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Fiona MacDonald
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks to reporters in Bahrain on Thursday as he finished a whirlwind tour of the Persian Gulf.
WORLD
Jun 26, 2026
Hormuz tolls ‘unacceptable,’ top U.S. envoy says after touring Gulf nations
Marco Rubio’s comments came after Iran and Oman said earlier in the week that they were working toward an agreement to jointly administer the Strait of Hormuz.
Dana White, president of Ultimate Fighting Championship (left), U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump speak to attendees during the UFC Freedom250 fight on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington on Monday.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Jun 18, 2026
Inside the chaotic Iran talks that let Trump claim victory but not yet peace
The war cost the U.S. tens of billions of dollars, strained munitions stocks and its alliances, sent pump prices soaring and roiled the global energy market.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the media before boarding Air Force One in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday.
WORLD / Politics
Mar 24, 2026
Trump began Iran talks as allies warned war risked disaster
The U.S. president said Monday he was giving Iran a five-day reprieve from his threatened action.
U.S. President Donald Trump takes questions from the media before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on March 13.
WORLD / Politics
Mar 16, 2026
Trump leaves allies and foes guessing on endgame for Iran
The U.S. president has gone from declaring the war with Iran to be over soon to calling on European and Gulf allies to help.
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz chairs a Cabinet meeting in Riyadh on Jan. 20. Tensions between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates erupted into the open in December when the former gave the latter 24 hours to withdraw its forces from Yemen.
BUSINESS / Companies
Jan 28, 2026
Saudi Arabia-UAE tensions put Middle East businesses on edge
Tensions erupted into the open in December when the kingdom gave UAE forces 24 hours to withdraw from Yemen.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Jan 12, 2026
Iran edges closer to a revolution that would reshape the world
The Islamic Republic has been severely weakened thanks to economic woes and Israel striking both it and its proxies.
Taxi drivers wait for fares under a patriotic billboard in Tehran on Tuesday, the day of the ceasefire announcement.
WORLD
Jun 25, 2025
Twelve day Middle East war shows how ‘normal’ the unthinkable has become
The ructions that have torn through the Middle East aren’t likely to fully reveal their impact for years to come.
A picture depicting U.S. President Donald Trump shaking hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with the slogan above "We (Israel) are ready" (for normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia) is seen in Ramat Gan, Israel, on Tuesday.
WORLD / Politics
Feb 6, 2025
MBS torn between Trump and Saudi people on potential Israel deal
Among Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s biggest concerns is Saudi Arabia’s young people, which have seen Palestinian support surge amid the war in Gaza.
U.S. President Donald Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a meeting at the White House in 2018
WORLD / Politics
Jan 21, 2025
Saudi Arabia ready to fill power void left by Iran in region reshaped by war
The 15-month conflict in Gaza has tilted the balance of power in the Middle East against the Saudi Arabian kingdom’s longtime rival Iran.
A sign outside JP Morgan Chase & Co. offices in New York in 2021
BUSINESS
Nov 11, 2024
JPMorgan braces for ‘impactful’ first two years of Trump
Optimism has been high that Donald Trump’s pro-growth promises, built around tax cuts and deregulation, will unlock another round of gains in the economy.
An air conditioning unit being installed in Kotor, Montenegro, on June 22. Life almost stopped in Montenegro’s capital Podgorica earlier this summer, with cars and buses getting stuck in gridlock as traffic lights went out, the internet crashed and security alarms blared in reaction to a sudden loss of power supply.
ENVIRONMENT / Energy
Jul 15, 2024
The world’s power grids are failing as the planet warms
Hotter summers cause spikes in demand for cooling, but upgrades to power infrastructure haven’t kept pace with climate change.
Iranians gather at Palestine Square to celebrate Iran’s attack on Israel, holding up their phones with the flash on, in Tehran on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Apr 15, 2024
Iran’s attack on Israel sparks race to avert a full-blown war
Nations around the world are working to stop what could be a slow dance toward war in the Middle East after Iran directly attacked Israel.
Hamas’ Ismail Haniyeh (left) and the former emir of Qatar arrive at a cornerstone-laying ceremony for the new Hamad residential neighborhood in Gaza in 2012.
WORLD / Politics / FOCUS
Oct 30, 2023
Israel-Hamas war escalation puts Qatar’s clout to the test
The nation has positioned itself as an key go-between, but has been criticized for housing Hamas leaders while maintaining channels to Israel.
Israeli soldiers organize armored personnel  near the border with Lebanon on Sunday.
WORLD / Politics
Oct 16, 2023
After Iran warning, Washington pushes to avert wider Israel war
The ramped-up moves come amid concerns that an invasion of the Gaza Strip by Israeli forces could prompt Iran to enter the conflict.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Jun 5, 2023
Saudi Arabia goes alone at OPEC+ with million-barrel cut
Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud said he ‘will do whatever is necessary to bring stability to this market.”

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The Terasaka Rice Terraces are seen with Mount Buko in the background.
What Yokoze can teach Japan about rural revival