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Middle East
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Middle East

Middle East
Middle East
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Middle East. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.
South Korea is poised to benefit in arms sales to the Middle East. Photo: Shutterstock
China's military weapons

Will South Korea’s ‘Goldilocks’ missile dent China’s Middle East arms ambitions?

The Cheongung-II has reportedly achieved a 96.7% intercept rate against Iranian drones and ballistic missiles.

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China-Middle East relations

Exclusive | Hong Kong-flagged tanker passes through Strait of Hormuz in test of US blockade

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SCMP Highlights

China’s 3-satellite surveillance network, C919 faces ‘final exam’: 7 highlights

Hong Kong economy

Letters | Amid elevated oil prices, Hong Kong’s stable energy system is a boon

Readers discuss the city’s electricity regime, the significance of Russian oil, and the KMT leader’s visit to mainland China.

The night view of Hong Kong Island and Kowloon, taken from The Peak in August 2025. Photo: Sam Tsang
United States

Video | Israel, Lebanon begin 10-day ceasefire

Pause may ease tensions with Iran, with Trump eyeing White House talks, though doubts linger over prospects for a lasting peace deal.

Hong Kong economy

Bars gearing up for bumper Hong Kong Sevens weekend

Bar operators dismiss concerns that higher airfares because of Middle East war will deter rugby fans from visiting city.

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North Korea

Nuclear defiance: North Korea’s Kim signals he won’t be the next Iran

Kim Jong-un’s increased appearances at military drills show his confidence in Pyongyang’s nuclear deterrence, analysts say.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visits to observe the test launches of missiles at an undisclosed place on Sunday. Photo: KCNA/KNS/AP
Business of climate change

Asia-Pacific firms face credit pressure from Iran war energy shock, S&P says

Higher energy prices ratchet up pressure on manufacturing businesses to maintain their profit margins amid rising raw material costs.

Future of transport

‘First of its kind’ flying taxi station completed in Dubai

Commercial operations, with flights by California-based Joby Aviation, are expected to begin by the end of the year.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Israel and Lebanon begin 10-day ceasefire as US pushes broader deal

A pause in fighting may help ease tensions with Iran, as Trump eyes a White House meeting between the leaders of Israel and Lebanon.

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US President Donald Trump said he had spoken to both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun ahead of the truce, adding the pair had agreed to the truce “in order to achieve PEACE”. Photo: AFP
US, Israel war on Iran

Will China arm Iran during the ceasefire?

Pentagon says Beijing offered assurances as US tightens blockade and warns Tehran talks could quickly give way to renewed strikes.

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An Iranian woman walks past a large-scale billboard referring to the Strait of Hormuz as ‘Forever on Iran’s hand’, at a square in Tehran, Iran, 15 April 2026. Photo: EPA
US-China relations

Trump-Xi summit worries, new fertiliser woes: 7 US-China relations reads

From soybeans and tariffs to Chinese-American plays, here are highlights from our US correspondents in early April 2026.

China-Asean relations

Can Japan’s US$10b energy shield oust China’s influence in Southeast Asia?

Pledge is a bid to ‘embed Japan at the centre of Southeast Asia’s energy security architecture’, observer notes, but questions its impact.

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US-China trade war

Trade tensions dim foreign investment outlook in US and China, survey finds

US and China have ‘suffered the most’ amid global decline in outbound investment appetite due to heightened geopolitical tensions.

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People walk beside the Huangpu River in Shanghai on April 9. Photo: AFP
Africa

In Cameroon, Pope Leo assails ‘tyrants ravaging’ world amid Trump row

‘The masters of war pretend not to know that it takes only a moment to destroy, yet often a lifetime is not enough to rebuild,’ Leo says.

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Pope Leo releases a white dove at Saint Joseph’s Cathedral in Bamenda, Cameroon, on Thursday. Photo: Reuters
India

Opinion | Why India feels exposed by Pakistan’s diplomacy in Iran war

Pakistan, with its contested reputation, leapt into diplomatic action while India, despite its heft and concerns, was absent from the frame.

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European Union

Europe running low on jet fuel, stoking fears of flight cancellations

IEA executive director Birol said the Hormuz blockade-induced energy crisis will hit nations including Japan, China and India harder.

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Malaysia

‘New normal’: Malaysia and Australia strike energy supply pledge amid Iran war

The deal creates a mutual spillover valve, allowing the partners to swap surplus energy once domestic demand is satisfied.

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim meet at a press conference in Putrajaya on Thursday. Photo: AAP/dpa
Semiconductors

TSMC targets over 30% revenue surge in 2026, ramps up capex amid AI boom

AI dominates TSMC revenues as foundry giant pivots from smartphones to high-performance computing.

United States

Lula blasts Trump’s fear-based rule, calls for ‘great maturity’

‘Trump has no right to wake up in the morning and threaten a country,’ Brazil’s president says.

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Skincare

Video | The Iran war is going to hurt your skincare routine

The region has seen plastic use surge by 900% since 1990, making Asia responsible for nearly a third of global plastic consumption.

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China-EU relations

Open Questions | Europe lacks China strategy, needs new US approach, Biscop says

Sven Biscop, director at the Royal Institute for International Relations in Brussels, on what the Iran war and the transatlantic collision reveal about Europe’s place in a fast-changing world.

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Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen
CATL

CATL market cap tops US$293 billion as shares surge on mining arm

A new investment unit to manage mining assets signals CATL’s deeper shift beyond EV batteries into energy storage.

Hong Kong transport

Greater Bay Airlines suspends Bangkok flights amid fuel price surge

Flights unavailable for most dates from May 12 to September 22 in both directions of Hong Kong-Bangkok route.

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US, Israel war on Iran

China’s Wang Yi calls on Iran to ensure freedom and safe passage through strait

In phone call with Iran’s top envoy, China’s foreign minister says situation is at ‘critical stage of transition between conflict and peace’.

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Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke with his Iranian counterpart in a phone call on Wednesday regarding the Iran war and access to the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: Xinhua
Malaysia

Petrol patrol: Malaysia sends police to guard border stations as fuel leaks rise

Malaysia is trying to prevent its heavily subsidised petrol and diesel from being siphoned across land and sea borders as the global energy crisis bites.

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A man fills his car with RON95 petrol at a station in Malaysia on March 25. Photo: EPA
US, Israel war on Iran

Lebanon’s president refuses talks with Israel amid Trump’s peace push

The Lebanese leader said Beirut’s position is that a ceasefire should ⁠precede negotiations.

US, Israel war on Iran

Letters | Iran war is not just a short-term energy disruption

Readers discuss a possible motivation behind the war, Pakistan’s role as a mediator, and Republican silence in the face of the US president’s actions.

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