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Qatar

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

Capital

Doha

Head of State

Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani

Head of Government

Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani

Tourists visit Sensoji Temple in Tokyo’s historic Asakusa district in December. Photo: EPA

Hong Kong tourism

30% jump in demand for regional holidays among Hongkongers amid Middle East war

Industry players say local travellers more cautious ahead of Easter holiday amid rising airfares and disrupted routes.

2 hours agovideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump warns he ‘may delay’ China visit in demand for countries to secure Hormuz

26 minutes agovideocam

Middle East

Opinion | How US-Israel war on Iran rocks foundations of the Abraham Accords

16 Mar 2026 - 5:30AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

To help Middle East nations fight drones, Ukraine wants cash and tech

This is about ⁠protection and a full assessment of how to counter Shahed drones, says Zelensky, after Kyiv dispatched dozens of experts.

15 Mar 2026 - 5:34PMvideocam

A Ukraine-made drone equipped with a high-performance camera. Kyiv downs Russian drones every night, including through the use of cheaper, smaller drones. File photo: Kyodo

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war entering ‘decisive phase’, Israel says, as attacks continue

Washington’s embassy in Iraq was hit by a drone, while clouds of black smoke rose over the Fujairah energy facility in the UAE.

14 Mar 2026 - 11:51PM

Pakistan

Afghan Taliban’s drone attacks on civilians ‘crossed red line’, Pakistan warns

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari says the administration in Kabul has brought ‘grave consequences upon itself’.

14 Mar 2026 - 9:30PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Hamas calls on Iran to ‘avoid targeting neighbouring countries’

The Palestinian Islamist group also urges the international community to ‘work towards halting’ the ongoing war immediately.

14 Mar 2026 - 7:30PMvideocam

A plume of smoke rises from the site of an Israeli air strike in the southern Lebanese village of al Khiam on March 6, amid the US-Israeli war on Iran. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

US claims Strait of Hormuz will not close, Iran’s new supreme leader ‘wounded’

Few details revealed about measures to restore oil flow as reports indicate the US is now sending amphibious assault ship, Marines to region.

14 Mar 2026 - 2:44PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran’s new supreme leader defies Trump, says Hormuz must stay blocked

In first declaration since his appointment as the country’s new supreme leader, Khamenei demands that US military bases in region must close.

13 Mar 2026 - 5:44PMvideocam

136

US, Israel war on Iran

Preparing for the worst? US bunker maker claims big demand in Middle East

Following strikes on regional hubs, Atlas Survival Shelters says demand from Gulf nation clients is at an ‘all-time high’.

12 Mar 2026 - 11:09AM

Shop manager Davis Yarber opens up a survival shelter door at the Atlas Survival Shelters factory. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

UN Security Council demands Iran halt attacks on Gulf states

The resolution did not mention US or Israeli strikes, prompting Tehran’s ambassador to decry ‘blatant misuse’ of the international body.

12 Mar 2026 - 7:03AMvideocam

Mourners wave Iranian flags during the funeral procession for senior military officials and civilians killed during the US-Israel campaign in Tehran on Wednesday. Photo: AP

China trade

As Iran war hits trade hubs, China’s logistics firms rush for alternatives

Disrupted Middle East transit routes squeeze sector, pushing freight costs higher and pressuring supply chains.

12 Mar 2026 - 5:56AMvideocam

Taiwan

How Iran’s strikes on US bases could offer a preview for the Asia-Pacific

Tehran’s retaliation against Washington’s Gulf allies offers lessons for a potential Taiwan conflict, analysts say.

11 Mar 2026 - 10:00PM

Energy

Iran war threatens prolonged energy shock, slower growth for Asia

Observers say an extended disruption of energy flows could mean persistently higher fuel costs and widening trade deficits for Asian importers.

11 Mar 2026 - 9:45PMvideocam

A man carries a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder in Mumbai on Wednesday. India has implemented several measures to secure energy supplies and manage demand. Photo: EPA

US, Israel war on Iran

Sowing the seeds of hunger: war on Iran puts Asia’s next harvest at risk

As Gulf gas plants go offline, missing fertiliser shipments today could mean empty shelves and record food prices by autumn.

11 Mar 2026 - 5:52PMvideocam

Farmers sow paddy saplings in a field on the outskirts of Guwahati, India, last month. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

Casualty figures across the Middle East as Iran war enters second week

Since the launch of ‘Operation Epic Fury’, casualties have mounted across the region, with civilians in Iran and Lebanon bearing the brunt.

10 Mar 2026 - 1:11PM

Israel-Gaza war

Trump’s Gaza plan ‘on hold’ as Iran war halts disarmament talks

The pause threatens to stall implementation of Trump’s flagship Middle East peace initiative.

10 Mar 2026 - 1:53PMvideocam

Weather

A heatwave is coming to Southeast Asia. So is an energy shock

Indonesia and Malaysia are set to feel the worst of an early summer first, compounding an LNG supply crisis triggered by the Iran war.

9 Mar 2026 - 4:22PM

Malaysia

Malaysia vows to hold petrol prices as Iran war pushes oil past US$100

Malaysia’s prime minister guarantees citizens that RON95 petrol will remain at 1.99 ringgit despite the US-Israel war on Iran.

9 Mar 2026 - 2:11PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Macron to visit Cyprus, French warships deployed as war in Middle East rages

The president’s visit will demonstrate France’s solidarity with Cyprus following Iranian strikes and underscore the importance of maritime security in the region.

9 Mar 2026 - 8:14PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran strikes on desalination plants threaten Arab states’ water supplies

In Kuwait, about 90 per cent of drinking water comes from desalination, along with roughly 86 per cent in Oman and about 70 per cent in Saudi Arabia.

9 Mar 2026 - 10:22AMvideocam

Smoke rises from Jebel Ali Port in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on March 1. Photo: Planet Labs PBC via AP

US, Israel war on Iran

Kuwait airport, Saudi Arabia targeted as Iran vows to continue Gulf strikes

Qatar also reports new attacks, after loud explosions were heard in Dubai and Bahrain’s Manama.

8 Mar 2026 - 1:11PM

Smoke rises from a building on fire, in the aftermath of what the Kuwaiti Army says is a drone attack, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Kuwait City on Sunday in this screengrab from a social media video. Photo: social media via Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran vows more attacks in Gulf despite president’s apology

Tehran says it will continue drone and missile strikes on sites in neighbouring countries that are ‘at the disposal of the enemy’.

8 Mar 2026 - 4:55AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump calls Iran ‘loser’ after president apologises for strikes on neighbours

Although Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran would halt attacks on regional nations, intense fire has still been targeting Gulf states.

7 Mar 2026 - 10:36PMvideocam

Hong Kong economy

As Iran war closes Middle East skies, how high can Cathay Pacific fares fly?

Cathay fares to Hong Kong surge 93 per cent on average for Saturday departures compared with typical prices over past 12 months.

9 Mar 2026 - 8:15PM

Cathay Pacific has been adjusting routes to redirect capacity after suspending services to and from Dubai and Riyadh, the SCMP has learned. Photo: Eugene Lee

US, Israel war on Iran

‘Disappointing’: Americans recall desperate, self-funded escapes from Mideast

‘Everyone’s been sending each other resources because, quite frankly, the US has not done a single thing in any capacity,’ a traveller says.

7 Mar 2026 - 11:35AMvideocam

An empty terminal at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Photo: AFP

Middle East

Qatar’s LNG halt exposes Asia’s energy vulnerability

Analysts say the turmoil underscores Asia’s need to shift to renewable energy, as nations scramble for alternatives amid the disruption.

6 Mar 2026 - 5:30PM

Iran

How far could the war with Iran spread beyond the Middle East?

From Turkey and the Caucasus to South Asia, analysts warn the war could ignite new flashpoints along regional fault lines.

6 Mar 2026 - 6:29PMvideocam

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Qatar

30% jump in demand for regional holidays among Hongkongers amid Middle East war

Industry players say local travellers more cautious ahead of Easter holiday amid rising airfares and disrupted routes.

Trump warns he ‘may delay’ China visit in demand for countries to secure Hormuz

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | How US-Israel war on Iran rocks foundations of the Abraham Accords

To help Middle East nations fight drones, Ukraine wants cash and tech

This is about ⁠protection and a full assessment of how to counter Shahed drones, says Zelensky, after Kyiv dispatched dozens of experts.

Iran war entering ‘decisive phase’, Israel says, as attacks continue

Washington’s embassy in Iraq was hit by a drone, while clouds of black smoke rose over the Fujairah energy facility in the UAE.

Afghan Taliban’s drone attacks on civilians ‘crossed red line’, Pakistan warns

Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari says the administration in Kabul has brought ‘grave consequences upon itself’.

Hamas calls on Iran to ‘avoid targeting neighbouring countries’

The Palestinian Islamist group also urges the international community to ‘work towards halting’ the ongoing war immediately.

US claims Strait of Hormuz will not close, Iran’s new supreme leader ‘wounded’

Few details revealed about measures to restore oil flow as reports indicate the US is now sending amphibious assault ship, Marines to region.

Iran’s new supreme leader defies Trump, says Hormuz must stay blocked

In first declaration since his appointment as the country’s new supreme leader, Khamenei demands that US military bases in region must close.

Preparing for the worst? US bunker maker claims big demand in Middle East

Following strikes on regional hubs, Atlas Survival Shelters says demand from Gulf nation clients is at an ‘all-time high’.

UN Security Council demands Iran halt attacks on Gulf states

The resolution did not mention US or Israeli strikes, prompting Tehran’s ambassador to decry ‘blatant misuse’ of the international body.

As Iran war hits trade hubs, China’s logistics firms rush for alternatives

Disrupted Middle East transit routes squeeze sector, pushing freight costs higher and pressuring supply chains.

How Iran’s strikes on US bases could offer a preview for the Asia-Pacific

Tehran’s retaliation against Washington’s Gulf allies offers lessons for a potential Taiwan conflict, analysts say.

Iran war threatens prolonged energy shock, slower growth for Asia

Observers say an extended disruption of energy flows could mean persistently higher fuel costs and widening trade deficits for Asian importers.

Sowing the seeds of hunger: war on Iran puts Asia’s next harvest at risk

As Gulf gas plants go offline, missing fertiliser shipments today could mean empty shelves and record food prices by autumn.

Casualty figures across the Middle East as Iran war enters second week

Since the launch of ‘Operation Epic Fury’, casualties have mounted across the region, with civilians in Iran and Lebanon bearing the brunt.

Trump’s Gaza plan ‘on hold’ as Iran war halts disarmament talks

The pause threatens to stall implementation of Trump’s flagship Middle East peace initiative.

A heatwave is coming to Southeast Asia. So is an energy shock

Indonesia and Malaysia are set to feel the worst of an early summer first, compounding an LNG supply crisis triggered by the Iran war.

Malaysia vows to hold petrol prices as Iran war pushes oil past US$100

Malaysia’s prime minister guarantees citizens that RON95 petrol will remain at 1.99 ringgit despite the US-Israel war on Iran.

Macron to visit Cyprus, French warships deployed as war in Middle East rages

The president’s visit will demonstrate France’s solidarity with Cyprus following Iranian strikes and underscore the importance of maritime security in the region.

Iran strikes on desalination plants threaten Arab states’ water supplies

In Kuwait, about 90 per cent of drinking water comes from desalination, along with roughly 86 per cent in Oman and about 70 per cent in Saudi Arabia.

Kuwait airport, Saudi Arabia targeted as Iran vows to continue Gulf strikes

Qatar also reports new attacks, after loud explosions were heard in Dubai and Bahrain’s Manama.

Iran vows more attacks in Gulf despite president’s apology

Tehran says it will continue drone and missile strikes on sites in neighbouring countries that are ‘at the disposal of the enemy’.

Trump calls Iran ‘loser’ after president apologises for strikes on neighbours

Although Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran would halt attacks on regional nations, intense fire has still been targeting Gulf states.

As Iran war closes Middle East skies, how high can Cathay Pacific fares fly?

Cathay fares to Hong Kong surge 93 per cent on average for Saturday departures compared with typical prices over past 12 months.

‘Disappointing’: Americans recall desperate, self-funded escapes from Mideast

‘Everyone’s been sending each other resources because, quite frankly, the US has not done a single thing in any capacity,’ a traveller says.

Qatar’s LNG halt exposes Asia’s energy vulnerability

Analysts say the turmoil underscores Asia’s need to shift to renewable energy, as nations scramble for alternatives amid the disruption.

How far could the war with Iran spread beyond the Middle East?

From Turkey and the Caucasus to South Asia, analysts warn the war could ignite new flashpoints along regional fault lines.

Opinion | How US-Israel war on Iran rocks foundations of the Abraham Accords