Free Top Stories

What’s driving the US decision to lift sanctions on Venezuela’s oil sector?

18 October 2023

The US decision to lift sanctions on Venezuela's oil sector may be driven by three emergent geopolitical factors.

Bulgaria imposes punitive tax on gas transit from Russia

17 October 2023

Bulgaria has imposed a tax on the transit of Russian natural gas through its territory in a move seen as both an attempt to secure extra revenue and a blow against Moscow and its allies in Europe – Serbia, Hungary and part of Bosnia & Herzegovina.

Further evidence to come out about mysterious Finnish-Estonian gas pipe leak

17 October 2023

Nordic and Baltic seismologists detected blast-like waves on October 8 – the day that a leak occurred along the Balticconnector gas pipeline linking Estonia and Finland, potentially strengthening the theory of deliberate action being the cause.

Kazakhstan ready to send more oil to Uzbekistan for the right price

17 October 2023

Kazakhstan is prepared to consider increasing oil supplies to Uzbekistan if the price offered by Tashkent is right, Kazakh Deputy Energy Minister Yerlan Akkenzhenov said on October 11.

Europe's gas tank storage reaches an all-time high just before the winter's heating season starts

17 October 2023

Total gas reserves in the European Union have surged to an all-time high just as the heating season begins, according to Gas Infrastructure Europe (GIE), an industry group representing European gas operators.

Putin's birthday gift: Russia kicks off gas supplies to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan

17 October 2023

Russia officially launched natural gas deliveries to Uzbekistan via Kazakhstan on October 7, taking advantage of a squeeze in Central Asian gas supply to partly offset its loss of market share in Europe.

Ramifications of Israel-Gaza conflict could affect rest of MENA, says Capital Economics

16 October 2023

The outbreak of conflict between Hamas and Israel has not yet spilled over into the wider region. But the situation is in flux and, if Iran is pulled into direct conflict, the ramifications for the region would be a lot larger.

BALKAN BLOG: Poor but green Albania is getting richer (but possibly dirtier)

15 October 2023

Infrastructure investments and a booming tourism sector are already lifting Albania’s economy. Now it’s on the verge of a transformative oil investment.

Power Player profile: South African billionaire entrepreneur Patrice Motsepe

13 October 2023

South African mining billionaire businessman Patrice Motsepe is the founder and executive chairman of African Rainbow Minerals, a diversified mining and minerals company with operations in South Africa and Malaysia.

US imposes first punishments for ignoring Russian oil price cap sanctions

13 October 2023

US officials have imposed sanctions on companies violating the $60 per barrel price cap on Russia's seaborne crude exports for the first time on October 12.

COMMENT: Non-Western tankers carry most of Russian crude exports, G7 oil price cap fails

13 October 2023

Three-fifths of Russia's seaborne crude exports are now being shipped by tankers not required to comply with the G7 oil price cap, according to S&P Global data, as the oil price cap sanctions are increasingly seen to have failed.