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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

Women sit and eat rice noodles on the sidewalk in Hanoi, Vietnam, on April 14. Photo: AFP

Food and agriculture

Asia braces for food shortages as ‘super El Nino’ and Iran war collide

A precarious planting season looms amid suppressed rainfall and soaring fertiliser costs threatening the region’s harvests.

6 hours ago

Hong Kong economy

Letters | How Hong Kong can attract talent and capital from the Middle East

21 Apr 2026 - 11:30AM

Pakistan

Pakistan seeks to shield Gulf states as US-Iran talks set to resume

15 Apr 2026 - 10:50PMvideocam

China energy security

Which countries are most vulnerable as US imposes Persian Gulf blockade?

Nomura says more than 90 per cent of the crude oil imported by Japan and the Philippines comes from the Middle East.

15 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM

A customer at a petrol station in London on Monday. Photo: EPA

US, Israel war on Iran

Asia’s energy supply at breaking point as US blockades Hormuz

Nearly 90 per cent of the region’s crude oil is now at risk as stalled peace talks and a naval stand-off raise the spectre of stagflation.

14 Apr 2026 - 6:09PM

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.

10 Apr 2026 - 7:01PMvideocam

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.

10 Apr 2026 - 5:14PM

A makeshift camp for displaced people in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip. Photo: AP

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.

9 Apr 2026 - 9:53PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Strait of Hormuz: is a Trump‑Iran joint venture really possible?

With regime change increasingly out of reach, the US president may pivot towards a business deal with Tehran’s fractured leadership.

9 Apr 2026 - 8:45PMvideocam

Middle East

Opinion | For Gulf states, geography is both a generous and treacherous patron

Sandwiched between Iran and Israel, oil-rich transport hubs like the UAE now face the fragility of their newly built economic prosperity.

7 Apr 2026 - 4:30PM

A couple stands looking at the Dubai skyline, with a view of the Burj Khalifa, the worlds tallest building, seen from Creek Harbour on April 3. Photo: AFP

Ukraine war

Ukraine and Syria pledge security cooperation as Zelensky expands Middle East tour

Zelensky and Sharaa discuss drone defence and food security as Kyiv seeks to export its military expertise.

6 Apr 2026 - 9:50AM

Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus. Photo: Reuters

Middle East

UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait lose water, energy infrastructure to Iran strikes

Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile salvoes over Iran’s accusation that its neighbours allow US forces to carry out attacks from their territory.

6 Apr 2026 - 9:03AM

China-EU relations

China, Europe and why Beijing took a swing at Iran over the Strait of Hormuz

Beijing takes a stand at the United Nations at the closure of shipping lanes.

3 Apr 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Helium supply shock threatens Asian chipmakers as economic slowdown fears mount

Iranian attacks on Qatar’s LNG facilities are curbing the supply of helium, a crucial gas used in chipmaking.

3 Apr 2026 - 6:29PMvideocam

Samsung Electronics’ products displayed at an exhibition hall for the Apec summit in Gyeongju, South Korea in October. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

Editorial | Trump’s Iran address fails to set minds at ease or clearly signal direction

The Iran war is a wake-up call to many countries about their overdependence on the US for security.

3 Apr 2026 - 7:15AM

US President Donald Trump points after speaking in a televised address to the nation on the conflict in the Middle East from the Cross Hall of the White House in Washington on April 1. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Controlled escalation? Trump hails ‘victories’ in Iran but vows more strikes

US president tells anxious Americans that the conflict’s core objectives are ‘nearing completion’ but fails to lay out a clear timeline to end the war.

2 Apr 2026 - 8:31PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump claims Iran wants ceasefire, Tehran calls remarks ‘false and baseless’

The US president has said he could walk away from the war in two to three weeks.

2 Apr 2026 - 12:34AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

After early anger, Gulf allies press Trump for final blow to Iran

The UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain are pushing hard for Trump to order a ground invasion of Tehran, according to a diplomat.

31 Mar 2026 - 2:16PMvideocam

A plume of smoke rises from the site of a strike in Iran, Tehran, on Sunday. Photo: Xinhua

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran’s Islamic republic will ‘collapse internally’, says Netanyahu

Gulf allies of the US, led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are meanwhile urging Trump to continue prosecuting the war against Iran.

31 Mar 2026 - 6:36AMvideocam

Japan

Japan’s PM will mull top-level talks with Iran at ‘appropriate’ time

Stability in the Middle East is vital for Japan, which relies on the region for over 90 per cent of its crude oil imports.

30 Mar 2026 - 9:54PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran targets Bahrain aluminium, 2 injured amid Hormuz closure

Most Gulf aluminium producers, which account for about 9 per cent of global supply, have been unable to ship due to Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

29 Mar 2026 - 8:22PM

A building damaged in a reported Iranian drone strike, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Seef, Manama, Bahrain, on March 10. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Spy, steal and frighten: Iran-linked hackers open digital front in war

Spyware-laden shelter alerts, hacked hospitals and supply chain breaches highlight modern warfare’s digital shift.

29 Mar 2026 - 2:49PMvideocam

A plume of smoke rises from the site of a strike in Tehran, Iran, on Saturday. Photo: Xinhua

US, Israel war on Iran

How Ukraine turned Iranian drone swarms in Gulf into a money-spinner

Zelensky’s Gulf tour secures defence agreements, offering Ukraine’s drone tech to Middle East nations facing Iranian threats.

29 Mar 2026 - 11:57AMvideocam

China trade

From chips to MRIs, Iran war puts helium users on edge

Fitch Ratings says helium prices have roughly doubled since conflict began.

27 Mar 2026 - 6:00PM

China-Middle East relations

Opinion | When it comes to the Persian Gulf, China’s top priority is economics

Beijing’s refusal to pick sides between Iran and other Gulf states affirms its strategic positioning rather than a desire to shift paradigms.

24 Mar 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

Diplomacy

Opinion | Look East? South Asia’s fate is far more intertwined with Middle East

Beyond oil, remittances and cultural ties, trade and defence pacts in recent years have added to strategic and security interconnectedness.

24 Mar 2026 - 9:04AMvideocam

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif hug after signing a defence pact, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17, 2025. Photo: Reuters

Iran

With hacking of street cameras before and during war, who’s watching who?

For years, cybersecurity experts have warned that street cameras could be hacked. Now, AI advances help governments sift through footage.

24 Mar 2026 - 12:16PMvideocam

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong raises Iran, Israel travel alerts to black, expands amber warning

Amber travel alert expanded to include Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

23 Mar 2026 - 10:49PM

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Qatar

Asia braces for food shortages as ‘super El Nino’ and Iran war collide

A precarious planting season looms amid suppressed rainfall and soaring fertiliser costs threatening the region’s harvests.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | How Hong Kong can attract talent and capital from the Middle East

Pakistan seeks to shield Gulf states as US-Iran talks set to resume

Which countries are most vulnerable as US imposes Persian Gulf blockade?

Nomura says more than 90 per cent of the crude oil imported by Japan and the Philippines comes from the Middle East.

Asia’s energy supply at breaking point as US blockades Hormuz

Nearly 90 per cent of the region’s crude oil is now at risk as stalled peace talks and a naval stand-off raise the spectre of stagflation.

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.

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.

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.

Strait of Hormuz: is a Trump‑Iran joint venture really possible?

With regime change increasingly out of reach, the US president may pivot towards a business deal with Tehran’s fractured leadership.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | For Gulf states, geography is both a generous and treacherous patron

Sandwiched between Iran and Israel, oil-rich transport hubs like the UAE now face the fragility of their newly built economic prosperity.

Ukraine and Syria pledge security cooperation as Zelensky expands Middle East tour

Zelensky and Sharaa discuss drone defence and food security as Kyiv seeks to export its military expertise.

UAE, Bahrain and Kuwait lose water, energy infrastructure to Iran strikes

Gulf countries have faced repeated drone and missile salvoes over Iran’s accusation that its neighbours allow US forces to carry out attacks from their territory.

China, Europe and why Beijing took a swing at Iran over the Strait of Hormuz

Beijing takes a stand at the United Nations at the closure of shipping lanes.

Helium supply shock threatens Asian chipmakers as economic slowdown fears mount

Iranian attacks on Qatar’s LNG facilities are curbing the supply of helium, a crucial gas used in chipmaking.

Editorial | Trump’s Iran address fails to set minds at ease or clearly signal direction

The Iran war is a wake-up call to many countries about their overdependence on the US for security.

Controlled escalation? Trump hails ‘victories’ in Iran but vows more strikes

US president tells anxious Americans that the conflict’s core objectives are ‘nearing completion’ but fails to lay out a clear timeline to end the war.

Trump claims Iran wants ceasefire, Tehran calls remarks ‘false and baseless’

The US president has said he could walk away from the war in two to three weeks.

After early anger, Gulf allies press Trump for final blow to Iran

The UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain are pushing hard for Trump to order a ground invasion of Tehran, according to a diplomat.

Iran’s Islamic republic will ‘collapse internally’, says Netanyahu

Gulf allies of the US, led by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, are meanwhile urging Trump to continue prosecuting the war against Iran.

Japan’s PM will mull top-level talks with Iran at ‘appropriate’ time

Stability in the Middle East is vital for Japan, which relies on the region for over 90 per cent of its crude oil imports.

Iran targets Bahrain aluminium, 2 injured amid Hormuz closure

Most Gulf aluminium producers, which account for about 9 per cent of global supply, have been unable to ship due to Tehran’s effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Spy, steal and frighten: Iran-linked hackers open digital front in war

Spyware-laden shelter alerts, hacked hospitals and supply chain breaches highlight modern warfare’s digital shift.

How Ukraine turned Iranian drone swarms in Gulf into a money-spinner

Zelensky’s Gulf tour secures defence agreements, offering Ukraine’s drone tech to Middle East nations facing Iranian threats.

From chips to MRIs, Iran war puts helium users on edge

Fitch Ratings says helium prices have roughly doubled since conflict began.

Opinion | When it comes to the Persian Gulf, China’s top priority is economics

Beijing’s refusal to pick sides between Iran and other Gulf states affirms its strategic positioning rather than a desire to shift paradigms.

Opinion | Look East? South Asia’s fate is far more intertwined with Middle East

Beyond oil, remittances and cultural ties, trade and defence pacts in recent years have added to strategic and security interconnectedness.

With hacking of street cameras before and during war, who’s watching who?

For years, cybersecurity experts have warned that street cameras could be hacked. Now, AI advances help governments sift through footage.

Hong Kong raises Iran, Israel travel alerts to black, expands amber warning

Amber travel alert expanded to include Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Letters | How Hong Kong can attract talent and capital from the Middle East

Opinion | For Gulf states, geography is both a generous and treacherous patron