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AdvertisementChina-Africa relationsChinaDiplomacyWhy Beijing’s US$4.5 billion Niger-Benin oil pipeline is being attacked by rebelsChinese nationals warned to avoid high-risk areas after infrastructure becomes a primary target for rebels seeking to halt military junta
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPJevans NyabiagePublished: 6:30pm, 27 Feb 2026China has placed its nationals on high alert following a series of rebel attacks targeting the US$4.5 billion Niger-Benin oil pipeline and an Islamic State raid on the Nigerien capital’s international airport on January 29.On Monday, the Chinese embassy in Niamey urged citizens to avoid high-risk areas and instructed firms to implement emergency response plans as insurgent groups increasingly target Chinese-managed infrastructure.The warning follows recent attacks on the pipeline and a predawn assault on Air Base 101 and Niamey International Airport by Islamic State militants, who damaged several aircraft before being repelled with ass..

AdvertisementUnited StatesWorldUnited States & CanadaVance dismisses prolonged Mideast war fears as US-Iran tensions rageThe US vice-president said Trump’s options range from military strikes ‘to ensure Iran isn’t going to get a nuclear weapon’ to dialogue
Reading Time:1 minuteWhy you can trust SCMPdpaPublished: 6:04pm, 27 Feb 2026US Vice-President J.D. Vance has said he does not believe potential military action against Iran would drag the country into a years-long war in the Middle East, according to an interview with The Washington Post published on Thursday.
Vance said he did not know how US President Donald Trump would decide on the Iran issue. Options, he said, range from military strikes “to ensure Iran isn’t going to get a nuclear weapon” to a diplomatic solution.
“The idea that we’re going to be in a Middle Eastern war for years with no end in sight – there is no chance that will happen,” Vance told the newspaper.
AdvertisementHe cited last year’s limited US strikes on Iranian..

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Kuwait pardoned 539 inmates under Amiri Decree No. 21 of 2026/Representative Image In a move aimed at giving hundreds a second chance, Kuwait has pardoned 539 individuals following directives from His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The decision was issued under Amiri Decree No. (21) of 2026 and allows some inmates to be released immediately, while others will see their sentences reduced. The pardon reflects an effort to support rehabilitation and reintegration into society. Authorities said the objective goes beyond shortening prison terms. It is designed to help those affected rebuild their lives, reconnect with their families and commit to lawful conduct. The process was overseen by the Special Security Affairs and Correctional Institutions Sector, which coordinated with relevant government bodies to complete the necessary legal and administrative procedures. Officials ensured that those eligible for immediate release were freed without delay and that se..

Discover Eid Al Fitr 2026 dates across the Gulf — Oman’s likely 5-day break / Image: file As Ramadan 2026 progresses across the Gulf, attention is now turning to the expected dates for Eid Al Fitr. In Oman, early astronomical calculations indicate a strong likelihood that residents could enjoy a five-day public holiday in March. However, as always, the final confirmation will depend on the official crescent moon sighting.Eid Al-Fitr 2026 in Oman
Eid Al Fitr marks the beginning of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic Hijri calendar. Because the Islamic calendar follows lunar cycles, the exact date of Eid changes each year and can only be confirmed after the crescent moon is sighted.Astronomers in Oman have projected that the Shawwal crescent is likely to be visible on the evening of March 19, 2026. If confirmed, the first day of Eid Al Fitr in Oman will fall on Friday, March 20, 2026.If the crescent moon is not sighted on March 19, Ramadan will complete 30 days, and Eid would begin o..

AdvertisementHong Kong propertyBusinessSHKP, Hong Kong’s bellwether developer, posts 36% jump in first-half net profitThe company plans to launch many new residential projects over the next 10 months, including the second phase of Cullinan Harbour in Kai Tak
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPCheryl ArcibalPublished: 6:23pm, 26 Feb 2026Sun Hung Kai Properties’ (SHKP), Hong Kong’s largest developer by market capitalisation, reported a 36.2 per cent year-on-year jump in first-half net profit to HK$10.25 billion (US$1.3 billion).
Revenue rose 32 per cent to HK$52.7 billion for the six months ended December from a year earlier, while operating income increased 10.7 per cent to HK$13.4 billion, the developer said in a filing to the Hong Kong stock exchange on Thursday. Underlying profit, which discounts property revaluations, gained 17 per cent to HK$12.2 billion.
The revenue, however, missed analysts’ estimates of HK$53.4 billion, while operating income beat forecasts of HK$12.82 ..