Advertisement
Advertisement
TOPIC COLLECTION

Middle East

Included topics:
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to members of the media at the White House in July. Photo: Reuters
United States

How US could squeeze Iran with economic isolation – and the risks involved

The Treasury Department is exploring targeting Chinese banks, shadow fleets and exchange houses, but secondary sanctions risk economic blowback.

videocam
Hong Kong society

Snooker stars not in Hong Kong just for low tax, immigration chief says

Asia travel

This week in PostMag: let your mind wander with our autumn travel edition

Colombia leader asks Trump to suspend tariffs after deadly quake

The country is reeling from the tremor that left 300 people dead and destroyed almost 13,000 homes.

videocam
A rescuer stands in a street full of debris in Pereira, Colombia, on Saturday. Photo: AFP

Iran urges Qatar to release pilots shot down in Middle East war

The trio were allegedly captured after their Su-24 fighter jets went down during a sortie to the Gulf state in March.

Israeli air strikes on Lebanon kill 11 people in another test to truce

The attacks are the deadliest since the ceasefire that went into effect in June.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Russia’s role in Middle East politics endures, shifts to being ‘secondary power’

Two Russian military bases will remain in Syria as the region continues to recalibrate its relations with major powers amid the Iran war.

A Syrian rebel fighter stands at an inspection checkpoint for incoming vehicles before a Russian flag and Russian soldiers behind manning the entrance of the Russian-leased Syrian military base of Hmeimim in Latakia province in Syria in 2024. Photo: TNS

Rodriguez’s Castro tribute tests Venezuela’s balancing act between US and China

Beijing retains commercial interests in Venezuela even as analysts see Washington curbing its political and strategic influence.

videocam
9

51st strait? Trump says he’ll soon declare Hormuz to be US territory

The US president said he would do so after Iran was defeated, urging Americans to accept higher fuel prices for now.

32

Nato jets shoot down foreign drone after it enters Latvian airspace

Latvia’s military said a foreign drone had entered its airspace as a result of Russia’s electronic warfare activity over the Balvi region.

Servicemen of the Latvian National Guard gather before a search operation for the debris from an intercepted drone, in Rugaji, Latvia, on Friday. Photo: Reuters

Malaysian F1 fans vent fury over sales process, organisers cite ‘high traffic’

The Sepang International Circuit is hosting the race for the first time since 2017 as the Bahrain leg was cancelled due to the Iran war.

The official F1 website shows that tickets in several categories for the race in Malaysia in October were sold out. Photo: F1

US shifts Iran war goal, says cheaper oil for Americans is top priority

In a bid to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, Treasury Secretary Bessent threatened to subject Tehran to unprecedented economic sanctions.

videocam
15

Cramped, stressed, food shortages: life aboard Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier

The Lincoln faces multiple problems, including suicide attempts aboard the ship, due to a lengthy time at sea.

10

US accuses 9 Latin American countries of helping China avoid Trump’s tariffs

More than 40 countries targeted for helping Beijing illegally avoid tariffs by rerouting trade via nations with lower American import duties.

videocam
15
Chinese container ship Cosco Shipping Rose docks at the Panama Canal’s Cocoli locks in Panama City. The White House has accused nine Latin American economies of helping Beijing illegally evade US tariffs by rerouting trade through countries with lower US import duties. Photo: AP

Opinion | How Mecca defence pact changes China’s calculations in the Middle East

Defence pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan presents a complex strategic calculus for Beijing, demanding a masterclass in balance.

Illustration: Lau Ka-kuen

New aircraft carrier heads to Mideast amid concerns over USS Abraham Lincoln

Reports have emerged about mental health and supply issues on the current ship after a long deployment in support of the Iran war.

6

‘Struggling to help’: surging waters leave Mekong communities without aid

Tens of thousands have been displaced in Laos and Myanmar, with rescue efforts hampered by threadbare resources.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan Mecca pact ‘far from’ Nato-style defence alliance

Observers say diverging strategic interests and a weak mutual security capacity will be the main challenges facing the agreement.

videocam
13
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left), Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Mecca on Friday. Photo: AFP

Trump turns to economic pain as US bombings fail to sway Iran

Sustained naval blockade, more sanctions and making it harder for Tehran to sell its oil among the options to tighten the screws.

videocam
4

Letters | 5-year plan must take mental health seriously for the economy’s sake

Readers discuss why mental health ought to be positioned as a strategic asset, and how the city is well-placed to build health resilience for the world’s most impoverished.

China offers Colombia quake aid as new government pivots towards US

Beijing pledges help after the magnitude 7.4 earthquake, but its ambassador’s request for a coordinator remains unanswered.

videocam
10
Rescuers search for survivors in the rubble of a collapsed building in Cali, Colombia, on Wednesday, two days after a powerful earthquake killed more than 200 people. Photo: AFP

In Focus | Singapore and South Korea eye science opportunity as US-China ties shatter

New research hubs are emerging in other countries in response to Washington’s restrictions – but there are likely to be few winners overall.

videocam
8
Illustration: Davies Christian

Eurovision to bar countries at war from hosting

No country was singled out, but five countries boycotted this year’s competition over Israel’s participation.

1 killed in Israel’s first Gaza strike in over a week

The attack comes days after Netanyahu publicly rejected a Trump-backed ceasefire deal.

Erdogan wants Turkey-Saudi Arabia-Pakistan defence pact to draw more countries

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has said Istanbul expects Egypt to join the pact ‘in the next stage’.

Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sign the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement on August 7. Photo: PPI /ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

China is sending scientists to Iran for rare earth ‘exploration and processing’

Chinese and Iranian natural science foundations include the strategically sensitive metals in this year’s joint workshop programme.

videocam
26
A display of rare earth elements at the National Museum in Beijing. China holds the largest reserves of the metals in the world. Photo: Reuters

China’s glueball ‘triumph’; SpaceX rocket debris on video: 7 science highlights

From China’s plan against desertification to nuking a ‘doomsday asteroid’, here are some highlights from SCMP’s recent science reporting.

Factions in Iran openly fight over war’s direction amid Khamenei’s absence

Hardliners opposing talks with the US demand President Pezeshkian’s resignation, deepening political tensions over how to end the war.

videocam
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Middle East
The latest news, analysis and opinion on Middle East. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.