https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325758/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s re-election marks a turning point for Latin America and US-Latin American relations, said Chile’s former top envoy to China, who predicted a slowing of Washington’s regional push. “I do think the re-election of President Lula marks a major turning point in Latin America and in US-Latin American relations, while also having a broader significance for the Global South,” said Jorge Heine, who served as Chile’s ambassador to China from 2014 to 2017 and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372318/lulas-win-brazil-deals-blow-trumps-latin-america-push-former-china-envoy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372318/lulas-win-brazil-deals-blow-trumps-latin-america-push-former-china-envoy Tue, 27 Oct 2026 15:00:14 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma An international arbitration body in Hong Kong is exploring business opportunities in the Middle East and Africa, citing the city’s neutrality and predictability as key draws for new markets amid rising geopolitical tensions. Domitille Baizeau, co-chairwoman of the Hong Kong International Arbitration Centre, said the city had benefited from an overall shift in global business growth from Europe to Asia, with overseas businesses increasingly choosing Hong Kong to arbitrate disputes. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3372084/hong-kong-arbitration-body-eyes-mideast-africa-prospects-amid-global-tensions https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3372084/hong-kong-arbitration-body-eyes-mideast-africa-prospects-amid-global-tensions Mon, 26 Oct 2026 03:00:18 +0000 Minxiao Chang Minxiao Chang While few dispute that China is narrowing the gap with the United States in developing artificial intelligence (AI) models, there is one area where Chinese firms are already the undisputed leaders: video. China has seen a proliferation of advanced generative AI video models – systems trained on visual data to generate or edit video content based on user inputs such as text prompts, images and audio. The country’s vast short-video ecosystems and looser copyright rules have helped give Chinese... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3371915/china-shoots-ahead-ai-video-models https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/tech/big-tech/article/3371915/china-shoots-ahead-ai-video-models Mon, 26 Oct 2026 01:06:01 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A mob of about 50 people beat a foreign national to death on Thursday in South Africa’s port city of Durban, a flashpoint for anti-migrant sentiment, police said. Durban has been a focus of months of protests against foreign nationals, with looting and violence erupting after an anti-migrant march in the city two weeks ago. Thursday’s attack in the city centre was on the sidelines of a march, police said, without being able to say what the demonstration was about. Two men from the group... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3371812/50-people-beat-foreign-man-death-south-africa-anti-migrant-tensions-rage https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3371812/50-people-beat-foreign-man-death-south-africa-anti-migrant-tensions-rage Thu, 22 Oct 2026 11:50:50 +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 Associated Press Associated Press A 65-year-old woman was killed on Tuesday in a shark attack off South Africa’s southeastern coast, police and municipal authorities said, prompting the closure of two beaches. Officers were called to Orient Beach in KuGompo city, formerly East London, at about 7am, where they found the woman’s body, Eastern Cape police spokesperson Col. Siphokazi Mawisa told Associated Press. An inquest has been opened into the death. “The Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality is deeply saddened to confirm that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3371560/shark-kills-woman-swimming-south-africas-eastern-cape https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3371560/shark-kills-woman-swimming-south-africas-eastern-cape Tue, 20 Oct 2026 18:03:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A former Rwandan soldier living in Uganda, where he had become a vocal critic of his government back home, was found decapitated near Kampala, a police spokesperson said Monday. Rwandan authorities have been accused of assassinating opponents of President Paul Kagame, who has ruled the country with an iron fist since taking power in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide that claimed 800,000 lives, primarily among the Tutsi community. Robert Kabera, a former sergeant who fled Rwanda several years... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3371423/beheaded-body-rwandan-government-critic-found-uganda https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3371423/beheaded-body-rwandan-government-critic-found-uganda Mon, 19 Oct 2026 18:33:05 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage By the time the Chinese navy hospital ship had docked in the Guinean capital Conakry earlier this month, patients were already queuing for free consultations. The queues in front of the Auspicious Ark were so long that some people were told to come back the next day, according to Guinean media reports. The ship, operated by the PLA Navy, offers a range of medical services wherever it stops, including surgery to treat cataracts, appendicitis and hernias as well as gynaecological care. On this... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371295/how-hospital-ship-helps-buoy-chinas-strategic-mission-africa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371295/how-hospital-ship-helps-buoy-chinas-strategic-mission-africa Sun, 18 Oct 2026 12:00:08 +0000 Han Li Han Li As the US prepares to host the G20 summit in Miami in December, Americans’ views of participating countries vary, with China viewed more favourably than Russia, although both rank near the bottom, according to the latest Pew Research Centre report. Americans gave China an average rating of 37 out of 100, compared with 27 for Russia, Pew found in a report released on Friday. Canada, Australia, Japan and Italy received the warmest ratings, with average scores in the mid-to-high 60s. “Russia stands... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371213/americans-see-china-more-positively-russia-both-near-bottom-g20-pew-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371213/americans-see-china-more-positively-russia-both-near-bottom-g20-pew-report Fri, 16 Oct 2026 21:06:42 +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 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 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage At events marking China’s National Day in Africa on October 1, robots provided the entertainment. In Luanda, Angola, dancing robots amused guests and ambassador Zhang Bin called the industry “a small snapshot of the Chinese economy’s move towards innovation and higher-quality development”. In Brazzaville, Congo, nearly 400 guests – including Congolese officials and Chinese business representatives – watched on as a robot dog performed. Guests also interacted with a robot dog at a Chinese New... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370299/can-chinas-dancing-robots-swing-some-new-business-partners-africa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370299/can-chinas-dancing-robots-swing-some-new-business-partners-africa Sat, 10 Oct 2026 08:00:07 +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 Reuters Reuters South African police on Sunday were hunting the perpetrators of two separate shootings that killed 27 people within hours of each other, in stark reminders of the country’s problem with gun violence. Officials were still establishing the motives for the shootings near Johannesburg and Cape Town, but initial investigations suggested one could be a turf war between illegal miners and the other a business rivalry. Violent crime remains rife in South Africa, despite government efforts to curb one of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3368959/south-african-police-probe-mining-feud-shooting-27-dead-elections-near https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3368959/south-african-police-probe-mining-feud-shooting-27-dead-elections-near Sun, 27 Sep 2026 12:07:58 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick The Brics-founded New Development Bank could help launch a fund by the end of the year to guarantee cheap loans for poor families in Africa and Latin America, Brazil’s social development minister said. The scheme would be the Shanghai-based lender’s first financial commitment to Brazil’s global anti-hunger alliance, an initiative sidelined by Washington’s presidency of the G20 this year. Wellington Dias told the South China Morning Post on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368865/china-based-brics-bank-set-lead-role-hunger-alliance-year-brazil-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368865/china-based-brics-bank-set-lead-role-hunger-alliance-year-brazil-says Sat, 26 Sep 2026 14:00:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Three shooters killed at least 11 people including a woman who was believed to be pregnant in an attack at a house party in South Africa, police said on Wednesday. Three others were wounded in the mass shooting late on Tuesday night in KwaMakhutha township around 30km (19 miles) south of the city of Durban on the east coast. The people had gathered at the house for a party when the suspects entered the house and opened fire, police said. Ten people, including the pregnant woman, died at the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3368504/south-africa-mass-shooting-leaves-11-dead-3-wounded https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3368504/south-africa-mass-shooting-leaves-11-dead-3-wounded Wed, 23 Sep 2026 08:51:02 +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 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/opinion/article/3368037/why-global-south-keeps-its-doors-wide-open-russia Sat, 19 Sep 2026 04:00:05 +0000 Nayan Seth Nayan Seth China on Thursday pushed back against a new US sanctions bill targeting Russia that could also have a major impact on Beijing, a major Russian energy importer. The US Congress on Wednesday passed the bill to strengthen sanctions on Moscow by targeting Russia’s leading energy buyers – China and India – just days before Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to arrive in Washington for a summit with President Donald Trump. “China carries out economic and trade cooperation with countries on the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3367782/us-congress-passes-bill-targeting-russias-leading-energy-buyers-china-and-india https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/economy-trade-business/article/3367782/us-congress-passes-bill-targeting-russias-leading-energy-buyers-china-and-india Wed, 16 Sep 2026 22:50:16 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A woman’s body was found on Tuesday in the same area east of Johannesburg in South Africa where the discovery of several other victims in the past two months has sparked fear of a potential serial killer at large and led to a public warning by the police. According to South African authorities, the cases appear to be linked, though they did not confirm whether they are the work of the same killer. The South African Police Services (SAPS) has issued a public warning for women to be cautious when... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3367629/south-africa-alert-after-7th-womans-body-found-near-capital https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3367629/south-africa-alert-after-7th-womans-body-found-near-capital Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:12:42 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Two minibus taxis collided head-on, and an SUV crashed into them on one of South Africa’s main highways, killing at least 21 people and leaving four others seriously injured, authorities said on Monday. The crash on Sunday night in the Western Cape Province took place between the small towns of Prince Albert and Leeu-Gamka, around 380km (235 miles) east of Cape Town, according to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, or RTMC, the national traffic agency. The collision involved two Toyota... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3367493/south-africa-road-accident-kills-least-21-people https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3367493/south-africa-road-accident-kills-least-21-people Mon, 14 Sep 2026 13:19:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Uganda’s King Oyo Nyimba, who was once the world’s youngest monarch, was buried on Saturday amid an acrimonious succession dispute that has rocked the royal family and gripped the nation. The traditional monarch, who ascended the throne of Uganda’s Tooro Kingdom as an infant in 1995, died last month from cancer. He was 34. He was buried next to his ancestors after an emotional funeral service in an Anglican cathedral in the remote city of Fort Portal, near the Congo border, concluding a nine-day... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3367376/uganda-buries-one-time-boy-king-whose-death-has-sparked-succession-battle https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3367376/uganda-buries-one-time-boy-king-whose-death-has-sparked-succession-battle Sun, 13 Sep 2026 21:30:47 +0000 Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou,Cao Jiaxuan Dewey Sim,Laura Zhou,Cao Jiaxuan Leaders from some of the world’s largest emerging economies are gathering in New Delhi this weekend for a summit marking the 20th anniversary of Brics, a fast-expanding group of developing nations. Chinese President Xi Jinping, along with his Russian and Iranian counterparts Vladimir Putin and Masoud Pezeshkian, are among those meeting in the Indian capital for one of the group’s most closely watched gatherings in years. Brics can point to some achievements over that time, with analysts... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367252/internal-splits-threaten-slow-brics-progress-bloc-looks-back-20-years-growth https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3367252/internal-splits-threaten-slow-brics-progress-bloc-looks-back-20-years-growth Sat, 12 Sep 2026 02:00:05 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial India’s public preparations for this weekend’s Brics summit in New Delhi are not to be compared with the spectacular display for the Group of 20 summit three years ago. The low-key approach to the meeting of leaders of emerging major economies and developing countries from the Global South can be misleading. What Brics may lack in pomp it makes up for in substance, such as the landmark in relations between the world’s two most populous nations. The occasion marks the first visit to India in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3367233/brics-summit-could-emerge-milestone-blocs-unity https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/comment/article/3367233/brics-summit-could-emerge-milestone-blocs-unity Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Germany on Monday urged the United Nations’ top court to throw out a case against it by Nicaragua, which has accused Berlin of “facilitating genocide” in Gaza with its support of Israel. Julia Monar, representing Germany at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), said judges lacked the jurisdiction to rule on the case and dismissed Nicaragua’s accusations as “inaccurate and distorted”. Nicaragua has dragged Germany before the ICJ in The Hague, arguing that its backing of Israel, notably in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366662/germany-urges-uns-top-court-dismiss-gaza-genocide-case https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366662/germany-urges-uns-top-court-dismiss-gaza-genocide-case Mon, 07 Sep 2026 11:35:39 +0000 Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu In the US, the push is on to “drill, baby, drill”. In China, the national strategy is to “walk towards the light”. Two energy behemoths, two contrasting approaches to energy. For African countries working out which way to go, the deciding factor is cost and, with China’s advances in solar generation and battery technologies making acquisitions cheaper, a consensus is coalescing across the continent around renewables. “Africa’s solar revolution is here,” said Sonia Dunlop, CEO of the Global Solar... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366527/how-chinas-green-tech-undercutting-trumps-drill-baby-drill-oil-strategy-africa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3366527/how-chinas-green-tech-undercutting-trumps-drill-baby-drill-oil-strategy-africa Mon, 07 Sep 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A low-altitude flyover by two Airlink passenger jets before a rugby match at Cape Town’s DHL Stadium is being reviewed by South African aviation authorities after it drew safety concerns, officials said on Wednesday. The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) said it had obtained flight data recordings and requested additional information from regional carrier Airlink as part of its assessment. A full report with recommendations would be issued once the review was complete. “It is... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3366172/low-jet-flyover-cape-town-stadium-sparks-south-africa-safety-probe https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3366172/low-jet-flyover-cape-town-stadium-sparks-south-africa-safety-probe Thu, 03 Sep 2026 03:10:41 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Scientists in South Africa are investigating why masses of sardines have washed up dead or dying along parts of the country’s west and south coast – and if a herpes virus detected in the fish is responsible. The mass mortality of sardines this month has so far stumped the country’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, though scientists have come to at least one conclusion: it is the first time that the virus in question – pilchard herpesvirus, or PHV – has been identified in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3365714/scientists-probe-if-herpes-virus-killing-sardines-south-africa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3365714/scientists-probe-if-herpes-virus-killing-sardines-south-africa Sat, 29 Aug 2026 12:10:48 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo The gaffe at last month’s Aids 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro, where a US State Department presentation displayed a map of Africa with every country mislabelled, serves as more than a source of embarrassment. It was a potent symbol of the distance between Washington’s rhetoric and its real stance regarding the African continent. Earlier this year, Nick Checker, a senior US State Department official, spoke of “resetting” US relations with Africa, pivoting away from dependency and towards... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3364970/africa-knows-who-its-true-friends-are-and-theyre-not-washington https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3364970/africa-knows-who-its-true-friends-are-and-theyre-not-washington Tue, 25 Aug 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong The world’s largest coal-to-liquids plant is turning coal into oil products that can power rockets and serve as machine lubricants while boosting its value sevenfold, according to a Chinese newspaper. The production line, built by China Energy Group Ningxia Coal Industry Co Ltd, began full operations in northwest China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region last month and processed 24 million tonnes of coal in 2025 – a quarter of the region’s total annual output, according to a report published by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3365027/china-boosts-coals-economic-value-700-after-turning-it-liquids-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/science/article/3365027/china-boosts-coals-economic-value-700-after-turning-it-liquids-report Mon, 24 Aug 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage The United States may want the world to choose sides in the AI race with China, but in Africa, many businesses are pursuing a more pragmatic strategy: using Chinese models where they offer better value or flexibility, while keeping their options open. For example, when African insurtech platform Curacel expanded the range of artificial intelligence (AI) models powering its internal infrastructure, it did not look only to Silicon Valley. Instead, the Nigeria-based firm – which provides AI-powered... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364966/african-firms-adopting-chinese-ai-us-china-rivalry-intensifies https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364966/african-firms-adopting-chinese-ai-us-china-rivalry-intensifies Sun, 23 Aug 2026 12:00:05 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage While the US and some European governments view China’s vast production of electric vehicles and green-energy tech as overcapacity, African companies see it as an opportunity to secure EV technology and develop the industry. China is the global leader of the EV industry – it makes nearly 75 per cent of the world’s electric vehicles and dominates the supply chain. Its high production has driven down the cost of EVs, batteries and components, which has improved access to technologies that were... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364799/why-chinas-ev-boom-seen-unparalleled-opportunity-africa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364799/why-chinas-ev-boom-seen-unparalleled-opportunity-africa Sat, 22 Aug 2026 10:00:06 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Africa is emerging as fertile ground for Beijing’s drive to make the yuan a major international currency and reduce reliance on the US dollar, as an increasing number of financial institutions deepen their integration with China’s payment network. Following talks in Beijing between Central Bank of Libya Governor Naji Issa and People’s Bank of China Governor Pan Gongsheng last month, the country’s banks are set to join China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS), an alternative to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364171/why-chinese-yuan-could-soon-be-africas-most-important-currency https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3364171/why-chinese-yuan-could-soon-be-africas-most-important-currency Sun, 16 Aug 2026 06:00:20 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Thirty lions and tigers that were kept alive – barely – for years in cramped concrete cages at a closed Argentine zoo began entering jumbo-size transport crates on Friday as they embarked on ambitious journeys to wildlife sanctuaries halfway across the world in South Africa and the United States. The cats are being rescued from the former Lujan Zoo, about 70km (43 miles) northwest of Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires, after years of uncertainty over their fate. Four Paws, the international... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3364124/lions-tigers-notorious-zoo-argentina-begin-journey-wildlife-sanctuaries https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3364124/lions-tigers-notorious-zoo-argentina-begin-journey-wildlife-sanctuaries Sat, 15 Aug 2026 01:43:30 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A Hong Kong court has ordered a murder suspect to face a retrial after a jury failed to reach a verdict on whether he committed the crime while suffering from a delusion that authorities were harassing him with electromagnetic waves. The 23-day High Court trial of former software developer Matthew Choi ended with a hung jury on Wednesday. Madam Justice Esther Toh Lye-ping discharged the seven-member panel, saying the case was not so complex as to warrant the jurors, who had debated behind closed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3363807/hong-kong-murder-suspect-faces-retrial-after-jury-deadlocks-psychosis-defence https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3363807/hong-kong-murder-suspect-faces-retrial-after-jury-deadlocks-psychosis-defence Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:04:30 +0000 SCMP SCMP This article was first published on August 14, 2016. Lion City celebrates first golden hero by James Porteous Singapore exploded into celebration as it feted a new sporting hero yesterday (August 13, 2016) after swimmer Joseph Schooling did the improbable – beat his one-time idol Michael Phelps – to win the Lion City’s first ever gold medal. Schooling completed a wire-to-wire victory to deny American Phelps a fourth successive title in the 100 metres butterfly, winning in an Olympic record of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3363720/singapore-wins-first-ever-olympic-gold-2016-scmp-archive https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3363720/singapore-wins-first-ever-olympic-gold-2016-scmp-archive Wed, 12 Aug 2026 06:30:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters At least 14 suspected illegal miners were killed and eight injured when a mine dump collapsed in South ‌Africa’s North West province on Monday night, police said. Search and rescue operations are under way for an unknown number of people who may still be trapped at the site ⁠near Rustenburg, provincial police commissioner Arthur Peter Adams said. The collapse ‌occurred as the miners were digging for platinum group metals at a ‌disused dump on a private company’s site, Adams ⁠said. The ⁠injured... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3363691/south-africa-mine-dump-collapse-kills-least-14-suspected-illegal-miners https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3363691/south-africa-mine-dump-collapse-kills-least-14-suspected-illegal-miners Tue, 11 Aug 2026 14:19:01 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma The Hong Kong Bar Association has said it “broadly supports” a dedicated offence for persistent child sexual abuse, after concerns over evidential issues in such cases were resolved in other jurisdictions in the past two decades. Vice-chairman Martin Hui Siu-ting said that while the association had reversed previous reservations it expressed when the city last discussed such a proposal in 2001, the new offence would require safeguards to ensure both sides were treated fairly at trial. “We... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3363364/bar-association-broadly-backs-new-offence-persistent-child-sexual-abuse https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3363364/bar-association-broadly-backs-new-offence-persistent-child-sexual-abuse Sat, 08 Aug 2026 04:00:27 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage China is expanding its role in the fight against HIV/Aids in Africa by funding new projects and backing local medicine manufacturing as part of its signature health initiative, the Health Silk Road. Beijing’s larger presence comes as traditional Western aid wanes following the closure of the US Agency for International Development and sweeping cuts to the World Health Organization and the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar). Pepfar was a major bilateral American initiative... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3363179/what-chinas-expanded-funding-hiv/aids-africa-means-us-cuts-health-aid https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3363179/what-chinas-expanded-funding-hiv/aids-africa-means-us-cuts-health-aid Fri, 07 Aug 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Zhou Xiaoming Zhou Xiaoming A scaremongering narrative has taken root in Western corridors and financial press columns: China, having saturated developed markets, is now aiming to crush fragile industries in developing nations, effectively slamming the door on their industrial dreams. It is a convenient little tale. However, it does not hold up against empirical evidence. The premise assumes that China and the Global South are fighting over the same slice of the global consumption pie – cheap T-shirts, plastic sandals,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3362107/chinas-exports-feed-global-souths-industrial-engines https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3362107/chinas-exports-feed-global-souths-industrial-engines Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:30:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters A US government map of Africa mislabelled every country during a State Department presentation at a global conference taking place in Brazil this week, causing a stir among attendees who took screenshots and posted them online. Reuters viewed a ‌video of the presentation given at the Aids 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro, which shows the errant map displayed halfway during a presentation about the State Department’s new health agreements. A Reuters analysis found the image of the map included... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3362448/us-government-map-africa-gets-every-country-wrong-global-conference https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3362448/us-government-map-africa-gets-every-country-wrong-global-conference Thu, 30 Jul 2026 21:08:41 +0000 Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu China has overtaken the United States in terms of positive perceptions among young Africans, though Washington is still seen as more influential than Beijing, according to a survey published on Wednesday. The African Youth Survey polled 4,901 respondents aged 18 to 24 and split equally between males and females, in 16 of Africa’s 54 countries, asking them which foreign powers had influence on their country. The report said 81 per cent agreed that the US was influential, while 79 per cent... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3362249/practical-young-africans-leaning-towards-china-over-us-and-away-ideology https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3362249/practical-young-africans-leaning-towards-china-over-us-and-away-ideology Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:01:08 +0000 Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu International students once saw US colleges as a gateway to a world-class education and career head start but shifting United States immigration policies, tightening visa conditions and high-profile ICE raids are causing them to reconsider. Dulue Mbachu looks at how African students are altering their education plans during the second Trump administration. The first instalment in our series is here. For 23-year-old Kunle Adeyemi, it took some time to overcome the disappointment of being denied a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3362222/african-students-turn-china-amid-tighter-us-visa-rules-and-higher-university-costs https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3362222/african-students-turn-china-amid-tighter-us-visa-rules-and-higher-university-costs Wed, 29 Jul 2026 07:00:06 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Hong Kong’s trade promotion body will set up a new office in Egypt within the next nine months to expand its footprint in Africa, while recalibrating resources for Nordic countries through its European bases as traditional markets face slower growth. Hong Kong Trade Development Council chairman Frederick Ma Si-hang said on Friday that the organisation had revamped its corporate structure to better help companies in six new industry clusters develop promotional strategies. Ma, a former commerce... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3361784/hong-kongs-tdc-open-egypt-office-it-eyes-african-nordic-markets https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3361784/hong-kongs-tdc-open-egypt-office-it-eyes-african-nordic-markets Fri, 24 Jul 2026 12:26:47 +0000 Victor Dawes Victor Dawes Every four years, billions of football fans spend a month arguing about offside decisions, whether Ronaldo or Messi is a grass-grazing horned mammal, and whether football is finally “coming home”. For nations, however, the Fifa World Cup is far more than football. Beyond the national pride that comes with simply qualifying, the tournament offers an unparalleled opportunity to capture the world’s attention. Cabo Verde’s fairy-tale run to the round of 32 transformed the little-known island nation... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3360721/everything-you-never-wanted-know-about-hosting-world-cup https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3360721/everything-you-never-wanted-know-about-hosting-world-cup Thu, 16 Jul 2026 01:30:12 +0000 Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu US-imposed sanctions targeting other countries and a growing list of Chinese laws aimed at countering the measures are creating a compliance minefield for African businesses dealing with the world’s top two economies. At risk is a broad range of industries including mining, banking, telecommunications, technology, energy, infrastructure and others in which African businesses are simultaneously exposed to US and Chinese counterparties, according to analysts. Compliance consultants covering the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3360121/how-overlapping-us-and-china-sanctions-are-complicating-business-africa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3360121/how-overlapping-us-and-china-sanctions-are-complicating-business-africa Sat, 11 Jul 2026 06:00:07 +0000 Burak Elmali Burak Elmali The US-Israeli military campaign against Iran was more than another Middle Eastern conflict. It became a defining stress test for the expanded Brics (Brics+), the grouping that is frequently portrayed as the flagship political platform of the Global South and a cornerstone of an emerging multipolar order. The war showed that the grouping – which has grown beyond its founding members Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa – is neither a military alliance nor an ideological bloc. Rather, it... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3359677/what-iran-war-has-revealed-about-brics https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3359677/what-iran-war-has-revealed-about-brics Wed, 08 Jul 2026 21:30:06 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage Chinese firms not only operate, finance or hold stakes in about one third of all ports in Africa, but Beijing now also controls the software, automation and artificial intelligence (AI) tools that run the infrastructure. And that reach extends well beyond the docks, with Beijing financing and operating the road, rail and warehousing networks connected to these ports and other maritime projects across the continent, closely intertwining African trade with China’s own trading systems. These are... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3359378/chinas-influence-african-ports-extends-software-automation-and-ai-study https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3359378/chinas-influence-african-ports-extends-software-automation-and-ai-study Sat, 04 Jul 2026 10:00:11 +0000 Igor Patrick Igor Patrick The United States is working to hollow out the G20’s agenda and turn its December summit “into a backdrop” for a likely meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Miami, the South China Morning Post has learned. Two delegation members described the effort as the group’s top negotiators, also known as sherpas, met in Washington on Monday and Tuesday for their second in a planned series of sessions to draft the Joint Declaration that leaders are to issue at the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3358958/us-hollows-out-g20-agenda-casts-miami-summit-backdrop-trump-xi-meeting-sources https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3358958/us-hollows-out-g20-agenda-casts-miami-summit-backdrop-trump-xi-meeting-sources Tue, 30 Jun 2026 22:49:04 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Thousands of people joined anti-migrant protests in South Africa on Tuesday, watched over by a massive police contingent that was deployed to prevent violence and intimidation. The demonstrations in Johannesburg, Pretoria, the port cities of Durban and Cape Town and other towns were called by an organisation known as March and March to demand that all undocumented foreigners leave the country. The rallies, which marked the culmination of weeks of protests that have displaced thousands of mainly... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3358913/south-africa-anti-migrant-demos-draw-thousands-plus-huge-police-presence https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/africa/article/3358913/south-africa-anti-migrant-demos-draw-thousands-plus-huge-police-presence Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:58:40 +0000 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/series/3358023/china-and-africas-evolving-partnership https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/series/3358023/china-and-africas-evolving-partnership Tue, 23 Jun 2026 05:52:12 +0000