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Major oil companies eye Middle East investments despite war — newspaper

Patrick Pouyanne, chief executive of France’s TotalEnergies, believes the Middle East still has the cheapest oil

LONDON, October 8. /TASS/. Major oil companies are looking for new investment opportunities in the Middle East despite the conflict between the United States and Iran, the Financial Times reported.

According to the newspaper, "executives from Shell, BP, TotalEnergies, ConocoPhillips and Chevron this week expressed their appetite for investing in the world’s most prolific oil-producing region, arguing that its plentiful, low-cost reserves outweighed the heightened risks."

This weekend, many of them will travel to Riyadh for the World Petroleum Congress. "For us as investors, I strongly believe the Middle East still has the cheapest oil. We need this oil, but we need to unlock the Strait of Hormuz by developing alternative routes, and we will do it," said Patrick Pouyanne, chief executive of France’s TotalEnergies.

"The biggest prize would be greater access to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which possess some of the world’s largest and cheapest-to-produce hydrocarbon reserves," The Financial Times pointed out.

Meanwhile, Arab governments reassess global relationships and weigh the huge job of rebuilding facilities and investing in new infrastructure after the war has ended, the newspaper noted.

Russian stock market declines at start of main trading session on Moscow Exchange

The MOEX and RTS indices fell by 0.3% to 2,330.32 and 858.79 points, respectively

Lavrov describes CIS culture as highly diplomatic, with issues resolved jointly

The Russian foreign minister stressed that the organization takes into account the specific national interests of individual countries and has a "diplomatic culture of balancing those interests"

Ukrainian troops fire six Grad rockets towards Yasinovataya – DPR

Ukrainian soldiers fired six missiles at the city

Putin could speak on Ukraine at news conference after Belarus talks on Thursday — Kremlin

The Russian president is scheduled to take questions jointly with his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko

EU, NATO to squeeze Kiev regime for everything it has — Russian delegation head

Head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna negotiations on military security and arms control Yulia Zhdanova emphasized that the West primarily "needs experience in high-intensity combat"

Russia’s inflation stands at 0.96% from September 29 to October 5 — Rosstat

According to a review of the current price situation prepared by the Russian Economic Development Ministry, Russia’s annual inflation stood at 7.17% from September 29 through October 5

US acknowledges Russia's position on potential Ukraine meeting — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister recalled the "unprecedented number of terrorist attacks on civilian targets, including polling stations," carried out by the Kiev regime

Ebola spirals out of control in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo — NGO

North Kivu accounts for nearly 40% of the country's new confirmed Ebola cases, Doctors Without Borders international non-governmental organization said

Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2026 awarded for discovery in asymmetric organic synthesis

France’s Henri Kagan and Japan’s Kenso Soai have received the award

Russia achieves full technological sovereignty in hydropower

Russia’s General Scheme for the Development of Electric Power Facilities through 2042 envisages the commissioning of 6.7 GW of new hydropower generation capacity, comprising seven hydroelectric power plants and four pumped-storage power plants

Ukrainian drone attack kills father of 13 children, 15-year-old daughter in Kherson Region

"This morning a Ukrainian drone attacked a passenger car near Rykovo of the Genichesk district," Vladimir Saldo said

Over 100 Ukrainian drones taken down over Russian regions during day

From 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Moscow time Russian air defense systems intercepted and destroyed 110 Ukrainian fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles over Crimea, Belgorod, Bryansk, Kursk, Tula, Ryazan, Oryol, Lipetsk, Rostov, and Moscow Regions

WHO in contact with Russia over situation in Irkutsk Region

Spokesman Christian Lindmeier said that WHO experts and Russian health authorities were collaborating to verify the event and its circumstances

Trump urges Xi Jinping to lift export restrictions on Japan — newspaper

According to the newspaper, the US leader "framed the Chinese measures as a threat to American industries reliant on Japanese suppliers"

Cargo Dragon spacecraft to launch to ISS no earlier than October 13 — NASA

The spacecraft will deliver more than 2.8 tons of cargo to the ISS, including materials for studying the effects of microgravity on the growth and function of three-dimensional heart tissue models

US sees no link between infection in Russia’s Irkutsk Region, bioweapons research — Trump

On October 4, the Russian Federal Service for Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being said the sanitary and epidemiological situation in Russia’s eastern Irkutsk Region was stable

Russia’s National Wealth Fund totals $151.85 bln as of October 1

The fund’s liquid assets totaled $44.45 bln as of October 1, or 1.6% of GDP projected for 2026, equivalent to $45 bln

CIS countries concerned by forecast of arms race in outer space

The CIS Foreign Ministers noted the crucial importance of immediately taking practical measures to prevent an arms race in outer space

Syria supports Saudi Arabia, yet does not want to be party in Yemeni war

Damascus firmly supports Saudi Arabia, but its policy does not call for opening new fronts, the Information Ministry said

Kalashnikov delivers batch of Dragunov sniper rifles to Russian security forces

Kalashnikov noted that the rifle’s greatest strengths are its semi-automatic operation, compact design, light weight, as well as its high accuracy and precision

Mediation efforts in Iran-US talks reach deadlock — TV

"The Strait of Hormuz is no longer a priority for Washington" after Iran, in the US assessment, "lost control over it," the TV channel said

Press review: Slovakia blocks Russian asset seizure as Europe youth protests spread

Top stories from the Russian press on Tuesday, October 6th

Hungary risks situation near energy catastrophe if cut off from Russian gas — expert

Artyom Ilyinsky said that the delivery of major volumes under non-Russian gas agreements is scheduled to begin only in 2028, creating a critical time gap that "will prevent Hungary from navigating the pivotal year of 2027 smoothly"

Russia cuts pipeline gas supplies to Turkey by 17% in eight months

Russian gas supplies to Turkey via pipelines reached 12.1 bln cubic meters in January-August

Iran, Oman to submit agreement on Strait of Hormuz to international body — diplomat

Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei pointed out that consultations between Tehran and Muscat were successful, and the parties reached an agreement on the geographical coordinates of the safe corridors

Mali to buy Kamaz trucks worth $51.5 mln

The contract, signed in accordance with an intergovernmental agreement between Mali and Russia, is aimed at expanding Mali’s transport and logistics capacity

FACTBOX: Russia’s sanitary watchdog says no epidemic risks in Irkutsk Region

Rospotrebnadzor has provided the WHO with information about the situation in the region

No clarity yet on timing of upcoming Putin-Trump phone conversation — Kremlin

Dmitry Peskov noted that Moscow and Washington have not yet agreed on a telephone conversation

FACTBOX: What we know about Flydubai pilots fight and emergency landing

The plane’s captain and co-pilot were hospitalized with injuries, Saudi airport operator Cluster 2 said

New batches of Su-34 aircraft are already being manufactured — Rostec

Based on combat experience, the aircraft continues to be improved, enabling crews to carry out their assigned missions more effectively, the state corporation noted

India calls on Russia, Ukraine to halt Black Sea attacks in truce plan — Foreign Ministry

"Insofar as specifics are concerned, India is trying to be helpful, starting with the Black Sea, safety of the shipping issue, addressing immediate concerns of Russia and Ukraine on grain and energy exports, and non-attack possibilities," Randhir Jaiswal said

UAE warned Israeli PM of looming Hamas attack before October 7 — newspaper

Haaretz cites sources from a new book on the incident as saying that about ten days before the attack, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan called Benjamin Netanyahu to warn him that Hamas leader in Gaza Yahya Sinwar was preparing a major attack on Israel

What we know about attack on oil tanker in Black Sea with unmanned surface vehicles

The tanker's crew of 23 Indian nationals has been rescued

Four in five Russians view Putin as one of world’s most influential leaders — poll

About seven in ten Russians believe that Russia has become stronger during Putin’s years in office

High-rise building in Istanbul partially collapses, trapping people under rubble — TV

No information on casualties or injuries has been reported yet

West should not be surprised by fuel price hikes over Ukraine actions — Russian envoy

Yulia Zhdanova said Kiev has stepped up efforts to block Russian shipping in the Black and Azov Seas at the urging of its Western handlers

Houthis report ballistic missile strike on Riyadh Airport

According to the Houthi spokesman Yahya Saria, the direct hit brought air traffic at the Saudi capital’s airport to a halt

Bakery of father of 13 children, who died in drone attack, delivered bread to Alyoshki

Sergey Georgiyev said that together with Alexander Kolotun they also planned to provide assistance to residents of frontline villages in winter

Missile production plant in Ukraine halts production after Russian strikes

Production and warehouse facilities sustained serious damage

Russia budgets nearly $468 mln for farm machinery programs in 2027-2029

A total of $17.55 mln is expected to be allocated to DOM.RF’s preferential leasing program next year

Israel to close UK consulate but won’t expel diplomats — newspaper

Earlier, London had threatened to expel 30 Israeli diplomats from the UK in response to Israeli actions

Ukraine’s losses from port downtime exceed five billion dollars

The Odessa port shutdown has been ongoing since July 22

US holds its first execution since Christa Pike incident — news agency

Jamaal Howard was convicted of murdering a store employee in 2000 and was given a lethal injection

Three killed in attacks on two Saudi airports

A Sudanese national was killed in the strike on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, while eight others were injured, including five Saudis, two Egyptians and one Pakistani

Agroexport center names key agricultural export markets for Russia

Main selling markets by 2030 will be China, Turkey, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Iran, Egypt, India, Uzbekistan, Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan

West’s course over next decade to determine its global standing — Rubio

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio believes the collective West is at a crossroads

Moscow court fines Zoom around $772,110

The company was fined for failing to comply with obligations established by Russian law governing the activities of foreign entities on the Internet

Russia boost agricultural technologies exports by 15% this year — Agriculture Minister

Last year saw a "solid breakthrough" in the exports of Russian agricultural technologies, Oksana Lut said

Putin to make two-day visit to Turkmenistan to take part in CIS summit

Vladimir Putin's first day on the Caspian coast will be devoted to protocol events related to the arrival of many distinguished guests

Diplomat says Russian Foreign Ministry’s message to foreigners in Kiev was 'crystal clear'

According to Maria Zakharova, foreigners "should be aware of the risk and understand its source"

Kazakh president congratulates Putin on his birthday

President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev highlighted Vladimir Putin’s outstanding role in Russia’s development and his tireless efforts for the benefit of the Russian people

Russia creates control system for group of drones using voice, text commands

Before giving a command, the system also analyzes the capabilities of a particular robotic vehicle for implementing the assigned mission

Trump says decided against prosecuting Obama, Biden, Clinton

Trump said people around him had urged him to pursue legal action against them

Bank of Russia lowers dollar rate to 85.48 rubles for October 8

The official euro rate was increased by 29.74 kopecks to 96.3287 rubles

EU fears US diesel export ban — Der Spiegel

The EC noted that even awareness of economic damage to US companies themselves might not prevent Washington from taking such a step

Kremlin briefing covers Putin's birthday, probability of talks with Trump

EU ambassadors endorse 22nd sanction package — source

Over 1,500 companies and individuals have been blacklisted

CIS partners recognize need to address root causes of Ukraine crisis — Lavrov

The Russian foreign minister added that the talks covered in detail the situation in the Middle East

Major deployment point of Colombian mercenaries destroyed near Kharkov

According to Russian security agencies, the total number of foreign mercenaries in the Ukrainian armed forces currently stands at about 16,500

No reason for international uproar over Alyoshki situation — governor

According to Vladimir Saldo, the situation in the Kherson Region city of Alyoshki is not so critical

Press review: Black Sea ceasefire efforts gain momentum as Houthi advances raise war risk

Top stories from the Russian press on Wednesday, October 7th

Common Eurasian space to take shape gradually but steadily — Lavrov

The foreign minister pointed in this regard to cooperation memorandums among the secretariats of integration organizations including the CIS, the Eurasian Economic Union, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations

Sberbank launches direct business settlements with Myanmar

The bank's press service explained that Sberbank’s Indian branch will serve as a key element of the new arrangement

Trump interrupted 12 times in 45 minutes during speech in staunchly Republican Texas

Police escorted one of the protesters out of the venue in handcuffs

US crude oil inventories fall by 3.2 mln barrels over week — Energy Department

The department noted that current inventories are 1% above the five-year average for this time of year

Houthis report missile strikes on coalition forces near Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree noted that the attacks killed or wounded dozens of people, including commanders, and destroyed numerous pieces of military equipment

Two commercial ships hit with drones in Black Sea off Bulgaria

The Togo-flagged Alfa Watan suffered severe damage before sinking

World leaders congratulate Putin on his birthday

In a telephone conversation, Putin and Lukashenko agreed to continue discussing bilateral cooperation and the international situation on the sidelines of the CIS summit in Turkmenistan

Senior NATO commanders pay unannounced visit to Ukraine

Italian Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone said that the visit had been aimed "to reaffirm unwavering support for Ukraine"

Russia develops drone interceptor flying with maximum speed of 500 km/h

DOFA-Tek Technical Director Vitaly Dobrovolsky noted that the interceptor can be launched from any rooftop or the ground

Ukraine pays $450 mln on debt in September — National Bank

Ukraine’s total state and state-guaranteed debt stood at $215.55 bln, as of August 31

Lithuanian army to send up to 100 troops to border with Russia’s Kaliningrad Region

According to the Lithuanian Defense Minister Robertas Kaunas, the army will be stationed at the border for the next few weeks

Russia to take retaliatory measures if Canada confiscates Russian assets — ambassador

Oleg Stepanov said Ottawa should consider the legal, investment and reputational consequences "of such ‘lawmaking’"

Bolshoi Ballet Company begins major tour in China

The Bolshoi Ballet’s China tour runs from October 7 to 25, with performances in three cities - Beijing, Nanjing and Shanghai

Kherson Region children's ombudsman calls UAV blow on car with father of 13 kids terror

Irina Kravchenko said that there can be no justification for such actions

Lithuania plans to deploy army units to Kaliningrad border area

Interior Minister Martynas Katelynas called the deployment of the army a preventive measure

Swedish Academy to announce winner of Nobel Prize in Literature

According to Swedish experts, the favorites for 2026 include Australian novelist Gerald Murnane, Chinese writer Can Xue, and Canadian poet and essayist Anne Carson

WHO reports thousands of suspected plague cases worldwide each year

According to the Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Department Director Maria Van Kerkhove, between 2019 and 2025, ten countries reported nearly 4,000 suspected human plague cases and 423 related deaths to the organization

IMF backs global central bank rate hikes, chief Georgieva says

"Now may be a good time for a prudently hawkish bias in many countries’ monetary policy," Kristalina Georgieva said

Trump believes conflict in Ukraine nearing its end

The US president admitted that he thought this conflict "would be the easiest one for me"

CIS foreign ministers discuss regional security, economy at meeting in Turkmenistan

The summit resulted in decisions aimed at "consistently developing and strengthening multifaceted cooperation within the bloc"

CIS countries need to coordinate within UN — secretary general

Sergey Lebedev noted that Turkmenistan played a leading role at the UN as a neutral state

Trump may order new strike on Iran before congressional elections — magazine

No final decision has been made yet, the magazine said

FACTBOX: Russian forces hit enterprises producing Flamingo missiles in Ukraine

Russian troops struck the Kiev Cardboard and Paper Mill plant that served as a production and storage facility for FP-5 Flamingo cruise missiles and their components

International organizations offer no help over Alyoshki situation — governor

"The conduct of organizations whose charters require them to act in people’s interests is a matter for their conscience," Vladimir Saldo said

Putin to spend 74th birthday attending to official duties

The Russian president has public events scheduled, though details were not disclosed

Three DPR residents killed, eight wounded in Ukrainian attacks since start of day

The attacks damaged three residential buildings, three infrastructure facilities, trucks and passenger cars

Russia ready to help US combat outbreaks of infectious diseases — sanitary watchdog

Rospotrebnadzor explained that the measles situation in three US states had deteriorated significantly in recent weeks

Kiev bridges' destruction disrupts Ukrainian security operations — underground resistance

The same bridges and transport hubs are used to move security forces, transfer troops, supply materials, patrol areas, and transport military equipment, pro-Russian underground resistance said

Two reconnaissance aircraft spent nearly seven hours over Black Sea

According to the source, the simultaneous operation of two such reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea is a relatively rare occurrence

Iranian army to decisively strike US forces should they launch ground operation — TV

According to the TV channel, the Iranian army is constantly updating its database of enemy targets and has already identified numerous sites in the region, including military bases, that could be attacked by Iranian forces

Trump says call with Putin set up, mentions Russian president’s birthday

The US president mentioned the Russian leader’s birthday

Russian forces approach Novoukrainka in Zaporozhye Region — military expert

Andrey Marochko said that Russian servicemen are advancing near liberated Golubkovo

Russia reports no drug trafficking from Ukraine amid special military operation — official

Acting head of the Russian Interior Ministry’s Main Directorate for Narcotics Control Kirill Smurov recalled that the law enforcement agency had witnessed targeted drug trafficking from Ukraine to Russia at the turn of 2020

Russian forces strike Ukrainian UAV assembly workshops over past day — top brass

The Ukrainian army lost roughly 1,440 troops in battles with Russian forces in all the frontline areas over the past 24 hours

Thailand eyeing introduction of departure fee — newspaper

The collection of the fee is planned to be delegated to airlines, which will include it in the ticket price at the time of booking

West furthers military-industrial interests with OSCE Russia disinformation campaign

"Even here, within the framework of the OSCE's military-political direction, we have already had the opportunity to see that the Western participating states are not interested in a fact-based professional dialogue," Yulia Zhdanova said

Russia has 'clear conscience' over Ukraine talks in Alaska — Lavrov

According to the foreign minister, is not Russia's fault that the US side could not withstand the unprecedented and brazen pressure from Europe, which later proudly declared that it had ‘buried Anchorage’

Russian troops use flamethrower system against Ukrainian forces Near Krasny Liman

The flamethrower system’s primary targets are temporary deployment sites, UAV control posts, and enemy troops concentrations

Trump promises to prevent destruction of San Diego, Los Angeles

White House Communications Director Steven Cheung later stated that Donald Trump was referring to a potential threat to American cities if the US did not take military action against Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program

Russian delegation warns confrontation with West could enter most severe phase

According to Yulia Zhdanova, head of the Russian delegation to the Vienna talks on military security and arms control, Western politicians continue to intensify their military rhetoric