TOPIC

/ location

Ukraine

Ukraine is the second largest country in Europe after Russia, gaining independence from the Soviet Union and declaring neutrality in 1991. In February 2022, Russia's President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of Ukraine under the auspices of a "special military operation" to "de-nazify" the country. The move turned Moscow into a global pariah, and the Ukrainian army - backed financially and militarily by the US and western European countries - continues to fight off the invading forces. Nuclear-armed Russia has warned of consequences if Nato interferes in the war, while strategic ally China urges a peaceful, diplomatic solution.

Capital

Kyiv

Head of State

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Head of Government

Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal

A Ukraine-made drone equipped with a high-performance camera. Kyiv downs Russian drones every night, including through the use of cheaper, smaller drones. File photo: Kyodo

US, Israel war on Iran

To help Middle East nations fight drones, Ukraine wants cash and tech

This is about ⁠protection and a full assessment of how to counter Shahed drones, says Zelensky, after Kyiv dispatched dozens of experts.

15 Mar 2026 - 5:34PMvideocam

Central Asia

Beyond a ‘buffer zone’: how the Iran war is recalibrating Central Asian ties

15 Mar 2026 - 2:00PMvideocam

Obituaries

Habermas, the philosopher who shaped Germany’s post-war conscience, dies at 96

15 Mar 2026 - 2:30AM

China travel

Here are 5 ways to enter China without a visa – by land, sea or air

China has continually expanded its visa-free policies in recent years. Here is a breakdown of the latest rules.

14 Mar 2026 - 4:00PM

A police officer helps an American tourist fill out an entry registration card at Beijing Capital International Airport. Photo: Xinhua

War and conflict

Opinion | US-Israeli war on Iran makes a mockery of global governance rules

Inevitably, the world will be split between those committed to peace and harmony, and those who want to fight to secure dominance.

13 Mar 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Opinion | Iran war marks return to strongest states assuming special rights

International law still exists, but it no longer reliably restrains actors as states increasingly act first and justify those deeds later.

13 Mar 2026 - 7:59AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran warns of US$200 oil as countries reach for emergency reserves

US president declares ‘we won’ the war as chaos in the Strait of Hormuz sends shock waves through energy markets.

12 Mar 2026 - 1:25PMvideocam

A man walks along the shore as oil tankers and cargo ships line up in the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Khor Fakkan, United Arab Emirates. Photo: AP

Germany

Germany, Japan to unblock oil reserves as G7 stands ‘ready’ to act

The latest announcement came as G7 leaders were set to discuss the widespread economic fallout from the US-Israeli war with Iran.

11 Mar 2026 - 8:29PMvideocam

US-China relations

Mainland Chinese see Taiwan positively, won’t retreat from US trade war: survey

China Pulse polling study gives rare window into views of ordinary people on mainland, where opinions are often restricted or even banned.

14 Mar 2026 - 4:32AMvideocam

Ukraine war

Russia, Ukraine both claim frontline success while US-led talks on hold

Washington is now focusing on the Iran war, drawing the spotlight from Ukraine’s four-year fight to see off Russia’s bigger army.

11 Mar 2026 - 2:26AMvideocam

Rescuers stand near bodies retrieved from the site of a strike on a residential building in Kharkiv, northeastern Ukraine, on Saturday. Photo: EPA

Retailing

Middle East tensions add uncertainty to Hong Kong retail rents, Wharf REIC says

The landlord of Harbour City and Times Square says retail recovery remains fragile, with higher mall traffic failing to boost spending.

10 Mar 2026 - 7:01PM

Harbour City generated HK$9.22 billion in revenue in 2025, up 1 per cent from a year earlier. Photo: Jelly Tse

US, Israel war on Iran

Asia sees violence, fuel rationing, queues as energy crunch over war hits

In Bangladesh a man was killed and the military has been deployed, while lines have formed elsewhere too, as many nations rely on imports.

10 Mar 2026 - 5:59PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump and Putin discuss ‘quick’ ending to Iran war

However, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they will decide when war ends, and nation’s security chief warns Trump needs to avoid elimination.

10 Mar 2026 - 8:20PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Where things stand after another weekend of war in the Middle East

As Mojtaba Khamenei takes the helm in Tehran, regional casualties climb and oil prices surge in a conflict that enters its 10th day on Monday.

9 Mar 2026 - 8:13PMvideocam

Flames and smoke rise from an oil storage facility struck in Tehran on Saturday. Photo: ISNA via AP

China's military weapons

Why have China’s arms imports plummeted 72% over the past 5 years?

Neighbours in Asia and Oceania increase their overseas weapons purchases amid ‘fears over China’s intentions’.

9 Mar 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

China’s share of global arms imports is waning as it uses more of its own technology. Photo: VCG via Getty Images

Ukraine war

Ukraine protests Russia’s participation in Venice Biennale

Organisers have said Russia could participate for the first time since launching its all-out invasion in 2022.

9 Mar 2026 - 12:58PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran strikes on desalination plants threaten Arab states’ water supplies

In Kuwait, about 90 per cent of drinking water comes from desalination, along with roughly 86 per cent in Oman and about 70 per cent in Saudi Arabia.

9 Mar 2026 - 10:22AMvideocam

China-EU relations

Opinion | How Europe and China can rise above paralysis and mistrust

Together, Brussels and Beijing can reshape global power into a balance where Europe matters and China gains legitimacy as a responsible power.

7 Mar 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

A China-Europe goods train departs from Tongjiang, Heilongjiang province, on December 9, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

Ukraine war

At least 7 killed in Ukraine’s Kharkiv as Russia strikes apartment building

Moscow struck its neighbour overnight with 29 missiles and 480 drones, President Zelensky said, with hits at 22 locations.

7 Mar 2026 - 5:19PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

‘We are decimating them’: US brushes off Russian help for Iran in war

The White House downplays Moscow sharing information with Tehran on US targets in the Gulf, saying it is not affecting military operations.

7 Mar 2026 - 10:05AMvideocam

Indonesia

DNA confirms mutilated remains found on Bali beach belong to kidnapped Ukrainian

Ihor Komarov, a 28-year-old Ukrainian national, was reported abducted in mid-February while riding a motorcycle with a friend in Jimbaran.

6 Mar 2026 - 8:24PMvideocam

Tourists relax at a beach in Bali, Indonesia. Photo: EPA

US, Israel war on Iran

Ukraine military drone experts ‘due in Gulf soon’

There is said to be interest in anti-drone warfare not only from the US but from private and public channels in Gulf nations too.

6 Mar 2026 - 8:11PMvideocam

A Ukrainian officer examines a downed Shahed drone at an undisclosed location in Ukraine in November 2024. Photo: AP

US-China relations

Opinion | China waits and watches as the US fights all its tigers at once

Far from freeing up resources to focus on China, Trump’s administration finds itself fighting fires on several fronts, sapping its resources.

5 Mar 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

Ukraine war

Trump’s Iran attack sparks calls in Russia to abandon Ukraine talks

Some Russian hardliners are urging Vladimir Putin to double down on the war in Ukraine.

4 Mar 2026 - 6:37PMvideocam

Two Sessions 2026

Will Iran feature in foreign policy talks at China’s ‘two sessions’?

The focus is on economics and the five-year plan but the turmoil could prompt a rethink in some areas, analysts say.

3 Mar 2026 - 9:00PMvideocam

The Iran crisis is most likely to be discussed with other conflicts such as the Ukraine war rather than be singled out for special mention at this year’s “two sessions”. Photo: EPA

Indonesia

‘Nothing to them’: Indonesia’s US-Iran peace broker bid faces long odds

Indonesia’s president offered to fly to Tehran in person, but critics say joining Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ cost Jakarta its neutrality.

3 Mar 2026 - 5:55PMvideocam

Young Indonesians hold signs as they take part in a protest against Israel outside the US embassy in Jakarta last month. Photo: Reuters

Diplomacy

Opinion | Kim Jong-un’s daughter may well become North Korea’s first female leader

The signs of succession are apparent, from Kim Ju-ae’s growing public appearances with her father to her reported appointment to a new leadership position.

3 Mar 2026 - 9:30AMvideocam

Two Sessions 2026

Language as a weapon? PLA academics seek training overhaul, cite Ukraine war

Digitised battlefields demand new breed of soldier, as skilled at data analysis and psy-ops as at wielding a weapon, veteran instructor says.

3 Mar 2026 - 9:00AMvideocam

Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.

SUPPORT NOW

Ukraine

To help Middle East nations fight drones, Ukraine wants cash and tech

This is about ⁠protection and a full assessment of how to counter Shahed drones, says Zelensky, after Kyiv dispatched dozens of experts.

Beyond a ‘buffer zone’: how the Iran war is recalibrating Central Asian ties

Habermas, the philosopher who shaped Germany’s post-war conscience, dies at 96

Here are 5 ways to enter China without a visa – by land, sea or air

China has continually expanded its visa-free policies in recent years. Here is a breakdown of the latest rules.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}Opinion | US-Israeli war on Iran makes a mockery of global governance rules

Inevitably, the world will be split between those committed to peace and harmony, and those who want to fight to secure dominance.

Opinion | Iran war marks return to strongest states assuming special rights

International law still exists, but it no longer reliably restrains actors as states increasingly act first and justify those deeds later.

Iran warns of US$200 oil as countries reach for emergency reserves

US president declares ‘we won’ the war as chaos in the Strait of Hormuz sends shock waves through energy markets.

Germany, Japan to unblock oil reserves as G7 stands ‘ready’ to act

The latest announcement came as G7 leaders were set to discuss the widespread economic fallout from the US-Israeli war with Iran.

Mainland Chinese see Taiwan positively, won’t retreat from US trade war: survey

China Pulse polling study gives rare window into views of ordinary people on mainland, where opinions are often restricted or even banned.

Russia, Ukraine both claim frontline success while US-led talks on hold

Washington is now focusing on the Iran war, drawing the spotlight from Ukraine’s four-year fight to see off Russia’s bigger army.

Middle East tensions add uncertainty to Hong Kong retail rents, Wharf REIC says

The landlord of Harbour City and Times Square says retail recovery remains fragile, with higher mall traffic failing to boost spending.

Asia sees violence, fuel rationing, queues as energy crunch over war hits

In Bangladesh a man was killed and the military has been deployed, while lines have formed elsewhere too, as many nations rely on imports.

Trump and Putin discuss ‘quick’ ending to Iran war

However, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards say they will decide when war ends, and nation’s security chief warns Trump needs to avoid elimination.

Where things stand after another weekend of war in the Middle East

As Mojtaba Khamenei takes the helm in Tehran, regional casualties climb and oil prices surge in a conflict that enters its 10th day on Monday.

Why have China’s arms imports plummeted 72% over the past 5 years?

Neighbours in Asia and Oceania increase their overseas weapons purchases amid ‘fears over China’s intentions’.

Ukraine protests Russia’s participation in Venice Biennale

Organisers have said Russia could participate for the first time since launching its all-out invasion in 2022.

Iran strikes on desalination plants threaten Arab states’ water supplies

In Kuwait, about 90 per cent of drinking water comes from desalination, along with roughly 86 per cent in Oman and about 70 per cent in Saudi Arabia.

Opinion | How Europe and China can rise above paralysis and mistrust

Together, Brussels and Beijing can reshape global power into a balance where Europe matters and China gains legitimacy as a responsible power.

At least 7 killed in Ukraine’s Kharkiv as Russia strikes apartment building

Moscow struck its neighbour overnight with 29 missiles and 480 drones, President Zelensky said, with hits at 22 locations.

‘We are decimating them’: US brushes off Russian help for Iran in war

The White House downplays Moscow sharing information with Tehran on US targets in the Gulf, saying it is not affecting military operations.

DNA confirms mutilated remains found on Bali beach belong to kidnapped Ukrainian

Ihor Komarov, a 28-year-old Ukrainian national, was reported abducted in mid-February while riding a motorcycle with a friend in Jimbaran.

Ukraine military drone experts ‘due in Gulf soon’

There is said to be interest in anti-drone warfare not only from the US but from private and public channels in Gulf nations too.

Opinion | China waits and watches as the US fights all its tigers at once

Far from freeing up resources to focus on China, Trump’s administration finds itself fighting fires on several fronts, sapping its resources.

Trump’s Iran attack sparks calls in Russia to abandon Ukraine talks

Some Russian hardliners are urging Vladimir Putin to double down on the war in Ukraine.

Will Iran feature in foreign policy talks at China’s ‘two sessions’?

The focus is on economics and the five-year plan but the turmoil could prompt a rethink in some areas, analysts say.

‘Nothing to them’: Indonesia’s US-Iran peace broker bid faces long odds

Indonesia’s president offered to fly to Tehran in person, but critics say joining Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ cost Jakarta its neutrality.

Opinion | Kim Jong-un’s daughter may well become North Korea’s first female leader

The signs of succession are apparent, from Kim Ju-ae’s growing public appearances with her father to her reported appointment to a new leadership position.

Language as a weapon? PLA academics seek training overhaul, cite Ukraine war

Digitised battlefields demand new breed of soldier, as skilled at data analysis and psy-ops as at wielding a weapon, veteran instructor says.

Opinion | US-Israeli war on Iran makes a mockery of global governance rules