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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

The Panama-flagged container ship M/V Vela Nova. On Tuesday, the US Navy said it had fired on the ship after it attempted to break the US blockade of Iran’s ports. Photo: Vladimir Tonic / Handout via Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

US says it has fired on ship in Gulf of Oman to enforce Iranian ports blockade

A US Navy helicopter fired on and disabled the Panama-flagged ship after the crew ignored warnings from US forces, said US Central Command.

12 Aug 2026 - 4:36AMvideocam

India

Can India and China rally Brics to ease Strait of Hormuz tensions?

11 Aug 2026 - 6:29PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump demands Iran pay compensation as hopes fade for Hormuz agreement

11 Aug 2026 - 5:55AMvideocam

Crime

Alleged Irish crime boss charged in Dublin after extradition from Dubai

Daniel Kinahan remanded in custody over charges of directing an international crime group following handover by UAE authorities.

10 Aug 2026 - 8:49AM

Armed military officers stand guard at Casement Aerodrome, where extradited alleged crime boss Daniel Kinahan landed in Ireland. Photo: EPA

Middle East

Yemen’s Houthis attack Saudi refinery, testing new defence pact

Rebel strikes hit Jazan oil complex and kill seven in Mocha as Saudi Arabia seals security alliance with Turkey and Pakistan.

10 Aug 2026 - 4:28PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran says Oman deal is in ‘final stages’ but US must act to open Hormuz

Iran and the US are not engaged in talks and Tehran will not start them as long as Washington breaches an interim deal signed in June.

9 Aug 2026 - 10:39PMvideocam

Saudi Arabia

How Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan pact acts as ‘insurance’ over US disengagement

The Mecca deal may emerge as a third geopolitical ‘centre of gravity’ in the Middle East, with more members joining, analysts say.

9 Aug 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (centre), flanked by Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (left) and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca on Friday. Photo: Turkish Presidency Press Office/AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran targeted tanker, says UAE, as Tehran says Hormuz deal with Oman close

Iran has imposed an effective blockade of the strait and wants to charge for passage. It is in talks with Oman over management arrangements.

8 Aug 2026 - 10:56PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

How US became trapped in ‘dreadful situation’ of its own making over Iran war

With Iran holding firm to its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, Trump faces one of two choices: capitulate or risk a ‘forever war’, experts say.

6 Aug 2026 - 3:21PMvideocam

Artificial intelligence

Opinion | The AI order will have 3 tracks, not 2

Between American-secured diffusion and Chinese developmental multilateralism, middle powers have space to make their presence felt.

5 Aug 2026 - 2:46AMvideocam

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks at the inaugural Global Dialogue on AI Governance, in Geneva on July 6. Photo: AFP

Yuan

Fresh mBridge progress boosts cross-border digital yuan push

China’s Project mBridge, the multilateral central bank digital currency platform, is moving closer to broader commercial adoption.

4 Aug 2026 - 6:39PM

Industrial Bank in the Hengqin financial district in Zhuhai, southern Guangdong province. The bank has launched mBridge payment services for cross-border transactions with Macau and Hong Kong. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump claims ‘last chance’ for Iran to strike deal in latest warning

US president also says negotiations with Tehran are ‘going on right now’ despite Tehran’s insistence no direct talks were under way.

4 Aug 2026 - 5:24AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump says new talks with Iran set to begin after calling off attack

US president said negotiations would start Monday, but offered no details on the location or participants.

3 Aug 2026 - 12:51PM

China-Africa relations

Is Turkey putting pressure on China in Africa’s infrastructure market?

While Beijing is beating out Western players for major construction projects on the continent, it is not without competition.

2 Aug 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

Kenya Railways attendants at a station along the Standard Gauge Railway line built by the China Road and Bridge Corporation, in Ongata Rongai, Kenya, in 2019. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran’s foreign minister warns of any ‘adventurous action’ by US

Abbas Araqchi said Iran would retaliate if the US follows through on Trump’s threat of fresh attacks on the country.

2 Aug 2026 - 7:01AMvideocam

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in Baghdad, Iraq on June 28. Photo: Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

US embassies urge citizens to consider departing Middle East

The warning by embassies including those in the UAE, Qatar, Israel, Oman and Bahrain came after Trump threatened to hit Iran ‘very hard’.

2 Aug 2026 - 12:57AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Tankers targeted in twin incidents near Strait of Hormuz off Oman

One tanker was hit by an ‘unknown projectile’, which damaged its engine room and left it inoperative.

1 Aug 2026 - 3:21PM

SCMP Highlights

Chinese analysis on US-Iran war claims; bamboo vs desertification: 7 highlights

From a 10-hour A380 ordeal in China to a repaid 1947 wartime grain debt, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

31 Jul 2026 - 12:34PM

Chinese researchers have proposed using bamboo as a sand barrier in the north of the country. Photo: Handout

Hangzhou

Video | Emirates passengers stuck on tarmac in China for 10 hours

Emirates Flight EK302 from Dubai was forced to divert to Hangzhou because of stormy weather that made landing at Pudong Airport too dangerous.

30 Jul 2026 - 7:11PM

United Nations

Opinion | Can the gigacities of tomorrow keep human connection alive?

We have learned to accommodate more people in larger metropolises while losing the ability to bring those people together into families.

29 Jul 2026 - 8:30PM

China’s private sector

China’s ATRenew has big plans for Hong Kong’s little-known phone trading hub

New York-listed firm aims to modernise the city’s opaque wholesale market, which sits at the centre of a vast global network for used devices.

29 Jul 2026 - 3:00PM

Customers browse used devices at the newly opened ReRe outlet in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout

Banking & finance

Editorial | China’s drive to sidestep weaponised Western finance gains speed

Use of a multilateral central bank digital currency platform and a broader panda bond market will help China and other nations reduce reliance on the West.

29 Jul 2026 - 6:45AM

By late June, total cumulative transactions on mBridge passed 600 billion yuan (US$88.6 billion). Photo: dpa

US, Israel war on Iran

Iranian missile salvoes and US-Saudi strikes shatter brief Middle East lull

Joint air strikes hit Tehran-backed militia sites in Iraq after dozens of drone and missile attacks across the region.

29 Jul 2026 - 6:55PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Oman offers Iran Gulf-backed plan for voluntary fees to use Hormuz

Under the proposal, Iran will not exercise sole control and fees would be voluntary, a system analogous to ‌one in place on Asia’s Strait of Malacca.

28 Jul 2026 - 11:00PMvideocam

China travel

All went wrong: A380 flight to China becomes 10-hour ordeal

The rare sight of an Emirates Airbus at Hangzhou became chaotic as 373 passengers were left stranded on board amid a logistical nightmare.

30 Jul 2026 - 10:44AMvideocam

Mainland China

China’s battery makers fight over Middle East energy-storage market

BYD, Sungrow win contracts for storage at massive UAE solar plant, as EV battery makers seek better margins selling storage systems.

28 Jul 2026 - 2:00PM

Demand for battery energy-storage systems, like this unit from BYD, has soared in recent years. Photo: Handout

Indonesia

Why Indonesia needs legal trust, not tax cuts, to build a finance hub

From Singapore to Dubai, global capital favours predictable courts over tax breaks. Experts say Jakarta should take note.

27 Jul 2026 - 8:00AM

International Property

Demand for Dubai homes cools as Iran war drags on

Sales volumes fell markedly in May and June, according to Knight Frank, with rising costs adding to developers’ woes.

26 Jul 2026 - 6:00PM

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United Arab Emirates (UAE)

US says it has fired on ship in Gulf of Oman to enforce Iranian ports blockade

A US Navy helicopter fired on and disabled the Panama-flagged ship after the crew ignored warnings from US forces, said US Central Command.

Can India and China rally Brics to ease Strait of Hormuz tensions?

Trump demands Iran pay compensation as hopes fade for Hormuz agreement

Alleged Irish crime boss charged in Dublin after extradition from Dubai

Daniel Kinahan remanded in custody over charges of directing an international crime group following handover by UAE authorities.

Yemen’s Houthis attack Saudi refinery, testing new defence pact

Rebel strikes hit Jazan oil complex and kill seven in Mocha as Saudi Arabia seals security alliance with Turkey and Pakistan.

Iran says Oman deal is in ‘final stages’ but US must act to open Hormuz

Iran and the US are not engaged in talks and Tehran will not start them as long as Washington breaches an interim deal signed in June.

How Saudi-Turkey-Pakistan pact acts as ‘insurance’ over US disengagement

The Mecca deal may emerge as a third geopolitical ‘centre of gravity’ in the Middle East, with more members joining, analysts say.

Iran targeted tanker, says UAE, as Tehran says Hormuz deal with Oman close

Iran has imposed an effective blockade of the strait and wants to charge for passage. It is in talks with Oman over management arrangements.

How US became trapped in ‘dreadful situation’ of its own making over Iran war

With Iran holding firm to its grip on the Strait of Hormuz, Trump faces one of two choices: capitulate or risk a ‘forever war’, experts say.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | The AI order will have 3 tracks, not 2

Between American-secured diffusion and Chinese developmental multilateralism, middle powers have space to make their presence felt.

Fresh mBridge progress boosts cross-border digital yuan push

China’s Project mBridge, the multilateral central bank digital currency platform, is moving closer to broader commercial adoption.

Trump claims ‘last chance’ for Iran to strike deal in latest warning

US president also says negotiations with Tehran are ‘going on right now’ despite Tehran’s insistence no direct talks were under way.

Trump says new talks with Iran set to begin after calling off attack

US president said negotiations would start Monday, but offered no details on the location or participants.

Is Turkey putting pressure on China in Africa’s infrastructure market?

While Beijing is beating out Western players for major construction projects on the continent, it is not without competition.

Iran’s foreign minister warns of any ‘adventurous action’ by US

Abbas Araqchi said Iran would retaliate if the US follows through on Trump’s threat of fresh attacks on the country.

US embassies urge citizens to consider departing Middle East

The warning by embassies including those in the UAE, Qatar, Israel, Oman and Bahrain came after Trump threatened to hit Iran ‘very hard’.

Tankers targeted in twin incidents near Strait of Hormuz off Oman

One tanker was hit by an ‘unknown projectile’, which damaged its engine room and left it inoperative.

Chinese analysis on US-Iran war claims; bamboo vs desertification: 7 highlights

From a 10-hour A380 ordeal in China to a repaid 1947 wartime grain debt, here are highlights from SCMP’s recent reporting.

.css-1f6sr3w{color:#727272;}Video | Emirates passengers stuck on tarmac in China for 10 hours

Emirates Flight EK302 from Dubai was forced to divert to Hangzhou because of stormy weather that made landing at Pudong Airport too dangerous.

Opinion | Can the gigacities of tomorrow keep human connection alive?

We have learned to accommodate more people in larger metropolises while losing the ability to bring those people together into families.

China’s ATRenew has big plans for Hong Kong’s little-known phone trading hub

New York-listed firm aims to modernise the city’s opaque wholesale market, which sits at the centre of a vast global network for used devices.

Editorial | China’s drive to sidestep weaponised Western finance gains speed

Use of a multilateral central bank digital currency platform and a broader panda bond market will help China and other nations reduce reliance on the West.

Iranian missile salvoes and US-Saudi strikes shatter brief Middle East lull

Joint air strikes hit Tehran-backed militia sites in Iraq after dozens of drone and missile attacks across the region.

Oman offers Iran Gulf-backed plan for voluntary fees to use Hormuz

Under the proposal, Iran will not exercise sole control and fees would be voluntary, a system analogous to ‌one in place on Asia’s Strait of Malacca.

All went wrong: A380 flight to China becomes 10-hour ordeal

The rare sight of an Emirates Airbus at Hangzhou became chaotic as 373 passengers were left stranded on board amid a logistical nightmare.

China’s battery makers fight over Middle East energy-storage market

BYD, Sungrow win contracts for storage at massive UAE solar plant, as EV battery makers seek better margins selling storage systems.

Why Indonesia needs legal trust, not tax cuts, to build a finance hub

From Singapore to Dubai, global capital favours predictable courts over tax breaks. Experts say Jakarta should take note.

Demand for Dubai homes cools as Iran war drags on

Sales volumes fell markedly in May and June, according to Knight Frank, with rising costs adding to developers’ woes.

Opinion | The AI order will have 3 tracks, not 2

Video | Emirates passengers stuck on tarmac in China for 10 hours