https://www.scmp.com/rss/325326/feed Latest news and updates on the country which straddles both Europe and Asia. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Thirty-four European states plus Australia, Costa Rica and the EU said on Friday they would join a future special tribunal for Ukraine to prosecute Russia over its invasion of the country. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed an accord with the Council of Europe last year to create a legal body to prosecute the “crime of aggression” in the invasion Russia launched in February 2022. The Council of Ministers, comprising foreign ministers from the organisation’s 46-member states, in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3353763/ukraine-war-36-nations-approve-tribunal-creation-prosecute-russia-over-invasion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3353763/ukraine-war-36-nations-approve-tribunal-creation-prosecute-russia-over-invasion?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 May 2026 13:44:54 +0000 Jen Paolini Jen Paolini As we inch ever closer to summer – the stifling heat and high humidity already threatening – our thoughts stray to distant lands and paradisal climes, while our eyes stray (hesitantly, in fear of the outrageous prices that will fill us with dread) to travel booking platforms, warily tracking the ups and ups of fare hikes. But even as jet fuel costs continue to soar and flight routes globally get axed, the urge to explore remains irresistible. Buckle up – our dedicated summer travel issue is... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3352839/week-postmag-summer-travel-edition-offers-holiday-tips-all-tastes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3352839/week-postmag-summer-travel-edition-offers-holiday-tips-all-tastes?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 00:00:06 +0000 Peter Neville-Hadley Peter Neville-Hadley Fifty years ago, on a Black Sea beach near Trabzon, in Turkey’s far northeast, the fire from a hastily assembled pile of driftwood blazed cheerfully in the dark, warming a panful of locally bought vegetables mixed with tinned beans from the stock in the back of our Land Rover, along with the remains of several suicidal moths that had been attracted to our dinner by the light. Extra protein, we joked, four boys fresh out of school, opening bottles of Turkish beer to wash down the resulting mess.... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3352884/rediscovering-turkeys-northeast-journey-trabzon-erzurum?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3352884/rediscovering-turkeys-northeast-journey-trabzon-erzurum?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 09 May 2026 05:00:13 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. My brother is in Tehran. Last year, he lived through 12 days of bombardment: this year, 40 days of missiles passing over his head. The ringing in his ears has not stopped. The history of asymmetric conflicts is consistent. Korea (1950–1953), Vietnam (1965–1973) and Iran–Iraq... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3352552/history-shows-high-cost-and-low-yield-war-conflict-resolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3352552/history-shows-high-cost-and-low-yield-war-conflict-resolution?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 07 May 2026 03:30:05 +0000 Reuters Reuters It was billed as an Atlantic odyssey to some of the most remote islands in the world. Instead, the cruise on the hantavirus-stricken MV Hondius was left stranded off Cabo Verde, formerly known as Cape Verde, with passengers in their cabins, medical workers in protective suits tending to the sick and the ship’s operator seeking a safe port. The outbreak has left three dead and eight confirmed or suspected cases linked to the ‌Dutch-flagged expedition ship. Passengers, some of whom have been... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3352673/passengers-hantavirus-stricken-ship-sway-between-fear-and-boredom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3352673/passengers-hantavirus-stricken-ship-sway-between-fear-and-boredom?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 May 2026 21:00:29 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Middle Eastern governments are dusting off decades-old proposals for overland oil and gas pipelines, and urgently drawing up plans for new rail-sea transport corridors in a belated response to the wartime disruption of major maritime trade through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. With the threats to these key shipping lanes and economic infrastructure set to linger after the multifront conflict between the US-Israel alliance and the Iran-led Axis of Resistance draws to a close, other... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352166/middle-east-states-eye-transport-resilience-new-logistics-corridor-bypass-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3352166/middle-east-states-eye-transport-resilience-new-logistics-corridor-bypass-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Israeli forces near the southern Greek island of Crete intercepted more than 20 boats from a flotilla of several dozen seeking to break Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza and planned to transport about 175 detained activists to Greece on Thursday, Israeli authorities said. Activists aboard the Global Sumud Flotilla said Israeli forces stormed their vessels overnight, smashing engines and detaining some of those on board while they were sailing in international waters near Greece, hundreds of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3351997/israel-intercepts-gaza-aid-flotilla-international-waters-greece-detaining-dozens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3351997/israel-intercepts-gaza-aid-flotilla-international-waters-greece-detaining-dozens?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 08:19:37 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A man accused of pledging allegiance to Islamic State group and plotting to attack one of superstar singer Taylor Swift’s concerts in Vienna nearly two years ago pleaded guilty as his trial began on Tuesday, Austrian media reported. The plot was thwarted, but Austrian authorities still cancelled Swift’s three performances in August 2024. The singer’s fans, known as Swifties, who had flown to Austria from across the globe to attend a performance of her record-setting Eras Tour were devastated,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351728/austrian-islamic-state-man-admits-plot-taylor-swift-concert-vienna?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3351728/austrian-islamic-state-man-admits-plot-taylor-swift-concert-vienna?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 10:50:00 +0000 Joseph Sipalan Joseph Sipalan Watch a cheap commercial drone destroy a battle tank on the frontlines in Ukraine, or a cut-price Iranian Shahed menace Tel Aviv, then ask yourself why Southeast Asia’s defence ministries are suddenly very interested in unmanned aerial vehicles. The answer was on full display last week at the Defence Services Asia (DSA) exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, where vendors from Abu Dhabi to Pretoria were chasing deals in one of the global arms trade’s hottest emerging markets. “There is huge demand from the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3351322/malaysias-arms-bazaar-drone-dealers-chase-southeast-asian-market-share?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3351322/malaysias-arms-bazaar-drone-dealers-chase-southeast-asian-market-share?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 05:30:08 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Amid the rubble of the US-Israel war on Iran, a new Middle East appears to be taking shape as a constellation of regional powers jockey for a seat at the table. Led by Turkey and Saudi Arabia, the grouping stretches from the Gulf across the Caucasus to Central and South Asia, binding together countries with overlapping interests, interlocking partnerships and a shared conviction: that the post-war order should not be dictated exclusively by the US-Israel alliance or Iran and its battered but... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351335/middle-easts-new-power-brokers-pakistan-turkey-saudi-arabia-egypt-unite?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3351335/middle-easts-new-power-brokers-pakistan-turkey-saudi-arabia-egypt-unite?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 05:30:08 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words. Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. This maxim, attributed to French emperor Napoleon, has been applied to Sino-US relations at a time when the United States seems unable to secure an off-ramp from the Iran war. Yet this narrative, promoted by some media... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3351129/chinas-interest-doesnt-lie-us-failures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3351129/chinas-interest-doesnt-lie-us-failures?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Turkish lawmakers passed a bill late on Wednesday that includes restricting access to social media platforms for children under 15, state media reported. The legislation is the latest in a global trend to protect young people from dangerous online activity. Its passage comes a week after a 14-year-old boy killed nine students and a teacher at a middle school in Kahramanmaras, southern Turkey, in a gun attack. Police are investigating the online activity of the perpetrator, who also died, in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351147/turkey-passes-bill-restrict-social-media-access-under-15s?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3351147/turkey-passes-bill-restrict-social-media-access-under-15s?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:59:42 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A court in southern Turkey sentenced eight people on Monday to prison terms over a 2024 cable car accident in the coastal resort of Antalya that killed one passenger and injured seven. Four of the defendants were convicted of causing death and injury through negligence and were sentenced to seven-and-a-half years each, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported. The other four were sentenced to between three years and four months and five years for the same offence. In the April 12, 2024... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350784/turkey-sentences-8-people-prison-terms-deadly-2024-cable-car-accident?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350784/turkey-sentences-8-people-prison-terms-deadly-2024-cable-car-accident?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 17:34:27 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang First, it was the Panama Canal, then came the Strait of Hormuz. What could be next? America’s actions in the two major shipping channels have grabbed headlines, and global attention is shifting to the strategic importance and potential risks of other critical trade waterways. Some of the chokepoints were examined in a US Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) investigation in March last year of unfavourable shipping conditions, signalling America’s heightened focus on international routes and... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350772/beyond-panama-and-hormuz-8-critical-waterways-under-global-microscope?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350772/beyond-panama-and-hormuz-8-critical-waterways-under-global-microscope?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US federal prosecutors said on Sunday an Iranian national was arrested at Los Angeles International Airport for allegedly trafficking arms to Sudan on behalf of Tehran. Shamim Mafi, 44, is charged with “brokering the sale of drones, bombs, bomb fuses and millions of rounds of ammunition manufactured by Iran and sold to Sudan”, US Attorney Bill Essayli wrote in a social media post. A resident of the Los Angeles suburb of Woodland Hills, Mafi “is an Iranian national who became a lawful permanent... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350660/woman-charged-us-trafficking-arms-sudan-iranian-government?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3350660/woman-charged-us-trafficking-arms-sudan-iranian-government?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 22:38:32 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press It is said that a bowl of soup made of cow bellies and legs can cure ulcers, hangovers and an assortment of other ailments – if you are courageous enough to try it. And Dimitris Tsarouhas, the owner of a restaurant in the Greek city of Thessaloniki that specialises in patsa, is striving to register the soup with Unesco as a unique and traditional dish of Greece that harks back to the time of Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey. That has conjured up a new dispute with age-old rival Turkey, which also... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350248/tripe-soup-being-culturally-appropriated-dispute-boils-between-2-nations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3350248/tripe-soup-being-culturally-appropriated-dispute-boils-between-2-nations?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:15:08 +0000 Zuraidah Ibrahim Zuraidah Ibrahim The economic toll of war is pushing Iran to find a resolution to the hostilities beyond its fragile two-week truce with the US, according to a Middle East-focused think tank leader and businessman who is familiar with the status of the negotiations. However, as the two long-time enemies tried to stare each other down, the Iranian regime believed that their country’s “pain tolerance” was much higher than the Americans’ and this made it unlikely to blink first, he said. In an interview with the... https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3350617/iran-keen-deal-end-war-has-higher-pain-tolerance-think-tank-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/article/3350617/iran-keen-deal-end-war-has-higher-pain-tolerance-think-tank-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 09:00:15 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye The US-Israeli war on Iran has unleashed sharp swings across global energy and financial markets, fuelling demand for safe-haven assets, with Hong Kong emerging as a potential beneficiary across gold, property and capital markets. In the second of a three-part series, we look at Hong Kong’s position as a stable base where demand for property has held firm despite the global turmoil. Hong Kong’s property market is showing early signs of renewed safe haven demand, with a surge in luxury... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350575/hong-kong-property-may-see-uptick-safe-haven-demand-iran-war-rattles-dubai-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3350575/hong-kong-property-may-see-uptick-safe-haven-demand-iran-war-rattles-dubai-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 06:00:19 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The global balance of power has tilted to major emerging economies such as China and India as US hegemony is increasingly undermined – much of it by its own actions, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said. In his speech on Saturday at the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey, Lavrov argued that the foundations of globalisation powered primarily by America had “come to an end”. He added that the trend had been under way during former US president Joe Biden’s administration, and that... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350598/russias-lavrov-says-balance-power-shifting-emerging-economies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350598/russias-lavrov-says-balance-power-shifting-emerging-economies?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 15:42:35 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Matthew Cheng,Lam Ka-sing Hong Kong’s investments in the Middle East will not be derailed by ongoing conflicts, the commerce minister has said, expressing confidence in the region’s economic prospects and urging businesses to take a long-term view. “The geopolitical situation has a temporary impact, but in the long term, we remain hopeful about development in the Middle East,” Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Algernon Yau Ying-wah told a radio programme on Saturday. “We have many strengths in areas such as... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350558/take-long-term-view-hong-kong-minister-says-middle-east-investment-unaffected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3350558/take-long-term-view-hong-kong-minister-says-middle-east-investment-unaffected?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Apr 2026 04:57:01 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Friday urged the United States and Iran to guard against any provocations by Israel and use their current ceasefire to push for lasting peace. “We must not allow weapons to again replace words,” he told the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey. “Let it not be forgotten, the shortest path to peace is dialogue and diplomacy. Peace is not a one-winged bird.” His remarks came as Washington and Tehran weighed the next steps after a temporary halt in fighting,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350539/turkeys-erdogan-urges-iran-us-use-ceasefire-push-lasting-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350539/turkeys-erdogan-urges-iran-us-use-ceasefire-push-lasting-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:16:46 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain A temporary ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon unveiled by US President Donald Trump on Thursday was the final turn in the diplomatic maze leading to a breakthrough in Pakistan-mediated peace talks between Washington and Tehran, analysts say. Arranged by Pakistan with help from Saudi Arabia, the 10-day cessation of hostilities in Lebanon was a key Iranian condition for a second and potentially conclusive round of talks in Islamabad on a date yet to be set. Marathon talks between high-powered... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350522/lebanon-becomes-key-iran-us-peace-talks-amid-fears-israels-hegemony?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350522/lebanon-becomes-key-iran-us-peace-talks-amid-fears-israels-hegemony?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 13:00:07 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said on Friday that the war in Iran had laid bare the urgency of long-delayed UN reforms, arguing that the world body must be strengthened if multilateral diplomacy is to help restore global peace and security. “We have been talking about that for a long time, but only talking happens,” Tokayev told the fifth Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey. “Everybody is feeling the impact of the Iran war and everybody is suffering.” At the three-day summit ending... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350505/un-reforms-cant-wait-any-longer-kazakhstans-tokayev-says-amid-fragile-iran-truce?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350505/un-reforms-cant-wait-any-longer-kazakhstans-tokayev-says-amid-fragile-iran-truce?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 11:43:43 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A 14-year-old armed with five guns opened fire at a Turkish school on Wednesday, killing nine people, wounding 13 and sparking scenes of mayhem as students jumped out of windows to escape. The attack in the southern province of Kahramanmaras was Turkey’s second such incident in as many days, shocking a country where school shootings are a rare occurrence. Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci confirmed nine deaths, with 13 wounded – six in intensive care, three of them in a critical condition. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350209/least-4-dead-turkeys-second-school-shooting-2-days?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3350209/least-4-dead-turkeys-second-school-shooting-2-days?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:06:53 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain As Islamabad prepares to host a second round of negotiations between the United States and Iran, Pakistani mediators are seeking ways to extricate the Gulf monarchies from the conflict, according to a well-placed diplomatic source. While the success of those efforts depends largely on the outcome of talks that US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday could resume by the end of the week, Pakistan’s mediation has produced a second confidence-building phone call in a week between the Iranian and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350175/pakistan-seeks-shield-gulf-states-us-iran-talks-set-resume?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3350175/pakistan-seeks-shield-gulf-states-us-iran-talks-set-resume?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:00:04 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A former student opened fire at a high school in southeastern Turkey on Tuesday, wounding at least 16 people, before killing himself, an official said. The 18-year-old attacker, armed with a shotgun, fired randomly inside a vocational high school in Siverek, Sanliurfa province. He later killed himself with the same shotgun after being “cornered by police”, Governor Hasan Sildak said. The attack left 10 students, four teachers, a canteen employee and a police officer hurt, Sildak said. While most... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350044/turkey-school-shooting-wounds-16-attacker-dead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350044/turkey-school-shooting-wounds-16-attacker-dead?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 09:21:50 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Days before Pakistan had helped to secure a ceasefire in the Iran war this week, the United Arab Emirates was seeking repayment of a US$3.5 billion deposit from Islamabad’s central bank. The withdrawal, brushed off as a “routine financial transaction” by Pakistan’s foreign ministry, equated to roughly 21 per cent of the country’s foreign exchange reserves. It was accompanied by a wave of criticism on Emirati social media directed at Islamabad. “When our security is directly threatened, we hear... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349673/uae-pulls-us35-billion-pakistan-after-iran-war-mediation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349673/uae-pulls-us35-billion-pakistan-after-iran-war-mediation?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 04:00:11 +0000 Josephine Ma,Wendy Wu,Fan Chen Josephine Ma,Wendy Wu,Fan Chen Chinese analysts have cautioned about any possible role for Beijing as a security guarantor in the Middle East, after the Iranian ambassador on Wednesday voiced hopes that China would help secure regional peace. Addressing reporters in Beijing hours after the US declared a brief ceasefire, Iranian envoy Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli said: “We hope different sides could guarantee that the US would not resume the war, we hope the UN Security Council, big countries like China and Russia, as well as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349347/iran-hopes-china-can-be-security-guarantor-middle-east-envoy-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3349347/iran-hopes-china-can-be-security-guarantor-middle-east-envoy-beijing?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:38:23 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Three assailants opened fire at police outside a building housing the Israeli consulate in Istanbul on Tuesday, sparking a gunfight that left one attacker dead, Turkish officials said. The two other assailants were captured with injuries. Two police officers sustained slight injuries in the clash, Istanbul Governor Davut Gul told reporters. The assailants were carrying long-barrelled weapons. Interior Minister Mustafa Cifti wrote on X that the attackers had travelled to Istanbul from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349279/least-2-dead-gunfight-outside-israeli-consulate-istanbul?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349279/least-2-dead-gunfight-outside-israeli-consulate-istanbul?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:42:59 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse South Korea will send five Korean-flagged ships to the Saudi Arabian Red Sea port of Yanbu to help establish alternative oil supply routes to avoid the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, a ruling MP said on Monday. Oil prices have surged amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, raising growth and inflation risks for South Korea, which relies on Middle Eastern crude for around 70 per cent of its imports. Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz – a critical route for global crude oil and gas –... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349167/iran-war-south-korea-aims-bypass-hormuz-send-ships-saudi-port-oil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349167/iran-war-south-korea-aims-bypass-hormuz-send-ships-saudi-port-oil?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:01:03 +0000 Zhang Shidong Zhang Shidong Gold is likely to stabilise and resume its record-setting uptrend once Middle East tensions recede and new leadership at the US Federal Reserve adopts a policy of monetary easing, according to global financial institutions. The yellow metal would quickly rebound above US$5,000 an ounce as long as crude oil slipped back to between US$80 and US$85 a barrel, according to a report by William Blair, the US investment banking and wealth-management company. Lombard Odier, the Swiss private banking and... https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349028/gold-may-reverse-course-once-iran-war-ends-fed-adopts-policy-easing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/markets/article/3349028/gold-may-reverse-course-once-iran-war-ends-fed-adopts-policy-easing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 03:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ukraine and Syria pledged greater security cooperation in talks on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelensky said as Kyiv seeks to promote its military expertise across the region following the outbreak of the US-Israel war on Iran. Zelensky, continuing his tour of Middle East countries, ‌met with his Syrian counterpart, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Damascus. “We agreed to work together to provide more security and opportunities for development for our societies,” Zelensky wrote on Telegram. In a later post,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349106/zelensky-syria-discuss-security-cooperation-president-ahmed-al-sharaa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349106/zelensky-syria-discuss-security-cooperation-president-ahmed-al-sharaa?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 20:01:40 +0000 dpa dpa Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Sunday appeared to suggest Ukraine was involved in planning an act of sabotage after Serbia reported finding explosives on a gas pipeline used to transport Russian natural gas to the two countries. Earlier on Sunday, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said explosives “of devastating force” were found on the Balkan Stream pipeline near the village of Velebit on the Hungarian border. The pipeline transports Russian natural gas from Turkey via Bulgaria,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349104/orban-appears-blame-kyiv-serbian-gas-pipeline-explosives-find?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349104/orban-appears-blame-kyiv-serbian-gas-pipeline-explosives-find?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Apr 2026 18:46:53 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russia and Ukraine traded deadly strikes overnight and on Saturday morning, killing 10 people and wounding several dozen more, officials on both sides said on Saturday. The attacks came as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky travelled to Istanbul for talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. He will also meet with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of Eastern Orthodox Christians. “We are working to strengthen our partnership to ensure the real protection of lives,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349053/russia-ukraine-strikes-kill-10-zelensky-travels-turkey-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349053/russia-ukraine-strikes-kill-10-zelensky-travels-turkey-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:48:49 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Pakistan is hoping that its role in building a diplomatic off-ramp from the US-Israel war on Iran will enable it to become a key actor in the Middle East after the conflict ends, analysts say. If Islamabad can deliver without being sucked into the maelstrom, it can capitalise on its position as peacemaker by signing defence deals with Gulf monarchies and attracting investment from them to strengthen its weak economy. This will help finance Pakistan’s military expansion for its envisioned new... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348621/pakistan-eyes-gulf-investment-defence-deals-return-playing-peacemaker-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348621/pakistan-eyes-gulf-investment-defence-deals-return-playing-peacemaker-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 05:21:16 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Scottish crime boss is to be deported to Spain on Wednesday after he was arrested on the Indonesian resort island of Bali in connection with large-scale drug trafficking and money laundering, authorities said. The 45-year-old, identified as Steven Lyons, was taken into custody by immigration officers at Ngurah Rai International Airport on Saturday on arrival from Singapore, Untung Widiyatmoko, head of Indonesia’s branch of Interpol, said on Tuesday. The immigration system had flagged him as... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348595/scottish-man-linked-gang-arrested-indonesias-bali-after-interpol-issues-red-alert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348595/scottish-man-linked-gang-arrested-indonesias-bali-after-interpol-issues-red-alert?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:08:04 +0000 Shi Jiangtao,Khushboo Razdan Shi Jiangtao,Khushboo Razdan China said on Tuesday it would enhance “strategic coordination” with Pakistan on the Iran crisis to promote dialogue and help end the conflict as Islamabad’s top diplomat Ishaq Dar arrived in Beijing. Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Dar to discuss ways to de-escalate regional tensions and to formally launch a joint five-point initiative aimed at restoring peace and stability in the Gulf and the Middle East. Key points of the plan include a call for an immediate ceasefire, a halt to attacks on... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348571/china-pledges-strategic-coordination-pakistan-help-end-us-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348571/china-pledges-strategic-coordination-pakistan-help-end-us-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 31 Mar 2026 13:05:51 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Top diplomats from key regional powers were gathering in Pakistan on Sunday to discuss how to end the fighting in the Middle East, but there were few signs of progress as Israel and the US kept up strikes on Iran, and Tehran responded by firing missiles and drones across the region. Pakistan said foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt were taking part in the talks in Islamabad. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said he and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held “extensive... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3348296/regional-diplomats-gather-pakistan-talks-end-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3348296/regional-diplomats-gather-pakistan-talks-end-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 09:59:55 +0000 Peggy Ye,Themis Qi Peggy Ye,Themis Qi From luxury hotels to investment, Hong Kong is drawing Middle Eastern money as geopolitical tensions reshape travel and capital flows. Hoteliers said they were seeing a growing number of visitors from the region, many of whom were staying longer than typical guests. At the same time, investors are increasingly exploring opportunities in the city as they look to diversify their portfolios. “In Hong Kong, we have seen a recent increase in guest arrivals from the Middle East, and they tend to stay... https://www.scmp.com/business/money/markets-investing/article/3348235/geopolitical-tensions-rise-middle-eastern-money-and-travellers-pivot-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/money/markets-investing/article/3348235/geopolitical-tensions-rise-middle-eastern-money-and-travellers-pivot-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 01:30:15 +0000 Alcott Wei,Fan Chen Alcott Wei,Fan Chen As the US-Israeli war on Iran enters its second month, another major shipping lane is at risk of closure but the chances of a prolonged conflict remain slim, according to Chinese analysts. The assessment came on Saturday as Iran-backed Houthi rebels joined the fray by firing missiles at Israel from Yemen. The Israeli military said it intercepted one of the projectiles. Chinese state news agency Xinhua quoted a Houthi source as saying the missile attack was meant “as a warning”. The Houthis... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348265/1-month-2-straits-more-strikes-how-long-will-us-israeli-war-iran-last?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348265/1-month-2-straits-more-strikes-how-long-will-us-israeli-war-iran-last?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 14:31:19 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Israel launched a new wave of strikes on Iran on Friday after US President Donald Trump claimed talks on ending the war were going well and gave Tehran more time to open the Strait of Hormuz, though there have been no signs of Iran backing down. With stock markets reeling and economic fallout from the war extending far beyond the Middle East, Trump is under growing pressure to end Iran’s chokehold on the strait, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil is usually... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348142/israel-launches-strikes-iran-no-sign-diplomatic-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348142/israel-launches-strikes-iran-no-sign-diplomatic-breakthrough?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 08:45:08 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Four weeks into the US-Israeli war on Iran, the crisis is beginning to bite in Malaysia, where Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has cut the monthly quota for subsidised petrol and food manufacturers are warning that surging diesel costs could force them to close or raise prices. The move reflects how a distant geopolitical shock is beginning to feed directly into Malaysia’s fuel bill, food supply chain and inflation outlook, analysts note. In a special televised address on Thursday, Anwar said the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348106/iran-crisis-bites-malaysias-supply-chain-fuel-subsidy-cap-falls?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3348106/iran-crisis-bites-malaysias-supply-chain-fuel-subsidy-cap-falls?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 06:51:02 +0000 Reuters Reuters Malaysia’s Prime Minister ⁠Anwar Ibrahim said ⁠on Thursday he had spoken to the leaders of Iran, Egypt, Turkey and other regional countries and said Malaysian vessels were now being allowed ‌to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Anwar in a televised address thanked Iran’s president for allowing the passage of Malaysian ships. “We are now in the process of releasing the Malaysian oil tankers and the ⁠workers involved so that they may continue their journey home,” ‌he said. Anwar said he talked... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348031/iran-allow-malaysian-vessels-pass-strait-hormuz-anwar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348031/iran-allow-malaysian-vessels-pass-strait-hormuz-anwar?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:21:23 +0000 Peggy Ye Peggy Ye Turkey’s largest private bank plans to set up a Hong Kong office, according to sources familiar with the matter, in a move that underscores the city’s role as a gateway for lenders seeking to connect China and Asian markets with the Middle East. Turkiye Is Bankasi’s board approved the Hong Kong expansion plan two months ago and the lender was awaiting clearance from Turkish authorities before formally approaching the Hong Kong Monetary Authority for a banking licence, the sources said. If... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347700/turkeys-biggest-private-bank-plans-hong-kong-entry-amid-middle-east-tensions-sources?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3347700/turkeys-biggest-private-bank-plans-hong-kong-entry-amid-middle-east-tensions-sources?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 02:30:09 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Welcome to Open Dialogue, a series from the South China Morning Post where we bring together leading voices to discuss the stories and subjects occupying international headlines. In this edition, we invited a prominent industry player and economist to reflect on the role of stablecoins, cryptocurrencies pegged to fiat currencies or other assets. They discuss the differing approaches of China and the United States, as well as Hong Kong’s role in China’s strategy, as the city is expected to issue... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347710/gary-liu-and-liu-xiaochun-what-role-stablecoins-could-play-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347710/gary-liu-and-liu-xiaochun-what-role-stablecoins-could-play-china-and-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 22:00:28 +0000 Fan Chen,Mark Magnier,Alyssa Chen Fan Chen,Mark Magnier,Alyssa Chen US President Donald Trump teased on Tuesday that Iran had made an energy-related concession involving the Strait of Hormuz, which he described as “positive”, without providing details. “They gave us a present and the present arrived today, and it was a very big present, worth a tremendous amount of ⁠money,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “It wasn’t nuclear, it was ‌oil-and gas-related, and it was a very nice thing they did.” This came as analysts expressed scepticism that backchannel... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347742/are-efforts-broker-peace-deal-between-iran-and-us-doomed-fail?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347742/are-efforts-broker-peace-deal-between-iran-and-us-doomed-fail?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:00:09 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysian users are among victims targeted by a newly uncovered iPhone spyware operation that researchers say was used by multiple threat actors across countries, in a sign that sophisticated mobile-hacking tools are spreading through a murkier commercial and criminal ecosystem. The spyware, known as DarkSword, was observed targeting entities in Malaysia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and was uncovered by investigators shortly after they exposed another exploit kit, Coruna, linked to the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347739/iphone-spyware-darksword-hits-malaysia-exposing-spread-sophisticated-hacking-tools?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347739/iphone-spyware-darksword-hits-malaysia-exposing-spread-sophisticated-hacking-tools?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 12:31:37 +0000 Emily Hung Emily Hung Tickets from Hong Kong to many mainland Chinese destinations connected by cross-border high-speed rail services are nearly sold out for the first two days of the five-day holiday over Easter and the Ching Ming Festival. The mainland cities have become an alternative for travellers, with the escalating war in the Middle East triggering a global oil crisis and significantly disrupting airspace, prompting airlines to increase ticket prices and fuel surcharges. Steven Huen Kwok-chuen, executive... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347502/high-speed-rail-tickets-selling-fast-hongkongers-opt-short-haul-trips-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347502/high-speed-rail-tickets-selling-fast-hongkongers-opt-short-haul-trips-amid-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 14:27:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A pregnant Syrian woman and her five young children died when a fire ripped through containers housing agricultural workers near the southwestern Antalya resort, the governor and media reports said on Friday. DHA news agency said the 27-year-old mother was seven months pregnant, with her husband fighting for his life after the blaze. The tragedy occurred as Turkey began celebrating the three-day Bayram holiday to mark the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan. Antalya Governor Hulusi Sahin... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347389/pregnant-woman-and-5-kids-die-container-fire-turkey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347389/pregnant-woman-and-5-kids-die-container-fire-turkey?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 15:18:54 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao For decades, the US security umbrella was the bedrock underpinning the Gulf states’ prosperity and stability. Today, Iranian missiles and drones have paralysed the Strait of Hormuz and hit civilian airports, ports, hotels and refineries across every Gulf country, despite thousands of American troops and advanced interceptors on the ground. The armed conflict has forced the region to confront a stark new reality. A Chinese scholar argued that the US-Israel war on Iran and ensuing Hormuz crisis... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347189/severely-damaged-how-us-israel-war-iran-decoupling-gulf-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347189/severely-damaged-how-us-israel-war-iran-decoupling-gulf-security?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 14:00:09 +0000