Iran arrests 30 'spies' belonging to US and Israel, intelligence ministry says The Iranian Ministry of Intelligence said that arrested "30 spies, agents, and internal field operatives belonging to the American and [Israeli] enemy".
Saudi Aramco chief warns of vulnerable global oil markets The head of Saudi Aramco has warned that global energy markets remain vulnerable as most of the world’s spare oil production capacity sits in the Middle East. Speaking amid growing turmoil in the region, Aramco’s chief executive said: “Unfortunately for global markets all spare capacity is in this region. ” He added that the company is currently relying in part on existing global stockpiles to continue supplying customers, warning that it "cannot be used for an extended period of time".
India diverts gas to priority sectors after Strait of Hormuz closure India has activated emergency measures to redirect natural gas supplies to priority sectors after liquefied natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz were disrupted, according to a government notification. Authorities said gas will be diverted away from non-essential users to protect key industries and services that depend heavily on the fuel. India consumes about 195 million standard cubic metres of gas per day and relies on imports for roughly half of that demand.
Video: US sanctions murdered 38 million people, political scientist says “American sanctions from 1971 to 2021…murdered 38 million people. ” Political scientist John Mearsheimer criticised US foreign policy and cited a report by The Lancet that says US sanctions have killed 38 million people worldwide. “American sanctions from 1971 to 2021…murdered 38 million people.
Putin urges Russian firms to capitalise on energy market turmoil Russian President Vladimir Putin said Russian companies should “take advantage” of the current situation as the war disrupts global oil and energy markets. Speaking at a meeting in the Kremlin, Putin said the US-Israeli has triggered a worldwide energy crisis and warned that oil production relying on transport through the Strait of Hormuz could soon come to a halt. He added that Russia would be ready to supply European buyers if they were willing to engage in “long-term work without politics”.
IEA called for joint release of emergency oil stocks at G7 online meeting The International Energy Agency (IAE) called for a coordinated release of emergency oil reserves during online meeting with the finance ministers from the Group of Seven states, Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama told a briefing. "IEA called for each country to do coordinated release of oil reserves," Katayama said, as the ministers gathered online to discuss the impact of war in Iran on the markets which saw oil prices surging to more than $119 a barrel on Monday.
Iran says it will confiscate assets of diaspora who 'cooperate with Zionists' The Iranian Attorney General’s Office on Monday said that the properties of Iranians abroad who "cooperate with the enemy" will be confiscated, IRIB news agency reported. According to the statement: “This announcement refers to Article 1 of the law on enhancing punishment for espionage and cooperation with the Zionist regime [Israel] and hostile countries against national security and interests, approved in October of this year.
Finance ministers of G7 nations to hold emergency talks on releasing oil reserves Finance ministers from the G7 nations will hold an emergency meeting to discuss releasing strategic oil reserves as global crude prices surge, the Financial Times reported, citing sources. The move is being considered to stabilise energy markets amid disruptions linked to the widening Middle East conflict. US officials reportedly believe that releasing between 300 million and 400 million barrels from strategic reserves could help ease supply pressures and calm volatile markets.
Pakistan Stock Exchange plunges as oil shock rattles global markets Pakistan Stock Exchange benchmark index plunged more than 9,000 points in early trading, which resulted in trade suspension in the market for 45 minutes, local media reported. The development came amid escalating Middle East tensions, triggering a massive sell-off, the report said, adding that the benchmark index shed a massive 9,780 points in its opening session. Similar scenes were witnessed in markets across Asia, including Japan, South Korea and India, where the market value of shares fell sharply as the oil shock above $115 rattled global markets.
Oil surge hits Indian refiners, stocks tumble after Strait of Hormuz closure Shares of major Indian refiners fell sharply on Monday as oil prices surged amid the widening US-Israeli war with Iran, Reuters news agency reported. The report said that Indian shares fell as higher crude oil prices were seen as adding pressure on the South Asian country's economy, stoking growth and inflation worries while pushing up import costs in the world's third-largest oil importer. State-run Indian Oil dropped about 6.
Bangladesh shuts universities as Middle East conflict strains energy Bangladesh on Monday announced all universities will be closed as part of emergency measures to conserve fuel amid a worsening energy crisis linked to the conflict in the Middle East, Reuters news agency reported. The decision applies to both public and private universities and is aimed at reducing power consumption and easing traffic congestion that leads to fuel use. The move comes as Bangladesh faces uncertainty over fuel and gas supplies linked to disruptions in global energy markets caused by the conflict in the Middle East.
Investigation finds US-sanctioned Kinahan cartel leaders 'living openly' in Dubai Submitted by MEE staff on Sun, 03/08/2026 - 00:44 Video shows Christy Kinahan at Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena despite international manhunt Left: Kinahan with Tyson Fury in Dubai in February 2022. Right: Irish boxer Jono Carroll with Kinahan at Dubai’s Emirates Golf Club in February 2022. BELLINGCAT / zaidikhan / jono_carroll Off Irish cartel leaders Christy Kinahan and his son Daniel are "living openly in Dubai" despite an international manhunt and multimillion-dollar rewards for information leading to their arrest, an investigation by The Sunday Times in collaboration with the open-source outlet Bellingcat shows.
Germany announces nearly more than $100m in regional aid Germany announced it will provide nearly 100 million euros ($108m) additional humanitarian aid for the region as the situation in Lebanon worsens amid ongoing Israeli strikes. In a post on X, the German Foreign Office said it was "deeply worried" about the dire humanitarian situation, adding that the funding was aimed at helping the growing number of internally displaced people in the region. We are deeply worried about the increasingly dire humanitarian situation in #Lebanon .
UK accused of 'collective punishment' over Sudanese students ban Submitted by Daniel Tester on Fri, 03/06/2026 - 19:13 Students accepted to British universities say visa ban could shatter their plans to study abroad and help rebuild their war-torn countries British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood leaves following a cabinet meeting at 10 Downing Street in central London on 10 February 2026 (AFP/Ben Stansall) Off When Ibrahim Dafallah checked his messages on Wednesday morning, he could hardly believe the news. Nearly three years into Sudan ’s devastating war, the country had been placed on a list of four nations whose citizens would be banned from obtaining visas to study in the United Kingdom , alongside Myanmar, Afghanistan and Cameroon. For Dafallah, the announcement was devastating.
WHO Dubai hub to resumes aid shipments after pause The World Health Organization said it is restarting humanitarian supply operations after a temporary halt caused by insecurity, airspace closures and restrictions around the Strait of Hormuz. Dr Hanan Balkhy, the WHO’s regional director for the eastern Mediterranean, said operations are resuming as airspace begins to reopen. She said the disruption affected more than 50 emergency supply requests across 25 countries, with aid intended to support over 1.
US oil prices soar over 10 percent after Trump demands Iranian surrender The price of the benchmark US oil contract soared more than 10 percent on Friday, amid fears of extended disruption to crude supplies after President Donald Trump demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender". West Texas Intermediate surged 10. 63 percent to $89.
Report: UAE considering freeze on Iranian assets The United Arab Emirates is considering freezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets held in the country, The Wall Street Journal reported. The move could target what the report described as Iran’s shadow financing networks and potentially limit Tehran’s access to foreign currency. The report comes amid escalating regional tensions after Iran launched strikes across several sites in the region, including the UAE, following the joint US-Israel war against Iran.
Sri Lanka attempts rescue of another Iranian shop off its coast Sri Lanka is attempting to "safeguard lives" on another Iranian ship off its coast, the country's cabinet spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa said on Thursday. "We are doing our utmost to safeguard lives," Jayatissa said, adding that the vessel was in the economic zone beyond the coutnry's territorial waters.
Maersk suspends bookings in Gulf 'until further notice' Danish shipping giant Maersk has announced a temporary suspension of bookings in the Gulf following a risk assessment amid escalating tensions in the region. "We are temporarily suspending cargo booking acceptance in and out of UAE, Oman (all ports apart from Salalah), Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia (Dammam and Jubail only) until further notice. This is with immediate notice.
IAEA confirms fresh damage at Iran’s Natanz site The International Atomic Energy Agency says satellite imagery shows new damage at Iran’s underground Natanz Fuel Enrichment Plant. In a statement, the agency said it could confirm “some recent damage to entrance buildings” at the facility based on the latest available images. It added: “No radiological consequence expected and no additional impact detected at the [Fuel Enrichment Plant] itself, which was severely damaged in the June conflict,” referring to the 12-day war launched by Israel against Iran last year, which also involved US strikes on Natanz and two other nuclear sites.
