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United Arab Emirates (UAE)

The latest news, analysis and opinion on United Arab Emirates (UAE). In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Abu Dhabi

Head of State

President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Head of Government

Prime Minister Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum

Plumes of smoke rise from an oil facility in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, on March 14. Photo: AP

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’

5 hours ago

South Korea

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

10 May 2026 - 10:57PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Why war on Iran may be ‘accelerating end of US hegemony’ and damaging Stargate

Washington is fighting the ‘wrong war’ and Tehran is able to undermine the US president’s key AI strategy, an event in Beijing told.

10 May 2026 - 6:01PMvideocam

Iranian attacks on the United Arab Emirates have included strikes on data centres. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran responds to US proposal, as Qatari tanker crosses Strait of Hormuz

The response, sent via Pakistan, focuses on ending the war on all fronts, especially Lebanon, and on the safety of shipping in the waterway.

11 May 2026 - 12:19AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

US-Iran war no closer to ending as Gulf clashes flare

Recent days have seen the biggest flare-ups in fighting in and around the Strait of Hormuz since a ceasefire began a month ago.

9 May 2026 - 8:56PMvideocam

South Korea

South Korea draws Gulf oil storage interest as Hormuz stays closed

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE are among major oil producers looking to South Korea’s underground storage facilities, officials say.

9 May 2026 - 1:14PM

Oil storage tanks at the Daesan petrochemical complex in Seosan, South Korea. Most of the country’s “oil reserve base” storage facilities have been built underground. Photo: Reuters

Malaysia

New database tracks shifting outcomes of Malaysia’s political corruption cases

The Prosecutorial Accountability Watch database is an attempt to make sense of a justice system clouded by ‘double standards’.

8 May 2026 - 4:47PMvideocam

Gold in Hong Kong

Editorial | Middle East war offers Hong Kong a golden opportunity

The war has driven home how well suited Hong Kong is to becoming an alternative to Dubai, a major gold trading hub.

8 May 2026 - 7:15AM

Yuan

China sets yuan at strongest level in 3 years as US dollar jitters simmer

Beijing is pushing for a stronger yuan to help globalise the currency, but the upswing could create issues for the country’s export giants.

7 May 2026 - 5:52PM

The Chinese yuan has steadily strengthened against the US dollar in recent months. Photo: Shutterstock

South Korea

South Korea rejects Trump’s claim that ship ‘decided to go it alone’

Iran says it ‘firmly rejects and categorically denies’ allegations that it was responsible for the explosion on board the HMM Namu.

7 May 2026 - 3:18PMvideocam

The Panama-flagged HMM Namu is seen off the coast of Guangzhou, China, on January 5. Photo: HMM/Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

US strikes Iranian tanker amid reports Washington and Tehran near deal

Trump reiterated that Iran ‘cannot have a nuclear weapon’ as both sides combined military pressure with diplomatic efforts to end deadlock.

7 May 2026 - 4:29AMvideocam

Indonesia

Can Indonesia turn holiday island Bali into a global financial hub?

Having a financial centre on the island will help boost national economic competitiveness, officials say.

6 May 2026 - 5:42PM

Diplomacy

Opinion | How China-Gulf ties can turn energy vulnerability into sustainability

Hormuz tensions are a reminder to start building a better, more sustainable energy order before the next crisis hits; Hong Kong can help.

6 May 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

A man walks beneath solar panels at the Al Dhafra solar power project south of Abu Dhabi in 2023. Photo: AFP

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Trump dismisses China friction over Iran war, touts Xi ties before summit

US halts Hormuz escort mission, says Beijing is not pushing back as Xi talks loom.

7 May 2026 - 12:48AMvideocam

US President Donald Trump speaks inside the Oval Office at the White House on Tuesday. Photo: EPA

Africa

Drones shatter months of relative calm in Sudan’s capital as airport targeted

Khartoum rocked by new attacks as Sudan again alleges UAE and Ethiopia involvement in the civil war.

5 May 2026 - 1:33PM

SCMP Highlights

Filipino contestant’s viral swimsuit moment, UAE’s Opec exit: 7 Asia highlights

From Malaysian Indians frustrating scammers to Japan sharing warship design, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

5 May 2026 - 2:32PM

South Korea

Seoul says ‘explosion and fire’ on South Korean ship in Hormuz strait

The vessel is a cargo ship of almost 180 metres (590 feet) sailing under the flag of Panama.

5 May 2026 - 4:37AMvideocam

Cargo ships at sea near the Strait of Hormuz, as viewed from a rocky shoreline near Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates. Photo: AP

Diplomacy

Strait of Hormuz woes, US-Nato ‘crisis’: 7 global relations reads

From a possible Trump-Iran joint venture to Russia-China talks, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in April 2026.

4 May 2026 - 10:30PM

Gold in Hong Kong

Gold rush: Hong Kong bullion imports from Dubai jump amid US-Iran war

Gold traders from the Middle East and Russia have been selling physical gold in Hong Kong at a discount of 15 to 20 per cent since early April.

4 May 2026 - 7:55PM

Middle East

Letters | UAE’s Opec exit reflects a complex world

Readers discuss the UAE’s decision to leave the oil cartel, and a Vietnamese leader’s choice to travel twice on China’s high-speed trains.

4 May 2026 - 11:30AM

A commercial vessel is seen off the coast of Dubai on April 20. Photo: AFP

Middle East

‘Structural shift’: new routes for Middle East freight to bypass Hormuz

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE lead a push for a new trade architecture with multiple nodes linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

3 May 2026 - 10:30AM

The port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates on April 17. Photo: EPA/The UAE Presidential Court

Saudi Arabia

UAE’s Opec exit signals aim to accelerate foreign policy diversification

Iran’s attacks on Gulf states have forced Abu Dhabi to rethink its place within the Saudi Arabia-led diplomatic architecture, analysts say.

2 May 2026 - 5:00PMvideocam

Banking & finance

Macroscope | Mini-crises sparked by the Iran war may add up to a big collapse

From energy, inflation and trade to slowing global growth and investment uncertainty, these mini-crises have the makings of a massive crisis.

2 May 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

Pakistan

Pakistan’s IMF-backed recovery under pressure as Iran-US mediation stalls

While Islamabad continues to push for peace, the war threatens to erode its foreign exchange reserves and make financing harder to secure.

30 Apr 2026 - 8:28PMvideocam

A trader monitors share prices at the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) in Karachi, Pakistan, on Monday. Photo: EPA

Brics

Iran war tests India’s Brics leadership as ‘political relevance’ questions mount

With Brics members Iran and the UAE as belligerents, the bloc has failed to reach a common position on the Middle East conflict.

30 Apr 2026 - 7:49PMvideocam

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi chats with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during the 2025 Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro last July. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

Global oil price hits 4-year high on concerns Iran war could worsen

Global oil benchmark Brent hits $126.41 a barrel, amid warnings it could reach US$150 as peace talks stall.

1 May 2026 - 12:50PM

US, Israel war on Iran

The UAE’s exit from Opec could bring ‘even bigger trouble’: Chinese expert

While the UAE’s departure from oil cartel is disruptive, it could also further drive apart Gulf Cooperation Council members, observer says.

30 Apr 2026 - 6:12AMvideocam

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United Arab Emirates (UAE)

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}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’

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

Why war on Iran may be ‘accelerating end of US hegemony’ and damaging Stargate

Washington is fighting the ‘wrong war’ and Tehran is able to undermine the US president’s key AI strategy, an event in Beijing told.

Iran responds to US proposal, as Qatari tanker crosses Strait of Hormuz

The response, sent via Pakistan, focuses on ending the war on all fronts, especially Lebanon, and on the safety of shipping in the waterway.

US-Iran war no closer to ending as Gulf clashes flare

Recent days have seen the biggest flare-ups in fighting in and around the Strait of Hormuz since a ceasefire began a month ago.

South Korea draws Gulf oil storage interest as Hormuz stays closed

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE are among major oil producers looking to South Korea’s underground storage facilities, officials say.

New database tracks shifting outcomes of Malaysia’s political corruption cases

The Prosecutorial Accountability Watch database is an attempt to make sense of a justice system clouded by ‘double standards’.

Editorial | Middle East war offers Hong Kong a golden opportunity

The war has driven home how well suited Hong Kong is to becoming an alternative to Dubai, a major gold trading hub.

China sets yuan at strongest level in 3 years as US dollar jitters simmer

Beijing is pushing for a stronger yuan to help globalise the currency, but the upswing could create issues for the country’s export giants.

South Korea rejects Trump’s claim that ship ‘decided to go it alone’

Iran says it ‘firmly rejects and categorically denies’ allegations that it was responsible for the explosion on board the HMM Namu.

US strikes Iranian tanker amid reports Washington and Tehran near deal

Trump reiterated that Iran ‘cannot have a nuclear weapon’ as both sides combined military pressure with diplomatic efforts to end deadlock.

Can Indonesia turn holiday island Bali into a global financial hub?

Having a financial centre on the island will help boost national economic competitiveness, officials say.

Opinion | How China-Gulf ties can turn energy vulnerability into sustainability

Hormuz tensions are a reminder to start building a better, more sustainable energy order before the next crisis hits; Hong Kong can help.

Trump dismisses China friction over Iran war, touts Xi ties before summit

US halts Hormuz escort mission, says Beijing is not pushing back as Xi talks loom.

Drones shatter months of relative calm in Sudan’s capital as airport targeted

Khartoum rocked by new attacks as Sudan again alleges UAE and Ethiopia involvement in the civil war.

Filipino contestant’s viral swimsuit moment, UAE’s Opec exit: 7 Asia highlights

From Malaysian Indians frustrating scammers to Japan sharing warship design, here are a few highlights from SCMP’s recent Asia reporting.

Seoul says ‘explosion and fire’ on South Korean ship in Hormuz strait

The vessel is a cargo ship of almost 180 metres (590 feet) sailing under the flag of Panama.

Strait of Hormuz woes, US-Nato ‘crisis’: 7 global relations reads

From a possible Trump-Iran joint venture to Russia-China talks, here are highlights from the SCMP’s overseas correspondents in April 2026.

Gold rush: Hong Kong bullion imports from Dubai jump amid US-Iran war

Gold traders from the Middle East and Russia have been selling physical gold in Hong Kong at a discount of 15 to 20 per cent since early April.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | UAE’s Opec exit reflects a complex world

Readers discuss the UAE’s decision to leave the oil cartel, and a Vietnamese leader’s choice to travel twice on China’s high-speed trains.

‘Structural shift’: new routes for Middle East freight to bypass Hormuz

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE lead a push for a new trade architecture with multiple nodes linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

UAE’s Opec exit signals aim to accelerate foreign policy diversification

Iran’s attacks on Gulf states have forced Abu Dhabi to rethink its place within the Saudi Arabia-led diplomatic architecture, analysts say.

Macroscope | Mini-crises sparked by the Iran war may add up to a big collapse

From energy, inflation and trade to slowing global growth and investment uncertainty, these mini-crises have the makings of a massive crisis.

Pakistan’s IMF-backed recovery under pressure as Iran-US mediation stalls

While Islamabad continues to push for peace, the war threatens to erode its foreign exchange reserves and make financing harder to secure.

Iran war tests India’s Brics leadership as ‘political relevance’ questions mount

With Brics members Iran and the UAE as belligerents, the bloc has failed to reach a common position on the Middle East conflict.

Global oil price hits 4-year high on concerns Iran war could worsen

Global oil benchmark Brent hits $126.41 a barrel, amid warnings it could reach US$150 as peace talks stall.

The UAE’s exit from Opec could bring ‘even bigger trouble’: Chinese expert

While the UAE’s departure from oil cartel is disruptive, it could also further drive apart Gulf Cooperation Council members, observer says.

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

Letters | UAE’s Opec exit reflects a complex world