Get our news on your inbox! x

Remember me Forgot password

MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, March 31st 2026 - 13:51 UTC

Tag: Middle East

  • Friday, March 27th 2026 - 23:04 UTC

    Uruguay raises fuel prices 7% over Middle East war and shifts to monthly price-setting

    Under the adjustment, Super 95 gasoline will rise from 76.88 to 82.27 pesos per liter, while 50S diesel will increase from 47.32 to 50.63 pesos per liter

    Uruguay's government announced on Friday a 7% fuel price increase effective April 1, as a direct consequence of rising oil prices driven by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately 20% of the world's crude oil supply transits.

    Add your comment!
  • Monday, March 16th 2026 - 01:10 UTC

    Oil tops US$100 a barrel as Middle East war and Hormuz disruption rattle markets

    Tokyo also warned that strategic reserves can soften the shock in the short term but cannot replace a sustained reopening of Hormuz if the crisis drags on

    Oil prices moved back above US$100 a barrel on Monday as the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran intensified and shipping disruption in the Strait of Hormuz hit one of the world’s most critical energy chokepoints. Brent crude rose to US$105.15 a barrel and U.S. West Texas Intermediate climbed to US$100.32 in early Asian trading, according to market data.

  • Thursday, March 12th 2026 - 10:42 UTC

    Iran broadens regional attacks as Israel launches new strikes on regime targets

    The conflict is also deepening the economic and military cost for Washington

    The war involving Iran, Israel and the United States entered a broader regional phase on Thursday, with fresh Iranian attacks on energy infrastructure, shipping routes and military positions across Gulf states, while Israel responded with a new wave of strikes on Iranian territory. The escalation again tightened pressure on the Strait of Hormuz and pushed oil prices back above $100 a barrel.

  • Tuesday, March 10th 2026 - 00:29 UTC

    Lula warns Brazil must be ready to defend itself amid rising global tensions

    “If we are not prepared to defend ourselves, at any moment we could be invaded,” Lula said during Ramaphosa’s official visit

    Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva warned Monday that the country must be prepared to defend itself against potential external threats, as global geopolitical tensions intensify, during a joint appearance with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa in Brasília.

  • Monday, March 9th 2026 - 17:04 UTC

    UK warns of higher inflation and backs oil reserve release amid Middle East war

    She also said London, one of the world’s main maritime insurance centres, was in contact with the sector as risks to commercial shipping increased

    British finance minister Rachel Reeves said on Monday that the United Kingdom was ready to support a coordinated release of international oil reserves if the Middle East crisis keeps pushing up energy prices, though no formal G7 decision has yet been taken. Reeves made the statement after joining a virtual meeting of G7 finance ministers, as oil prices remained elevated because of disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. Reuters reported that the option under discussion is a joint emergency stock release under the International Energy Agency framework.

  • Monday, March 9th 2026 - 10:59 UTC

    Oil rises above US$100 a barrel as Middle East war and Hormuz disruption hit supply

    U.S. President Donald Trump reacted to the oil rally with a Truth Social post, saying it was “a very small price to pay” for “security and peace in America and for the world.”

    Oil prices climbed above US$100 a barrel on Sunday in futures trading, reaching their highest levels since 2022 as the war in the Middle East, the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz and fresh production cuts among Gulf producers tightened supply expectations. Reuters reported Brent rose as high as US$111.04 a barrel while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) touched US$111.24 in early trading. AP later put Brent at US$107.97 and WTI at US$106.22, both more than 16% above the previous close.

  • Saturday, February 14th 2026 - 03:17 UTC

    US redeploys USS Gerald R. Ford from Caribbean to Middle East amid Iran pressure

    The Ford had been operating in the Caribbean with its escorts and took part in Venezuela-related operations earlier this year, ahead of the January US raid that captured Nicolás Maduro

    The United States is shifting the USS Gerald R. Ford, its largest aircraft carrier, from the Caribbean Sea to the Middle East in a move that would place two US carrier strike groups in the region as President Donald Trump presses Iran to reach a deal over its nuclear programme.

  • Thursday, June 12th 2025 - 10:27 UTC

    US removes non-essential staff from diplomatic missions in Middle East

    Israel is feared to attack Iran unilaterally despite President Trump's stance

    Washington has authorized the partial evacuation of non-essential diplomats and military personnel from its Middle East facilities, including the embassy in Baghdad and bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, and the UAE, due to heightened security risks stemming from a potential Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities, it was reported Wednesday.

  • Wednesday, October 23rd 2024 - 21:06 UTC

    Lula calls for peace in Middle East and Ukraine

    “Right now, there are two ongoing conflicts that could engulf the entire world. So we have to work together to resolve them,” Lula said

    Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Wednesday urged the international community, during his telematic appearance at the BRICS Summit in Kazan (Russia), to resolve the armed conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.

  • Monday, May 6th 2024 - 21:59 UTC

    Call warning of a bomb at AMIA HQs a hoax

    It was the second such call this year at the AMIA headquarters

    A bomb threat at the Buenos Aires headquarters of the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) Monday afternoon was determined to be a hoax, according to Federal Police sources and authorities from the Jewish welfare group alike. The detonation of an explosive device at the old AMIA building on July 18, 1994, left 85 people dead and triggered a saga of investigations that have yielded almost no conclusive results to this day.

Previous