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Oman

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

Capital

Muscat

Head of State

Sultan Haitham bin Tariq

Head of Government

Prime Minister Haitham bin Tariq

US President Donald in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington. Photo: EPA

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump calls off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states

US president signals possible Iran breakthrough as ‘serious negotiations’ continue to end conflict.

2 hours agovideocam

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Xi-Trump summit outcomes

18 May 2026 - 4:37PM

Britain

Turning over a new leaf: why UK’s green mandate is a win for Asia

15 May 2026 - 2:45PMvideocam

2026 Xi-Trump summit

After Xi-Trump, China tech stocks retreat as market weighs ‘fantastic’ deals

Mainland benchmarks slip as investors lock in profits following Beijing summit, while analysts say the lack of specific deal terms suggests a deterioration ‘freeze’.

15 May 2026 - 7:18PMvideocam

US President Donald Trump shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during his state visit to Beijing on May 14, 2026. Photo: Pool via Reuters

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Xi-Trump summit day 1: everything you need to know from the meeting in Beijing

From an elaborate welcome parade to what the two leaders discussed, here is everything you need to know from Xi and Trump’s meeting in Beijing.

15 May 2026 - 7:28AM

US, Israel war on Iran

Hormuz crisis tarnishing copper production, raising costs, Chinese analysts say

China Minmetals Economic Research Institute says disruption of sulphur shipments through strait is having ripple effects on copper production.

14 May 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Rubio calls on China to play a more ‘active’ role in ending Iran war

The Middle East crisis will come into sharp focus during the Xi-Trump summit as Marco Rubio says it threatens to ‘destabilise Asia’.

14 May 2026 - 2:43PMvideocam

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio boards Air Force One as he departs for a state visit to China. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

UAE denies Israel’s Netanyahu made secret visit during Iran war

Netanyahu’s office claims a ‘historic breakthrough’, but Abu Dhabi dismisses reports of any clandestine meeting.

14 May 2026 - 10:39AM

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Wary mood to mark Xi-Trump summit with irritants aplenty on both sides: analysts

Observers noted the number of recent strategic and trade blows, including the war on Iran, have not derailed the meeting from going ahead.

14 May 2026 - 1:50AMvideocam

Japan

Oil crunch drains colour from 1 of Japan’s favourite snacks

Calbee says it is using monochrome designs for some of its products, as the Iran war has caused a shortage of naphtha used in packaging.

13 May 2026 - 12:49PMvideocam

Calbee, a major Japanese snack food maker, says the switch to monochrome packaging for some of its products would not affect quality. Photo: Shutterstock

South Korea

South Korea cautious on blaming Iran for ship strike ahead of US-China summit

Seoul has footage of the May 4 attack on the HMM Namu but analysts say it is biding its time, hoping ‘the dust will settle’.

12 May 2026 - 2:15PM

Damage to the South Korean cargo ship HMM Namu is seen this undated handout photograph released on Sunday. Photo: South Korea’s Foreign Ministry/AFP

2026 Xi-Trump summit

From ‘Taco’ to ‘Nacho’: Wall Street’s new buzzword as Trump preps for China trip

Traders’ catch-cry ‘Not a chance Hormuz opens’ replaces ‘Trump always chickens out’ as grim predictions swirl over gridlock, oil prices.

12 May 2026 - 11:27AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

US tells banks to flag suspected Iranian money-laundering networks

Banks are asked to look out for oil labelled ‘Malaysian blend’ to disguise its Iranian origin and missing or falsified shipping documents.

12 May 2026 - 11:04AM

2026 Xi-Trump summit

Xi-Trump summit: why the Iran war could become fresh point of friction

Both China and the US stand to gain from reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but they view the crisis through different lenses.

9 May 2026 - 5:04PMvideocam

Analysts say the closure and blockade of the Strait of Hormuz have become “a test of endurance” between China and the US. Photo: AFP

India

India’s military turns to green energy options as Iran war prompts new strategy

The Indian army is looking to green sources for its cooking, vehicles and installations due to surging oil prices.

7 May 2026 - 7:53PM

Indian soldiers perform drills in Kargil, Ladakh, India, in July last year. The Indian army is increasing its use of green energy sources due to rising oil prices caused by the impact of the Iran war. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images

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

‘I started crying’: Indonesian captain’s wife in agony over pirate attack

Captain Ashari Samadikun had sent a chilling warning to his wife before his fuel tanker was hijacked by pirates last month.

6 May 2026 - 7:49PMvideocam

Asean

Opinion | Asia must unite to avert an Iran war food crisis

The energy and fertiliser shocks come amid crucial planting windows for Asia’s farmers, exposing the region’s dire dependencies.

6 May 2026 - 4:30PMvideocam

A farm worker sprays fertiliser on a paddy field at Sabak Bernam, outside Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on April 1. Conflict in the Middle East has driven up prices of energy, fertiliser and food production. Photo: EPA

Japan

Bound by anxiety: Japan and Australia deepen ties for an uneasy age

Shared concerns about trade coercion and energy shocks are driving the two middle powers to ‘institutionalise’ their partnership.

6 May 2026 - 12:25PM

China-Middle East relations

Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi to visit China days ahead of Donald Trump

Foreign Minister Araghchi will arrive on Wednesday and hold talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Beijing has announced.

5 May 2026 - 9:55PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

US’ Bessent urges China to help open Strait of Hormuz

Treasury chief says Beijing’s energy buys fund ‘top sponsor of terrorism’, calls for action as US asserts ‘absolute control’ over waterway.

5 May 2026 - 10:33AM

An Iran-flagged tugboat sails off Bandar Abbas on Monday. Photo: AFP

United States

Wall Street hesitates, oil prices rise amid uncertainty in Strait of Hormuz

Despite all the uncertainty about how long the war with Iran will last, the US stock market has managed to power to record after record.

4 May 2026 - 9:55PMvideocam

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Photo: via AFP

Singapore

Singapore, New Zealand ink world first deal to secure essential supplies

Both governments committed not to impose unnecessary export restrictions on crucial goods such as food, fuel and healthcare products.

4 May 2026 - 3:00PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump says US will ‘guide’ ships out of Hormuz, as vessels attacked

US to launch new mission dubbed ‘Project Freedom’ as Tehran signals interference would be seen as a ceasefire violation.

4 May 2026 - 1:17PMvideocam

China food security

China’s farmers face dual threats from El Nino and Iran war, analysts say

They warn that country’s fragmented farms are less resilient to natural disasters than bigger, more mechanised operations.

3 May 2026 - 8:00PM

Farmers in Hebi, Henan province, water newly sown corn in June 2024 after an El Nino event that lasted around a year. Photo: Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images

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

2026 Xi-Trump summit

China’s UN envoy blasts US ‘bullying’ as sanctions widen before Trump-Xi talks

Curbs tied to Iran and a fragile ceasefire cast a shadow over the leaders’ planned Beijing summit as tensions between the powers mount.

2 May 2026 - 6:36AMvideocam

US-China trade war

US sanctions China-based operator, others over alleged Iran oil trade links

State Department targets Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal for allegedly importing ‘tens of millions of barrels of sanctioned Iranian crude oil’.

2 May 2026 - 7:38AMvideocam

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Oman

Trump calls off new Iran attack at request of Gulf states

US president signals possible Iran breakthrough as ‘serious negotiations’ continue to end conflict.

Xi-Trump summit outcomes

Turning over a new leaf: why UK’s green mandate is a win for Asia

After Xi-Trump, China tech stocks retreat as market weighs ‘fantastic’ deals

Mainland benchmarks slip as investors lock in profits following Beijing summit, while analysts say the lack of specific deal terms suggests a deterioration ‘freeze’.

Xi-Trump summit day 1: everything you need to know from the meeting in Beijing

From an elaborate welcome parade to what the two leaders discussed, here is everything you need to know from Xi and Trump’s meeting in Beijing.

Hormuz crisis tarnishing copper production, raising costs, Chinese analysts say

China Minmetals Economic Research Institute says disruption of sulphur shipments through strait is having ripple effects on copper production.

Rubio calls on China to play a more ‘active’ role in ending Iran war

The Middle East crisis will come into sharp focus during the Xi-Trump summit as Marco Rubio says it threatens to ‘destabilise Asia’.

UAE denies Israel’s Netanyahu made secret visit during Iran war

Netanyahu’s office claims a ‘historic breakthrough’, but Abu Dhabi dismisses reports of any clandestine meeting.

Wary mood to mark Xi-Trump summit with irritants aplenty on both sides: analysts

Observers noted the number of recent strategic and trade blows, including the war on Iran, have not derailed the meeting from going ahead.

Oil crunch drains colour from 1 of Japan’s favourite snacks

Calbee says it is using monochrome designs for some of its products, as the Iran war has caused a shortage of naphtha used in packaging.

South Korea cautious on blaming Iran for ship strike ahead of US-China summit

Seoul has footage of the May 4 attack on the HMM Namu but analysts say it is biding its time, hoping ‘the dust will settle’.

From ‘Taco’ to ‘Nacho’: Wall Street’s new buzzword as Trump preps for China trip

Traders’ catch-cry ‘Not a chance Hormuz opens’ replaces ‘Trump always chickens out’ as grim predictions swirl over gridlock, oil prices.

US tells banks to flag suspected Iranian money-laundering networks

Banks are asked to look out for oil labelled ‘Malaysian blend’ to disguise its Iranian origin and missing or falsified shipping documents.

Xi-Trump summit: why the Iran war could become fresh point of friction

Both China and the US stand to gain from reopening the Strait of Hormuz, but they view the crisis through different lenses.

India’s military turns to green energy options as Iran war prompts new strategy

The Indian army is looking to green sources for its cooking, vehicles and installations due to surging oil prices.

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.

‘I started crying’: Indonesian captain’s wife in agony over pirate attack

Captain Ashari Samadikun had sent a chilling warning to his wife before his fuel tanker was hijacked by pirates last month.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Asia must unite to avert an Iran war food crisis

The energy and fertiliser shocks come amid crucial planting windows for Asia’s farmers, exposing the region’s dire dependencies.

Bound by anxiety: Japan and Australia deepen ties for an uneasy age

Shared concerns about trade coercion and energy shocks are driving the two middle powers to ‘institutionalise’ their partnership.

Iran’s top diplomat Abbas Araghchi to visit China days ahead of Donald Trump

Foreign Minister Araghchi will arrive on Wednesday and hold talks with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi, Beijing has announced.

US’ Bessent urges China to help open Strait of Hormuz

Treasury chief says Beijing’s energy buys fund ‘top sponsor of terrorism’, calls for action as US asserts ‘absolute control’ over waterway.

Wall Street hesitates, oil prices rise amid uncertainty in Strait of Hormuz

Despite all the uncertainty about how long the war with Iran will last, the US stock market has managed to power to record after record.

Singapore, New Zealand ink world first deal to secure essential supplies

Both governments committed not to impose unnecessary export restrictions on crucial goods such as food, fuel and healthcare products.

Trump says US will ‘guide’ ships out of Hormuz, as vessels attacked

US to launch new mission dubbed ‘Project Freedom’ as Tehran signals interference would be seen as a ceasefire violation.

China’s farmers face dual threats from El Nino and Iran war, analysts say

They warn that country’s fragmented farms are less resilient to natural disasters than bigger, more mechanised operations.

‘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.

China’s UN envoy blasts US ‘bullying’ as sanctions widen before Trump-Xi talks

Curbs tied to Iran and a fragile ceasefire cast a shadow over the leaders’ planned Beijing summit as tensions between the powers mount.

US sanctions China-based operator, others over alleged Iran oil trade links

State Department targets Qingdao Haiye Oil Terminal for allegedly importing ‘tens of millions of barrels of sanctioned Iranian crude oil’.

Opinion | Asia must unite to avert an Iran war food crisis