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

US, Israel war on Iran

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

South Korea

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

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, 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.

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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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Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian giving his address in New York. Photo: Reuters
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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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.

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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People take pictures with the city skyline of Singapore on September 14. The Iran conflict has accelerated Gulf businesses’ use of Asian financial hubs, insiders say. Photo: Reuters
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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Some family offices are planning to increase their exposure to the Chinese market this year, according to a new report. Photo: AFP
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.

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.

Britain’s Prime Minister Andy Burnham and his wife Marie-France van Heel board a plane for the United States. Photo: Reuters
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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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.

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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.

Planes are parked on the tarmac at Rome’s Fiumicino airport on June 6. European airlines are monitoring higher jet fuel costs and supply concerns linked to tensions in the Middle East. Photo: Reuters
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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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.

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.

A highway in Muscat, Oman. Photo: Shutterstock Images
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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Illustration: Mario Rivera
Israel-Gaza war

Ed Sheeran calls Gaza situation ‘unjustifiable’ after Macklemore exit furore

The pop star decried the ‘devastation and loss of children’s lives’ in the Palestinian enclave during a concert in Philadelphia.

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2026 Xi-Trump summits

In Focus | Analysts tip a stronger hand for China ahead of Xi-Trump summit in Washington

Chinese confidence could be boosted by US push to make progress on its war on Iran and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, experts say.

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Saudi Arabia

Houthis claim attacks on Saudi capital, after flames seen near Riyadh airport

The militants say they targeted ‘sensitive’ sites, along with an Aramco facility in the Red Sea city of Yanbu.

Large plume of black smoke rises from the fuel storage area at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
Vladimir Putin

Opinion | Why the Global South keeps its doors wide open to Russia

Far from being isolated, Moscow’s relationships across the non-Western world are a geopolitical constant the West cannot break.

Russian President Vladimir Putin waves while boarding a plane upon his departure from India on September 13. Photo: Kremlin/Sputnik/EPA
US, Israel war on Iran

How much has Iran war cost US? Pentagon estimates US$43.6 billion so far

Polls show Americans increasingly oppose the war, partly over its impact on the economy, as the November midterm elections approach.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Saudi oil pipeline closure puts Asia’s economic resilience to the test

Experts say the loss will hit Asian refiners first before feeding through to inflation, currencies and economic growth across the region.

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