Middle East: What you need to know for August 3

Vietnam's reputation as Asia's brightest investment hub is being called into question as its economic growth slows and industrial zones face power blackouts.

Less than a week after the Wagner Group's attempted coup, uncertainty reigns in Russia. Opponents of Vladimir Putin are considering other threats to his leadership, including the economy. The oil price is a major hitch.

In spite of an agreement struck in April to cut production of crude by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies, oil prices still haven't seen a boost. In this edition, we see that concerns over global economic growth are outweighing the production cuts. Also, European space rocket Ariane 5 gears up for its final lift-off and Singaporean bank UOB makes a winning bet on Taylor Swift fans.

Fresh figures have shown the extent of the European Union's efforts to reduce its energy dependency on Russia, with Moscow accounting for just 3 percent of the bloc's oil imports in the first quarter of this year, compared to 26 percent during the same period in 2022. The EU has also moved away from Russian natural gas, relying more heavily on Norway, the UK and Algeria. This comes as the decline in Moscow's export revenues weakens its currency.

Following the receipt of credible intelligence, a Private Security Contractor engaged by NNPC Ltd., Messrs. Tantita Security Services, intercepted a suspicious Vessel with a Cargo of Crude oil on board on July 7, 2023.

For the fourth year in a row, France is has pulled in more foreign direct investment than anywhere else in Europe. A prestigious title, but the impact remains to be seen.

Angola is rich in crude oil but has to import the fuel it needs. A new refinery could change that.

The UN says it has begun an operation to pump 1 million barrels of oil from a rusting supertanker off Yemen's coast, hoping to avoid an environmental disaster that could devastate local ecosystems and major ports.

Stock markets in Africa are close to record highs after an incredible rebound from the pandemic. DW looks at the most-traded indices and why their importance is growing.

The UN said over 1 million barrels of oil have been removed from the tanker, off Yemen's Red Sea coast. For years, the UN and other organizations had sounded the alarm over the dangers surrounding the corroding vessel.

Youth plaintiffs have won a rare victory against a US state government for promoting climate-killing fossil fuels. A tsunami of climate-related lawsuits are set to follow.

Find these stories and much more when you grab a copy of The Guardian on Thursday.⁣