s energy supply, but the prime minister has vowed to make preparations for a more volatile future.

The OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) has maintained its forecast for global economic growth this year at 2.9%, unchanged from its previous prediction. This is because the economic benefits from investments in areas such as artificial intelligence (AI) are being offset by the rise in energy prices resulting from the situation in Iran.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister ⁠Anwar Ibrahim said ⁠on Thursday he had spoken to the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Turkey and other regional countries and said Malaysian vessels were now being allowed ‌to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Anwar in a televised address thanked Iran’s president for allowing the passage of Malaysian ships. “We are now in the process of releasing the Malaysian oil tankers and the ⁠workers involved so that they may continue their journey home,” ‌he said. Anwar said he talked...

A prolonged Middle East conflict could cut economic growth in developing Asia and the Pacific by up to 1.3 percentage points through 2027.

Iranian theocracy’s resilience seems to come as a surprise to Trump.

The war in Iran is threatening a small but crucial part of the complex supply chain that helps produce the world’s chips, as the conflict limits access to a large chunk of the world’s helium. Qatar produces about a third of the world’s helium, a gas that is central to the semiconductor manufacturing process at…

According to the source, currently no specific plans are being developed in this regard

Teesside site mothballed in September given £100m in government investment to restart production for at least three months A shuttered carbon dioxide plant is to reopen on Teesside with £100m of government investment in response to fears the war in Iran could trigger shortages of the gas that multiple industries rely on. The business secretary, Peter Kyle, has approved the reopening of the Ensus plant to help bolster production of CO2, which has uses ranging from carbonating drinks and keeping food fresh to medical procedures and the sedating of animals for slaughter. Continue reading...

A report published this month by the McKinsey Global Institute offers one of the most rigorous accountings of last year's trade war. Its verdict confounds almost every prediction made when the tariffs were first introduced.

European natural-gas prices rose, with the benchmark Dutch TTF front-month contract up 2.7% to 54.23 euros a megawatt-hour.

Rising energy bills provide the Reform party and the Conservative party with an opportunity to criticize the net zero policy, while the government hesitates to make a strong case for clean energy. Could net zero become "the next Brexit"? This is the concern among climate advocates as the oil crisis caused by the war in Iran begins to have an impact. A powerful coalition, including the well-funded Reform party led by Nigel Farage, the Conservative party, some business interests, and the UK's right-wing media, is launching an offensive against the long-standing goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

European politicians risk angering their voters if they join America’s war. Yet they could also face domestic upheaval if they take no action to reopen shipping routes that Iran has blocked and ease an energy crisis.

Ross Harrison says that public discussions about diplomacy between the US and Iran are masking deeply entrenched, uncompromising positions.

Iran's parliament speaker issues threat as US administration talks peace while committing more troops to conflict.

Japan should consider sending warships to help jointly secure the Strait of Hormuz with other nations and protect both its own vessels and those of other nations — even before a ceasefire, according to a former top national security adviser.

The former ambassador highlights the divisions among European Union member states over how to approach relations with the US and warns of the dangers of what he calls a worrying 'Faustian pact' between Europe and Donald Trump.

The amount of the settlement was not disclosed in court papers.

The fighting continued while conditions for a possible cease-fire were debated.

Manus’s CEO and chief scientist are facing scrutiny from Beijing over the company’s $2 billion sale to Meta.

The world's most critical maritime chokepoint is at the center of a geopolitical...

Cabbage farmers in the Philippines are harvesting their crops at a loss as prices plunge and fuel costs soar.

Alexis Wilkins claims that a network with foreign ties is using influencers and social media to sow division among Trump supporters and to target her.

Tehran skeptical of president’s offer – and troop deployments for potential ground operations suggest claim of imminent end to war not credible Somewhere between the strait of Hormuz and the screens of Bloomberg terminals around the world, the standard laws of cause and effect appear to have been suspended for Donald Trump’s war in Iran. Trump this week soft-launched his latest Iran peace talks – which he has said must be accepted or “we’ll just keep bombing our little hearts out” – with few details or proof that anyone in the Iranian regime was willing to listen to him. The ultimatum was described as “maximalist” by Iran and quickly derided as a non-starter by analysts and former government officials. Continue reading...

It’s Trump’s war, but is it also NATO’s problem? Europeans forced to bear security and financial consequences of the second war at its doorstep. We'll see if our panel agrees with Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte who assures it’s only a matter of “a couple of weeks” before traditional allies agree to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran has severely damaged several American military bases in the Middle East, officials say.

President Trump made his first public call for a clean extension of the nation’s warrantless spy powers Wednesday, pointing to the ongoing conflict in Iran as a rationale.  Trump, through legislative channels, has called for an 18-month extension of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which authorizes the government to spy on…

The Justice Department has reached a financial settlement with Michael Flynn, a conservative activist and former official in the first Trump administration who sought millions of dollars from the government for what he alleged was a wrongful prosecution effort.

The Bab al-Mandeb Strait is considered one of the world’s strategic straits

The president has both domestic and international political reasons for promoting negotiations to end the war. Iran has similar reasons for denying any discussions.

The Freelander name is making a comeback in the automotive world, but with a different focus than what made it famous in previous decades. The designation, historically associated with Land Rover, will now be used as a new brand of electric vehicles, as part of a partnership between Chery and Jaguar Land Rover. This project is part of a joint strategy aimed at developing a line of electrified models primarily targeted at the Chinese market, although with international aspirations. In this context, Freelander is moving away from being a specific model and transforming into an independent brand, focused on electric mobility. The first model, which will be unveiled next Tuesday, March 31st, will be a plug-in hybrid SUV developed on Chery's T1X platform, which has already been used for models from various brands, such as the Jaecoo 7. A blurred image of the headlights has been released, leaving room for speculation, although British media suggest it will share similarities with the Porsche Macan. This initiative is supported by the existing structure of the joint venture between the two companies in China, which will allow them to leverage industrial capabilities, production networks, and technological expertise. Chery contributes its experience in the manufacturing and development of electric vehicles, while Jaguar Land Rover contributes the value of its legacy and the global recognition associated with the Freelander name. Future models will…

With energy prices soaring and the Strait of Hormuz still closed, the world must cut demand. From 4-day workweeks and petrol rations to turning down the air con, here's what some countries are trying.

The Trump administration said the Middle East would “recede” in importance as the China challenge took priority. But the president started the Iran war.

Critics say that Mark Rutte, the alliance's secretary general, has overstepped his authority by openly supporting a war that does not directly involve Europe's collective defense.

A separatist drive in Alberta could split a country that Trump wants to make the 51st US state.

Gas reserves in underground storage facilities in the Netherlands have reached a historic low, falling to about 6%

Faced with another energy crisis, the continent is reaching for a form it had largely abandoned.

A video purportedly showing the strike was shared by Iran's Fars news agency, depicting projectiles being launched into the sky and loud explosions in the background.

US President Donald Trump announced on Monday that negotiations between the United States and Iran had begun. Several Iranian officials denied these claims.

Beijing is weighing penalties for key figures at Manus, a Singapore startup with Chinese origins.

The US is recklessly causing economic disruption among global friends and foes while suffering little harm itself. To protect ordinary Indians from the war in Iran, the government in Delhi redirected supplies of liquefied gas to Indian families, which is their main cooking fuel, limiting supplies to the plastics industry. The Nepalese government rationed gas, and the Philippines reduced the government workweek to four days. Bangladesh closed universities and rationed fuel. They have been hardest hit by Iran's closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Economies in Asia import, on average, over a third of the energy they consume. Korea imports four-fifths; Japan nine-tenths; Thailand 55%. Most of this comes from the Gulf. According to the International Energy Agency, about 80% of oil and oil products transiting through the strait in 2025 was destined for Asia. However, traffic through its waters has collapsed by 90%.

As Qatar’s gas stops flowing to Europe and Iran chokes the Strait of Hormuz, energy prices are surging and tensions have spiked. US threats raise the stakes — but reopening this vital artery is far from simple, with risky military options, asymmetric warfare, and the looming threat of mined waters hanging over global trade. Here are some basic questions and answers.

In January of this year, it was discovered that two Japanese citizens were detained by Chinese customs authorities at an airport in Guangzhou, in southern China. One of the two individuals was released on bail, while the other remains in detention.

China and the United States are attempting to manage their differences to ensure a basic level of stability in their relationship, according to a recent academic conference in Beijing. At a forum held by Tsinghua University in Beijing on Friday, academics and former officials discussed the need to avoid open confrontation. US President Donald Trump's planned visit – now postponed for "five or six weeks" as he focuses on his conflict with Iran – was seen by many as a crucial opportunity.

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, March 25th

Markets in Asia and Europe move higher, while crude hovers at about $100 a barrel amid cautious optimism Business live – latest updates The price of oil has dipped and Asian stock markets moved higher after reports that Donald Trump has sent a 15-point framework for peace to Iran, amid hopes of a ceasefire in the Middle East. Oil prices had fallen by 4% in the early hours of Wednesday, with brent crude futures sinking below $100 a barrel and even moving as low as $97.57 as trading was influenced by the prospect of an end to the conflict easing the squeeze on oil supply. Continue reading...

Oil fell as a diplomatic push by the US to try to end the war with Iran gathered pace despite the Strait of Hormuz remaining largely shut and news of more US troops being sent to the region. Oil remains on track for a substantial monthly surge after a volatile run of trading as investors tracked the fallout from the war. Bloomberg’s Anthony di Paola reports.