https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325321/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump said on Monday that a threat linked to Iran ⁠had prompted the removal of American B-1 bombers from a British airbase. The planes had been stationed at RAF Fairford, the preferred European base for US bombers, and had recently been used in US strikes on Iran. Last week, five British men were arrested near the base – which Iran’s Revolutionary Guards previously said was a legitimate target – on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. “We had an idea that there might be a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369843/us-bombers-moved-uk-airbase-due-iran-linked-threats-trump-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369843/us-bombers-moved-uk-airbase-due-iran-linked-threats-trump-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:40:14 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The International Criminal Court on Monday unsealed arrest warrants against four senior Taliban leaders, accusing them of the crime against humanity of gender persecution against women, girls and members of the LGBTQ community in Afghanistan since the Taliban seized power in 2021. The court said in a statement that warrants were issued in July and September last year for the Taliban’s supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, and the head of Afghanistan’s Supreme Court, Abdul Hakim Haqqani. Also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3369838/icc-unseals-arrest-warrants-4-taliban-leaders-wanted-gender-persecution-charges?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3369838/icc-unseals-arrest-warrants-4-taliban-leaders-wanted-gender-persecution-charges?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 19:43:42 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US Energy Department will announce US$150 million in new funding for power lines in Alaska on Monday as Vice-President J.D. Vance visits the state, where Republicans are ‌fighting to hold a critical Senate seat in the November midterm elections. Vance is set to rally voters for Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, who is locked in a tight re-election battle with Democrat Mary Peltola. Flipping the seat is key to the Democratic Party’s strategy to take control of the US Senate and recent polls... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369834/us-announce-us150-million-alaska-power-lines-vance-visits-battleground-state?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369834/us-announce-us150-million-alaska-power-lines-vance-visits-battleground-state?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:41:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday vowed there would be no Hamas rule in Gaza as he attended a memorial event marking three years since the militant group’s October 7, 2023 attack. Monday is a national day of remembrance for the deadliest day in Israel’s history, with flags lowered to half mast on public buildings from 6.29am, the time the attack began. Speaking during a state ceremony at the Mount Herzl military cemetery in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said “we have achieved enormous... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369831/there-will-be-no-hamas-rule-gaza-netanyahu-vows-october-7-memorial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369831/there-will-be-no-hamas-rule-gaza-netanyahu-vows-october-7-memorial?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:05:32 +0000 Reuters Reuters Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces staged a lightning advance on Monday to retake the coast around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait up to the city of Mocha, the government said, pushing the Iran-backed Houthis out of most of the areas they seized last month. In response, the Houthis said they had attacked key locations in Saudi Arabia including the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco refinery in Rabigh, the Abha international airport and the Khamis Mushait military base. The claims... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369825/yemeni-government-forces-seize-control-bab-el-mandeb-strait-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369825/yemeni-government-forces-seize-control-bab-el-mandeb-strait-minister-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:23:24 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US Air Force has removed its bombers stationed at a US-run military airbase in England used to strike Iran following an investigation into a planned terror attack at the RAF Fairford base. The bombers were redeployed back to their home bases in the United States, according to a Pentagon official who was not authorised to discuss sensitive military movements and spoke on Sunday on condition of anonymity. Aviation watchers such as the Military Air Tracking Alliance have observed dozens of B-52... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369734/us-air-force-removes-all-bombers-uk-airbase-targeted-suspected-terror-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369734/us-air-force-removes-all-bombers-uk-airbase-targeted-suspected-terror-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 21:31:53 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Bosnian Serb nationalist politician Milorad Dodik has declared victory for his party in an election in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Sunday that was shaped by economic pressures, the prospect of the Balkan nation joining the European Union and ethnic tensions that have divided the country since its brutal 1992–95 war. Dodik is a staunchly pro-Russia politician who, despite not appearing on the ballot, has dominated the campaign and inflamed divisions with separatist rhetoric that have sparked fears... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369733/serb-separatist-dodik-declares-victory-bosnia-vote-ethnic-tensions-eu-hopes-collide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369733/serb-separatist-dodik-declares-victory-bosnia-vote-ethnic-tensions-eu-hopes-collide?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 20:36:54 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a security review of international flights to Israel on Sunday, after an attempt by an Omani co-pilot to crash an Israel-bound plane from Dubai. Netanyahu “has instructed the head of the National Security Council, Shmuel Ben Ezra, to appoint an examiner to conduct a thorough review of all security aspects of foreign civil aviation to Israel”, a statement from the premier’s office said. Calls have mounted in Israel for an investigation into the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369732/netanyahu-orders-security-review-international-flights-israel-after-flydubai-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369732/netanyahu-orders-security-review-international-flights-israel-after-flydubai-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 20:09:25 +0000 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 Associated Press Associated Press Police in Moscow detained about 60 people at a rally on Sunday held by Russia’s Kremlin-friendly Communist Party, the party said. The party said in a statement that the detentions happened as the rally was ending and that its Moscow branch was working to get those who were detained – mostly young people – released. The rally marked the anniversary of the Kremlin’s 1993 crushing of a parliamentary uprising. The Telegram news channel Ostorozhno Novosti said protesters chanted slogans including... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3369729/dozens-detained-rally-moscow-held-kremlin-friendly-communist-party-party-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3369729/dozens-detained-rally-moscow-held-kremlin-friendly-communist-party-party-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 18:17:20 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday ⁠he believed Russia ⁠may have shared jet-drone technology ⁠with its long-standing ally North Korea. In recent weeks, Russia has sharply increased its use of jet-drones against Ukraine, which so far has no effective means of countering them other than using ‌combat aircraft. Earlier in the war, North Korea supplied Russia with millions of artillery shells and it has since provided ballistic missiles that Moscow regularly uses to attack... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3369727/ukraine-believes-russia-shared-jet-drone-technology-north-korea-says-zelensky?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3369727/ukraine-believes-russia-shared-jet-drone-technology-north-korea-says-zelensky?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 16:45:32 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The UK’s left-wing Green party voted Sunday to define Zionism as racism at the party’s annual conference, drawing sharp backlash from three British Jewish groups, the ruling Labour Party and Israel’s government. Members of the Green Party, which has five MPs in Britain’s 650-seat parliament and which enjoyed a boost in recent local and special elections, backed the motion at the party’s conference, with 1,022 votes in favour and 813 against. Israel’s foreign ministry, declaring the resolution “a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369725/uk-green-party-adopts-zionism-racism-policy-drawing-backlash-israel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369725/uk-green-party-adopts-zionism-racism-policy-drawing-backlash-israel?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 16:26:47 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Nearly 1,500 Myanmar nationals who were sent back from Malaysia arrived in the country’s largest city on Sunday despite warnings from the UN refugee agency and rights groups that conditions for return remain unsafe. Myanmar has been in turmoil since the military seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021, triggering widespread opposition and plunging large parts of the country into conflict. The returnees, including 86 women, have been convicted of staying... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3369705/malaysia-repatriates-1500-myanmar-nationals-despite-un-risk-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3369705/malaysia-repatriates-1500-myanmar-nationals-despite-un-risk-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:08:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Russia struck a bridge in Kyiv on Sunday soon after Germany’s chancellor arrived in Ukraine’s capital on a surprise visit to demonstrate European support in the face of an upsurge in attacks. Air raid sirens blared across Kyiv, urging residents to shelter soon after Friedrich Merz arrived under tight security, with warnings of approaching Russian attack drones. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko then confirmed that a strike had damaged the road surface on the Northern Bridge – one of several connecting... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369698/russia-strikes-kyiv-bridge-germanys-merz-visits-pledges-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369698/russia-strikes-kyiv-bridge-germanys-merz-visits-pledges-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 09:55:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Huge billboards on the walls of Tehran mocking US President Donald Trump and depicting American drones under the boot of an Iranian soldier are providing a chronicle of Iran’s war with the United States and Israel. Khaneh-ye Tarrahan, or Designers’ House, produces the billboards with anti-US messaging for prominent locations in Tehran where they are seen daily by large crowds of passers-by, including the city’s famed Valiasr Square. The team created a towering portrayal of Trump’s lips sewn and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369685/trump-burger-hormuz-meet-iranian-team-behind-billboard-war-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369685/trump-burger-hormuz-meet-iranian-team-behind-billboard-war-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Oct 2026 05:35:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Yemen’s Houthis claimed an attack on an oil facility near the Saudi capital on Saturday, where flames and smoke were seen, and accused the Gulf kingdom of striking Sanaa dozens of times. The foes have traded strikes since the Houthis seized all of Yemen’s Red Sea coast and took control of the Bab al-Mandab strait in a lightning offensive last month. Houthi-affiliated channel Al-Masirah TV reported that “Saudi enemy aircraft” hit Sanaa with 26 strikes, after earlier reporting “Saudi aggression”... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369667/flames-smoke-seen-aramco-facility-south-saudi-capital?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369667/flames-smoke-seen-aramco-facility-south-saudi-capital?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 13:57:44 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Pakistani troops are expected to take over various defensive functions for Saudi Arabia to enable the Middle East country to fight an all-out war aimed at defeating Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels. According to defence analysts, Pakistani troops are not expected to participate directly in ground offensives against the Houthis being planned by Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s squabbling government factions. Instead, their primary objective would be to free up Saudi forces to focus on what is likely to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369645/saudi-arabia-steps-war-against-yemens-houthis-pakistan-set-play-support-role?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369645/saudi-arabia-steps-war-against-yemens-houthis-pakistan-set-play-support-role?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 Oct 2026 08:00:14 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi The US has conducted a non-nuclear underground experiment to enhance its ability to detect low-yield nuclear explosions that it explicitly linked with a test that Washington suspects China carried out in 2020 – an accusation Beijing denies. The US Department of Energy announced on Wednesday that the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) conducted a “subsurface, non-nuclear chemical high-explosive” experiment at the Nevada National Security Site, which it said aimed to “increase the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369638/us-blast-simulation-targets-chinas-alleged-secret-nuclear-testing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369638/us-blast-simulation-targets-chinas-alleged-secret-nuclear-testing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 22:38:41 +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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Finland is investigating a slew of suspected break-ins at the homes of members of parliament, which the prime minister said could be linked to a foreign power. Following media reports, speaker of parliament Jussi Halla-aho on Thursday said parliament had been made aware of a “significant” number of apparent intrusions at the homes of several politicians. Finland, which shares a 1,340km (830-mile) border with Russia, has been on high alert since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in February... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369519/finland-alert-after-significant-number-break-ins-mps-homes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369519/finland-alert-after-significant-number-break-ins-mps-homes?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 04:33:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters South ‌Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Friday threatened unspecified measures against Ukraine unless Kyiv acknowledged what Seoul says was a confidentiality agreement covering the transfer of two captured North Korean soldiers and apologised. “If the refusal to acknowledge the facts and issue a public apology continues, we will take additional measures,” Lee said in a social media post. Lee also expressed “grave regret” over what he described as Ukrainian remarks about an imminent ⁠military... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369514/seoul-ups-ante-ukraine-feud-over-north-korean-pow-transfer-disclosure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369514/seoul-ups-ante-ukraine-feud-over-north-korean-pow-transfer-disclosure?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 04:06:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ethiopia and Eritrea broke diplomatic ties on Thursday, accusing each other of stoking internal conflicts as fighting continued in northern Ethiopia. Ethiopia accuses Eritrea of backing a rebel group, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which launched a major assault against government forces last week, raising fears of a return to the devastating 2020–2022 civil war that killed an estimated 600,000 people. Addis Ababa said it was expelling 10 Eritrean diplomats who “pose a direct... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3369512/ethiopia-and-eritrea-sever-diplomatic-ties-northern-fighting-escalates?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3369512/ethiopia-and-eritrea-sever-diplomatic-ties-northern-fighting-escalates?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 03:49:18 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday reiterated Moscow’s long-held position that Russia is not planning to attack European countries but will respond to aggression with “all weapons” in its arsenal. In remarks at a foreign policy forum, Putin accused the West and Europe of escalating tensions by talking about preparing for a war with Moscow in the coming years, conducting military drills in the Baltic Sea, and seizing Russian vessels. His remarks followed Moscow’s warning to Nato that it... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3369487/putin-warns-russia-will-use-all-weapons-arsenal-if-any-its-territory-attacked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3369487/putin-warns-russia-will-use-all-weapons-arsenal-if-any-its-territory-attacked?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 21:09:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump said on Thursday that Tehran was likely to be involved in an attack by a pilot on a Flydubai flight to Israel and that Iran would be “hit very hard” if it was. The co-pilot allegedly assaulted the captain before passengers managed to save the plane from crashing. Israel’s prime minister said the man had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination”. “I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes but we’re working on it right now,” Trump said when asked by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369486/trump-vows-hit-iran-very-hard-if-linked-flydubai-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369486/trump-vows-hit-iran-very-hard-if-linked-flydubai-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 20:36:02 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen A potential conflict in the Taiwan Strait could see crossfire exchanged between two mobile rocket systems: the US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (Himars), and its mainland Chinese counterpart, the PHL-16, also known as the PCL-191. Taiwan is set to receive all 29 Himars systems from its initial orders by the end of this year, with another 82 systems approved for purchase in a follow-on deal, bringing the planned total to 111. This does not include the US military’s Himars systems... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369442/why-us-himars-missile-shortfalls-raise-stakes-potential-taiwan-strait-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369442/why-us-himars-missile-shortfalls-raise-stakes-potential-taiwan-strait-conflict?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 14:00:31 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering Latin American relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China pledges to ‘firmly support’ Cuba as US escalates pressure on Havana China will stand by Cuba in defending its sovereignty and resisting outside interference, foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said as Washington stepped up its campaign to force political change in Havana. Read... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369252/china-backs-cuba-beijings-panama-threat-new-un-chief-7-latin-america-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3369252/china-backs-cuba-beijings-panama-threat-new-un-chief-7-latin-america-relations-reads?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 14:00:14 +0000 Zhou Bo Zhou Bo When the US Space Force announced on September 14 that “the US has on-orbit space control weapons capable of defending the Joint Force against hostile adversary action”, I thought of Isaac Newton’s well-known declaration that he could not calculate the madness of people. This is the first time a country has admitted to deploying weapons in space. Today, the orbits are congested and contested with many nations conducting military activities, such as surveillance and reconnaissance, early missile... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3369204/whatever-trump-claims-weaponisation-space-makes-losers-us-all?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3369204/whatever-trump-claims-weaponisation-space-makes-losers-us-all?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 12:30:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russia’s new class of jet-powered drones rip across the night sky in Kyiv at hundreds of kilometres per hour, leaving Ukrainian air-defence units only moments to intercept them. It’s rarely enough time. With many of the drones getting through to the capital, defence manufacturers are scrambling to develop a new generation of interceptors to counter the deadly threat. They are building their own jet propulsion systems and training artificial intelligence to help guide the chase. They need to move... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369434/ukraine-scrambles-russias-jet-drones-breach-kyivs-defences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369434/ukraine-scrambles-russias-jet-drones-breach-kyivs-defences?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:09:25 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russia has warned Nato it would be ready to resort to nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempted to cut off Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave that borders the Baltic Sea. In a document sent to Nato and seen by Reuters, Moscow accused the alliance of a “dangerous and reckless course” that entailed “high risks of the outbreak of a direct armed conflict”. The document ‌said this included the possibility of “Russian strikes against decision-making centres in the alliance’s member states right... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369374/russia-sends-nuclear-warning-nato-over-its-kaliningrad-enclave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369374/russia-sends-nuclear-warning-nato-over-its-kaliningrad-enclave?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 14:19:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A US-led coalition deployed in Iraq more than a decade ago to fight jihadists concluded its mission on Wednesday, a move celebrated by the country’s leaders, but which some fear will embolden pro-Iran armed factions. Coalition troops deployed to Iraq and Syria in 2014 to fight Islamic State, which had seized large swathes of territory, committing massacres and forcing thousands of women and children into slavery. The group was defeated in Iraq in 2017 and in Syria in 2019, but coalition forces... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369343/us-ends-troop-mission-iraq-baghdad-celebrate-sovereignty-day-october-1?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369343/us-ends-troop-mission-iraq-baghdad-celebrate-sovereignty-day-october-1?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:46:24 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. Recently, Iran announced seven conditions for restarting negotiations with the United States. As it did in the failed memorandum of understanding signed earlier, Iran has made ending the conflict in Lebanon the first condition. Iran is no longer treating Lebanon only as a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3369157/why-lebanon-crucial-irans-negotiations-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/letters/article/3369157/why-lebanon-crucial-irans-negotiations-us?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 30 Sep 2026 03:30:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters An Israeli air strike killed the head of Hamas’ armed wing in north Gaza on Tuesday, officials on both sides said, with the militant group describing him as a leader of the October 7, 2023 attack that precipitated war in the Palestinian enclave. Israel’s government said its military had targeted and killed Izz al-Din Al-Beik, ‌who they said was involved in planning attacks and recruiting. Hamas confirmed his death. Medics said the Israeli strike hit a building in Gaza City’s Nasr neighbourhood... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369244/israels-gaza-air-strike-kills-hamas-commander-behind-october-7-2023-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369244/israels-gaza-air-strike-kills-hamas-commander-behind-october-7-2023-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:40:45 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Estonian authorities said on Tuesday they had concluded that an arson attack in mid-August on a defence company that provides military vehicles to Ukraine was an act of sabotage commissioned by Russian security services. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said that “such actions are absolutely unacceptable” and that Russia’s charge d’affaires in Tallinn was being summoned to his ministry. A fire broke out overnight on August 15 at a building in Estonia’s capital used by Milrem Robotics, but was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369227/estonia-blames-russia-arson-attack-company-supplying-vehicles-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369227/estonia-blames-russia-arson-attack-company-supplying-vehicles-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:07:37 +0000 Reuters Reuters North Korea said on Wednesday that South Korea will pay a price for shifting the blame to Pyongyang for a mine blast ‌that seriously wounded two South Koreans at the demilitarised zone (DMZ) border and warned it will retaliate if the South opens fire on its troops. South Korea’s defence minister said on Tuesday that North Korean mines caused a blast last week and that it would take “corresponding” action. Kang Shin-chul also said North Korea likely planted mines as part of fortifying the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369200/north-korean-mines-behind-dmz-blast-injured-2-south-koreans-seoul-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369200/north-korean-mines-behind-dmz-blast-injured-2-south-koreans-seoul-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:28:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters US forces are set ⁠to pull out from their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies who now have deep influence in the country where 4,500 Americans died during more than two decades of war. Iraqi security experts say the withdrawal – agreed in 2024 under President Joe Biden and carried out by Donald Trump’s administration even as it wages war against Iran – could give Tehran and its powerful allies free rein, while also allowing other US enemies... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369168/us-forces-set-complete-withdrawal-iraq-after-2-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369168/us-forces-set-complete-withdrawal-iraq-after-2-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Sep 2026 07:03:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday boosting the size of the army by 15,500 troops in the fourth such order this year. Putin’s order comes as both Russia and Ukraine suffer mounting casualties in the more than 4½-year Ukraine war. The decree did not give a reason for the troop increase. “The authorised personnel strength of the Russian armed forces is to be set at 2,441,630 units, including 1,550,500 military personnel,” the decree said. Putin had previously signed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3369112/putin-signs-decree-adding-15500-troops-russian-army?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3369112/putin-signs-decree-adding-15500-troops-russian-army?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 19:08:28 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump’s administration was set to grant a limited waiver to its Iran sanctions programme on Monday to allow for flights carrying Shiite Muslim religious pilgrims between Iran and Iraq, a person with direct knowledge of the matter said. The source, who is involved ‌in the deliberations, said the US Treasury Department waiver would allow Iraqi Airways to fly back and forth between Iran and the Shiite holy city of Najaf in Iraq for one month, with a more permanent waiver... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369111/us-grant-sanctions-waiver-flights-between-iran-and-iraqs-najaf-source-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369111/us-grant-sanctions-waiver-flights-between-iran-and-iraqs-najaf-source-says?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 18:28:29 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Five young British men arrested on explosives and terror charges near a US-operated air force base in England were released on bail Monday, and counterterror detectives said they were investigating “multiple lines of inquiry”, including whether there is a link to Iran. The men were detained early Sunday after three vans were spotted in the countryside near RAF Fairford, a UK-owned base that has been used by American bombers during decades of conflicts in the Middle East, including this year’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369082/uk-investigates-if-arrests-near-us-run-base-prevented-iran-linked-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369082/uk-investigates-if-arrests-near-us-run-base-prevented-iran-linked-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 11:18:19 +0000 Park Chan-kyong Park Chan-kyong An escalating diplomatic row over Ukraine’s disclosure of a North Korean prisoner-of-war transfer is threatening to jeopardise South Korea’s future ties with and support for Kyiv, analysts say, even as it hands fresh ammunition to the political opposition in Seoul. South Korea’s presidential official issued a statement late on Sunday demanding an official explanation and apology for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s disclosure about the POWs at last week’s UN General Assembly. Seoul said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369055/south-koreas-pow-row-ukraine-puts-ties-and-aid-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369055/south-koreas-pow-row-ukraine-puts-ties-and-aid-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:50:03 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Tokyo on Monday rebuked Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov after he voiced opposition over the weekend to Japan’s drive for permanent membership of the UN Security Council, claiming the country was on a “path of militarisation”. Lavrov’s comments came as the security council, tasked with safeguarding peace, is facing calls for reform amid accusations it failed to prevent recent conflicts such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, due largely to the veto power of its five permanent members:... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369042/japan-denies-militarisation-after-russia-opposes-permanent-un-council-seat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3369042/japan-denies-militarisation-after-russia-opposes-permanent-un-council-seat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Sep 2026 07:40:22 +0000 Reuters Reuters South Korea’s presidential office has demanded an official explanation and apology from Ukraine, accusing Kyiv of disclosing the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war to South Korea and then falsely denying ‌that the two sides had agreed to keep the move confidential. “The presidential office expresses strong regret over Ukraine’s unilateral disclosure and its subsequent false announcement that there had not been a non-disclosure agreement,” Seong Ghi-hong, senior presidential secretary... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3368983/south-korea-demands-apology-ukraine-over-disclosure-north-korean-pow-transfer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3368983/south-korea-demands-apology-ukraine-over-disclosure-north-korean-pow-transfer?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 21:56:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russian drones set ablaze a market outside the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Sunday, killing two people, while three others died in strikes by Moscow’s forces in different regions and Kyiv itself also came under attack, ‌local officials said. Ukrainian prosecutors said the drone attack hit a market in Sofiiska Borshchahivka on the western outskirts of Kyiv, killing two people and injuring about 10. Pictures posted online showed installations and vehicles on fire, with debris strewn on the ground. In... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3368982/russian-drones-kill-2-market-outside-kyiv-3-others-different-regions-officials-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3368982/russian-drones-kill-2-market-outside-kyiv-3-others-different-regions-officials-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 21:12:11 +0000 Reuters Reuters Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ⁠visited Abu Dhabi and met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan on Sunday, a senior Israeli official told Reuters. There was no immediate comment from Netanyahu’s office and the UAE’s foreign ministry. Israeli TV channels 12 and KAN, as well as newspapers Haaretz and The Jerusalem Post, also reported that Netanyahu undertook a one-day visit to the UAE to meet Mohamed. The visit comes ‌after Haaretz this month reported that Mohamed had... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368981/israel-revokes-diplomatic-status-dutch-diplomats-ramallah?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368981/israel-revokes-diplomatic-status-dutch-diplomats-ramallah?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 20:23:45 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he expects talks with Iran to resume in the coming week, despite his rejection of a truce proposal put forward by Tehran. Iranian officials brought with them to the UN General Assembly in New York a plan for a seven-day truce followed by the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz shipping channel. Trump dismissed the plan and has mused on resuming full-scale air strikes on Iranian targets, but he told the news platform Axios that he expects negotiations... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3368980/trump-expects-new-iran-talks-despite-rejecting-deal-offer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3368980/trump-expects-new-iran-talks-despite-rejecting-deal-offer?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 19:16:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Swiss voters on Sunday roundly rejected a proposal to tighten their country’s neutrality, final results showed, dismissing an initiative championed by the hard-right and dubbed “pro-Russian” by opponents. While the Swiss widely embrace their neutrality, the initiative to enshrine a strict definition into the constitution exposed deep disagreement over what that neutrality entails. The proposal was rejected by 70.1 per cent of voters, according to the final results. “This result is not a vote... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368976/swiss-reject-tighter-neutrality-rules-referendum-backed-right-wing-populist-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368976/swiss-reject-tighter-neutrality-rules-referendum-backed-right-wing-populist-party?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 17:15:02 +0000 Reuters Reuters Afghanistan’s defence ministry said on Sunday its forces had killed 28 fighters and wounded 32 in the eastern province of Nuristan after a group it said included Islamic State militants travelled from Pakistan. The ministry alleged Pakistani militias ‌had supported the fighters and that most of them were former Afghan government security personnel. Pakistan’s information ministry rejected the allegations, describing them as “frivolous, baseless and devoid of any truth” in a post on social... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3368972/afghanistan-says-28-dead-fighters-came-pakistan-islamabad-denies-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3368972/afghanistan-says-28-dead-fighters-came-pakistan-islamabad-denies-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 14:37:53 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press UK police said that five men arrested in the early hours of Sunday near an airbase used by the United States during its war against Iran are being held on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act that appeared to involve three vehicles. London’s Metropolitan Police, which takes the lead on potential terrorist activities, said police received a call at 12.45am related to the three suspicious vehicles that appeared to be travelling towards RAF Fairford, a UK-owned base that is operated by the US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368968/uk-arrests-5-after-incident-near-airbase-used-us-bombers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368968/uk-arrests-5-after-incident-near-airbase-used-us-bombers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 14:00:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The leader of Hamas brushed aside the possibility of change from Israel’s coming election in an interview, saying he expected Israelis to campaign off Gaza’s “blood”. “Whether this or that person comes to power, or this party or another – our people have suffered at the hands of all Israeli parties,” Khalil al-Hayya told the Qatari station Al-Araby on Saturday. “We absolutely refuse to allow the blood, suffering and cause of the Palestinian people to serve as fuel for Israeli elections. What... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368926/hamas-leader-says-israel-use-blood-palestinians-fuel-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368926/hamas-leader-says-israel-use-blood-palestinians-fuel-election?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 27 Sep 2026 01:31:33 +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