https://www.scmp.com/rss/525336/feed Teresa Elena Frontado is an award-winning journalist and editor with over 20 years of experience. She has held senior leadership roles in several media organisations, including the Miami Herald, WAMU, WLRN and the Houston Landing. She is also a co-founder of The 51st, a hyper local news website in Washington D.C. She was a Knight-Wallace Fellows at the University of Michigan and has two master's degrees, one in international law and another in Latin American history. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado US President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order expanding sanctions on Cuba, authorising penalties not only against Cuban officials but also on foreign companies and financial institutions that do business with the island. The order significantly broadens Washington’s ability to exert economic pressure, allowing US authorities to target third-country actors deemed to support the Cuban government, in a move that could have implications for global firms, including those in China and... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352196/trump-expands-cuba-sanctions-global-reach-targeting-foreign-banks-and-firms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352196/trump-expands-cuba-sanctions-global-reach-targeting-foreign-banks-and-firms?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 19:23:27 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Yuanyue Dang Teresa Elena Frontado,Yuanyue Dang US President Donald Trump told Congress on Friday that the hostilities in Iran “have terminated” following the ceasefire starting April 7, with the deadline for a congressional authorisation of the war looming. “There has been no exchange of fire between the United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated,” Trump wrote in letters sent to the House and the Senate. Trump’s claims echoed previous remarks from senior officials in... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3352193/trump-not-satisfied-irans-latest-peace-proposal-talks-stall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3352193/trump-not-satisfied-irans-latest-peace-proposal-talks-stall?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 May 2026 17:34:57 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado With Congress again failing to curb US President Donald Trump’s authority over Cuba, the centre of gravity in US policy towards the island is shifting decisively back to the White House – and to a narrower, more consequential question: what comes next? Tuesday’s 51-47 Senate vote to block a Democratic-led war powers resolution on Cuba does not change policy on its own. It was widely expected, reflecting a long-standing pattern in which Congress has struggled to assert its war powers authority... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352085/senate-vote-leaves-cubas-uncertain-future-dangerous-crossroads?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3352085/senate-vote-leaves-cubas-uncertain-future-dangerous-crossroads?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 30 Apr 2026 20:39:15 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado The United Arab Emirates announced on Tuesday that it will leave the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) and the wider Opec+ alliance effective May 1, a move that signals a push for greater control over its production strategy. The decision followed “a comprehensive review” of the country’s production policy and capacity, the Ministry of Infrastructure said in a statement, adding that it was based on national interests and a commitment to help meet global market... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3351752/uae-leave-opec-opec-oil-groups-national-interest-global-demand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3351752/uae-leave-opec-opec-oil-groups-national-interest-global-demand?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:16:10 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado Teresa Elena Frontado China has assured the United States that it will not supply weapons to Iran during the current ceasefire in the Middle East conflict, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Thursday, as Washington stepped up pressure on Tehran to agree to a broader peace deal brokered by Pakistan. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, Hegseth said Beijing had conveyed the assurance directly, amid heightened concerns in Washington about external support for Iran during the fragile pause in fighting. “Trump has a... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3350365/us-says-china-pledged-not-arm-iran-during-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3350365/us-says-china-pledged-not-arm-iran-during-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:42:45 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Lucy Quaggin,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado Khushboo Razdan,Lucy Quaggin,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado The United States began a naval blockade on Iranian ports on Monday after US-Iran peace talks to reopen the Strait of Hormuz failed over the weekend, but questions persist over how fully the measures can be enforced and what they will mean in practice. Despite concerns of escalation, Pakistan, which has acted as mediator in the peace negotiations, continued efforts to resolve the ongoing conflict, including a phone call with China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi to support the fragile ceasefire and... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349946/us-moves-block-iranian-ports-iran-threatens-retaliatory-strikes-gulf-shipping-hubs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349946/us-moves-block-iranian-ports-iran-threatens-retaliatory-strikes-gulf-shipping-hubs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:17:19 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Igor Patrick Teresa Elena Frontado,Igor Patrick China and Russia expressed support for Cuba’s embattled government amid mounting pressure from the United States, as Moscow’s deputy foreign minister concluded a visit to Havana and Beijing signalled its willingness to step up diplomatic backing for the island. “China is willing to work with the international community to firmly support Cuba in safeguarding its national sovereignty and security, and opposing external interference,” foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said on Friday. “The US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3349715/china-russia-rally-behind-cuba-us-squeezes-havana-deepening-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3349715/china-russia-rally-behind-cuba-us-squeezes-havana-deepening-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:30:44 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Khushboo Razdan,Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Control of the Strait of Hormuz has emerged as the central fault line in US-Iran negotiations, with US President Donald Trump appearing to recast an earlier off-the-cuff idea into a more formal proposal that seeks to bridge Tehran’s push for dominance and Washington’s insistence on open passage. Following his Tuesday announcement of a two-week ceasefire, Trump on Wednesday told the American Broadcasting Company that his administration may seek a “joint venture” with Iran to safeguard the global... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349436/strait-hormuz-trump-iran-joint-venture-really-possible?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349436/strait-hormuz-trump-iran-joint-venture-really-possible?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:02:48 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin,Orange Wang Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin,Orange Wang Iran will reopen the Strait of Hormuz under a ceasefire agreement with the United States brokered by Pakistan, as the two sides also agreed to start negotiations in Islamabad on Friday for a peace deal. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said the US would pause its bombing campaign in Iran for two weeks, calling it a “double-sided ceasefire” requested by Pakistani mediators in a last-minute bid to create space for diplomacy. In a social media post, Trump said the suspension of military action was... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349299/trump-agrees-suspend-bombing-iran-2-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3349299/trump-agrees-suspend-bombing-iran-2-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:28:16 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin Khushboo Razdan,Teresa Elena Frontado,Lucy Quaggin US President Donald Trump has claimed that ordinary Iranians were urging the US to keep bombing their own country in pursuit of “freedom”, as he renewed his warning of sweeping strikes on Iran’s critical infrastructure if negotiations fail ahead of his Tuesday deadline. Sounding triumphant after what he described as a “dangerous” operation to rescue a wounded American pilot from deep inside Iran, Trump on Monday warned that Iran could be “taken out in a night”, saying US forces had the... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349195/trump-hails-iran-rescue-warns-strikes-deadline-looms?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3349195/trump-hails-iran-rescue-warns-strikes-deadline-looms?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 17:41:37 +0000 Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado Dewey Sim,Teresa Elena Frontado US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has voiced “serious concerns” over China’s intensified inspections of Panama-flagged vessels, vowing that the US “stands firmly” with Panama amid the Latin American country’s escalating fallout with Beijing. Rubio said China’s recent actions “raise serious concerns about the use of economic tools to undermine the rule of law in Panama, a sovereign nation and vital partner for global commerce”. “Detentions, delays, or other impediments to the movement of vessels... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348859/rubio-raises-concerns-over-chinas-detention-panama-flagged-ships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3348859/rubio-raises-concerns-over-chinas-detention-panama-flagged-ships?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 19:34:46 +0000 Xinmei Shen,Teresa Elena Frontado Xinmei Shen,Teresa Elena Frontado The Trump administration has sought to minimise the impact of the Strait of Hormuz’s effective closure while offering few details on how it might restore oil flows through the strategic waterway. “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News aired on Friday, urging oil tankers to “show some guts.” Trump said Washington was still considering escorting ships through the strait but did not indicate whether a decision had been made. “We would do it... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3346558/us-says-irans-new-supreme-leader-likely-wounded-dismisses-strait-hormuz-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3346558/us-says-irans-new-supreme-leader-likely-wounded-dismisses-strait-hormuz-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 15:23:09 +0000 Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado Xinmei Shen,Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado US Central Command (CENTCOM) has urged civilians to keep clear of all port facilities in Iran, an announcement that drew a warning from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards of Gulf-wide retaliatory strikes if those sites are targeted. On Wednesday, CENTCOM said that the Iran was using civilian ports along the Strait of Hormuz to conduct military operations, which would make the ports legitimate military targets under international law. Civilians should immediately avoid all port facilities, and Iranian... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3346273/us-military-warns-civilians-avoid-port-facilities-used-iranian-navy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3346273/us-military-warns-civilians-avoid-port-facilities-used-iranian-navy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 16:42:52 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado US President Donald Trump claimed on Monday that American military objectives in Iran were nearly complete and the conflict could be nearing an end - a declaration met with a defiant vow from Tehran that the war would end on its own terms. Speaking at a news conference in Florida on the same day he discussed the war in a call with Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump claimed the US was “achieving major strides towards completing our military objective”, adding that “some people could say... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346023/trump-and-putin-discuss-quick-ending-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346023/trump-and-putin-discuss-quick-ending-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 20:21:18 +0000 Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Mark Magnier Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Mark Magnier US President Donald Trump said on Monday that US forces would press ahead with “ferocious, unyielding resolve” to “eliminate the intolerable threat posed by this sick and sinister regime” in Iran, while US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that “the hardest hits are yet to come”. “We projected for four to five weeks, but we have the capability to go longer than that,” Trump said, adding: “We’re already substantially ahead of our time projection”. In his speech on Monday at a White House... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345185/iran-strikes-day-3-trump-says-iran-operation-will-continue-5-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345185/iran-strikes-day-3-trump-says-iran-operation-will-continue-5-weeks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:29:12 +0000 Teresa Elena Frontado,Khushboo Razdan Teresa Elena Frontado,Khushboo Razdan The United States and Israel’s military campaign against Iran entered a more volatile phase on Sunday, with Washington reporting its first casualties, Tehran widening retaliatory strikes across the region, and energy markets bracing for shock after the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. The conflict – triggered by US-Israeli strikes that killed Iran’s supreme leader and senior officials – is rapidly reshaping regional security calculations and global economic outlooks. Here are five key... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345060/5-takeaways-first-2-days-us-israel-war-against-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3345060/5-takeaways-first-2-days-us-israel-war-against-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 00:25:23 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Teresa Elena Frontado Khushboo Razdan,Teresa Elena Frontado US President Donald Trump vowed to press ahead with a sweeping military campaign against Iran until US objectives are fully achieved, warning that additional American casualties were likely even as Washington intensified what he described as one of the largest offensives in modern history. “Sadly, there will likely be more before it ends,” Trump said in a video posted on social media, referring to the deaths of three US service members confirmed earlier by the US Central Command. “That’s the way... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345054/pentagon-confirms-three-american-deaths-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3345054/pentagon-confirms-three-american-deaths-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 16:21:58 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Wendy Wu,Laura Zhou,Zhuang Pinghui Khushboo Razdan,Lucy Quaggin,Teresa Elena Frontado,Wendy Wu,Laura Zhou,Zhuang Pinghui Iran has confirmed the death of its supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in US and Israeli air strikes on the weekend, raising questions for the next leader of a country in a region bracing for further attacks. US President Donald Trump called Khamenei “one of the most evil people in history” and said the strikes delivered justice for Iranians, Americans and others “killed or mutilated” by him. As the US and Israeli attacks on Iran entered a second day, Tehran declared a seven-day public... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3344994/global-powers-divided-china-expresses-deep-concern-over-us-israel-strikes-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3344994/global-powers-divided-china-expresses-deep-concern-over-us-israel-strikes-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 14:48:19 +0000 Igor Patrick,Teresa Elena Frontado Igor Patrick,Teresa Elena Frontado Panama on Monday took control of two ports at the Atlantic and Pacific entrances of the Panama Canal after a Supreme Court ruling voided the concession of their Hong Kong-based operator, a move Washington officials said was “in line with President Donald Trump’s drive to curb Chinese influence” over the strategic waterway. A decree published in the official gazette authorises the Panama Maritime Authority to occupy and run the ports of Balboa and Cristobal for “reasons of urgent social... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3344379/panama-orders-control-canal-ports-operated-hong-kong-firm-after-supreme-court-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/3344379/panama-orders-control-canal-ports-operated-hong-kong-firm-after-supreme-court-ruling?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 16:45:03 +0000