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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.
Storage tanks are seen at an oil refinery in Yokohama, Japan’s Kanagawa prefecture, as Mount Fuji looms in the background. Photo: AFP
Japan

Japan’s Middle East oil habit gets an Iran war reality check

Almost all of Japan’s oil comes from the Middle East. A closed strait turned that dependence into a trap.

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US, Israel war on Iran

US presses Iran as talks gear up in Pakistan under fragile ceasefire

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Singapore

Singapore, Australia vow uninterrupted fuel supply amid global energy shock

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran’s Hormuz toll threat lays bare Asia’s energy vulnerability

Analysts warn that charging ships to pass through Hormuz could set a dangerous precedent for other strategic waterways and hit Asia hardest.

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Tankers sail in the Gulf, near the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from northern Ras al-Khaimah, near the border with Oman’s Musandam governance, on March 11. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

‘Their affair’: Anwar on Singapore’s refusal to negotiate over Hormuz

Responding to remarks by the city state’s top diplomat, Anwar said Malaysia balances regional ties with firm stands on global issues.

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US, Israel war on Iran

‘I’m scared of war starting again’: fear grips Iranians ahead of US talks

Residents of Tehran face Pakistan-hosted talks with scepticism and anger, caught between a repressive regime and Trump’s threats.

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US, Israel war on Iran

US-Iran talks leave Gulf states on edge about the price of peace

The six GCC nations worry that the US will prioritise Tehran’s needs and leave the Gulf monarchies vulnerable to Iranian retaliation.

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Police officers walk towards the president’s official residence in Islamabad, as Pakistan prepares to host the US and Iran for peace talks on Friday. Photo: Reuters
Israel-Gaza war

Gaza marks 6 months of ceasefire. Does it offer lessons for the Iran war?

A ceasefire has been in place between Israel and Hamas since October 10, but deadly attacks have continued and limited aid is entering.

Banking & finance

China healthcare stocks shine in Hong Kong amid Middle East turmoil

Hang Seng Healthcare Index outpaces broader market as Akeso, Innovent, Hansoh provide refuge for global investors.

SCMP Highlights

Dying man leaves riches to young wife; fisherman’s surprise catch: 7 highlights

From a missing elderly hiker in Hong Kong to a tragic car accident in Singapore, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

A terminally ill Chinese man bequeathed his US$43 million fortune to his wife, who is 28 years his junior, causing outrage among his ex-wife’s family. Photo: Douyin
Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong will pay diesel subsidies directly to oil firms, look out for abuse

Government will know if oil firms try to take advantage of HK$3 subsidy scheme by increasing prices, official warns.

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The fuel crisis sparked by the Middle East conflict has led to a surge in the global diesel and petrol prices with Hong Kong. Photo: Jelly Tse
US, Israel war on Iran

Israel plans talks with Lebanon as violence imperils Iran ceasefire

Israel’s Netanyahu approves talks with Lebanon as the US plans for meeting in Washington next week.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Asian economies face ‘formidable test’ as Middle East conflict drags on: ADB

Even if oil prices stabilise in the coming months, developing Asia-Pacific countries will still take years to recover, the bank says.

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US, Israel war on Iran

US Vice-President J.D. Vance strikes upbeat tone en route to Iran talks

As the clock ticks down to negotiations in Islamabad, two big factors stand in the way of progress.

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US Vice-President J.D. Vance is on his way to Pakistan for discussions on Saturday with a delegation from Iran. Photo: AFP
Hong Kong economy

Is oil crisis just the start of economic pain for Hongkongers?

With diesel and petrol prices in city highest in the world, analysts warn that consumers will inevitably feel the impact in their wallets.

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Illustration: Henry Wong
Japan

Japan seeks to take back control of the world’s shipbuilding sector. Here’s how

Analysts warn higher costs, labour shortages and lost capacity will affect Japan’s bid for control in a sector now dominated by China.

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Nato

What Trump’s Iran war ‘loyalty test’ may mean for Nato’s long-standing alliance

Transatlantic allies’ refusal to back the Iran war fuels latest Trump outburst after meeting with Nato chief Mark Rutte.

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China economy

Opinion | Why Latin America is becoming indispensable to China

Latin America fits Beijing’s need for alternative partners with uncomfortable precision. That is a problem for Washington.

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Chinese President Xi Jinping and wife Peng Liyuan (right) pose for a photo with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and his wife Rosangela da Silva in Beijing, China, on May 13, 2025, on the sidelines of the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum. Photo: EPA-EFE/Xinhua
Israel

Netanyahu corruption trial to resume on Sunday after Israel eases war restrictions

Netanyahu, who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, is the first sitting Israeli prime minister to stand trial for corruption.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Yuan tokens and oil-linked fees? China experts propose ‘innovative’ Hormuz tolls

Analysts warn Trump’s ‘joint venture’ plan with Iran could formalise grey zone, while Beijing balances roles as mediator, energy importer.

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War and conflict

Opinion | For Asia, US-Iran ceasefire offers little relief – and much uncertainty

What may be coming is neither stable peace nor uninterrupted war, but something in between: a prolonged condition of managed instability.

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Demonstrators against military action in Iran after US President Donald Trump said he had agreed to a two-week ceasefire with Iran, outside the White House in Washington on April 7. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Video | The Iran war could leave Asian airlines grounded

Jet fuel is often the first petroleum product to see shortages in a fuel crisis.

Air Asia
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China-EU relations

China sidelined: EU shelves rare debate as Middle East crisis takes priority

Delay risks entrenching a policy vacuum as member states diverge and Brussels struggles to evolve its approach.

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Yuan

Conflict catalyst: China’s yuan settlements hit record amid Middle East tensions

Single-day transactions via China’s Cross-border Interbank Payment System surge past 1 trillion yuan as Beijing’s moves to expand the yuan-payment network show signs of paying off.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Why US-Iran truce may not end high airfares and flight disruptions

According to airline bosses, it will still take months for jet fuel supplies and prices to normalise.

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An Emirates A380 aircraft is parked at Cornwall Airport Newquay in southwest England on Monday. Photo: AFP
US, Israel war on Iran

No let-up in Israeli attacks on Lebanon as US-Iran ceasefire teeters

Israel’s relentless Lebanon strikes threaten to shatter the fragile truce as peace talks loom.

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A worker tries to salvage boxes from a destroyed building in an area hit by Israeli strikes on Beirut, Lebanon, on Thursday. Photo: dpa
China exports

China strengthens oversight of state-owned assets overseas amid global tensions

A new department will guide state-owned enterprises expanding overseas, as China’s firms look outwards for growth opportunities.

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US, Israel war on Iran

Israeli military says it has killed nephew of Hezbollah chief

Israel’s killing of the top militant’s relative follows the deadliest day of the war in Lebanon.

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