标签： Asia

An exclusive investigation by Middle East Eye (MEE) has uncovered new details confirming that multiple real estate firms openly advertised properties located in illegal Israeli settlements across occupied Palestinian territories during a major Israeli real estate expo held in London on Sunday. The event, hosted at Edgware United Synagogue, unfolded against a backdrop of growing political pressure, public controversy, and heated clashes between opposing demonstration groups outside the venue.

Weeks ahead of the expo, MEE first exposed the deep ties between participating firms and illegal settlement construction in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. In the lead-up to Sunday’s gathering, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced Friday that he had conferred with the Metropolitan Police regarding the event, confirming that any claims of criminal activity linked to the potential unlawful sale of settlement property would be fully reviewed for formal investigation. Over 100 UK Members of Parliament also signed an open letter to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper last week urging the event’s immediate cancellation. The parliamentarians argued that permitting the expo to proceed would not only contradict existing UK government guidance on economic activity tied to illegal settlements, but also run counter to the UK’s binding obligations under international law. This call aligned with a recent UK government statement explicitly warning British businesses against engaging in any economic or financial activity connected to illegal Israeli settlements.

Despite organizers’ previous public claims to Jewish News that “all exhibitors, without exception, will provide information about properties and projects within the Green Line” — the de facto border of Israel pre-1967 — MEE’s on-site reporting from Sunday directly contradicts this denial. Multiple participating firms featured settlement properties in their promotional materials at the event. Jerusalem Real Estate (JRE) listed developments in French Hill and Ramat Eshkol, both illegal settlements established in occupied East Jerusalem, marketing the projects as “premium” offerings in Jerusalem’s most desirable “Anglo neighbourhoods” for international buyers. Another developer, Harey Zahav, promoted plots in Kfar Eldad, an illegal settlement located south of Bethlehem, and Teneh Omarim, a second unauthorized settlement near Hebron. Leading Israeli agency Tivuch Shelly advertised a new residential project in the large West Bank settlement of Ma’ale Adunim, billing the development as just 10 minutes from central Jerusalem and highlighting its established Anglo community, top-tier schools, and even available resale units with private swimming pools. Israeli conglomerate Africa Israel, which has a long track record of developing projects in illegal settlements across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, advertised its Soho Jerusalem development in West Jerusalem at the expo. Additionally, construction firm Shapir — which is explicitly named on the United Nations Human Rights Office’s official registry of companies operating in illegal Israeli settlements — was also promoted as a participant at the event.

Outside the synagogue venue, the event drew a large protest organized by a coalition of activist groups including the Palestinian Youth Movement and the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network, who gathered to oppose the marketing of illegally occupied Palestinian land. Counter-protesters in support of Israel confronted the demonstrators, with footage capturing verbal harassment and threats against the pro-Palestinian activists. Counter-protesters were recorded chanting “there is no Palestine, we flattened it”, and even children among the pro-Israel crowd were heard shouting misogynistic slurs at pro-Palestinian campaigners. Andrey Khrzhanovskiy, a journalist and activist who documents Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank, was present at the London protest and described the chaotic confrontation as eerily familiar to violence he has witnessed firsthand in occupied territory. “We are surrounded by a bunch of Zionists who are counter-protesting and attacking people. A bunch of Palestinian activists were attacked by the Zionists and then got arrested,” Khrzhanovskiy told MEE. “This is very reminiscent of everything that I’ve seen in the West Bank… I feel like I’ve been here before.”

MEE has now shared its full findings of illegal property advertising with the Mayor of London’s office and the Metropolitan Police, and has formally requested comment on the next steps for assessment. Outlets have also reached out to the event’s organizers for a response to the new evidence, who previously dismissed all prior allegations as “ridiculous” and claimed accusations were motivated by anti-Israeli sentiment and support for terrorism. MEE, an independent news outlet focused on coverage of the Middle East and North Africa, continues to await responses from relevant authorities and event organizers.

After months of open military conflict between the United States, Israel and Iran, the announcement of a preliminary agreement to end hostilities has sparked a tangled spectrum of reactions across Iran, ranging from cautious relief and guarded hope to deep distrust, anger and outright opposition. For millions of ordinary Iranians who endured months of disrupted daily life, economic chaos and the constant threat of escalating full-scale war, the news brought a long-awaited moment of release, though many still struggle to believe the violence is truly over. Sepideh, a 32-year-old Tehran-based online handmade jewellery seller, summed up the common feeling of cautious joy in an interview with Middle East Eye. “Has it really ended? I can’t believe it,” she said. “Thank God. I still can’t believe it’s over. I just hope everything goes back to normal. We were exhausted. I’m so, so happy.” Sepideh’s small business was pushed to the brink of collapse by the months of conflict. Like thousands of other micro-entrepreneurs across Iran, she relied almost entirely on Instagram to reach customers and process sales. Widespread internet shutdowns implemented amid the conflict froze her operations entirely, and as anxiety about the war dominated public consciousness, consumer demand for non-essential goods like handcrafted jewellery evaporated entirely. Now, after weeks of back-channel diplomatic talks that produced the preliminary ceasefire and framework for broader negotiations, Sepideh is finally allowing herself to plan for the future again. She holds out hope that the tentative agreement will hold, opening the door to a broader pact that eases crippling economic sanctions and creates space for small businesses like hers to recover and grow. Across the country, reactions to the deal split sharply along political and generational lines. While many Iranians are simply grateful for an end to the cycle of missile strikes and military escalation that pushed the region to the edge of full-scale war, others doubt the agreement will survive long term, with some viewing it as a dangerous betrayal of national interests and others seeing it as the only viable alternative to catastrophic regional conflict. For 28-year-old Darya, from the northern Iranian city of Sari, the deal could unlock a life-changing opportunity that has been stuck in limbo for months. Darya has already been accepted to a university program in France, but visa processing ground to a halt amid the uncertainty of war. Now, she says, there is finally a clear path forward for her plans. “It feels like a miracle,” she told MEE. “I know almost nothing about politics, but for months all I did was follow the news.” The constant uncertainty took a severe emotional toll on Darya, who says she was particularly panicked by Israeli strikes on Lebanon just days before the deal was announced, fearing the attacks would derail the fragile diplomatic process entirely. “I was sure [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu was trying to sabotage everything,” she said. “When I heard about the new Israeli attacks on Lebanon, I thought it was over. I thought we were back to square one. Iran would respond, then Israel would respond again, and eventually the United States would get involved.” Even as she welcomes the end of hostilities, Darya says she still plans to leave Iran to complete her studies, at least temporarily. “Yes, I want things to improve in Iran,” she said. “I want sanctions to be lifted. Most of our problems come from sanctions. If sanctions are removed, jobs, businesses and the economy will improve too.” She says she still wants the experience of living and studying in Europe, but holds out hope that when she completes her degree, Iran will be a far more stable and prosperous place. Not all Iranians share Darya’s guarded optimism. For 43-year-old Mohammad, the tentative deal does little to convince him that a lasting, comprehensive agreement is within reach. “Just look at how long it took them to reach this small understanding, which is really more of a ceasefire extension than anything else,” he said. “During that time, the United States attacked, Israel attacked and Iran attacked. All of that makes it difficult for me to be optimistic. People want to believe all their problems are over, but I don’t think Iran and the United States will be able to reach an agreement on difficult issues like the nuclear programme and sanctions relief.” The announcement also sparked deep frustration among opposition activists opposed to the Islamic Republic, many of whom had pinned hopes that sustained external military and political pressure would force fundamental political change inside Iran. Amir, a 19-year-old from Karaj, is one of those disappointed activists. “We were fooled,” he told MEE. “We were lied to. Reza Pahlavi said he was on his way to Tehran. Trump said help was coming soon. Netanyahu said he would change the situation in Iran. Was this the help Trump promised? To make a deal with the clerics?” Amir says the deal has left him feeling more hopeless than before. “I could not have imagined worse news,” he said. “Once the agreement is in place and the Islamic Republic no longer worries about war, it will turn its attention back to the people. More repression will follow.” His frustration reflects a broader disappointment among opposition circles, which had hoped the recent conflict would fundamentally weaken the Iranian political system, only to see Tehran and Washington return to the negotiating table. The harshest criticism of the deal, however, comes from hardline supporters of the Islamic Republic, who have organized public rallies and gatherings in recent weeks to denounce negotiations, with some branding Iranian negotiators as traitors to the nation. Emad, a 38-year-old Tehran resident, is one of those hardline opponents. “God curse Araghchi and Ghalibaf for throwing us into another trap like the nuclear deal,” he said. “Only 10 years have passed since the disgraceful agreement between Rouhani and Obama. How can people fall for this again? Especially when the other side is led by the man responsible for killing our leader.” Emad, who is still grieving the death of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, remains deeply pessimistic about the diplomatic process and argues another military confrontation is inevitable. He points to the timing of the ceasefire, which runs for two months, as proof the deal is a cynical political ploy by Trump. “Look at the timing. Why two months from now? Because Trump wanted peace of mind during the World Cup. After that, he will come back for us,” he said. “And under what conditions? We reopened the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices returned to normal, and the United States and Israel have had time to update their plans for another attack on Iran.” Emad argues the entire diplomatic process is a coordinated performance by Trump and Netanyahu, designed to mislead Iran. “Do you really believe Netanyahu drinks a glass of water without American approval?” he asked. “This whole good cop, bad cop act was designed to fool us into thinking Israel opposed the agreement.” He argues Israeli leaders actually benefit heavily from the preliminary deal, because they recognized another prolonged war would be impossible to sustain. “They knew they could not continue resisting Iran and the groups that make up the Axis of Resistance forever,” he said. For many other Iranians, it is simply too early to draw any firm conclusions about the deal, and public reactions on both sides have been overly emotional. Maryam, a 59-year-old political science graduate, argues the deal essentially returns Iran to the status quo that existed before the 40-day war started, raising difficult questions about the human cost of the conflict. “When you read the commitments made by both sides, you realise we have basically returned to where we were before the 40-day war,” she said. “But was it really necessary for so many innocent civilians to die? Did schools, universities and hospitals need to be destroyed just so the Strait of Hormuz could return to normal and the American military could end its siege of Iran?” Maryam also argues the conflict offers clear proof of the outsized influence of pro-Israel lobbying groups on US foreign policy, a point made decades ago in a book by scholars Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer. “I remember reading a book years ago by Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer about the influence of the Israel lobby on American foreign policy,” she said. “Nothing has illustrated the arguments in that book more clearly than what we have seen in Gaza and in the two wars fought by the United States and Israel against Iran.” That perspective leaves her skeptical that a final comprehensive deal will ever be reached. “Israel, Aipac and pro-Israel lobbying groups will not allow a final agreement between Iran and the United States unless the Islamic Republic changes its approach towards Israel,” she said. For now, that shift appears unlikely. As Iranians across the country process the news of the deal, many are focused on the simplest, most immediate outcome: an end to months of uncertainty and fear. For Sepideh, the Tehran jewellery seller, the larger political debates can wait. After months of living on the edge of war, she says her only priority is getting back to a normal life. “I just want life to feel normal again,” she said.

South Korea’s Starbucks franchise has announced an unprecedented nationwide early closure of all its retail locations next week, a direct response to widespread public fury sparked by a tone-deaf promotional campaign that coincided with the anniversary of the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, a defining pro-democracy movement bloodily suppressed by the country’s former military dictatorship.

The ill-fated promotion, labeled “Tank Day,” centered on the launch of new “Tank Series” reusable tumblers marketed for their large volume, and it launched on the very date that South Koreans commemorate the 1980 crackdown, in which military forces deployed by authoritarian ruler Chun Doo-hwan killed at least 165 unarmed civilian protesters — many locals and historians believe the actual death toll is far higher. Subsequent official investigations have also confirmed that troops carried out widespread indiscriminate beatings, torture, and sexual violence against civilians during the crackdown, a trauma the nation has only slowly reckoned with in recent decades.

The Gwangju Uprising stands as a cornerstone of South Korea’s modern democratic journey: it became a unifying rallying point for pro-democracy activists over seven years, ultimately leading to the mass 1988 June Democracy Movement that ended Chun’s 8-year authoritarian rule. Chun was later convicted of treason and corruption in 1996, received a presidential pardon, and died in 2021 at age 90. In recent years, formal acts of accountability have included a 2018 government apology to survivors of sexual violence committed by troops, and a public apology this year from Chun’s own grandson, Chun Woo-won, who called his grandfather a “sinner and slaughterer” and expressed remorse for the delayed apology to victims’ families.

Beyond the insensitive “Tank Day” name, which echoed the military tanks deployed to crush the uprising, critics also flagged a second problematic slogan used in the campaign: the Korean phrase “tak on the table,” which uses the word “tak” that is identical to the term used in a controversial 1987 police statement about the death of a student activist in custody. The franchise later confirmed that marketing teams selected the slogan after relying on an AI tool for creative suggestions.

The backlash erupted rapidly last month, drawing condemnation from all corners of South Korean society. President Lee Jae Myung publicly called out the campaign as “inhumane and disgraceful” on social media, while consumer advocates organized boycotts that led to protests outside Starbucks locations across the country and a reported steep drop in sales for the chain.

In the immediate wake of the scandal, Shinsegae Group, which holds the licensing agreement to operate Starbucks in South Korea, terminated the contract of the franchise’s national chief executive. Now, the company has announced sweeping corrective measures to address the public outrage. Starting this Monday, all Starbucks Korea employees will complete mandatory training focused on historical awareness and social sensitivity through educational video content. Next Wednesday, all locations across the country will close at 3 p.m. local time (6 a.m. GMT) for three hours of in-person historical education, and will not reopen until the following day. The company confirmed that Shinsegae Group Chairman Chung Yong-jin will personally participate in the mandatory training alongside frontline staff. This marks the first time Starbucks Korea has ordered a nationwide early closure of all stores since the brand first entered the South Korean market in 1999.

In an initial statement after the scandal broke, the franchise offered a vague apology for “inconvenience and concern” caused to customers, but the sweeping new measures signal how seriously the company is taking the public backlash over its failure to recognize the sensitive historical context of the promotion.

In a development that has drawn international attention, Adam Castillo, the former president of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) in Myanmar and founder of a prominent local security firm, has been taken into custody shortly after arriving at Yangon International Airport. The detention comes as AMCHAM Myanmar conducts an internal investigation into suspicious financial activity linked to former board members of the organization.

An anonymous associate of Castillo, who requested anonymity out of fear for personal safety, confirmed to the Associated Press that the 41-year-old U.S. national was detained on Thursday. Castillo, who leads AGS Myanmar — a risk management and security firm that also offers commercial cleaning and pest control services — has not issued any public response to the detention, and his company declined to elaborate on the situation beyond calling it an “ongoing matter”. Messages sent to Castillo via his personal website also went unanswered.

U.S. State Department officials have confirmed they are aware of reports of the American citizen’s detention, but declined to provide further details, citing privacy protections for U.S. nationals abroad. Myanmar’s military-backed ruling administration, which has faced widespread international isolation since its 2021 coup and has limited communication with international media amid the ongoing civil conflict, has not released any official statement regarding Castillo’s arrest. Requests for comment from Myanmar’s central government, the Yangon regional administration, and the Yangon Regional Police Department went unanswered. Multiple military-aligned local media outlets, including NP News, have reported that the arrest followed a formal complaint filed against Castillo by AMCHAM Myanmar. Castillo led the organization, which advocates for American business interests operating in Myanmar, from 2023 through early 2025.

When contacted for comment on the complaint, AMCHAM Myanmar’s executive director Myat Phyu The declined to share specific details of the case, but directed reporters to the chamber’s May 29 annual report, which addresses the ongoing investigation. According to the document, the current AMCHAM board discovered questionable transactions carried out by former board representatives last year, and immediately turned the matter over to an independent law firm for forensic review.

The investigation uncovered that an unnamed former board representative signed a November 2024 contract with a Washington D.C.-based public relations firm. The firm paid $300,000 in connection with the deal, and the full sum was collected and disbursed outside of AMCHAM Myanmar’s official financial accounts. The annual report notes that the unauthorized signature exceeded the formal signing authority granted to individual board members, and the full board never approved the agreement. “AMCHAM Myanmar received no funds, made no payments, and received no services, and the matter was not disclosed to the statutory auditors,” the report reads.

While the report confirms that two former board members are involved in the suspicious activity, it does not name either individual nor outline what internal legal or disciplinary actions the chamber has pursued to date. Myat Phyu The also declined to elaborate on details beyond what is included in the public report. In a June 12 statement posted to the organization’s official website, the AMCHAM board said it “has taken appropriate steps to safeguard the interests of the organization and its members.”

Myanmar has been engulfed in widespread armed conflict since the military seized power from the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in a 2021 coup. After the junta violently crushed peaceful mass protests against the takeover, pro-democracy guerrilla groups and ethnic minority militias launched a widespread armed resistance movement that has left much of the country divided and mired in ongoing violence. Since the coup, authorities have increasingly detained foreign nationals, most frequently foreign reporters covering the country’s political and humanitarian crisis.

Public profiles on AGS Myanmar’s website list Castillo as a former U.S. Marine Corps officer who completed active duty tours in Afghanistan. He also currently serves as chair of Republican Overseas Myanmar, a group founded in 2024 that works to promote former U.S. President Donald Trump’s “America First” policy agenda across Myanmar and the broader Southeast Asian region.

It remains unclear where Castillo traveled before his return to Yangon, but social media posts to his public Instagram account show he attended a business forum in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, just one day before his arrest, where he promoted his recently published memoir. Castillo’s book, titled *Finding Our Voice*, chronicles his personal experiences living and working in Myanmar through the political upheaval, rising violence, and economic collapse that followed the 2021 military takeover. It is not yet known whether the publication of the memoir is connected to his detention.

A tragic shooting that claimed the life of a 9-year-old Australian child on vacation in Pakistan has sparked cross-national calls for a full, transparent investigation, leaving communities in both nations reeling from the unexpected loss. Hania Ahmed, a young primary school student from Perth, was traveling with her family in Punjab province’s northern city of Chakwal when armed robbers intercepted their rental vehicle on June 10, taking the entire family hostage at gunpoint.

According to official accounts from Punjab Police, the armed suspects opened fire on an attending police officer, triggering a shootout at the scene. In the chaos, one officer fired a fatal shot mistakenly, believing the suspects were attempting to escape in the Ahmed family’s vehicle. The gunfire killed Hania and left her father and older brother with non-fatal injuries. The involved officer has since been taken into custody, with police confirming that the suspects fired the first rounds at responding law enforcement. This official narrative has been contested, however: Hania’s father told Australian public broadcaster SBS Urdu that police fired first, contradicting the official version of events.

During a press briefing in Canberra on Monday, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese publicly called on Pakistani authorities to launch a full, transparent inquiry into the circumstances of Hania’s death. “These circumstances do need to be examined. They need to be examined in a transparent way, so that everyone can know, the family, most importantly, but others as well,” Albanese told reporters. He added that the Australian government expects full transparency and a rigorous, proper investigation into the fatal incident.

Punjab Police has responded to the incident acknowledging that no deviation from standard operational protocols can be justified, and stated that it is already conducting a thorough and impartial investigation into the tragedy. Meanwhile, the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirmed it is providing full consular assistance to the Ahmed family as they navigate the aftermath of the loss.

Hania’s death has sent waves of grief through her close-knit school community in Perth, where she attended the Australian Islamic College. Abdullah Khan, the college principal, described the news of her passing as deeply traumatic for the entire school community. “Hania was very friendly, bubbly, and very social,” Khan told the BBC. “She had lots of friends, [and was] very respectful to teachers. She was loved by everyone.”

Khan confirmed the school has been in contact with the Ahmed family and has put in place dedicated counseling support for both staff and students, particularly Hania’s closest classmates. “Especially the students in her class – they are distressed and in a state of shock,” he added.