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Singapore Airlines Sets Up Direct Singapore–Riyadh Flights in A Big Boost for Middle East-Asia Connectivity In a major development for global aviation and international travel, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has announced that it will launch non-stop flights between Singapore and Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, beginning in June 2026. The service, scheduled to operate four times per week, marks the airline’s return to the Saudi capital after more than a decade and reflects growing demand for business, tourism and cultural exchange between Southeast Asia and the Middle East.The new route is generating buzz across industry and traveller communities as it expands connectivity, strengthens economic ties and opens fresh opportunities for both leisure and corporate travel.Singapore and Riyadh route details: What travellers need to know
According to Singapore Airlines and aviation reports, the new service will launch on June 02, 2026, with four weekly non-stop flights between Singapore Changi ..

AdvertisementThailandThis Week in AsiaLifestyle & CultureThai funeral ‘food court’ blunder: tourists looking for buffet attend wakeThe tourists who were served food by a family at the funeral were impressed with the kindness of the people in Thailand
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPSCMP’s Asia deskPublished: 4:02pm, 4 Feb 2026Foreign tourists mistaking a funeral for an open air food court were given a taste of Thai hospitality when the hosts served them a meal anyway.
In two posts uploaded on social media, Charantorn Chaloemkiad, an ethnic Chinese Thai who was at his family’s funeral, shared how the tourists innocently gatecrashed the funeral in the city of Nakhon Si Thammarat over the weekend thinking that it was part of a buffet.
According to Charantorn, long tables had been set up to serve funeral goers. In Thailand, it is customary to provide food and refreshments at a funeral to thank guests for paying their respects and make merit on behalf of the deceased.Advertiseme..

AdvertisementAsia-Pacific Economic CooperationEconomyGlobal EconomyNew Apec chair China positions as global defender at ‘pivotal juncture’ while US retreatsHosting the bloc for just the third time in 25 years, China is promoting people-centred policies, infrastructure funding and predictability
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPFrank Chenin ShanghaiPublished: 3:41pm, 4 Feb 2026Updated: 3:46pm, 4 Feb 2026China is seizing its role as the chair and host of Apec 2026 to position itself as a staunch defender of multilateralism, according to analysts, and they see the platform being used to elevate the nation’s economic governance initiatives to a global level.
The strategic push was on display at the two-day Finance and Central Bank Deputies’ Meeting that began on Wednesday in Shanghai, where Vice-Minister of Finance Liao Min called on members to uphold multilateralism.“Closer cooperation is needed, more than ever … as uncertainty weighs on growth and geopolitical tensions and reg..

Discover the official UAE Ramadan 2026 prayer timetable / Image: File As the Islamic calendar turns toward the most sacred month of the year, residents across the Emirates are preparing for a unique “Winter Ramadan.” According to the Emirates Astronomical Society, the crescent moon of Ramadan 1447 AH is predicted to be visible on the evening of February 18, making Thursday, February 19, 2026, the likely first day of fasting. Ibrahim Al-Jarwan, Chairman of the Society, notes that this year’s fasting hours will be remarkably pleasant, starting at approximately 12 hours and 45 minutes and gradually increasing as the month progresses toward spring.UAE: Ramadan 2026 timings
To help you plan your worship, family gatherings, and work schedule, here is the comprehensive daily timetable for the UAE. Note that these timings are based on astronomical calculations for Dubai; residents in Abu Dhabi should add approximately 4 minutes, while those in Fujairah can subtract about 4 minutes.Ramadan DayD..

Neil Gaiman Allegations: What You Need to Know About Sexual Misconduct Claims and Author's Defence Over the past nearly two years, acclaimed British author Neil Gaiman (known worldwide for The Sandman, American Gods, Coraline and other beloved works) has been the subject of a highly contentious and polarising public controversy centred on multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct. What started with a podcast investigation and magazine exposé has evolved into a long-running debate about consent, evidence, media coverage and artistic legacy.What the allegations against Neil Gaiman say
The controversy began in July 2024, when Tortoise Media released a multi-part investigative podcast titled “Master: The Allegations Against Neil Gaiman”, in which two women spoke about alleged sexual misconduct by Gaiman, including instances they described as coercive or non-consensual. Over the following months, more women came forward and in January 2025, New York Magazine published a hig..

AdvertisementSouth KoreaThis Week in AsiaPoliticsCambodians outraged by South Korean president’s ‘ruin you’ scam threatCritics said Lee Jae Myung should have posted in Chinese, not Khmer, as his warning to foreign syndicates sparked anger across Cambodia
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPSCMP’s Asia deskPublished: 3:53pm, 3 Feb 2026A social media warning to transnational scam networks by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has ignited backlash from Cambodians accusing him of tarnishing their country’s image, prompting the post’s deletion amid diplomatic clarifications.On Friday, Lee shared a report by Korean outlet OhMyNews stating that Chinese organised crime groups in Cambodia were shunning Korean recruits for fear of Seoul’s police raids, as reported by the Khmer Times and The Korea Herald.“If you dare to mess with South Koreans, it will ruin you and your family,” Lee wrote in Korean and Khmer. “Did it look like I was joking? South Korea will pursue this to the very end o..

AdvertisementHong Kong societyHong KongSocietyData leaks jump 21% in Hong Kong, doxxing hits record lowPrivacy watchdog received 246 data breach notices in 2025, 21 per cent increase from 203 cases in the year before
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPLeopold ChenPublished: 3:40pm, 3 Feb 2026Data leakage cases recorded by Hong Kong’s privacy watchdog increased 21 per cent last year, with hacking being the primary cause.
But the number of doxxing cases has dropped significantly since legislation criminalising the act was passed in 2021, Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data Ada Chung Lai-ling said on Tuesday.
Chung’s office received 246 data breach notices in 2025, a 21 per cent increase from 203 cases in the year before.
AdvertisementHacking was the main cause of data leaks, accounting for 81 cases, about one-third of the total. The number of hacking cases also rose 33 per cent year on year from 61 in 2024.
“In the digital age, virtually all companies store data on digital sy..

British envoy to US Peter Mandelson (AP file photo) Former British ambassador to the United States and former minister Peter Mandelson resigned from the Labour Party on Sunday, saying he did not want to cause it “further embarrassment” after newly released US documents renewed scrutiny of his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Mandelson, 72, had been removed as Britain’s ambassador to Washington last year over his association with Epstein. The latest documents, released on Friday by the US department of justice and reported by British media, allege that Epstein made several payments to Mandelson in the early 2000s.In a letter to Labour general secretary Hollie Ridley, Mandelson wrote: “Allegations which I believe to be false that he made financial payments to me 20 years ago, and of which I have no record or recollection, need investigating by me.”Budget 2026'Nothing for common man, Bengal': Mamata slams Centre's 'Humpty Dumpty' budgetUnion Budget ..

Saudi Arabia Suspends 1,800 Umrah Travel Agencies Over Service Quality (Representative Image) In a significant regulatory crackdown, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Hajj and Umrah has announced the suspension of contracts with 1,800 foreign travel agencies engaged in the Umrah pilgrimage sector after a performance review revealed serious shortcomings in service quality and compliance with approved standards. The move, announced on February 01, 2026, affects nearly one-third of the estimated 5,800 agencies operating across the globe but officials say that it will not disrupt services for pilgrims with existing visas or confirmed bookings.Why were the Hajj and Umrah travel contracts suspended by Saudi Arabia?
According to the Saudi Press Agency and ministry officials, the suspension came after a routine evaluation uncovered widespread deficiencies in service delivery and performance among many foreign Umrah operators. Budget 2026'Nothing for common man, Bengal': Mamata slams Centre&..

AdvertisementHong Kong politicsHong KongPoliticsHong Kong to formulate first 5-year plan to align with national blueprintTask force led by Chief Executive John Lee will formulate plan, which one expert says signals greater government role in city’s development
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPMatthew ChengPublished: 3:20pm, 2 Feb 2026Updated: 3:46pm, 2 Feb 2026A new task force led by Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu will formulate Hong Kong’s first five-year blueprint to align with China’s 15th five-year plan, with a political analyst saying the move signals greater government involvement in shaping the city’s development.
Lee also said on Monday that he would prioritise visits to Eastern Europe and Central Asia to explore new markets for local businesses, stressing the need to “avoid putting all eggs in one basket” and mitigate risk amid geopolitical tensions.
In an interview with the media, the city leader said that he would lead an interdepartmental task force to align Ho..