A French court has found cement giant Lafarge and eight of its former employees guilty of financing the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant during the Syrian conflict. The case centers on Lafarge's decision to keep its Syrian cement plant operational after much of the country descended into war, requiring the company to pay armed groups, including ISIL, to secure access and maintain production. The payments, made through intermediaries, allowed Lafarge to extract commercial value from the facility while effectively channeling funds to a designated terrorist organization. The verdict marks one of the few instances of a major multinational corporation being held criminally liable for financing terrorism, setting a precedent for how European courts assess corporate complicity in conflict zones. Lafarge, now part of the Swiss-headquartered group Holcim following a 2015 merger, faces potential financial penalties and reputational exposure that may affect its standing with institutional investors and government contractors. Sentencing details and appeals will be the key variables to track.
Qatar's foreign ministry said mediators including Qatar, Pakistan, and Oman have reached "very progressive stages" in efforts to end the US-Iran war, pushing Brent crude down more than four percent.
Qatar confirmed it is mediating between the US and Iran but said no direct talks are currently planned. The clarification follows conflicting statements from President Trump, who claimed talks are under way, and Tehran, which denied any dialogue is happening.
Saudi Aramco reported sharply higher second-quarter 2026 profits as the Iran war restricts global oil supply and pushes crude prices up. Other oil supermajors also posted outsized earnings, raising concerns about sustained fuel cost pressure for importing economies.
President Trump called current Iran negotiations the "last chance" to end five months of conflict, pushing oil prices higher. Tehran denied formal talks are taking place, raising the risk of a diplomatic breakdown with direct consequences for global energy markets.
