https://www.scmp.com/rss/519408/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu The Iran war has cut off a fifth of global oil and LNG supply, handing African producers “a structural advantage” in supplying global markets, although their capacity is hampered by factors beyond the Middle East conflict, according to analysts. “West and North African exports are largely insulated from the conflict, meaning barrels from Nigeria, Angola, Gabon, Algeria and Libya are viewed as lower-risk alternatives,” said Grace Goodrich and Anne-Laure Klein of Energy, Capital & Power, a Cape... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347841/african-producers-may-have-energy-edge-during-iran-war-if-they-can-overcome-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347841/african-producers-may-have-energy-edge-during-iran-war-if-they-can-overcome-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters More than a thousand schools were closed in France on Tuesday, and the top floor of the Eiffel Tower was shut to tourists as a severe heatwave continued to grip Europe, triggering health alerts across the region. The Mediterranean Sea was up to 6 degrees Celsius warmer than usual for the time of year, hitting a record of as much as 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) in Spain’s Balearic Sea as a heat dome trapped hot air above Europe, the country’s Aemet weather forecaster said. Europe is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3316532/france-shuts-schools-top-eiffel-tower-heatwave-grips-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3316532/france-shuts-schools-top-eiffel-tower-heatwave-grips-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Jul 2025 10:46:40 +0000 Patrol boats and helicopters searched on Sunday for about 48 migrants missing since their boat sank near the Spanish island of El Hierro in what threatens to be the deadliest such incident in 30 years of crossings from Africa to the Canary Islands. Nine people, one of them a child, have been confirmed dead after their boat sank in the early hours of Saturday morning, emergency and rescue services said. Rescuers were able to pick up 27 of 84 migrants who were trying to reach the Spanish coast on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3280443/rescuers-search-missing-migrants-after-boat-sinks-canary-islands-9-dead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3280443/rescuers-search-missing-migrants-after-boat-sinks-canary-islands-9-dead?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Sep 2024 13:36:09 +0000 Italy hosts the annual summit of leaders from the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies on June 13-15. Where is the summit being held? The meeting is being held in Borgo Egnazia in the southern region of Puglia - a luxury hotel with a Michelin starred restaurant. Set among olive trees and boasting its own private beach offering an array of water sports, the complex is made up of traditional-style buildings and cobbled streets lined with flowers. Within its walls are bars, restaurants, shops and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3266279/whats-agenda-2024-g7-summit-italy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3266279/whats-agenda-2024-g7-summit-italy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jun 2024 06:10:58 +0000 South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and the leaders of African countries agreed on Tuesday to forge deeper trade and business cooperation and launched a “critical minerals dialogue” aimed at sustainable development of the continent’s resources. Hosting a first-ever summit with the leaders of 48 African nations, Yoon said South Korea would increase development aid for Africa to US$10 billion over the next six years as it looks to tap the continent’s rich mineral resources and potential as a vast... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3265361/south-koreas-yoon-vows-expand-aid-contribution-mineral-ties-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3265361/south-koreas-yoon-vows-expand-aid-contribution-mineral-ties-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jun 2024 11:00:22 +0000 The EU on Tuesday gave the final green light to a landmark overhaul of its migration and asylum policies that will see hardened borders and responsibility shared among member states. A majority of European Union countries backed the reform’s 10 pieces of legislation, ensuring its passage despite opposition from Hungary and Poland. “These new rules will make the European asylum system more effective and increase solidarity between member states,” said Belgium’s asylum and migration minister... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3262675/eu-approves-more-effective-migration-reforms-ahead-europe-wide-elections-next-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3262675/eu-approves-more-effective-migration-reforms-ahead-europe-wide-elections-next-month?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 May 2024 11:47:08 +0000 More than one branch of the terrorist group Islamic State (Isis) may have perpetrated the murderous attack on Moscow’s Crocus City concert hall based on circumstantial evidence, according to security analysts. The claim of responsibility by Isis should be taken at face value because it was issued through the group’s usually reliable official media wing, they said. “There is no question as to the authenticity of the statement, only as to how direct the connection is between Isis leaders and the... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3256485/moscow-attack-likely-involved-more-1-isis-branch-russia-its-crosshairs-long-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3256485/moscow-attack-likely-involved-more-1-isis-branch-russia-its-crosshairs-long-time?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Mar 2024 13:08:09 +0000 The European Union announced a €7.4 billion (US$8.06 billion) funding package and an upgraded relationship with Egypt, part of a push to stem migrant flows to Europe that has been criticised by rights groups. The agreement, which lifts the EU’s relationship with Egypt to a “strategic partnership”, was announced as a delegation of leaders visited Cairo. It is designed to boost cooperation in areas including renewable energy, trade, and security while delivering grants, loans and other funding... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3255712/european-union-bolster-egypt-ties-billions-euros-funding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3255712/european-union-bolster-egypt-ties-billions-euros-funding?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Mar 2024 13:40:47 +0000 Malaysia is rectifying a gender bias in its constitution next week according to Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, allowing foreign-born children to Malaysian mothers and their non-Malaysian spouse to automatically get citizenship, ending years of struggle for many. Under the current law which goes back to 1963, only Malaysian men who marry non-citizens and have a child abroad can pass their citizenship to their children, while children born to Malaysian mothers under the same arrangement are... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3255273/malaysia-correct-gender-bias-citizenship-amendment-promising-equal-rights-foreign-born-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3255273/malaysia-correct-gender-bias-citizenship-amendment-promising-equal-rights-foreign-born-children?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:50:11 +0000 2/5 stars Down the years, many a documentary has been made about the African diaspora in China – Mans Mansson’s Stranded in Canton, for example, or Christiane Badgley’s Guangzhou Dream Factory – but they were made by non-African filmmakers. Anticipations were high, therefore, when award-winning Mauritanian filmmaker Abderrahmane Sissako (Waiting for Happiness, Timbuktu) was revealed to have made a fictional feature about the subject with Black Tea, which premiered in competition at the Berlin... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3252704/berlin-2024-black-tea-movie-review-first-film-about-african-diaspora-china-directed-african-massive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3252704/berlin-2024-black-tea-movie-review-first-film-about-african-diaspora-china-directed-african-massive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Feb 2024 21:30:27 +0000 The Dakar Rally roars into life on Friday in Saudi Arabia with Nasser al-Attiyah seeking a sixth title and third in a row in the mythic motorsport marathon. A 425-strong colourful caravanserai made up of cars, bikes, quads and trucks sets out from Al-Ula on a treacherous 4,900-mile odyssey around the Gulf kingdom with a January 19 finish in Yanbu on the Red Sea. For the first time, this year’s route includes a 48-hour stage in the Empty Quarter, a vast sea of sand with dunes as far as the eye... https://www.scmp.com/sport/motorsport/article/3247246/dakar-rally-sharp-shooting-olympian-al-attiyah-takes-aim-sixth-title-eve-4900-mile-odyssey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/motorsport/article/3247246/dakar-rally-sharp-shooting-olympian-al-attiyah-takes-aim-sixth-title-eve-4900-mile-odyssey?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jan 2024 07:21:58 +0000 Beijing has granted six African countries zero-tariff treatment on 98 per cent of products entering the massive Chinese market, joining dozens of others granted tariff relief as part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s plan to boost agricultural imports from the continent. Starting on December 25, 98 per cent of taxable products from Angola, Gambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Madagascar, Mali and Mauritania will be exempt from tariffs when entering China, according to the Customs... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3244274/china-grants-tariff-free-access-6-african-countries-bid-boost-food-imports-and-rebalance-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3244274/china-grants-tariff-free-access-6-african-countries-bid-boost-food-imports-and-rebalance-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Dec 2023 02:00:37 +0000 A former Hong Kong leader involved in non-governmental work has said doing volunteer projects in belt and road countries can be smoother when led by non-profit groups rather than the government as it can deter opposition players in such places from getting in the way. In an exclusive interview with the Post, Leung Chun-ying also revealed that GX Foundation, an organisation he chairs that aims to undertake public health missions in countries spanning Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative, had been... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3243694/non-government-charity-work-belt-and-road-countries-easier-opposition-wont-play-politics-says-cy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3243694/non-government-charity-work-belt-and-road-countries-easier-opposition-wont-play-politics-says-cy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Dec 2023 03:00:20 +0000 A Hong Kong charity group has provided more than 7,000 free cataract operations to countries taking part in Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative in the past five years, according to the organisation’s founder and former city leader Leung Chun-ying. The collaboration with mainland China demonstrated the strength of the “one country, two systems” governing principle, Leung said on Wednesday. “Each of the 7,000 cases represents a heartwarming story of sharing and people-to-people connectivity between... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242493/hong-kong-charity-touts-mainland-china-cooperation-key-providing-7300-free-cataract-operations-belt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3242493/hong-kong-charity-touts-mainland-china-cooperation-key-providing-7300-free-cataract-operations-belt?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Nov 2023 13:13:19 +0000 Just outside the Moroccan city of Tangier, a Chinese-backed manufacturing and technology hub is finally taking shape after six years of delays. The Mohammed VI Tangier Science and Technology City lies just 27km (16.8 miles) from the southern tip of the Spanish coast across the Strait of Gibraltar, strategically positioned where Africa faces Europe at the intersection of the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. First proposed in 2016 when Morocco’s King Mohammed VI met Chinese President Xi... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3241060/china-sets-sights-morocco-north-african-nation-becomes-centre-ev-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3241060/china-sets-sights-morocco-north-african-nation-becomes-centre-ev-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Nov 2023 08:00:14 +0000 The European Commission is “looking into” how a company whose biggest shareholder is a Chinese state-owned enterprise ended up on a board of businesses advising its flagship infrastructure drive, Global Gateway. On Tuesday, the Post revealed that Energias de Portugal SA (EDP) was among the companies that will advise the commission on “implementation of the Global Gateway strategy and scaling up of Global Gateway flagship”, even though its largest shareholder, China Three Gorges (CTG), is owned... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3239201/eu-checking-how-china-linked-firm-got-its-business-board-global-gateway-infrastructure-drive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3239201/eu-checking-how-china-linked-firm-got-its-business-board-global-gateway-infrastructure-drive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Oct 2023 18:45:22 +0000 Last month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen hailed a group of businesses that had been enlisted to help the bloc’s flagship infrastructure programme, the Global Gateway. The new business advisory board would “help us to work closer together and deliver faster on the green and digital transitions, boosting the economy of our partners and the EU”, von der Leyen said. But close inspection of the list of board members reveals that the EU has invited Chinese state-linked companies... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3239057/eu-includes-companies-linked-beijing-its-global-gateway-board?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3239057/eu-includes-companies-linked-beijing-its-global-gateway-board?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Oct 2023 17:13:37 +0000 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, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification. I am writing to express my concern regarding the effectiveness of the “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign. While the initiative aims to revitalise the local economy through extended business hours and... https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3235490/hong-kong-residents-depleted-wallets-are-too-tired-enjoy-nightlife?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/letters/article/3235490/hong-kong-residents-depleted-wallets-are-too-tired-enjoy-nightlife?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Sep 2023 03:30:13 +0000 A trade fair designed to foster closer ties between China and the Arab world ended on Sunday with companies signing deals worth a total of 171 billion yuan (US$23.4 billion) in sectors such as trade, agriculture, energy, green transition and medical care, state media reported. The sixth China-Arab States Expo in Yinchuan, in the northwestern region of Ningxia, was attended by officials from more than 60 countries and more than 1,000 representatives of foreign agencies in China, according to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3235635/china-arab-states-expo-wraps-us234-billion-worth-deals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3235635/china-arab-states-expo-wraps-us234-billion-worth-deals?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Sep 2023 10:28:17 +0000 The Chinese humanitarian group GX Foundation was set up to provide cataract surgery, but it has also helped promote the image of China and its state-owned enterprises across the developing world. The Hong Kong-based foundation has sent Chinese medical practitioners to perform more than 3,600 eye operations, helping to clear the backlog of cataract patients in countries including Cambodia, Laos, Mauritania and Senegal. The non-governmental organisation (NGO) has also performed hundreds of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3231603/chinese-ngo-fixes-eyes-while-helping-state-owned-companies-build-community-ties-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3231603/chinese-ngo-fixes-eyes-while-helping-state-owned-companies-build-community-ties-overseas?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Aug 2023 04:00:16 +0000 From brokering a deal between rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran to offering to intervene in the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, China’s diplomatic efforts in the Middle East have raised Beijing’s profile as a player in the region. These efforts have been at the state level and carried out through the Chinese foreign ministry and state leaders. But China has also been engaging the region on another level, attempting to promote its own governance model as an alternative to the West by fostering engagement... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3230919/how-chinas-communist-party-seeks-win-friends-and-influence-through-mideast-political-groups?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3230919/how-chinas-communist-party-seeks-win-friends-and-influence-through-mideast-political-groups?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Aug 2023 01:00:14 +0000 Former US president Donald Trump appeared in a Washington courtroom last week on his third set of criminal charges since leaving office, an unprecedented event in the US but one that brings the nation in line with the rest of the world. Despite protests from Trump allies that prosecutions of politicians are a hallmark of underdeveloped “banana republics”, they’ve also happened in advanced democracies such as France and Germany. Here’s a look. Europe Former French president Nicolas... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3230202/not-just-trump-these-leaders-also-got-legal-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3230202/not-just-trump-these-leaders-also-got-legal-trouble?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Aug 2023 04:52:01 +0000 Less than two weeks after a military coup in the West African country of Niger, China is unlikely to do much beyond supporting existing mechanisms to solve security threats in the Sahel, a vast region that Beijing has substantial interests in, according to observers. After the July 26 coup, Niger became the latest country in the unstable region to join a list of other nations now under military rule – including Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad and Sudan. The Sahel, a semiarid region south of the Sahara... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3230040/niger-chinas-path-stability-may-diverge-western-security-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3230040/niger-chinas-path-stability-may-diverge-western-security-priorities?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Aug 2023 12:00:10 +0000 The stance of West Africa’s regional bloc known as ECOWAS in the military takeover in Niger is clear: “We will stand with our people in our commitment to the rule of law,” its chairman, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, said at the body’s meeting this week. The 15-nation bloc summoned its defence chiefs to discuss its threat to “take all measures necessary (that) may include the use of force” if ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum is not reinstated within one week. ECOWAS is resolved to use... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3229689/niger-coup-what-would-west-african-blocs-threat-use-force-restore-democracy-look?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3229689/niger-coup-what-would-west-african-blocs-threat-use-force-restore-democracy-look?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Aug 2023 04:36:02 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping has sought to boost the Belt and Road Initiative through engagements with multiple foreign leaders on the sidelines of the World University Games in Chengdu. China’s global infrastructure strategy stood out as a main talking point in his meetings with Guyanese President Irfaan Ali and Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday and his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo on Thursday. Beijing is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the initiative and is... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3229315/chinas-xi-jinping-boosts-belt-and-road-talks-leaders-indonesia-guyana-and-georgia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3229315/chinas-xi-jinping-boosts-belt-and-road-talks-leaders-indonesia-guyana-and-georgia?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jul 2023 12:52:56 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping will welcome at least six world leaders, including his Indonesian counterpart Joko Widodo, to China this week when they attend the opening of the World University Games in Chengdu. The Chinese foreign ministry said Xi would hold welcoming banquets and “related bilateral events” for the visitors, who also include the presidents of Mauritania, Burundi and Guyana, as well as the prime ministers of Georgia and Fiji. Olympic gold medallist Cheung to lead Hong Kong squad... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3228712/xi-jinping-set-welcome-world-leaders-china-delayed-world-university-games-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3228712/xi-jinping-set-welcome-world-leaders-china-delayed-world-university-games-start?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Jul 2023 07:57:00 +0000 Italy hosted Mediterranean leaders in Rome on Sunday at a conference aimed at extending an EU-backed deal with Tunisia to curb the arrival of migrants on European shores. The summit convened by Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni laid the foundations for a fund to finance investment projects and support border controls, with a medium-term aim of better regulating migratory flows. Opening the conference, Meloni said talks would focus on illegal and legal immigration, refugee support and “the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3228667/italys-pm-meloni-seeks-broad-cooperation-curb-flows-migrants-europe-aid-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3228667/italys-pm-meloni-seeks-broad-cooperation-curb-flows-migrants-europe-aid-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Jul 2023 21:08:50 +0000 Mali’s unexpected demand for the departure of UN peacekeepers may herald a sudden end to a decade-long mission that has struggled to protect civilians and its own troops, raising fears the country could slide deeper into chaos amid an Islamist insurgency and the possible revival of a separatist uprising. The UN mission, known as MINUSMA, has been hobbled by restrictions on its air and ground operations since Mali’s ruling junta joined forces with Russian military contractor Wagner Group in 2021,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3224551/mali-faces-spectre-anarchy-after-demanding-un-peacekeepers-leave-country?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3224551/mali-faces-spectre-anarchy-after-demanding-un-peacekeepers-leave-country?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jun 2023 03:41:14 +0000 The number of people becoming victims of modern slavery is estimated to have risen significantly in recent years. This is according to the latest Global Slavery Index of the human rights organisation Walk Free, which was published in London on Wednesday. According to the index, nearly 50 million people worldwide are trapped in modern slavery – 10 million more than five years ago. Particularly at risk of exploitation, according to the report, are people forced to leave their homes because of... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3221681/modern-slavery-numbers-rise-sharply-most-widespread-north-korea-eritrea-report-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3221681/modern-slavery-numbers-rise-sharply-most-widespread-north-korea-eritrea-report-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 24 May 2023 09:29:05 +0000 China’s donation of a navy patrol vessel is aimed at helping Sierra Leone and other West African countries in the Atlantic Ocean fight illegal fishing and piracy, says Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio. Bio commissioned the 26.7-metre (87-foot) long navy patrol boat that is equipped with a 14.5-mm calibre weapon. He said the Offshore Naval Patrol Boat PB 106 – named the Madam Yoko – was a gift from China to the government of Sierra Leone “as a result of the strong bilateral relationship... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3218772/china-donates-patrol-boat-sierra-leone-tackle-illegal-fishing-and-piracy-west-africa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3218772/china-donates-patrol-boat-sierra-leone-tackle-illegal-fishing-and-piracy-west-africa?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Apr 2023 04:00:21 +0000 Ruling party candidate Bola Tinubu won Nigeria’s highly disputed weekend election on Wednesday, securing the former Lagos governor his lifelong ambition of the presidency of Africa’s most populous democracy. With President Muhammadu Buhari stepping down after two terms, many Nigerians hoped Saturday’s vote would usher in a leader capable of tackling the country’s widening insecurity, economic malaise and growing poverty. Tinubu, candidate for All Progressives Congress (APC) party, won 8.8... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3211892/nigerias-bola-tinubu-close-victory-disputed-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3211892/nigerias-bola-tinubu-close-victory-disputed-election?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Feb 2023 22:39:28 +0000 Chinese dissident Ding Jiaxi is one of 10 activists the US State Department named as honorees Wednesday of its 2023 annual Global Human Rights Defender Awards. Ding, an engineer turned lawyer, is one of the highest-profile targets of China’s crackdown on human rights lawyers and legal scholars. His advocacy goes back over a decade when he joined the New Citizens’ Movement, a loose collection of individuals that encouraged people to exercise their constitutional rights. The movement supported... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3208786/us-state-department-honours-chinese-activist-ding-jiaxi-global-human-rights-defender?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3208786/us-state-department-honours-chinese-activist-ding-jiaxi-global-human-rights-defender?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Feb 2023 22:56:37 +0000 The trial of Mauritania’s former president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz opened on Wednesday with the dramatic image of the former head of state in a cage-like box answering accusations he amassed an illicit personal fortune during his 11 years in power. Aziz, a 66-year-old former general, appeared in court in the capital Nouakchott alongside nine other defendants, including former prime ministers, cabinet ministers and businessmen. They face charges that include abuse of office, influence peddling,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3208003/mauritanias-ex-president-mohamed-ould-abdel-aziz-faces-corruption-charges-landmark-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3208003/mauritanias-ex-president-mohamed-ould-abdel-aziz-faces-corruption-charges-landmark-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Jan 2023 21:00:13 +0000 Over the last decade, Chinese lenders have led an unprecedented overseas financing boom for an array of mega projects, including ports, power plants and roads under President Xi Jinping’s transcontinental infrastructure investment plan, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). But all that investment appears to be coming with a growing environmental cost, according to researchers. A new study published by the journal One Earth has detailed the risks to marine systems from China’s global coastal... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3202301/chinas-infrastructure-loans-are-putting-overseas-marine-habitats-and-locals-risk-study-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3202301/chinas-infrastructure-loans-are-putting-overseas-marine-habitats-and-locals-risk-study-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 Dec 2022 16:00:12 +0000 When a Chinese military delegation visited Harare in 2011 to share experiences with Zimbabwean forces, president Robert Mugabe, who was also commander-in-chief of the Zimbabwe Defence Forces, lavished praise on China. “They have assisted us in our struggle to free ourselves from colonialism,” he said. “China is a great friend of ours in many ways.” Mugabe was deposed five years ago but Zimbabwe remains Africa’s key destination for Chinese military assistance, according to a study published last... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3199382/chinese-aid-african-security-forces-helps-cement-ties-study-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3199382/chinese-aid-african-security-forces-helps-cement-ties-study-says?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Nov 2022 04:00:10 +0000 China’s 20th party congress was watched intently by investors, governments and businesses as President Xi Jinping secured an unprecedented third leadership term and outlined his vision and ambitions for the country. Given that China is the biggest commodity consumer in the world by virtue of its population and growth, its economic health has a great bearing on commodity prices, particularly for metals and minerals. But China has been facing challenges to its rapid economic growth and is... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3198789/what-chinas-slowing-appetite-metals-and-minerals-will-mean-world?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/article/3198789/what-chinas-slowing-appetite-metals-and-minerals-will-mean-world?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Nov 2022 14:00:10 +0000 A row between the US and Saudi Arabia over oil production and Washington’s diminishing influence in the Middle East give China a chance to expand its footprint in the region, experts say. Strengthened ties between China and countries in the Middle East, with President Xi Jinping reportedly set to visit Saudi Arabia and attend summit meetings with regional leaders after securing a third term as Communist Party general secretary, have raised the prospect of China stepping in as the US pulls back... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3197706/us-saudi-row-giving-china-chance-expand-its-role-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3197706/us-saudi-row-giving-china-chance-expand-its-role-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 30 Oct 2022 14:00:13 +0000 When Nato leaders met in Madrid late last month, the bloc’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg warned that Russia and China were continuing to “seek political, economic, and military gain across our southern neighbourhood”. “Both Moscow and Beijing are using economic leverage, coercion, and hybrid approaches to advance their interests in the region,” Stoltenberg said, referring to the Middle East and North Africa. Nato’s concerns about the growing influence in Africa of Russia and China, which... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3184769/should-nato-be-worried-about-china-and-russias-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3184769/should-nato-be-worried-about-china-and-russias-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Jul 2022 05:00:17 +0000 A former Guantanamo Bay detainee who spent 14 years without trial and whose story was told in the hit film The Mauritanian, is suing Canada over its alleged role in his detention. Mohamedou Ould Slahi, 51, claims that Canadian authorities provided false information concerning the period when he was a permanent resident in Montreal in 1999, which led to his arrest and subsequent torture at the infamous US prison, according to his complaint filed on Friday and reviewed by Agence... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3175328/ex-guantanamo-bay-prisoner-sues-canada-over-alleged?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3175328/ex-guantanamo-bay-prisoner-sues-canada-over-alleged?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Apr 2022 23:16:53 +0000 Developing countries are feeling the effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with a noodle crisis in Indonesia, unsold tea piling up in Sri Lanka, and acute food shortages across much of Africa. The Ukraine war is driving up the costs of fuel, cooking oil and food across the world through a combination of the impact of wide-ranging sanctions against Russia and a disruption of trade. Russia is Sri Lanka’s third-largest market for its tea, after Iraq and Turkey, but exports have become difficult,... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3173516/sri-lanka-and-other-developing-countries-count-cost-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3173516/sri-lanka-and-other-developing-countries-count-cost-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Apr 2022 01:00:21 +0000 It’s Oscars season, folks! And while the big awards are usually won by established movie stars, there have been plenty of youthful newcomers that have walked away with Academy Awards over the years. But did they make it as adults too? Let’s take a look … 1. Jodie Foster At 14, Jodie Foster was nominated for best supporting actress for her role in the 1976 film Taxi Driver. Foster got her start on TV shows such as The Courtship of Eddie’s Father and The Doris Day Show. She went on to win two... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3172089/9-oscar-nominated-child-stars-and-where-they-are-now?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/celebrity/article/3172089/9-oscar-nominated-child-stars-and-where-they-are-now?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 28 Mar 2022 03:31:47 +0000 China’s response to last week’s military takeover in Burkina Faso was markedly muted compared to its statement after the coup in Guinea in September. Instead of the forthright condemnation that followed the overthrow of Guinean president Alpha Conde, Beijing called “on all parties in Burkina Faso to bear in mind the fundamental interests of the nation and people, and peacefully resolve differences through dialogue”. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said on Tuesday last week that... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3165407/china-and-russia-seek-bigger-security-role-post-coup-burkina?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3165407/china-and-russia-seek-bigger-security-role-post-coup-burkina?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Feb 2022 03:00:29 +0000 Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier said he had “never seen anything like it” after the referee in his side’s Africa Cup of Nations opener against Mali on Wednesday blew the final whistle before the game had been completed. Zambian official Janny Sikazwe signalled the end of the match and a 1-0 win for 10-man Mali in the coastal town of Limbe with the clock showing 89 minutes and 47 seconds. The Tunisians furiously protested that there were several minutes of stoppage time still to play. With... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3163164/afcon-2022-referee-makes-inexplicable-call-end-mali-vs-tunisia-match?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3163164/afcon-2022-referee-makes-inexplicable-call-end-mali-vs-tunisia-match?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 12 Jan 2022 18:11:55 +0000