- Bahrain and UAE signed normalisation agreements with Israel in Washington.
- We do not expect any other Gulf states to follow imminently, for differing reasons.
- Coronavirus cases are again rising in Oman, following trends in Bahrain and UAE.
- Hafter said he will lift the blockade on 1m b/d of Libyan oil exports. This comes amidst protests which have caused resignations in both rival governments, and ahead of peace talks next month.
- The Houthis continue to advance towards Marib, a potential turning point in the Yemen war.
- Al Jazeera US must register as a “foreign agent” but the US plans to upgrade its relationship with Qatar to that of a “Major Non-NATO Ally”, as Doha hosts Afghan talks.
- Kuwait’s parliament is rife with coronavirus and its session will end without a debt law.
- Kuwait’s Crown Prince made an unexpected outreach to opposition figures.
- Oman’s central bank saw a sharp decline in the foreign assets in July.
- BP sharply revised down its hydrocarbon demand scenarios, hurting oil more than gas.
Read the full report here.
