Gen. Ali Mohsen could wind up as interim president despite his unpalatability to various parties, so Washington should prepare accordingly to avoid derailing peace talks. Washington’s recent push for Yemen talks is likely a product of pressure on several fronts: the rising sense of urgencyabout ending the destructive war; diplomatic troubles with Saudi Arabia; mounting congressional calls to halt military support for… Keep reading →
Washington’s abrupt change in tone could bolster the UN envoy’s efforts to end the fighting and convene negotiations sooner rather than later. On October 30, the U.S. government’s public position on Yemen appeared to shift as Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defense Secretary James Mattis called for the parties to cease hostilities and begin… Keep reading →
Riyadh and its allies are finally moving to reduce the humanitarian impact of their blockade, so U.S. officials and other actors should take corresponding steps to assist aid flows, secure ceasefires, and promote a diplomatic solution to the crisis. On January 22, the Saudi-led Gulf coalition announced the launch of the Yemen Comprehensive Humanitarian Operation… Keep reading →
Early signs indicate that the rebels may have attempted to strike an Emirati nuclear site with an Iranian cruise missile — a claim that could heighten international pressure on Tehran and raise the stakes of the regional conflict if confirmed. On December 3, Houthi rebels in Yemen announced that they had fired a “winged cruise… Keep reading →
The UAE energy minister refused Wednesday to discuss a proposed cap to crude oil production agreed to by four oil-producing countries the day before, raising new questions about the proposal aimed at stabilizing global prices. [ABC] In a meeting with external experts, NATO ministers discussed global energy developments and their security implications. [NATO Press Release]… Keep reading →
A new Israeli diplomatic office in the UAE is a rare public indication of a broader trend. Last week, the United Arab Emirates gave Israel formal permission to establish a diplomatic office in Abu Dhabi under the auspices of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), a multilateral body with 144 member states. Although officials from… Keep reading →
On stage only a short time after the United Arab Emirates said it would increase its oil production despite low worldwide prices, the oil and gas minister of neighboring Oman offered a different opinion. [US News] Thousands gathered across Israel in protest to speak out against PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s natural gas deal with US energy… Keep reading →
BP has reported a $5.8 billion loss in the second quarter, mostly from the costly settlement over the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. [The NY Times] The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee began its debate over the broad bipartisan energy bill, with potential conflicts already emerging. [The Hill] The UAE will raise gasoline prices… Keep reading →
Implicitly or explicitly Opec countries are battling with US oil producers over the commodity price. There is much evidence to suggest that given US production growth volumes – Gulf Coast output alone is up 1.9 million barrels per day since 2010 – and weak global demand, Opec could only marginally impact prices by cutting production.… Keep reading →
The NRDC released a report that finds Chinese bunker fuel emissions are a serious and often “overlooked” problem. “With ships allowed to burn fuel with much higher sulfur levels than permitted in on-road diesel, one container ship cruising along the coast of China emits as much diesel fuel pollution as 500,000 new Chinese trucks in… Keep reading →
