Month: October 2026

The US military has developed strike plans ​that could include using ‌the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb, also known ​as the “mother of ​all bombs”, against Iranian energy ⁠infrastructure and nuclear sites ​if President Donald Trump ​orders renewed combat operations, CNN reported on Thursday, citing US ​officials familiar with the ​matter. The potential deployment of the largest ‌non-nuclear ⁠bomb in the US arsenal would mark a significant escalation in the ​conflict. However, ⁠officials familiar with military planning discussions ​told CNN questions remain ​over ⁠its effectiveness in achieving Washington’s strategic…

Prolonged war in the Middle East and further disruptions to energy production, shipping routes or critical infrastructure pose the biggest risk to economies ​in the Middle East and Central Asia, the International Monetary Fund said ‌on Thursday. Jihad Azour, the IMF’s director for the Middle East and Central Asia, told reporters the war was imposing a highly uneven economic shock to the broader region, with directly affected states ​under severe pressure. “The outlook depends critically on how quickly energy production and ​trade normalize, and on countries’ ability to preserve macroeconomic…

Oil prices fell more than 1% on Thursday ​as investors weighed risks to supply from attacks on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz against US ‌efforts to cut petroleum shipping costs by easing sanctions on vessels. Brent crude futures fell $1.64, or 1.6%, to $104.42 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 98 cents, or 1%, to $94.11, reversing gains from the previous session. WTI rose to a three-week high in the prior ​session after the Houthis attacked Saudi Aramco’s headquarters and Iran said it was…

FIFA and the Saudi Esports Federation have postponed the FIFAe Finals 2026, scheduled to take place in Jeddah from October 16-25, organisers said on Thursday, following recent attacks on Saudi Arabia. A strike on Riyadh’s international airport on Saturday killed at least 12 people ​and wounded more than 300, with Yemen’s ​Iran-aligned Houthi movement claiming responsibility for the deadliest ⁠attack in Saudi Arabia in more than a ​decade. “The decision follows an assessment of recent developments ​in the region and their impact on the logistical arrangements required to stage the…

The Trump administration is considering ​easing sanctions on so-called shadow fleet vessels that have transported oil and petroleum products from countries including Russia, Iran and ‌Venezuela, in an effort to reduce record-high global freight rates, a US official said on Wednesday. The discussions are happening days after President Donald Trump temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian diesel fuel, a move met with a torrent of criticism from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, European countries and some of Trump’s fellow Republicans in the US Senate. Both Zelenskiy and the US senators called ​that…