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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.
Relatives and supporters of Israeli hostages protest in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters
Israel-Gaza war

US holding secret talks with Hamas on Gaza hostages, insiders say

Such discussions run counter to long-standing policy against negotiating with groups that the US has designated as terrorist organisations.

US-China relations

Trump tells Congress China can no longer ‘take advantage’ of weak US policies

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Israel-Gaza war

Arab states adopt Egyptian alternative to Trump’s ‘Gaza Riviera’

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Russia

‘Ready to do everything’: Putin to help Trump mediate US-Iran nuclear talks

Senior US and Russian officials discussed the matter during their meeting in Saudi Arabia last month.

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Iranians march during a rally marking the 46th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran on February 10. Photo: AP
Islamic State

Syria risks relapsing into chaos amid US sanctions, infighting

The transitional authorities in Syria are viewed with suspicion by the US and Israel, while various groups want a decentralised government.

Banking & finance

Hong Kong to benefit from AI, China opening, Asia wealth: think tank

The government think tank will undertake roadshows worldwide to highlight growth opportunities in the city, chairman Benjamin Hung says.

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Israel-Gaza war

Israel PM issues threat to Hamas over hostages as Gaza talks at an impasse

As Arab leaders prepared for summit in Cairo, Netanyahu warned Hamas would face ‘unimaginable consequences’ if it did not return hostages.

Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, Israel on Monday. Photo: dpa
Israel

1 dead in Israel stabbing attack, assailant killed

A man and woman around 30 years of age as well as a 15-year-old boy were seriously injured, Israel’s emergency service said.

Iran

Iran’s Vice-President Zarif resigns under hardliner pressure

Mohammad Javad Zarif is stepping down from the VP post for the second time since his appointment.

Cinema

Israeli-Palestinian film wins Oscar, directors call for global action

Documentary ‘No Other Land’ highlights Israeli displacement of West Bank Palestinians.

A scene from ‘No Other Land’. Photo: Antipode Films via AP
Banking & finance

Standard Chartered to open sixth Hong Kong wealth centre, increase headcount

Hong Kong is a key market for the bank to achieve its goal of accumulating US$200 billion of net new money in the next five years.

Mary Huen, Standard Chartered’s CEO for Hong Kong, Greater China and North Asia, is cautiously optimistic about the bank’s growth in the city this year. Photo: Jonathan Wong
Honor

Honor’s new CEO unveils US$10 billion plan for AI transformation

The Huawei spin-off aims transform from a smartphone maker into an ecosystem company focused on AI devices, CEO James Li Jian says.

Israel-Gaza war

Netanyahu thanks Trump for weapons to ‘finish the job’ against Iran axis

Israeli prime minister says Trump ‘is the greatest friend that Israel has ever had in the White House’.

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Iran

Iran parliament sacks minister over economic woes

Decades of sanctions have battered Iran’s economy, with soaring inflation increasing prices since the US pulled out of a 2015 nuclear deal.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (C) speaks during a Parliament session to defend his Minister of Economy and Finance at the Iranian Parliament in Tehran, Iran, on Sunday. Photo: EPA-EFE
Israel-Gaza war

Israel blocks aid into Gaza as ceasefire stand-off escalates

The proposal, which Hamas has yet to accept, seeks the release of half the remaining hostages on the day the deal comes into effect.

Palestinians pray amid the rubble in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, on Saturday, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan. Photo: Reuters
Turkey

Kurdish militants declare ceasefire, heeding jailed leader

The outlawed Kurdistan Workers Party declared an immediate ceasefire in a step toward ending a 40-year insurgency against the Turkish state.

Israel-Gaza war

Uncertainty looms as Gaza truce’s first phase due to expire

A second phase of the truce is supposed to secure the release of dozens of hostages still in Gaza and pave the way for the end of the war.

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United States

My Take | More shameless interference from the US in Hong Kong affairs

From threatening other nations to bulldozing state power at home, America should take care of its own mess before messing with others.

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Jim Risch (right), the chairman of the US Senate’s foreign relations committee, and ranking member Jeanne Shaheen (left) have introduced a resolution to condemn Beijing for interfering in Hong Kong’s affairs. Photo: AFP
Retailing

FMG, Chinese fast-fashion brand Urban Revivo’s parent, eyes rapid expansion

Planned locations include Tokyo, London, Hong Kong and possibly Dubai, following New York launch.

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Israel-Gaza war

Israel army admits ‘complete failure’ on October 7, underestimated Hamas

The findings could put pressure on PM Netanyahu, who has said he will answer tough questions only after the Gaza war ends.

Belt and Road Initiative

Letters | How Hong Kong’s education system can support Belt and Road Initiative ambitions

Readers discuss the languages offered under the Diploma of Secondary Education, and Hong Kong students’ career choices.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee at a briefing by a representative of Aldar Properties in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on February 7, 2023. Photo: ISD/Xinhua
Israel-Gaza war

Hamas says ready for more ceasefire talks after prisoner exchange

Exchange of bodies for prisoners took place before the first phase of Gaza ceasefire was due to end.

Freed Palestinian prisoners arrive in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. Photo: EPA-EFE
Israel-Gaza war

Trump AI video showing Gaza as seaside resort draws backlash

The clip includes what appear to be AI-generated images of Trump and Netanyahu on the beach, and Elon Musk dancing in a shower of cash.

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Israel-Gaza war

Hamas armed wing says it will hand over bodies of 4 hostages ‘tonight’

Hamas has released hostages, and the bodies of four dead hostages, in large public ceremonies.

Hong Kong budget 2025-26

Hong Kong to entice big spenders by turning LIV Golf into long-term fixture

City’s 2025 budget also lays out plans to attract more business travellers by developing MICE sector, building ties with Middle East.

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Hong Kong hopes to turn the LIV Golf tournament into a long-term fixture of the city. Photo: Dickson Lee
Saudi Arabia

From Gaza to Ukraine: Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE expand clout as mediators

The international community is increasingly turning to the Gulf monarchies to mediate conflicts as trusted go-betweens, analysts say.

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Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meets with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud in Doha during a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in 2023. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong budget 2025-26

Budget 2025: Hong Kong to boost role in wealth, IPOs, digital assets, yuan

‘We are pressing ahead with high-quality development of Hong Kong’s international financial market,’ financial secretary says.

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Banking & finance

Editorial | Net for foreign firms in Hong Kong cast wider by OASES

Faced with a sluggish economy and uncertain geopolitical landscape, reaching out to Europe and beyond may help broaden Hong Kong’s pool of strategic investments.

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