https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/19471/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran’s top diplomat insisted on Sunday that there would be no military solution to the United States’ war against the Islamic republic, with talks on ending the conflict apparently at an impasse. A campaign of heavy bombardment failed to bring a decisive close to the war launched by the US and Israel in late February, and Washington in recent weeks has dialled back military operations in favour of economic pressure. The main point of contention remains Iran’s attempt to blockade the Strait of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369731/iran-tells-us-there-no-military-solution-middle-east-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369731/iran-tells-us-there-no-military-solution-middle-east-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:44:29 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat China has announced the expansion of the resource base for a major lithium deposit in the southwestern province of Sichuan by about 70 per cent, strengthening the country’s potential long-term supply for the metal – an essential component in the production of batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage. After recent detection efforts, the Jiada Lithium Mine has registered about 1.05 million tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent in the deposit, bringing its total resources to 2.53... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369603/chinese-lithium-mine-registers-wider-vein-bolstering-beijings-battery-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3369603/chinese-lithium-mine-registers-wider-vein-bolstering-beijings-battery-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 07:00:11 +0000 Reuters Reuters Group ⁠of Seven countries agreed on Friday to release 100 million barrels of diesel and crude oil from emergency reserves and pledged to refrain from energy export restrictions after pressure from US President Donald Trump. The US led a pressure campaign on the European Union to draw down emergency diesel inventories, with the Trump administration warning that failure to act could lead to a US ban on diesel exports. Such a ban could sharply reduce supplies to Europe, which has become... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369626/trump-says-europe-agrees-release-diesel-stocks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369626/trump-says-europe-agrees-release-diesel-stocks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:51:04 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo The Japanese government on Friday announced additional sanctions against Russia amid the ongoing invasion of Ukraine, targeting a so-called shadow fleet of vessels engaged in transporting sanctioned oil from Russia. Joining international efforts to crack down on sanctions evasion by the fleet, Japan has decided to impose restrictions on the provision of services to 35 vessels, according to the Foreign Ministry. The measures restrict the provision of services including insurance, maritime... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369616/ukraine-war-japans-new-sanctions-russia-target-oil-exports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369616/ukraine-war-japans-new-sanctions-russia-target-oil-exports?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Reggie Manlapig, 46, has been driving jeepneys for nearly 25 years and has weathered rising fuel prices – but with costs spiking amid the global energy crunch, he is now wrestling bigger demons. “The impact has been huge. Before, in a 16-hour shift of driving, I could take home 400 to 500 pesos [US$6.30 to US$8] – now there’s a big cut to that income,” said Manlapig, who plies a two-hour daily round route from Malolos in Bulacan, north of Manila, to San Fernando, Pampanga. “Doing the full route... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369479/philippines-jeepney-drivers-stuck-between-rock-and-hard-place-despite-fare-increase?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3369479/philippines-jeepney-drivers-stuck-between-rock-and-hard-place-despite-fare-increase?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 00:00:28 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse EU nations will meet Friday, aiming to develop a unified response to soaring diesel prices, a day after the US called on its European allies to release strategic reserves “immediately” to stem the crisis. The emergency meeting between EU member states and the European Commission is scheduled for early in the day, a Commission spokesperson said late Thursday. Washington is piling on pressure to get European help with fuel costs, with US President Donald Trump on Wednesday floating the possibility... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369488/us-tells-european-allies-act-immediately-lower-diesel-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369488/us-tells-european-allies-act-immediately-lower-diesel-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 22:12:46 +0000 Reuters Reuters Canada will fast track the approval process for a new proposed crude oil export pipeline to its west coast that could generate over C$20 billion (US$14 billion) a year in GDP, Prime Minister ‌Mark Carney said on Thursday. The pipeline, which was announced in July, is a crucial part of Carney’s bid to diversify the economy away from the United States and help lessen the effect of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs. Carney said Ottawa would officially list the Pacific Link pipeline as a project... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369484/canada-fast-tracking-oil-pipeline-designed-diversify-economy-away-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369484/canada-fast-tracking-oil-pipeline-designed-diversify-economy-away-us?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 18:38:19 +0000 Jean Iau Jean Iau Just under a third of Singaporeans, or 31.4 per cent, believe that nuclear energy promises a clean power source with the greatest potential in the city state, representing the highest acceptance rate in Southeast Asia, a new study has found. The approval rate represented an 11.1 per cent increase from 2024, the Southeast Asia Climate Outlook 2026 Survey found, even as solar energy continued to be the most popular choice. Singapore is studying advanced nuclear technologies, including small... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3369437/nearly-third-singaporeans-open-nuclear-energys-potential-highest-asean-study?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3369437/nearly-third-singaporeans-open-nuclear-energys-potential-highest-asean-study?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:25:33 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Two power outages hit Hong Kong’s Ho Man Tin, the first lasting more than four hours overnight into Thursday, disrupting hotel operations and about 1,000 households. CLP Power, which supplies electricity to Kowloon and the New Territories, said equipment near Waterloo Road in Kowloon first malfunctioned at 11.18pm on Wednesday, affecting about 1,000 customers. “After CLP Power’s engineering personnel conducted an emergency repair and deployed some mobile electricity generators at the scene, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3369415/hong-kong-power-outages-hit-ho-man-tin-disrupting-1000-households-and-hotel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3369415/hong-kong-power-outages-hit-ho-man-tin-disrupting-1000-households-and-hotel?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 04:19:36 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran Researchers have identified a potential source of uranium in a long-explored mining district in the southern Philippines, as Manila moves to establish nuclear power and expand its critical minerals industry. The discovery, which could provide uranium for the nuclear fuel cycle if further exploration confirms its viability, was made in the Larap-Paracale mining district in Camarines Norte province, where exploration began in the 1950s. Researchers from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3369386/philippines-uranium-find-vital-boost-nuclear-energy-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3369386/philippines-uranium-find-vital-boost-nuclear-energy-ambitions?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 02:00:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump has announced US$200 billion in energy investments from South Korea, including US$54 billion towards a long-discussed liquefied natural gas project in Alaska and more than US$100 billion in planned longer-term nuclear power investments. Besides the Alaska LNG project and pipeline and the nuclear plants, the Trump administration announced a US$22.3 billion natural gas-fired power project in Texas that would be supported by Seoul. “The colossal package of investments we... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369401/trump-touts-us200-billion-south-korean-energy-deal-ahead-us-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369401/trump-touts-us200-billion-south-korean-energy-deal-ahead-us-midterms?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 01:44:09 +0000 Tim Yuen Lingk Tim Yuen Lingk China’s corporate sector remains considerably weaker than it was before the Covid-19 pandemic, but the country is emerging as a key beneficiary of the global artificial intelligence boom thanks to its ample power capacity, according to a Natixis survey of thousands of firms and a separate research report. Profit margins at Chinese firms had stabilised at about 4.5 per cent for the first half of 2026, but remained well below the nearly 9 per cent recorded by their global peers, according to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369282/chinese-firms-trail-global-peers-profits-ai-power-boom-offers-bright-spot-natixis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3369282/chinese-firms-trail-global-peers-profits-ai-power-boom-offers-bright-spot-natixis?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 05:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A UK probe into a suspected bomb plot at an airbase used by the United States was mired in confusion Tuesday, as police said no explosives but a “quantity of petrol” was found in vehicles seized nearby. Police were called to the Royal Air Force Fairford base in southwest England on Sunday after a resident saw several vans “acting suspiciously”, triggering an evacuation of the nearby village and the declaration of a “major incident”. “Those vehicles have been subject to extensive examination …... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369251/mystery-over-uk-airbase-scare-police-find-petrol-not-explosives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369251/mystery-over-uk-airbase-scare-police-find-petrol-not-explosives?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:21:50 +0000 Daisy Wu Daisy Wu The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) plans to double its annual financing to about US$20 billion by 2030 as the Beijing-headquartered multilateral lender enters its second decade, its president said on Monday. Announcing the target at the opening of the bank’s 11th annual meeting in Doha, Qatar, AIIB President Zou Jiayi said member economies had voiced a “remarkably consistent” need for greater project funding. “They need more infrastructure and more financing to build it,” Zou told... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3369088/aiib-plans-double-financing-2030-can-it-bridge-asias-infrastructure-gap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3369088/aiib-plans-double-financing-2030-can-it-bridge-asias-infrastructure-gap?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 12:09:02 +0000 Frank Chen Frank Chen In the latest milestone for China’s heavy-duty gas turbine manufacturers, Shanghai Electric has secured a turnkey contract to deliver equipment to a power plant in Malaysia, giving it a foothold in a market dominated by established foreign players amid a global supply crunch. The state-owned conglomerate, based in the Chinese financial centre, hailed the deal reached earlier this month as evidence of the competitiveness of its integrated solutions and its capacity to design and manufacture... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369029/chinas-gas-turbine-makers-aim-challenge-global-giants-malaysia-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3369029/chinas-gas-turbine-makers-aim-challenge-global-giants-malaysia-start?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 06:20:17 +0000 Reuters Reuters Iran on Sunday insisted that only diplomacy can solve its conflict with the United States and Israel after US President Donald Trump said he rejected an Iranian proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and end fighting. “Our conditions are clear and any move towards reopening the Strait of Hormuz is contingent on these conditions being met,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media. “Only a negotiated solution can get them out of ‌this deadlock.” Iran announced a peace... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368917/trump-rejects-iran-proposal-deal-reopen-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368917/trump-rejects-iran-proposal-deal-reopen-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 17:02:16 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan The new US-Denmark-Greenland security agreement could narrow China’s room to engage in the Arctic – particularly in resource-rich Greenland – and potentially push Beijing closer to Russia, Chinese experts on the matter said. According to observers, the deal – signed on Tuesday – could have the broader effect of accelerating the securitisation of the Arctic and making Western Arctic states more cautious about cooperation with China. But it would be unlikely to significantly disrupt China’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368889/why-us-deal-greenland-could-narrow-chinas-arctic-engagement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368889/why-us-deal-greenland-could-narrow-chinas-arctic-engagement?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren EnerVenue, a start-up co-founded by Full Vision Capital, the family office of Hong Kong tycoon Peter Lee Ka-kit, has begun manufacturing a new battery it expects to challenge existing energy-storage technologies dominated by mainland Chinese players, amid surging global demand for green energy. The California-based company can now produce 250 megawatt-hours (MWh) of nickel-hydrogen batteries annually at its factory in Changzhou, in eastern China’s Jiangsu province, and plans to raise capacity to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3368843/hong-kong-tycoon-backed-start-bets-new-battery-challenge-energy-storage-giants?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-evs/article/3368843/hong-kong-tycoon-backed-start-bets-new-battery-challenge-energy-storage-giants?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 08:00:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Tehran had offered Washington a plan that would see the Strait of Hormuz reopened to maritime navigation within seven days once agreed. Araghchi met with US President Donald Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff for talks on Tuesday, and previously set out conditions for ending the war and reopening the vital energy shipping channel. “Iran has conveyed to the United States, through Qatar, a concrete seven-day plan. If the necessary conditions are... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368872/iran-offers-us-plan-reopen-hormuz-within-7-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368872/iran-offers-us-plan-reopen-hormuz-within-7-days?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 21:03:29 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying HK Electric customers are set to pay less for electricity in October after the Hong Kong supplier cut its fuel charge for the first time in four months, but it warned that international energy prices remained volatile. CLP Power, the city’s other electricity supplier, will raise its energy prices next month. HK Electric, which mainly supplies Hong Kong Island and Lamma Island, said on Friday that its fuel clause charge would fall by 1.4 HK cents to 59.3 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3368847/hk-electric-cut-fuel-charge-first-time-4-months-clp-raises-rate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/society/article/3368847/hk-electric-cut-fuel-charge-first-time-4-months-clp-raises-rate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:45:47 +0000 Johannes Nugroho Johannes Nugroho A major coal deal in Indonesia is set to secure a powerful new partner for one of the country’s biggest miners, even as the industry worries a delay in the government’s approval of production quotas could have a severe impact on the business outlook. Low Tuck Kwong and his daughter Elaine Low, the biggest shareholders of Bayan Resources, agreed on September 16 to sell a 30 per cent stake in Indonesia’s third-largest coal producer to fellow tycoon Andi Syamsuddin Arsyad, better known as Haji... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368765/indonesian-coal-deal-fuels-doubts-over-production-quota-approvals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368765/indonesian-coal-deal-fuels-doubts-over-production-quota-approvals?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 25 Sep 2026 08:00:21 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Croatian court has approved the extradition of a Ukrainian man who is wanted in Germany in connection with the 2022 undersea explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines, state media said on Thursday. The report from HRT Television quoted the suspect’s lawyer Ljubo Pavaskovic as saying that he will appeal the September 18 ruling. It was not immediately clear when the man could be handed over to Germany. He was arrested on a European warrant in the northern Croatian town of Pula in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368715/croatian-court-approves-extradition-nord-stream-blast-suspect-germany?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368715/croatian-court-approves-extradition-nord-stream-blast-suspect-germany?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:46:52 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Italy’s Senate on Wednesday gave final approval to legislation paving the way for a return to nuclear power nearly four decades after the Chernobyl disaster prompted the country to abandon atomic energy. The measure cleared the upper house 81-51 with seven abstentions. It marks a major step in Premier Giorgia Meloni’s drive to bolster energy security and meet climate goals, even though the construction of possible new reactors is still years away. The bill, which earlier passed the lower Chamber... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368603/italy-greenlights-return-nuclear-power-after-decades-long-ban?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368603/italy-greenlights-return-nuclear-power-after-decades-long-ban?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 04:44:43 +0000 Vincent Tan Vincent Tan Toey Wattana Mongkhonnam began thinking about outfitting his family home in Thailand’s northeastern province of Yasothon with solar panels during the Covid-19 pandemic. In his household of five, electricity use rises with the day’s heat, and the monthly bill could range from 1,000 baht to 1,500 baht (US$30 to US$45). “Back then, I checked prices and a rooftop panel system that could put out enough power to run my household’s appliances could cost 100,000 baht to 200,000 baht,” said Toey, a Muay... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368533/thailands-solar-scheme-faces-hurdles-low-power-users-turned-high-cost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368533/thailands-solar-scheme-faces-hurdles-low-power-users-turned-high-cost?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Five years after China pledged to stop building or financing new coal-fired power plants overseas, the country’s state sector has made “significant progress” towards meeting that goal, though private projects are still being developed, according to a new report. Two-thirds of China’s overseas coal power projects planned five years ago have since been cancelled, a 61.5-gigawatt (GW) cut in capacity that has saved 6.4 billion tonnes of “lifetime” carbon dioxide emissions, the study by a pair of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368556/china-has-scrapped-two-thirds-its-planned-coal-power-plants-abroad-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368556/china-has-scrapped-two-thirds-its-planned-coal-power-plants-abroad-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 24 Sep 2026 01:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Moscow at the United Nations on Wednesday that his nation would strike back and make the coming winter deeply painful for Russia, if the two sides cannot agree a truce on energy attacks before the cold sets in. Ukraine and its allies are racing to secure limited agreements on energy infrastructure and Black Sea shipping before winter, fearing renewed Russian strikes on power and heating ‌facilities, while Moscow continues to show little interest in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3368566/ukraines-zelensky-warns-painful-winter-russia-if-energy-truce-talks-fail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3368566/ukraines-zelensky-warns-painful-winter-russia-if-energy-truce-talks-fail?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 21:01:32 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An attack on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday killed an Indian sailor, Omani and Indian authorities said, with the latter condemning the ongoing attacks in the vital shipping lane. Since the start of the Middle East war, Iran has sought to impose its control over the maritime conduit for Gulf oil and gas, occasionally striking ships accused of failing to coordinate with its authorities or deviating from its preferred route. In retaliation, the US has been enforcing a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368562/indian-sailor-killed-attack-vessel-hormuz-india-and-oman-authorities-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368562/indian-sailor-killed-attack-vessel-hormuz-india-and-oman-authorities-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 19:20:43 +0000 Mandy Zuo Mandy Zuo China has launched a huge new nationwide hunt for resources ranging from crude oil to rare earths, as it strives to shield its economy from a turbulent geopolitical environment in which raw materials are increasingly becoming instruments of leverage. The upgraded national campaign was designed to uncover and extract more of China’s own resources, as demand for key minerals was expected to keep rising in the coming years, the Ministry of Natural Resources said on Tuesday. The high-profile drive,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368482/china-launches-mineral-exploration-offensive-global-supply-chain-pressures-mount?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368482/china-launches-mineral-exploration-offensive-global-supply-chain-pressures-mount?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 07:05:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday that he and US President Donald Trump had discussed efforts to end the four-year-old war with Russia, including a potential bilateral ceasefire on energy-related targets. Speaking to the media after a 40-minute meeting with Trump at UN headquarters in New York, Zelensky said Kyiv was ready for any ‌format of an energy ceasefire with Moscow but there had been no discussion of Ukraine unilaterally halting its attacks on Russian oil... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3368442/zelensky-meets-trump-says-ukraine-ready-energy-truce-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3368442/zelensky-meets-trump-says-ukraine-ready-energy-truce-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 22:34:24 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump and the leaders of Greenland and Denmark signed an agreement on Tuesday that permits a larger US military presence on Greenland and may resolve a stand-off over the strategically located and mineral-rich island. The agreement, signed during Trump’s visit to the UN General Assembly in New York, stops short of Trump’s demand that the US annex Greenland as a US territory to head off the growing Arctic presence of Russia and China. But the deal does codify a greater ‌US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3368427/us-greenland-denmark-sign-deal-new-york-bid-end-arctic-stand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3368427/us-greenland-denmark-sign-deal-new-york-bid-end-arctic-stand?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:56:04 +0000 Eric Jiang Eric Jiang Hong Kong risks losing its status as an international aviation hub if it fails to secure a reliable, credibly certified supply of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the head of the government’s think tank has warned. Stephen Wong Yuen-shan, head of the Chief Executive’s Policy Unit, made the remarks at the Sustainable Aviation Futures China Congress on Tuesday, days after the government set out its fuel strategy in the city’s first five-year plan and policy address amid mounting global... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3368421/hong-kong-urged-secure-sustainable-fuel-supply-safeguard-aviation-hub-status?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3368421/hong-kong-urged-secure-sustainable-fuel-supply-safeguard-aviation-hub-status?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:06:28 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia plans to press ahead with discounted Russian crude oil imports to secure domestic energy supplies and manage fiscal pressures, despite the risk of higher US tariffs as Washington moves to tighten economic pressure on Moscow. On Friday, US President Donald Trump signed into law an act that would give him authority to impose sanctions on Russia and slap tariffs of up to 100 per cent on the top five buyers of Russian crude oil, gas and military equipment, or countries that help Moscow... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368389/indonesia-presses-ahead-russian-oil-imports-despite-real-risk-us-penalties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368389/indonesia-presses-ahead-russian-oil-imports-despite-real-risk-us-penalties?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:00:23 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela China has broken ground on the world’s first utility-scale combined supercritical carbon dioxide power generation and molten salt energy storage project, which could help reduce energy waste and improve grid stability. Construction began on the Ruitan demonstration project at China Huaneng’s Bajiao power station in Yantai last week. The project in Shandong province, eastern China, is expected to go into operation next year. During periods when energy demand is low, surplus electricity generated... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3368337/china-breaks-ground-worlds-first-supercritical-co2-and-molten-salt-energy-plant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3368337/china-breaks-ground-worlds-first-supercritical-co2-and-molten-salt-energy-plant?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 05:41:58 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick The top Democrat on the US Senate’s foreign policy panel urged Donald Trump on Monday not to signal any retreat from Taiwan when he hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping this week. Speaking at the Concordia Summit in New York, Senator Jeanne Shaheen said she hoped the president “will not say anything that indicates a lack of support for Taiwan” during his talks with the Chinese leader. Shaheen is the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which reviews US arms sales abroad,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368309/top-us-senate-democrat-warns-trump-not-waver-taiwan-xi-heads-washington?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3368309/top-us-senate-democrat-warns-trump-not-waver-taiwan-xi-heads-washington?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 21:42:53 +0000 Reuters Reuters Europe faces a fourth-quarter jet fuel deficit, even as it turns to far-flung suppliers including South Korea, which is set to boost its jet exports to Europe to a four-year high in September, according to analysts and shipping data. The continent has been importing more jet fuel from nations including Nigeria, the United States and Canada since the outbreak of the Iran war over half a year ago, which hit Middle Eastern supplies and cut off around half of Europe’s jet imports. Europe remains... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3368183/south-korea-steps-plug-europes-jet-fuel-deficit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3368183/south-korea-steps-plug-europes-jet-fuel-deficit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 Sep 2026 00:59:26 +0000 Reuters Reuters Yemen’s Houthis said they attacked “sensitive” sites in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Saturday with missiles and drones, hours after flames and a large plume of smoke were seen near the city’s main airport. Saudi Arabia had sent alerts overnight warning of potential danger around Riyadh, amid an escalation in attacks by the Houthis in the kingdom. Reuters video and photographs ‌showed a huge pillar of black smoke rising in the area, with the airport highway, main terminal building and other... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368131/houthis-claim-attacks-saudi-capital-after-flames-seen-near-riyadh-airport?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368131/houthis-claim-attacks-saudi-capital-after-flames-seen-near-riyadh-airport?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 19:25:25 +0000 Reuters Reuters Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is caught in an energy policy bind with no easy exit. Cutting Russian oil imports to avoid potential new US tariffs could increase fuel prices ahead of key regional elections, or stress government finances. Maintaining such purchases could cripple Indian exports to its largest market. India, the world’s third-largest oil importer and among the biggest buyers of Russian crude, reacted unusually strongly on Thursday to a US congressional bill that would allow... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3368081/indias-modi-caught-between-much-needed-russian-oil-and-us-trade-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3368081/indias-modi-caught-between-much-needed-russian-oil-and-us-trade-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:46:31 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Asian economies heavily dependent on imported energy are facing an even sharper squeeze after the shutdown of Saudi Arabia’s East-West pipeline removed a key escape route from the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, deepening an energy shock that has already pushed crude oil above US$100 a barrel. Analysts said the loss of that bypass would hit Asian refiners first before feeding through to inflation, currencies and economic growth across the region. Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368062/saudi-oil-pipeline-closure-puts-asias-economic-resilience-test?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3368062/saudi-oil-pipeline-closure-puts-asias-economic-resilience-test?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:50:50 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang China is showing early signs of stepping up imports of crude oil after months of subdued buying amid the US-Israel war on Iran, threatening to erode a buffer that has helped prevent a larger surge in global oil prices. But analysts do not expect China to quickly return to its pre-war import levels, as elevated crude prices could squeeze margins for Chinese refineries and the country’s stockpiles are still large enough to last for several months. Signs of a rebound in Chinese demand emerged in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368047/chinas-crude-imports-are-rising-again-what-will-mean-oil-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368047/chinas-crude-imports-are-rising-again-what-will-mean-oil-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 13:30:04 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick US Trade Representative (USTR) Jamieson Greer asked Brazil to review the sale of Anglo American’s nickel mines to a Chinese state-controlled miner in exchange for tariff relief, two people familiar with the negotiations told the South China Morning Post. Washington made the request during talks to lift the 50 per cent tariffs US President Donald Trump imposed on Brazilian goods last year. First reported by Brazilian newspaper O Estado de S. Paulo and CNN Brazil on Thursday, the proposal would... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367913/us-trade-chief-pressed-brazil-review-anglo-american-nickel-sale-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367913/us-trade-chief-pressed-brazil-review-anglo-american-nickel-sale-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 21:11:34 +0000 Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma Neil Denslow,Raymond Ma The US Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in three years in an effort to quell inflation partly caused by the war on Iran helping to drive up fuel prices. Policymakers voted unanimously on Wednesday to lift rates by 25 basis points to between 3.75 and 4.00 per cent. Sixteen of 18 committee members also said that they anticipate another rate hike this year. The increase will help inflation make a “timelier return” to a 2 per cent target, according to a statement, as new Fed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/policy/article/3367858/fed-rate-hike-risks-worsening-chinas-economic-divide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/economy/policy/article/3367858/fed-rate-hike-risks-worsening-chinas-economic-divide?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:00:41 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth China on Thursday pushed back against a new US sanctions bill targeting Russia that could also have a major impact on Beijing, a major Russian energy importer. The US Congress on Wednesday passed the bill to strengthen sanctions on Moscow by targeting Russia’s leading energy buyers – China and India – just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to arrive in Washington for a summit with President Donald Trump. “China carries out economic and trade cooperation with countries on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3367782/us-congress-passes-bill-targeting-russias-leading-energy-buyers-china-and-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3367782/us-congress-passes-bill-targeting-russias-leading-energy-buyers-china-and-india?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 22:50:16 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu Hong Kong has pledged to boost the share of zero-carbon energy in its electricity generation fuel mix to 30 per cent by 2030, up from the current 28 per cent – one of four binding environmental protection targets set out in the city’s first five-year plan on Wednesday. The binding goal aligns with existing climate protection strategies that target a zero-carbon energy share of between 60 and 70 per cent by 2035, as part of the city’s broader push towards carbon neutrality by 2050. “With these... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3367742/hong-kong-aims-raise-zero-carbon-energy-share-fuel-mix-30-2030?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3367742/hong-kong-aims-raise-zero-carbon-energy-share-fuel-mix-30-2030?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 12:02:04 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US military said on Tuesday that it opened fire and destroyed two small Iranian boats this week that were trying to steal a drone ship in the waters off Iran, the latest back-and-forth fire in the stalemated war. Captain Tim Hawkins, US Central Command spokesman, said the Iranian boats “recently attempted to take possession of a US unmanned surface vessel” but failed after the military “forcefully responded”. Iranian state media reported on Monday that a pair of fishing boats came under... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367647/us-military-says-it-destroyed-2-iranian-boats-trying-steal-sea-drone?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367647/us-military-says-it-destroyed-2-iranian-boats-trying-steal-sea-drone?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 23:26:41 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Monday that Ukraine was ready to de-escalate the war with Russia if its rival did the same, after US President Donald Trump announced that the foes had agreed to end strikes on energy targets. With international oil prices climbing again, Trump had at the weekend berated Ukraine’s attacks on Russian refineries, blaming them for causing a shortage in diesel fuel. In one of his surprise social media posts, the US leader announced on Monday that “Ukraine has... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3367517/zelensky-says-ukraine-ready-de-escalatory-steps-if-russia-does-same?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3367517/zelensky-says-ukraine-ready-de-escalatory-steps-if-russia-does-same?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:14:31 +0000 dpa dpa Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said late on Monday that an oil tanker had struck a sea mine and exploded in the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker El Gaia was travelling along the southern route through the strait, which was mined by Iran, state broadcaster IRIB reported, citing the IRGC. The entire vessel went up in flames following the detonation of the mine, it said. The US military rejected that account. “The Panama-flagged oil tanker El Gaia was struck by an Iranian missile last... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367515/oil-tanker-has-exploded-strait-hormuz-says-irans-irgc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367515/oil-tanker-has-exploded-strait-hormuz-says-irans-irgc?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 22:34:23 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Energy ministers and executives met in Bangkok on Monday to discuss the prolonged price increase for liquefied natural gas (LNG) triggered by the Iran war, with Southeast Asia’s growth ambitions and climate goals on the line as the cost of powering economies shifting to artificial intelligence soars. On the first day of Gastech 2026, one of the world’s largest energy conferences, policymakers implored pragmatism over net-zero targets and closer cooperation to ensure affordable LNG supplies,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3367492/southeast-asia-weighs-energy-transition-amid-lng-supply-crunch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3367492/southeast-asia-weighs-energy-transition-amid-lng-supply-crunch?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:35:41 +0000 Xinyi Wu Xinyi Wu As the shutdown of Saudi Arabia’s major oil pipeline tightens global crude supply, shipments to China remain relatively insulated in the near term, though rising prices and freight costs are set to dampen demand, according to analysts. Drone attacks launched from Iraq forced Saudi Arabia to shut its East-West pipeline, which connects its eastern oilfields to Yanbu port on the Red Sea and serves as a vital bypass around the Strait of Hormuz, where transit remains disrupted. The closure late last... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3367467/chinas-oil-demand-could-falter-saudi-pipeline-shutdown-raises-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/article/3367467/chinas-oil-demand-could-falter-saudi-pipeline-shutdown-raises-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 12:30:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran’s nuclear chief was blocked from attending an annual conference on Monday at the headquarters of the UN’s nuclear agency in Vienna after US pressure, both Washington and Tehran said. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright confirmed to reporters that Washington had applied pressure to stop Mohammad Eslami from entering Austria, saying “he’s a sanctioned individual and we don’t want sanctioned individuals evading their sanctions”. “He asked for a waiver of the sanctions and it was denied.” Iranian... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3367485/us-blocks-irans-nuclear-chief-vienna-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3367485/us-blocks-irans-nuclear-chief-vienna-meeting?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 11:57:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two top executives at Japanese nuclear plant operator Chubu Electric Power would step down following a quake data-tampering scandal, the company said in a statement on Monday. President Kingo Hayashi and Chairman Satoru Katsuno would be replaced, the statement said, and the firm would withdraw applications to restart the Nos 3 and 4 reactors at Chubu’s Hamaoka nuclear plant. Japan is moving to revive nuclear power 15 years after an enormous earthquake and tsunami sent reactors at the Fukushima... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3367418/japans-chubu-electric-bosses-resign-over-quake-data-tampering-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3367418/japans-chubu-electric-bosses-resign-over-quake-data-tampering-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 06:11:37 +0000