China’s Xi urges demand‑driven growth in services sector
BEIJING — China’s President Xi Jinping has called for a demand-driven approach coupled with reform and technological empowerment to develop the service sector, the...
North Korea fires ballistic missiles as Pyongyang dismisses Seoul’s diplomacy hopes
SEOUL — North Korea fired several ballistic missiles toward the sea off its east coast on Wednesday, South Korea’s military said, following a separate...
Preliminary UN probe says Israel and likely Hezbollah responsible for peacekeeper deaths
THE UN said that preliminary findings from its probe into the deaths of three Indonesian peacekeepers in Lebanon last month show one was killed...
IATA warns replenishing jet fuel supplies could take months even if Hormuz reopened
SINGAPORE/HONG KONG — The head of a body representing global airlines warned on Wednesday it would take months for jet fuel supply to recover even...
Gulf states eye cheap Ukrainian interceptor drone as Iranian attacks drain missile stocks
TOKYO — Gulf states including Saudi Arabia and the UAE are exploring a $2,500 Ukrainian-designed interceptor drone as a cheaper way to counter Iranian...
Oil slides below $100, stocks soar as Trump agrees to two-week ceasefire
SINGAPORE - Oil prices dived, stocks surged and the dollar was knocked back on Wednesday as a two-week Middle East ceasefire sparked a relief...
China and Russia veto UN resolution on protecting Hormuz shipping
CHINA and Russia on Tuesday vetoed a UN resolution encouraging states to coordinate efforts to protect commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, calling...
UN envoy plans to visit Iran as part of peace effort
WASHINGTON — A personal envoy of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres plans to visit Iran as part of his efforts to encourage an end to...
Trump agrees to two-week ceasefire with Iran, dropping threat to destroy ‘whole civilization’
DUBAI/JERUSALEM/WASHINGTON - US President Donald Trump on Tuesday agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, less than two hours before his deadline for Tehran...
Iran defiant on eve of Trump’s ceasefire deadline
DUBAI/WASHINGTON — Iran and Israel traded attacks on Tuesday as Tehran defiantly refused to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept a ceasefire deal...
China targets Taiwan’s chip prowess to evade global ‘containment,’ Taipei government says
TAIPEI — China is targeting Taiwan to obtain its advanced chip manufacturing technology and talent as a way of breaking through international “containment” of...
Oil prices climb as Hormuz stays shut ahead of Trump deadline
SINGAPORE — Oil prices extended gains on Tuesday as a US-imposed deadline loomed for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz or be “taken out”, with...