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US ramps up sanctions on Iran oil network as Strait of Hormuz shutdown fuels tensions
WASHINGTON, April 16 — The United States announced yesterday it is tightening sanctions against Iran’s oil industry as Tehran keeps up its closure of the Strait of Hormuz as part of the Mideast war. The new punishment targets oil transport
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US eyes second Iran peace talks in Pakistan as Tehran threatens Red Sea trade shutdown
WASHINGTON, April 16 — The United States is discussing a possible second round of peace talks with Iran in Pakistan and is optimistic about reaching a deal, US officials said yesterday, as Tehran threatened to shut down Red Sea trade
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Explosions trigger massive fire at key Australian refinery, raising fuel supply concerns
GEELONG, April 16 — Towering columns of fire have engulfed a crucial Australian oil refinery after a chain of explosions, authorities said today as they warned of disruptions to domestic fuel supply. Flames as tall as 60 metres (200 feet) erupted
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Rattled by Trump, US allies eye Japan’s biggest arms‑export shift since WW2
TOKYO, April 16 — Japan’s imminent easing of arms export rules has sparked strong interest from Warsaw to Manila, Reuters reporting found, as President Donald Trump wavers on security commitments to allies and the wars in Iran and Ukraine strain US
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Sanctioned China tanker turns back toward Strait of Hormuz a day after Gulf exit as US blockade holds
SINGAPORE, April 15 — The US-sanctioned tanker Rich Starry made its way back to the Strait of Hormuz today after exiting the Gulf the day before, shipping data showed, failing to break through a US blockade on vessels calling at
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Indonesia weighs US overflight proposal, says no unrestricted access for any foreign military
JAKARTA, April 15 — Indonesia’s foreign ministry said today that an overflight proposal put forward by the United States was now being considered, but the government had no policy granting unrestricted access to its airspace to any foreign party. Reuters
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China, Russia eye closer ties as Xi meets Lavrov amid global energy and war concerns
BEIJING, April 15 — China’s President Xi Jinping met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov today, Chinese state media said, as a string of leaders of countries impacted by the Middle East war flock to Beijing. Lavrov joins Spanish Prime
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Pakistan PM heads to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Turkey with efforts on for US-Iran talks
ISLAMABAD, April 15 — Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is to embark on a four-day diplomatic blitz to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey today, Islamabad’s foreign ministry said, as the country engages in feverish diplomacy ahead of a possible second
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World Bank eyes record US$100b support for nations hit by Middle East conflict
WASHINGTON, April 15 — The World Bank could mobilize US$80 billion (RM225.5 billion) to US$100 billion (RM281.8 billion) in funding over the next 15 months for countries hit hard by the war in the Middle East, eclipsing the US$70 billion
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Trump signals fresh US-Iran talks as Israel, Lebanon open direct negotiations
WASHINGTON, April 15 — President Donald Trump said yesterday that US-Iran peace talks could resume this week, while Israel and Lebanon agreed to launch direct negotiations, signaling movement on two key fronts in efforts to ease the Middle East conflict.
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