Geopolitics & Policy
Geopolitics & Policy news — Thursday 15 October 2026
43 stories from 4 sources, every one in English. Each links to its publisher.
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Indonesian President Replaces Head of Disaster Management Agency
The move comes amid growing scrutiny of Jakarta's response to the forest and peatland fires that have drastically reduced air quality across the region.
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Multiple victims, including children, in Oregon school shooting
South China Morning Post Tech
A teenager shot and killed three children and a teacher on Thursday at an elementary school in the US state of Oregon, police said, adding the assailant was later killed by an armed community member who pursued him into the building…
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Bus hits train near Channel Tunnel in France, injuring 19
South China Morning Post Tech
A minibus collided with a stationary train in a Channel Tunnel vehicle boarding area in France on Thursday evening, injuring the driver and 18 passengers, authorities said. Five people were severely injured, though no one’s life appeared…
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The China decoupling paradox: why the world still needs its manufacturing machine
South China Morning Post Tech
Talk of global decoupling from China has persisted for years, as has speculation that emerging economies such as India and Vietnam could soon replace it as the “world’s factory”. But for Indian hardware engineer Neeraj Arora, the growth of…
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Cambodia’s NGO Sector Is Collapsing. Does It Matter?
Imported by international donors in the 1990s, NGOs have supplanted rather than strengthened local forms of political organizing.
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Nepal Should Not Shoulder the Himalayan Climate Crisis Alone
“No matter how much we reform our internal engineering, a frontline nation simply cannot manage the shocks of a global systemic failure alone.”
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Houthis launch deadly attack on presidential palace in Yemen’s Aden
South China Morning Post Tech
The Houthis launched a deadly missile attack Thursday on the presidential palace in the Yemeni government’s interim capital of Aden, as Saudi Arabia blamed Iran for the recent dramatic escalation in the long-running war. The attack hit…
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China bought half of Brazil's oil exports as Iran war shut Hormuz, driving sales to record
South China Morning Post Tech
Trade between Brazil and China reached a record US$143 billion in the first nine months of the year, driven by Brazilian oil sales that surged after the war on Iran disrupted Gulf supply, according to a report by the Brazil-China Business…
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Clean Energy Must Avoid the Mistake of Overdependence
The world must diversify its energy dependence, not simply relocate it from the Middle East to China.
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Anas Alhajji on the Three Seas Crisis and the Race for Energy Dominance
Dr. Anas Alhajji joins host Tushar Shetty to examine how the Hormuz crisis is reshaping global energy markets – and the overlooked impact of the loss of Russian and Kazakh supply.
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Do the Benefits Outweigh the Risks of Hosting U.S. Military Bases?
War on the Rocks
Since the end of World War II, the United States has maintained hundreds of military installations abroad. While U.S. forces have faced some objections to their presence, many allies and partners have seen U.S. bases and other facilities…
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Prince Harry and Meghan in first joint outing since UK return: ‘great to be back!’
South China Morning Post Tech
Britain’s Prince Harry and his wife on Thursday carried out their first joint engagement since their surprise move back to the UK in August, with Meghan telling well-wishers: “It’s great to be back.” King Charles’ 42-year-old younger son…
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China’s Rare Earth Strategy and the Future of the South China Sea
The rise of seabed mining will add new complexity to the South China Sea disputes.
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After 8 Months in Power, How Much Has the BNP Changed Bangladesh?
It remains to be seen how willing the new government is to change the institutions that it now controls.
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Chinese chemicals and machinery in EU crosshairs as leaders back more trade curbs
South China Morning Post Tech
Brussels is open to developing a powerful new trade weapon that could contain a kill switch that would quickly eject Chinese companies from the EU market, the bloc’s national leaders were told during a top-level meeting in the Belgian…
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Venezuela’s Maduro says new US torture allegations are ‘false’
South China Morning Post Tech
Former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro insisted in court on Thursday that newly unsealed torture allegations against him and his wife were “false accusations”. Maduro and Cilia Flores, both shackled at the ankles, were brought to court…
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Don’t Call It a Reset: The Modi-Xi Meeting Wasn’t a Turning Point
Both sides are trying to prevent another crisis while their core disagreements remain unresolved.
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‘One Day at a Time’: Inside an IDP Camp in Myanmar, Survival Is a Daily Challenge
Some of those living in the Old Kran Khun camp were once well off. Now they forage in the fields and forests around the IDP camp for food and firewood.
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Trump cancels planned Pentagon live stream of Fort Hood shooter’s firing squad execution
South China Morning Post Tech
President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the Pentagon would no longer live stream the firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan after the announcement faced bipartisan criticism and Vice-President J.D. Vance said he…
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Japan’s Nuclear Revival Has a Trust Problem
Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has made it clear that the nuclear restart is part of the answer to Japan’s energy uncertainty, but questions remain about safety and accountability.
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Blast simulation, university probes, robotics fine, AI spies: 7 US-China relations reads
South China Morning Post Tech
We have selected seven of the most interesting and important news stories covering US-China relations from the past few weeks. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. US investigates 9 universities…
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The Africa Pivot: India and Japan’s Quest for Critical Mineral Security
India and Japan are betting on Africa’s critical minerals as the two Asian powers explore joint investment to secure supplies and expand mining capabilities across Africa.
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How Chinese Clean Tech Is Reshaping Ukraine’s Wartime Energy Security
Despite China’s close ties with Russia, Chinese solar energy technology is giving Ukraine badly needed energy resilience.
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Maldives Opposition Eyes Sweeping Constitutional Overhaul
The MDP’s constitutional reform program calls for splitting the executive into two separate offices: head of state and head of government.
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China Spied on Taiwanese President’s Son – in the US
The incident shone a spotlight on China's growing repertoire for transnational repression targeting Taiwanese leaders.
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‘We Have Stitched Our Hearts to Hope’: The Unseen Resistance of Afghan Women Under Taliban Rule
Afghan women say that they respond to Taliban oppression in vastly different ways depending on their social, cultural, and personal contexts.
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Canada, Singapore reaffirm China trade ties amid global push for self-sufficiency
South China Morning Post Tech
Canada and Singapore are among the countries that remain committed to strengthening trade ties with China, despite growing global fragmentation and a push by governments towards greater self-sufficiency, officials from both countries said…
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Young Americans are key for the US to better understand China
South China Morning Post Tech
When US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping meet again in Shenzhen next month, and then in Miami in December, the world will watch for signs of progress on trade, technology, security and other contentious issues. Such…
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OPCON Transition: Now It Is Time for the Commanders-in-Chief
It’s time for the OPCON transition process to move beyond military assessments into the realm of political responsibility.
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The Daily Roundup
The Wire China
October 15th, 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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EU leaders clash over trillion-euro budget as fears grow over French election fallout
South China Morning Post Tech
EU leaders locked horns on Thursday over the bloc’s next long-term budget as they kicked off talks in Brussels under pressure to seal a deal before several high-stakes elections next year, most crucially in France. The 27-nation European…
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Seoul to maintain Ukraine aid despite spat over North Korea prisoner transfer
South China Morning Post Tech
South Korea will continue supporting Ukraine “as a responsible member of the international community” despite a diplomatic dispute over the disclosure of two North Korean prisoners of war being repatriated to the South, a foreign ministry…
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Unpacking Indonesia With Marcus Tantau
The country is currently beset by wildfires, political ructions, and intensifying economic troubles.
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‘We’re done’: Ukraine resumes Russian refinery strikes as Zelensky defies Trump
South China Morning Post Tech
Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery on Thursday after President Volodymyr Zelensky declared that Kyiv was abandoning a ceasefire covering energy sites announced by US President Donald Trump, and criticised Trump’s willingness to strike…
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Golden Dome Is Technologically and Financially Infeasible
War on the Rocks
For as long as nuclear-armed, intercontinental ballistic missiles and submarine-launched ballistic missiles have existed, strategists and engineers have pursued a seductive idea: a shield effective enough to diminish — or even block — a…
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How Sudan Became a Laboratory for Drone Warfare, Thanks to Abu Dhabi
War on the Rocks
In June 2026, I visited Khartoum, my hometown, for the first time since the war broke out in Sudan in April 2023. I left the city to seek safety with my family after the war spread into civilian neighborhoods. I never imagined I would…
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China’s Military Expansion in Southeast Asia Masks a More Complicated Reality
War on the Rocks
The Chinese Ministry of Defense’s announcement of a “joint support and training center” at an airport in Ban Keun, Laos, on Sept. 29 drew attention to the People’s Liberation Army’s growing footprint in Southeast Asia. Although China does…
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‘Witch hunt’ sweeps up Asian men misidentified in alleged Cornell gang rape
South China Morning Post Tech
One message told him to “go to hell”. Others said he deserved to be imprisoned. Death threats poured in. Asians who share a name with one of the men accused of raping a US university student have faced a torrent of online abuse. The…
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Costa Rica latest to adopt Bukele blueprint with new mega-prison
South China Morning Post Tech
Costa Rica, considered for decades a peaceful enclave in turbulent Central America, has now made fighting drug trafficking one of its main goals. And it is turning to one of its Central American neighbours for inspiration in its hardline…
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Vietnam Set to Sign Free Trade Pact With European Bloc This Week
Hanoi also says that a reciprocal trade deal with the United States is nearing completion and should be signed soon.
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Longevity-first healthcare takes spotlight at Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit
South China Morning Post Tech
Issues affecting ageing populations worldwide will form the core of discussions for policymakers and health industry leaders gathered at the Abu Dhabi Future Health Summit, with a particular emphasis on how practising prediction and…
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What I Learned From a Year of Interviewing a Thai Sex Worker
Decades of research have identified economic privation as a leading cause of entry into the country's illegal sex trade.
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As Indonesian Fires Continue, Singapore Records Highest Air Pollution Reading Since 2015
Jakarta is the focus of increasing criticism for its failure to contain – or prevent – the fires that continue to rage in Borneo and Sumatra.