World politics

World politics

Global oil inventories are approaching their lowest point in eight years, with Goldman Sachs analysts estimating that stocks could fall to 98 days of global demand by the end of May. Yet if you're looking at the markets, things look relatively rosy. Brent crude prices are hovering around $100 a barrel, down from a post-Iran war peak of $126 in April. West Texas Intermediate crude also stood around $100 a barrel in the past week, down from its April 7 high of $113. (Both benchmarks are still far above their pre-war levels).

The high-mobility artillery systems (HIMARS) will be stationed on the Penghu archipelago and Dongyin - two strategically exposed outposts positioned close to China's eastern seaboard - in what military planners describe as an effort to create a forward "dead zone" designed to deter any potential amphibious assault.

The Israeli attack on part of our flotilla has convinced us we must continue with our mission. Imagine the following scenario: you are scheduled to board a sailing boat as part of a large fleet carrying humanitarian aid. Some boats in the fleet had already departed ahead of you, yet days before you are scheduled to join them, the boats are violently intercepted in international waters by a foreign power acting 600 nautical miles (1,100km) from its own coast in flagrant violation of international maritime laws. At least 30 of your fellow sea travellers were injured, and at least four have since come forward to report incidents of sexual assault.

China is emerging as a major player in global diplomacy including in the Middle East. In 2023, it helped re-establish diplomatic ties between Riyadh and Tehran. While it is not officially mediating efforts to end the ongoing war, both the United States and Iran are looking to China to help de-escalate.

Public responsibility also brings with it a moral obligation not to look the other way. It is an honour to bestow the Order of Civil Merit on a voice that upholds the conscience of the world.

Shell reported record profits of $6.92bn, more than double the previous quarter and 24% higher than last year, due to soaring oil prices from the Iran conflict. This surge intensifies criticism of the oil sector amid rising energy costs for consumers and businesses.

Athletes from Russia and Belarus had to be approved as neutrals who did not support the war for individual events at the 2024 Paris Olympics and February's Milano Cortina Winter Olympics. A total of 32 athletes from the two countries competed in Paris, to win five medals combined, including one gold in trampoline by an athlete from Belarus.

One piece of evidence, released at the end of April, claims that former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez, pardoned by Donald Trump from his 45-year sentence for drug trafficking with the support of the Republican president himself, his Argentine counterpart Javier Milei, and the current Honduran administration are conspiring to create a channel for disseminating fake news with the intention of spreading misinformation and destabilizing the governments of Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico.