Trump Pulling 5,000 US Troops From Germany In Punitive Move Amid Merz Spat

U.S. To Begin 86-Million-Barrel SPR Dump Next Week Via Exchange Program The speed of the energy shock rippling out from the U.S.-Iran conflict in the Middle East and the near-paralysis of the Strait of Hormuz forced the 32-member IEA last week to approve a 400-million-barrel release from Strategic Petroleum Reserves to help cushion the blow to the global economy. The bulk of that supply will come from the U.S., with the Trump administration preparing a request to exchange 86 million barrels of crude oil as soon as next Wednesday. The planned...

Iraq Negotiates With Iran To Reopen Vital Oil Shipping Route Authored by Tsvetana Paraskova via OilPrice.com, The federal Iraqi government is in contact with Iran to persuade Tehran to allow some Iraqi oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, Iraq’s Oil Minister Hayyan Abdul Ghani said on Tuesday.  “There is communication with Iran regarding allowing the passage of some Iraqi oil tankers,” the minister said in statements carried by the Iraqi News Agency (INA).  Iraq, unlike Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), doesn’t have any options – even partial – to...

French Carrier Traverses Suez Canal For Belated Possible Hormuz Mission  France and Britain could be poised to very belatedly join the party in Middle East regional waters, according to movements of warships as well as fresh statements. Egypt and France on Wednesday oversaw the transit of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle through the Suez Canal as part of a southbound convoy, the Suez Canal Authority announced. Charles de Gaulle carrier, via National Interest The French Ministry of the Armed Forces has announced the nuclear-powered carrier is deploying to the Red Sea...