Geopolitics & Policy
Geopolitics & Policy news — Monday 28 September 2026
45 stories from 5 sources, every one in English. Each links to its publisher.
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Judge blocks Trump from tying anti-terrorism grants to election changes
South China Morning Post Tech
A US judge blocked the Trump administration on Monday from conditioning counterterrorism funds to state and local governments on changes to election administration. The decision by Washington-based US District Judge Amir Ali marks the…
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Israel security agency files complaint over TV report that Netanyahu visited UAE
South China Morning Post Tech
Israel’s domestic security service filed a complaint against a television channel that reported Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the UAE, his office said on Monday, the government’s first acknowledgement of the trip despite not…
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Pope Leo says concerns about AI doom scenarios are not ‘fake news’
South China Morning Post Tech
Pope Leo on Monday said concerns that artificial intelligence could destroy the world are not “fake news” and should be taken seriously, in an apparent rebuke of US President Donald Trump. The first US pope, who has warned of the dangers…
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In the US-China AI race, the real fight is keeping humans in control
South China Morning Post Tech
The US-China AI competition faces a dilemma. Both countries see artificial intelligence as a source of economic, scientific and strategic power, so neither has much incentive to slow down. Yet the more capable and autonomous AI becomes…
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China pledges to ‘firmly support’ Cuba as US escalates pressure on Havana
South China Morning Post Tech
China will stand by Cuba in defending its sovereignty and resisting outside interference, foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said on Monday as Washington stepped up its campaign to force political change in Havana. Guo made the remarks…
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US revokes visas from Latin American officials and families over accusations of corruption
South China Morning Post Tech
The Trump administration is revoking the visas of 27 Latin American officials, former officials and their families, including Bolivia’s attorney general, over accusations of corruption. The officials and their families come from Bolivia…
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French far-right’s Bardella denies alleged antisemitic comments, files defamation lawsuit
South China Morning Post Tech
A French investigative website on Monday alleged that far-right National Rally (RN) leader Jordan Bardella made antisemitic comments in writing in 2013, but the close ally of presidential front runner Marine Le Pen dismissed the claims as…
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China’s Young Women Are Rewriting the Rules of Adulthood
Modernization has expanded women’s choices and made the traditional sequence of adulthood – marry, have children, settle near family – less inevitable.
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Why the Week’s Most Important Story Went Unwritten
War on the Rocks
Welcome to The Ukraine Compass, a weekly digest of Ukrainian commentary and analysis from across the political spectrum, only for War on the Rocks members. Each Monday, we bring you a curated selection of articles from Ukrainian media…
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Putin signs decree adding 15,500 troops to Russian army
South China Morning Post Tech
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on Monday boosting the size of the army by 15,500 troops in the fourth such order this year. Putin’s order comes as both Russia and Ukraine suffer mounting casualties in the more than…
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US to grant sanctions waiver for flights between Iran and Iraq’s Najaf, source says
South China Morning Post Tech
US President Donald Trump’s administration was set to grant a limited waiver to its Iran sanctions programme on Monday to allow for flights carrying Shiite Muslim religious pilgrims between Iran and Iraq, a person with direct knowledge of…
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Trump announcing new Iowa steel plant the White House says will be biggest in US
South China Morning Post Tech
US President Donald Trump on Monday announced a new US$15 billion steel plant being built in Iowa, highlighting an economic victory in a key battleground state where Republicans face competitive midterm races. Trump announced the new plant…
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FBI deputy chief Andrew Bailey to resign after a little more than a year with agency
South China Morning Post Tech
Andrew Bailey, one of the FBI’s two deputy directors, said on Monday he is resigning his position, leaving the most prominent US law enforcement agency after a little more than a year. Bailey, a Republican ally of US President Donald…
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Trump Doesn’t Need to Be a Prop in Xi’s Political Show
Whether he means to or not, the U.S. president is feeding China’s active disinformation campaigns – especially on Taiwan.
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Is AUKUS Too Big to Fail?
The AUKUS partnership survived the Trump transition, and for Canberra it may be too big a deal to ever let fail.
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Mexico could see life-threatening floods due to Hurricane Polo
South China Morning Post Tech
Residents of Mexico’s Baja California Sur state boarded up homes and workers hauled dirt and rubble to shore up embankments as Hurricane Polo bore down on the peninsula on Monday, threatening high winds, floods and mudslides. Meanwhile…
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What South Korea Means by Protecting ‘Diverse Families’
A record family ministry budget proposal expands support beyond the traditional household, but a bill to recognize unmarried civil partnerships remains under review.
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India’s Sheikh Hasina Dilemma
New Delhi’s difficult decision serves as a masterclass in how personal diplomacy can trap a major power.
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SpaceX’s Starship rocket reaches orbit for first time
South China Morning Post Tech
SpaceX launched its enormous Starship into orbit for the first time on Monday and successfully delivered the most advanced Starlink satellites yet, but cut the flight short to ensure safety. The spacecraft re-entered over the Pacific and…
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Options for the Royal Brunei Air Force’s Fast-jet Decision
One important mantra for the RBAirF: Don’t try to run before you can walk.
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Congo politician beaten to death after urging Ebola prevention on radio, his party says
South China Morning Post Tech
A senior member of Congo’s ruling party was beaten to death after taking part in a radio programme to raise awareness about the Ebola outbreak, a party representative said on Monday. The incident happened on Sunday in Butembo, North…
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Europe’s Read of the Trump-Xi Summit
Decisions taken in Washington and Beijing increasingly shape European trade, technology, energy, and security.
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The Daily Roundup
The Wire China
September 28th, 2026 | Welcome to The Wire’s daily news roundup. Each day, our staff gathers the top China business, finance, and economics headlines from a selection of the world’s leading news organizations. The post The Daily Roundup…
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Child and 2 women ‘crushed to death’ during France to UK sea crossing
South China Morning Post Tech
A 10-year-old child and two women died on Monday on the treacherous and illegal migration route across the English Channel from France, apparently trampled to death on a packed boat, French authorities said. The dinghy left the area of…
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Lee Asks Trump to Help Revive North Korea Talks During New York Trip
During a Lee-Trump meeting at the U.N. General Assembly, Seoul said the U.S. president reaffirmed his willingness to talk with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
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The Trump-Xi Summit Is Over, But Taiwan Is Still Bracing for the Fallout
Given what happened in May, Taiwanese may have been more nervous after the latest Trump-Xi summit ended.
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Why Pakistan Turned on the Taliban (and Vice Versa)
Why did Pakistan declare “an open war” against its one-time protégé?
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UK investigates if arrests near US-run base prevented Iran-linked attack
South China Morning Post Tech
Five young British men arrested on explosives and terror charges near a US-operated air force base in England were released on bail Monday, and counterterror detectives said they were investigating “multiple lines of inquiry”, including…
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Sweden’s Magdalena Andersson ends government-formation talks with no result
South China Morning Post Tech
Sweden’s election winner Magdalena Andersson said she is not currently able to form a government, underscoring the difficulty of building a coalition in the fragmented parliament after the election earlier this month. The Social Democrat…
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South Korea’s AI chip giants are fighting for a bigger role in America’s AI boom
Rest of World
Two South Korean companies control 83% of the global memory chip market. Now they are racing each other to grab the top spot by tightening their ties to U.S. firms.... © Rest of World/iStock
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South Korea’s POW row with Ukraine puts ties and aid at risk
South China Morning Post Tech
An escalating diplomatic row over Ukraine’s disclosure of a North Korean prisoner-of-war transfer is threatening to jeopardise South Korea’s future ties with and support for Kyiv, analysts say, even as it hands fresh ammunition to the…
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Collective Defense in an Era of Tokens and Data Links
War on the Rocks
NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Transformation, Adm. Pierre Vandier, returns to the studio to discuss how the alliance is continuously adapting to a new era of warfare driven by software, data, and uncrewed systems, and where it still…
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Speed to Fielding Is Not Speed to Combat Power
War on the Rocks
I spent more than 20 years in U.S. Army air defense, much of it in cramped control stations where the difference between a successful engagement and a catastrophic loss came down to the soldier at the console. The radar did its job. The…
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Indonesia Finally Has Its Aircraft Carrier. Now Comes the Hard Part.
Following a controversial acquisition, the most pressing question is whether and how Indonesia can convert the vessel into a viable military asset.
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Republicans pour cash into dozens of US House races previously seen as ‘safe’
South China Morning Post Tech
Republicans are pouring money into more than three dozen US House races previously considered “safe” after internal polling showed they could be vulnerable in the November 3 election, according to three Republican operatives familiar with…
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China Conducts Military Exercise in South China Sea After Confrontation at Disputed Shoal
The "provisional understanding" between Beijing and Manila over the Philippine resupply of Second Thomas Shoal appears to have broken down.
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Echoing Putin, Serbia’s president resigns in bid to become prime minister
South China Morning Post Tech
Embattled Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic resigned on Sunday in a well-telegraphed move as he seeks to transition to the role of prime minister as a way of staying close to power in the Balkan nation. Parliamentary Speaker Ana Brnabic…
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Xi–Trump body language, Thailand’s tourist backlash: 5 weekend reads you missed
South China Morning Post Tech
We have put together stories from our coverage last weekend to help you stay informed about news across Asia and beyond. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. What Trump and Xi revealed in the body…
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The Islamabad Memorandum Returns to the Spotlight
For Pakistan, the coming days will test whether its mediation capacity can keep pace with a conflict that continues to expand in both geography and complexity.
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Another Lao Activist Vanishes in Thailand
Khieo Lapchanh is the latest Lao exile to fall victim to the growing authoritarian collaboration between the Mekong region's governments.
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Filipina Drug Trafficker Walks Free After Receiving Presidential Pardon
Mary Jane Veloso has always maintained her innocence, claiming that a relative tricked into carrying a large shipment of drugs.
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Kim Aris On the Campaign to Free Aung San Suu Kyi
As Myanmar's “parody democracy” seeks regional re-engagement, the whereabouts of the Nobel laureate remain a closely guarded secret.
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Ismat Ara on India’s Crackdown on Love
Ara explains the insidious harm of the “love jihad” myth: “A deeply personal decision, two people deciding to marry, gradually becomes something that others felt entitled to violently police.”
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Assam Government Encroaches Into a World Heritage Site in India’s Northeast
The encroached area is part of Manas National Park’s core tiger and Bengal florican habitats.
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Italy attracts wealthy Chinese property buyers with food, fashion – and flat tax
South China Morning Post Tech
Italy is becoming a magnet for wealthy property investors thanks to its high quality of life and flat tax regime, and interest is also on the rise among mainland Chinese and Hong Kong buyers, according to property agents. Rome introduced a…