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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.
A digital billboard shows a missile as Houthi supporters stage a protest against Saudi Arabia in Sanaa, Yemen. Photo: EPA
Saudi Arabia

France to protect key Saudi oil terminal as Houthis step up missile attacks

Macron pledges troops and radar systems to defend Red Sea energy hub at Yanbu following aerial barrage.

2026 Xi-Trump summits

How was dinner? Takeaways from Xi and Trump’s evening at the White House

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Israel-Gaza war

Actors, politicians among 100 arrested in New York anti-Netanyahu protest

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Israel-Iran conflict

UK foreign secretary warns Iran against hostile activity on British soil

Ed Miliband presses Tehran over domestic security and demands release of couple held in Evin prison.

Britain’s Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband at a UN Security Council meeting in New York on Wednesday. Photo: AFP
United States

US 30-year mortgage rates top 7%, highest in Trump presidency

It is the highest average level since January 2025, with affordability a concern for US voters weeks ahead of November’s midterm elections.

United Nations

Netanyahu blasts critics at UN, dismissing Gaza genocide accusations

Israeli prime minister denounces walkout delegates as ‘moral cowards’ during a fiery address defending the war against Iran.

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Mainland China

China’s sulphur imports dive 65% as prices surge 3.5 times

Country pays more for less of the key fertiliser ingredient, potentially pressuring the spring planting season, analyst says.

Workers load sulphur at a storage yard on a wharf in Nanjing, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, on April 14, 2026. Photo: AFP
US, Israel war on Iran

Gulf nations keep oil flowing amid Iran war, but it’s getting costly

Despite the Strait of Hormuz blockade and other attacks, oil exporters and the US military have found workarounds, but they may not be sustainable.

South Korea

Can South Korea solve the US military’s ammunition shortage?

Depleted stockpiles from the Middle East and Ukraine wars are spurring South Korean arms makers to build US production hubs.

Turkey

Turkey to hand over military base to Iraq

Ankara established the facility in Bashiqa in 2015 and deployed up to 600 soldiers there, sparking tensions with Baghdad.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi (left) shakes hands with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in New York on Wednesday. Photo: Iraqi Prime Minister’s Media Office via Reuters
2026 Xi-Trump summits

Xi lands in US for high-stakes summit with Trump amid deep tensions

Chinese leader begins 48-hour visit as Trump seeks progress on AI, Iran, rare earths and trade, with expectations for deals low.

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US President Donald Trump (right) greets Chinese President Xi Jinping as he arrives at Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Indian sailor killed in attack on vessel in Hormuz: India and Oman authorities

A strike on the cargo ship Cape Dao led to a fire in the engine room, and 27 crew members had to be evacuated by the Omani navy.

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran’s president accuses Trump of ‘bullying mentality’ in wartime speech to UN

Masoud Pezeshkian rejects US threats while signalling readiness for diplomatic talks to end conflict.

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Donald Trump

Trump’s Board of Peace proposes US$2.45 billion Gaza reconstruction plan

Physical damage across Gaza will cost roughly US$35.2 billion in the medium term and another US$71.4 billion in the next 10 years.

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US President Donald Trump signs the charter of his Board of Peace initiative at the Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland in January. Photo: AP
China stock market

AI trade rallies on falling oil and Meta’s Muse agent ahead of Xi-Trump meeting

Nasdaq-100 hits record high while chip stocks in China and South Korea rebound, with investors betting that AI earnings can weather higher interest rates.

A trader works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on Monday. The Nasdaq-100 Index hit a record high on Tuesday. Photo: EPA
US, Israel war on Iran

Gulf tech firms turn to Hong Kong and Singapore as Iran war grinds on

Analysts point to growing adoption of a ‘dual-hub’ model, using secondary Asian bases to hedge against geopolitical risk.

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Banking & finance

Some family offices eyeing Chinese investments as US-China tensions ease: report

European, Middle Eastern and African family offices are increasing their exposure to China as they diversify their portfolios, report finds.

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China digital currency

Could Saudi Arabia’s mBridge exit dent China-led payments platform?

The departure sends political signal rather than materially threatens project, analysts say.

The logo of Saudi Central Bank. Photo: Shutterstock
2026 Xi-Trump summits

In Focus | The US-China tech war has evolved since Xi and Trump last met. Who has the edge?

The two sides have found new sources of leverage across AI, chips, rare earths and wider technology supply chains since the US leader’s May visit to Beijing.

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Britain

Burnham to meet Trump, make UN debut after offering UK support for Saudis

British prime minister targets Middle East stability and AI governance on New York trip.

Israel-Gaza war

‘We will learn even in a tent’: Gaza children return to in-person schools

The move is a fragile milestone; the conflict with Israel has killed around 22,000 youngsters and over 770 education workers.

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Palestinian children attend their first day of the new school year at a UN school in the central Gaza Strip on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
China-Africa relations

Djibouti base upgrade may give PLA eyes on foreign military in Middle East

Commercial imagery reveals two new communication sites built near foreign military bases in East Africa, US think tank says.

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China’s military base in Djibouti as seen in a satellite image taken on May 13, 2025. Photo: Google Earth
World Gold Council

As China’s consumption of gold jewellery slumps 34%, sellers pivot abroad: WGC

Domestic gold jewellers are seeking to leverage advanced crafting techniques as market sees turbulence, says World Gold Council executive.

South Korea

South Korea steps up to plug Europe’s jet fuel deficit

South Korea is the latest large source of jet fuel shipments to Europe, exporting 129,000 barrels per day, the highest since October 2022.

Donald Trump

US prepares sanctions against the ICC: sources

Trump administration readies entity-wide measures that could severely disrupt tribunal’s war crimes probes.

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The International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands. Photo: Reuters
Ukraine war

Ukraine’s Zelensky to meet Trump in New York

Planned meeting comes as Washington pushes for fresh, face-to-face peace talks between Moscow and Kyiv.

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky talking on the phone to US President Donald Trump on Sunday. Photo: Ukrainian Presidential Press Service via AFP
China-Middle East relations

Chinese firms keen on Oman’s International Financial Centre: official

Neutrality amid US-Israel war on Iran cited as an advantage, as well as location of ports away from Strait of Hormuz.

Hong Kong culture

Opinion | What Hong Kong cinema can take away from a popular Chinese war film

If productions need not be set in China to be seen as Chinese, why must Hong Kong films rely on language or place as proof of identity?

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