Category: Uncategorized

AdvertisementAmericas and the CaribbeanWorldAmericasTrump says he’s authorised CIA to operate in VenezuelaThe US president did not reply when asked if the CIA had authority to take out Maduro, but said he thinks Venezuela is ‘feeling the heat’
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMP3BloombergPublished: 5:46am, 16 Oct 2025Updated: 6:08am, 16 Oct 2025US President Donald Trump said he had authorised the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to take covert action in Venezuela, arguing that he had to stem the flow of drugs and illegal migrants into the US.
Advertisement“I authorised it for two reasons,” Trump said at the White House, adding that Venezuelan leaders had “emptied their prisons into the United States of America” and “we have a lot of drugs coming in from Venezuela”.
Trump was asked about the issue after The New York Times reported earlier on Wednesday that he had authorised the CIA to take action as part of efforts to ratchet up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro.
According ..

(Source: X) Hamas published a video on Monday showing eight blindfolded and kneeling men being executed in the streets, branding them “collaborators and outlaws.” The footage surfaced amid armed clashes between Hamas security units and Palestinian clans, on the fifth day of a US-brokered truce between Israel and the militant group.Hamas proceeded to take control of Gaza on Tuesday, even as US President Donald Trump vowed to disarm the group under a recently brokered ceasefire. The Israeli military confirmed that the remains of four more hostages held in Gaza were handed to the Red Cross, following the release of four others and the safe return of 20 surviving captives. In northern Gaza, as Israeli forces withdrew from Gaza City, Hamas’s black-masked police resumed street patrols. Hamas’s Brigades helped control crowds when freed prisoners arrived in Gaza on Monday. A new Hamas security unit, called the Deterrence Force, has been targeting armed clans and gangs, some of which are said t..

Indian truck driver Vivak Sharma's interview went viral for all wrong reasons. The US transport department has recently issued an emergency rule that only green card holders will be able to renew their commercial driver's license. An Indian truck driver's interview with ABC 7 News went viral as he recounted the difficulty he was facing. But the virality was not because of his hardship but because of what he said in Hindi. The truck driver, identified as Vivak Sharma, said only green card holders and US citizens can have their commercial trucking license renewed. Sharma has been in the United States legally for the past 10 years, seeking political asylum. His final court case is next year and he has been driving a truck for the past eight years. But now he can't. Sharma said he was worried that he would not be able to send money to India and would now have to look for other jobs. As the video went viral, social media users had many questions, starting with why, despi..

AdvertisementChina-EU relationsEconomyGlobal EconomyChina’s EV boom has the EU setting up roadblocks. Can cooperation clear the way?Decades after their first joint venture, EU carmakers fear losing their markets to China’s upstarts. Is it too late for them to work together?
Reading Time:6 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPXiaofei Xuin ParisPublished: 6:00am, 15 Oct 2025This year marks half a century of formal diplomatic relations between China and the European Union, as well as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. The latest story in our series examining ties between the two powers focuses on intensified competition in the auto industry, a bedrock sector for Europe and an area where China has made enormous strides, particularly in electric vehicles and other hi-tech advancements.AdvertisementWhen Volkswagen engineers arrived at the facilities of Chinese carmaker First Automobile Works’ (FAW) in the early 1990s, they saw a factory stuck in ..

AdvertisementChina societyOpinionChina OpinionRen YanOpinion | After decades of struggle, women in China are rewriting their futureThe quiet revolution towards upholding women’s rights in China isn’t just about slogans but involves the hard work of families, educators and policymakers
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPRen YanPublished: 5:30am, 15 Oct 2025Every Lunar New Year, the urban professional woman – let’s call her Tracy – returns to her rural hometown, where she quickly drops her city identity for her simple rural name Cuihua, helping her family prepare the holiday meal.
AdvertisementFunny before-and-after pictures emphasising the contrast between sleek blazers and comfortable pyjamas have captivated Chinese social media users. But these social media memes mask a deeper question. How does “Cuihua” become “Tracy”?
Her journey involves more than a change of name; it encompasses the dramatic rise of Chinese women’s social status driven by personal resilience, family suppo..

GITEX Global 2025 hosts over 6,800 tech companies and 2,000 startups from 180 countries, making it the world’s largest tech event/ Image: WAM The 45th edition of GITEX Global opens with record-breaking participation, reinforcing the UAE’s rise as a global digital leader under the direction of its Presidency and the leadership of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
GITEX 2025 inaugurated by Sheikh Mohammed
GITEX Global 2025 officially opened its doors on October 13 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE, and Ruler of Dubai. Now in its 45th edition, the event has reached new heights in scale and ambition, solidifying its reputation as the world’s largest technology and artificial intelligence showcase. Sheikh Mohammed’s inauguration was marked by a high-level delegation of key UAE leaders, including: H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum – Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy P..

AdvertisementUS-Cuba relationsWorldAmericasCuban dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer leaves island for US exile after imprisonmentUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Ferrer’s arrival on Monday ‘after suffering years of abuse, torture and threats to his life’
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAssociated PressPublished: 5:27am, 14 Oct 2025Updated: 5:46am, 14 Oct 2025Prominent Cuban dissident Jose Daniel Ferrer left the island on Monday for exile in the US at the request of the US government, Cuban and American authorities confirmed.
AdvertisementThe director of bilateral relations for the Cuban Foreign Ministry, Alejandro Garcia, told Associated Press that Ferrer, 55, departed before noon from his hometown Santiago in eastern Cuba en route to Florida.
“He leaves the country due to a request made by the US government to the Cuban government, which [Ferrer] is in agreement with,” Garcia said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed Ferrer’s arrival on Monday “after suffering..

AdvertisementMadagascarWorldAfricaIn address to nation, Madagascar president says in ‘safe place’ after attempt on lifeFollowing weeks of protests calling for his resignation, Andry Rajoelina fled the country on a French army aircraft on Sunday, officials said
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAgence France-PressePublished: 4:55am, 14 Oct 2025Updated: 5:08am, 14 Oct 2025Madagascar’s President Andry Rajoelina said on Monday he was in a “safe place” after an attempt on his life, following weeks of youth protests calling for his resignation.
AdvertisementIn an address to the nation, Rajoelina did not disclose his whereabouts, which remain unknown, but a military source and other officials told Reuters he had fled the country on a French army aircraft on Sunday after Malagasy troops announced their support for the protesters.
“I was forced to find a safe place to protect my life today. In all this, I never stop looking for solutions,” the 51-year-old leader said in the live addre..

Dubai Healthcare City Phase 1. Image: DHCC Dubai Healthcare City Authority (DHCA) has announced a massive AED 1.3 billion (approximately $354 million) expansion plan for Phase 1 of Dubai Healthcare City (DHCC), aimed at bolstering Dubai’s position as a global hub for healthcare investment and innovation. The ambitious development, slated to begin construction in December 2025 and expected to be completed by November 2027, promises to set new standards in sustainable healthcare infrastructure.Dubai Healthcare City’s first LEED Platinum office & medical complexAt the heart of the expansion is the UAE’s first LEED Platinum-certified office building within DHCC. The state-of-the-art structure, designed by P&T Architects and Engineers, will span 13,000 square meters across nine floors and three basement levels. It will offer flexible office spaces and commercial units on the ground floor, emphasizing sustainability and smart design.Alongside this office tower, the development features a pur..

US President Donald Trump on Sunday departed for a visit to Israel and Egypt, calling the trip a “very special” moment as he hailed a ceasefire and hostage release deal that he said had brought the Gaza war to an end.“This is going to be a very special time,” Trump told reporters before boarding air force one at joint base Andrews. “Everybody’s very excited about this moment in time.”Air force one took off near Washington amid light rain, with secretary of state Marco Rubio, defense secretary Pete Hegseth and CIA chief John Ratcliffe accompanying the president, according to the White House.Asked whether he was confident the conflict between Israel and Hamas was over, Trump replied, “The war is over. Okay? You understand that?”Speaking about the significance of his trip, Trump said, “This is a very special event… Everybody’s cheering at one time. That’s never happened before. Usually, if you have one cheering, the other isn’t… This is the first time everybody is amazed and they’re t..