International News 13 October 2026
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About 60% of Flights at Riyadh’s King Khalid Airport Expected to Be Cancelled After Deadly Houthi Attacks
Around 60% of scheduled flights at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, are expected to be cancelled on Monday (October 12, 2026), after a series of attacks by Yemen’s Houthi group killed more than a dozen people over the weekend. Citing data from aviation analytics firm Cirium, the cancellation rate at the Saudi capital’s main airport is projected to remain high at the start of the week. On Sunday (October 11, 2026), 99.7% of all scheduled flights at the airport were cancelled. The airport stayed closed on Sunday following an attack that killed one person and injured nearly a dozen others. That incident followed an attack the day before, claimed by the Houthis, which left 13 people dead and more than 300 injured. The string of strikes has heightened pressure on aviation security and transport activity across Saudi Arabia, and Houthi attacks have reportedly killed more than 15 people in the country over the past two weeks. Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman said the events of recent weeks are a serious matter and must be met with an equally serious response.
Singapore’s Tharman Warns Governments to Brace for AI’s Impact on Entry-Level Jobs
Singapore President Tharman Shanmugaratnam has warned governments around the world to act quickly to prepare for the impact of artificial intelligence on employment, especially for new university graduates. He said AI development is beginning to weigh on demand for entry-level workers, which could make it harder for fresh graduates to land their first job after finishing school. Speaking at the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Bangkok on Monday (October 12, 2026), as quoted by Reuters, Tharman said there is a specific problem that needs urgent attention: the starting rung of the career ladder. According to him, demand for first jobs after graduation is now shrinking, and the evidence is already clear in the sectors most exposed to AI. The warning highlights a new challenge for the global labor market. As AI takes over tasks that people used to perform, companies’ need for junior staff may change, including for the roles that have long served as the entry point for graduates into professional life. Tharman also cautioned governments to anticipate a new gap between developing and advanced economies as a result of AI disruption. In his view, the technology needs to be managed so that it does not widen the differences in economic conditions and job opportunities between the two groups of countries.
Top Oil CEOs Dropped from Riyadh’s World Petroleum Congress Agenda After Deadly Houthi Attacks
The chief executives of several of the world’s largest energy companies are no longer listed on the agenda of the World Petroleum Congress (WPC) Energy Congress in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The change comes amid deadly attacks in the Saudi capital claimed by Yemen’s Iran-allied Houthi group. The CEOs of ExxonMobil, TotalEnergies, Shell, Chevron, and BP had previously been scheduled to attend the event, which began on Sunday (October 11, 2026). However, their names no longer appeared in the agenda released by the organizers on Monday (October 12, 2026). Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman still opened the conference sessions on Monday. He thanked participants who had come to Riyadh and stressed that the government is working to keep them safe.