https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325816/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Alex Lo Alex Lo Beijing has told Brussels not to “fantasise” that pressure will extract concessions. This came after China made a goodwill gesture in the recent hybrid-car trade deal. The European Union responded by doubling down on a proposed trade “kill switch”. The instrument follows a Franco-German proposal. It would let the bloc swiftly restrict single-market access in response to economic coercion. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen says all 27 leaders back it. Chemicals and machinery are priority sectors.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371752/eu-its-own-worst-enemy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371752/eu-its-own-worst-enemy Fri, 23 Oct 2026 12:30:09 +0000 Albert Bakhtizin Albert Bakhtizin As turbulence grows in many countries, it is tempting to ask if there is a global hegemon that can sort everything out fairly. US President Donald Trump has threatened that his country would not defend Nato allies if they failed to spend enough on their defence. Together with new trade barriers, his words suggest that the US is scaling back its ambitions for global leadership and concentrating more on its own region. Our latest projections of national strength for 2027 take into account... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371409/can-china-turn-national-power-world-leadership https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/china-opinion/article/3371409/can-china-turn-national-power-world-leadership Wed, 21 Oct 2026 08:30:10 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall The arrest of a Japanese journalist in Russia has finally woken Tokyo up to the fact that Moscow is playing hardball in their diplomatic relationship, and the country’s apparent unwillingness to push back with commensurate force could encourage the Kremlin to test its neighbour’s resolve, analysts say. Japan lodged an official protest with the Russian ambassador in Tokyo on Wednesday, a day after Moscow announced the arrest of Yuki Imai from the Hokkaido Shimbun Press on suspicion of espionage.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371438/japans-dilemma-over-frosty-ties-russia-deepens-after-reporters-arrest https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3371438/japans-dilemma-over-frosty-ties-russia-deepens-after-reporters-arrest Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:25:20 +0000 Reuters Reuters A suspected drone exploded over Lithuania ⁠after triggering an alert that forced residents in northern and central areas to seek shelter for an hour on Sunday morning, the president and other defence officials said. Ukraine’s Foreign Ministry said later it regretted the incident in Lithuania’s airspace, adding that it may have resulted from Russian ‌electronic warfare diverting drones off course. The object flew into Lithuania’s airspace from Poland, Lithuanian Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371323/lithuanians-take-shelter-nato-jets-scramble-suspected-drone-explodes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371323/lithuanians-take-shelter-nato-jets-scramble-suspected-drone-explodes Sun, 18 Oct 2026 15:23:41 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Nato’s top military commander said the alliance is “ready to fight tonight” if it is attacked, as European officials warn Russia could test Nato’s defences with increased covert attacks or a limited military incursion. European nations have in recent months faced an escalation of covert Russian activity, including an arson attack on an Estonian defence company and a failed attempt to attack a Ukrainian aircraft at a German airport. If Russia decides to attack Nato, the alliance will respond by... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3370653/natos-top-commander-says-alliance-does-not-want-war-ready-fight-tonight https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3370653/natos-top-commander-says-alliance-does-not-want-war-ready-fight-tonight Mon, 12 Oct 2026 23:25:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Polish police are investigating after arresting a man suspected of plotting an attack against Prime Minister Donald Tusk and Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, the interior ministry said on Sunday. Searches were continuing at the suspect’s home, ministry spokeswoman Karolina Galecka said, adding: “information about this man will of course then be verified by the police”. This came after Tusk and Interior Minister Marcin Kierwinski said that a suspect had been detained. “The man... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370502/poland-probes-suspected-assassination-attempts-pm-defence-minister https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370502/poland-probes-suspected-assassination-attempts-pm-defence-minister Sun, 11 Oct 2026 12:18:31 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang China should avoid taking a “confrontational posture” over a new security pact between the United States, Denmark and Greenland as it might end up being excluded from engagement on the emerging Arctic order. That was the warning from Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s National Institute of Strategic Studies (NISS), a Chinese think tank, in a report released on Wednesday. It also said the US was unlikely to turn the northern polar region into its “exclusive strategic backyard”. The report noted that... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370291/why-confrontational-posture-wont-help-china-arctic https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3370291/why-confrontational-posture-wont-help-china-arctic Fri, 09 Oct 2026 13:00:07 +0000 Patrick Mendis Patrick Mendis As Russian President Vladimir Putin watched the final stage of the massive Tsentr-2026 military exercise in the Urals recently, Chinese troops were training alongside forces from Russia, Belarus and other countries. More than 47,000 military personnel joined the exercise, which incorporated lessons from the war in Ukraine. The symbolism extends beyond Chelyabinsk. From Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to Chinese military exercises with Belarus – and now China’s participation alongside Russian and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370030/us-japan-poland-strategic-triangle-can-encourage-peaceful-war https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370030/us-japan-poland-strategic-triangle-can-encourage-peaceful-war Fri, 09 Oct 2026 08:30:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters British counterterrorism police are investigating after two Latvian men were arrested inside a Royal Air Force base used by US personnel, authorities said on Thursday. The arrests come weeks after a suspected plot targeting another British airbase used by ‌the US military raised concerns about security at military sites across Britain. Police said there was nothing so far to suggest the incident at RAF Molesworth in eastern England was linked to the suspected plot against RAF Fairford in western... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370233/uk-ministry-defence-patrols-arrest-2-latvians-near-raf-base https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370233/uk-ministry-defence-patrols-arrest-2-latvians-near-raf-base Thu, 08 Oct 2026 16:48:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump said on Monday that a threat linked to Iran ⁠had prompted the removal of American B-1 bombers from a British airbase. The planes had been stationed at RAF Fairford, the preferred European base for US bombers, and had recently been used in US strikes on Iran. Last week, five British men were arrested near the base – which Iran’s Revolutionary Guards previously said was a legitimate target – on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts. “We had an idea that there might be a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369843/us-bombers-moved-uk-airbase-due-iran-linked-threats-trump-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369843/us-bombers-moved-uk-airbase-due-iran-linked-threats-trump-says Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:40:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Russia struck a bridge in Kyiv on Sunday soon after Germany’s chancellor arrived in Ukraine’s capital on a surprise visit to demonstrate European support in the face of an upsurge in attacks. Air raid sirens blared across Kyiv, urging residents to shelter soon after Friedrich Merz arrived under tight security, with warnings of approaching Russian attack drones. Kyiv mayor Vitali Klitschko then confirmed that a strike had damaged the road surface on the Northern Bridge – one of several connecting... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369698/russia-strikes-kyiv-bridge-germanys-merz-visits-pledges-aid https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369698/russia-strikes-kyiv-bridge-germanys-merz-visits-pledges-aid Sun, 04 Oct 2026 09:55:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters Latvian lawmakers on Sunday planned to begin negotiations to form a new government following a parliamentary election in which pro-Ukraine Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs ‘s four-party coalition emerged with 35 per cent of the vote. The United List party is expected to take 42 seats in parliament, and a multiparty coalition will be needed to govern in a splintered political landscape. Parties must take at least 5 per cent of the vote to win parliamentary seats. The election saw a voter turnout... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369674/latvian-leader-poised-big-win-election-shadowed-putin https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369674/latvian-leader-poised-big-win-election-shadowed-putin Sat, 03 Oct 2026 23:11:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Latvia will vote on Saturday in an election shaped by concerns over neighbouring Russia and the cost of living, but the result is not expected to steer the country off its pro-European and pro-Ukrainian course. The centre-right United List party of incumbent Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs is at the head of the race, with over 14 per cent of the vote, according to the SKDS institute. His coalition, however, is expected to emerge weakened as populist parties gain ground by focusing on economic... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369655/latvia-holds-election-concerns-over-russia-inflation-dominate https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369655/latvia-holds-election-concerns-over-russia-inflation-dominate Sat, 03 Oct 2026 07:46:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Finland is investigating a slew of suspected break-ins at the homes of members of parliament, which the prime minister said could be linked to a foreign power. Following media reports, speaker of parliament Jussi Halla-aho on Thursday said parliament had been made aware of a “significant” number of apparent intrusions at the homes of several politicians. Finland, which shares a 1,340km (830-mile) border with Russia, has been on high alert since the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine in February... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369519/finland-alert-after-significant-number-break-ins-mps-homes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369519/finland-alert-after-significant-number-break-ins-mps-homes Fri, 02 Oct 2026 04:33:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday reiterated Moscow’s long-held position that Russia is not planning to attack European countries but will respond to aggression with “all weapons” in its arsenal. In remarks at a foreign policy forum, Putin accused the West and Europe of escalating tensions by talking about preparing for a war with Moscow in the coming years, conducting military drills in the Baltic Sea, and seizing Russian vessels. His remarks followed Moscow’s warning to Nato that it... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3369487/putin-warns-russia-will-use-all-weapons-arsenal-if-any-its-territory-attacked https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3369487/putin-warns-russia-will-use-all-weapons-arsenal-if-any-its-territory-attacked Thu, 01 Oct 2026 21:09:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russia has warned Nato it would be ready to resort to nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempted to cut off Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave that borders the Baltic Sea. In a document sent to Nato and seen by Reuters, Moscow accused the alliance of a “dangerous and reckless course” that entailed “high risks of the outbreak of a direct armed conflict”. The document ‌said this included the possibility of “Russian strikes against decision-making centres in the alliance’s member states right... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369374/russia-sends-nuclear-warning-nato-over-its-kaliningrad-enclave https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369374/russia-sends-nuclear-warning-nato-over-its-kaliningrad-enclave Wed, 30 Sep 2026 14:19:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Swiss voters on Sunday roundly rejected a proposal to tighten their country’s neutrality, final results showed, dismissing an initiative championed by the hard-right and dubbed “pro-Russian” by opponents. While the Swiss widely embrace their neutrality, the initiative to enshrine a strict definition into the constitution exposed deep disagreement over what that neutrality entails. The proposal was rejected by 70.1 per cent of voters, according to the final results. “This result is not a vote... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368976/swiss-reject-tighter-neutrality-rules-referendum-backed-right-wing-populist-party https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368976/swiss-reject-tighter-neutrality-rules-referendum-backed-right-wing-populist-party Sun, 27 Sep 2026 17:15:02 +0000 Cao Jiaxuan Cao Jiaxuan The new US-Denmark-Greenland security agreement could narrow China’s room to engage in the Arctic – particularly in resource-rich Greenland – and potentially push Beijing closer to Russia, Chinese experts on the matter said. According to observers, the deal – signed on Tuesday – could have the broader effect of accelerating the securitisation of the Arctic and making Western Arctic states more cautious about cooperation with China. But it would be unlikely to significantly disrupt China’s... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368889/why-us-deal-greenland-could-narrow-chinas-arctic-engagement https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3368889/why-us-deal-greenland-could-narrow-chinas-arctic-engagement Sat, 26 Sep 2026 12:00:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump and the leaders of Greenland and Denmark signed an agreement on Tuesday that permits a larger US military presence on Greenland and may resolve a stand-off over the strategically located and mineral-rich island. The agreement, signed during Trump’s visit to the UN General Assembly in New York, stops short of Trump’s demand that the US annex Greenland as a US territory to head off the growing Arctic presence of Russia and China. But the deal does codify a greater ‌US... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3368427/us-greenland-denmark-sign-deal-new-york-bid-end-arctic-stand https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3368427/us-greenland-denmark-sign-deal-new-york-bid-end-arctic-stand Tue, 22 Sep 2026 13:56:04 +0000 dpa dpa Andy Burnham has congratulated Denmark and the United States on a deal to “strengthen security in the Arctic” after the two countries reached an agreement over Greenland. The prime minister and his Danish counterpart Mette Frederiksen “welcomed the US’ commitment to the region” in a call on Sunday morning, Downing Street said. In a readout, a No 10 spokesperson said: “The two leaders began by discussing their upcoming visits to New York for the UN General Assembly (UNGA). The Prime Minister said... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368173/uks-burnham-congratulates-trump-and-danish-pm-greenland-deal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368173/uks-burnham-congratulates-trump-and-danish-pm-greenland-deal Sun, 20 Sep 2026 16:50:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters Some Western politicians are seeking conflict between Nato and Russia after ⁠a “failed” strategy to defeat ⁠Moscow in its war with Ukraine, ⁠Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said on Saturday. Long-time Slovak leader Fico, who has kept up warm relations with Russia and refuses military aid for Ukraine, said this week that Europe was closer than ever to a large-scale war ‌erupting from the Ukraine war. At the same time, some European leaders, such as those in France and Poland, have warned of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368137/some-western-politicians-stoking-nato-russia-clash-ukraine-war-strategy-falters-fico https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368137/some-western-politicians-stoking-nato-russia-clash-ukraine-war-strategy-falters-fico Sun, 20 Sep 2026 03:04:57 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Denmark’s government was cautiously optimistic on Saturday following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of a deal on Greenland to bolster US military presence there but keep the island under Danish control after months of threats by the US president to seize the semi-autonomous territory of a Nato ally. The Arctic island’s top leaders echoed that stance and said the deal, which has not yet been made public, was long in coming. US, Greenlandic and Danish officials had quietly negotiated for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3368126/denmark-cautiously-optimistic-over-trumps-greenland-deal https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3368126/denmark-cautiously-optimistic-over-trumps-greenland-deal Sat, 19 Sep 2026 15:24:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump said Thursday there had been “major progress” towards establishing an American military base in Poland, after Warsaw said it was holding talks with Washington on the issue. “Thanks to the bold leadership of my friend, Karol Nawrocki, President of Poland, major progress is being made toward establishing a US Army base in Poland,” Trump said on social media. “If this happens, the location will be announced very soon. This will be a historic step for our Great U.S./Polish... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3367911/trump-says-major-progress-made-towards-us-base-poland https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3367911/trump-says-major-progress-made-towards-us-base-poland Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:01:22 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Over the course of the summer, Russian attacks have been pushing ever deeper into European territory. On August 11, military divers destroyed two drones floating off the coast of Romania near a €4 billion (US$4.7 billion) energy project. Nine days later, Bucharest scrambled two F-16s to take out a maritime drone near the same Black Sea gas platform with hundreds of workers on board. Earlier that month, German police detected an armed UAV at Leipzig airport, while this week Nato jets downed... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3367868/war-without-battle-europe-struggles-tackle-mounting-russian-hybrid-attacks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3367868/war-without-battle-europe-struggles-tackle-mounting-russian-hybrid-attacks Thu, 17 Sep 2026 09:51:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Denmark and Russia were at a war of words on Tuesday after Danish authorities accused a Russian frigate of firing flares at a Danish military helicopter. The armed forces said in a statement late on Monday that “one of the air force’s Fennec helicopters was today fired at with flares during a routine photographic operation of a Russian frigate, which was located in international waters off Gedser”, Denmark’s southernmost town. The frigate had fired “two flares towards the helicopter. One of the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3367621/denmark-says-russian-frigate-fired-flares-helicopter https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3367621/denmark-says-russian-frigate-fired-flares-helicopter Tue, 15 Sep 2026 11:49:23 +0000 dpa dpa Germany’s military counter-intelligence agency, known as MAD, has warned of a growing threat from hybrid attacks and the use of recruited contract agents, or low-level agents, saying Germany is a “prioritised target of Russian espionage activities”. According to the agency’s annual report released on Monday, it cited Germany’s geostrategic position in Europe and Nato the expansion of the Bundeswehr and the introduction of new weapons systems as reasons for the heightened targeting. “The hybrid... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3367505/german-intelligence-report-warns-rising-chinese-russian-spy-threat https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3367505/german-intelligence-report-warns-rising-chinese-russian-spy-threat Mon, 14 Sep 2026 16:41:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Finland has decided to join France’s forward nuclear deterrence initiative, extending the measure to a country sharing a long border with Russia, the two countries said in a joint statement on Monday. France is extending its nuclear deterrent to European allies as the continent reassesses its security in the wake of US President Donald Trump’s shake-up of Nato. “Finland has decided to join forward deterrence,” the two countries said. “A nuclear steering group will be set up in the coming months... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3367473/finland-join-frances-forward-nuclear-deterrent https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3367473/finland-join-frances-forward-nuclear-deterrent Mon, 14 Sep 2026 10:27:19 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Poland and Ukraine on Sunday denounced Russian strikes close to the Polish border, including on a Warsaw-bound train and near a frontier checkpoint – as an “escalation” in the war. Ukraine’s rail operator said former British prime minister Boris Johnson and ex-US CIA director David Petraeus were at a border railway station nearby around the time the train was hit. But the strikes came as US President Donald Trump called on Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to halt attacks on Russian... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3367370/senior-western-figures-ukraine-station-russia-train-strike-rail-operator-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3367370/senior-western-figures-ukraine-station-russia-train-strike-rail-operator-says Sun, 13 Sep 2026 17:35:57 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Sweden’s general election was too close to call early Monday, as the incumbent prime minister and the left-wing opposition leader both said they were ready to govern and the far-right was seen losing ground. With more than 90 per cent of votes counted, four opposition parties led by Social Democratic leader Magdalena Andersson, held a three-seat majority in the 349-seat parliament over Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson’s right-wing alliance, which includes the anti-immigration Sweden... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3367356/sweden-votes-over-immigration-right-wing-bloc-gains-traction https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3367356/sweden-votes-over-immigration-right-wing-bloc-gains-traction Sun, 13 Sep 2026 10:59:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Sweden’s government said on Monday that the country would spend 7 billion kronor (US$730 million) to buy US-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (Himars) rocket artillery for its military. The government said in a statement that the acquisition would “enable the Swedish Armed Forces to operate over larger areas, and with greater long-range capacity than with current systems”. Defence Minister Pal Jonson told reporters that the deal covered about 10 trucks equipped with launchers and a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3366688/sweden-buys-us-rocket-artillery-us730-million https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3366688/sweden-buys-us-rocket-artillery-us730-million Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:49:27 +0000 Reuters Reuters For the first time in recent history, Danish ⁠conscripts have been deployed to ⁠Greenland, as Denmark moves to ⁠bolster its presence in the Arctic after US demands to acquire the territory. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly sought to acquire the semi-autonomous Danish island, citing national security concerns and accusing Copenhagen of neglecting Arctic defence. Denmark and ‌Greenland have firmly rejected the idea. The conscripts are part of the first cohort under Denmark’s new extended... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366112/denmark-sends-conscripts-greenland-signalling-aim-boost-arctic-defences https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366112/denmark-sends-conscripts-greenland-signalling-aim-boost-arctic-defences Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:24:47 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The German government on Tuesday blamed Russia for an attempted attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport last month using a drone laden with explosives, and announced that it would shut down a Russian consulate among other measures. The drone was found near a Ukrainian plane on August 4 and the device was defused. German officials said at the time that the incident posed a new level of danger. Moscow has been widely accused by Western officials of running a campaign of sabotage and disruption with the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366030/germany-blames-russia-attempted-drone-attack-leipzig-airport https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3366030/germany-blames-russia-attempted-drone-attack-leipzig-airport Tue, 01 Sep 2026 16:50:04 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A proposed troop access deal between the Philippines and Britain marks the latest step in Manila’s drive to draw more European and like-minded powers into its efforts to safeguard the free flow of trade through the South China Sea and neighbouring waterways. The visiting forces agreement would allow troops from both countries to train and operate temporarily on each other’s soil, a move analysts said could deepen the Philippines’ ties with Nato members and reduce its reliance on the US security... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3365984/uk-philippines-troop-deal-boost-natos-south-china-sea-reach https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3365984/uk-philippines-troop-deal-boost-natos-south-china-sea-reach Tue, 01 Sep 2026 09:31:49 +0000 Reuters Reuters Twelve people were killed and several more injured in Russian air attacks on Kyiv and the surrounding region on Tuesday, authorities said, in the sixth consecutive day of ‌strikes on the Ukrainian capital. Attacks both in Ukraine and Russia continue as efforts are ongoing to find a solution to end the deadliest conflict on the European continent since World War II, which started with Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Eight people were killed and another five wounded in Kyiv, three... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365931/russia-strikes-ukraine-capital-sixth-straight-day-killing-least-9 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365931/russia-strikes-ukraine-capital-sixth-straight-day-killing-least-9 Tue, 01 Sep 2026 05:39:22 +0000 dpa dpa Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda said he has been briefed by the US on the content of CIA Director John Ratcliffe’s talks in Moscow, describing the visit as aimed at reducing regional tensions. “I can say at this stage that the meeting achieved its stated objectives, and it was aimed at reducing tensions in the region,” Nauseda said in Vilnius, according to Lithuanian media reports on Monday. “I very much hope that this message reached the Kremlin regime in good time.” He did not provide... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3365896/cia-chiefs-moscow-meeting-achieved-its-goals-says-lithuanias-president https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3365896/cia-chiefs-moscow-meeting-achieved-its-goals-says-lithuanias-president Mon, 31 Aug 2026 19:25:29 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iceland’s voters rejected restarting negotiations to join the European Union in a referendum that pitted concerns about geopolitical stability against keeping national control of Iceland’s prized fisheries, officials said on Sunday. Opponents defeated the measure by a margin of 52.8 per cent to 47.2 per cent, the National Electoral Commission said. The result puts the divisive issue to rest for now – more than a decade after a Eurosceptic government ended EU talks that had begun after the 2008... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365778/icelandic-voters-reject-proposal-restart-negotiations-join-european-union https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365778/icelandic-voters-reject-proposal-restart-negotiations-join-european-union Sun, 30 Aug 2026 17:44:06 +0000 Reuters Reuters Finland’s President Alexander Stubb said he did not believe ⁠Russia would risk ⁠an attack against a Nato country, ⁠telling Germany’s Bild newspaper it would “make no sense” to test the resolve of the alliance. Western officials have warned of a growing risk of Russian hybrid operations, including cyberattacks, against European countries potentially leading to a direct ‌confrontation with the Nato alliance. German officials have said they assess Russia would be in a position to attack a Nato... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3365731/finland-says-it-makes-no-sense-russia-risk-attack-nato-nation https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3365731/finland-says-it-makes-no-sense-russia-risk-attack-nato-nation Sun, 30 Aug 2026 04:38:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The US military is experiencing a “beyond critical” shortage of advanced missile interceptors in Europe largely driven by US President Donald Trump’s war with Iran, an American defence official in Europe and a Nato official said, raising concerns about vulnerabilities in Nato countries to a potential Russian attack. The US defence official said the most concerning shortfall involves Patriot missile interceptors, which can shoot down Russia’s high-speed ballistic missiles. The Nato official... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3365503/us-patriot-missile-shortage-europe-beyond-critical-due-iran-war-officials-say https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3365503/us-patriot-missile-shortage-europe-beyond-critical-due-iran-war-officials-say Thu, 27 Aug 2026 16:52:49 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russian ⁠foreign ⁠ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova ⁠said on Thursday that Russia could strike British military targets inside and outside Ukraine ‌in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russia using British missiles. Zakharova called on Britain to back off what she called London’s hostile ⁠stance on Ukraine, which she said ‌risked taking the conflict to an entirely new level. She ‌had told the same Moscow ⁠news ⁠briefing earlier that Britain and France were “playing with ‌fire” by supplying... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3365470/russia-lashes-out-uk-france-over-ukraine-missile-technology-transfer https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3365470/russia-lashes-out-uk-france-over-ukraine-missile-technology-transfer Thu, 27 Aug 2026 10:12:26 +0000 Tan Poh Hwee Tan Poh Hwee A coalition may call itself a commitment. It still has to say what that commitment is. The Trump administration is reportedly preparing to send a letter to dozens of countries, pressing them to choose sides in the US-China artificial intelligence race. Those that join Beijing’s proposed AI cooperation framework would be excluded from the US-led AI coalition. “To be part of everything is to be part of nothing,” the draft says. An American official summarised the message more bluntly: countries... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3364821/states-being-part-everything-doesnt-mean-being-part-nothing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3364821/states-being-part-everything-doesnt-mean-being-part-nothing Tue, 25 Aug 2026 08:30:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press President Donald Trump’s decision to scale back joint military exercises with South Korea does not just slight a long-time ally but raises broader concerns about the security interests of the United States in Asia and elsewhere. Trump explained his decision by citing South Korea’s refusal to join his war against Iran and pointing to what he said was his good relationship with North Korea’s reclusive dictator Kim Jong-un, a transactional and personal approach to foreign policy that has defined... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3364352/trumps-decision-scale-back-south-korea-drills-unsettles-asian-allies-makes-no-sense https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/east-asia/article/3364352/trumps-decision-scale-back-south-korea-drills-unsettles-asian-allies-makes-no-sense Tue, 18 Aug 2026 01:32:23 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russia carried out a wave of air strikes on Ukraine overnight, killing two people at a steel plant, and Kyiv launched a heavy drone attack on the Moscow region that killed one person and set ablaze a warehouse ‌used by Russia’s leading e-commerce retailer. Romania, which borders Ukraine, said an F-18 fighter on a Nato air policing mission had shot down a drone that breached its airspace during the latest attacks. It did not specify the origin of the drone, which entered from Moldova, but a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3364208/moscow-strikes-ukrainian-steel-plant-kyiv-targets-russian-economy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3364208/moscow-strikes-ukrainian-steel-plant-kyiv-targets-russian-economy Sun, 16 Aug 2026 13:28:04 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li The cockpit crew of a Cathay Pacific Airways flight from Hong Kong to London selected the wrong radio frequency when mistakenly responding to instructions for another aircraft, leading to a loss of communication with air traffic control in Romanian airspace last month, a Hong Kong investigation report has revealed. The government said on Friday that the Civil Aviation Department had completed a review of the airline’s full investigation report and expressed “serious concern” over the incident,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3364090/wrong-radio-frequency-cathay-crew-led-nato-jet-interception-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3364090/wrong-radio-frequency-cathay-crew-led-nato-jet-interception-report Fri, 14 Aug 2026 11:36:41 +0000 dpa dpa A drone entered Latvian airspace and was shot down by Italian Eurofighter jets, the military said on Friday. The decision to shoot it down was taken to avert a threat to Latvia’s population, Defence Minister Raivis Melnis said. An air alert was lifted after the drone was intercepted, Latvia’s military said on social media, after authorities had urged people across the Baltic state to avoid going outside and seek shelter. A spokeswoman for Latvia’s military said the drone was shot down over a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3364075/nato-jets-shoot-down-foreign-drone-after-it-enters-latvian-airspace https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3364075/nato-jets-shoot-down-foreign-drone-after-it-enters-latvian-airspace Fri, 14 Aug 2026 10:30:03 +0000 Ronny P. Sasmita Ronny P. Sasmita When Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif signed the Mecca defence agreement, they executed a structural overhaul of the Middle East’s security architecture. The pact codifies a defence commitment, where an armed attack on one is treated as an assault on all. Building upon September’s Saudi-Pakistan defence agreement, this tripartite arrangement bridges the financial capital of the Gulf, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3363663/what-mecca-military-pact-means-china https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3363663/what-mecca-military-pact-means-china Thu, 13 Aug 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump secretly flew out of Turkey last month on a smaller plane than previously known due to an assassination threat from Iran, The Washington Post reported on Monday. According to an anonymous US official who spoke to the Post, Trump boarded an Air Force One jet in Ankara on July 8, but then moved into a catering container attached to the plane. The container then ferried him to a smaller C-32A aircraft that flew him to Britain, while media and some officials were led to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3363600/how-us-staged-air-force-one-departure-hide-trumps-secret-exit-turkey https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3363600/how-us-staged-air-force-one-departure-hide-trumps-secret-exit-turkey Tue, 11 Aug 2026 03:31:34 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Pakistan’s foreign minister said a new defence agreement his country signed with Saudi Arabia and Turkey was not directed against any country and remained open to other nations in the region. The landmark Mecca Joint Defence Agreement was signed on Friday by the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as the three countries seek to deepen security cooperation amid heightened tensions between the United States and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3363472/pakistan-says-purely-defensive-mecca-accord-open-others https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3363472/pakistan-says-purely-defensive-mecca-accord-open-others Mon, 10 Aug 2026 01:56:32 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ukraine on Saturday denied targeting Bulgaria after a drone exploded close to the strategic Trans-Balkan gas pipeline linking Turkey to Ukraine near the Romanian border. Bulgaria’s defence ministry said the drone was of a type “widely used by the Ukrainian military”, and the foreign minister summoned the Ukrainian ambassador for a meeting on Monday in response, her office said. Kyiv said it was “in close contact with the Bulgarian side to clarify the circumstances” of the incident, the latest... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3363414/ukraine-denies-targeting-bulgaria-drone-explodes-near-pipeline https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3363414/ukraine-denies-targeting-bulgaria-drone-explodes-near-pipeline Sat, 08 Aug 2026 17:41:36 +0000 Reuters Reuters A bus driver knocked an explosive-laden drone out of the air, potentially preventing an attack this week at a German airport that serves as a major Nato and cargo logistics hub, a senior lawmaker said ‌on Friday. The man spotted the drone flying low while he was working at Leipzig/Halle airport late on Tuesday, then kicked out at it in what Detlef Seif described as a courageous but dangerous act. The drone, which prosecutors said was equipped with professional explosives and a detonator, then... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3363344/bus-driver-kicked-explosive-drone-out-air-german-airport https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3363344/bus-driver-kicked-explosive-drone-out-air-german-airport Fri, 07 Aug 2026 11:57:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press When Russia fires a ballistic missile at Ukraine, air-defence systems have only minutes – sometimes seconds – to detect and intercept the deadly threat. The lack of time has left Kyiv and other cities increasingly exposed to devastating attacks by the missiles that come down so fast and so steeply that Ukraine says only the US-made Patriot defence system can stop them. But Ukraine says it has too few batteries and interceptors to protect itself. Unlike cruise missiles, which behave like... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3363136/why-russias-ballistic-missiles-are-breaking-through-ukraine https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3363136/why-russias-ballistic-missiles-are-breaking-through-ukraine Thu, 06 Aug 2026 05:53:33 +0000