https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325899/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Reuters Reuters The Philippines is in talks with Saudi Arabia, Russia and the United States to store oil in the fuel-import-dependent nation, in a bid to hedge against fuel price spikes driven by the Iran war. The Southeast Asian nation, which imports nearly all ‌its energy needs, also planned to increase diesel and gas-fired power output to make up for an estimated 60 per cent decline in hydropower and 20 per cent fall in solar output in the first half of 2027 due to the El Nino weather phenomenon, Energy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372455/philippines-holds-oil-storage-talks-saudi-arabia-russia-us https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3372455/philippines-holds-oil-storage-talks-saudi-arabia-russia-us Wed, 28 Oct 2026 10:12:33 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain A decision by Turkey, Pakistan, Qatar and Indonesia to jointly develop and produce weapons systems marks a major push to reduce reliance on Western armaments that come with political strings attached, observers say. Following the signing of the Badr memorandum of understanding in Doha on Wednesday, the four governments separately said they would work towards integrating their defence industries and supply chains to meet military needs. “By leveraging the capabilities of each country in the field... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372228/why-are-turkey-pakistan-qatar-and-indonesia-joining-forces https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3372228/why-are-turkey-pakistan-qatar-and-indonesia-joining-forces Tue, 27 Oct 2026 02:23:17 +0000 Lam Ka-sing,Denise Tsang Lam Ka-sing,Denise Tsang In September, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu unveiled the city’s first five-year plan along with his policy address, highlighting Hong Kong’s strategic role in promoting the greater use of the yuan outside mainland China as a key priority. In the first of a four-part series on the internationalisation of the yuan, Lam Ka-sing and Denise Tsang examine Hong Kong’s efforts as an international financial centre to reform its market infrastructure, including building a larger offshore renminbi... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3372184/can-hong-kong-deliver-trying-build-its-yuan-credentials https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3372184/can-hong-kong-deliver-trying-build-its-yuan-credentials Tue, 27 Oct 2026 00:30:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan held talks with Iran on Monday in an attempt to stop the Middle East war from reigniting, with Tehran saying the discussions were “very good”. Officials from the three Mecca pact countries flew to Iran as part of efforts to “de-escalate between the parties to the current crisis”, a Saudi foreign ministry statement said. The talks, which included heavyweight Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, followed warnings by the United... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372218/mecca-pact-countries-iran-bid-stop-war-restarting https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372218/mecca-pact-countries-iran-bid-stop-war-restarting Mon, 26 Oct 2026 19:47:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Saudi-led military coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthis struck several of the group’s missile launchers and storage facilities, a spokesman said on Monday, while the Iran-backed group claimed a new attack on Riyadh’s international airport. The coalition’s operation came a day after explosions rattled Saudi Arabia’s capital and authorities sent text messages to residents warning them of a “hostile aerial threat” to the city, which has been heavily targeted by the Houthis in recent weeks. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372131/saudi-coalition-intercepts-missile-houthis-claim-new-attack-riyadh-airport https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372131/saudi-coalition-intercepts-missile-houthis-claim-new-attack-riyadh-airport Mon, 26 Oct 2026 05:49:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran and its allies might try to disrupt Tuesday’s Israeli elections, warning the Islamic republic against any hostile acts. The remarks came as Israel’s Channel 12 reported, citing unnamed sources, that there had been a confrontation between Netanyahu and army chief Eyal Zamir over an unspecified new directive in the war with Iran, which the prime minister denied. Netanyahu has campaigned heavily on his security credentials, touting the war he... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372091/netanyahu-warns-iran-may-try-disrupt-election-says-dont-test-us https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372091/netanyahu-warns-iran-may-try-disrupt-election-says-dont-test-us Sun, 25 Oct 2026 17:29:00 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Before the outbreak of the war triggered by the US-Israeli attack on Iran in February, the Gulf monarchies were living the prosperity dream that was the envy of the world. Their hydrocarbon-fuelled economies were glitzy oases of growth, inoculated from the conflict in Gaza that had rocked other parts of the Middle East for several years. Underpinned by decades-old US security guarantees and conflict mediation by billionaire sheikhs, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar cultivated... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371922/gulf-economies-accelerate-diversification-recession-looms-over-iran-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371922/gulf-economies-accelerate-diversification-recession-looms-over-iran-war Sun, 25 Oct 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Houthi media reported that Saudi strikes killed 11 people in Yemeni capital Sanaa on Saturday, shortly after the Saudi-led coalition fighting them said it had intercepted two missiles targeting Saudi cities. The Houthis’ Al-Masirah outlet reported a series of “Saudi enemy air strikes” targeting Sanaa, including one on a house that killed at least four people and wounded several others. A separate strike at a residence building for cement factory workers in the Sanaa governorate killed six women... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372035/saudi-strikes-kill-11-yemen-houthi-missiles-target-saudi-cities https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372035/saudi-strikes-kill-11-yemen-houthi-missiles-target-saudi-cities Sat, 24 Oct 2026 14:33:12 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu Chinese crude oil imports from the Gulf region are rebounding amid months of disruption from the US-Israel war on Iran and a sharp decline in domestic inventories. Shipments from the Middle East rose 25.7 per cent month on month to 13.8 million tonnes in September, marking a third consecutive monthly increase, according to Chinese customs data. Xu Muyu, a senior crude oil analyst at data intelligence firm Kpler, said demand for Middle Eastern crude was likely to remain strong amid record... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371778/chinas-gulf-oil-imports-forecast-approach-pre-iran-war-high-shipments-rebound https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3371778/chinas-gulf-oil-imports-forecast-approach-pre-iran-war-high-shipments-rebound Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:00:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US State Department has ordered some diplomats and family members to depart ‌from its missions in Saudi Arabia and plans to withdraw family members from a number of other US missions in the region, US officials said. The order came as attacks in Saudi Arabia killed at least one person and injured eight others at a civilian airport in Dammam, and two people were killed in a drone attack on an oilfield. US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a post on social media ⁠that the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371698/us-orders-diplomats-leave-saudi-arabia-amid-houthi-strikes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371698/us-orders-diplomats-leave-saudi-arabia-amid-houthi-strikes Wed, 21 Oct 2026 23:48:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse British fighter planes will be deployed to help Saudi Arabia defend itself against increasing attacks from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, the UK government announced on Tuesday. The defence ministry said the deployment formed part of “additional defensive military support” to Riyadh. “The UK will fly defensive counter air missions to support the protection of Saudi cities and critical national infrastructure against aerial attack, using RAF Typhoon fighter jets,” the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said in a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371539/uk-deploy-fighter-planes-help-saudi-arabias-defence-against-houthis https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371539/uk-deploy-fighter-planes-help-saudi-arabias-defence-against-houthis Tue, 20 Oct 2026 12:04:05 +0000 Reuters Reuters Saudi Arabia has decided to postpone its flagship investment conference until next year, organisers confirmed in a statement on Monday, following deadly attacks which rocked ‌the kingdom in recent weeks as the Middle East conflict widens, disrupting business. The Future Investment Initiative, or FII, was planned for October 26 to 29, but will now take place in 2027, with a new date to be announced “very soon,” the organisers said. Reuters reported earlier Monday that the in-person event had been... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371441/saudi-arabia-postpones-davos-desert-summit-2027-after-deadly-attacks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371441/saudi-arabia-postpones-davos-desert-summit-2027-after-deadly-attacks Tue, 20 Oct 2026 01:57:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Saudi Arabia has executed two Bangladeshi nationals, a man and a woman, after they were convicted of committing “indecent acts” in a mosque in the Muslim holy city of Mecca. Bangladesh said it was not informed before the sentences were carried out and has sought information from Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Interior Ministry said the Bangladeshis were executed because of “the gravity and seriousness of their actions in violating the sanctity of both time and place”. It did not elaborate. https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371424/saudi-arabia-executes-2-bangladeshis-over-indecent-acts-holy-city-mecca https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371424/saudi-arabia-executes-2-bangladeshis-over-indecent-acts-holy-city-mecca Mon, 19 Oct 2026 19:13:26 +0000 Reuters Reuters Fifty-three people ⁠were killed and 200 were ⁠injured in an attack ⁠on Monday by the Iran-aligned Houthis on a government security forces training camp in Yemen’s Shabwa province, according to the local authority, as fighting in the impoverished country intensifies. Video verified by Reuters from Shabwa province ‌showed injured people and bloodied bodies scattered across the ground. The Houthis and the internationally recognised government, which is backed by a Saudi-led coalition, have been... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371416/houthi-attack-kills-53-yemen-government-training-camp https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371416/houthi-attack-kills-53-yemen-government-training-camp Mon, 19 Oct 2026 15:19:26 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Riyadh’s Kingdom Centre skyscraper ordered remote working for office tenants on Sunday following repeated Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, as the Saudi-led coalition said two pilots were killed in a crash near the Yemen border. The imposing, 99-storey landmark announced “mandatory” remote working until further notice. No reason was given for the order, but it comes a week after 13 people were killed in a major Houthi attack on Riyadh’s international airport. The Saudi coalition’s decade-plus war... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371307/saudi-closes-riyadh-skyscraper-chopper-pilots-killed-near-yemen https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371307/saudi-closes-riyadh-skyscraper-chopper-pilots-killed-near-yemen Sun, 18 Oct 2026 11:22:38 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings A Chinese construction company has reached an agreement to work on tunnel projects in the tiny Middle Eastern nation of Qatar, as China’s global infrastructure push continues to gain momentum after recent railway deals in Southeast Asia and Latin America. The state-owned China Railway Tunnel Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with a subsidiary of the Qatari conglomerate Aamal Co, according to a statement released by the Doha-based company on Tuesday. The two firms had forged a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371195/risky-business-chinese-firm-agrees-build-rail-tunnels-qatar-amid-iran-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371195/risky-business-chinese-firm-agrees-build-rail-tunnels-qatar-amid-iran-war Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:00:11 +0000 Lam Ka-sing,Denise Tsang Lam Ka-sing,Denise Tsang Distinctive features will set Hong Kong apart from London, a major bullion hub, as the city accelerates efforts to develop an international gold and precious metals trading ecosystem covering the entire value chain, a minister has told the South China Morning Post. In an exclusive interview on Thursday, Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury Christopher Hui Ching-yu said the city would officially launch a central gold clearing platform in the first quarter of next year. It would... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3371228/hong-kong-touts-distinct-features-set-it-apart-london-global-gold-hub-push https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3371228/hong-kong-touts-distinct-features-set-it-apart-london-global-gold-hub-push Sat, 17 Oct 2026 04:01:11 +0000 Han Li Han Li As the US prepares to host the G20 summit in Miami in December, Americans’ views of participating countries vary, with China viewed more favourably than Russia, although both rank near the bottom, according to the latest Pew Research Centre report. Americans gave China an average rating of 37 out of 100, compared with 27 for Russia, Pew found in a report released on Friday. Canada, Australia, Japan and Italy received the warmest ratings, with average scores in the mid-to-high 60s. “Russia stands... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371213/americans-see-china-more-positively-russia-both-near-bottom-g20-pew-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371213/americans-see-china-more-positively-russia-both-near-bottom-g20-pew-report Fri, 16 Oct 2026 21:06:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Houthis launched a deadly missile attack Thursday on the presidential palace in the Yemeni government’s interim capital of Aden, as Saudi Arabia blamed Iran for the recent dramatic escalation in the long-running war. The attack hit command centres located inside the Al-Maashiq presidential compound used by government forces and the Saudi-led military coalition that supports them, a Yemeni minister said on condition of anonymity. Saudi Arabia and the internationally recognised Yemeni... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371065/houthis-launch-deadly-attack-presidential-palace-yemens-aden https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371065/houthis-launch-deadly-attack-presidential-palace-yemens-aden Thu, 15 Oct 2026 18:41:55 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Lorelai Jacinto had worked as a domestic helper in Riyadh for two and a half years before she flew home to the Philippines on September 19, increasingly worried that the conflict in the Middle East was making it unsafe to stay. “When the conflict with Iran happened, I started feeling like it wasn’t safe there any more because I was right there in Riyadh myself, so the bombing, the missiles, were closer to us,” Jacinto told This Week in Asia. “I got worried, I got scared that maybe I wouldn’t be... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3370917/filipino-migrants-torn-between-safety-and-survival-risks-amid-middle-east-dangers https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3370917/filipino-migrants-torn-between-safety-and-survival-risks-amid-middle-east-dangers Thu, 15 Oct 2026 04:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Six Kings Slam tennis tournament originally scheduled for ⁠October has been pushed back to late December, Fifa’s esports finals have been postponed, and officials are considering whether to move the Asian Cup to 2028, after the recent ⁠attacks on Saudi Arabia. A strike on Riyadh’s international airport on Saturday killed at least 12 people and wounded more than 300, with Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement claiming responsibility for the deadliest attack in the kingdom in more than a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/football/article/3370931/asian-cup-could-be-switched-2028-tennis-six-kings-slam-delayed-over-saudi-bomb-fears https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/sport/football/article/3370931/asian-cup-could-be-switched-2028-tennis-six-kings-slam-delayed-over-saudi-bomb-fears Thu, 15 Oct 2026 02:30:05 +0000 Andy Xie Andy Xie Be warned. The global economy is likely to experience a recession next year. War across the Middle East is set to escalate, wrecking energy supplies for many years, even as the artificial intelligence (AI) bubble is ripe to burst. This, however, would also create an energy leadership opportunity for China. High energy prices already fuel demand for Chinese renewable energy products and electric vehicles. But as a leader in building coal-fired power plants, China can also offer the global market... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3370367/can-chinas-coal-industry-ride-rescue-world-oil-shock https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3370367/can-chinas-coal-industry-ride-rescue-world-oil-shock Wed, 14 Oct 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Yemeni government has spoken with Beijing about the Houthis’ alleged attempts to utilise Chinese-made technology for weapons, a Yemeni minister said on Wednesday, as the two sides’ long-running civil war escalates. “The Chinese are partners and we have discussed with them about, you know, the use of dual products,” Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba said in response to an Agence France-Presse question about reports the Iran-backed group was trying to secure Chinese components to help... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370919/yemen-government-says-it-raised-houthis-alleged-use-chinese-tech-beijing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370919/yemen-government-says-it-raised-houthis-alleged-use-chinese-tech-beijing Wed, 14 Oct 2026 17:16:15 +0000 Reuters Reuters An administrative building belonging to Saudi Arabia’s state-owned oil company Saudi Aramco in the eastern city of Dhahran was attacked, causing a limited fire, the Energy Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday as fighting between Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthis and the kingdom intensified. Authorities responded to the incident late on Tuesday and took necessary measures, the ministry said, adding that there were no injuries or deaths. A company source told Reuters earlier that a ballistic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370793/aramco-facility-hit-houthis-and-saudi-coalition-exchange-attacks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370793/aramco-facility-hit-houthis-and-saudi-coalition-exchange-attacks Wed, 14 Oct 2026 01:33:54 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Chinese-Pakistani fighter jets and a China-made air-defence system reportedly deployed to Saudi Arabia could be brought into action following Pakistan’s renewed pledge to defend the kingdom after deadly Houthi attacks on Riyadh. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that Islamabad would cooperate with Riyadh “in every possible way” under their defence agreements, after Houthi strikes on the Saudi capital’s main airport the previous day killed at least 13 people and wounded... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370713/could-pakistans-chinese-made-weapons-help-protect-saudi-arabia-houthi-attacks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370713/could-pakistans-chinese-made-weapons-help-protect-saudi-arabia-houthi-attacks Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:00:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Houthi official has warned the US it would receive a “painful response” if it entered the war in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia has reportedly requested Washington’s help in dealing with the group as it weathers repeated attacks. Yemen’s civil war - in which a Saudi-led military coalition supports the government against the Iran-backed Houthis - reignited in July, months into the wider regional conflict that has roiled energy markets and plunged the Middle East into crisis. The Houthis quickly... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370729/houthi-official-warns-us-against-entering-war-yemen-saudis-weather-attacks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370729/houthi-official-warns-us-against-entering-war-yemen-saudis-weather-attacks Tue, 13 Oct 2026 09:00:25 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Saudi Arabia said it was dealing with new drone and cruise missile attacks on Monday, posing fresh security threats to the kingdom following the weekend’s deadly strikes on Riyadh airport. “We have detected and are monitoring a threat involving drones and cruise missiles against the kingdom and the threat is being dealt with,” the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported. It cited Defence Ministry spokesman Turki al-Maliki on behalf of a Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-backed Houthis. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370628/saudi-arabia-faces-more-drone-missile-attacks-after-houthis-fatal-airport-strikes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370628/saudi-arabia-faces-more-drone-missile-attacks-after-houthis-fatal-airport-strikes Mon, 12 Oct 2026 12:23:03 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A fresh Houthi strike hit Riyadh’s international airport on Sunday, killing one person and wounding 11 others, a day after another deadly attack claimed by the Yemeni group forced authorities to suspend operations there. Saturday’s attack, the deadliest on Saudi soil in more than a decade, was a sharp escalation in the Yemen war, where Riyadh has long militarily supported the internationally recognised government against the Houthis. The Iran-backed group on Sunday claimed multiple attacks over... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370513/riyadh-airport-hit-fresh-houthi-strike-day-after-deadly-attack-killed-12 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370513/riyadh-airport-hit-fresh-houthi-strike-day-after-deadly-attack-killed-12 Sun, 11 Oct 2026 17:52:46 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain When 60,000 football fans gathered in Jeddah for the Arabian Gulf Cup on Tuesday, they inadvertently highlighted the vulnerability of major sports events hosted by Gulf monarchies to the wars raging across the region. The previous day, Saudi Arabia resumed strikes on Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi rebels after a four-year ceasefire collapsed. That truce had originally followed a Houthi attack on an oil facility near Jeddah’s Formula One track during a practice session. While the two-week football... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370430/can-saudi-arabias-2034-fifa-world-cup-survive-middle-easts-escalating-wars https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3370430/can-saudi-arabias-2034-fifa-world-cup-survive-middle-easts-escalating-wars Sun, 11 Oct 2026 08:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday postponed legislative elections due next month until September 11, 2027, and called a presidential poll for the same date, blaming Israel and ‌the security situation in the Palestinian territories for the delay. Abbas’ decree cited “obstacles posed by Israeli measures” and the need to establish suitable political, security and on-the-ground conditions for “free, fair and inclusive elections”, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370455/palestinian-leader-abbas-postpones-elections-september-2027 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370455/palestinian-leader-abbas-postpones-elections-september-2027 Sat, 10 Oct 2026 15:09:00 +0000 Reuters Reuters At least 12 people were killed and more than 300 wounded in an attack on Riyadh’s international airport on Saturday, the deadliest in the kingdom in more than a decade, as the Iran-backed Houthis escalate a campaign they launched this summer. The dead from the third attack this week on the airport included four Saudis, two people from Bangladesh and one person each from the US, Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Sudan and Egypt, ‌the Saudi civil aviation authority said. At the latest count, 309 were... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370454/loud-blast-heard-riyadh-airport-airlines-cancel-more-flights https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370454/loud-blast-heard-riyadh-airport-airlines-cancel-more-flights Sat, 10 Oct 2026 14:19:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Saudi Arabia said on Friday that three people were killed including a pilot, in attacks on Riyadh’s international airport, after Yemen’s Houthis claimed a series of attacks targeting the facility. The conflict between the Houthis and Yemen’s Saudi-backed government has widened, with the Iran-backed fighters repeatedly attacking Saudi targets since they began a lightning offensive just across the border. While seizing large swathes of territory along the Red Sea coast in Yemen, the Houthis have... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370366/saudi-arabia-says-3-killed-riyadh-airport-yemen-war-expands https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370366/saudi-arabia-says-3-killed-riyadh-airport-yemen-war-expands Fri, 09 Oct 2026 10:08:47 +0000 Jimmy Chow Jimmy Chow In 2014, a University of Hong Kong research team watched two years of reef restoration work collapse in Sai Kung. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department had asked the researchers to speed up coral recovery. Cement structures were placed on the seabed and coral began to grow. But as the colonies became larger, they became unstable. “They have no roots,” said Vriko Yu Pik-fan, then a doctoral student on the project. “The bigger they got, the less stable they were.” That failure... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3370229/spirit-hong-kong-awards-firm-uses-3d-printed-tiles-restore-coral-reefs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3370229/spirit-hong-kong-awards-firm-uses-3d-printed-tiles-restore-coral-reefs Fri, 09 Oct 2026 04:15:04 +0000 Asad Ullah Asad Ullah Two summits in five months between US President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping have produced shared language but not an open Strait of Hormuz. After the May meeting in Beijing, there was little sign the two sides agreed on how to end the war. Xi’s visit to Washington yielded no breakthrough on Iran, though Xi backed a return to the interim US-Iran agreement. Last week, Trump rejected a truce proposal from Iran and said he was considering resuming US bombing of Iran after the midterm... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3369792/its-time-china-offer-more-statements-hormuz https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3369792/its-time-china-offer-more-statements-hormuz Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:30:06 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang Most G20 members, including the European Union, signed a US-led joint statement calling for action to eliminate industrial overcapacity, a move experts say reflects a coordinated effort by Washington and Brussels to assemble a “multilateral coalition” to pressure Beijing amid growing trade imbalances. In the statement, issued by the Office of the United States Trade Representative on Wednesday, the US and 14 other economies agreed to “take effective actions” to address structural excess capacity... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3370184/washington-brussels-forge-multilateral-coalition-against-chinas-industrial-surge https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3370184/washington-brussels-forge-multilateral-coalition-against-chinas-industrial-surge Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Saudi authorities said Wednesday three people were killed in attacks on two of the kingdom’s international airports, including in the capital Riyadh, after Yemen’s Houthis claimed to have fired on both transport hubs. The Iran-backed Houthis have claimed a wave of attacks on Saudi civilian infrastructure in recent weeks, which came as Riyadh-backed forces pressed a counteroffensive against the group’s territorial gains. Since Yemen’s civil war reignited in July, more than 200,000 people have... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370112/houthi-strikes-saudi-airports-leave-3-dead-dozens-wounded https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370112/houthi-strikes-saudi-airports-leave-3-dead-dozens-wounded Thu, 08 Oct 2026 01:54:42 +0000 Reuters Reuters ⁠Yemen’s Houthis attacked Aden’s international airport with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones on Wednesday, the country’s transport ministry said, as fighting between the Iran-aligned group and Saudi-backed government forces intensified. Fighting has been focused in recent days on areas around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a shipping route that has become more crucial for energy exports since the conflict between the US and Iran restricted trade through the Strait of Hormuz. This week,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370080/yemens-houthis-attack-aden-airport-fighting-intensifies https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370080/yemens-houthis-attack-aden-airport-fighting-intensifies Wed, 07 Oct 2026 12:20:05 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen China and the US – Iran’s key partner and its chief adversary – found firmer common ground on Tehran at the Washington summit last month, and further head-of-state diplomacy could work in Iran’s favour, according to analysts. Iran was on the agenda when the presidents of the United States and China met in Beijing in May and again in Washington in September. There was no direct reference to Tehran in Beijing’s statement after the May summit, but following the September meeting China was more... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370009/how-closer-china-us-ties-and-more-xi-trump-summits-could-work-irans-favour https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370009/how-closer-china-us-ties-and-more-xi-trump-summits-could-work-irans-favour Wed, 07 Oct 2026 09:00:07 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Iran and Saudi Arabia are edging dangerously closer to direct conflict, analysts warn, after Riyadh resumed major air strikes on Yemen’s Tehran-allied Houthi rebels this week, ending a four-year lull. More than 100 Saudi warplanes bombed rebel positions on Monday, enabling Yemeni government forces to retake much of the Red Sea coastal territory the Houthis seized last month. The Houthis had been aided by embedded Iranian military advisers. Analysts expect the Houthis to retaliate by intensifying... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369933/saudi-iran-war-risk-grows-riyadh-resumes-yemen-bombing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369933/saudi-iran-war-risk-grows-riyadh-resumes-yemen-bombing Tue, 06 Oct 2026 11:30:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump has approved the execution by firing squad of Nidal Hasan, a US Army psychiatrist who shot dead 13 people at a military base in 2009, the Pentagon said on Monday. Hasan’s execution for the attack at Fort Hood in Texas – which also wounded more than two dozen people – will be the first carried out by the US military since 1961. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth “has recommended – and President Donald J. Trump has approved – death by U.S. Army firing squad for convicted... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369851/trump-approves-firing-squad-execution-us-military-base-shooter-nidal-hasan https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369851/trump-approves-firing-squad-execution-us-military-base-shooter-nidal-hasan Tue, 06 Oct 2026 02:17:38 +0000 Reuters Reuters Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces staged a lightning advance on Monday to retake the coast around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait up to the city of Mocha, the government said, pushing the Iran-backed Houthis out of most of the areas they seized last month. In response, the Houthis said they had attacked key locations in Saudi Arabia including the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco refinery in Rabigh, the Abha international airport and the Khamis Mushait military base. The claims... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369825/yemeni-government-forces-seize-control-bab-el-mandeb-strait-minister-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369825/yemeni-government-forces-seize-control-bab-el-mandeb-strait-minister-says Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:23:24 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran’s top diplomat insisted on Sunday that there would be no military solution to the United States’ war against the Islamic republic, with talks on ending the conflict apparently at an impasse. A campaign of heavy bombardment failed to bring a decisive close to the war launched by the US and Israel in late February, and Washington in recent weeks has dialled back military operations in favour of economic pressure. The main point of contention remains Iran’s attempt to blockade the Strait of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369731/iran-tells-us-there-no-military-solution-middle-east-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369731/iran-tells-us-there-no-military-solution-middle-east-war Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:44:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Yemen’s Houthis claimed an attack on an oil facility near the Saudi capital on Saturday, where flames and smoke were seen, and accused the Gulf kingdom of striking Sanaa dozens of times. The foes have traded strikes since the Houthis seized all of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and took control of the Bab al-Mandab strait in a lightning offensive last month. Houthi-affiliated channel Al-Masirah TV reported that “Saudi enemy aircraft” hit Sanaa with 26 strikes, after earlier reporting “Saudi aggression”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369667/flames-smoke-seen-aramco-facility-south-saudi-capital https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369667/flames-smoke-seen-aramco-facility-south-saudi-capital Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:57:44 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Pakistani troops are expected to take over various defensive functions for Saudi Arabia to enable the Middle East country to fight an all-out war aimed at defeating Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. According to defence analysts, Pakistani troops are not expected to participate directly in ground offensives against the Houthis being planned by Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s squabbling government factions. Instead, their primary objective would be to free up Saudi forces to focus on what is likely to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369645/saudi-arabia-steps-war-against-yemens-houthis-pakistan-set-play-support-role https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369645/saudi-arabia-steps-war-against-yemens-houthis-pakistan-set-play-support-role Sat, 03 Oct 2026 08:00:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Flydubai co-pilot who officials said nearly crashed a Tel Aviv-bound flight with 182 people aboard was barred from flying by his native Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views, a person familiar with the matter said on Saturday. The co-pilot has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, according to three people with knowledge of the situation, including a Gulf and Western diplomat. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. The United... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369644/flydubai-plane-attack-co-pilot-previously-barred-flying-oman-over-extremist-views https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369644/flydubai-plane-attack-co-pilot-previously-barred-flying-oman-over-extremist-views Sat, 03 Oct 2026 04:53:37 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Indian airline captain who helped thwart an apparent attempt to crash a Flydubai flight described on Friday how he fought for his life in the minutes after his co-pilot stabbed him and the plane began a steep descent. Captain Smit Machchhar, recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital, told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a televised video call that he knew he had to get back on his feet to save his passengers. “I had so many wounds. I had fallen down,” he said from the hospital, his head... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369612/indian-pilot-hailed-hero-recalls-flydubai-cockpit-attack https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369612/indian-pilot-hailed-hero-recalls-flydubai-cockpit-attack Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:14:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Investigators worked on Thursday to determine why an Omani pilot stabbed the captain of a flight to Israel, causing the plane to plummet dangerously before others on board landed it in Saudi Arabia. Passengers on the Flydubai plane – which was carrying 174 people, mostly Israelis, from the United Arab Emirates to Tel Aviv – have described how the bloodied Indian captain managed to open the cockpit door to let them in before they grappled with the co-pilot and stabilised a descent so sharp that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369475/investigators-probe-why-co-pilot-stabbed-captain-flydubai-flight-israel https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369475/investigators-probe-why-co-pilot-stabbed-captain-flydubai-flight-israel Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:45:07 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk An Indian pilot’s extraordinary bravery during an apparent mid-air hijack attempt has ignited a wave of national pride, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailing the pilot as a hero for saving 174 lives on a Flydubai plane – adding a dramatic chapter to a career that began almost by chance. Captain Smit Machchhar was critically injured after taking the brunt of a knife attack on Wednesday, but managed to open the cockpit door so crew and passengers could overpower the attacker. “Captain Smit... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3369424/indian-pride-swells-flydubai-pilot-who-saved-174-lives-hailed-absolute-hero https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3369424/indian-pride-swells-flydubai-pilot-who-saved-174-lives-hailed-absolute-hero Thu, 01 Oct 2026 05:18:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israel’s leader credited the Indian pilot of a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight, as well as the aircraft’s passengers, with averting catastrophe on Wednesday after the man was attacked by his co-pilot, sparking a fight for control of the aircraft and forcing an emergency landing. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the co-pilot of the Flydubai jet had been trying to crash it and kill all its passengers, with Israel’s foreign ministry denouncing the incident as “an attempted terrorist attack” aimed at... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369392/israel-pm-hails-indian-pilot-wounded-diverted-flydubai-flight https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369392/israel-pm-hails-indian-pilot-wounded-diverted-flydubai-flight Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:45:03 +0000 Matteo Giovannini Matteo Giovannini Saudi Arabia’s decision to end its participation in mBridge, the cross-border digital currency platform involving mainland China, Hong Kong, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, is significant for reasons that go beyond central bank digital currencies. The Financial Times reported that the Saudi Central Bank, or SAMA, completed its mBridge proof of concept in May 2025 and ceased participating thereafter. The disclosure is significant because Saudi Arabia occupied a strategically important... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3369061/saudi-arabias-mbridge-exit-shows-limits-financial-de-dollarisation https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3369061/saudi-arabias-mbridge-exit-shows-limits-financial-de-dollarisation Wed, 30 Sep 2026 08:30:08 +0000