Politics, Geopolitics & Conflict Syrian intelligence claims to have foiled multiple Islamic State plots to assassinate President Ahmad al-Sharaa, including one near the Damascus military airport, highlighting the group’s continued reach despite years of attrition. The government used the incident to reinforce its narrative of national stability and justify new counterterrorism powers that expand security control over civilian zones. Western intelligence officials see the threats as credible but limited, with Islamic State activity centered…

There are very few things that can make a stock tank more than an equity raise. When a company sells more equity it, by definition, dilutes the value of the existing stock. In simple terms, if a company has a market value of $1 million and has issued 10,000 shares, then each share is worth $100. However, if they then raise capital by selling another 10,000 shares, each share is then worth only $50. The value of the company hasn’t changed, but instead of that value being split 10,000 ways, it is now split 20,000 ways. The stock has to halve…

Netanyahu’s position is increasingly precarious. The coalition has thinned to a one-seat margin after United Torah Judaism’s withdrawal over the draft dispute, and the 2026 budget deadline now hangs over him as the next trigger point.  The Supreme Court’s end to Haredi draft exemptions forced the army to begin issuing call-ups this year, igniting mass protests and exposing a structural fault line that no version of the bill can bridge. Any compromise risks splitting either the ultra-Orthodox or nationalist wings. That tension…

Faced with difficult trade negotiations with the United States and American tariffs on their products, Canada and India pledged to encourage long-term supply chain partnerships in critical minerals and clean energy.  At a trade summit in India, Canada and the host country agreed to revive their stalled bilateral relations and “reiterated their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation through sustained dialogue, mutual respect, and forward-looking initiatives,” the countries said in a joint statement.  Canada and India…

Uncertain demand signals and high costs are holding back India’s green hydrogen goals and plans, the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA) said in a briefing note on Friday, days after a senior Indian official warned the country would miss its 2030 green hydrogen production target.  Most projects to produce green hydrogen – via electrolysis using renewable electricity – in India are struggling to reach financial closure as buyer hesitancy amid high costs, uncertainty about long-term demand, and inadequate…

Chinese solar equipment producers are shifting from panels to battery storage to tackle a chronic oversupply in the panel and equipment market that has crashed many sector players’ bottom lines. The latest to make the move was one of the largest in the sector, Longi Green Energy Technology. Bloomberg cited a security filing by the company showing that it was planning to buy a majority stake of 62% in local battery storage maker PotisEdge. The surge in EVs and solar and wind power installations has resulted in excessive manufacturing capacity…

Recently, Bloomberg reported that five of India's largest oil refiners have made no purchases of Russian crude for December delivery, instead turning to Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iraq for crude with similar properties to Urals. The move comes after Washington sanctioned Rosneft and Lukoil while the EU adopted its 19th package of sanctions. Only Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and Nayara Energy, in which Rosneft holds a 49% stake, have purchased crude from Russia for December. Meanwhile, the diplomatic sensitivity of the ongoing trade talks between the…

Rodrigo Paz, the centrist senator who won the presidential election in Bolivia last month, was sworn in this weekend and immediately set to work to undo the policies of 20 years of nearly-uninterrupted socialist rule. In the first round of the presidential election on 17 August, the left-wing Movimiento al Socialismo (MAS) suffered a historic defeat after nearly two decades in power. MAS nominee Eduardo del Castillo won only about 3% of the vote, while right-leaning Quiroga secured 27% and the more centrist Paz won 32%. Paz, who defeated conservative…

The energy transition faces the biggest challenge yet as a global backlash against renewable energy – spearheaded by U.S. President Donald Trump – is gaining momentum, according to two of the European pioneers of wind turbine design. President Trump’s views on wind energy and climate change are extreme, but they are symptomatic of a global shift in the perception of the need for and benefits from the energy transition, say Henrik Stiesdal and Andrew Garrad, a Dane and a Brit, who are often referred to as the “Godfathers…

After decades of funding major infrastructure projects with state money, the Chinese government has zeroed in on private capital as a source of fresh cash for big projects in everything from transport to energy, to power generation, and drones. In a new policy presented earlier this week, Beijing signaled private capital is now welcome in hydropower, nuclear power, oil and gas pipelines, and water supply, media reported, citing government officials. “Private investment serves as a key barometer reflecting economic vitality and plays a crucial…

The global energy storage sector is heating up to be “clean energy’s next trillion-dollar business.” As more nations around the world become increasingly reliant on renewable energies to power their grids and the AI boom pushes clean energy expansion as part of an all-the-above approach to ramping up energy production as fast as possible, energy storage is becoming an increasingly critical component of energy security at local, national, and global scales. Researchers have estimated that a net-zero energy future will require a…

Well, someone important finally said it. Craig Albert, head of construction firm Bechtel, credited by the Financial Times for “rescuing” the Vogtle nuclear project in Georgia (we think “finishing“ it would be a better description), told that august paper that if the government wanted to get Donald Trump’s nuclear construction expansion going, it should be willing to pick up part of the costs. That is, subsidize the seemingly inevitable cost overruns? All the stories that followed talked about encouraging the “early…

Germany has agreed to subsidize electricity for its heavy industries, capping prices at about €0.05 per kilowatt-hour from 2026 through 2028—a major policy move aimed at keeping its industrial base from eroding under the weight of Europe’s soaring energy costs. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Thursday that Berlin’s coalition partners reached the deal after months of debate, and that discussions with the European Commission for approval were “largely complete.” The measure will target energy-intensive industries…

Germany has agreed to subsidize electricity for its heavy industries, capping prices at about €0.05 per kilowatt-hour from 2026 through 2028—a major policy move aimed at keeping its industrial base from eroding under the weight of Europe’s soaring energy costs. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Thursday that Berlin’s coalition partners reached the deal after months of debate, and that discussions with the European Commission for approval were “largely complete.” The measure will target energy-intensive industries…

As oil prices struggle to find a footing in the wake of the latest OPEC moves, natural gas has stepped into a standout role in the global energy mix. This year, the demand and price trends for natural gas underscore both its resilience and its growing importance as an economic driver and transition fuel. Why Natural Gas Is Defying the Energy Downturn Global energy markets have been anything but stable in recent years. Geopolitical tensions, inflationary pressures, and the accelerating push toward decarbonization have made investors uneasy. Yet…

FTSE 100 giant Rolls-Royce said it expects profit for the full-year to be 26 per cent higher than the previous financial year after a hefty boost from its civil aerospace and defence divisions. The Derby-headquartered group is eyeing an operating profit of £3.1bn to £3.2bn after upgrading its earlier guidance of £2.7bn to £2.9bn. This would mark a major jump from the £2.5bn scored in the 2024 financial year. The London-listed has benefited from tailwinds in the recovery of global air travel, which has bolstered its…

Nearly a third of Russia’s current seaborne oil export potential is now stuck in tankers as the U.S. sanctions upend crude flows and Russia’s top buyers, China and India, are still struggling to assess the implications of the sanctions, according to JPMorgan.   “Russia’s oil exports are entering a new phase of disruption as sanctions targeting Rosneft and Lukoil are set to take effect, prompting its two largest customers — India and China — to sharply reduce their December purchases,” the Wall…

Nearly a third of Russia’s current seaborne oil export potential is now stuck in tankers as the U.S. sanctions upend crude flows and Russia’s top buyers, China and India, are still struggling to assess the implications of the sanctions, according to JPMorgan.   “Russia’s oil exports are entering a new phase of disruption as sanctions targeting Rosneft and Lukoil are set to take effect, prompting its two largest customers — India and China — to sharply reduce their December purchases,” the Wall…

Nearly a third of Russia’s current seaborne oil export potential is now stuck in tankers as the U.S. sanctions upend crude flows and Russia’s top buyers, China and India, are still struggling to assess the implications of the sanctions, according to JPMorgan.   “Russia’s oil exports are entering a new phase of disruption as sanctions targeting Rosneft and Lukoil are set to take effect, prompting its two largest customers — India and China — to sharply reduce their December purchases,” the Wall…

Crude oil inventories in the United States increased by 6.4 million barrels during the week ending November 7, after gaining 5.2 million barrels in the week prior, according to new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released on Thursday. The increase brings commercial stockpiles to 427.6 million barrels according to government data, which is still 4% below the five-year average for this time of year. The EIA’s data release follows API’s figures that were released a day earlier, which suggested that crude oil…