https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325736/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 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran and its allies might try to disrupt Tuesday’s Israeli elections, warning the Islamic republic against any hostile acts. The remarks came as Israel’s Channel 12 reported, citing unnamed sources, that there had been a confrontation between Netanyahu and army chief Eyal Zamir over an unspecified new directive in the war with Iran, which the prime minister denied. Netanyahu has campaigned heavily on his security credentials, touting the war he... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372091/netanyahu-warns-iran-may-try-disrupt-election-says-dont-test-us https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372091/netanyahu-warns-iran-may-try-disrupt-election-says-dont-test-us Sun, 25 Oct 2026 17:29:00 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israel said on Sunday all land crossings with the West Bank will be closed on the day of next week’s election, as it pledged a harder line on militancy after Palestinian gunmen killed two soldiers in the territory. The announcement came a day after Israeli forces pushed into the occupied West Bank city of Hebron and displaced around 2,000 residents, with Defence Minister Israel Katz saying, “they will not be allowed to return … until we’ve finished dealing with all the Hamas issues in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372058/israel-widens-west-bank-crackdown-displacing-hebron-families-after-attack https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372058/israel-widens-west-bank-crackdown-displacing-hebron-families-after-attack Sun, 25 Oct 2026 06:23:07 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Before the outbreak of the war triggered by the US-Israeli attack on Iran in February, the Gulf monarchies were living the prosperity dream that was the envy of the world. Their hydrocarbon-fuelled economies were glitzy oases of growth, inoculated from the conflict in Gaza that had rocked other parts of the Middle East for several years. Underpinned by decades-old US security guarantees and conflict mediation by billionaire sheikhs, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar cultivated... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371922/gulf-economies-accelerate-diversification-recession-looms-over-iran-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3371922/gulf-economies-accelerate-diversification-recession-looms-over-iran-war Sun, 25 Oct 2026 04:00:10 +0000 Eve Qiao Eve Qiao Young Chinese people enjoy Japanese pop culture such as anime and music, but many draw a firm line at symbols of Japanese militarism. That line was tested recently at Moscow State University, where Chinese students confronted a classmate wearing Japan’s rising sun flag in class and called for his repatriation, state-run newspaper Global Times reported on Sunday. Many countries, including China, view the flag as a symbol of Japanese militarism and aggression. Japan’s Self-Defence Forces still use... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372036/fandom-vs-flag-why-young-chinese-embrace-japanese-pop-culture-reject-war-era-symbols https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372036/fandom-vs-flag-why-young-chinese-embrace-japanese-pop-culture-reject-war-era-symbols Sun, 25 Oct 2026 02:00:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israel’s military launched an operation in the occupied West Bank on Friday it said would last several days and include searches and building demolitions, after gunmen killed two soldiers days ahead of Israeli elections featuring security as a key focus. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is locked in a tight race to keep his job in Tuesday’s vote, having campaigned on promises to keep Israelis safe, and he and his right-wing allies visited the scene of the attack to pledge an even harder line on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372010/israel-launches-major-operation-west-bank-after-soldiers-killed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3372010/israel-launches-major-operation-west-bank-after-soldiers-killed Sat, 24 Oct 2026 07:00:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Days ahead of close-fought Israeli elections, campaigns have gone into overdrive with poor-taste jibes and inflammatory attacks against candidates, sometimes crossing red lines. Fuelled in part by a boom in AI-generated images flooding social media, candidates and activists are seeking to portray their opponents as weak, untrustworthy or damaging for the country as they play on stereotypes and fears to sway public opinion. The electioneering has at times turned personal, with some candidates who... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371998/israeli-election-campaign-turns-ugly-jibes-attacks-against-candidates https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371998/israeli-election-campaign-turns-ugly-jibes-attacks-against-candidates Sat, 24 Oct 2026 04:30:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened a military operation in the occupied West Bank on a scale unseen in decades after Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers on Friday in an attack near Hebron days before the national election. A first step would see residents displaced, homes searched and “terrorist infrastructure” destroyed, said Netanyahu, who is in the midst of a tight race for a new term in Tuesday’s vote. Militant group Hamas, without claiming responsibility, praised the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371912/netanyahu-orders-west-bank-closure-after-deadly-checkpoint-shoot-out https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371912/netanyahu-orders-west-bank-closure-after-deadly-checkpoint-shoot-out Fri, 23 Oct 2026 08:29:22 +0000 Reuters Reuters US ⁠President Donald Trump determined ⁠on Thursday that petroleum ⁠production, refining and related activities are essential to national defence, a move that could open up US funding for fossil fuel projects. In a presidential memo, Trump also invoked part of ‌the Cold War-era Defence Production Act, allowing him to provide financial incentives for oil-related activities, pipelines and storage of liquid fuels. Prices for crude oil and diesel have surged since the US and Israel attacked Iran in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371836/trump-invokes-cold-war-era-defence-production-act-boost-oil-production-and-refining https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371836/trump-invokes-cold-war-era-defence-production-act-boost-oil-production-and-refining Thu, 22 Oct 2026 22:21:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Facing US sanctions, the International Criminal Court was on Thursday awarded the European Union’s top rights prize, in a show of support that risks upsetting President Donald Trump. “The European Union is built on respect for multilateralism and international institutions, and this prize recognises the important work of the court in upholding international law and justice,” said European Parliament chief Roberta Metsola in announcing the award. The ICC thanked the European Parliament for giving... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371801/eu-gives-top-human-rights-award-icc-amid-trump-sanctions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371801/eu-gives-top-human-rights-award-icc-amid-trump-sanctions Thu, 22 Oct 2026 10:37:56 +0000 Reuters Reuters The US State Department has ordered some diplomats and family members to depart ‌from its missions in Saudi Arabia and plans to withdraw family members from a number of other US missions in the region, US officials said. The order came as attacks in Saudi Arabia killed at least one person and injured eight others at a civilian airport in Dammam, and two people were killed in a drone attack on an oilfield. US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a post on social media ⁠that the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371698/us-orders-diplomats-leave-saudi-arabia-amid-houthi-strikes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371698/us-orders-diplomats-leave-saudi-arabia-amid-houthi-strikes Wed, 21 Oct 2026 23:48:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday criticised world leaders for making “stupid” comments about the rioting on the sidelines of protests in France, in an apparent swipe at US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Macron said the leaders were taking aim at France in the context of coming elections in their countries and added that they had been influenced by fake videos generated by artificial intelligence about the riots. Some of the worst urban violence to hit... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371667/macron-takes-veiled-shot-trump-netanyahu-over-stupid-france-riot-remarks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371667/macron-takes-veiled-shot-trump-netanyahu-over-stupid-france-riot-remarks Wed, 21 Oct 2026 11:45:43 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan All civil servants in Malaysia have been banned from using Waze, following a warning by Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim of security concerns over the Israeli government’s control of the mobile navigation app. The government announced the decision after a National Cyber Security Committee (NCSC) meeting chaired by Anwar on Tuesday, according to an official circular. “In this regard, all ministry secretaries-general and heads of department must make sure this decision is communicated to all officers... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371631/malaysia-bars-civil-servants-using-waze-citing-israels-control-app https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371631/malaysia-bars-civil-servants-using-waze-citing-israels-control-app Wed, 21 Oct 2026 07:53:33 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Hong Kong’s retirement system remains one of Asia’s stronger performers this year, ranking second and trailing only Singapore. The two remain clear regional leaders, ahead of Malaysia, mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, according to a report. The city retained its B grade, with its score edging up from 70.6 to 71.2, ranking 16th globally out of 55 systems, according to the annual Marsh CFA Institute Global Pension report by Marsh, a New York-based global professional services firm,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3371439/hong-kong-ranks-2nd-asian-pension-systems-behind-singapore-ageing-tests-retirement https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3371439/hong-kong-ranks-2nd-asian-pension-systems-behind-singapore-ageing-tests-retirement Tue, 20 Oct 2026 04:01:04 +0000 Reuters Reuters Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil on Monday asked the US Supreme Court to overturn a ruling that opened the door for US President Donald Trump’s administration to rearrest and deport the Palestinian activist. Khalil’s lawyers asked the justices to take up his case after the Philadelphia-based 3rd US Circuit ‌Court of Appeals ruled that federal immigration law barred a lower-court judge from ordering his release from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody. Khalil was among... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371429/palestinian-activist-mahmoud-khalil-asks-us-supreme-court-review-deportation-case https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371429/palestinian-activist-mahmoud-khalil-asks-us-supreme-court-review-deportation-case Mon, 19 Oct 2026 20:52:34 +0000 Cliff Buddle Cliff Buddle Irish writer Sally Rooney is a publishing sensation, often described as the “voice of a generation” and the first great millennial novelist. More than six million copies of her books have been sold globally since her debut novel in 2017. But now, these beautifully written literary bestsellers, with their youthful exploration of romance and relationships, class and technology, are being withdrawn from sale in the United Kingdom. The generation of royalties for Rooney from the book sales, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371199/palestine-action-sally-rooneys-books-and-absurd-fallout-uk-ban https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3371199/palestine-action-sally-rooneys-books-and-absurd-fallout-uk-ban Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters A bomb threat forced an Austrian Airlines flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna to divert to Sofia late on Sunday, but searches found no danger and the aircraft was cleared to resume its journey overnight, the airline and Bulgaria’s BTA news agency said. BTA reported that the crew declared an emergency as the aircraft approached the Romanian border, prompting the Bulgarian Air Force to scramble MiG-29 fighter jets. Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the threat was called in by an Austrian national... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371337/bomb-threat-forces-austrian-airlines-flight-tel-aviv-divert-bulgaria https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371337/bomb-threat-forces-austrian-airlines-flight-tel-aviv-divert-bulgaria Mon, 19 Oct 2026 02:12:37 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump on Sunday endorsed his ally Benjamin Netanyahu as the long-time Israeli prime minister struggles for an edge in next week’s parliamentary election. Trump praised Netanyahu as a “great warrior prime minister” and peace partner, crediting him with joining the United States in launching strikes on Iran in February. The conflict, in its seventh month, has disrupted energy markets globally and wreaked havoc across the Middle East, damaging critical infrastructure and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371326/trump-endorses-ally-netanyahu-israeli-election-praising-great-warrior-prime-minister https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371326/trump-endorses-ally-netanyahu-israeli-election-praising-great-warrior-prime-minister Sun, 18 Oct 2026 17:04:13 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings A Chinese construction company has reached an agreement to work on tunnel projects in the tiny Middle Eastern nation of Qatar, as China’s global infrastructure push continues to gain momentum after recent railway deals in Southeast Asia and Latin America. The state-owned China Railway Tunnel Group has signed a memorandum of understanding with a subsidiary of the Qatari conglomerate Aamal Co, according to a statement released by the Doha-based company on Tuesday. The two firms had forged a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371195/risky-business-chinese-firm-agrees-build-rail-tunnels-qatar-amid-iran-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3371195/risky-business-chinese-firm-agrees-build-rail-tunnels-qatar-amid-iran-war Sun, 18 Oct 2026 09:00:11 +0000 Reuters Reuters From US threats to cut off intelligence support for Ukraine to a waiver of tariffs on Russian ⁠exports and a diesel deal that could help Russia fund its war, it has been a damaging week for ties between Kyiv and its most important ally, Washington. US President Donald Trump, frustrated by high energy costs he blames partly on Ukrainian strikes on Russian refineries, has repeatedly criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. A disruption of US-provided satellite internet services raised... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3371280/us-russia-deal-trump-zelensky-clash-could-leave-ukraine-out-cold https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3371280/us-russia-deal-trump-zelensky-clash-could-leave-ukraine-out-cold Sun, 18 Oct 2026 01:14:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israeli settlers attacked a convoy of European diplomats in the West Bank and beat up a visiting French mayor on Saturday, witnesses said, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned against a brewing “crisis” in the territory a day after an American photojournalist was injured in a brutal attack. The 78-year-old mayor said masked settlers yelled defamatory comments about France, kicked him and hit him with iron bars as he joined Palestinian olive farmers in the West Bank alongside the top... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371275/israeli-settlers-attack-european-diplomats-beat-french-mayor-west-bank https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3371275/israeli-settlers-attack-european-diplomats-beat-french-mayor-west-bank Sat, 17 Oct 2026 18:33:59 +0000 Aisyah Llewellyn Aisyah Llewellyn Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga each chose Singapore as their only Southeast Asian stop on recent world tours. Fellow American singer Olivia Rodrigo played Thailand and the Philippines, but likewise skipped Indonesia. Next weekend, however, Jakarta is finally getting the big international headline act it has been craving – in the form of Ye. The controversial American rapper, formerly known as Kanye West, is set to play Indonesia’s capital next Saturday, marking the only Southeast Asian appearance on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371180/shunned-west-ye-hands-indonesia-rare-mega-tour-coup https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3371180/shunned-west-ye-hands-indonesia-rare-mega-tour-coup Sat, 17 Oct 2026 04:00:09 +0000 C. Uday Bhaskar C. Uday Bhaskar The awarding of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to South African jurist Navanethem “Navi” Pillay matters for reasons that go well beyond the laureate herself. The award does three things at once. First, it restores credibility to the prize. Second, it rejects in unambiguous terms the Thrasymachian doctrine that might is right, which has become the operating philosophy of major powers. Third, it highlights a warning of what happens when a hegemon decides it is above the law. The correction was... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370866/nobel-peace-prize-message-behind-navi-pillays-win https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370866/nobel-peace-prize-message-behind-navi-pillays-win Fri, 16 Oct 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang In talks with Israel’s president on Thursday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called for an immediate easing of the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and for Israel to reverse its West Bank settlement expansion. “The imperative priority is to fully open access routes into Gaza. Two million civilians must not be left to struggle on the brink of survival, nor can this humanitarian catastrophe be allowed to spread,” Wang said, according to a Chinese foreign ministry statement on Friday. The meeting with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371186/chinas-wang-yi-urges-israel-end-west-bank-settlement-expansion-and-ease-gaza-crisis https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371186/chinas-wang-yi-urges-israel-end-west-bank-settlement-expansion-and-ease-gaza-crisis Fri, 16 Oct 2026 11:00:17 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Faced with a fuel crisis beyond its control, Bangladesh’s government is spending the equivalent of hundreds of millions of US dollars each month to insulate its people from surging prices. But as growth slows and inflation rises, the new government’s reform plans are being tested before it has had much time to clean up the country’s troubled financial institutions or retool its young, abundant – but underemployed – workforce for the AI era. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office on February... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370930/how-fuel-crisis-threatening-bangladeshs-reform-goals-it-hit-our-citizens-hard https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370930/how-fuel-crisis-threatening-bangladeshs-reform-goals-it-hit-our-citizens-hard Thu, 15 Oct 2026 03:00:12 +0000 Chao Kong Chao Kong Chinese military scientists claim they have developed an algorithm that could help identify electronic warfare units using civil aviation flight data. The researchers said they had located two sources of interference that were spoofing their locations near Israel during the conflict with Iran. The team did not explain why they had focused on the Israeli military. The researchers estimated the locations of the two units as being near Haifa, with reported positioning errors between 10.9km and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3370910/chinese-scientists-use-open-source-data-spot-suspected-israeli-electronic-warfare-units https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3370910/chinese-scientists-use-open-source-data-spot-suspected-israeli-electronic-warfare-units Thu, 15 Oct 2026 01:00:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Irish author Sally Rooney can no longer sell her books in the UK because of her support for the activist group Palestine Action, her publisher Faber said on Wednesday. Rooney has previously expressed her support for the group, which was banned as a “terrorist” organisation by the UK government in July 2025. It is not banned in Ireland, where Rooney lives. The proscription, which the organisation is appealing against, puts Palestine Action on the same blacklist as militant groups Hamas and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370918/sally-rooney-books-cant-be-sold-uk-amid-palestine-action-ban-publisher-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370918/sally-rooney-books-cant-be-sold-uk-amid-palestine-action-ban-publisher-says Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:41:07 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Motorists have been left queuing for hours at petrol stations across Indonesia’s resort island of Bali in recent days amid reports of a crippling fuel shortage. Long queues have been spotted all around the island, including in the capital Denpasar, Badung and Tabana, according to the Bali Post. On Tuesday, Bali Governor I Wayan Koster stressed that there was enough fuel to go around, suggesting that panic buying might have caused the shortages at the pumps. “People need to be patient because the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370802/indonesias-bali-hit-fuel-crisis-huge-queues-form-petrol-stations https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/economics/article/3370802/indonesias-bali-hit-fuel-crisis-huge-queues-form-petrol-stations Wed, 14 Oct 2026 03:10:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An Israeli teenager was killed and more than 20 other people injured Monday by a suspected leftover Hezbollah bomb as they hiked near the Lebanese border, officials said. The Israeli military, which dispatched helicopters to the scene, said an initial review showed the explosion was likely caused by an unexploded munition from Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. The explosive, which was likely a cluster bomb from a round of fighting three years ago, went off in the hands of a pupil who picked it... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370639/israel-pupil-15-killed-over-20-hurt-after-suspected-leftover-bomb-detonates https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370639/israel-pupil-15-killed-over-20-hurt-after-suspected-leftover-bomb-detonates Mon, 12 Oct 2026 15:41:38 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Melbourne man whose Islamic community centre has been linked by prosecutors in the United Arab Emirates to the co-pilot who allegedly attacked the captain of a Flydubai jet has hit out at “false accusations”. The Omani co-pilot, now in custody in the UAE, had drawn inspiration from al-Qaeda’s September 11, 2001 suicide attacks, and carried out his attempt “with the aim of causing the greatest possible loss of life”, according to the Emirati prosecutor’s findings published by state media last... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3370552/australian-man-rejects-uae-links-flydubai-cockpit-attack https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3370552/australian-man-rejects-uae-links-flydubai-cockpit-attack Mon, 12 Oct 2026 06:08:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A fresh Houthi strike hit Riyadh’s international airport on Sunday, killing one person and wounding 11 others, a day after another deadly attack claimed by the Yemeni group forced authorities to suspend operations there. Saturday’s attack, the deadliest on Saudi soil in more than a decade, was a sharp escalation in the Yemen war, where Riyadh has long militarily supported the internationally recognised government against the Houthis. The Iran-backed group on Sunday claimed multiple attacks over... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370513/riyadh-airport-hit-fresh-houthi-strike-day-after-deadly-attack-killed-12 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370513/riyadh-airport-hit-fresh-houthi-strike-day-after-deadly-attack-killed-12 Sun, 11 Oct 2026 17:52:46 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370471/us-and-israel-have-gone-full-rogue Sun, 11 Oct 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday postponed legislative elections due next month until September 11, 2027, and called a presidential poll for the same date, blaming Israel and ‌the security situation in the Palestinian territories for the delay. Abbas’ decree cited “obstacles posed by Israeli measures” and the need to establish suitable political, security and on-the-ground conditions for “free, fair and inclusive elections”, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA reported. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370455/palestinian-leader-abbas-postpones-elections-september-2027 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370455/palestinian-leader-abbas-postpones-elections-september-2027 Sat, 10 Oct 2026 15:09:00 +0000 Reuters Reuters An Omani Flydubai co-pilot had intended to seize a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight and crash it into a terminal at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport on September 30 in a suicide attack before he ‌was thwarted by the captain, the UAE attorney general said on Friday. Attorney General Hamad Saif al Shamsi’s statement did not appear to implicate Flydubai in any wrongdoing and contained the most detailed account yet from prosecutors about what they believe to have happened. Flydubai was not immediately available for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370407/omani-flydubai-co-pilot-planned-crash-plane-israeli-airport-uae-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370407/omani-flydubai-co-pilot-planned-crash-plane-israeli-airport-uae-says Fri, 09 Oct 2026 17:01:59 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump’s administration imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court on Friday, hours after one of its former judges won the Nobel Peace Prize, putting Washington on a diplomatic collision course with European allies. The court denounced the move as an “assault on the rule of law and on the very foundations of the international legal order” and called on its 125 member states to take action to defend it. “The court cannot stand alone. Its fate now rests also in the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370403/us-slaps-sanctions-icc-hours-after-ex-judge-wins-nobel https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370403/us-slaps-sanctions-icc-hours-after-ex-judge-wins-nobel Fri, 09 Oct 2026 14:51:06 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US President Donald Trump said in a social media post that the US would “not be attacking Iran” before November’s midterm elections, citing what he said were “productive discussions” with the Islamic Republic. The president’s comments on Thursday amounted to an unusual blending of national security issues and domestic politics. His decision to lay off on new strikes comes despite Iran escalating attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, Tehran-backed militants in Yemen attacking energy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370235/trump-says-us-will-not-attack-iran-novembers-midterm-elections https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370235/trump-says-us-will-not-attack-iran-novembers-midterm-elections Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:39:11 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Muslim candidate for US Senate accused Donald Trump of “struggling” on Thursday after the president misnamed him “Mohammed” on social media amid increasingly bitter exchanges between the two men. Trump attacked the left-wing Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed on his Truth Social platform, baselessly accusing him of being a “Terrorist Sympathizer”. El-Sayed, an Arab-American running for a Michigan senate seat that could decide which party wins the US upper chamber in knife-edge midterm... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370234/trump-misnames-muslim-senate-candidate-mohammed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3370234/trump-misnames-muslim-senate-candidate-mohammed Thu, 08 Oct 2026 17:08:55 +0000 Reuters Reuters Britain and Israel announced on Thursday that the nearly 200-year-old British diplomatic mission in Jerusalem would stay open at a smaller scale and with a new name, in a compromise after Israel ordered the consulate shut in a sanctions dispute. Under the last-minute agreement, Britain will rename the consulate, founded in 1839, as the “UK Mission” in the city. Israel said 20 British diplomats including the ‌consul general would depart, leaving just seven working at the mission in a limited... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370163/britain-downscales-and-renames-jerusalem-consulate-after-israel-orders-closure https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370163/britain-downscales-and-renames-jerusalem-consulate-after-israel-orders-closure Thu, 08 Oct 2026 07:27:19 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press It’s perhaps the most dramatic wound inflicted on the Gaza Strip by Israel’s military campaign over the past three years: the city of Rafah, once home to a quarter million people, has been erased. Satellite imagery shows the Israeli military has systematically razed the southern city and other towns and districts to the ground and in some places ploughed away the rubble. Demolition, using bulldozers and explosives, has continued unabated since the Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal reached a year ago,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370017/israel-continues-demolishing-buildings-gaza-year-after-ceasefire https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3370017/israel-continues-demolishing-buildings-gaza-year-after-ceasefire Wed, 07 Oct 2026 08:11:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israel marked the third anniversary of Hamas’ October 7 attack on Wednesday with silent tributes, new strikes on Gaza and intense political debate, weeks before elections in which the country’s deadliest day will be front and centre. At the site of the Nova music festival, where Hamas militants in trucks and paragliders opened fire around dawn on October 7, 2023, family members bowed their heads in silence – although at least one instead put on techno music in tribute to the dead. Both at Nova... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369994/israel-marks-3-years-october-7-attack-sparked-war-gaza https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369994/israel-marks-3-years-october-7-attack-sparked-war-gaza Wed, 07 Oct 2026 05:39:41 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo “Morally bankrupt”? Was Michigan Republican John Moolenaar talking about himself? Last week, the chairman of the House Select Committee on China demanded that Starbucks “immediately reverse course and close its stores”. The coffee chain’s crime? It opened two stores in Urumqi – the capital of Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region – in the city centre’s Grand Bazaar and its international airport. The way Moolenaar talked about it, you would think Starbucks was committing genocide and crimes against... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3369691/cant-uygurs-drink-starbucks-and-taste-american-freedom https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3369691/cant-uygurs-drink-starbucks-and-taste-american-freedom Tue, 06 Oct 2026 21:30:07 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369869/turkmenistan-grows-its-arsenal-chinese-air-defences-russias-role-shrinks Tue, 06 Oct 2026 05:00:08 +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 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 Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:05:32 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced early general elections on Monday after his government suffered a bruising legislative defeat last week on emergency measures related to the country’s housing crisis. The vote will be held on November 29. In recent weeks, Spaniards have demanded solutions from the government over housing affordability, holding protests in cities across the country after public outrage grew over the televised eviction of an 87-year-old woman in Madrid last... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369786/spains-prime-minister-calls-early-election-housing-becomes-national-flashpoint https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369786/spains-prime-minister-calls-early-election-housing-becomes-national-flashpoint Mon, 05 Oct 2026 08:04:51 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Samoa’s prime minister apologised on Monday after video surfaced showing him saying “Heil Hitler” and making a Nazi gesture. Prime Minister La’auli Leuatea Schmidt said the footage was from a family gathering almost 20 years old and was never meant to see the light of day. “The footage shows me using the words ‘Heil Hitler’ and participating in a gesture associated with Nazi Germany in a private family gathering – not intended for the public,” he said in a statement. “Whatever the context or... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3369742/pro-israel-samoa-prime-minister-apologises-nazi-gesture-leaked-video https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3369742/pro-israel-samoa-prime-minister-apologises-nazi-gesture-leaked-video Mon, 05 Oct 2026 02:57:55 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369731/iran-tells-us-there-no-military-solution-middle-east-war Sun, 04 Oct 2026 19:44:29 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369725/uk-green-party-adopts-zionism-racism-policy-drawing-backlash-israel Sun, 04 Oct 2026 16:26:47 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369685/trump-burger-hormuz-meet-iranian-team-behind-billboard-war-us Sun, 04 Oct 2026 05:35:04 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Flydubai co-pilot who officials said nearly crashed a Tel Aviv-bound flight with 182 people aboard was barred from flying by his native Oman over concerns he had adopted extremist views, a person familiar with the matter said on Saturday. The co-pilot has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, according to three people with knowledge of the situation, including a Gulf and Western diplomat. All spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media. The United... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369644/flydubai-plane-attack-co-pilot-previously-barred-flying-oman-over-extremist-views https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369644/flydubai-plane-attack-co-pilot-previously-barred-flying-oman-over-extremist-views Sat, 03 Oct 2026 04:53:37 +0000 Reuters Reuters US job growth slowed more than expected in September, but that likely does not signal a material shift in the labour market, with the weakness likely related to a calendar quirk. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 29,000 jobs last month after ‌a downwardly revised 133,000 rise in August, the Labor Department’s closely watched employment report showed on Friday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast payrolls advancing 90,000 after a previously reported 162,000 surge in August. Estimates ranged... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369622/us-job-growth-slows-sharply-september-unemployment-rises https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369622/us-job-growth-slows-sharply-september-unemployment-rises Fri, 02 Oct 2026 13:14:45 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Indian airline captain who helped thwart an apparent attempt to crash a Flydubai flight described on Friday how he fought for his life in the minutes after his co-pilot stabbed him and the plane began a steep descent. Captain Smit Machchhar, recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital, told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a televised video call that he knew he had to get back on his feet to save his passengers. “I had so many wounds. I had fallen down,” he said from the hospital, his head... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369612/indian-pilot-hailed-hero-recalls-flydubai-cockpit-attack https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3369612/indian-pilot-hailed-hero-recalls-flydubai-cockpit-attack Fri, 02 Oct 2026 12:14:13 +0000