https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325326/feed Latest news and updates on the country which straddles both Europe and Asia. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order that puts on hold a sweeping new sanctions package targeting the Russian economy, telling Congress the pause was in the national interest. Named after late South Carolina senator Lindsey Graham, the measure had sought to clamp down more quickly on the flow of financial resources fuelling the war against Ukraine. The move comes a week after Trump stunningly said the US had agreed to purchase diesel from Russia to try to bring down... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371222/trump-pauses-russian-sanctions-package-after-striking-diesel-deal-putin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371222/trump-pauses-russian-sanctions-package-after-striking-diesel-deal-putin?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Oct 2026 02:26:19 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The EU’s surprise deal with China on hybrid cars last week was supposed to ease the pressure on Beijing. Instead, Brussels is preparing to intensify its crackdown on Chinese trade practices, emboldened by the discovery that its threats are finally delivering results. Now, those driving trade policy for the bloc believe they have landed on a two-track formula. Intensive dialogue is seen to have yielded results and will continue. But so too will the European Union’s efforts to counter what they... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370954/emboldened-hybrid-car-deal-europe-coalesces-around-tougher-china-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370954/emboldened-hybrid-car-deal-europe-coalesces-around-tougher-china-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Oct 2026 04:46:28 +0000 Simon Dietz,Elliott Harris Simon Dietz,Elliott Harris Indonesia continues to battle some of its worst wildfires in years, spreading toxic haze to Malaysia and Singapore. Floods have devastated communities in Thailand, India and Nepal. Kathmandu is also seeking climate justice after a catastrophic collapse of rock and glacier ice near its border with China. Another environmental tragedy unfolds without such dramatic images. Across the world, millions of lives are lost each year to polluted air. Many more people live with debilitating illnesses that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370530/smart-economics-tackle-climate-change-and-air-pollution-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370530/smart-economics-tackle-climate-change-and-air-pollution-together?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Oct 2026 21:30:05 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick A planned US$844 million port in southern Peru has drawn interest from several foreign investors, including Chinese companies, a regional governor said on Monday, as the government began promoting the project abroad. “Several companies have approached us. We have investors from the US, China and India who are very interested,” Rohel Sanchez, the governor of Arequipa, told reporters after signing an agreement with the state investment agency Proinversion. He said firms from Turkey and the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3370786/peru-governor-touts-chinese-interest-deep-water-port-pitched-chancay-alternative?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3370786/peru-governor-touts-chinese-interest-deep-water-port-pitched-chancay-alternative?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Oct 2026 20:10:35 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Chinese-Pakistani fighter jets and a China-made air-defence system reportedly deployed to Saudi Arabia could be brought into action following Pakistan’s renewed pledge to defend the kingdom after deadly Houthi attacks on Riyadh. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that Islamabad would cooperate with Riyadh “in every possible way” under their defence agreements, after Houthi strikes on the Saudi capital’s main airport the previous day killed at least 13 people and wounded... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370713/could-pakistans-chinese-made-weapons-help-protect-saudi-arabia-houthi-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3370713/could-pakistans-chinese-made-weapons-help-protect-saudi-arabia-houthi-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Oct 2026 13:00:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Drones struck two ships in the Black Sea off Bulgaria on Tuesday, sinking one and prompting emergency rescue operations, Prime Minister Rumen Radev said. The Guinea-Bissau-flagged cargo ship Dignity sank after it was hit by a military strike. Five sailors were rescued, while a search for the other 11 crew members continued, Varna district governor Mario Smrkov said. Rescuers evacuated all 15 crew members from one ship, the Maltese-flagged Chelsea 3, with five receiving treatment for minor... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370741/bulgaria-seeks-nato-support-after-black-sea-drone-strikes-hit-merchant-ships-sinking-1?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370741/bulgaria-seeks-nato-support-after-black-sea-drone-strikes-hit-merchant-ships-sinking-1?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Oct 2026 09:57:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Eleven people were killed and 27 injured in western Turkey on Sunday when a coach turned over after colliding with a truck, authorities said. The coach crashed near the entry to a motorway between the city of Bursa and the seaside city of Izmir, the governor’s office of the local Manisa district said on social media, stating the death toll. Emergency services rushed to the scene, Turkey’s Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci said. “We are closely following the situation, in coordination with all the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370511/11-dead-27-injured-after-coach-crashes-lorry-western-turkey-officials-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370511/11-dead-27-injured-after-coach-crashes-lorry-western-turkey-officials-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 16:54:09 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo While Israel denounces the Nobel committee’s award of the Peace Prize to former UN human rights chief and South African judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay, the United States decides to sanction the entire International Criminal Court. Rarely has a single day shown so starkly where the international order is breaking down. On Friday, the Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded its Peace Prize to Pillay “for her efforts to promote peace and international law”. Within hours, Israel compared her to Joseph... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370471/us-and-israel-have-gone-full-rogue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370471/us-and-israel-have-gone-full-rogue?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Oct 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Sherry Wang Sherry Wang Most G20 members, including the European Union, signed a US-led joint statement calling for action to eliminate industrial overcapacity, a move experts say reflects a coordinated effort by Washington and Brussels to assemble a “multilateral coalition” to pressure Beijing amid growing trade imbalances. In the statement, issued by the Office of the United States Trade Representative on Wednesday, the US and 14 other economies agreed to “take effective actions” to address structural excess capacity... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3370184/washington-brussels-forge-multilateral-coalition-against-chinas-industrial-surge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/policy/article/3370184/washington-brussels-forge-multilateral-coalition-against-chinas-industrial-surge?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Iran and Saudi Arabia are edging dangerously closer to direct conflict, analysts warn, after Riyadh resumed major air strikes on Yemen’s Tehran-allied Houthi rebels this week, ending a four-year lull. More than 100 Saudi warplanes bombed rebel positions on Monday, enabling Yemeni government forces to retake much of the Red Sea coastal territory the Houthis seized last month. The Houthis had been aided by embedded Iranian military advisers. Analysts expect the Houthis to retaliate by intensifying... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369933/saudi-iran-war-risk-grows-riyadh-resumes-yemen-bombing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3369933/saudi-iran-war-risk-grows-riyadh-resumes-yemen-bombing?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2026 11:30:06 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Turkmenistan has added the FK-2000 missile-and-gun system to its growing arsenal of Chinese-made air defences, highlighting Beijing’s expanding role in the Central Asian weapons market once dominated by Russia. At least 10 FK-2000 vehicles – along with an array of other Chinese-made military equipment – could be seen in footage of Turkmenistan’s Independence Day parade in Ashgabat on September 27. Developed by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the FK-2000 is a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369869/turkmenistan-grows-its-arsenal-chinese-air-defences-russias-role-shrinks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369869/turkmenistan-grows-its-arsenal-chinese-air-defences-russias-role-shrinks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Oct 2026 05:00:08 +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 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 Simpson Cheung Simpson Cheung Companies from the United States, Britain and Singapore have been among the leading sources of inbound foreign capital in Hong Kong so far this year, the city’s commerce minister has said, insisting that “money is money” despite geopolitical instability. In an exclusive, wide-ranging interview with the South China Morning Post, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah described 2026 as a very challenging year because of the geopolitical situation. Nevertheless, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3369494/money-money-us-uk-firms-still-coming-hong-kong-commerce-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3369494/money-money-us-uk-firms-still-coming-hong-kong-commerce-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Oct 2026 01:30:14 +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 A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden vehicle at a roadside police checkpoint in northwestern Pakistan on Saturday, killing at least 11 people and wounding about 30 others, officials said, in a sign of increasing violence in the region bordering Afghanistan. The attack occurred in Dera Ismail Khan, a district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, said Bilal Faizi, a spokesman for the provincial emergency service. Local police chief Safdar Baloch said most of those killed and wounded were... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3368910/suicide-bombing-police-checkpoint-pakistan-kills-least-11?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3368910/suicide-bombing-police-checkpoint-pakistan-kills-least-11?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 13:18:29 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Just a month after Saudi Arabia signed a regional mutual defence deal with Pakistan and Turkey, attacks by Yemen’s Houthis against the kingdom’s energy infrastructure and military sites are testing the pact’s limits. At a hastily convened meeting of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement in Riyadh on Friday, military chiefs of the three parties reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence, according to the Saudi Press Agency. The agency said the talks focused on “intelligence cooperation,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368857/houthi-attacks-saudi-arabia-test-limits-mecca-regional-security-pact?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368857/houthi-attacks-saudi-arabia-test-limits-mecca-regional-security-pact?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain For over two decades, Pakistan has waged countless counterterrorism campaigns against Taliban and Baloch insurgents in its western regions bordering Afghanistan and Iran, yet remains mired in a cycle of violence it cannot break. Scores of soldiers, policemen and civilians are killed every month in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan provinces, where near-daily attacks on security personnel, government officials and other prominent figures are carried out by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3368825/why-pakistans-endless-war-militants-fails-break-cycle?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3368825/why-pakistans-endless-war-militants-fails-break-cycle?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Sep 2026 05:00:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Turkey will hand over control of its base in Bashiqa in northern Iraq to Baghdad, the Turkish presidency announced on Wednesday in a joint statement with its neighbour. “In light of progress achieved by these security measures implemented by Iraq, Turkish forces will gradually hand over the Bashiqa-Zilkan base to the Federal Government of Iraq in accordance with the agreed mechanism and timetable,” a joint statement said. The announcement followed a meeting Wednesday between Turkish President... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368571/turkey-hand-over-military-base-iraq?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3368571/turkey-hand-over-military-base-iraq?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 22:59:22 +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 Wency Chen Wency Chen Alibaba Cloud, Alibaba Group Holding’s cloud business unit, is set to launch data centres in Turkey, Finland and the Netherlands over the next 12 months, speeding up an overseas push as it seeks to win enterprise customers through its “full stack AI capabilities” spanning chips, cloud infrastructure and multimodal models. The first of these new data centres will open in the Netherlands in October. The cloud unit will also add to existing data centre capacity in Malaysia, Germany, the United Arab... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3368454/alibaba-cloud-set-open-new-data-centres-europe-next-year-overseas-push-speeds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/big-tech/article/3368454/alibaba-cloud-set-open-new-data-centres-europe-next-year-overseas-push-speeds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Sep 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A teenager opened fire outside a secondary school in western Turkey on Tuesday, wounding 11 pupils, before being detained in the country’s third such shooting in six months, officials said. Three of the victims were in serious condition following the attack outside a school in Turgutlu near the western city of Izmir. “The treatment of 10 minors is ongoing, including three of whom are in intensive care,” Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci told a press conference in the nearby town of Manisa, saying... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3368398/turkey-student-arrested-after-11-injured-shotgun-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3368398/turkey-student-arrested-after-11-injured-shotgun-shooting?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:18:51 +0000 Alexey D Muraviev Alexey D Muraviev Over the past two weeks, Russia’s President Vladimir Putin staged a major diplomatic blitz. Across three events in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East and New Delhi, India, as well as a state visit by Vietnam’s leader, he met some 18 heads of state. Among them were the leaders of heavyweights of the Global South such as China, India, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia and Turkey, just to name a few. The Ukraine war certainly featured in these conversations. Russia has recently ramped up... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3368037/why-global-south-keeps-its-doors-wide-open-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3368037/why-global-south-keeps-its-doors-wide-open-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Sep 2026 04:00:05 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Saudi Arabia faces a “humiliating dilemma” after the United States refused to militarily intervene to prevent the Iran-aligned Houthi militia from tightening its blockade of the kingdom’s key backup maritime trade route with Asia, according to analysts. US President Donald Trump on September 12 dismissed the Houthi seizure of Yemen’s entire Red Sea coast as a problem that “only affects one country”. Iran has already blockaded the Straits of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia’s main oil and petrochemicals... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367944/saudi-scrambles-solve-humiliating-dilemma-after-us-rejects-red-sea-intervention?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367944/saudi-scrambles-solve-humiliating-dilemma-after-us-rejects-red-sea-intervention?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Sep 2026 05:00:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United States has approved a US$24.3 billion sale of 48 F-35 stealth warplanes to Saudi Arabia, the State Department said Thursday, the kingdom’s latest major arms purchase since the start of the Iran war. Saudi Arabia has long sought to buy F-35s, but officials from Israel – currently the only country in the Middle East to operate the jets – have voiced concern about their sale to Riyadh despite a push for the kingdom to normalise relations. “The proposed sale will improve Saudi Arabia’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367912/us-approves-sale-48-f-35-jets-saudi-arabia-despite-israeli-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367912/us-approves-sale-48-f-35-jets-saudi-arabia-despite-israeli-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 21:06:14 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Among the world’s most connected airports, Guangzhou’s hub has posted the fastest rise through the latest rankings, according to an annual list compiled by aviation data firm OAG. And overall, Chinese hubs stood out as carriers expanded their international networks with added flights. Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport in southern China jumped to 19th place, from 36th last year, in OAG’s Megahubs 2026 report, released on Wednesday. An OAG spokeswoman called its jump the biggest of any... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367718/china-airports-climb-global-connectivity-ranking-international-routes-rise-oag-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3367718/china-airports-climb-global-connectivity-ranking-international-routes-rise-oag-report?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:00:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Saudi Arabia is running low on missile interceptors and has turned to regional and Western allies for help as its stand-off with Houthi rebels in Yemen drags on, two regional officials said on Wednesday. The officials said the Saudis have asked France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt to deploy air-defence support to the region to help defend against missiles and drones fired by Houthis and other Iran-backed groups. The outreach was initiated because Saudi Arabia’s main ally and arms supplier, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367777/saudis-seek-allies-help-missile-defences-run-low-fight-houthis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3367777/saudis-seek-allies-help-missile-defences-run-low-fight-houthis?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Sep 2026 19:55:51 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain The Middle East stands on the precipice of a new nuclear age, with Saudi Arabia set to acquire American uranium enrichment technology and Turkey eager to follow suit, as Iran weighs withdrawal from the treaty that bars it from making atomic bombs. Momentum is building: last week, the United States and Israel both threatened further air strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, accusing Tehran of attempting to resurrect its nuclear programme. The country’s three main complexes were buried deep... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367595/doing-north-korea-why-middle-east-could-be-entering-new-nuclear-age?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367595/doing-north-korea-why-middle-east-could-be-entering-new-nuclear-age?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Sep 2026 10:00:14 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Turkey has unveiled plans to more than triple its defence spending over the next three years, driven by regional conflicts and a desire for a greater security footprint across Europe and the Middle East. Rather than ramping up its purchases from Western allies, Nato’s second-largest military power will direct most of its 229 per cent budget increase between 2027 and 2029 towards expanding domestic production. Announcing the plan on Sunday, Vice-President Cevdet Yilmaz said the aim was to ensure... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367191/surrounded-war-turkey-more-triples-defence-spending?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3367191/surrounded-war-turkey-more-triples-defence-spending?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:00:10 +0000 Rizwan Basir Rizwan Basir Every climate summit now runs on the same illusion: the next pledge will be the one that finally saves us. It will not. The money the rich world has promised the poor world is not coming at anything like the scale advertised, and pretending otherwise has become the main business of climate diplomacy. Barely nine weeks before the UN climate summit Cop31 opens in Antalya, Turkey, the honest task is not a bigger pledge. It is to make the finance that already exists reach the people drowning in the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3366917/cop31-forget-climate-pledges-countries-nepal-need-actual-cash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3366917/cop31-forget-climate-pledges-countries-nepal-need-actual-cash?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 10 Sep 2026 08:30:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US on Tuesday issued 36 ⁠fresh Iran-related sanctions targeting Iran’s aviation sector and other companies as part of a broad push to escalate economic pressure on Tehran as the war in the Middle East entered a seventh month. The US Treasury Department said the action was aimed at grounding Iran’s Mahan Air, already sanctioned by the US and the European Union, and all other Iranian airlines. The sanctions also ‌took aim at covert front companies, foreign intermediaries and deceptive... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3366828/us-targets-irans-airlines-sweeping-new-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3366828/us-targets-irans-airlines-sweeping-new-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:08:12 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi Seong Hyeon Choi Pakistan has unveiled a newly acquired Chinese-made short-range air defence system that analysts say could boost its ability to counter Indian drones and low-altitude threats in a future conflict. A social media video posted by the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Sunday confirmed for the first time that it was operating the HQ-17AE short-range air defence (Shorad) system. The HQ-17AE is an export version of China’s HQ-17A air defence system – a wheeled variant of the original HQ-17 that was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3366797/chinas-hq-17ae-shorad-system-boost-pakistani-drone-defence-india-tensions-simmer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3366797/chinas-hq-17ae-shorad-system-boost-pakistani-drone-defence-india-tensions-simmer?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Sep 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan’s Mogami-class warship is turning out to be a hot item among global navies. Australia is buying 11, New Zealand is considering putting in an order – and now, even the United States is showing interest. According to a US Naval Institute report published on Tuesday, government and naval planners are looking at three possibilities: Japan’s Mogami-class frigates, South Korea’s Chungnam guided-missile frigate and Turkey’s Istanbul-class warship. This is the first time since World War II that a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3366257/us-wants-foreign-warships-its-navy-japan-hoping-be-picked?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3366257/us-wants-foreign-warships-its-navy-japan-hoping-be-picked?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 04 Sep 2026 02:30:05 +0000 Liu Zhen Liu Zhen Washington is considering using Japanese, South Korean or Turkish frigate designs to expand the country’s naval fleet as the American shipbuilding industry struggles to meet demand, according to US media reports. The move comes after President Donald Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum on August 13 calling for the use of foreign shipbuilding capacity and investment. However, the plan is likely to face strong opposition in Congress. Potential contenders for the US Navy’s new... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3366232/us-looks-warship-designs-japan-south-korea-and-turkey-reports-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3366232/us-looks-warship-designs-japan-south-korea-and-turkey-reports-say?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 10:00:12 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Bangladesh’s potential entry into a defence pact with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan could give Dhaka fresh leverage in its dealings with India, but observers warn the move risks fracturing its long-standing strategic neutrality and alarming a hawkish New Delhi. Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman told parliament on August 27 that Bangladesh was considering joining the Mecca pact, a security framework signed last month. Earlier reports citing unnamed sources said the invitation originated from... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3366241/india-bangladeshs-talk-joining-islamic-nato-raises-red-flags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3366241/india-bangladeshs-talk-joining-islamic-nato-raises-red-flags?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Sep 2026 09:27:42 +0000 Adriel Kasonta Adriel Kasonta The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) was born 25 years ago as a modest mechanism for managing borders between China, Russia and four Central Asian states. At its anniversary summit in Bishkek this week, it looks more consequential – and harder for the United States to dismiss. The timing is important. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine remains unresolved, while the war between Iran and the US has turned the Persian Gulf into another theatre of strategic competition, with energy markets again... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3366054/how-sco-chips-away-us-power-without-alliance-system?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3366054/how-sco-chips-away-us-power-without-alliance-system?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Sep 2026 08:30:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Prime Minister Andy Burnham faced lawmakers in the House of Commons on Tuesday for the first time since becoming UK leader six weeks ago, with wars in Europe and the Middle East weighing on his promise to kick-start the economy, ease the cost of living and oversee a radical redistribution of power from London to Britain’s regions. On the day parliament returned from its summer break, Burnham said he would “unlock a feeling of positivity and possibility in every postcode in Britain”. “We can make... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366034/uks-burnham-pledges-restore-hope-he-makes-house-commons-debut-pm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366034/uks-burnham-pledges-restore-hope-he-makes-house-commons-debut-pm?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Sep 2026 20:40:09 +0000 Albert Bakhtizin Albert Bakhtizin In interstate rivalry, countries have many instruments at their disposal, from military conflict to coercive monetary and financial measures. What happens when rival powers have comparable strength, anticipate pressure through financial institutions and take pre-emptive steps to limit its effects, yet the confrontation continues? The struggle then shifts towards trade and sanctions, including attempts to block or control critical chokepoints in the global economy. The first type of chokepoint... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3365316/move-over-strait-hormuz-innovation-chokepoints-are-ones-watch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3365316/move-over-strait-hormuz-innovation-chokepoints-are-ones-watch?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A passenger ferry capsized and sank off Northern Cyprus Sunday, killing at least eight people and leaving more than a dozen missing, officials and media reports said, as police took the captain and seven crew members into custody. Several rescued passengers told local media a blast had gone off at the bow of the ferry before it rolled over, and said the boat had an insufficient supply of life-vests. The vessel capsized 6.5km (4 miles) off the coast of Cyprus, shortly after leaving a Northern... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365774/least-8-dead-22-missing-ferry-capsizes-northern-cyprus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365774/least-8-dead-22-missing-ferry-capsizes-northern-cyprus?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Aug 2026 16:43:28 +0000 Laura Zhou,Fan Chen Laura Zhou,Fan Chen Gulf states are making a strategic pivot as the war in Iran drags on into its sixth month, but observers warn that their shift towards self-reliant defence networks could test China’s “involvement without commitment” strategy in the region. The war has forced Gulf leaders to face the reality that neither the United States nor China is able to protect them from attacks by Iran. On Wednesday, the Iranian army warned that any “possible future war” with the United States could spread across the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365708/chinas-middle-east-policy-crossroads-6-months-us-israeli-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3365708/chinas-middle-east-policy-crossroads-6-months-us-israeli-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Aug 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US Secret ⁠Service is aware ⁠of a video ⁠broadcast by Iranian state television discussing a potential plot to assassinate US President Donald Trump’s youngest son, a spokesman said on ‌Tuesday. “The US Secret Service is aware of the video and investigates anything that can be perceived as a threat toward our protectees. “Out of concern for operational security, we ⁠do not discuss matters of protective intelligence,” Secret Service spokesman Nate Herring wrote in an email. A three-minute... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3365254/us-secret-service-aware-iranian-video-threat-assassinate-barron-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3365254/us-secret-service-aware-iranian-video-threat-assassinate-barron-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:24:32 +0000 Zhou Bo Zhou Bo The Mecca security pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan stipulates that an armed attack against one shall count as an attack against all three. Yet the real message is directed at the United States: if being an American ally offers no immunity against attack, there is little point in waiting for Washington to honour its security guarantees. That there has been no official White House statement casts some doubt on whether Donald Trump is really “very happy to see that Saudi Arabia,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3364690/could-mecca-defence-pact-be-first-step-new-middle-east-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3364690/could-mecca-defence-pact-be-first-step-new-middle-east-order?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Israel’s escalating campaign to stop Syria rebuilding its military with Turkish help looks set to backfire, after Damascus signalled it was considering joining the new mutual-defence pact formed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Securing a Washington-mediated security deal with Israel was still Damascus’ top priority, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani reportedly told Roman Gofman, the head of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency, at a meeting in Amman on Sunday. Such a deal would see... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3365172/israels-strikes-push-syria-towards-mecca-defence-pact-membership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3365172/israels-strikes-push-syria-towards-mecca-defence-pact-membership?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Aug 2026 08:00:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United States on Monday removed Syria from its list of state sponsors of terrorism, rescinding a decades-old designation that came with severe economic restrictions and marking another step in warming ties between the countries. The US Department of State also revoked its designation of al-Nusra Front – latterly known as Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) – as a global terrorist organisation. The Treasury Department announced corresponding sanctions relief. Rebels led by HTS overthrew long-time... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3365113/us-removes-syria-state-sponsor-terrorism-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3365113/us-removes-syria-state-sponsor-terrorism-list?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Aug 2026 19:50:56 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Syria said it held talks with Israel in Jordan on Sunday on de-escalation after recent Israeli strikes, and on keeping the country out of tensions between Israel and Turkey, an ally of Damascus. The high-level negotiations came after the sides in January agreed to establish an intelligence-sharing mechanism as they edge towards a security agreement. They also came after Israel bombed the disused Abu Al-Duhur airbase in the country’s northwest earlier in the week, claiming it wanted to avert... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3364997/syria-holds-talks-israel-addressing-de-escalation-and-israel-turkey-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3364997/syria-holds-talks-israel-addressing-de-escalation-and-israel-turkey-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:04:18 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US special envoy to Syria and ambassador to Turkey on Sunday walked back his comments from two days ago that Israel “still” occupies the Golan Heights in violation of UN resolutions, remarks that went against US President Donald Trump’s position on the disputed territory. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria in the 1967 Middle East war and annexed it in 1981. The United Nations and most of the international community consider the territory occupied Syrian land and does not recognise... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3364993/us-envoy-walks-back-his-comments-golan-heights-contradicted-trumps-position?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3364993/us-envoy-walks-back-his-comments-golan-heights-contradicted-trumps-position?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Aug 2026 19:44:53 +0000 Reuters Reuters Israel said it targeted a “terrorist” ⁠in southern Syria ⁠on Saturday in ⁠what Syria’s foreign ministry said was a drone strike on a civilian vehicle on the outskirts of Damascus in a “blatant” violation of its ‌territory. The Syrian foreign ministry said the drone had hit a vehicle on a road near Beit Jinn village in the countryside west of the capital, which caused injuries among civilians. Syrian state television ⁠reported one person was injured. The Israeli military said in ‌a statement that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3364943/israel-targets-terrorist-southern-syria-damascus-condemns-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3364943/israel-targets-terrorist-southern-syria-damascus-condemns-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Aug 2026 19:31:47 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Fears of a military confrontation between Israel and Turkey are growing after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sought to assert dominance over Syria by ordering air strikes on a military airfield near the Turkish border. The eight strikes on the Abu Al-Duhur airbase in northwest Idlib province on Tuesday were characterised by Netanyahu as a warning to Turkey against expanding its military presence in Syria or helping rebuild the Syrian armed forces. Netanyahu’s office claimed Israel and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3364901/israel-turkey-tensions-rise-after-netanyahu-orders-strikes-syrian-airbase?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3364901/israel-turkey-tensions-rise-after-netanyahu-orders-strikes-syrian-airbase?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Aug 2026 10:00:10 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon Donald Trump’s recent departure from Turkey was far more elaborate than it appeared. After attending a Nato summit in Ankara in July, the US president was publicly seen boarding Air Force One for the flight to Britain. This was, in fact, a decoy. Trump was secretly transferred from the aircraft and taken across the tarmac in a catering truck to a smaller Air Force C-32A military jet. The operation was prompted by intelligence indicating a credible Iranian threat to assassinate him, amid the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3364558/trump-chinas-first-emperor-survived-various-assassination-attempts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3364558/trump-chinas-first-emperor-survived-various-assassination-attempts?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:15:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Turkey has sought an international arrest warrant for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing him of “genocide” linked to Israel’s interception of a Gaza-bound aid flotilla, the justice minister announced Friday. Turkey has become a virulent critic of Israel’s war in Gaza. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has frequently accused Netanyahu of “genocide”. Israel’s interception of the flotilla carrying some 430 activists in May sparked an international outcry. France, Italy and Australia... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3364892/turkey-issues-genocide-warrant-israels-netanyahu-over-gaza-flotilla?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3364892/turkey-issues-genocide-warrant-israels-netanyahu-over-gaza-flotilla?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Aug 2026 17:58:27 +0000