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The UAE MoD denied Yemen allegations, confirming full withdrawal of forces, weapons, and assets from Riyan Airport/Image: WAM The United Arab Emirates has firmly rejected recent claims made by the Governor of Hadramawt, Salem Al-Khanbashi, regarding supposed discoveries of weapons, explosives, and secret detention facilities at Riyan Airport in Mukalla, Yemen. The UAE Ministry of Defence described the allegations as completely unfounded, misleading, and lacking any factual evidence.According to the Ministry, the statements presented during the press conference attempt to misrepresent the UAE’s role in Yemen, damage the reputation of its armed forces, and cast doubt on a decade of military commitments and operations.Full withdrawal from Yemen
The Ministry emphasized that UAE forces officially concluded their withdrawal from Yemen on 2nd January 2026. This exit included the transfer of all equipment, weapons, and assets following established military protocols. The Ministry stated this ..

AdvertisementHong Kong societyHong KongSocietyHong Kong strives to be ‘fortress’ that safeguards digital security, I&T minister saysCity will respond to national initiatives, Sun Dong says, noting that today’s cyber warfare is a ‘full-spectrum contest’ that integrates AI
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPHarvey KongPublished: 2:28pm, 20 Jan 2026Hong Kong is striving to become a “fortress” that safeguards digital security, the city’s innovation and technology (I&T) minister has said, noting that cyber warfare is not just a confrontation of technologies but a “full-spectrum contest” that transcends geographical boundaries and integrates artificial intelligence (AI).
Speaking at a conference organised by the Digital Policy Office at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai on Tuesday, Secretary for Innovation, Technology and Industry Sun Dong also said the city would actively respond to national initiatives.
Citing Chinese President Xi Jinping’s remarks during ..

AdvertisementDonald TrumpWorldEuropeTrump threatens 200% wine tariff to push France to join ‘Board of Peace’US president targets France after it was lukewarm about the US$1 billion invitation to join his new global body
Reading Time:1 minuteWhy you can trust SCMP1ReutersPublished: 2:21pm, 20 Jan 2026Updated: 2:23pm, 20 Jan 2026US President ‌Donald Trump said he will impose a 200 per cent tariff ‍on French wines and champagnes, a move he claimed would push French President Emmanuel Macron to join Trump’s Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts.
When ⁠asked by a reporter about Macron saying he will not join the board, Trump said: “Did he say that? Well, nobody wants him because he will be out of office very soon.”
“I’ll put a 200 per cent ‍tariff on his wines and champagnes, and he’ll join, but he ‍doesn’t have to join,” Trump said.
AdvertisementFrance intends to decline the invitation to join the initiative, at this stage, ‌a source close to Macron said on Monday.
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Dubai’s RTA pilots a luxury shared transport service for students, offering 15% cheaper fees / AI Generated Image The traditional big yellow bus is getting a high-tech makeover. Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has officially rolled out a pilot program that lets students trade the standard bus seat for a luxury SUV. Launched in mid-January 2026, this “pooled transport” initiative is designed for students aged 14 and above who attend schools in high-traffic clusters.Instead of a fixed, long-winded bus route that stops at every corner, these high-end vehicles use smart data from Yango Group and Urban Express to pick up students living in the same neighborhood. By grouping children heading to nearby schools into one premium vehicle, the RTA hopes to slash the number of private cars clogging up school gates every morning.How does it work?Dubai’s pooled system is a shared ride model designed to be efficient, safe and modern:Shared Rides with Tech-Enabled SUVs: Instead of every fa..

Source: X Lara Trump has recently bestowed upon social media participants a rare treat with a glimpse into the less familiar, more personal side of the Trump family. Through the sharing of just a few images on X, she has reached the hearts of many with this intimate family picture involving her young daughter's fun-filled golf game with her grandfather, US President Donald Trump himself, with whom she gets to spend quality time while playing their favourite game, golf. This is one instance where the family, known for its political fervour, has been accepted with such fervour not for their political ideology but for this common family experience that speaks volumes about their humanity despite their fame and power.Lara Trump shares viral golfing photos with Donald Trump and granddaughterThe photographs depicted Donald Trump behind the wheel of a golf cart, with his granddaughter sitting alongside him, looking happy and carefree. Moreover, there were no signs of poses or dramatic se..

AdvertisementPakistanAsiaSouth Asia11 dead, over 60 missing after Pakistan shopping centre fire smoulders for 24 hoursPolice say the market’s layout and presence of flammable materials such as carpets and blankets kept the blaze going throughout the weekend
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPReutersPublished: 2:36pm, 19 Jan 2026Firefighters in Karachi began searching on ‌Monday for more than 60 missing people after a massive fire destroyed a shopping centre in Pakistan’s most populous city, while the death toll from the disaster rose to 11.The fire started late on Saturday at the sprawling, multi-storey Gul Plaza in the city’s business district and ⁠burned for more than a day, hampering rescue efforts in the densely packed area.
After more than 24 hours of firefighting, crews moved to cooling and debris clearing on Sunday, although concerns grew that more victims could still be trapped inside.
AdvertisementPolice surgeon Summaiya Syed said the death toll had risen to 11, while..

AdvertisementMalaysiaThis Week in AsiaPeopleMalaysian reporter’s sedition arrest casts doubts on Anwar’s reform recordRex Tan’s arrest for asking a ‘sensitive question’ shows how a colonial-era act continues to hold back Malaysian reforms, critics say
Reading Time:4 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP1Iman Muttaqin YusofPublished: 2:04pm, 19 Jan 2026Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s record on legal reforms has come under scrutiny after a journalist was detained under a colonial-era Sedition Act for asking a “sensitive question” linking the Gaza crisis to the treatment of ethnic Chinese in the Malay-majority country.Rex Tan, 31, a journalist for local news site Free Malaysia Today, was arrested early Saturday morning after he asked the question at a public debate five days earlier in Kuala Lumpur.
Tan is being investigated under Section 4(1) of the Sedition Act 1948 and Section 505(c) of the Penal Code, which relate to statements intended to cause alarm, after three police reports were..

UAE braces for another cool winter day with moderate winds, partly cloudy skies / AI Illustration On Sunday, January 18, 2026, the UAE will see a continuation of winter-like conditions, with temperatures remaining mild to cool for this time of year. Residents can expect highs not exceeding around 25°C, while overnight lows could dip into the upper teens, around 18°C in Abu Dhabi and 19°C in Dubai, according to the National Centre of Meteorology forecasts.This pattern follows an ongoing winter chill that began earlier in the month and has brought a general drop in daytime temperatures, cool nights, and occasional early-morning fog or mist in inland areas.UAE: Winter cool continuesThe skies over much of the country on January 18 are expected to be generally partly cloudy, with low cloud formations over some coastal, northern, and eastern regions.Cloud cover tendencies have been part of this week’s weather, with earlier forecasts predicting light rainfall and changing haze at times.While ..

Saudi Arabia bans use of Allah’s name on disposable bags, packaging, and promotional commercial materials/Representative Image A new directive from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce is reshaping how religious expressions appear in everyday commerce, as authorities move to prevent the sacred names of Allah from being placed on items that could be mishandled or discarded.Saudi Arabia has officially banned writing name of Allah on bags, packaging, and other materials that may be exposed to misuse or disrespect. The decision was announced on Monday by Abdulrahman Al Hussain, the official spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce, who said the measure is intended to protect religious sanctity and prevent any form of disrespect.Al Hussain explained that the prohibition applies to items commonly used in commercial activity, including shopping bags, product packaging, and promotional materials, particularly those designed for short term or disposable use. Such items, he noted, are often used..

AdvertisementEducation in Hong KongHong KongEducationLast unregistered student union at Chinese University of Hong Kong disbandsChung Chi College’s student union the latest to dissolve, leaving just two of nine remaining at the university amid police registration pressures
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPWilliam YiuPublished: 2:27pm, 18 Jan 2026The last unregistered student union at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) has dissolved after all committee members resigned, reducing the number of such bodies from nine to two.
The demise of Chung Chi College’s student union followed a meeting on Saturday evening during which provisional administrators and relevant representatives said the body could no longer function and that they would resign.
Only two college student unions remain, both of which have already registered with the police as societies.
AdvertisementThe 62-year-old student union of United College said in a post on social media earlier this month, that it had..