https://www.scmp.com/rss/265598/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A US federal judge dismissed a criminal case on Friday filed against a Salvadorean man at the centre of a row over US President Donald Trump’s crackdown on migrants. US District Judge Waverly Crenshaw ruled that the indictment of Kilmar Abrego Garcia by the Trump administration’s Justice Department was “an abuse of prosecuting power”. Abrego Garcia, a Maryland resident married to an American woman, was among more than 200 people sent to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison in March of last year. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354594/us-judge-tosses-case-against-wrongly-deported-salvadorean-man-abrego-garcia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354594/us-judge-tosses-case-against-wrongly-deported-salvadorean-man-abrego-garcia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 23:19:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Friday that Alberta was “essential” to the country’s future, hours after the province’s leader moved the oil-rich region closer towards a referendum on independence. Separatists in the western province spent months collecting signatures seeking to trigger a binding October vote on seceding from the nation. On May 4, they delivered their petition to provincial officials, insisting they had collected more than enough names to force a vote under Alberta... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354585/pm-carney-says-alberta-essential-canada-separatist-push-advances?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354585/pm-carney-says-alberta-essential-canada-separatist-push-advances?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 16:30:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse France’s former prime minister Gabriel Attal said on Friday he would run for president next year when Emmanuel Macron steps down, becoming the second prominent centrist to challenge the far-right. “I can’t take this kind of French politics anymore, where it’s just 50 shades of managing decline,” said the 37-year-old, who was France’s youngest prime minister when he served in 2024. He announced his bid under a blazing sun in the southern village of Mur-de-Barrez – the kind of rural area where... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354577/frances-youngest-pm-attal-run-president?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354577/frances-youngest-pm-attal-run-president?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 14:27:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The coach of the first North Korean sports team to visit the South in eight years said his players were not “rough” as they prepared for Saturday’s Asian Women’s Champions League final. Naegohyang Women’s FC take on Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza in the South Korean city of Suwon, having beaten Suwon FC Women in the semi-finals at the same stadium earlier this week. The rare North-South semi-final was a hard-fought match played in a fair spirit without any major flashpoints. Three Naegohyang players... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3354494/north-korean-women-deny-they-play-rough-ahead-asian-champions-league-club-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3354494/north-korean-women-deny-they-play-rough-ahead-asian-champions-league-club-final?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 14:00:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two Indian climbers have died on Mount Everest during a record-breaking period of ascents via Nepal’s southern route, as experts warn of overcrowding on the world’s highest peak. “They fell ill while descending at high altitude. We are working out how to retrieve the bodies,” Nivesh Karki, director at Pioneer Adventures, said. He named them as Sandeep Are, who he said summited on Wednesday, and Arun Kumar Tiwari, who reached the peak on Thursday. Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354557/2-climbers-die-everest-record-breaker-warns-overcrowding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354557/2-climbers-die-everest-record-breaker-warns-overcrowding?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 11:05:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thousands of protesters in Bangladesh clashed with police in a bid to seize a suspect accused of raping a four-year-old girl, officials said on Friday. In recent months, the South Asian country has seen a spike in reported cases of violence against women and children, fuelling widespread anger. Police said the suspect, Monir Hossain, was detained by locals in Bangladesh’s second-largest city of Chattogram and was being handed over to the authorities on Thursday when tensions boiled over among... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354554/bangladesh-protestors-clash-police-over-alleged-child-rape?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354554/bangladesh-protestors-clash-police-over-alleged-child-rape?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 10:31:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse,Associated Press Agence France-Presse,Associated Press Cole Palmer and Phil Foden were among a number of high-profile players left out of Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad announced on Friday. Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold was also omitted, with Saudi-based Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney the surprise inclusion. Tuchel, a Champions League winner during his time at Chelsea, was hired to end England’s 60-year wait to win a major international tournament, and the German former Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich boss has made a series of bold calls... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3354550/cole-palmer-phil-foden-left-out-england-world-cup-squad-ivan-toney-surprise-pick?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3354550/cole-palmer-phil-foden-left-out-england-world-cup-squad-ivan-toney-surprise-pick?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 10:10:22 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Paul McCartney led an all-star line-up for the final episode of The Late Show as frontman Stephen Colbert bowed out after broadcaster CBS cancelled his show as it courted US President Donald Trump. But one A-lister who eluded the comic to the end was the pope, whom Colbert, a devout Catholic, had long touted as his dream guest. “The pope, who was definitely my guest tonight, has cancelled,” Colbert joked, blaming a dispute over hot dogs before McCartney appeared to rapturous cheers. The show,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354480/stephen-colbert-hosts-late-show-finale-after-controversial-cancellation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354480/stephen-colbert-hosts-late-show-finale-after-controversial-cancellation?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 22 May 2026 06:01:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse At least 19 people were killed at a palm plantation in northern Honduras, authorities said Thursday, as the Central American nation prepares for a resurgent wave of anti-gang militarisation. The killings took place the previous night in Rigores, in the restive Bajo Aguan region, where rival gangs have fought over control of palm plantations and drug trafficking routes. The attack came shortly after the national legislature approved a series of reforms to confront criminal violence in Honduras,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3354438/16-dead-after-gunmen-open-fire-2-separate-attacks-honduras?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3354438/16-dead-after-gunmen-open-fire-2-separate-attacks-honduras?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 23:29:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israel said on Thursday it had deported all the foreign activists seized by its forces from a Gaza-bound flotilla, as the first group arrived in Turkey following global outcry over their treatment in custody. Hundreds of activists from countries around the world were placed in detention in Israel after they were intercepted at sea Monday while making the latest in a string of attempts to break the blockade of the Palestinian territory. Turkish foreign ministry sources said 422 activists,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3354436/first-gaza-flotilla-activists-arrive-turkey-after-israel-deportation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3354436/first-gaza-flotilla-activists-arrive-turkey-after-israel-deportation?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 22:30:01 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday voiced hope of progress on ending the war with Iran, with mediator Pakistan’s army chief poised for talks in Tehran. The role played by Field Marshal Asim Munir, a powerful figure with a growing role in Pakistan’s foreign relations, has taken on increased significance as US President Donald Trump warned that negotiations to end the war were on the “borderline” between a deal and renewed strikes. “I believe the Pakistanis will be travelling to Tehran... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3354435/us-voices-hope-iran-deal-progress-pakistan-army-chief-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3354435/us-voices-hope-iran-deal-progress-pakistan-army-chief-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 21:24:32 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Portuguese police on Thursday arrested the mother of two young French boys found abandoned by a main road in the south of the country, alone and crying. The boys, aged four and five, were rescued on Tuesday by a passing motorist near the resort town of Comporta, where they had been left with backpacks containing food and water but no identity documents, according to Portuguese media. A manhunt was launched for the boys’ mother, 41, and on Thursday Portuguese police said they had arrested her in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354428/mother-arrested-after-young-french-boys-abandoned-portugal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354428/mother-arrested-after-young-french-boys-abandoned-portugal?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 17:45:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An Ankara court on Thursday annulled the 2023 leadership election of Turkey’s main opposition CHP party in a sharp escalation against the country’s embattled opposition. It is the latest in a string of moves targeting the Republican People’s Party, Turkey’s oldest political faction that won a huge victory over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s ruling AKP in the 2024 local elections and has been rising in the polls. The ruling overturned the result of a leadership election that brought in current... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354426/court-annuls-leadership-turkeys-main-opposition-party?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354426/court-annuls-leadership-turkeys-main-opposition-party?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 16:46:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Italian teenager Kimi Antonelli seeks a sensational fourth consecutive victory to boost his F1 drivers’ title bid this weekend, but expects a robust response from Mercedes teammate George Russell at the Canadian Grand Prix. The 19-year-old rising star of Italian sport leads the Briton, nine years his senior and the pre-season favourite for the title, by 20 points after four rounds of the 22-race championship as Mercedes unveiled a major upgrade package. For Russell, it is important to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/formula-one-f1/article/3354358/f1-canadian-grand-prix-kimi-antonelli-seeks-extend-sensational-start-fourth-win?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/formula-one-f1/article/3354358/f1-canadian-grand-prix-kimi-antonelli-seeks-extend-sensational-start-fourth-win?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 08:29:43 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Brazil’s right-wing presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro was riding high in the polls until the news broke of his ties to a banker jailed over a multimillion-dollar fraud scandal. The 45-year-old senator had been polling neck-and-neck with 80-year-old President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is expected to seek a fourth term in presidential elections in October. But a change may be under way following the publication of an audio recording by investigative outlet The Intercept in which... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3354338/jailed-banker-ties-roil-flavio-bolsonaros-brazil-presidential-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3354338/jailed-banker-ties-roil-flavio-bolsonaros-brazil-presidential-hopes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 May 2026 06:34:55 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US special envoy to Greenland, the Arctic island coveted by President Donald Trump, said on Wednesday that Washington needs to rebuild its presence in the Danish autonomous territory. At the height of the Cold War, Washington had 17 military facilities in Greenland, but closed them over the years and currently has just one – the Pituffik base in the north of the island. Trump has repeatedly argued the US needs to control Greenland because of national security concerns, claiming that if it... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354290/us-needs-put-its-footprint-back-greenland-trump-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354290/us-needs-put-its-footprint-back-greenland-trump-envoy-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 21:48:02 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A former British pirate radio station on Wednesday apologised “for any distress caused” after accidentally announcing the death of King Charles. The erroneous announcement was made on Tuesday afternoon due to a computer error at its main studio in Maldon in eastern Essex, Radio Caroline said in a post on social media. The error had triggered the so-called death of a monarch procedure “which all UK stations hold in readiness while hoping not to require”, station manager Peter Moore said. “Radio... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354287/uk-radio-station-mistakenly-reports-death-king-charles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354287/uk-radio-station-mistakenly-reports-death-king-charles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 18:16:31 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The LIV injection would have pushed the total prize fund from around US$1 million (HK$7.8 million) to a record US$1.5 million for the historic tournament first played in 1958. However, on Wednesday, it released a statement saying: “The Asian Tour can confirm the prize money for the Kolon Korea Open has been revised to the original amount of 1.4 billion Korean won (US$1 million), the same as last year. “We communicated this revision to our members following an update from the title sponsor... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3354249/liv-cash-crunch-hits-asian-tour-korea-open-cuts-planned-us500000-prize-money-boost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3354249/liv-cash-crunch-hits-asian-tour-korea-open-cuts-planned-us500000-prize-money-boost?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 14:00:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse North Korea’s first sports team to visit the South in eight years reached the Asian Women’s Champions League final on Wednesday as Naegohyang Women’s FC beat Suwon FC Women 2-1. Naegohyang came from behind to defeat their rivals from the south amid torrential rain in Suwon, in a hard-fought semi-final played in a fair spirit without any major flashpoints. Suwon captain Ji So-yun missed a penalty with just over 10 minutes to play. The North Koreans will stay in South Korea for Saturday’s final,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3354269/north-korean-women-win-rare-match-south-reach-asian-champions-league-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3354269/north-korean-women-win-rare-match-south-reach-asian-champions-league-final?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 12:50:37 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Philippine Supreme Court refused on Wednesday to block the arrest of a fugitive senator wanted by the International Criminal Court over his role in the nation’s deadly drug war. The interim ruling clears the way for the potential arrest of Senator Ronald dela Rosa, the former national police chief who was the main enforcer of ex-president Rodrigo Duterte’s crackdown. “The Supreme Court, in a vote of 9-5-1, denied the prayer for a temporary restraining order and/or status quo ante order filed... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354231/philippines-top-court-rejects-dela-rosas-bid-block-icc-arrest-warrant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354231/philippines-top-court-rejects-dela-rosas-bid-block-icc-arrest-warrant?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 08:44:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An escalating outbreak of a rare Ebola strain in the Democratic Republic of Congo has kicked off a race to find vaccines and treatments that can be quickly tested and rolled out to save lives and stem the crisis. More than 130 people have died so far during the outbreak, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday, as WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated he was “deeply concerned about the scale and speed of the epidemic”. Tedros pointed to the emergence of cases in urban... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3354217/outbreak-rare-ebola-strain-sparks-race-find-vaccines-and-treatments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3354217/outbreak-rare-ebola-strain-sparks-race-find-vaccines-and-treatments?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 07:51:34 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Alexandra Eala and Janice Tjen have taken different routes to the women’s top 40, but both began their journeys from a region that is rarely on the tennis map. In January, Eala, who turns 21 the day before Roland Garros starts, became the first player from the Philippines to break into the top 50. Tjen turned 24 earlier in May. When she entered the top 40 in February, she became the highest-ranked Indonesian woman since Yayuk Basuki, who reached the top 20 in 1997 and 1998. While their far-flung... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3354213/seasters-alexandra-eala-janice-tjen-bring-southeast-asian-pride-french-open?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3354213/seasters-alexandra-eala-janice-tjen-bring-southeast-asian-pride-french-open?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 07:41:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Samsung Electronics workers’ union said late on Wednesday that a planned strike had been put on hold until further notice after negotiations with management resumed with the participation of South Korea’s labour minister. The company’s management and workers’ union had resumed talks earlier in the day in a last-ditch attempt to avert a strike. The labour union at the world’s top memory chipmaker had said it would begin a strike on Thursday after talks over bonuses broke down, raising concerns... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354165/samsung-workers-go-ahead-18-day-strike-bonus-talks-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3354165/samsung-workers-go-ahead-18-day-strike-bonus-talks-collapse?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 03:08:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump tightened his grip on the Republican Party on Tuesday as Kentucky voters ousted one of the few conservative lawmakers willing to challenge him openly. Congressman Thomas Massie’s defeat, which he conceded some three hours after polls closed, marked another victory in Trump’s campaign to punish Republican dissent. It follows the rout of Indiana state lawmakers who defied the US president on redistricting and the weekend collapse of Senator Bill Cassidy’s re-election bid... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354157/trump-critic-massie-defeated-record-breaking-kentucky-primary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354157/trump-critic-massie-defeated-record-breaking-kentucky-primary?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 May 2026 00:40:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A top commander of US forces in the Middle East avoided taking responsibility on Tuesday for an attack on a school in Iran that left 155 people dead on day one of the war, insisting a “complex” probe continues. Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), told a congressional oversight panel that “the school itself is located on an active IRGC cruise missile base”, making the investigation “more complex than the average strike”. IRGC stands for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3354147/us-again-avoids-taking-responsibility-iran-school-attack-killed-155?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3354147/us-again-avoids-taking-responsibility-iran-school-attack-killed-155?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 18:36:22 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Norwegian authorities on Tuesday announced that bird flu has been documented in a polar bear for the first time in Europe, in the Svalbard region in the Arctic. The H5N5 variant of the virus was detected in samples taken from a male bear about one year old and a walrus found dead in mid-May on the icy archipelago, around 1,000km (600 miles) from the North Pole, the Norwegian Veterinary Institute said. “The results are part of a trend in which highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses are... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354146/norway-reports-europes-first-case-bird-flu-polar-bear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354146/norway-reports-europes-first-case-bird-flu-polar-bear?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 17:40:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse One of Thailand’s richest men dismissed his cousin from the Singha beer business empire on Tuesday, the company said, after days of controversy over allegations the man had sexually abused his own brother. Environmental activist Siranudh Scott, a scion of the Bhirombhakdi family who control the beer brand ubiquitous in Thailand, posted an emotional video on his social media page this month accusing his elder brother of repeatedly abusing him in his teenage years. “Everyone in my family knows it... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354139/thai-singha-beer-heir-dismissed-family-firm-amid-brothers-sexual-abuse-claims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354139/thai-singha-beer-heir-dismissed-family-firm-amid-brothers-sexual-abuse-claims?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 14:35:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Security officers from the Philippine Senate are being investigated for firing their weapons without provocation as a senator wanted by the International Criminal Court sought refuge in the building, officials said on Tuesday. Senator Ronald dela Rosa briefly sought refuge in the Senate last week while asking the Philippine Supreme Court to stop an attempt by government agents to arrest him. The fugitive senator, the former national police chief in the early years of Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-drug... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354135/philippine-senate-guards-investigated-firing-shots-fugitive-senator-fled?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3354135/philippine-senate-guards-investigated-firing-shots-fugitive-senator-fled?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 13:41:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Spain’s former Socialist prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has been placed under investigation for influence peddling and crimes allegedly committed in connection with the bailout of a small airline, according to a court on Tuesday. The move adds to pressure on current Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, already weakened by corruption investigations involving family members and senior political allies. Zapatero, who served as prime minister from 2004 to 2011, was not originally... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354132/spain-investigates-ex-prime-minister-zapatero-over-airline-bailout-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3354132/spain-investigates-ex-prime-minister-zapatero-over-airline-bailout-scandal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 12:53:48 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Pakistani court sentenced a man to death on Tuesday for murdering a teenage influencer last year after she had repeatedly rejected his advances. Sana Yousaf’s murder in June drew nationwide condemnation and reignited debate over women’s safety, after some online comments – alongside condolences – blamed her for her own death. A judge announced to a cramped Islamabad courtroom on Tuesday afternoon that 22-year-old Umar Hayat was sentenced to death and fined US$7,200. “This verdict is a lesson... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354130/pakistani-man-who-killed-tiktok-star-sana-yousaf-rejecting-him-sentenced-death?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3354130/pakistani-man-who-killed-tiktok-star-sana-yousaf-rejecting-him-sentenced-death?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 12:47:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Jannik Sinner will head into the French Open as the most overwhelming favourite to win the men’s title since Rafael Nadal’s heyday and with the career grand slam firmly in his sights. The Italian will not even have to face Carlos Alcaraz, who beat him in a dramatic Roland Garros final last year, after his great rival was ruled out through injury. Sinner could become the ninth man to complete the set of all four major titles, following in the footsteps of Alcaraz who achieved the feat at the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3354076/french-open-jannik-sinner-primed-career-grand-slam-absence-carlos-alcaraz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3354076/french-open-jannik-sinner-primed-career-grand-slam-absence-carlos-alcaraz?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 12:00:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iranian authorities held mass public weddings in Tehran for couples who signed up to a state-sponsored scheme declaring their readiness to sacrifice their lives in the war against the US and Israel. The ceremonies conducted late on Monday involved hundreds of couples in several major squares in the capital, including more than 100 in the vast Imam Hossein Square in central Tehran, according to reports in Iranian media. They were broadcast on state TV in a bid to boost wartime morale, with US... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3354126/iran-hosts-mass-weddings-couples-volunteering-wartime-sacrifice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3354126/iran-hosts-mass-weddings-couples-volunteering-wartime-sacrifice?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 11:48:33 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The World Health Organization chief voiced concern on Tuesday about the “scale and speed” of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo which has killed an estimated 131 people. The WHO has declared the surge of the highly contagious haemorrhagic fever an international health emergency and called an emergency meeting on the crisis on Tuesday. No vaccine or therapeutic treatment exists for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola responsible for the latest outbreak of the disease, which has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3354108/who-warns-scale-and-speed-deadly-ebola-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3354108/who-warns-scale-and-speed-deadly-ebola-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 09:48:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The coach of the first North Korean sports team to visit the South in eight years batted away questions about the prospect of South Koreans cheering his side, saying: “We are here solely to play football.” Naegohyang Women’s FC will face South Korea’s Suwon FC Women in the semi-finals of the Asian Women’s Champions League on Wednesday. Interest in the rare North v South clash has been intense and 7,087 general admission tickets sold out within hours of going on sale last week. Naegohyang’s... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3354059/north-v-south-purely-football-matter-korea-coach-ahead-rare-contest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3354059/north-v-south-purely-football-matter-korea-coach-ahead-rare-contest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 May 2026 06:00:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The United States said Monday it is bolstering precautions to prevent the spread of Ebola, including screening air travellers from outbreak-hit areas and temporarily suspending visa services. The measures shared by the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) come as the World Health Organization has declared the deadly Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo an international health emergency. In a briefing, Satish Pillai, the health agency’s Ebola response incident... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354027/us-screen-ebola-airports-one-american-dr-congo-infected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354027/us-screen-ebola-airports-one-american-dr-congo-infected?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 22:49:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Cuba’s leader warned on Monday of a “bloodbath” in the event of an American attack, while the US Treasury sanctioned Cuba’s main intelligence agency and top leaders as tensions spiked between the arch-foes. President Miguel Diaz-Canel stressed Cuba’s right to defend itself a day after US news site Axios reported that Havana had obtained over 300 military drones from Russia and Iran and is considering using them against US targets. The report, which quoted US intelligence officials, came amid... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3354025/cuba-warns-bloodbath-if-us-attacks-washington-adds-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/americas/article/3354025/cuba-warns-bloodbath-if-us-attacks-washington-adds-sanctions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 20:51:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A shooting on Monday at a mosque complex in southern California killed three people, with two suspected teenage gunmen later found dead in a car from apparent self-inflicted gunshot wounds, police said. Police said emergency response teams found the victims outside the sprawling Islamic Centre of San Diego, before later finding the shooters, aged 18 and 17, also dead. “We are actively investigating this as a hate crime,” San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl told reporters. “There was definitely... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354024/reports-active-shooter-situation-islamic-centre-san-diego?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354024/reports-active-shooter-situation-islamic-centre-san-diego?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 20:10:49 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The US Treasury on Monday extended by 30 days its sanctions waiver for Russian oil cargoes already at sea, as global energy prices continue to surge due to the Iran war. The latest “temporary 30-day general license” will “provide the most vulnerable nations with the ability to temporarily access Russian oil currently stranded at sea,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a social media post. Monday’s announcement is the second time US authorities have extended the temporary measure, which is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354021/bessent-grants-30-day-extension-russian-oil-tankers-iran-war-squeezes-supply?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354021/bessent-grants-30-day-extension-russian-oil-tankers-iran-war-squeezes-supply?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 18:47:03 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The World Health Organization opened a meeting of global health ministers on Monday amid concern over deadly hantavirus and Ebola outbreaks and uncertainty over announced US and Argentinian withdrawals. While the rare hantavirus outbreak on a cruise ship that has gripped global attention is not officially on the agenda, it is expected to feature prominently in discussions, alongside the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The two outbreaks “are just the latest crises in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354010/who-kicks-annual-assembly-amid-ebola-hantavirus-us-withdrawal-funding-cuts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3354010/who-kicks-annual-assembly-amid-ebola-hantavirus-us-withdrawal-funding-cuts?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 14:07:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Aaron Rai grew up hard-working and humble in central England, family examples developing the patterns that led to his victory on Sunday at the PGA Championship. The 31-year-old became the first English golfer since Jim Barnes in 1919 to capture the PGA crown, making four birdies and an eagle in the last 10 holes to produce a four-stroke victory at Aronimink. “It definitely feels like a journey,” Rai said. “So much goes into it, from being a junior golfer to developing the game to have... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3353977/humble-english-pga-champ-aaron-rai-proud-indian-kenyan-heritage-and-his-hard-work?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3353977/humble-english-pga-champ-aaron-rai-proud-indian-kenyan-heritage-and-his-hard-work?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 12:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse World Cups are where rising stars of football quickly transform into global icons. Here is a look at five of the contenders to become the game’s next superstar at this year’s finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Nico Paz (Argentina) The son of former Argentine international Pablo Paz has opted to play for the world champions despite being born and raised in Spain. Paz, who was a rising star in the Real Madrid academy, has flourished working under Cesc Fabregas since a move to Como in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3353927/rising-star-global-icon-who-could-be-2026-world-cups-breakout-player?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3353927/rising-star-global-icon-who-could-be-2026-world-cups-breakout-player?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 04:32:29 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse North Korean leader Kim Jong-un called on top military officials to bolster front-line units and turn the southern border into an “impregnable fortress”, state media reported on Monday. Kim gave the instruction at a meeting on Sunday where a photo released by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) showed him presiding over commanding military officers wearing full-dress uniform. The North Korean leader told the military officials that a “great change” would be made in an effort to deter war and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353919/north-korea-turn-southern-border-impregnable-fortress-against-arch-enemy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3353919/north-korea-turn-southern-border-impregnable-fortress-against-arch-enemy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 May 2026 03:37:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Difficulty: Summiteer (Level 3) Bangkok’s street food is popular with both locals and tourists. It’s tasty and easy to find, with busy woks and grills cooking food right on the streets from morning to night. However, many street sellers in the food-loving city of Bangkok are worried about their future. The city government has been working to make streets cleaner and safer by moving vendors from sidewalks in busy areas to designated marketplaces. Since 2022, the number of mobile vendors in the... https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/eye-news/article/3352520/bangkoks-street-food-vendors-face-uncertain-future-amid-city-clean-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/posties/kids/eye-news/article/3352520/bangkoks-street-food-vendors-face-uncertain-future-amid-city-clean-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 23:45:05 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump and top cabinet officials addressed thousands of Americans at a mass prayer rally in Washington on Sunday – an event critics saw as an overt display of Christian nationalism undermining the separation of church and state. The gathering was organised by the White House as part of a programme of celebrations for America’s 250th anniversary and billed as an opportunity to revive the idea of a country founded on Christian principles. During the outdoor event on the National... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3353909/white-house-mass-prayer-event-seeks-reclaim-us-christian-roots?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3353909/white-house-mass-prayer-event-seeks-reclaim-us-christian-roots?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 23:41:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israeli strikes killed seven people in Lebanon on Sunday, including an Islamic Jihad commander, Lebanese authorities and state media said, despite a fragile ceasefire as Hezbollah called US-brokered talks between the two countries a “dead end”. The health ministry published a “preliminary toll” for Israel’s strikes on Sunday, with three people killed in the town of Tayr Felsay, including a child, and two killed in the town of Tayr Debba, including another child. It said 11 people were wounded in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3353908/lebanon-says-israeli-strikes-kill-7-hezbollah-condemns-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3353908/lebanon-says-israeli-strikes-kill-7-hezbollah-condemns-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 23:17:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Content provided by British Council [1] Nepali guides last month opened the route past the icefall on Mount Everest. It was blocked for two weeks by a large chunk of dangerous ice. A team of highly skilled mountaineers, known in Nepal as “icefall doctors”, began fixing ropes and ladders on Everest in March to prepare for the spring climbing season. [2] But a serac – a block of glacial ice – above the already dangerous Khumbu icefall disrupted their work. It also sparked fears of delays in the... https://www.scmp.com/spark/learning-zone/study-tools/reading-comprehension/article/3353641/spark-study-buddy-challenger-icefall-doctors-open-route-mount-everest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/spark/learning-zone/study-tools/reading-comprehension/article/3353641/spark-study-buddy-challenger-icefall-doctors-open-route-mount-everest?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 22:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Sunday visited people wounded by a driver with a history of mental health problems who ran over several pedestrians in northern city of Modena. Hundreds gathered in the evening at the call of the city’s mayor to “unite against those who want to divide and sow hatred” after some far-right politicians tried to tie the incident to immigration. The driver, a 31-year-old Italian man of Moroccan heritage, hit several people in central Modena before crashing... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3353905/italian-pm-giorgia-meloni-meets-victims-modena-car-incident?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3353905/italian-pm-giorgia-meloni-meets-victims-modena-car-incident?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 21:03:40 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Norway’s interior security service, PST, said on Sunday a Chinese man had been arrested in the country’s north for spying, just weeks after a Chinese woman was arrested suspected of spying on satellite data. The suspect was arrested on Friday by the Nordland police district, Eirik Veum, PST’s media spokesman, told Agence France-Presse. Veum said the man was suspected of “attempted illegal intelligence activities in Nordland”, but declined to provide further details on the nature of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3353902/norway-arrests-chinese-man-spying-interior-security-service-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3353902/norway-arrests-chinese-man-spying-interior-security-service-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 19:21:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that Israel had almost completed a key goal of the war in Gaza – eliminating all those responsible for orchestrating the attack on October 7, 2023. His remarks followed the Israeli military’s announcement that Ezzedine al-Haddad, commander of Hamas’ armed wing, had been killed in an air strike in Gaza on Friday. In the aftermath of the October 7 assault, Netanyahu pledged to target and eliminate the masterminds behind the attacks, which, according... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3353901/israels-pm-says-close-killing-all-architects-october-7-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3353901/israels-pm-says-close-killing-all-architects-october-7-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 18:05:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Around 10 “new” suspected victims have come forward in a French investigation into the network of the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, a prosecutor said on Sunday. France opened a human trafficking investigation after the US Justice Department in January released the latest cache of files from the investigation into the disgraced financier, who died in prison in 2019 while facing charges of trafficking underage girls for sex. French magistrates are seeking to investigate possible offences... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3353899/around-10-new-victims-frances-epstein-investigation-paris-prosecutor-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3353899/around-10-new-victims-frances-epstein-investigation-paris-prosecutor-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 16:36:11 +0000