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Saudi pipeline that bypasses Hormuz shut after attacks

The kingdom said the East-West pipeline was targeted by drones launched from Iraq, causing several injuries Saudi Arabia closed its East-West pipeline, a key alternative to the Strait of Hormuz for its oil exports, following multiple attacks on Thursday. The conduit was shut as a precautionary measure, the Ministry of Energy said on Friday in a social media post. The attacks caused several injuries and emergency teams are taking steps to secure the pipeline and assess its safety, the ministry said. Several drones launched from Iraq attacked the pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions, Saudi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on social media. Fighting has intensified across the Middle East in recent days, with the Yemen-based Houthis saying they targeted Saudi’s energy facilities in Abha, Najran and Jazan while the US conducted strikes against Iranian oil tankers. The East-West pipeline has proved to be a critical lifeline for Saudi Arabia’s oil exports amid disruption from the Iran war. The 7 million barrel-a-day conduit quickly reached full capacity earlier this year after tanker traffic came to a near standstill in the Strait of Hormuz.

September 11, 2026

Business

US boy, 15, rescued after clinging to capsized boat for days in Alaska’s Bering Sea

The teen’s brother and cousin died after the small skiff flipped, and their bodies were recovered after he was hoisted to safety A 15-year-old boy survived on top of an overturned skiff in Alaska’s frigid Bering Sea for roughly two days, losing his older brother and then his cousin to the ocean after the boat capsized while they were out fishing. The teen, identified by a relative as Derek Parker Aghnaanga, was finally hoisted to safety Monday by a fishing boat near St Lawrence Island – a remote Alaskan island closer to Russia than it is to the US. The bodies of his cousin and brother were also recovered. The cousin had held onto the overturned boat for a while too, but did not survive until the rescue, the teen told one of the rescuers. The captain of the fishing boat that came to his aid said Aghnaanga clung to the skiff through darkness and water temperatures around 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit). “That’s one tough kid,” Adam White, captain of The Northwest Explorer, told KTUU-TV in Anchorage. “Through the teeth chattering, he had mentioned that his brother was still under the skiff,” White said. “And then he said that, in the previous night, before our rescue, that his cousin had slipped away.”

September 11, 2026

Business

Americans mark 25 years since 9/11 attacks amid enduring grief, reflection

Nearly 3,000 people were killed on the day that has shaped US society for decades, influencing its foreign policy and domestic politics Twenty-five years ⁠after the deadliest attack on US soil, Americans paused on Friday to commemorate the nearly 3,000 people killed when hijacked planes slammed into the World Trade Centre, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania – and to wrestle with the consequences of September 11 that reverberate to this day. In New York, family members of the victims, many carrying pictures of their loved ones, joined Vice-President J.D. Vance and four former US presidents at ground zero in Lower Manhattan. The ceremony began, as always, at 8.46am with a moment of silence to remember the shocking instant when American Airlines Flight 11 struck the World Trade Centre’s ‌North Tower. Shortly after, victims’ family members began reading aloud the names of all 2,977 people who died on September 11, as well as the six people killed in the 1993 World Trade Centre bombing, a sombre recitation that lasts for hours. In a reminder of the time that has passed, some readers were children who had never met the relatives they lost in 2001.

September 11, 2026

Business

China-Egypt cooperation takes center stage at El Alamein Airshow

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. The second El Alamein International Airshow concluded in Egypt on Thursday, having attracted military officials, aviation experts and industry leaders from more than 50 countries. Held over three days, the event showcased advanced aircraft, defence technologies and aerobatic displays, while providing a platform for countries to explore new partnerships. China featured prominently at the show, with one of the largest pavilions attracting defence delegations from Africa and the Middle East. The Chinese Air Force extended its stay in Egypt to participate in the exhibition after completing a two-week joint military exercise with its Egyptian counterpart. Known as Eagles of Civilization 2026, the exercise was conducted at three Egyptian airbases and included advanced operational skills such as mid-air refuelling. Egyptian officials say technology transfer and domestic production remain key priorities when selecting international defence partners.

September 11, 2026

Business

Sharp rebound in US firms’ business confidence in China, report shows

By continuing to browse our site you agree to our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. You can change your cookie settings through your browser. Business confidence among US companies in China rebounded sharply amid stronger financial performance, a more stable geopolitical landscape and perceived regulatory progress, according to AmCham Shanghai's 2026 China Business Report, released on September 10. Of the 262 member companies surveyed, 78% said their China businesses were profitable in 2025, while 58% were optimistic about their five-year outlook in China. Industrial robots transport components for inspection at a smart workshop in Yueqing, Zhejiang Province, China, September 8, 2026. /VCG The rebound in business confidence was accompanied by stronger investment activity. A total of 28% of respondents increased their investment in China in 2025, the highest share in four years. Views of the business environment also improved, with 55% describing it as transparent, up seven percentage points from a year earlier. Eric Zheng, president of AmCham Shanghai, emphasized the great importance of the Chinese market, mainly from two dimensions.

September 11, 2026

Business

UK lawmakers reject bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales

The bill had proposed allowing adults with fewer than six months to live to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval UK lawmakers on Friday voted down legislation to allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales to choose to end their lives. The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was opposed by 286 members of parliament, while 270 voted for it. The vote brings an end to a two-year debate in parliament about assisted dying. On two previous occasions in 2024 and 2025, the elected House of Commons had backed the bill, but it did not become law because it was effectively filibustered by unelected lawmakers in the revising House of Lords chamber. The bill had proposed allowing adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death subject to the approval of two doctors and an expert panel. The government took a neutral stance, saying it was a matter of conscience. The new UK leader, Prime Minister Andy Burnham, did not vote because he said he did not want to “unduly influence the debate”.

September 11, 2026

Business

‘Pillar of Shame’ sculptor to ask Denmark to negotiate for artwork’s return

Hong Kong officials rebut Jens Galschiot’s claims of ownership, note sculpture previously given to alliance challenging Communist Party The creator of a sculpture commemorating those killed in the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown will ask Danish authorities to negotiate with Hong Kong for its return, with city officials disputing his claims of owning the confiscated artwork. The fate of the “Pillar of Shame” sculpture has come back under the spotlight after the High Court on Friday handed jail sentences to three former leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China at the end of a high-profile national security trial. In a reply to the South China Morning Post, Danish artist Jens Galschiot said he intended to ask his government to officially declare the eight-metre-tall (26-foot) sculpture a work of art and part of his country’s cultural heritage so it could be returned to “its rightful owner”. He revealed he had raised the issue with the Danish parliament’s foreign policy committee, adding that a cross-party group of the European Parliament and the European Union’s Hong Kong office had also followed up on the matter.

September 11, 2026

Business

US consumer prices pick up in August, bolstering chances of interest rate increase

In the 12 months through August, consumer inflation advanced 3.4 per cent after rising by the same margin in July US consumer prices accelerated in August as the cost of petrol rebounded after two straight monthly declines, bolstering financial market expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates next week. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 0.4 per cent last month after edging up 0.1 per cent in July, the Labour Department’s Bureau of Labour Statistics ‌said on Friday. In the 12 months through August, consumer inflation advanced 3.4 per cent after rising by the same margin in July. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the CPI increasing 0.4 per cent over the month and climbing 3.4 per cent year on year. Excluding the volatile food and energy components, the CPI rose 0.3 per cent last month after gaining 0.2 per cent in July. The so-called core CPI increased 2.4 per cent year-on-year in August after rising 2.5 per cent in July. The US central bank tracks the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) price indexes for its 2 per cent inflation target.

September 11, 2026

Business

Study reveals link between Tibetan Plateau heat and record rain in California

The discovery could transform winter forecasting and explains why severe floods hit the US west coast when dry weather was expected In the winters of 2016-2017 and 2022-2023, record-breaking rain swept across the US state and surrounding areas, causing billions of dollars in damage and several deaths during years when drier weather was expected in the region. A study led by researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) found that these rain events happened shortly after periods of unusually high land surface temperatures on the Tibetan Plateau in early winter. The record rain caused “extraordinary damage and severe societal impacts”, according to the paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Science Advances on Wednesday. Rainfall in the winter of 2016-2017 effectively ended California’s five-year drought, with property damage reaching around US$2 billion. Heavy precipitation in the winter of 2022-2023 brought severe flooding, killing several people and causing around US$4.6 billion in damage.

September 11, 2026

Business

Chinese investors snap up government bonds amid global market jitters over US Treasuries

From social media tips to long queues at banks, buyers in China are rushing to secure government debt amid a global sell-off of US Treasuries While US Treasuries remain at the centre of a global bond sell-off despite efforts by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to calm the market, investors in China are rushing to buy domestic government debt. After China’s Ministry of Finance issued a fresh batch of savings bonds worth up to 55 billion yuan (US$8.2 billion) on Thursday, domestic buyers took to social media to share tips on how to secure them and voice frustration at how quickly the allocations had run out. “Those government bonds went so fast,” one user wrote on China’s popular lifestyle social media platform RedNote on Thursday. “I even set an alarm specifically to get them, but they were completely sold out within two minutes. The speed caught me by surprise.” Another user shared a screenshot showing the bonds had sold out within just five minutes of their launch, commenting: “The savings bonds were gone in seconds. Who am I competing with to get them?” The buying frenzy also spilled over into bank branches.

September 11, 2026

Business

As Singapore weighs joining China-led AI body, does it risk US retaliation?

Joining the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation gives Singapore influence, but may affect its Pax Silica role, analysts say Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo revealed in parliament earlier this week that Singapore had received an invitation to join the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organisation (Waico). Singapore would consider the proposal alongside its broader engagements with China and other international AI cooperation initiatives, she added. Launched in July, the Shanghai-based bloc aims to build cooperation in areas such as AI governance, technical standards and development strategies. Responding to a parliamentary question on Singapore’s strategic positioning between Waico and the US-led Pax Silica initiative, Teo said on Wednesday: “Whether we participate in any particular initiative depends on its objectives, the substantive areas of common interest, how it complements our existing engagements, and Singapore’s overall interests. “It is therefore less meaningful to make one-to-one comparisons between individual initiatives.” The Pax Silica initiative aims to help partners strengthen supply chains for minerals essential to AI.

September 11, 2026

Business

‘Key pillar’: the 5-year powerhouse plan for China’s car industry

Beijing’s outline calls for boosting domestic market and innovation while controlling capacity to avoid involution effects China is set to secure its place among the global automotive powerhouses by 2030 through further efforts to boost domestic sales and foster technological innovation, while a capacity alert mechanism will be introduced to guard against disorderly competition. The ambitious targets and actions are laid out in the country’s 15th five-year plan for the development of the intelligent connected new-energy-vehicle industry, unveiled on Thursday by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and eight other ministries. The new-energy category comprises both battery-powered electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid models. According to the plan, China would further shore up its complete industrial supply-chain strengths in the sector and prepare for the large-scale roll-out of vehicles equipped with automated driving functions. “[By 2030] the automotive sector will solidify its standing as a key pillar of the national economy,” the plan stated. “The timing for rolling out this five-year plan is well judged,” said Cui Dongshu, secretary general of the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA).

September 11, 2026