https://www.scmp.com/rss/524112/feed The latest news and top stories on Emirates. A leading entity in the aviation sector, Dubai United Arab Emirates based Emirates specialises in global passenger and cargo air transport services. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com SCMP SCMP We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. ‘Cancelling orders’ in China: Hormuz oil crisis hits transport and manufacturing 2. ‘A big deal’: military drills show Tokyo’s growing focus on deterring China 3. UAE pulls US$3.5 billion from Pakistan after Iran war mediation 4. Why has China mapped out a third new county in Xinjiang on its... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349833/hormuz-oil-crisis-hits-china-family-dentists-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3349833/hormuz-oil-crisis-hits-china-family-dentists-5-weekend-reads-you-missed?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 04:12:07 +0000 Winston Mok Winston Mok The Strait of Hormuz blockage is being felt far and wide. While the world struggles with higher pump prices, key energy exporters such as the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar face severe economic setbacks. In Gulf states serving as air hubs, expats and affluent locals are scrambling for the exit. The discovery of oil transformed Arabian deserts into rich petro-states. Knowing this wealth would not flow forever, the states leveraged their strategic locations to become air traffic hubs.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349044/gulf-states-geography-both-generous-and-treacherous-patron?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349044/gulf-states-geography-both-generous-and-treacherous-patron?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 08:30:07 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain The United Arab Emirates has begun retaliating against Iran’s incessant air strikes on its industrial infrastructure by squeezing the economic lifeline it has long extended to the sanctions-bound Islamic Republic. Rather than taking sweeping measures that would signal an escalation beyond its purely defensive posture, the UAE this week quietly banned most Iranians from entering the country or transiting its airports. The UAE is home to more than half a million Iranians, many of whom are... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348996/uae-squeezes-iranian-economic-lifeline-retaliation-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348996/uae-squeezes-iranian-economic-lifeline-retaliation-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Gulf allies of the United States, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, are urging President Donald Trump to continue prosecuting the war against Iran, arguing that Tehran has not been weakened enough by the month-long US-led bombing campaign, according to US, Gulf and Israeli officials. After private grumbling at the start of the war that they were not given adequate advance notice of the US-Israeli attack and complaining the US had ignored their warnings that the war would have... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348490/gulf-allies-want-trump-prolong-us-bombardment-iran-officials-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348490/gulf-allies-want-trump-prolong-us-bombardment-iran-officials-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 06:16:08 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Julia had a plan: spring break, Kuala Lumpur’s skyline, then a long-overdue reunion in the jungles of Sarawak. What she got instead was a travel booking screen showing €3,000 (US$3,440) flights and a cascade of cancellation alerts. “I just can’t afford that,” the 22-year-old Romanian told This Week in Asia. Her original Emirates itinerary had her transiting through Dubai or Abu Dhabi, but the US-Israel war on Iran upended her plans after the carrier warned of disruptions and two-week... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347358/visit-malaysia-2026-meets-iran-war-crisis-it-never-planned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347358/visit-malaysia-2026-meets-iran-war-crisis-it-never-planned?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Emirates is operating flights to Dubai that are near-empty in some cases as travellers avoid the Persian Gulf, highlighting the challenges for the world’s largest international airline to restore its network amid a protracted war. Flights from destinations in the US and continental Europe have been hit the hardest, with planes returning from Prague or Budapest only about 5 to 10 per cent occupied, according to data compiled by the Dubai-based airline. Several aircraft returning from New York... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346799/emirates-flies-full-flights-out-dubai-near-empty-ones-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346799/emirates-flies-full-flights-out-dubai-near-empty-ones-back?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 15:46:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Missiles and drone attacks hit across the UAE on Monday, with a drone-related incident sparking a fuel tank fire near Dubai airport that disrupted travel, while a missile killed a civilian in Abu Dhabi. In the eastern emirate of Fujairah, a drone attack on oil infrastructure sparked a fire, just one day after smoke was seen rising from a major UAE energy installation in the emirate. The attacks came a day after Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said in an interview that rockets had been... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346748/dubai-flights-disrupted-after-drone-attack-near-airport-missile-kills-1-abu-dhabi?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346748/dubai-flights-disrupted-after-drone-attack-near-airport-missile-kills-1-abu-dhabi?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:14:17 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Demand for some regional holiday destinations among Hong Kong travellers has jumped by as much as 30 per cent ahead of Easter, as locals seek to avoid long-haul trips amid rising airfares and disrupted routes caused by the ongoing war in Iran, according to industry players. Travel agencies said the number of inquiries for trips to Japan, South Korea, mainland China and Australia had risen by between 10 and 30 per cent since the war escalated, while demand for destinations linked to the Middle... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346683/30-jump-demand-regional-holidays-among-hongkongers-amid-middle-east-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346683/30-jump-demand-regional-holidays-among-hongkongers-amid-middle-east-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 00:30:16 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg British Airways and Deutsche Lufthansa are adding flights to Asia amid increased long-haul demand as customers seek alternatives to Middle East carriers hamstrung by airspace closures at home. BA will operate more flights from London to Singapore and Bangkok this week, using aircraft that currently are not needed in the Gulf region. The airline has temporarily cut back its Middle East schedule, cancelling all Abu Dhabi flights until at least October and stopping flights to cities including... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3346202/european-airlines-add-flights-asia-amid-high-demand-cancellations-gulf-carriers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/article/3346202/european-airlines-add-flights-asia-amid-high-demand-cancellations-gulf-carriers?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 07:28:22 +0000 Danny Mok,Oscar Liu Danny Mok,Oscar Liu As hundreds of Hongkongers stranded in the Middle East scramble for air tickets home with the US-Israel war on Iran entering its 10th day, a local couple spent nearly HK$50,000 (US$6,395) on a direct flight back after repeated failed booking attempts and a cancellation blunder caused by mental exhaustion. Yen Kwok, 35, a construction consultant, began a trip to Dubai with round-trip tickets on the carrier Emirates, from February 20 to March 1, with her husband. But like many other travellers,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346014/hong-kong-couples-hk50000-flight-dubai-after-biggest-blunder?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346014/hong-kong-couples-hk50000-flight-dubai-after-biggest-blunder?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 14:27:34 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Gulf nations reported missile and drone attacks on Sunday, while Iran vowed to press on with strikes against neighbouring countries as the regional war entered its second week. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait all reported new attacks, after loud explosions were heard in Dubai and Bahrain’s Manama a day earlier. Kuwait’s national oil company announced a “precautionary” cut to its crude production, as the country’s military said on Sunday it had responded “to a wave of hostile drones that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345845/kuwait-airport-saudi-arabia-targeted-iran-vows-continue-gulf-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345845/kuwait-airport-saudi-arabia-targeted-iran-vows-continue-gulf-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 01:45:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Gulf nations on Saturday reported new missile and drone attacks, while Iran vowed to press on with its strikes against neighbouring countries. Loud explosions were heard in Dubai, the Qatari capital Doha and Bahrain, while attacks were later reported in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Kuwait, where the national oil company announced a “precautionary” cut to production. The attacks came despite Iran’s president earlier apologising to Gulf countries for prior strikes, saying they would no longer... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345841/iran-vows-more-attacks-gulf-despite-presidents-apology?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345841/iran-vows-more-attacks-gulf-despite-presidents-apology?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 20:55:32 +0000 Jess Ma,Leopold Chen Jess Ma,Leopold Chen Travellers are paying double the usual airfare on Cathay Pacific Airways flights from more than 50 cities to Hong Kong as the Iran war drives up demand for routes that avoid the conflict zone, with London, Madrid and Chennai seeing the steepest surges, the South China Morning Post has found. The US-Israeli attacks on Iran and subsequent retaliatory strikes that spilled over into neighbouring Gulf states over the course of a week have forced much of the Middle East’s airspace to remain closed,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345793/iran-war-closes-middle-east-skies-how-high-can-cathay-pacific-fares-fly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3345793/iran-war-closes-middle-east-skies-how-high-can-cathay-pacific-fares-fly?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 05:03:22 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Alyssa Ramos’ evacuation from Kuwait took 48 hours and carried her across four continents. The US government did not help with any part of it, the travel blogger said. “They keep going on the news and saying they’re doing everything they can to get Americans out,” Ramos said after landing in Miami on Thursday. “I know for a fact they’re not.” She said she repeatedly messaged the US embassy in Kuwait before being directed to the consular section, which told her it could not help her leave the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345789/americans-recall-desperate-self-organised-escapes-middle-east-youre-your-own?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345789/americans-recall-desperate-self-organised-escapes-middle-east-youre-your-own?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 03:35:12 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial It says something about the motivation of travellers, for business or pleasure, that they are undeterred by geopolitical turbulence, even if it results in outbreaks of localised conflict that force a re-routing to safe flight corridors. But that reckons without conflict arising from a surprise attack that suddenly engulfs an entire region. The latest escalation of hostilities between Iran and its American and Israeli adversaries, involving warplanes and warships, missiles, torpedoes and drones,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345745/redouble-efforts-ensure-safety-hongkongers-stranded-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345745/redouble-efforts-ensure-safety-hongkongers-stranded-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:45:07 +0000 Wynna Wong,Jess Ma Wynna Wong,Jess Ma Airfares from Hong Kong to European, South American and even some Asian destinations have surged amid the latest geopolitical tensions, according to industry insiders, especially on routes that typically transit through Middle Eastern aviation hubs. A check by the South China Morning Post found that airfares to such destinations had roughly tripled from Tuesday, days after the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes against Iran, triggering retaliatory action from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345571/sky-high-jump-airfares-hong-kong-europe-americas-even-asian-cities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345571/sky-high-jump-airfares-hong-kong-europe-americas-even-asian-cities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:49:24 +0000 Ambrose Li,Connor Mycroft,Theodora Yu,Leopold Chen Ambrose Li,Connor Mycroft,Theodora Yu,Leopold Chen Hong Kong authorities are trying to reserve seats for residents on weekend flights leaving Dubai, with some of those stranded in the Middle East having exhausted all options to secure tickets to get back home amid the escalating regional conflict. The government also said on Thursday that it had urged carrier Emirates to run more flights between Dubai and Hong Kong, as regional airspace remained largely closed. According to the government, Emirates plans to operate direct flights from Dubai to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3345535/safe-air-corridors-enable-stranded-hongkongers-return-middle-east-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3345535/safe-air-corridors-enable-stranded-hongkongers-return-middle-east-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 06:32:15 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The unfolding Iran war has ricocheted across the region and beyond, with nearly every country in the Middle East sustaining damage from missile hits, drone strikes or shrapnel, many reporting casualties, and key embassies, economic engines and passageways closing down. Off the coast of Sri Lanka, a US submarine sank an Iranian warship as the war intensified and its footprint grew. Foreign governments have for days urged their citizens to leave Middle East countries on any available commercial... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345492/guide-how-iran-war-has-ricocheted-across-middle-east-and-beyond?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345492/guide-how-iran-war-has-ricocheted-across-middle-east-and-beyond?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 02:01:04 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong travellers rejoiced on Wednesday evening after arriving home safely on the first flight from Dubai to the city since US-Israeli strikes on Iran disrupted global air links. Emirates flight EK380 was the first to arrive after Dubai’s two airports resumed “limited” operations two days ago, landing at around 9.50pm. Dubai International Airport and Al Maktoum International Airport were both closed on Saturday after the conflict broke out, with Iran retaliating by targeting US military bases... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345478/relief-joy-first-flight-back-dubai-brings-stranded-hongkongers-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345478/relief-joy-first-flight-back-dubai-brings-stranded-hongkongers-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 16:53:30 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian With major Persian Gulf aviation hubs largely paralysed by airspace closures amid the escalating conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran, travellers have flocked to direct Asia-Europe routes, driving a sharp surge in airfares. This week, economy class on most direct one-way Beijing-Paris flights is fully booked, with a small number of economy seats – plus premium economy and business class seats – remaining. Economy seats on an Air China flight on Sunday are already booked out, with a one-way... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345379/how-persian-gulf-turmoil-reshaping-europe-asia-aviation-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345379/how-persian-gulf-turmoil-reshaping-europe-asia-aviation-landscape?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 07:00:26 +0000 Edith Lin,Theodora Yu Edith Lin,Theodora Yu The first planeload of Hongkongers stranded in the Middle East returned home on Wednesday night as the regional conflict continued to spiral, with an insider saying the government was exploring ways to bring the others back sooner. That could mean prioritising work with airlines to secure seats for Hongkongers and keep taxpayer costs down, an aviation expert said amid calls from stranded residents for chartered flights. According to the Dubai Airports website, Emirates flight EK380 departed at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345337/do-we-have-wait-until-someone-gets-hurt-hongkongers-stuck-dubai-face-travel-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345337/do-we-have-wait-until-someone-gets-hurt-hongkongers-stuck-dubai-face-travel-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 02:26:34 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft More than 400 Hongkongers have reported being stranded in the Middle East after major airspace closures triggered by the US-Israeli war on Iran disrupted dozens of flights between the city and the region. There are no signs yet of when they might return home, even as major transit hubs including Dubai airports resumed limited operations. US President Donald Trump has said military operations could last for weeks amid retaliation from Iran. The Security Bureau maintained a “red” warning for Iran... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345283/what-hong-kong-travellers-stuck-middle-east-need-do-war-spirals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345283/what-hong-kong-travellers-stuck-middle-east-need-do-war-spirals?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 10:00:03 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Some Hongkongers stranded in the Middle East following a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran have called for greater help from the Chinese embassy and the Hong Kong government, as others consider travelling by road to another city to fly back home. As of Tuesday, at least 585 residents were stranded in the region, immigration authorities said. On social media, some residents wrote they had been unable to contact the Chinese consulate in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by phone and had to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345197/we-want-go-home-hongkongers-trapped-mideast-call-more-official-help?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345197/we-want-go-home-hongkongers-trapped-mideast-call-more-official-help?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 02:00:37 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Mark Magnier Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Mark Magnier US President Donald Trump said on Monday that US forces would press ahead with “ferocious, unyielding resolve” to “eliminate the intolerable threat posed by this sick and sinister regime” in Iran, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “the hardest hits are yet to come”. “We projected for four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go longer than that,” Trump said, adding: “We’re already substantially ahead of our time projection”. In his speech on Monday at a White House... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345185/iran-strikes-day-3-trump-says-iran-operation-will-continue-5-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345185/iran-strikes-day-3-trump-says-iran-operation-will-continue-5-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:29:12 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu Hong Kong authorities have received 194 inquiries from residents stranded in the Middle East amid a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran, which forced flight cancellations and left some seeking refuge in local hotels. The Immigration Department confirmed to the South China Morning Post that all residents who inquired about the situation and flight arrangements were in safe locations as of 5pm on Sunday. It said authorities had been coordinating with the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345037/131-hongkongers-stranded-middle-east-safe-attacks-escalate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3345037/131-hongkongers-stranded-middle-east-safe-attacks-escalate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 11:50:50 +0000 Wynna Wong Wynna Wong Hong Kong flagship carrier Cathay Pacific Airways suspended all passenger and cargo flights to and from the Middle East on Saturday following a joint US-Israeli attack on Iran. The move was announced on Saturday evening after Hong Kong’s Airport Authority said that at least nine flights have been cancelled or postponed, while the government issued a fresh warning against travel to Iran. The warning came after the United States and Israel launched major air strikes on targets across Iran on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3344987/hong-kong-issues-fresh-warning-against-travel-iran-amid-us-israeli-air-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3344987/hong-kong-issues-fresh-warning-against-travel-iran-amid-us-israeli-air-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:16:45 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Singapore’s move to bar undesirable visitors from boarding planes to the city state began on Friday, with airlines flying into its airports required to deny access to passengers flagged as risks. The new directive is aimed at preventing “undesirable or prohibited immigrants, and those who do not meet Singapore’s entry requirements, from boarding flights bound for Singapore”, according to an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) statement released on November 28 last year. Airlines flying... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341803/singapore-begins-ban-undesirable-visitors-airline-boarding-rules-take-effect?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3341803/singapore-begins-ban-undesirable-visitors-airline-boarding-rules-take-effect?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 07:07:06 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au A trade delegation from Ras Al Khaimah (RAK), one of the seven emirates of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is visiting Hong Kong to promote its first integrated resort, describing the city as a key gateway to Asia and China. The high-level three-day mission in Hong Kong this week aimed to raise RAK’s profile and attract regional investment. During the visit, the delegation met local officials and business representatives to promote the emirate and its landmark resort development – the UAE’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3341591/ras-al-khaimah-seeks-hong-kong-mainland-chinese-investors-landmark-casino?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3341591/ras-al-khaimah-seeks-hong-kong-mainland-chinese-investors-landmark-casino?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji India’s increasing engagement with Gulf nations is driven more by trade and energy security, even as it seeks to forge a defence partnership with the United Arab Emirates amid deepening rivalries in the region, according to analysts. Last week, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan made a brief stop in New Delhi, where both sides pledged to deepen trade ties and defence cooperation. The trip has fuelled speculation that the UAE is seeking to diversify its strategic partnerships amid... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341287/why-indias-focus-middle-east-trade-despite-defence-ties-uae?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341287/why-indias-focus-middle-east-trade-despite-defence-ties-uae?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:17:51 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain The arrival of 2026 has brought anything but peace to the Middle East, caught in the gravitational pull of rival ambitions and with the uneasy sense that the next war may already be under way. From Gaza to Syria, conflict hotspots are flaring as the region finds itself at the epicentre of a global order in flux. The result is a landscape in which rivalries are multiplying, former partners are pitted against each other and more violence appears inevitable, analysts say. “While it is still early... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341039/saudi-uae-rift-risks-tearing-middle-east-apart-anything-can-happen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341039/saudi-uae-rift-risks-tearing-middle-east-apart-anything-can-happen?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 25 Jan 2026 08:00:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ukraine and Russia ended a second day of ‍US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi on Saturday without a deal but with more talks expected next weekend, even as overnight Russian air strikes knocked out power for over a million Ukrainians amid sub-zero winter cold. Statements after the conclusion of the talks did not indicate that any agreements had been reached, but Moscow and Kyiv both said they were open to further dialogue. “The central focus of the discussions was the possible parameters for ending... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3341133/us-brokered-ukraine-peace-talks-end-no-deal-russian-strikes-continue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3341133/us-brokered-ukraine-peace-talks-end-no-deal-russian-strikes-continue?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 20:31:03 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft Hong Kong air travellers are being advised to leave their power banks at home and bring charging cables as several South Korean airlines become the latest to ban the use of the portable batteries during flights. A local tour operator issued the guidance on Friday after Hanjin Group announced that, starting from January 26, its five carriers would ban the use of the devices on board their aircraft as part of enhanced flight safety measures. Yuen Chun-ning, managing director at travel operator... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3341043/air-travellers-urged-ditch-power-banks-more-airlines-ban-flight-use?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3341043/air-travellers-urged-ditch-power-banks-more-airlines-ban-flight-use?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 11:41:54 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Yemeni politicians met on Sunday in Saudi Arabia’s capital in their first public gathering since a southern separatist group backed by the United Arab Emirates was disbanded following weeks of clashes. The meeting in Riyadh discussed the future of southern Yemen ahead of a Saudi-sponsored conference, the dates of which have not yet been announced. The separatist demands in southern Yemen are one element in a complex civil war that has gripped the country since 2014, when Houthi rebels backed by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3340348/yemens-leaders-meet-saudi-arabia-after-defeat-uae-backed-group?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3340348/yemens-leaders-meet-saudi-arabia-after-defeat-uae-backed-group?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 15:53:11 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Washington’s allies in the Middle East and beyond are facing the prospects of joining rival blocs in alignment with the different visions of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates following a rare clash between the two countries over war-torn Yemen. The Saudi bombing of an arms shipment reportedly provided by the UAE to separatists in southern Yemen last week has exposed the two Arab heavyweights’ divergent foreign policy approaches in the strategically important Red Sea and Horn of Africa,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339089/us-allies-saudi-arabia-uae-risk-split-middle-east-over-competing-visions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3339089/us-allies-saudi-arabia-uae-risk-split-middle-east-over-competing-visions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Jan 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Agencies Agencies The leader of Yemen’s presidential council said on Saturday that pro-Saudi forces had retaken control of the resource-rich province of Hadramout, recently seized by the UAE-backed secessionist Southern Transitional Council (STC). Rashad al-Alimi, head of the Presidential Leadership Council, said in a statement that Saudi-backed National Shield forces had achieved “record success” in “retaking all military and security positions in the province” bordering Saudi Arabia after the operation was... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3338642/yemen-presidential-council-chief-says-pro-saudi-forces-regain-province-separatists?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3338642/yemen-presidential-council-chief-says-pro-saudi-forces-regain-province-separatists?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 22:44:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Yemen’s separatist movement on Friday announced a constitution for an independent nation in the south and demanded other factions in the war-torn country accept the move in an escalation of a confrontation that has pitted Gulf powerhouses Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates against each other. The UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC) depicted the announcement as a declaration of independence for the south. But it was not immediately clear if the move could be implemented or was... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3338592/yemens-separatists-announce-constitution-uae-withdraws-all-its-troops?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3338592/yemens-separatists-announce-constitution-uae-withdraws-all-its-troops?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Jan 2026 02:58:03 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Seven separatist fighters died in air strikes on Friday as the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen hit back against a sweeping advance by the UAE-backed Southern Transition Council (STC) that threatens to spiral into a major confrontation. The deaths are the first from coalition fire since the secessionist STC seized swathes of Hadramawt and Mahra provinces last month. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have for years supported rival factions in Yemen’s government-run territories, but the STC’s offensive has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3338567/7-dead-saudi-jets-strike-uae-backed-separatists-peaceful-yemen-operation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3338567/7-dead-saudi-jets-strike-uae-backed-separatists-peaceful-yemen-operation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 13:33:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse For years, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia projected geopolitical and economic power across the Gulf and beyond, seemingly in tandem. But a growing rivalry and struggle for influence has come to a head - most recently in Yemen - following years of divergence over a tangle of competing interests that reach from regional waterways to the corridors of power in Washington, analysts say. The once-close relationship between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and UAE President Sheikh... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3338476/saudi-uae-rivalry-explodes-view-after-strike-war-torn-yemen?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3338476/saudi-uae-rivalry-explodes-view-after-strike-war-torn-yemen?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 05:31:39 +0000 Reuters Reuters The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday it ‌was pulling its remaining forces out of Yemen after Saudi Arabia backed a call for UAE forces to leave within 24 hours, deepening a crisis between the two Gulf powers and oil producers. Hours earlier, Saudi-led ‍coalition forces had attacked the southern Yemeni port of Mukalla. The air strike on what Riyadh said was a UAE-linked weapons shipment was the most significant escalation to date in a widening rift between the two Gulf monarchies. In... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3338206/uae-withdraw-forces-yemen-after-saudi-ultimatum-over-mukalla-air-strike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3338206/uae-withdraw-forces-yemen-after-saudi-ultimatum-over-mukalla-air-strike?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Dec 2025 15:33:27 +0000 Junaid Kathju Junaid Kathju Discussions on the India–Middle East–Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) are being revived by some of its founders even as questions persist over the political will to implement the ambitious project, with analysts saying the Gaza situation is a key hurdle in hampering progress. Unveiled in 2023, IMEC is positioned as a single economic artery connecting South Asia, the Middle East and Europe through shipping lanes, railways, energy pipelines and high-speed data cables running via the Gulf. Planners... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3337145/why-india-europe-trade-corridor-stalling-even-talks-continue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3337145/why-india-europe-trade-corridor-stalling-even-talks-continue?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 09:00:08 +0000 Yuanyue Dang Yuanyue Dang China is looking to the United Arab Emirates to help speed up negotiations for a free-trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), according to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Wang met his Emirati counterpart in Abu Dhabi on Friday, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on its website. He told Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan that China supported the UAE’s “measures to safeguard national security and development” and its “increased role in international and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336341/chinas-wang-yi-urges-uae-help-close-free-trade-deal-gulf-cooperation-council?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336341/chinas-wang-yi-urges-uae-help-close-free-trade-deal-gulf-cooperation-council?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 13:10:47 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is rapidly cementing its position as a global leader in the digital asset sector on the back of its regulatory infrastructure and the institutional adoption of cryptocurrencies, according to industry insiders at the fourth edition of Abu Dhabi Finance Week (ADFW). Speaking at ADFW, the largest financial and investment gathering in the Middle East and North Africa, Binance co-CEO Richard Teng said the UAE had been at the industry’s forefront, as capital city Abu... https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3336083/coins-sand-how-uae-draws-global-crypto-community?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/blockchain/article/3336083/coins-sand-how-uae-draws-global-crypto-community?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 01:00:25 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the world can make progress on a range of issues without the US, and that consensus reached at a Group of 20 leaders’ meeting in Johannesburg this weekend carries weight despite a boycott by President Donald Trump’s administration. South Africa, the G20 host this year, defied the US by releasing a declaration from the meeting. Trump ordered the stay away after repeating a debunked claim that White Afrikaner farmers in South Africa are being subjected to a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3333861/carney-global-economic-centre-gravity-shifting-away-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3333861/carney-global-economic-centre-gravity-shifting-away-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 13:03:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump vowed Wednesday to end Sudan’s grinding civil war at the request of Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, condemning “tremendous atrocities” in a conflict he has previously overlooked. Trump admitted that the devastating war between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) was “not on my charts” before Prince Mohammed bin Salman pushed him to get involved. But Trump said he would now work to “stabilise” the conflict with regional powers, notably including the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3333465/trump-vows-end-sudan-war-sudden-pivot-thanks-saudi-crown-prince?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3333465/trump-vows-end-sudan-war-sudden-pivot-thanks-saudi-crown-prince?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Nov 2025 23:53:50 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma A preliminary investigation has found that an Emirates cargo plane that veered off the runway into the sea at Hong Kong airport last month, killing two security staff, experienced an “abnormal” acceleration in one of its engines after landing, according to experts. Two aviation experts who had analysed the report released by the Air Accident Investigation Authority on Tuesday told the Post that it was unusual for a plane to accelerate after it had touched down. They said the cause would have to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3333311/probe-cites-engine-surge-emirates-cargo-plane-crash-killed-2-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3333311/probe-cites-engine-surge-emirates-cargo-plane-crash-killed-2-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Nov 2025 15:45:47 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Ukraine is working to resume prisoner exchanges with Russia that could bring home 1,200 Ukrainian prisoners, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday, a day after his national security chief announced progress in negotiations. “We are … counting on the resumption of POW exchanges,” Zelensky wrote on social media. “Many meetings, negotiations and calls are currently taking place to ensure this.” Rustem Umerov, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, said on Saturday he held... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3332980/ukraine-seeks-bring-home-1200-prisoners-russia-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3332980/ukraine-seeks-bring-home-1200-prisoners-russia-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2025 09:02:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Explosions were heard near the army-controlled Sudanese capital, Khartoum, on Friday, according to witnesses, just a day after the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) claimed they agreed to a humanitarian truce. Residents in Omdurman reported the blasts near a military base and a power station, causing local outages. Meanwhile, people 300km (186 miles) north in Atbara saw drones engaged by anti-aircraft defences. The RSF, at war with the regular army for more than two years, announced on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3331847/sudans-paramilitaries-agree-us-proposal-humanitarian-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3331847/sudans-paramilitaries-agree-us-proposal-humanitarian-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 23:41:26 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Gaza’s future must be Palestinian-led and avoid any new system of tutelage, Turkey and six of its top Muslim allies said on Monday after talks in Istanbul. Turkey, which played a central role in forging the now shaky three-week-old ceasefire, is pushing for Muslim nations to bring their influence to bear on the reconstruction of the embattled territory. “Our principle is that Palestinians should govern the Palestinians and ensure their own security, the international community should support... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3331399/turkey-and-muslim-allies-say-palestinian-self-rule-key-gazas-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3331399/turkey-and-muslim-allies-say-palestinian-self-rule-key-gazas-future?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Nov 2025 22:09:16 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Sudanese fleeing a paramilitary force that seized a city in the country’s Darfur region trickled into a nearby refugee camp on Thursday after walking for miles, telling aid workers that roads were littered with bodies. Aid groups feared for the fate of thousands more trying to escape, with hundreds reportedly killed in the turmoil. The UN Security Council convened an emergency meeting on Sudan amid international alarm over the bloodshed. UN officials have warned of a rampage by the paramilitary... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3331030/fate-thousands-feared-sudans-darfur-after-reported-rampage-paramilitaries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3331030/fate-thousands-feared-sudans-darfur-after-reported-rampage-paramilitaries?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Oct 2025 06:11:10 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg World leaders have called for renewed talks to halt the war in Sudan, as reports emerged of widespread atrocities in a city recently captured by the paramilitary group fighting the army-backed government. Since seizing El-Fasher in western Sudan on Sunday, the Rapid Support Forces have been accused of executing hundreds of people, while about 30,000 civilians have fled the famine-hit capital of North Darfur state. Sudan’s Deputy Commissioner of Humanitarian Aid, Mona Nour Al-Daem, said on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3330826/sudan-war-sparks-global-alarm-after-hundreds-reportedly-killed-hospital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3330826/sudan-war-sparks-global-alarm-after-hundreds-reportedly-killed-hospital?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 18:55:29 +0000