More than 15 international and regional airlines have suspended or cancelled flights to and from Saudi Arabia following regional security incidents. Aviation data provider Cirium recorded 552 cancelled departures out of 1,178 scheduled Saudi flights on October 15, with Riyadh airport being the most impacted.
Chinese energy storage suppliers disclosed approximately 94GWh in system orders during the third quarter of 2026, with overseas contracts accounting for 93% of signed volumes. Major Middle East deals drove this surge, including an 11.275GWh contract between BYD and the UAE's Masdar as well as a 7.5GWh deal won by Sungrow in the UAE. The Middle East represented 21.3GWh, or 28.7% of total signed capacity, behind Europe's 31.2GWh.
The US Embassy in Amman has issued security alerts advising American citizens to reconsider nonessential travel across the Middle East amid regional tensions. The notices warn of possible infrastructure attacks, sudden airspace closures, and flight cancellations linked to conflict involving Houthi forces and Saudi Arabia. Travelers in Jordan are advised to exercise increased caution and prepare for commercial aviation disruptions.
The Gulf Cooperation Council's secretary-general stated that Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Qatar are very close to starting the official Schengen visa-waiver process. Positive outcomes are anticipated ahead of the GCC-EU summit in Riyadh on October 24, 2026. The UAE remains the only GCC member whose citizens currently hold visa-free short-stay access to the Schengen area.
Policy updates, China–UAE business news and industry insights, delivered to your inbox.
Membership
Tell us about your experience and connection to UAE–China business. UECN assesses your application and offers the right membership category — fees are shared privately with your offer.
We send you a one-time sign-in link — your answers are saved as you go.
