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US secretary of state Marco Rubio (C) attends a discussion with a delegation from Kyiv to end the Russia-Ukraine war in Geneva on Sunday

BRUSSELS: Europeans have submitted a modified version of the US' peace plan for Ukraine that pushes back on proposed limits to Kyiv's armed forces and territorial concessions, according to a document seen by Reuters on Sunday.The document, prepared for talks on the plan in Geneva, proposes that Ukraine's military be capped at 800,000 “in peacetime” rather than a blanket cap of 600,000 proposed by the US plan. It also says “negotiations on territorial swaps will start from the Line of Contact”, rather than pre-determining that certain areas should be recognised as “de facto Russian”, as the US plan suggests.The counter-proposal was drafted by the so-called European E3 powers – the UK, France and Germany, a source said. The document takes the US proposal as its basis, but goes through point by point with suggested deletions or changes. ..

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro at an event in Caracas on Saturday. US President Trump has said that Maduro’s days were numbered as head of state PARIS: The US military operation against Venezuelan alleged drug traffickers coupled with threats by Donald Trump for a ground assault against President Nicolas Maduro have troubled European powers who retain strategically located territories in the Caribbean, observers say.The concern of France, the Netherlands and the UK is such that they have started limiting intelligence sharing with Washington about the Caribbean over worries it could be used for strikes that would be considered illegal in their countries, according to officials and sources who spoke to AFP.The UK retains small overseas territories in the Caribbean from the colonial era, while the large islands of Martinique and Guadeloupe as well as French Guiana on the South American mainland are now officially part of France.The Netherlands is the most geographically implicated, ..

AdvertisementViral storiesPeople & CultureJapan woman marries AI partner, wears augmented reality glasses during ring exchange‘Crazy’ 32-year-old shuns human relationships after real fiancé split, takes part in virtual ceremony after developing feelings for chatbot
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPYating Yangin BeijingPublished: 9:00am, 24 Nov 2025A Japanese woman turned to ChatGPT for comfort after ending a real three-year engagement, then found herself in love and marrying her artificial intelligence (AI) generated partner.
AdvertisementThe virtual relationship was sealed when she wore augmented reality (AR) glasses to exchange rings with her digital husband at their “nuptials”.
The woman, 32, who uses the pseudonym Kano, began chatting with ChatGPT after ending her three-year engagement to a real man, gradually turning to her AI “man” for comfort and advice.
Kano, above, dons augmented reality glasses for the digital wedding ceremony. Photo: X.comTheir conversations becam..

AdvertisementAustraliaAsiaAustralasiaSnapchat makes Australian teens verify age as social media ban loomsFrom December 10, social media platforms in Australia must remove users aged below 16 or face fines, in one of the strictest bans globally
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPAgence France-PressePublished: 8:37am, 24 Nov 2025Snapchat has begun asking teenage Australians to verify their ages, the company said on Monday, just weeks before Canberra enforces sweeping laws banning under 16s from social media.AdvertisementFrom December 10, Australia will force social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, to remove users under the age of 16 or face hefty fines.“Starting this week, many users will be asked to verify their age to continue accessing Snapchat,” the company said.
Users will be able to do so using an Australian bank account, government-issued identification, or by taking a photo of their face, which a third party will then use to provide an estimated..

In this photo released by Christian Association of Nigeria, a man walk past belongings at the St. Mary's Catholic Primary and Secondary School after gunmen abducted children and staff in Papiri community (Image credits: AP)

More than 300 students are confirmed missing after armed men attacked a Catholic school in northern Nigeria on Friday, the latest in a series of mass abductions in Africa's most populous nation. Gunmen who attacked St Mary's School in Papiri, Niger state, kidnapped 303 students and 12 teachers, the Christian Association of Nigeria said on Saturday. The figures were revised upwards “after a verification exercise” to determine the extent of Friday's attack, CAN said.It ranks as one of the worst abductions in the country and increases public scrutiny on President Bola Tinubu, who critics say has been insipid in his approach to dealing with such incidents since taking office two-and-a-half years ago. Authorities shut dozens of schools across the co..

Palestinians inspect the damage to a house targeted by an Israeli strike in Deir al-Balah, in the central Gaza Strip, Saturday (AP photo) Israel launched airstrikes on Hamas targets in Gaza on Saturday, raising questions on the fragile ceasefire that began on October 10. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said five senior Hamas members were killed. Gaza health officials reported 24 deaths and 54 injuries, including children, as reported by Associated Press. The strikes followed reported gunfire at Israeli troops and came shortly after the UN Security Council approved a US-backed plan for Gaza’s security and governance. The plan authorises an international stabilisation force, sets up a transitional authority overseen by President Donald Trump, and outlines a possible path to Palestinian statehood. Israel has carried out similar strikes after previous alleged ceasefire violations. Health officials said 33 Palestinians, mostly women and children, were killed over a 12-hour period..

AdvertisementArtificial intelligenceTechTech TrendsAnt Group’s LingGuang vibe coding app hits 1 million downloads in just 4 daysLingGuang, an AI app that generates custom software applications, sees a surge in popularity
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPVincent ChowPublished: 9:00am, 23 Nov 2025Ant Group’s new “vibe coding” artificial intelligence app LingGuang has overwhelmed servers after user downloads surpassed 1 million in just four days, hitting the milestone faster than OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Sora, according to the Chinese fintech giant.AdvertisementThe app’s innovative functionality of generating applications in response to users’ text prompts was temporarily suspended on Thursday evening, with the company attributing the issue to excessive usage in a post on Weibo.As of Saturday, LingGuang occupied the top spot on Apple’s mainland China App Store for free utilities apps and seventh overall for free apps. “This milestone means LingGuang is a key player worth following ..

AdvertisementHong Kong politicsHong KongPoliticsExclusive | Hong Kong’s comeback queen Regina Ip reflects on 50-year career in public serviceAfter bringing a 17-year stint as a lawmaker to a close, Regina Ip also reveals her behind-the-scenes struggles that led to her decision
Reading Time:6 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPJeffie LamPublished: 9:00am, 23 Nov 2025Updated: 9:02am, 23 Nov 2025Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee was in no mood for messing about. Pointing her index finger at reporters one October morning inside Hong Kong’s legislature, she sternly signalled for them to get out of her way.
Advertisement“Don’t block my way to the meeting,” she said. “Move away.”
Her demeanour seemed to hark back to an Ip of an earlier era – the fiery, hardline security minister who spearheaded national security legislation in 2003 – while others read it as a hint that the veteran politician was about to bid a reluctant farewell to the legislature.
It was not clear then whether the 75-year-old ex-official turn..

In one of the most dramatic political reversals of the year, President Donald Trump struck an unexpectedly warm tone toward New York mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani during a meeting at the White House — just weeks after denouncing him as a “communist lunatic” and threatening to cut off federal funding if he won the election. The shift has surprised everyone who had expected a tense encounter, given the bitter exchanges of the campaign. Instead, Trump described Mamdani as a “rational person”, praised his vision for New York and signalled a willingness to work closely with him on affordability and public safety — a remarkable U-turn from the hostility he projected throughout the mayoral race.A surprisingly cordial Oval Office meeting between Trump and MamdaniThe highly anticipated meeting delivered none of the fireworks that had been predicted. Instead, Trump appeared eager to reassure the mayor-elect, repeatedly emphasising areas of agreement and mutual concern. He congratulated Mamdani on h..

Donald Trump and Zohran Mamdani met for a high‑stakes meeting at the White House on Sunday. This was a remarkable step in MAGA politics given the New York City mayor‑elect’s socialist Democrat stance, and the GOP leader even entertaining him at his office in the first place.As the two contrasting poles of the ideological spectrum faced each other, it was expected that Mamdani would find himself in a tough, intimidating environment, with reporters asking questions that reflected what many in the MAGA audience wanted to know about what a left‑leaning Mamdani would do to govern in the wealthiest city in America.At 34, Mamdani will be the youngest New York mayor in more than a century. Trump, a 79‑year‑old POTUS, is the oldest person elected to be commander‑in‑chief.10 key moments from the Oval Office
'He will convince me, or I will convince him.' — POTUSTrump: “There will be topics that we disagree on. I think we’ll probably come to a conclusion. Ultimately, it’s for the good of..