https://www.scmp.com/rss/268559/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agencies Agencies A ⁠number ⁠of ⁠Americans currently in the Democratic Republic of Congo are believed to ‌have had exposure to suspected cases in the country’s latest Ebola outbreak, with several deemed to ⁠have had high-risk exposures, US health news website STAT ‌News reported on Sunday. At least one of ‌these individuals may have ⁠developed symptoms, ⁠the report said. Reuters could ‌not immediately verify the report. The ‌Ebola outbreak ‌in DR Congo ⁠and Uganda has been declared a ⁠public health emergency of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3353907/americans-dr-congo-may-have-had-exposure-ebola-outbreak-us-media-reports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3353907/americans-dr-congo-may-have-had-exposure-ebola-outbreak-us-media-reports?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 22:50:37 +0000 Agencies Agencies Chelsea appointed Xabi Alonso as the club’s latest manager on Sunday on a four-year deal with the Spaniard tasked with turning around the club’s fortunes. Alonso replaces Liam Rosenior, who was fired last month, and will become the fifth permanent coach appointed by Chelsea’s American owners Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital since they bought the club in 2022. The former Real Madrid boss will take charge of the Blues from July 1 in what is his first managerial role in the Premier League. Callum... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3353872/xabi-alonso-appointed-chelsea-manager-club?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3353872/xabi-alonso-appointed-chelsea-manager-club?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 May 2026 08:26:59 +0000 Agencies Agencies A hantavirus outbreak tied to a cruise ship off Cabo Verde has grown to seven cases, including two confirmed infections, the World Health Organization said on Monday, with three deaths among those linked to the voyage. The Dutch-flagged MV Hondius is carrying 147 passengers and crew from 23 countries. Among the passengers are 17 Americans, 19 Britons and 13 from Spain. Sixty-one crew members are also on board. Of the seven cases identified, one British passenger in intensive care in Johannesburg... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3352473/deadly-hantavirus-outbreak-traps-150-cruise-ship-who-identifies-more-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3352473/deadly-hantavirus-outbreak-traps-150-cruise-ship-who-identifies-more-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 07:28:22 +0000 Agencies Agencies Chloe Zhao, Demi Moore and Stellan Skarsgard are among the jurors who will decide the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, organisers announced on Monday. Just about a week before the 79th Cannes begins May 12, organisers unveiled the nine-member jury that will deliberate on the films in competition at the annual French Riviera festival. As already announced, South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) is president of the jury. Moore, 63, along with Chinese filmmaker Zhao, whose... https://www.scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/3352415/chloe-zhao-stellan-skarsgard-and-demi-moore-among-cannes-film-festival-jurors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/film-tv/article/3352415/chloe-zhao-stellan-skarsgard-and-demi-moore-among-cannes-film-festival-jurors?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 May 2026 18:37:50 +0000 Agencies Agencies US President Donald Trump and the head of the Secret Service said on Thursday the federal agent injured during the attack at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner had not been hit by friendly fire, as authorities released a video of the incident. Jeanine Pirro, the US Attorney for the District of Columbia, posted the nearly six-minute video on social media amid lingering questions over whose bullet struck the officer. Pirro noted that the security footage captured suspect Cole Tomas... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352091/trump-says-secret-service-agent-not-shot-friendly-fire-attack-video-released?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3352091/trump-says-secret-service-agent-not-shot-friendly-fire-attack-video-released?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 23:18:44 +0000 Agencies Agencies A tsunami warning was issued for parts of northeast and northern Japan on Monday after a magnitude-7.5 earthquake struck off the Sanriku Coast, sending residents to higher ground and boats out to sea as memories of the 2011 disaster resurfaced. Live television footage showed fishing boats and coastal vessels leaving ports along Japan’s northeast coast to avoid incoming waves, while broadcasters urged people in low-lying areas to evacuate immediately to safer ground. In Hokkaido, Makoto Watanabe,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350707/tsunami-warning-issued-japan-after-magnitude-74-quake-hits-northeast?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3350707/tsunami-warning-issued-japan-after-magnitude-74-quake-hits-northeast?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 08:12:40 +0000 Agencies Agencies Israel on Monday told residents of south Lebanon ⁠to stay out of a belt of territory running the length of the border and not to approach the area of the Litani River, entrenching its grip over southern Lebanon despite a ceasefire in the war with Hezbollah. The US-mediated, 10-day ceasefire took effect on Thursday, largely halting the war between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah that spiralled out of the ‌conflict between the United States and Iran. But it remains fragile, with Israeli troops... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350658/israel-says-military-use-full-force-lebanon-despite-truce-if-soldiers-face-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350658/israel-says-military-use-full-force-lebanon-despite-truce-if-soldiers-face-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:35:39 +0000 Agencies Agencies An Australian company will import 250,000 tonnes of urea fertiliser from Indonesia in the coming months, easing fears of a shortage that would crimp food production, Canberra said on Friday. Australia is one of the world’s biggest exporters of crops including wheat, barley and canola but relies on fertiliser imports that are threatened by ‌the war on Iran, which has cut supply from the Middle East, a major urea producer. The price of urea, a source of nitrogen that fuels plant growth, has risen... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350386/australia-acts-protect-winter-crops-emergency-indonesian-fertiliser-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3350386/australia-acts-protect-winter-crops-emergency-indonesian-fertiliser-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 01:21:05 +0000 Agencies,Paul McNamara Agencies,Paul McNamara The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) on ⁠Tuesday recommended the ⁠expansion of its ⁠premier club competition, proposing the AFC Champions League Elite move to a 32-team tournament from 24 starting from the 2026-27 season. The expansion of the league stage would see ‌it split with 16 teams each in the East and West regions, which the AFC said would boost competitiveness and inclusion across Asian club football. It is currently unclear what the proposed changes would mean for Kitchee, who... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3350016/afc-recommends-expansion-champions-league-elite-32-team-tournament-2026-27?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3350016/afc-recommends-expansion-champions-league-elite-32-team-tournament-2026-27?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:28:04 +0000 Agencies Agencies Israel’s military said Thursday it had struck and killed a close adviser to Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem in Beirut a day earlier, when Israeli strikes pummelled Lebanon. “Yesterday, the IDF struck in the Beirut area and eliminated Ali Yusuf Harshi, the personal secretary and nephew of Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem,” a military statement said. Harshi was “a close associate and personal adviser to... Qassem and played a central role in managing and securing his office”, it added. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349511/israeli-military-says-it-has-killed-hezbollah-chief-naim-qassem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349511/israeli-military-says-it-has-killed-hezbollah-chief-naim-qassem?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 07:55:52 +0000 Agencies Agencies Israel renewed its strikes in southern Lebanon and urged residents in parts of Beirut to evacuate on Wednesday, after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the US-Iran truce does not extend to the war against Hezbollah. Israel hit several dense commercial and residential areas in central Beirut on Wednesday afternoon. Israel’s military called it the largest coordinated strike in the current war, striking more than 100 Hezbollah targets within 10 minutes in Beirut, southern Lebanon... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349405/israel-says-battle-lebanon-continues-despite-iran-war-truce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349405/israel-says-battle-lebanon-continues-despite-iran-war-truce?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:12:54 +0000 Agencies Agencies President Donald Trump’s announcement of a two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran that will see Tehran temporarily reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz brought welcome relief to Asian markets on Wednesday. With Trump’s deadline approaching for the Islamic Republic to reopen the waterway or face obliteration, he announced a halt to attacks for two weeks and said he had received a “workable” 10-point proposal. Iran later said it had agreed to safe passage in the strait, through which a fifth of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349331/cautious-optimism-asia-after-us-iran-agree-ceasefire-reopen-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349331/cautious-optimism-asia-after-us-iran-agree-ceasefire-reopen-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 04:52:07 +0000 Agencies Agencies Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on ⁠Monday that he ⁠stood by a ⁠proposal made to Russia for a ceasefire contingent on Moscow halting all attacks on energy infrastructure. Zelensky said in his nightly video address that the proposal had ‌been conveyed to Moscow through the US. He also said work was continuing with US negotiators on security guarantees, which he called the key to lasting peace. Ukraine has been fighting a full-scale Russian invasion for more than four years. Due to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349194/3-dead-15-injured-russia-hits-ukraines-port-city-odesa-major-drone-strike?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349194/3-dead-15-injured-russia-hits-ukraines-port-city-odesa-major-drone-strike?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:13:04 +0000 Agencies Agencies Iran on Monday rejected the latest ceasefire proposal and instead said it wants a permanent end to the war, as US President Donald Trump’s ultimatum loomed within hours. Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency said Tehran had conveyed its response through Pakistan, a key mediator. “We won’t merely accept a ceasefire,” said Mojtaba Ferdousi Pour, head of the Iranian diplomatic mission in Cairo. “We only accept an end of the war with guarantees that we won’t be attacked again.” The White House did not... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349153/iran-and-us-receive-draft-proposal-45-day-ceasefire-attacks-continue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349153/iran-and-us-receive-draft-proposal-45-day-ceasefire-attacks-continue?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 08:18:19 +0000 Agencies Agencies US President Donald Trump did not take a break from his polarising rhetoric on Easter Sunday, delivering an expletive-laden attack on Iran that sparked criticism on Capitol Hill and beyond. “Open the F****n Strait, you crazy b******s, or you’ll be living in Hell – JUST WATCH!” the president wrote early on Sunday, renewing his threat to unleash heavy bombing on Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran refused to unblock the strategic Strait of Hormuz. “Praise be to Allah,” Trump added,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349103/trump-draws-criticism-fiery-expletive-laden-easter-message-attacking-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3349103/trump-draws-criticism-fiery-expletive-laden-easter-message-attacking-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 17:45:02 +0000 Agencies Agencies President Donald ⁠Trump on Friday said the ⁠US can open the Strait of Hormuz with a little more time, as pressure mounts for his administration to find a ‌quick resolution to a war against Iran. “With a little more time, we can easily OPEN THE HORMUZ STRAIT, TAKE THE OIL,& MAKE A FORTUNE,” he said in a post on Truth Social. Nearly ⁠five weeks after it started with a joint US-Israeli aerial ‌assault, the war in Iran continues to spread chaos across the region and roil ‌financial markets, raising... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348991/us-can-take-strait-hormuz-more-time-says-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3348991/us-can-take-strait-hormuz-more-time-says-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:18:26 +0000 Agencies Agencies Italy failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup as a play-off defeat on penalties to Bosnia and Herzegovina on Tuesday meant the Azzurri will not go to this year’s tournament in North America, while Turkey, the Czech Republic and Sweden all secured their places at the finals. In the intercontinental play-offs, the Democratic Republic of Congo qualified for the first time since 1974 and Iraq claimed the final World Cup place. Italy have won the World Cup four times, but they failed to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348620/world-cup-italy-fail-qualify-third-straight-time-while-sweden-turkey-secure-places?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348620/world-cup-italy-fail-qualify-third-straight-time-while-sweden-turkey-secure-places?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:18:50 +0000 Agencies Agencies Four European countries have called on Israel to abandon a bill seeking to revive the death penalty for people convicted of acts of terrorism, a measure opponents say would target only Palestinians. In a joint statement on Sunday ahead of an anticipated final vote in the Knesset on Monday, foreign ministers from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom expressed their “deep concern” about the bill. “The death penalty is an inhumane and degrading form of punishment without any deterring... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348328/european-countries-appeal-israel-abandon-plans-revive-death-penalty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348328/european-countries-appeal-israel-abandon-plans-revive-death-penalty?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 22:26:50 +0000 Agencies Agencies The draw for January’s ⁠Asian Cup ⁠finals, which was ⁠set be held in Riyadh on April 11, has been postponed, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced on Thursday. Officials have rescheduled ‌the event to a later date “to ensure the undisrupted attendance of all stakeholders at the final draw ceremony”, the governing body said in a statement. It added: “Further updates on the new arrangements for the final draw will be communicated in due course.” Numerous sporting events in the ⁠region... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348018/afc-postpones-draw-saudi-arabia-asian-cup-finals-middle-east-conflict-continues?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3348018/afc-postpones-draw-saudi-arabia-asian-cup-finals-middle-east-conflict-continues?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 02:00:18 +0000 Agencies Agencies North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was reappointed as president of ‌state affairs, state media reported on Monday, after the isolated nation convened the first session of its Supreme People’s Assembly a day earlier. North Korea’s constitution explicitly states that the president of state affairs is the “supreme leader of the DPRK” who represents the state, which is officially known as the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. Kim’s reappointment as head of the authoritarian nation’s highest... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347517/north-korea-reappoints-kim-jong-un-supreme-leader?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347517/north-korea-reappoints-kim-jong-un-supreme-leader?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 01:01:43 +0000 Agencies Agencies Most of Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region was ‌left without power on Saturday after a Russian drone attack, local governor Viacheslav Chaus said. He ⁠said repair works were under way ‌to fix the damage. The region, which ‌borders Russia and Belarus, ⁠had ⁠a pre-war population of nearly ‌a million. The regional capital, also called ‌Chernihiv, ‌was fully without power, ‌the city administration there ⁠said. Russia has conducted a vast ⁠bombardment campaign against Ukrainian energy facilities... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3347437/most-ukraines-chernihiv-region-has-no-power-after-russian-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3347437/most-ukraines-chernihiv-region-has-no-power-after-russian-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 12:15:29 +0000 Agencies Agencies A US F-35 fighter aircraft was hit by suspected Iranian fire and had to make an emergency landing on Thursday. This would be the first time Iran has hit one of the US$100 million planes since the US and Israel launched their attack on the country on February 28, according to CNN, which first reported the incident. The F-35 was “flying a combat mission over Iran”, a spokesman for US Central Command said. “The aircraft landed safely, and the pilot is in stable condition,” Captain Tim Hawkins said.... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347217/us-f-35-hit-suspected-iranian-fire-forced-make-emergency-landing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347217/us-f-35-hit-suspected-iranian-fire-forced-make-emergency-landing?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 16:25:43 +0000 Agencies Agencies US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said Thursday there was no “time frame” for ending the US-Israeli war against Iran, which was launched three weeks ago. “We wouldn’t want to set a definitive time frame,” Hegseth told a news conference, adding that “we’re very much on track” and that President Donald Trump would be the one to decide when to stop. “It will be at the president’s choosing, ultimately, where we say, ‘Hey, we’ve achieved what we need to.’” American objectives in the war had not... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347215/us-has-no-end-date-iran-war-strikes-very-much-track-hegseth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347215/us-has-no-end-date-iran-war-strikes-very-much-track-hegseth?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 15:52:48 +0000 Agencies Agencies European Union experts have arrived in Ukraine to assess the condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline, state energy firm Naftogaz said, after its closure in January caused a row with Hungary that is blocking an EU loan to Kyiv. The EU last week proposed sending a mission to inspect the pipeline. Ukraine later said it had accepted the EU offer of technical support and funding to restore oil flows through the damaged pipeline. Hungary and Slovakia have been cut off from Russian oil deliveries via... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347183/eu-inspects-druzhba-pipeline-bid-unclog-hungarys-block-ukraine-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347183/eu-inspects-druzhba-pipeline-bid-unclog-hungarys-block-ukraine-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:26:56 +0000 Agencies Agencies Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Wednesday that the country’s forces had killed Iran’s intelligence minister Esmail Khatib, adding that the military was authorised to kill any high-ranking Iranian official in its sights without seeking further approval. “Last night, Iran’s Intelligence Minister Khatib was also eliminated,” Katz said in a statement. The killing of Khatib comes soon after Israel killed Iran’s security chief Ali Larijani, and another powerful figure, Gholam Reza... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347052/israel-claims-have-killed-iranian-intelligence-minister-esmail-khatib?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347052/israel-claims-have-killed-iranian-intelligence-minister-esmail-khatib?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:50:25 +0000 Agencies Agencies Sweden’s foreign minister on Wednesday said that Iran had executed a Swedish citizen, after Iranian authorities announced the first execution of a man convicted of spying since the start of its war against Israel and the United States. “It is with dismay that I have received information that a Swedish citizen was executed in Iran earlier today,” Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard said in a statement. Since the man’s arrest during in June 2025, Sweden had “repeatedly raised the case at... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347042/iran-announces-first-spy-execution-war-israel-us-began?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347042/iran-announces-first-spy-execution-war-israel-us-began?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 10:16:52 +0000 Agencies Agencies The UN nuclear watchdog said on Wednesday that Iranian authorities had reported projectile impact on the grounds of the country’s only operational nuclear power plant that caused no damage. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) “has been informed by Iran that a projectile hit the premises of the Bushehr NPP on Tuesday evening”, the Vienna-based agency posted on social media using an acronym for nuclear power plant. “No damage to the plant or injuries to staff reported”. Agency head... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347033/mystery-projectile-hits-iran-nuclear-power-complex-highlighting-war-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3347033/mystery-projectile-hits-iran-nuclear-power-complex-highlighting-war-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 09:34:31 +0000 Agencies Agencies Chelsea striker Sam Kerr scored a stunner to put hosts Australia into the Women’s Asian Cup final with a tense 2-1 victory over defending champions China on Tuesday in Perth. Kerr fired home from a tight angle in the 58th minute, her fourth goal of the tournament proving the difference in a gruelling semi-final in front of 35,170 fans on a balmy night. The Matildas will face title favourites Japan or South Korea, who play on Wednesday, in Saturday’s final in Sydney. The match started at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346915/womens-asian-cup-semi-final-australias-kerr-scores-stunner-knock-out-holders-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3346915/womens-asian-cup-semi-final-australias-kerr-scores-stunner-knock-out-holders-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 12:21:44 +0000 Agencies Agencies Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Tuesday that Iran’s powerful national security chief Ali Larijani was “eliminated last night”, along with the commander of Tehran’s Basij paramilitary force, General Gholam Reza Soleimani. “I have just been updated by the chief of staff that Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and the head of the Basij – Iran’s central repression apparatus – [Soleimani], were eliminated last night,” Katz said in a statement released by his... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346898/irans-ali-larijani-basij-paramilitary-head-eliminated-tehran-strike-israel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346898/irans-ali-larijani-basij-paramilitary-head-eliminated-tehran-strike-israel?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:03:58 +0000 Agencies Agencies Military escorts to protect tankers in the Strait of Hormuz are not a sustainable solution, according to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). “It reduces the risk, but the risk is still there,” IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez told the Financial Times. He said that a military deployment was “not a long-term or sustainable solution”. US President Donald Trump has called for an international naval operation off the Iranian coast to secure oil shipments, saying at the weekend that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346889/military-escort-tankers-strait-hormuz-not-long-term-fix-imo-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346889/military-escort-tankers-strait-hormuz-not-long-term-fix-imo-head?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:17:41 +0000 Agencies Agencies This live blog has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another was crowned best picture at the 98th Academy Awards, handing Hollywood’s top honour to a comic, multi-generational American saga of political resistance. The ceremony on March 15, which also saw Michael B. Jordan win best actor and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346693/oscars-2026-live-updates-98th-academy-awards-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3346693/oscars-2026-live-updates-98th-academy-awards-ceremony?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 23:02:40 +0000 Agencies Agencies Gaza’s ⁠main gateway, ⁠the Rafah crossing with Egypt that was closed at the start of ‌the Iran war, will open on Wednesday for limited movement of people in both directions, Israel’s COGAT, the ⁠military body in charge of humanitarian ‌matters, said on Sunday. The crossing had reopened ‌in early February after being largely ⁠shut ⁠since May 2024, in the ‌early months of Israel’s war against Hamas ‌in ‌Gaza. Its reopening offered ‌some relief to Palestinians who ⁠want to leave Gaza for ⁠medical... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346689/gazas-rafah-crossing-open-wednesday-limited-movement-people-israel-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346689/gazas-rafah-crossing-open-wednesday-limited-movement-people-israel-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 18:49:00 +0000 Agencies Agencies No oil infrastructure was damaged in US strikes on Kharg Island, Iranian media reported on Saturday after President Donald Trump said US bombardment of the island had destroyed military targets. Trump said on Friday that the United ‌States had carried out strikes against “every military target” on Iran’s export hub. “For reasons ⁠of decency, I have ‌chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil ‌Infrastructure on the ⁠Island,” ⁠Trump said in a social media post. “However, should Iran, or anyone ‌else, ‌do... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346570/us-strikes-irans-kharg-island-attacking-every-military-target-trump-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346570/us-strikes-irans-kharg-island-attacking-every-military-target-trump-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 23:23:28 +0000 SCMP Reporter,Agencies SCMP Reporter,Agencies New video from Iranian state media shows a missile slamming into a compound in southern Iran, as evidence mounted that the US military was most likely responsible for the February 28 attack on a girls’ school that left more than 160 dead, mostly children. The footage, published Sunday by the Mehr News Agency, was titled “The moment when Israeli and American terrorists struck #Minab school”. Video shows a munition consistent with a Tomahawk cruise missile striking an area as black smoke rose from... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345956/video-shows-apparent-us-strike-trump-blames-iran-school-massacre?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345956/video-shows-apparent-us-strike-trump-blames-iran-school-massacre?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 08:06:18 +0000 Agencies Agencies Iran’s players sang the national anthem and saluted before bowing out of the Women’s Asian Cup with defeat in their last Group A match against the Philippines in Australia on Sunday. Goals in each half from ‌Sara Eggesvik and Chandler McDaniel at a rain-soaked Gold Coast Stadium gave the Philippines a 2-0 win that kept alive their hopes of progressing as one of the best third-placed teams. Sara Didar had an early chance for Iran but her strike in the sixth minute was comfortably saved by... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3345898/womens-asian-cup-philippines-keep-hopes-alive-win-south-korea-top-group-after-draw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3345898/womens-asian-cup-philippines-keep-hopes-alive-win-south-korea-top-group-after-draw?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 13:27:27 +0000 Agencies Agencies The US military has said that it has hit nearly 2,000 targets inside Iran since Saturday. More than 1,000 people have been killed, including some whom US President Donald Trump said he had considered as possible future leaders of the country. While numerous government and military sites have been targeted - including the facility where Iran’s Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the operation - the intensity of the bombardment has damaged at least one... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345447/irans-unesco-listed-golestan-palace-damaged-us-and-israel-ramp-air-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3345447/irans-unesco-listed-golestan-palace-damaged-us-and-israel-ramp-air-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 11:56:15 +0000 Agencies Agencies Iran responded to Saturday’s attacks by the United States and Israel as it had been threatening to do for months - by first launching a wave of missiles and drones targeting Israel. It followed with strikes targeting US military installations in Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar. Shrapnel from an Iranian missile attack on the capital of the United Arab Emirates killed one person, state media said. The UAE and Iraq shut down their airspace. Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a defiant statement, saying that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344990/missiles-streak-across-gulf-skies-iran-responds-israel-us-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344990/missiles-streak-across-gulf-skies-iran-responds-israel-us-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 13:52:59 +0000 Agencies Agencies A shooting at a school in British Columbia left eight dead including a woman whom police believe to be the shooter, while two more people were found dead at a nearby home, Canadian authorities said on Tuesday. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said more than 25 people are injured, including two who were airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries, after the shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. School shootings are rare in Canada. The town of Tumbler Ridge in the Canadian Rockies... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343135/multiple-victims-school-shooting-canadas-british-columbia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343135/multiple-victims-school-shooting-canadas-british-columbia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 02:32:41 +0000 Agencies Agencies US President Donald Trump criticised American Olympic ‌skier Hunter Hess as a “real loser” on Sunday, days after the athlete expressed ‍mixed feelings about representing the United States at the Winter Olympics in northern Italy. Freestyle skier Hess was asked at a press conference on Wednesday how he felt about representing America at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games, given acute US tension over violent immigration raids and other political crises. “There’s obviously a lot going on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3342857/trump-insults-us-olympic-skier-hunter-hess-calling-freestyler-real-loser?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3342857/trump-insults-us-olympic-skier-hunter-hess-calling-freestyler-real-loser?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 21:27:26 +0000 Maria Siow,Agencies Maria Siow,Agencies The ruling coalition of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi scored a landslide win in the lower house election on Sunday, with the results pointing to further defence build-up as the country’s leader doubled down on her stoic stance on China. The conservative Takaichi, Japan’s first female leader who says she is inspired by Britain’s “Iron Lady” Margaret Thatcher, secured 316 of the 465 seats in parliament’s lower house for her Liberal Democratic Party, according to a tally by public... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342793/sanae-takaichi-poised-big-win-snow-hit-japan-votes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342793/sanae-takaichi-poised-big-win-snow-hit-japan-votes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 01:00:42 +0000 Agencies Agencies Iran’s state-run Press TV ‌said on Thursday that “one ‍of the country’s most advanced long-range ballistic missile Khorramshahr 4” ⁠has been deployed at one of the Revolutionary Guards aerospace underground missile cities. The Khorramshahr 4 has a ‍range of 2,000km (1,240 miles) and is ‌capable of carrying a 1,500kg warhead, it added. Tehran has also announced a significant change in its military policy following the 12-day war with Israel last June, moving to a first-strike from a previously... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3342575/iran-media-says-projectile-deployed-revolutionary-guards-underground-missile-city?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3342575/iran-media-says-projectile-deployed-revolutionary-guards-underground-missile-city?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 23:49:41 +0000 Agencies Agencies French police raided the Paris offices of social media platform X on Tuesday as prosecutors summoned its owner Elon Musk for questioning over a widening investigation into alleged offences, including the spread of child pornography and deepfakes. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed the search was part of a probe opened in January last year by its cybercrime unit, conducted in coordination with the EU police agency Europol. In a major escalation of the legal scrutiny facing the platform... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342267/france-raids-x-offices-summons-elon-musk-over-child-pornography-and-deepfake-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342267/france-raids-x-offices-summons-elon-musk-over-child-pornography-and-deepfake-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:49:50 +0000 Agencies Agencies Jannik Sinner sent an Australian Open statement in rolling into the quarter-finals on Monday but fellow champion Madison Keys was dethroned. Amanda Anisimova swept past China’s unseeded Wang Xinyu and will face fellow American Jessica Pegula. Fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti battled stifling conditions to set up a last-eight showdown with Novak Djokovic, and six-time major champion Iga Swiatek progressed in rampant fashion. Melbourne Park king Djokovic was supposed to face the 20-year-old Jakub Mensik... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3341223/australian-open-wang-loses-anisimova-4th-round-pegula-beats-defending-champion-keys?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3341223/australian-open-wang-loses-anisimova-4th-round-pegula-beats-defending-champion-keys?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 05:52:31 +0000 Agencies Agencies US President Donald Trump showcased his new “Board of Peace” on Thursday, a day after backing off his own threats against Greenland. Trump abruptly announced on Wednesday that he was scrapping tariffs against Europe and ruling out military action to take Greenland from Denmark, partially defusing a crisis which has shaken the meeting of global elites. On his second day at the Swiss ski resort, Trump sought to promote the “Board of Peace”, his controversial body for resolving international... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340860/watch-trump-showcase-his-board-peace-davos-after-greenland-climbdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340860/watch-trump-showcase-his-board-peace-davos-after-greenland-climbdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:02:24 +0000 Agencies Agencies Rory McIlroy said the rift between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf is too wide, effectively negating any chance for ‌a reunification in the sport of golf. “I just don’t see a ‍world where it can happen at this point,” the world No 2 McIlroy said on Wednesday at Emirates Golf Club ahead of this week’s Dubai Desert Classic. McIlroy’s comments came on the heels of the PGA ⁠Tour reinstating former LIV Golf team captain Brooks Koepka through a new Returning Member Programme that offers a window for select... https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3340783/mcilroy-believes-pga-liv-too-far-apart-deal-challenges-rahm-hatton-pay-fines?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/golf/article/3340783/mcilroy-believes-pga-liv-too-far-apart-deal-challenges-rahm-hatton-pay-fines?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 05:30:12 +0000 Agencies Agencies In the last match of the day in the first round at the Australian Open, former world number one Naomi Osaka emerged at Rod Laver Arena and stole the show clutching a white parasol and wearing a matching wide-brimmed hat and veil. The 28-year-old from Japan is well known for her on- and off-court fashion statements. She wore her latest outfit as she came out for her night match against Croatia’s Antonia Ruzic on Tuesday. She waved regally to the crowd and the four-time grand slam champion then... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3340589/australian-open-chinas-wang-xinyu-wu-yibing-progress-second-round-sinner-strolls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3340589/australian-open-chinas-wang-xinyu-wu-yibing-progress-second-round-sinner-strolls?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 20 Jan 2026 12:25:57 +0000 Agencies Agencies Swiss local authorities admitted on Tuesday that fire safety inspections had not been carried out for the past five years at a bar where 40 people died and dozens were injured in a New Year’s blaze. “We are profoundly sorry. We did not have an indication that the checks had not been done,” Crans-Montana Mayor Nicolas Feraud told reporters. “Although more than 1,400 fire inspections were carried out in the municipality in 2025 alone, the municipal council deeply regrets discovering that this... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338947/swiss-authorities-admit-fire-safety-checks-missed-5-years-burnt-out-bar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338947/swiss-authorities-admit-fire-safety-checks-missed-5-years-burnt-out-bar?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Jan 2026 11:22:21 +0000 Agencies Agencies Manchester United have sacked Ruben Amorim after 14 months in charge, with Darren Fletcher now taking charge of the game against Burnley on Wednesday. Amorim hinted that his relationship with club officials was strained at a news conference on Friday. And following the 1-1 draw with Leeds on Sunday, he aimed another dig at United officials and said he was ready to leave when his contract expired in 18 months’ time. Less than 24 hours later, the club announced Amorim had “departed his role as... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338789/man-united-sack-ruben-amorim-after-14-months-charge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3338789/man-united-sack-ruben-amorim-after-14-months-charge?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 10:29:20 +0000 Agencies Agencies Novak Djokovic announced on Sunday he was leaving the professional players’ union he co-founded in 2020, citing “concerns regarding transparency and governance” within the body. The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA), founded by the current world No 4 and Canadian Vasek Pospisil, filed a class-action lawsuit in March 2025 against the women’s and men’s tours, the International Tennis Federation and the sport’s integrity agency. The lawsuit accused the organisations of “systemic abuse,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3338715/novak-djokovic-quits-players-union-he-co-founded-over-transparency-governance-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3338715/novak-djokovic-quits-players-union-he-co-founded-over-transparency-governance-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 03:05:09 +0000 Agencies Agencies Russia’s former president Dmitry Medvedev said he could envisage abduction operations against other world leaders similar to the US arrest of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, naming German Chancellor Friedrich Merz among them. “The kidnapping of the neo-Nazi Merz could be an excellent twist in this carnival of events,” Medvedev, who is now deputy chairman of Russia’s Security Council, was quoted as saying by state news agency Tass on Sunday. Such a scenario was not unrealistic, he added. “There are... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338697/russias-medvedev-floats-kidnapping-scenario-involving-germanys-merz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3338697/russias-medvedev-floats-kidnapping-scenario-involving-germanys-merz?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 17:46:03 +0000