Global Express | September 12, 2026 Saudi Arabia shuts oil pipeline after drone attack from Iraq

1. Saudi Arabia shuts oil pipeline after drone attack from Iraq

Source: Al Jazeera

Saudi Arabia said Friday it had shut down its East-West oil pipeline after it was struck by drones launched from Iraq. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the pipeline was targeted in the Riyadh and Medina areas by "several drones originating from Iraq," causing injuries and material damage.

At the request of the Iraqi prime minister, Riyadh chose not to retaliate for now, while reserving the right to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and critical facilities.

Iraq's prime minister's office said early Saturday that a military commander who led operations in Maysan province was dismissed after investigations confirmed the drones had been launched from within the southern province. The Gulf Cooperation Council condemned the attack as a "dangerous escalation."

Source

2. Yemen's Houthis capture Red Sea island

Source: NPR

Yemen's Houthi rebels captured the island of Mayun at the entrance of the Red Sea, a key alternative route for shipping Saudi oil and other exports since Iran began targeting vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said Friday that "maritime navigation is safe for all companies except for Saudi vessels," but markets remain nervous and experts have described the group as highly unpredictable.

A UN spokesperson said Houthi rebels in Mokha seized a compound that had housed UN staff, who all fled safely before the city's capture. About 12% of the world's goods are typically shipped through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Source

3. Israel says it destroyed major Hezbollah base

Source: BBC

Israel's military said it had destroyed a large underground complex operated by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, using more than 1,000 tonnes of explosives to destroy two tunnels spanning more than 2km beneath the Ali Taher Ridge.

The blast triggered seismic activity equivalent to a magnitude 4.1 earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey. Images released by the IDF showed a fireball lighting up the sky, and residents described houses shaking.

The IDF said the infrastructure included a command centre used by Hezbollah's Badr unit and contained dozens of rockets, missiles and drones. At least 4,383 people have been killed in Lebanon by Israeli attacks since 2 March, according to the health ministry.

Source

4. Russian strikes kill two in Kyiv

Source: Al Jazeera

Russian drone attacks on two fuel stations in Kyiv killed two people and injured others early Friday, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said, marking the second day of strikes on fuel stations in the Ukrainian capital.

Russia also targeted fuel stations in Kyiv on Thursday, and Ukrainian authorities have warned people to avoid filling up when air raid sirens sound.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the Trump administration to impose new sanctions on Russia and proposed a truce covering strikes on energy targets, warning that Russia would "receive the same in return."

Source

5. US inflation holds at 3.4% in August

Source: CNBC

The US consumer price index rose 3.4% on an annual basis in August, unchanged from July, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Gasoline prices were up nearly 4% in August and more than 27% from a year ago, averaging about $4.30 per gallon, while diesel prices hit a record $6 per gallon on Friday.

Economists said the hot inflation reading makes it likely the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at its policy meeting next week, citing the Iran war, tariffs and AI as factors pushing up prices.

Source

6. Oil prices post sharp weekly gains

Source: CNBC

Oil prices retreated on Friday but posted sharp weekly gains, with Brent crude settling down 2.8% at $104.61 a barrel and West Texas Intermediate down 2.4% at $100.05.

Brent posted a weekly gain of 8.7% and WTI 9.4%, ending the week above the critical $100 mark. On Thursday Brent peaked around $108 a barrel.

The decline came after Iranian state media said Tehran will meet with Gulf states in Oman to discuss the Strait of Hormuz, indicating some diplomacy despite a week of sharp escalation.

Source

7. Philippines ferry fire kills 35

Source: The Independent

At least 35 people died after a fast-spreading fire destroyed a passenger ferry in the Philippines, with 54 still unaccounted for and 43 survivors, after the death toll rose to 35 on Friday.

The fire swept through the vessel on Wednesday night off southwestern Palawan province as it travelled from Manila toward Coron, with 134 people aboard including 117 passengers and 17 crew.

A survivor described how panicked crowds trampled him as he tried to grab a life jacket. Two Chilean tourists were among those rescued, and the cause of the blaze remains unknown.

Source

8. Norway's Princess Astrid dies

Source: BBC

Princess Astrid of Norway, the sister of the late King Harald V, has died at the age of 94, two days after attending his funeral, the royal palace announced.

The new king, Haakon VIII, said she had "represented the Royal House in a warm and dutiful manner." She will be buried at state expense with flags flown at half-mast.

Astrid was the last surviving child of King Olav V and became Norway's first lady at the age of 22 in 1954.

Source

9. OpenAI's feud with mathematicians escalates

Source: TechCrunch

Twenty-five leading mathematicians, all Fields Medal winners, signed an open letter arguing that AI labs are threatening their intellectual work as they race to solve famous math problems.

This week, NYU professor Tristan Buckmaster accused OpenAI of pressuring him not to credit a collaborator who works for Anthropic, and on Thursday OpenAI withdrew its sponsorship of a math event at CalTech.

The signatories warned that solutions are "announced in a rush," raising attribution and plagiarism questions, and noted OpenAI's proof remains unverified.

Source

10. North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles

Source: 观察者网

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said North Korea fired multiple ballistic missiles toward the eastern sea from the Wonsan area at around 5:20 a.m. on September 12, with a flight distance of about 250 kilometres.

Analysts said the launch was likely aimed at the "Freedom Blade" trilateral drills held by South Korea, the US and Japan from September 7 to 11. It was North Korea's first launch in 23 days and its 13th this year.

Source