https://www.scmp.com/rss/66372/feed The World Economic Forum (WEF) is a Swiss non-profit foundation that is best known for its annual meeting in Davos, an alpine resort. The meeting brings together global business leaders, politicians, intellectuals and journalists to discuss the issues of the day. The gathering is often simply termed “Davos”, a reference to its venue. The WEF also holds the Annual Meeting of the New Champions (AMNC) or “Summer Davos”. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Steps to narrow the gender gap in Malaysia and Indonesia appear to be falling short, after a major global study found that most people surveyed in both nations remain tethered to traditional views on the roles of women. The study by research firm Ipsos and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London found that 66 and 60 per cent of respondents from Indonesia and Malaysia, respectively, agreed with the statement that “a wife should always obey her husband”, the highest... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347409/malaysia-indonesia-top-global-poll-obedient-wives?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3347409/malaysia-indonesia-top-global-poll-obedient-wives?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Gender equality in politics remains far from achieved across Japan’s 47 prefectures, research by a group of experts has shown as it released local index scores on International Women’s Day. While nearly 80 years have passed since women in Japan first exercised their right to vote, the politics index fell in eight prefectures, including Kanagawa near Tokyo, from the 2024 figures, while many other prefectures also saw little change. With a score of 1 representing full equality, Tokyo scored 0.386,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345847/80-years-gender-gap-persists-japanese-politics?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345847/80-years-gender-gap-persists-japanese-politics?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 03:00:11 +0000 Luna Sun Luna Sun Beijing should increase investment in early childhood education and lifelong learning as AI reshapes the world’s largest labour market, a prominent Chinese economist has said. The real policy test for China is whether it can shift decisively from investing in capital to investing in people, while policy and regulation must steer artificial intelligence (AI) towards empowering rather than replacing workers, according to Cai Fang, an academician at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences focusing... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345288/china-should-education-spending-help-population-adapt-ai-era-economist?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3345288/china-should-education-spending-help-population-adapt-ai-era-economist?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 23:00:07 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji As tech titans and world leaders descended on New Delhi for the India AI Impact Summit in February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi set out his ambition for the country to become a major global power in artificial intelligence – a technology currently dominated by the United States and China. “My vision is that India should be among the top three AI superpowers globally, not just in the consumption of AI but in creation,” Modi told Asian News International in an interview about the summit. Top tech... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344919/indias-ai-superpower-dream-lands-us200-billion-now-comes-hard-part?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3344919/indias-ai-superpower-dream-lands-us200-billion-now-comes-hard-part?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 06:00:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters The president and CEO of the World Economic Forum, Borge Brende, said he was stepping down on Thursday, a few weeks after the forum launched an independent investigation into his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Brende, who became president of the WEF ‌in 2017, announced his decision in a statement following disclosures from the US Justice Department that showed the Norwegian had three business dinners with Epstein and had also communicated with the disgraced financier via email... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344763/world-economic-forum-ceo-borge-brende-resigns-over-epstein-revelations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344763/world-economic-forum-ceo-borge-brende-resigns-over-epstein-revelations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 12:50:07 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan I travelled to Zurich, Switzerland, last month to attend the Asia Leaders Series, a forum designed to foster candid exchange between Europe and Asia, offering policymakers, economists and business leaders a trusted setting to engage seriously with global challenges. The event took place on the eve of the World Economic Forum meeting. I was asked to moderate a session on a topic that was hardly novel: US-China rivalry. I approached the event with modest expectations. Strategic competition between... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343913/us-and-china-can-again-find-common-ground-ais-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3343913/us-and-china-can-again-find-common-ground-ais-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:30:08 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea will take part as an observer in the inaugural meeting of the US-led “Board of Peace”, dispatching a former envoy to Thursday’s session in Washington, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Kim Yong-hyun, former ambassador to Egypt, will attend the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace scheduled for February 19, as the South Korean representative,” the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. A ministry official said that South Korea would attend as a non-member observer... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343904/south-korea-signals-cautious-support-trumps-board-peace-attending-observer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343904/south-korea-signals-cautious-support-trumps-board-peace-attending-observer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:45:35 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump denounced a clean ⁠energy agreement between ⁠the United Kingdom and ⁠California Governor Gavin Newsom hours after it was signed on Monday, Politico reported. In an interview with the news outlet, Trump said it was “inappropriate” for Britain to be ‌dealing with the Democratic governor. Trump, a Republican, also branded Newsom “a loser”, saying “his state has gone to hell, and his environmental work is a disaster”. Newsom is an outspoken Trump critic and has publicly... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343772/trump-slams-energy-deal-between-california-and-britain-calls-governor-newsom-loser?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3343772/trump-slams-energy-deal-between-california-and-britain-calls-governor-newsom-loser?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:57:52 +0000 Jevans Nyabiage Jevans Nyabiage The route to challenging China’s supremacy in rare earth minerals lies in using artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing to create synthetic substitutes or alloys, according to a prominent American expert in AI. Jack Hidary, CEO of SandboxAQ, an AI and quantum technology Alphabet spin-off, said these technologies could cut the time required to secure critical materials to just a few years. This could bypass the traditional 10 to 20 years needed to bring a new mine online while also... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343609/could-us-unlock-chinas-rare-earths-grip-ai-and-quantum-computing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343609/could-us-unlock-chinas-rare-earths-grip-ai-and-quantum-computing?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 10:00:08 +0000 Kandy Wong Kandy Wong Dwindling global trust in the US dollar is one of the most prominent risks facing a vulnerable world economy this year, according to Zhu Min, an ex-deputy director of the International Monetary Fund and former deputy governor of the People’s Bank of China. He noted that the credibility of the US dollar was being challenged as its share of global foreign exchange reserves had fallen to 57 per cent – from 70 per cent in the past. On the other hand, “the proportions of gold, the euro and the yuan... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343617/fading-us-dollar-trust-threatens-world-economy-ex-imf-official-warns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3343617/fading-us-dollar-trust-threatens-world-economy-ex-imf-official-warns?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 07:01:27 +0000 Andrew Sheng Andrew Sheng The subject of artificial intelligence (AI) has become so prevalent in global discourse that the recent World Economic Forum in Davos reportedly had more than 200 sessions for corporate leaders to discuss AI from multiple angles. The conversations focused on five key themes: AI and technology’s role in geopolitical rivalry; AI as a productivity and growth driver; AI as a job disrupter; ethics and governance for generative AI and robot systems; and AI’s environmental footprint. Underlying these... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3343344/age-ai-we-must-learn-act-future-clear?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3343344/age-ai-we-must-learn-act-future-clear?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Norway’s ambassador to Jordan and Iraq has resigned after an investigation was launched into her ties to late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the foreign ministry said on Sunday. Mona Juul, who played a key role in the secret Israeli-Palestinian negotiations which led to the Oslo Accords of the early 1990s, is among several high-profile Norwegian figures swept up in the latest Epstein file release. “This is a correct and necessary decision. Juul’s contact with the convicted abuser Epstein has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342855/senior-diplomat-resigns-norway-investigates-epstein-links?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342855/senior-diplomat-resigns-norway-investigates-epstein-links?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:53:27 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The presidents of Argentina and Romania said on Sunday they have been invited to attend the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s controversial “Board of Peace” in Washington on February 19. Originally designed by Trump as a mechanism to oversee the Gaza truce and post-war reconstruction, the board’s mandate has since expanded, prompting concerns among critics that it could evolve into a rival to the United Nations. Writing on his Facebook page, Romania’s President Nicusor Dan said... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342854/romania-argentina-leaders-invited-trumps-board-peace-meeting-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342854/romania-argentina-leaders-invited-trumps-board-peace-meeting-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:29:27 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The global space industry has rapidly evolved from the days when nations raced to the heavens in a quest for glory. Now space is a venue for competition to forge the world’s technological future. Hong Kong must follow these developments with solid planning if it hopes to tap into the opportunities of China’s “NewSpace” ambitions. NewSpace is an emerging industry where private firms are involved with satellite manufacturing, launch services, space law, tourism and other ventures concentrated in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342632/hong-kong-need-not-wait-help-chinese-space-ambitions-take?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3342632/hong-kong-need-not-wait-help-chinese-space-ambitions-take?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Feb 2026 23:15:15 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan Europe’s political and business elite arrived at the World Economic Forum in Davos this year with nerves already frayed after a bruising first year of US President Donald Trump’s second term. That period was defined by the imposition of a protectionist tariff strategy to gain economic and geopolitical leverage, an often combative approach to the war in Ukraine and renewed doubts over Nato security guarantees. In the run-up to Davos, the White House threatened eight European countries – including... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342380/after-davos-search-begins-what-comes-after-post-cold-war-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342380/after-davos-search-begins-what-comes-after-post-cold-war-order?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 21:30:08 +0000 Richard Harris Richard Harris US President Donald Trump’s trip to Europe to speak at the World Economic Forum in the Swiss alpine town of Davos was possibly one he wished he had never made; such was its failure to impress. First, his plane had to turn back due to a technical problem. Second, he gave a typically hostile speech, but then he lived up to his nickname “Taco” (Trump always chickens out) over threats to invade Greenland that would have imperilled about a third of global trade. Third, he said disingenuously that if... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342335/how-america-first-many-respects-puts-america-behind?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3342335/how-america-first-many-respects-puts-america-behind?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:30:11 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Luuk van Middelaar is the director of the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, a think tank he co-founded in 2022. A political theorist and historian by trade, he has written several books and was in the cabinet of the first European Council president, Herman Van Rompuy. Van Middelaar is widely read and cited across Europe for his analysis of the EU’s political evolution, with his books translated into many languages and awarded major European literary prizes. He writes regularly for leading... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/europe/article/3342456/historian-trumps-new-world-order-ukraine-war-and-europe-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/world/europe/article/3342456/historian-trumps-new-world-order-ukraine-war-and-europe-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 04:20:36 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call for middle powers to band together amid a fragmenting world order is a vision analysts say appeals to many Asian nations, but lacks a blueprint to bring them all together. Speaking in Switzerland last month, Carney urged mid-sized and smaller countries to unite against the economic coercion of great powers, warning that nations failing to act collectively risked being “on the menu” rather than “at the table”, in a thinly veiled rebuke of the United... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342400/canada-wants-middle-power-alliance-will-asia-pacific-sign?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3342400/canada-wants-middle-power-alliance-will-asia-pacific-sign?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 01:31:42 +0000 dpa dpa Fifa president Gianni Infantino has apologised over remarks he made about British fans and defended the decision to award a peace prize to US President Donald Trump. Infantino said at last month’s World Economic Forum in Davos that the World Cup in Qatar in 2022 had been special because “for the first time in history no Brit was arrested”. His comments were described as a “cheap” joke at the expense of fans by the Football Supporters’ Association, while the UK’s football policing lead Chief... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342154/fifa-boss-sorry-offending-british-football-fans-defends-trump-peace-prize?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3342154/fifa-boss-sorry-offending-british-football-fans-defends-trump-peace-prize?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Feb 2026 17:34:26 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi For decades, the defining debate in international relations centred on whether China, as it developed into the world’s second-largest economy, would seek to revise the established world order. Would Beijing demand a greater share of global resources? Would it challenge American primacy? The non-Chinese speaking world watched anxiously for signs of Chinese revisionism, debating the “Thucydides Trap” – the theory that a rising power and an established hegemon are destined for conflict. Enormous... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341875/forget-china-threat-real-disruption-trumps-us-old-order-not-coming-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3341875/forget-china-threat-real-disruption-trumps-us-old-order-not-coming-back?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 03:00:15 +0000 Zheng Yongnian Zheng Yongnian Several signals from this year’s World Economic Forum in Davos revealed a fundamental transformation in international politics. The forum laid bare the conclusion of a long era, yet provided little clarity about the coming one. The first signal is the collapse of the post-World War II order shaped by the West – and the West’s own unravelling with it. The West has used its dominance over global discourse to construct and impose concepts it favours on the non-Western world. Yet the West itself is... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341715/tianxia-20-how-china-can-help-shape-next-world-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3341715/tianxia-20-how-china-can-help-shape-next-world-order?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng ByteDance and Alibaba Group Holding are poised to ratchet up their artificial intelligence infrastructure initiatives, as the global AI arms race continues to intensify. The two companies’ latest moves lend weight to Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang’s recent remarks at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, that the world was witnessing the biggest infrastructure buildout in history and that trillions of dollars of infrastructure still had to be built. Beijing-based ByteDance, operator of TikTok... https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341863/china-tech-giants-bytedance-and-alibaba-ramp-ai-infrastructure-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3341863/china-tech-giants-bytedance-and-alibaba-ramp-ai-infrastructure-efforts?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 Jan 2026 12:00:05 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney does not mince his words. Writing for The Economist last November, Carney argued the post-Cold War had collapsed and said the world was “entering an era of ‘variable geometry’” involving “pragmatic coalitions, built around shared interests, and occasionally shared values, rather than shared institutions”. The essay, it turns out, was the prelude to a hard-hitting speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on January 20. Carney told attendees... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341634/what-ruptured-globalisation-means-international-finance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341634/what-ruptured-globalisation-means-international-finance?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 08:30:10 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma For decades, the US dollar has served as the currency of global reserve, the de facto anchor for the vast majority of international exchanges. Consequently, United States government debt – most commonly in the form of Treasury assets such as bonds, notes and bills – has long been regarded as a safe haven by investors, prized for its unmatched liquidity and deep market penetration. That faith has remained strong in the past, even amid global financial crises. But the events of recent weeks... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341391/age-trump-are-safe-haven-us-assets-not-so-safe-any-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341391/age-trump-are-safe-haven-us-assets-not-so-safe-any-more?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Tuesday that he told US President Donald Trump that he meant what he said in his speech at Davos, and told him Canada plans to diversify away from the United States with a dozen new trade deals. Carney rolled his eyes and rejected US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s contention to Fox News that he aggressively walked back his comments at the World Economic Forum during a phone call with Trump on Monday. “To be absolutely clear, and I said this to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341465/carney-rolls-eyes-us-treasury-chief-says-he-told-trump-he-meant-what-he-said-davos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341465/carney-rolls-eyes-us-treasury-chief-says-he-told-trump-he-meant-what-he-said-davos?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 18:26:49 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s decision to join US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” has raised eyebrows at home, with critics zeroing in on how it deviated from Jakarta’s values by serving the interests of only the US and Israel instead of Palestine. Some observers, however, argue that the move is “consistent” with Indonesia’s proactive foreign policy stance and allows it access to major powers. President Prabowo Subianto was among several world leaders flanking Trump at Thursday’s signing of the board’s... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341420/indonesias-move-join-trumps-board-peace-stirs-debate-foreign-policy-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3341420/indonesias-move-join-trumps-board-peace-stirs-debate-foreign-policy-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 09:52:57 +0000 Bryan Luk Bryan Luk The World Economic Forum in Davos has long been the high cathedral of globalisation, a place where the “Davos Man” devours a borderless world governed by the rules of the market and mutual gain. But a few days ago, that era ended. US President Donald Trump’s speech at Davos was essentially a wrecking ball swung at the foundations of the transatlantic alliance (if it still exists). By doubling down on aggressive, transactional rhetoric against European nations that he sees as free-riders, Trump... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341226/europe-may-be-entering-its-own-century-humiliation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3341226/europe-may-be-entering-its-own-century-humiliation?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham If there was a sense of panic gripping European leaders at last week’s conclave of elites at the World Economic Forum, they could be forgiven a moment of relief as they departed the snowy peaks of Davos. That was not only because US President Donald Trump used a long, rambling speech to rule out taking the Danish territory of Greenland by force. Nor was it just the meeting on the sidelines with Nato chief Mark Rutte, which produced a formula to defuse immediate tensions by designating US... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341242/table-or-menu-europe-wakes-world-without-order?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341242/table-or-menu-europe-wakes-world-without-order?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 22:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday played down US President Donald Trump’s latest tariff threat against Canada, saying the comments should be viewed with an eye towards a coming trade deal review. Asked about Trump’s threat to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports should Ottawa finalise a new trade deal with China, Carney told reporters that the North American free trade deal is up for review this year and “the president is a strong negotiator”. “I think some of these... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341309/carney-links-trumps-new-tariff-threat-north-america-trade-deal-review?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341309/carney-links-trumps-new-tariff-threat-north-america-trade-deal-review?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:02:01 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma With domestic margins shrinking and global trade risks rising, China’s commerce authorities are unveiling a state-backed business resource aimed at helping companies navigate and accelerate their global expansions. A national-level service platform will serve as a centralised full-service hub addressing companies’ common needs, including policy consultation, business services, country-specific information, resource matching and risk management, according to Wang Ya, an official heading the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341281/beyond-borders-beijing-equips-chinese-firms-global-stage-amid-trade-jitters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341281/beyond-borders-beijing-equips-chinese-firms-global-stage-amid-trade-jitters?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 12:30:14 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ukraine and Russia ended a second day of ‍US-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi on Saturday without a deal but with more talks expected next weekend, even as overnight Russian air strikes knocked out power for over a million Ukrainians amid sub-zero winter cold. Statements after the conclusion of the talks did not indicate that any agreements had been reached, but Moscow and Kyiv both said they were open to further dialogue. “The central focus of the discussions was the possible parameters for ending... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3341133/us-brokered-ukraine-peace-talks-end-no-deal-russian-strikes-continue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3341133/us-brokered-ukraine-peace-talks-end-no-deal-russian-strikes-continue?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 20:31:03 +0000 Khushboo Razdan Khushboo Razdan US President Donald Trump escalated trade tensions with Canada, Washington’s closest ally and second-largest trading partner, on Saturday by threatening to impose 100 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods entering the United States. Canada fired back quickly, stressing that there is no pursuit of a free-trade agreement with China, framing recent moves as steps to resolve tariff disputes and bolster the Canadian economy, which was “under threat from abroad”. In a series of social media posts,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341127/trump-threatens-canada-100-cent-tariff-over-possible-china-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3341127/trump-threatens-canada-100-cent-tariff-over-possible-china-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 15:23:14 +0000 Anthony Rowley Anthony Rowley Some weighty themes were addressed at the World Economic Forum in Davos, from the apparent return of the Monroe Doctrine and US “manifest destiny” in geopolitics, to a replay of the 19th-century “Great Game” among competing nations elsewhere. But one critical issue that did not receive sufficient attention was the prospect of a global financial system crisis undermining such monumental assumptions. These annual gatherings of the supposedly great and good, from national leaders to business barons... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340902/distracted-davos-leaders-are-ignoring-one-critical-issue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340902/distracted-davos-leaders-are-ignoring-one-critical-issue?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 24 Jan 2026 08:30:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ukrainian and Russian negotiators met ‌in Abu Dhabi on Friday to tackle the vital issue of territory, with no sign of a compromise, as Russian air strikes plunged Ukraine into its worst ‍energy crisis of the nearly four-year war. Kyiv is under mounting US pressure to reach a peace deal in the war triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, with Moscow demanding Kyiv cede its entire eastern industrial area of Donbas before it stops fighting. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3341073/russia-and-ukraine-sit-tense-talks-thorny-territorial-issue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3341073/russia-and-ukraine-sit-tense-talks-thorny-territorial-issue?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 22:02:10 +0000 Reuters Reuters British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called US President Donald Trump’s comments about European troops staying off the front lines in Afghanistan ‍insulting and appalling, joining a chorus of criticism from other European officials and veterans. “I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling, and I’m not surprised they’ve caused such hurt for the loved ones of those who were killed or injured,” Starmer told reporters. When asked whether he would demand an apology from... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341070/uks-starmer-slams-trumps-insulting-remarks-allies-afghanistan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341070/uks-starmer-slams-trumps-insulting-remarks-allies-afghanistan?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 18:29:35 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen At the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week, world leaders warned of an increasingly fractured global order and took veiled swipes at the United States. But they held back on directly criticising China, which experts said signalled a recalibration in their approach to Beijing as US President Donald Trump’s political unpredictability left allies on edge. Recent moves by the US president have been widely seen as assaults on the global order, including the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341058/trump-shakes-world-order-western-countries-recalibrate-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341058/trump-shakes-world-order-western-countries-recalibrate-approach-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 15:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump stole the show at the World Economic Forum in Davos, but he may have also made the annual gabfest of the global elite relevant again – at least for a week. The relevance of the gathering of CEOs and political leaders in the Swiss Alps is regularly questioned by critics who deride it as an out-of-touch echo chamber where little gets done. But all eyes were on this year’s Davos as Trump barrelled into town with a geopolitical storm hanging over the picturesque ski resort,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341046/how-trump-stole-show-davos-and-revived-wef-never-been-more-relevant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341046/how-trump-stole-show-davos-and-revived-wef-never-been-more-relevant?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:42:10 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow China will probably lower its economic growth target this year, the Post reported, as domestic challenges weigh on the nation’s two-speed economy (see SCMP Plus factsheet). Policymakers may set a target range of 4.5 per cent to 5 per cent, the Post said, citing three unidentified people briefed on the matter. That compares with a goal of “about 5 per cent” in each of the last three years. The potential cut reflects a focus on “high-quality” development and a shift away from assessing local... https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3340975/china-may-cut-gdp-goal-trump-davos-starmer-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/economy/china-economy/article/3340975/china-may-cut-gdp-goal-trump-davos-starmer-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:00:29 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell In a week marked by the first anniversary of Donald Trump’s second inauguration as US president and a Davos-based melodrama over his ambitions to own Greenland, it is perhaps timely to review this first year of Trump 2.0 and look into the second. First, one has to be in awe of the frenetic energy of Trump, who celebrates his 80th birthday in June. Whatever one makes of his meandering, insulting, overbearing and frequently inaccurate address in Davos, made right off his flights from Washington,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340897/why-trumps-davos-farce-may-come-be-seen-watershed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3340897/why-trumps-davos-farce-may-come-be-seen-watershed?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 08:30:08 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The economic benefits of China’s abundant and cheap supply of electricity were recognised by US tech billionaire Elon Musk and other speakers at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. As the United States and the European Union contemplate how to catch up, Tesla CEO Musk said the artificial intelligence (AI) industry was facing an energy bottleneck around the globe – with AI chips being produced rapidly and electricity output struggling to keep up – apart from the notable... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340968/davos-debut-musk-highlights-key-china-advantage-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340968/davos-debut-musk-highlights-key-china-advantage-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 07:34:46 +0000 Reuters Reuters US President Donald Trump withdrew on Thursday an invitation for Canada to join ‌his Board of Peace initiative aimed at resolving global conflicts. Trump’s about-face follows Canadian Prime ‍Minister Mark Carney’s speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he openly decried powerful nations using economic integration as weapons and tariffs as leverage. “Please let this Letter serve to represent that the Board of Peace is withdrawing its ⁠invitation to you regarding Canada’s joining, what... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340937/trump-withdraws-invitation-canadas-carney-join-board-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340937/trump-withdraws-invitation-canadas-carney-join-board-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 05:15:44 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the settlement in Ukraine with US President Donald Trump’s envoys during marathon overnight talks, and the Kremlin insisted that the territorial issue needs to be resolved to reach a peace deal. The Kremlin meeting, which lasted past 3am on Friday, came hours after Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky sharply criticised his European allies on Thursday for what he cast as their slow and fragmented response to Russia’s nearly four-year full-scale... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340936/putin-meets-us-envoys-midnight-talks-ukraine-settlement-hinges-key-issue?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340936/putin-meets-us-envoys-midnight-talks-ukraine-settlement-hinges-key-issue?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 04:45:09 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Baby bust: China births plunge 17% in 2025 to historic low as population shrinks China’s birth count plummeted to a record low last year, falling by about 10 million from its 2016 peak and slashing the total by more than half in less... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3340923/chinas-births-plunge-trumps-greenland-pledge-davos-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3340923/chinas-births-plunge-trumps-greenland-pledge-davos-scmps-7-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 04:30:07 +0000 dpa dpa Fifa President Gianni Infantino made a joke about British football fans’ behaviour and defended ticket prices for this summer’s World Cup in North America during a speech to world leaders on Thursday. Infantino addressed concerns around the staging of this summer’s finals in the United States amid rising domestic tensions there in an address at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, citing how there had been “a lot of critics” in the build-up to the Qatar finals in 2022. “When the ball started... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3340931/fifa-president-jokes-about-british-football-fans-defends-ticket-prices-2026-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3340931/fifa-president-jokes-about-british-football-fans-defends-ticket-prices-2026-world-cup?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 04:04:01 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service California Governor Gavin Newsom on Thursday said he was not surprised the Trump administration blocked his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland the day before, saying it was another example of the US president trying to stifle dissent. “Is it surprising the Trump administration didn’t like my commentary and wanted to make sure that I was not allowed to speak? No,” said Newsom, who is weighing a 2028 presidential run. “It’s consistent with this administration and their... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340927/newsom-world-stage-davos-accuses-trump-trying-suppress-dissent?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340927/newsom-world-stage-davos-accuses-trump-trying-suppress-dissent?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 03:18:36 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Photographs of fresh bruising on Donald Trump’s hand raised eyebrows on Thursday, but the 79-year-old US president dismissed renewed speculation over his health, saying he had simply hit a table. Trump has been seen with frequent bruising on his right hand since returning to the White House last year, often concealing it with bandages and make-up. The White House has said it is due to a combination of frequent handshaking and the aspirin he takes for his cardiovascular health, which can lead to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340917/trump-blames-table-and-aspirin-after-new-bruise-appears-his-hand-davos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340917/trump-blames-table-and-aspirin-after-new-bruise-appears-his-hand-davos?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:26:50 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial For decades, the World Economic Forum was the ultimate symbol of globalisation. This week, we may have witnessed the end of that symbolism as the so-called rules-based order looks to be crumbling. US President Donald Trump flew into Davos and held forth on his view of the world, promptly starting a clash with long-standing American allies hoping for some semblance of sense and order. From Canada and Greenland to Ukraine, from trade preferences to tariffs, Trump demanded his pound of flesh from... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3340863/trumps-antics-davos-eroding-last-shred-trust-us-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3340863/trumps-antics-davos-eroding-last-shred-trust-us-leadership?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Bochen Han Bochen Han Look for the US and Canada to move farther apart on China policy, even in areas where they were previously aligned, analysts say, days after Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a multifaceted deal with Beijing. In recent years, Washington and Ottawa had drawn closer together when it came to dealing with Beijing, from electric vehicle tariffs and research security to investment screening. But that convergence is now fraying, analysts say, as Canada signals a greater willingness to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3340910/us-and-canada-drift-apart-china-ottawa-rethinks-beijing-ties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3340910/us-and-canada-drift-apart-china-ottawa-rethinks-beijing-ties?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 20:04:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Greenland’s prime minister said on Thursday that he was not aware of the contents of a framework agreement about the Danish autonomous territory that US President Donald Trump announced after a meeting with Nato’s chief, but stressed no deal could be made without involving the island. “Nobody else than Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark have the mandate to make deals or agreements about Greenland and the Kingdom of Denmark without us,” Jens-Frederik Nielsen told a press conference. “We have... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340907/greenland-pm-says-he-doesnt-know-whats-deal-reached-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340907/greenland-pm-says-he-doesnt-know-whats-deal-reached-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 18:42:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday blasted the EU’s lack of “political will” in countering Russian leader Vladimir Putin, during a fiery address criticising some of Kyiv’s top allies at the World Economic Forum. The speech to the Davos elite came minutes after Zelensky had met with US President Donald Trump, a conversation which he said brought agreement about what post-war US security guarantees for Ukraine would look like. Zelensky did not say what the security guarantees... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340905/ukraines-zelensky-says-fragmented-europe-looks-lost-facing-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340905/ukraines-zelensky-says-fragmented-europe-looks-lost-facing-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 16:59:55 +0000