Manama. The U.S. Navy said on Wednesday that the cause of an explosion aboard a Japanese supertanker passing through a strategic Gulf shipping lane was unknown. "Initial damage assessment from the ship's owner, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd, Japan, is that one life boat was blown off the ship and there is some damage to the starboard hatches," the U.S. Fifth Fleet, which is based in Bahrain, said in a statement.

Sanaa. Six Yemeni soldiers were killed on Sunday in an attack in Shabwa province, site of many of Yemen's oil installations, but there was no immediate report of any damage to the facilities, a local official said.

Brussels. Anti-Iran sanctions tighten their grip today with European measures to make business with the Opec member even harder, but no-one expects its oil trade to cease altogether as high profits and energy needs inspire ingenuity.

Doha. The world's biggest gas field is shared between Iran, which calls its share South Pars, and Qatar, owner of the North Field. Qatar has brought in international firms and used the field to become the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas , whereas Iran's development of South Pars has been hampered by protracted delays, in part because of international sanctions.