
New Chinese Film Tells Iraq War Story Through Local Chef's Eyes
A new Chinese film titled Once Upon a Time in the Middle East depicts the Iraq war through the perspective of a Chinese chef, surpassing 1 billion yuan at the box office.

A new Chinese film titled Once Upon a Time in the Middle East depicts the Iraq war through the perspective of a Chinese chef, surpassing 1 billion yuan at the box office.

Israeli troops fail to evict a small group of settlers besieging Palestinians in Qusra, West Bank, amid government backing for settlements and settler ideology's influence within the military.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry condemned Israeli airstrikes on the Abu Duhur military airbase in Idlib province, calling the action an unjustified aggression. Damascus urged the UN Security Council to intervene, citing repeated violations of Syrian sovereignty.

US special envoy Jared Kushner concludes Middle East meetings with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas political chief Khalil al-Hayya with no major breakthrough on Washington's Gaza peace plan.

Bitcoin rebounded to $64,000, gaining 2% following Monday's Wall Street open, while US equities dipped, gold rose over 1%, and Donald Trump threatened military action against Oman over the Strait of Hormuz.

An unnamed cargo ship was seized by eight armed pirates off the coast of Somalia, according to international monitors UKMTO and MSCIO, marking a continued uptick in regional piracy incidents.

The USS George Washington deploys to the Middle East amid sailor complaints, Meta faces a major antitrust and addiction lawsuit, Jared Kushner meets Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu over Gaza plans, and Ukraine launches a massive drone attack on Russia.

Half of homes in Great Britain are taking longer to sell compared to last year due to mortgage market volatility linked to the Iran war, causing buyers to delay purchases.

Global government bond yields hit multi-decade highs on Tuesday as hopes for a U.S.-Iran deal faded, a cargo ship was struck in the Strait of Hormuz, and Brent crude hovered above $90 a barrel.
Larsen & Toubro announced securing an ultramega order valued over Rs 15,000 crore to develop offshore facilities in the Middle East through its energy hydrocarbon offshore unit.

Japanese automakers Toyota, Honda, and Nissan face potential vulnerabilities from a stronger yen following government currency intervention and rising supply chain costs driven by the Middle East conflict.

Japanese official Koizumi will embark on a three-day trip to Australia and India to discuss defense cooperation and potential equipment exports.
The 60-day US-Iran deal expires with no peace breakthrough as an Iranian commander places a $30,000 bounty on US soldiers. Meanwhile, Donald Trump scales back South Korea drills, Jared Kushner meets Israeli PM Netanyahu, and naval assets shift to the Middle East.

U.S. soldiers face mental health strains aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln amid a prolonged Middle East conflict, while President Trump makes bold claims about the Strait of Hormuz and advances Gaza peace talks.

South Korea's Incheon airport became the world's busiest airport for international passengers in the first half of 2026, handling 38.39 million travelers amid Middle East conflict disruptions.

Iran's military announced a $30,000 bounty for killing or capturing US soldiers, with the reward doubled if carried out by a woman, amid ongoing Middle East tensions.

US Middle East envoy Jared Kushner has arrived in Israel to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following rare talks with Hamas in Egypt regarding the US-backed Gaza peace plan, which Israel has previously rejected.
Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and Türkiye signed a trilateral collective-defense agreement in Mecca, creating a new security grouping that weakens US regional hegemony and presents strategic benefits for Russia by complicating Western objectives.

Central banks (Fed, BoE, ECB) face dilemmas in balancing inflation control with economic stability amid the Middle East war's impact on oil prices, with mixed strategies on interest rates and forward guidance.

U.S. deployment of the USS George Washington from the Pacific to the Middle East leaves the region without a key American aircraft carrier, straining sailors and unsettling allies as China increases regional assertiveness.

US military refueling aircraft and a reconnaissance drone were spotted circling over neutral waters of the Persian Gulf near Iranian-controlled airspace, according to an air traffic control source.

Iranian authorities revealed that three Tehran pilots are being held in Qatar after their jets crashed during the Middle East war in March, prompting a call for their release.
The USS Abraham Lincoln, after a prolonged deployment supporting US combat operations in the Middle East, is set to return home. The carrier's 266-day deployment, including 200 days in a combat zone, has raised concerns over sailors' mental health, morale, and living conditions, despite Navy officials downplaying these reports.
The US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is returning home after a prolonged Middle East deployment, sparking scrutiny over sailors' mental health, living conditions, and extended deployment strains.