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Middle East

Middle East
Middle East
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Middle East. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
Worshippers chant slogans during the Friday prayers ceremony at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran. Photo: AP
Israel

US tells some embassy staff to leave Israel as Iran war clouds gather

Non-emergency workers allowed to exit Israel amid escalating tensions and massive Middle East military build-up.

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United States

‘No chance’: Vance dismisses prolonged Mideast war fears as Iran tensions rage

War and conflict

Trump puts fate of world’s top conflicts in hands of 2 men

Syria

US presses Syria to shift from Chinese telecoms systems

Washington warned Damascus, which is considering buying Chinese telecoms technology, to buy from US or allied states.

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa. Photo: Reuters
Iran

US and Iran wrap up talks without a deal as war risks persist

Oman’s mediator cites ‘significant progress’ in Geneva, but a massive US naval build-up keeps the Middle East on edge.

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Food and Drinks

Why dates are healthier than sugar – but can you tell the varieties apart?

Popular gifts at religious events like Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr (the end of Ramadan), dates are now catching on outside the Muslim world, partly due to their lower glycaemic index.

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Japan

‘Hostage diplomacy’ fears mount over arrest of Japanese journalist in Iran

The incident comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, with a large American military force positioned near Iran.

The aftermath of an Israeli strike on Evin Prison, Iran, in June. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters
Singapore

As Deliveroo leaves Singapore, spotlight turns on city state’s tight market

The platform’s departure has underscored the challenge of turning a profit in a dense, tightly contested market.

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Hong Kong budget 2026-27

Hong Kong 2026-27 budget: ‘Symphony of Lights’ to go dark under tourism revamp

Tourism Board to launch light festivals ‘across various locations at different times of year to replace A Symphony of Lights,’ Paul Chan says.

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Iran

The ‘Papillon’ of Iran: Shamkhani’s rise from the rubble amid US tensions

Khamenei’s trusted adviser, who survived an Israeli strike last year, shapes Tehran’s security strategies as tensions with the US mount.

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A new anti-Israeli and US billboard is displayed at Palestine Square in Tehran. Photo: EPA
Iran

Opinion | How Saudi diplomacy is thwarting Trump’s desire for war with Iran

China helped broker a detente between Riyadh and Tehran in 2023, which has no doubt factored into Saudi Arabia’s stance on US-Iran tensions.

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US President Donald Trump (left) shakes hands with Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman at the US-Saudi Investment Forum in Washington on November 19, 2025. Photo: AFP
Iran

‘A war will start’: Iranians on edge as Trump’s ‘armada’ closes in

‘Going to war with America, Israel and Nato will have very horrible and unpredictable consequences,’ a Tehran resident says.

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Iran

Iran dismisses ‘big lies’ after Trump lays out case for possible attack

US president accused Iran of restarting its nuclear programme, while working to build missiles that soon would be capable of reaching the US.

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Indonesia

Why Indonesia’s lead role in Gaza peacekeeping force carries high political risk

Jakarta has reiterated that it ‘will not conduct military operations’ after it agreed to assume the role of deputy commander of the force.

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US President Donald Trump, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto and other leaders at the Board of Peace’s first meeting at the US Institute of Peace in Washington on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
Donald Trump

Trump pushes back on reports of Iran war risks as clock ticks

US president dismisses reported concerns of Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine, insisting any conflict would be ‘easily won’.

F/A-18F Super Hornets prepare to launch from the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea. Photo: US Navy via AFP
Russia

Iran in secret deal with Russia for shoulder-fired missiles: report

Report of a deal for 2,500 advanced anti-aircraft missiles emerges as the US weighs military action against Iran.

United States

Iran’s defiance against US military power leaves Trump ‘curious’

Steve Witkoff said Trump can’t understand Tehran’s refusal to yield despite Washington’s military build-up in the region.

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Banking & finance

Hong Kong, UAE solidify financial links with regulatory ties, digital currency

Transaction volume under Project mBridge surged over 2,500-fold from the early 2022 pilot levels to more than US$55 billion by November 2025.

A view of the Dubai skyline in the United Arab Emirates. Photo: Getty Images
Iran

‘I am getting more scared’: Tehranis brace for ‘inevitable’ US-Iran war

‘I don’t want war to happen, but one should not fool around with the realities on the ground,’ a resident in the Iranian capital says.

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Israel

US ambassador says Israel has right to much of Middle East, sparking uproar

Mike Huckabee’s comments were condemned by Arab and Muslim nations as ‘extremist rhetoric’.

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Protests around the world

30 people in Iran face death penalty after protests, Amnesty says

A death sentence has been passed in eight cases, while two minors are among the 22 other cases before the courts.

Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran on January 9. Photo: AP
US-Iran tensions

How Trump’s threatened strikes on Iran could backfire

Instead of pushing Tehran towards a nuclear deal, bombing the country could set off a deadly cycle of retaliation, analysts warn.

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People walk past an anti-US billboard in Tehran, Iran, in January. Photo: WANA via Reuters
US-Iran tensions

Trump weighs limited strike on Iran, as Tehran says draft deal coming soon

The US president has warned that ‘bad things’ will happen if an agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear programme is not reached soon.

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Turkey

6 Europeans activists held in Turkey while investigating prison conditions

Their arrest came on the same day that police detained a Turkish journalist working for Deutsche Welle for ‘spreading false news’.

US-China relations

PLA, Chinese firm release images showing US military build-up around Iran

Imagery of combat aircraft and support planes at bases in the region comes amid reports that Washington appears ready to strike Tehran.

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Satellite images released on social media by Chinese firm MizarVision show the latest US deployments at bases in Qatar, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Photo: Weibo/觅熵MizarVision
Israel-Gaza war

‘Plan B is war’: Gaza truce faces late April test despite Trump’s peace push

Observers say the unresolved question of Hamas’ disarmament leaves the fragile truce vulnerable to collapse.

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US President Donald Trump raises the gavel during the “Board of Peace” meeting in Washington on Thursday. Photo: EPA
Electric & new energy vehicles

Geely’s Zeekr shifts into Italy as China’s European EV push gathers speed

The carmaker is pressing ahead despite tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, betting on demand for high-spec models.

Indonesia

Indonesia seals ‘great’ US trade deal, agrees to send 8,000 troops to Gaza

A US general said Jakarta will take a deputy commander role in the international stabilisation force in Gaza.

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