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Israel

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Israel. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Jerusalem

Head of State

President Isaac Herzog

Head of Government

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One before departing Beijing on Friday. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Trump leaves China after much pomp and pageantry, but little to show for it

US president’s much-anticipated summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing resulted in more fanfare than concrete policy change, analysts say.

16 May 2026 - 6:54AMvideocam

Middle East

Lebanon and Israel extend ceasefire despite new strikes

16 May 2026 - 4:08AM

Israel-Gaza war

‘No nation’: Palestinians in Gaza mark anniversary of 1948 mass expulsion

15 May 2026 - 11:39PMvideocam

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese EV makers hunt for idled plants in Europe as they expand global influence

BYD, the world’s largest electric car maker, says it is in talks with Stellantis about using European marques’ idled assembly facilities.

15 May 2026 - 5:50PMvideocam

A BYD Sealion 7 on display at the Baltic Motor Show in Riga, Latvia, on April 24. Photo: EPA

China travel

China’s hotel sector shines, poised to outperform through 2026 on strong demand

International hotel chains ride China’s travel rebound, posting gains as domestic demand and inbound flows strengthen.

15 May 2026 - 9:50AM

Middle East

US casts first day of Israel-Lebanon talks as ‘positive’

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues in Lebanon as officials hold high-stakes talks ahead of Sunday deadline.

15 May 2026 - 10:39AM

Brics

Opinion | Brics is less a structure than a sentiment

Despite lacking geopolitical alignment, Brics captures a prevailing mood among emerging economies that won’t fade away any time soon.

15 May 2026 - 7:36AM

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (left) and President Xi Jinping attend the 2023 Brics Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, on August 24, 2023. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

UAE denies Israel’s Netanyahu made secret visit during Iran war

Netanyahu’s office claims a ‘historic breakthrough’, but Abu Dhabi dismisses reports of any clandestine meeting.

14 May 2026 - 10:39AM

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Donald Trump’s red-carpet welcome in Beijing before Xi summit – as it happened

Trump lands in Beijing on Wednesday night amid intense global interest in the Iran war, energy prices and China-US tech rivalry.

13 May 2026 - 9:51PMvideocam

China-EU relations

Global shocks push European firms in China to rethink supply chains

Supply disruptions and rising costs linked to Middle East instability are forcing companies to adjust sourcing, production and investment plans.

13 May 2026 - 6:30PM

Jens Eskelund, president of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, speaks at a press conference in Beijing on April 14. Photo: dpa

Hong Kong transport

Hong Kong halves tunnel tolls for commercial vehicles amid surging fuel prices

Two-month cut to apply at all government tunnels and Tsing Sha Control Area from Sunday, but taxi passengers will still have to pay full toll.

13 May 2026 - 9:14PM

Commercial vehicles will benefit from 50 per cent toll reduction from Sunday, with no application required. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Middle East

Israel strikes Lebanon as 380 reported killed since April 17 ceasefire

Hezbollah leader vows to turn battlefield into ‘hell’ as Lebanon and Israel get set for more talks in Washington.

13 May 2026 - 11:43AM

2026 Xi-Trump summit

China-US trade talks kick off in Seoul ahead of high-profile leaders’ summit

Trade deals, export controls on critical minerals and the Iran war likely to be talking points as senior officials sit down for negotiations.

13 May 2026 - 11:55AM

US, Israel war on Iran

China presses Pakistan to deepen Iran mediation ahead of Trump-Xi talks

Wang Yi highlights Strait of Hormuz security and regional stability as Middle East tensions loom over Beijing talks.

13 May 2026 - 3:40AMvideocam

Wang Yi said Beijing would continue supporting Islamabad’s diplomatic efforts to help restore peace and stability in the Middle East. Photo: EPA

Gold in Hong Kong

Record gold ETF inflows lift Hong Kong’s global trading hub bid

As investors hedge against global risks, Hong Kong’s gold ETF inflows reinforce its emergence as a key trading centre.

12 May 2026 - 8:00PM

Gold prices have risen more than 6 per cent this year, after gaining 64 per cent in 2025. Photo: EPA

Israel-Gaza war

Israel pushes ahead with Eichmann-style tribunal for October 7 attackers

Israeli lawmakers set up a special tribunal and allow for the death penalty for Hamas-led 2023 attackers.

12 May 2026 - 2:32PM

Diplomacy

Opinion | Just because Brics isn’t a coherent bloc doesn’t mean it’s impotent

The grouping has a future, not as a binding structure demanding policy alignment but as a tool for members to enhance leverage and maximise options.

12 May 2026 - 7:43AMvideocam

China shipbuilding

The US tried to rein in China’s shipyards. Now, they are even more dominant

China’s shipyards secured a staggering 85 per cent of global orders in the first quarter, as demand for oil tankers surges amid the Iran war.

11 May 2026 - 10:30PMvideocam

Workers build large vessels at the Jinling Shipyard in Nanjing, capital of China’s eastern Jiangsu province. Photo: AFP

European Union

Poland’s ex-minister facing prosecution at home travels from Hungary to US

Former Justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro faces prosecution for alleged abuse of power.

11 May 2026 - 8:45PM

Electric & new energy vehicles

Chinese smart cars set to control 20% of western European market by 2028: JPMorgan

Amid surging demand for electrification and a worldwide energy crisis, domestic carmakers can benefit from the stepped-up ‘go-global’ drive.

11 May 2026 - 8:49PM

China inflation

China’s producer, consumer inflation up in April as Iran war pressures persist

Factory-gate prices increased 2.8 per cent last month and consumer prices were up 1.2 per cent, surpassing expectations as fuel costs rise.

11 May 2026 - 4:43PM

A ship offloads liquid natural gas at the PetroChina Jiangsu LNG terminal at Yangkou port in Rudong, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump, Tehran and a Qatari tanker transit: here’s what happened overnight

US leader calls Iran’s response to its peace proposal ‘totally unacceptable’, while a Qatari ship passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

11 May 2026 - 4:18PM

A woman holds the Iranian flag as she stands in front of an anti-US billboard in Tehran on Sunday. As the war enters its 10th week, peace talks remain stalled. Photo: AFP

Benjamin Netanyahu

Israel’s election may end the Netanyahu era but not the ‘forever wars’

After nearly two decades and six terms in office, Israel’s prime minister could be on his way out. But little looks likely to change.

11 May 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

Middle East

Opinion | The problem no one is naming as the UAE dramatically exits Opec

The fighting over oil production quotas was the symptom. Security realignment is the disease.

11 May 2026 - 8:11AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

‘Playing games’: Trump calls Iran’s response to US peace proposal ‘unacceptable’

Both sides remain far apart as Tehran demands war reparations and control of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran state TV.

11 May 2026 - 10:57AM

The USS Rafael Peralta enforcing a US maritime blockade on April 24. Photo: US Navy via AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Netanyahu says war ‘not over’ until Iran’s uranium is physically removed

Israeli leader says nuclear material must be ‘taken out’, as US-Iran ceasefire remains tenuous.

11 May 2026 - 11:44AM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Photo: Reuters

South Korea

‘Unidentified aircraft’ hit Korean cargo ship in Hormuz on Monday: Seoul

Iran has denied responsibility for the attack, with its embassy in Seoul stating that it rejects and denies any allegations of involvement.

10 May 2026 - 10:57PMvideocam

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Could military AI use be on the agenda when Chinese and US leaders meet?

The technology has become increasingly important for militaries around the world, but the two sides may struggle to reach a consensus.

11 May 2026 - 2:10PMvideocam

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Israel

Trump leaves China after much pomp and pageantry, but little to show for it

US president’s much-anticipated summit with Xi Jinping in Beijing resulted in more fanfare than concrete policy change, analysts say.

Lebanon and Israel extend ceasefire despite new strikes

‘No nation’: Palestinians in Gaza mark anniversary of 1948 mass expulsion

Chinese EV makers hunt for idled plants in Europe as they expand global influence

BYD, the world’s largest electric car maker, says it is in talks with Stellantis about using European marques’ idled assembly facilities.

China’s hotel sector shines, poised to outperform through 2026 on strong demand

International hotel chains ride China’s travel rebound, posting gains as domestic demand and inbound flows strengthen.

US casts first day of Israel-Lebanon talks as ‘positive’

Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah continues in Lebanon as officials hold high-stakes talks ahead of Sunday deadline.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Brics is less a structure than a sentiment

Despite lacking geopolitical alignment, Brics captures a prevailing mood among emerging economies that won’t fade away any time soon.

UAE denies Israel’s Netanyahu made secret visit during Iran war

Netanyahu’s office claims a ‘historic breakthrough’, but Abu Dhabi dismisses reports of any clandestine meeting.

Donald Trump’s red-carpet welcome in Beijing before Xi summit – as it happened

Trump lands in Beijing on Wednesday night amid intense global interest in the Iran war, energy prices and China-US tech rivalry.

Global shocks push European firms in China to rethink supply chains

Supply disruptions and rising costs linked to Middle East instability are forcing companies to adjust sourcing, production and investment plans.

Hong Kong halves tunnel tolls for commercial vehicles amid surging fuel prices

Two-month cut to apply at all government tunnels and Tsing Sha Control Area from Sunday, but taxi passengers will still have to pay full toll.

Israel strikes Lebanon as 380 reported killed since April 17 ceasefire

Hezbollah leader vows to turn battlefield into ‘hell’ as Lebanon and Israel get set for more talks in Washington.

China-US trade talks kick off in Seoul ahead of high-profile leaders’ summit

Trade deals, export controls on critical minerals and the Iran war likely to be talking points as senior officials sit down for negotiations.

China presses Pakistan to deepen Iran mediation ahead of Trump-Xi talks

Wang Yi highlights Strait of Hormuz security and regional stability as Middle East tensions loom over Beijing talks.

Record gold ETF inflows lift Hong Kong’s global trading hub bid

As investors hedge against global risks, Hong Kong’s gold ETF inflows reinforce its emergence as a key trading centre.

Israel pushes ahead with Eichmann-style tribunal for October 7 attackers

Israeli lawmakers set up a special tribunal and allow for the death penalty for Hamas-led 2023 attackers.

Opinion | Just because Brics isn’t a coherent bloc doesn’t mean it’s impotent

The grouping has a future, not as a binding structure demanding policy alignment but as a tool for members to enhance leverage and maximise options.

The US tried to rein in China’s shipyards. Now, they are even more dominant

China’s shipyards secured a staggering 85 per cent of global orders in the first quarter, as demand for oil tankers surges amid the Iran war.

Poland’s ex-minister facing prosecution at home travels from Hungary to US

Former Justice minister Zbigniew Ziobro faces prosecution for alleged abuse of power.

Chinese smart cars set to control 20% of western European market by 2028: JPMorgan

Amid surging demand for electrification and a worldwide energy crisis, domestic carmakers can benefit from the stepped-up ‘go-global’ drive.

China’s producer, consumer inflation up in April as Iran war pressures persist

Factory-gate prices increased 2.8 per cent last month and consumer prices were up 1.2 per cent, surpassing expectations as fuel costs rise.

Trump, Tehran and a Qatari tanker transit: here’s what happened overnight

US leader calls Iran’s response to its peace proposal ‘totally unacceptable’, while a Qatari ship passes through the Strait of Hormuz.

Israel’s election may end the Netanyahu era but not the ‘forever wars’

After nearly two decades and six terms in office, Israel’s prime minister could be on his way out. But little looks likely to change.

Opinion | The problem no one is naming as the UAE dramatically exits Opec

The fighting over oil production quotas was the symptom. Security realignment is the disease.

‘Playing games’: Trump calls Iran’s response to US peace proposal ‘unacceptable’

Both sides remain far apart as Tehran demands war reparations and control of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iran state TV.

Netanyahu says war ‘not over’ until Iran’s uranium is physically removed

Israeli leader says nuclear material must be ‘taken out’, as US-Iran ceasefire remains tenuous.

‘Unidentified aircraft’ hit Korean cargo ship in Hormuz on Monday: Seoul

Iran has denied responsibility for the attack, with its embassy in Seoul stating that it rejects and denies any allegations of involvement.

Could military AI use be on the agenda when Chinese and US leaders meet?

The technology has become increasingly important for militaries around the world, but the two sides may struggle to reach a consensus.

Opinion | Brics is less a structure than a sentiment