Saturday, October 17, 2026

Security Council News

Leaders of Moldova say they will ask parliament for permission to declare an energy and water emergency

Moldova's pro European leaders announced on Monday that they were asking the parliament to declare an emergency for energy and water supplies due to dangerously low levels of the Dniester River, which Moldova shares with Ukraine. After a meeting with the Security Council of Moldova…

Milei united in opposition to Falkland Islands oil proposal

Argentines are broadly in support of President Javier Milei’s?forceful campaign against oil drilling near Falkland Island, underlining the enduring resonance Argentina's claim to sovereignty over the British controlled archipelago. Milei, in a televised speech on Thursday, said that…

Trump's controversial plan to price minerals is met with skepticism from the G7 and a divided industry

According to diplomatic sources, and an analysis of corporate policies, the Trump administration's plan to increase critical?minerals by regulating prices has been met with skepticism from G7 allies, and a divided industry. Negotiations for a Western Trading bloc have stalled over concerns regarding cost and governance.

Guyana warns World Court that Venezuela's claim to oil-rich Esequibo Region poses an existential threat

Guyana asked the judges of the International Court?of Justice to rule Venezuela doesn't 'have a legitimized claim on the oil-rich area around the Esequibo River, which has been a disputed region between Latin American neighbours ever since colonial times. Hugh Hilton 'Todd, Guyana's foreign minister…

Oil Prices Fall 4% as US Proposes Iran Peace Plan

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Oil prices slid about 4% on Wednesday on reports that the U.S. had sent Iran a 15-point proposal aimed at ending the war, prompting talk of progress toward a ceasefire.Brent futures fell 3.96, or 3.8%, to $100.53 a barrel at 10:41 a.m. EDT (1441 GMT), while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell $3.57…

China Calls for Gulf Conflict to End, Addressing Southeast Asia Energy Shortages

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China called for an end to conflict in the Gulf and said the safety of waterways should not be disturbed on Thursday, adding that it was ready to work with Southeast Asia to address energy shortages as oil markets reel from supply shocks.While the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has allowed China to cast itself as the more reliable superpower…

US and allies clash over Iran nuclear program with Russia and China

On Thursday, the U.S. and its allies faced off against Russia and China over Iran's intentions to develop nuclear weapons. Washington was attempting to justify at the United Nations the war that it started two weeks ago on Iran. Russia and China tried to block the discussion of a committee that would oversee and enforce U.N.

US, UK Ramp Up Pressure on India to Stop Russian Oil Imports

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Western powers have ramped up pressure on Russia's oil sales amid its war with Ukraine as U.S. President Donald Trump said India would stop buying and Britain imposed sanctions on top Russian oil firms.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is schedule to meet Trump in Washington…

State media report that Malaysia's deputy PM claims Petronas was threatened to "burn" LNG facilities

According to state media, the Malaysian authorities issued a security warning for liquefied gas facilities after an employee of state energy company Petronas was threatened by telephone to burn them down. Petronas or Petroliam Nasional Berhad confirmed that it is working with the…

US Vice President Vance: Russia has made significant concessions to Ukraine peace deal

JD Vance, the U.S. vice president, said that Russia had made "significant concessions," toward a negotiated resolution in its war against Ukraine. He was confident of progress despite the absence of clear signs that the conflict was nearing an ending. Vance, speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press With Kristen Welker”…

US Vice President Vance: Russia has made significant concessions to Ukraine peace deal

JD Vance, the U.S. vice president, said that Russia had made "significant concessions", towards a negotiated resolution in its war against Ukraine. He was confident that progress was being made even though there were no clear advancements towards the end of the conflict. Vance, speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press With Kristen Welker”…

Iranian Oil Exports End 2022 at a High, Despite No Nuclear Deal

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Iranian oil exports hit new highs in the last two months of 2022 and are making a strong start to 2023 despite U.S. sanctions, according to companies that track the flows, on higher shipments to China and Venezuela.Tehran's oil exports have been limited since former U.S. President…

Valero Seeks US Approval to Import Venezuelan Oil

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Valero Energy Corp, the second-largest U.S. oil refiner, is seeking Washington's permission to import Venezuelan crude, according to four people close to the matter, hoping for a repeat of the approval granted to Chevron Corp in November after a four-year ban.President Joe Biden's administration has eased some U.S.

White House Welcomes OPEC+ Decision to Stick to Planned Output Increase

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The White House on Tuesday welcomed a decision by top oil producers to stick with their plans to raise crude production and touted "close" coordination with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.Earlier on Tuesday, a group of producers comprising the Organization of the Petroleum…

Russia's Medvedev Says Oil Could Hit Up to $400 a Barrel if Japanese Proposal Adopted

Dmitry Medvedev - Credit: Duma, via Wikimedia Commons - CC BY 4.0

Russia's former president Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday a reported proposal from Japan to cap the price of Russian oil at around half its current level would lead to significantly less oil on the market and could push prices above $300-$400 a barrel.Commenting on the proposal, which was reportedly put forward by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida…

JERA, Japan's LNG supplier, may look at Alaska, says exec

JERA, Japan’s largest power generator, could consider Alaska as a possible source of liquefied gas (LNG), according to an executive on Monday. Japanese officials will be heading to the United States for another round in tariff negotiations this week. Alaska LNG, which is a $44 billion project that includes a pipeline…

Sources: Trump wants to refine minerals on Pentagon bases in order to boost US production

U.S. President Donald Trump aims to build metals refining facilities on Pentagon military bases as part of his plan to boost domestic production of critical minerals and offset China's control of the sector, two senior administration officials told . The move is one of several planned…

Nigeria and China strengthen ties through pledges on finance, security, and economic growth

Nigeria and China are planning to intensify their cooperation in areas like clean energy, finance and defence. China has pledged support for Nigeria to issue Panda bonds to fund its infrastructure. The Nigerian Foreign Ministry Yusuf Tuggar, and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi both outlined their efforts to address the regional security challenges.

The price of gas in Europe is rising as geopolitical tensions fuel concerns about supply disruption

Dutch and British wholesale prices for gas rose on Monday as markets prepared themselves for Iran's reaction to the U.S. strike on its nuclear sites. They also raised concerns about supply disruptions, higher insurance costs and possible supply disruptions if Tehran closes the Strait of Hormuz.

US Defense Department buys cobalt up to $500 Million

As part of its efforts to increase the supply of critical minerals, the U.S. wants to buy cobalt for up to $500,000,000 to be used in defense stockpiles. After China implemented restrictions on rare earth magnets, companies have scrambled to find them. This led to a drop of 75% in exports in June. Some automakers even suspended production.