Middle East

State-run Bharat Petroleum Corp. had four Persian Gulf cargoes that weren't delivered on schedule in August, according to people familiar with the matter

US consumers' one-year inflation expectations rose to 4.3% in August from 4.2% in July as the Middle East conflict raised concerns over living costs.

The United Arab Emirates is blaming Iran for firing drones at two tankers operated by a state-owned oil company as they sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, saying Friday that the attacks were acts of piracy. The attacks caused no casualties but underlined the dangers faced by vessels seeking to move cargo through the critical waterway that leads from the Persian Gulf to the open oceans as Iran keeps a firm grip on the passage. Here's a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East. Full coverage can be found here. 2 oil tankers hit by drones as they transited Strait of Hormuz ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Two tankers owned by Abu Dhabi's state-owned oil and gas company ADNOC were attacked Thursday evening while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, the company said. It added that the attack caused no injuries and that "the situation has been brought under control." The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade

Mediators have achieved progress in getting the United States and Iran back to negotiations, regional officials said Monday, after both sides paused attacks following a period of rapidly escalating tensions. But scattered attacks by armed groups across the region underscored the lingering tensions. Saudi Arabia said it had shot down drones fired by Iran-backed militias in Iraq that had targeted its petroleum facilities. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen meanwhile claimed to have attacked Saudi oil facilities as part of a separate but related conflict. It was unclear if they referred to the same attack. Two drone attacks were reported against a Kurdish Iranian dissident group in Iraq, and Jordan said it had shot down two drones, without saying where they originated. There were no reports of casualties or damage. Neither the US nor Iran reported carrying out any attacks for three days - a respite after about two weeks of sustained bombardments that had led to increasing fears of a ..

ASEAN has no shortage of challenges closer to home and will on Tuesday hold a consultation on the conflict in Myanmar, as the bloc's peace initiative falters

Oman has opened temporary shipping corridors through the Strait of Hormuz to restart global trade after months of disruption. But Iran says those routes cannot operate without Tehran's approval. Why d

The Embassy of India in Muscat on Saturday condoled his death and is making arrangements for the repatriation of his mortal remains in India

The W&C business remained the key growth driver, delivering strong growth across domestic and export markets with healthy profitability despite volatility and challenges due to recent global conflicts

Private equity and asset managers are reassessing fundraising expectations from Gulf sovereign wealth funds as the Iran conflict triggers caution despite assurances from major Middle Eastern investors

Against a backdrop of broken alliances and misaligned interests, India's relationship with West Asia is fundamentally different

L&T reported weaker-than-expected Q4 FY26 results and warned that disruptions linked to the Iran conflict could weigh on execution and growth in H1FY27

Higher crude prices and fuel demand lifted revenue, but elevated costs and supply disruptions weighed on margins in Oil-to-Chemicals business

Gold may rise to $5000 in the short term, though a sustainable extension of the ongoing rally, which has been in place from the cycle low of $4099, will call for an increase in the safe haven appeal

It's not just gas prices: Some US water utilities are reporting the Middle East war is disrupting their ability to maintain recommended fluoride levels in the drinking water. Over the past few weeks, a few water utilities have said their supply had been disrupted, according to the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies. Fluoride is used in water systems as a public health measure to prevent tooth decay. Here's what to know. What's driving the fluoride shortage? --------------------------------------- Israel is one of the world's top exporters of fluorosilicic acid, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency. EPA data also shows the US is among the world's top five importers of the product. At least one Israeli supplier has been facing workforce challenges because many employees have been called into active military service, said Dan Hartnett, chief policy officer for the Association of Metropolitan Water Agencies. "That has led to decreased production, and supply ..

The US dollar edged 0.2 per cent lower, making greenback-priced gold slightly cheaper for holders of other currencies

Two employees at Aluminium Bahrain were hurt in Saturday's attack, the state-controlled company said, while regional peer Emirates Global Aluminium's site sustained significant damage

US President Donald Trump will travel to China on May 14 and 15 for a rescheduled summit with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, the White House announced on Wednesday. Trump, who was earlier scheduled to travel to Beijing by the end of this month, postponed his trip due to the war in Iran. Announcing Trump's "long-awaited" trip to China, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US president and First Lady Melania will also host President Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, for a reciprocal visit to Washington DC at a later date this year. Responding to a question if the two leaders spoke about the conclusion of the war as a precondition to reschedule this meeting, she answered there was no discussion about the rescheduling of the meeting between the president and Xi. "President Xi understood that it's very important for the president to be here throughout the region right now. He understood, obviously, the request to postpone and accept it, which is why we have a meeting,"

Iran named a former Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander as the new secretary of the country's Supreme National Security Council on Tuesday, replacing Ali Larijani, who was killed in an airstrike. Iranian state television identified the new secretary as Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr. Zolghadr reached the rank of brigadier general in the Guard. He had been serving as the secretary of Iran's Expediency Council.

The Jaishankar-Rubio phone conversation came hours after US President Donald Trump extended Washington's deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by five days