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Middle East

Middle East

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Middle East. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

A person wearing an old military uniform and holding an anti-Trump sign takes part in a “March 4 Democracy” protest in Washington on Saturday. Photo: AFP

Trump gambles his Iran attack will save flailing Maga agenda

Faced with affordability concerns and plunging approval ratings at home, the US president is waging a war he once promised never to start.

14 minutes agovideocam

US-China relations

Israel claims top Iranian officials dead, but Iran says leadership still intact

28 minutes agovideocam

Missiles streak across Gulf skies as Iran responds to US-Israel attack

3 hours agovideocam

War and conflict

Opinion | US-Israeli strike on Iran signals new phase of global escalation

This is deterrence fatigue: escalation thresholds weakened by repeated testing and retaliation. The risk is not only war but systemic strain.

6 hours agovideocam

People watch as smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, on February 28. Photo: AP

Hong Kong politics

Cathay Pacific suspends all Middle East operations after US-Israeli attack on Iran

Hong Kong’s Airport Authority says at least nine flights have been cancelled or postponed.

3 hours agovideocam

War and conflict

US-Israel attack on Iran: how it unfolded

‘The hour of your freedom is at hand,’ US president Donald Trump told Iranians on Saturday, after months of mounting tension.

28 minutes agovideocam

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What military assets does the US have in the Middle East?

Before Saturday’s strikes on Iran, Donald Trump ordered a huge military presence in the region, including warships crewed by thousands.

5 hours agovideocam

The US Navy aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford left the Greek island of Crete on Thursday. Photo: via TNS

Who are the main players in the US-Iran-Israel crisis?

With the decisions and actions of those involved impacting countless millions, the stakes are high.

5 hours agovideocam

China-Middle East relations

Trump urges Iranians to overthrow government after US-Israel strikes

US bases in Kuwait, UAE, Qatar and Bahrain under attack by Revolutionary Guard, according to Iranian media outlet.

4 hours agovideocam

China-Middle East relations

Meet Habibi – the Chinese AI uniting 20 Arabic dialects in a Middle East first

Lead author says there are many differences between Arabic dialects and Modern Standard Arabic, which is used in official circumstances.

28 Feb 2026 - 2:00PMvideocam

Habibi, a model devised by a Chinese-led team, has “zero-shot” capability, meaning it can clone a dialect’s voice by using short reference audio, according to the researchers. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong stock market

The big cornerstone comeback: what’s driving investors back to Hong Kong IPOs?

After four subdued years, the cornerstone investors that anchor Hong Kong’s IPO market are returning in force, reshaping the deal landscape.

28 Feb 2026 - 1:44PM

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

Autonomous vehicles

Breakthrough or hype? How WeRide aims to edge rivals in crowded robotaxi field

WeRide says its world model has slashed costs to support global expansion, but investors question if it can deliver a lasting advantage.

28 Feb 2026 - 10:00AM

Trending in China

K-pop star G-Dragon’s ‘Lunar New Year’ greetings divide China fans, ignite firestorm

Debate over ‘Chinese New Year’ versus ‘Lunar New Year’ arises annually, particularly when brands, celebrities share new year greetings on social media.

28 Feb 2026 - 9:00AM

Trump says ‘not happy’ with Iran talks, US staff leave Israel over war risks

Other countries, including China, Germany and the UK, have issued warnings or relocated their citizens.

28 Feb 2026 - 5:07AM

The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier leaves Souda Bay on the island of Crete on Thursday. Photo: AFP

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

The US vice-president said Trump’s options range from military strikes ‘to ensure Iran isn’t going to get a nuclear weapon’ to dialogue.

27 Feb 2026 - 6:04PM

A man walks past a mural depicting a damaged Statue of Liberty in Tehran on Thursday. Photo: WANA via Reuters

War and conflict

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

In a frantic 24 hours of shuttle diplomacy, Trump’s hand-picked duo juggled Iran negotiations and Ukraine war talks.

27 Feb 2026 - 12:25PM

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.

27 Feb 2026 - 6:42AM

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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.

27 Feb 2026 - 4:24PM

An Iranian woman walks past an anti-US billboard in Tehran. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters

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.

26 Feb 2026 - 7:00PM

‘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.

26 Feb 2026 - 4:23PM

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.

26 Feb 2026 - 4:36PMvideocam

A Deliveroo rider in Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong, in 2025. The UK-founded food delivery platform has been scaling back in parts of Asia in recent years, including Hong Kong, as competition intensifies in the region. Photo: Sam Tsang

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.

26 Feb 2026 - 10:31AMvideocam

Hong Kong’s lightshow fixture will come to an end this year. Photo: Dickson Lee

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.

25 Feb 2026 - 9:14PMvideocam

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.

25 Feb 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

‘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.

25 Feb 2026 - 6:08PMvideocam

US aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford is docked at Souda Bay in the Greek Mediterranean island of Crete on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

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.

25 Feb 2026 - 6:08PM

Iranian missiles on display in Tehran earlier this month. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters

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.

24 Feb 2026 - 6:56PM

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’.

24 Feb 2026 - 3:29PM

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