Middle East

"Insiders at leading oil and gas companies have made millions from stocks since the Iran war began."

"U.S. lawmakers and Israeli officials have expressed opposition to such a plan, to be announced Wednesday, fearing that the kingdom could use a civilian nuclear project to develop nuclear weapons."

"A handful of countries in the OPEC+ oil-producing alliance plan to increase their outputs modestly next month, which would bring more oil online after fuel prices have fallen to levels not seen since before the U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran."

"Huge crowds of pilgrims in Saudi Arabia threw pebbles at a pillar in a symbolic ritual on one of the final days of the Hajj in temperatures reaching over 107 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) as Muslims around the world on Wednesday started celebrating the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha."

"A group of Senate Democrats is demanding that the Trump administration reimpose the sanctions it temporarily lifted on Russian oil to offset rising energy costs amid the Iran war."

"War had already darkened Tehran’s skies by March 8. When rain began to fall, residents said it was thick, foul-smelling and dark in color. Some described it as black rain, coating streets, rooftops, and cars in sootlike residue."

"The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday it will leave OPEC effective May 1, stripping the oil cartel of its third-largest producer and further weakening its leverage over global oil supplies and prices."

"The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has cut off a significant source of liquefied natural gas, but the United States, the biggest exporter of the fuel, is unlikely to pick up that slack because it has no spare capacity."

"China is poised to benefit from the Iran war as global energy disruptions accelerate a shift away from fossil fuels and toward clean technologies and renewable power, industries that China dominates, experts say."

"Consumers remain vulnerable to price spikes despite record domestic oil and gas production. But experts doubt the crisis will boost clean energy, absent strong policy."