[2026-03-18 16:40 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: ABC News

Title: How a Trump backer's resignation hints at internal turbulence over Iran

Snippet: Donald Trump appointed Joseph Kent as the director of the National Counterterrorism Center in 2024. (AP: Mark Schiefelbein)

Read full article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-18/who-is-joe-kent-counterterrorism-trump-administration/106468640

[2026-03-18 16:37 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Middle East Eye

Title: Israeli strikes hit eastern Lebanon towns, killing civilians

Snippet: Israeli forces struck multiple locations across Lebanon, including the eastern Bekaa Valley and central Beirut, according to local media reports.

Read full article: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-strikes-hit-eastern-lebanon-towns-killing-civilians

[2026-03-18 16:31 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: ABC News

Title: Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and the meeting looming over Middle East war

Snippet: Donald Trump has been calling on US allies to help end Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. (Reuters: Kevin Lamarque)

Read full article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-18/trump-xi-meeting-looming-large-over-middle-east-war/106465096

[2026-03-18 16:30 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: CNBC

Title: Global hedge funds suffer worst losses since 'liberation day' on Iran war turmoil

Snippet: Hedge funds are getting battered by the fallout from the escalating conflict with Iran, as a sharp spike in oil prices and a broad market selloff unravel crowded trades.

Read full article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/18/hedge-funds-suffer-worst-losses-since-liberation-day-on-iran-war-turmoil.html

[2026-03-18 16:23 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: AP News

Title: Iran lashes out with attacks on Israel and Gulf neighbors as Israel hits Beirut

Snippet: An Israeli airstrike has struck an apartment building in Bachoura, central Beirut. The Israeli army had warned residents in the building to evacuate about an hour before completely flattening it as day broke. (AP video by: Fadi Tawil; Production by: Sally Abou AlJoud)

Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/iran-iraq-us-israel-trump-march-18-2026-d7ca062ba1bf99d1f8dc00c8073cf10f

[2026-03-18 16:20 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: AP News

Title: Unos 90 barcos cruzan el estrecho de Ormuz e Irán exporta petróleo en plena guerra

Snippet: Petroleros y mercantes esperan en el estrecho de Ormuz vistos desde Khor Fakkan, Emiratos Árabes Unidos, el miércoles 11 de marzo de 2026. (AP Foto/Altaf Qadri)

Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/iran-ormuz-eeuu-israel-guerra-petroleros-paso-8c8ecfb1f07dc815ce8adf79dec1982a

[2026-03-18 16:19 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: AP News

Title: What to know about Iran's Bushehr nuclear power plant

Snippet: This satellite image from Planet Labs PBC shows the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant in Bushehr, Iran, Dec. 7, 2025. (Planet Labs PBC via AP)

Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/iran-bushehr-nuclear-power-plant-war-us-israel-38ad4e7ae4c934a499cae9c0b16f8fd2

[2026-03-18 16:08 UTC+10:00] [US military] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Guardian Australia

Title: Fire damage, clogged toilets, and sinking morale: USS Gerald R Ford to set sails for repairs in Crete

Snippet: Aircraft carrier has been participating in strikes on Iran, after previously taking part in the operation to seize Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro

Read full article: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/mar/18/onboard-fire-uss-gerald-ford-aircraft-carrier

[2026-03-18 16:08 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: AP News

Title: Dozens of ships slip through the Strait of Hormuz as Iran's oil exports get through

Snippet: Oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)

Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/ships-iran-oil-china-us-trump-hormuz-82a9acb473837f1bf7a821d0c3f95205

[2026-03-18 16:00 UTC+10:00] [Iran nuclear deal] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Guardian Australia

Title: How ignorance, misunderstanding and obfuscation ended Iran nuclear talks

Snippet: Negotiators had reached agreement on key issues despite Trump team’s idiosyncratic approach. Two days later, war began

Read full article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/18/ignorance-misunderstanding-obfuscation-iran-nuclear-talks-trump

[2026-03-18 15:59 UTC+10:00] [Iran] [Factuality: 95]

Source: South China Morning Post

Title: Delayed US-China summit raises stakes for Takaichi ahead of White House visit

Snippet: Analysts said combination of Iran war and new date for Trump’s visit to Beijing could put Japan’s leader on the defensive.

Read full article: https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3346959/delayed-us-china-summit-raises-stakes-takaichi-ahead-white-house-visit

[2026-03-18 15:55 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: CNBC

Title: Traffic starts trickling through Strait of Hormuz: Who's moving through and who's still stranded or diverting

Snippet: Iran's de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has stoked fears of the gravest disruption to global oil supply in history, as the Middle East conflict stretches into its third week.

Read full article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/18/hormuz-bottleneck-vessel-tanker-tracker-shipping-strait-of-hormuz.html

[2026-03-18 15:55 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Middle East Eye

Title: Iranian missile barrage kills two near Tel Aviv, disrupts rail

Snippet: An Iranian missile barrage killed two people near Tel Aviv, medics said, as air raid sirens sounded across central Israel and falling munitions struck multiple locations, AFP reported.

Read full article: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/iranian-missile-barrage-kills-two-near-tel-aviv-disrupts-rail

[2026-03-18 15:52 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: AP News

Title: Iran Live updates: Iran launches barrage of missiles after an Israeli strike kills its security chief

Snippet: Both security official Ali Larijani and Gen. Gholam Reza Soleimani were “eliminated last night,” Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement. Iranian state media did not immediately confirm either death.

Read full article: https://apnews.com/live/iran-war-israel-trump-03-18-2026

[2026-03-18 15:48 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: AP News

Title: Asian shares advance as oil slips despite barrage of attacks by Iran

Snippet: A person looks at a stock price monitor showing New York Dow and Nikkei indexes also US dollar Japanese yen exchange rate at a security company Tuesday, March 17, 2026, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-oil-iran-trump-fddc46573a120d8235d0b696350b268d

[2026-03-18 15:47 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Middle East Eye

Title: Global flights halted as Middle East conflict shuts hubs

Snippet: Airlines around the world have cancelled or suspended flights as the Middle East conflict forces the closure of key aviation hubs, including Dubai, Doha and Abu Dhabi, stranding tens of thousands of passengers.

Read full article: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/global-flights-halted-middle-east-conflict-shuts-hubs

[2026-03-18 15:45 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 90]

Source: The Manila Times

Title: Iran supreme leader says vengeance is priority 'until fully achieved'

Snippet: TEHRAN, Iran — Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who is yet to appear in public, vowed on Thursday to avenge the deaths since the start of the war with the US and Israel, in a statement read out by a presenter on state TV.

Read full article: https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/03/18/world/iran-supreme-leader-says-vengeance-is-priority-until-fully-achieved/2302390

[2026-03-18 15:44 UTC+10:00] [Politics / Federal] [Factuality: 90]

Source: The Age

Title: Australians want no part in Iran conflict as Hastie unloads on ‘petulant’ Trump

Snippet: Most Australians want the country to stay entirely out of the United States and Israel’s war against Iran, with an overwhelming majority worried by the conflict’s impact on cost of living in Australia.

Read full article: https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/australians-want-no-part-in-iran-conflict-as-hastie-unloads-on-petulant-trump-20260318-p5okui.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

[2026-03-18 15:43 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 90]

Source: Al Jazeera

Title: Trump confirms meeting with China’s Xi Jinping delayed as war on Iran rages

Snippet: US President Donald Trump has confirmed he is delaying plans to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the end of the month, as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues to consume most of Washington’s focus.

Read full article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/3/18/trump-delays-meeting-with-chinas-xi-jinping-as-war-on-iran-rages

[2026-03-18 15:29 UTC+10:00] [Goldman Sachs] [Factuality: 100]

Source: South China Morning Post

Title: HSBC launches US$2.5 billion AT1 bond issue in Hong Kong after market standstill

Snippet: Lender’s AT1 bond sale is the first since Iran conflict froze the market, with Hong Kong’s stability making it the natural venue: analyst

Read full article: https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3346960/hsbc-launches-us25-billion-at1-bond-issue-hong-kong-after-market-standstill

[2026-03-18 15:26 UTC+10:00] [Culture / TV & radio] [Factuality: 100]

Source: The Age

Title: Only a dignified Michelle Pfeiffer saves this dreary Taylor Sheridan mess

Snippet: Who hates the city of New York more? Iran’s Revolutionary Guards or Taylor Sheridan?

Read full article: https://www.theage.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/only-a-dignified-michelle-pfeiffer-saves-this-dreary-taylor-sheridan-mess-20260318-p5ovz0.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

[2026-03-18 15:13 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Middle East Eye

Title: UAE, Saudi Arabia intercept drones and missiles amid Iran attacks

Snippet: The United Arab Emirates said its air defences intercepted missile and drone attacks from Iran for the third time on Wednesday, as Gulf countries continue responding to repeated aerial threats.

Read full article: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/uae-saudi-arabia-intercept-drones-and-missiles-amid-iran-attacks

[2026-03-18 15:11 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Middle East Eye

Title: Iran executes man convicted of spying for Israel

Snippet: Iran has executed a man convicted of spying for Israel, according to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency.

Read full article: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/iran-executes-man-convicted-spying-israel

[2026-03-18 15:07 UTC+10:00] [All News] [Factuality: 100]

Source: The Korea Herald

Title: South Korea thanks Qatar and Saudi Arabia for evacuation assistance

Snippet: President Lee Jae Myung expressed gratitude to the leaders of Qatar and Saudi Arabia for their support in helping South Korean nationals safely evacuate from the Middle East amid recent regional tensions.

Read full article: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10697126

[2026-03-18 15:07 UTC+10:00] [All News] [Factuality: 100]

Source: The Korea Herald

Title: Seoul thanks Japan for assistance in evacuating nationals from Middle East

Snippet: South Korea has expressed appreciation to Japan for its assistance in evacuating Korean nationals from the Middle East amid ongoing regional instability.

Read full article: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10697125

[2026-03-18 15:06 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: AP News

Title: Top US intelligence officials will testify about Iran war

Snippet: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard exits the House chamber following President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress in the House chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/fbi-iran-war-congress-gabbard-kash-patel-54efeb2ec50a7d31421dc1c36ea4ab5b

[2026-03-18 15:05 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: AP News

Title: Iran war leaves US farmers worried about essential fertilizer

Snippet: Rising fertilizer prices and potential shortages from shipping disruptions due to the Iran war have farmers bracing ahead of the spring planting season. (AP video: Nick Ingram)

Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/iran-war-fertilizer-availability-cost-farmers-aa846fb0e30d1060d8993c65d32fe12b

[2026-03-18 15:01 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 92]

Source: AP News

Title: Federal Reserve could signal no interest rate cuts this year in wake of Iran war

Snippet: FILE -Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell speaks during a news conference, Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at the Federal Reserve Board Building in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/fed-interest-rates-inflation-jobs-powell-trump-5ff8aec596588afed4a7449322bf956c

[2026-03-18 14:37 UTC+10:00] [scmp] [Factuality: 100]

Source: South China Morning Post

Title: Cathay extends Hong Kong to Middle East flight suspension until end of April

Snippet: Suspension has already been extended multiple times since joint US-Israeli attack on Iran

Read full article: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3346957/cathay-extends-hong-kong-middle-east-flight-suspension-until-end-april

[2026-03-18 14:30 UTC+10:00] [Gaza] [Factuality: 100]

Source: South China Morning Post

Title: Strait of Hormuz is Iran’s trump card

Snippet: Readers discuss Iran’s best weapon in negotiations, and how the leaders of China and the US can change the course of events in the Middle East

Read full article: https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3346876/strait-hormuz-irans-trump-card

[2026-03-18 14:28 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Daily News

Title: Top US counterterrorism official resigns over Iran war, urging Trump to 'reverse course' - DailyNews

Snippet: Donald Trump’s top counterterrorism official has resigned over the war in Iran, urging the president to “reverse course”.

Read full article: https://dailynews.lk/2026/03/18/breaking-news/968745/top-us-counterterrorism-official-resigns-over-iran-war-urging-trump-to-reverse-course/

[2026-03-18 14:27 UTC+10:00] [Finance] [Factuality: 100]

Source: 9News

Title: Dire warning about war's impact in Australia

Snippet: Think petrol prices are bad now? It's entirely possible you ain't seen nothing yet, if a worse-(but not worst)-case scenario plays out in the war in Iran.Westpac has updated its modelling on the economic impacts brought about by the conflict, particularly on energy costs.The big four bank's baseline – the scenario it thinks is most likely to play out – is the war lasts about a month, but that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz takes a further month to

Read full article: https://www.9news.com.au/finance/usa-israel-attacks-iran-economic-impact-australia-oil-prices-westpac-forecasts/2a0de929-dd28-4b32-a6e6-33ce45e2b9ba

[2026-03-18 14:27 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: The Manila Times

Title: Agriculture chief warns against profiteering, hoarding amid Middle East war

Snippet: MANILA, Philippines — Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Wednesday cautioned against profiteering and hoarding amid the ongoing war in the Middle East.

Read full article: https://www.manilatimes.net/2026/03/18/business/agriculture-chief-warns-against-profiteering-hoarding-amid-middle-east-war/2302387

[2026-03-18 14:24 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: AP News

Title: China ignora solicitud de Trump sobre estrecho de Ormuz mientras se intensifica la guerra con Irán

Snippet: El presidente de China Xi Jinping sostiene una taza de té durante la inauguración de la Conferencia Política Popular de China, el miércoles 4 de marzo de 2026, en Beijing. (AP Foto/Andy Wong)

Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/china-iran-guerra-eeuu-trump-estrecho-ormuz-cumbre-048e308cc58d7196cb8bd6d519d03536

[2026-03-18 14:19 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: ABC News

Title: Liberals defend flyer that confused Palestinian flag with another

Snippet: Topic:State and Territory Elections

Read full article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-18/liberals-defend-sa-election-flyer-with-palestinian-flag-mistake/106467398

[2026-03-18 14:15 UTC+10:00] [Australian military] [Factuality: 90]

Source: Guardian Australia

Title: Iranian strikes hit near Australian airbase in UAE, Albanese confirms

Snippet: Prime minister says no Australian personnel were injured and maintains Australia is not at war with Iran

Read full article: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/mar/18/iran-war-strikes-near-australian-airbase-uae

[2026-03-18 14:14 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Middle East Eye

Title: Iranian missiles damage buildings, cars in central Israel

Snippet: Buildings and cars were damaged in the central Israeli city of Holon following an Iranian missile attack, the Israeli Civil Defence said.

Read full article: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/iranian-missiles-damage-buildings-cars-central-israel

[2026-03-18 13:58 UTC+10:00] [US-Israel war on Iran] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Guardian Australia

Title: Middle East crisis live: Iran vows revenge for killing of security chief; Israel signals imminent Beirut strike

Snippet: Ali Larijhani killed in an Israeli strike; Israeli military calls for evacuations in central Beirut, warning of an imminent attack on Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah

Read full article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2026/mar/18/iran-war-live-updates-oil-prices-hormuz-trump-larijani-key-leader-killed-israel-strikes

[2026-03-18 13:56 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Middle East Eye

Title: Israeli strikes kill 17 across Beirut and southern Lebanon

Snippet: Lebanon’s Ministry of Health said Israeli attacks killed six people in Beirut and another 11 in raids on southern and eastern parts of the country, with nine others wounded.

Read full article: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/israeli-strikes-kill-17-across-beirut-and-southern-lebanon

[2026-03-18 13:53 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Middle East Eye

Title: By wresting control of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran has turned the tables on US

Snippet: Iran spent a decade building up a shadow fleet of tankers untouched by western finance and insurance to evade US sanctions.

Read full article: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/wresting-control-strait-hormuz-iran-has-turned-tables-us

[2026-03-18 13:51 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: CNBC

Title: Iran launches retaliatory strikes on Israel and U.S. assets after security chief Larijani is killed

Snippet: Iran intensified attacks against U.S. assets in the Middle East and Israel on Wednesday in apparent retaliation against the killing of the country's security chief Ali Larijani overnight, as the weeks-long conflict shows no signs of abating.

Read full article: https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/18/iran-strikes-us-israeli-targets-gulf-larijani-death.html

[2026-03-18 13:44 UTC+10:00] [All News] [Factuality: 100]

Source: The Korea Herald

Title: 45 million more face hunger threat from war: UN

Snippet: GENEVA (AFP) -- An extra 45 million people could face acute hunger if the Middle East war rages on beyond June, swelling the number worldwide to a "terrible" high, the UN warned Tuesday.

Read full article: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10697081

[2026-03-18 13:41 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: Middle East Eye

Title: Saudi Arabia to host regional foreign ministers meeting

Snippet: Saudi Arabia will host a meeting of foreign ministers from a group of Arab and Islamic countries in Riyadh on Wednesday evening, the foreign ministry said.

Read full article: https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/saudi-arabia-host-regional-foreign-ministers-meeting

[2026-03-18 13:40 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: AP News

Title: China unlikely to help US reopen Hormuz as Trump’s Beijing trip slips

Snippet: Chinese President Xi Jinping holds his cup of tea during the opening of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference at the Great Hall of the People, in Beijing, China, Wednesday, March 4, 2026. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)

Read full article: https://apnews.com/article/iran-china-trump-xi-hormuz-b4037d9d5af7fa4b210d75f6d69d4533

[2026-03-18 13:20 UTC+10:00] [World] [Factuality: 100]

Source: 9News

Title: Australian troops safe after Iranian missile strikes near UAE base

Snippet: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has confirmed no Australian soldiers were injured after an Iranian missile struck close to an airbase they were stationed on.A road leading to the Al Minhad Air Base on the outskirts of Dubai was struck by a missile hours ago, the PM confirmed, adding that Australian personnel were stationed at the air base at the time of the attack.Speaking to media in Tasmania Albanese said all Australians on the base were accounted for.READ MORE: What are

Read full article: https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-iran-war-australian-troops-safe-after-uae-airbase-struck-by-iranian-missile/e5ca829b-b3c4-422a-8d03-c73c83eabe65

[2026-03-18 13:17 UTC+10:00] [General] [Factuality: 100]

Source: ABC News

Title: Australian facilities damaged in Iranian attack on Middle East air base

Snippet: Topic:Federal Government

Read full article: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-18/al-minhad-air-base-attacked-by-iran-no-australians-hurt/106468378

[2026-03-18 13:13 UTC+10:00] [All News] [Factuality: 100]

Source: The Korea Herald

Title: Satellite images begin to show damage wrought by Iran war

Snippet: DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Satellite images are beginning to be released giving a glimpse into the toll of the Iran war, with ships ablaze in an Iranian port and destroyed buildings at an American base.

Read full article: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10696986

[2026-03-18 13:11 UTC+10:00] [All News] [Factuality: 100]

Source: The Korea Herald

Title: Lee thanks Japan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia for support in evacuating S. Koreans from Middle East

Snippet: President Lee Jae Myung has sent letters to the leaders of Japan, Qatar and Saudi Arabia to express his gratitude for their cooperation in evacuating South Korean nationals from the Middle East, Cheong Wa Dae said Wednesday, with the US-Israel war with Iran destabilizing the region.

Read full article: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/10696981

[2026-03-18 13:11 UTC+10:00] [National] [Factuality: 100]

Source: The Age

Title: Australians safe after attack on Middle East air base

Snippet: Products & ServicesOpen Products & Services section

Read full article: https://www.theage.com.au/national/australians-safe-after-attack-on-middle-east-air-base-20260318-p5osoh.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

[2026-03-18 13:08 UTC+10:00] [Anthony Albanese] [Factuality: 90]

Source: Guardian Australia

Title: ‘It’s a different world now’: Albanese calls snap national cabinet meeting over fuel crisis

Snippet: Australian prime minister says US–Israeli war on Iran has shifted the international reality, likening current economic shock to Covid pandemic and Ukraine invasion

Read full article: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/mar/18/anthony-albanese-national-cabinet-iran-war-fuel-shortages-self-reliance-economic-resilience