Geopolitics & Policy
Geopolitics & Policy news — Thursday 29 October 2026
36 stories from 5 sources, every one in English. Each links to its publisher.
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Netanyahu’s party claims election ‘stolen’ as results show him losing majority
South China Morning Post Tech
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp finished ahead of the opposition but remained well short of a majority, final results from Israel’s general election showed on Friday, setting the stage for tough coalition talks or potentially…
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ASEAN Special Envoy Concludes Humanitarian Mission to Myanmar
During the two-day visit, Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro oversaw the distribution of humanitarian aid and met with Naypyidaw's foreign minister.
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Brazil’s Flavio Bolsonaro mocked at home after self-exile to US
South China Morning Post Tech
In a viral wave of mockery, Brazilian pop star Anitta declared herself free of cellulite, one influencer declared himself the “true president” of Twitter, and another social media user proclaimed himself the winner of the next lottery. The…
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Can Canada, UK and Australia grasp chance offered by US-China rivalry?
South China Morning Post Tech
As middle powers, Australia, Britain and Canada can do more than most other nations to influence global peace in the face of a new great power rivalry between China and the United States. These three nations owe their citizens, and perhaps…
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Patrick Stewart, of Star Trek and X-Men fame, dies at 86
South China Morning Post Tech
Patrick Stewart, who rose from poverty in England to become an accomplished Shakespearean stage actor and then achieved global stardom as the erudite Captain Jean-Luc Picard in television’s Star Trek: The Next Generation and the…
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EU considering Canada as ‘associate member’ despite internal opposition
South China Morning Post Tech
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Thursday the EU and Canada continue to explore Canada becoming the union’s first “associate member”, a term so divisive among member countries that it does not appear in a joint…
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What Israel’s Election Results Mean for the Middle East and Beyond
War on the Rocks
Israeli elections on Oct. 27 produced a complex result, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition alliance, led by Gadi Eisenkot, winning enough seats in the Knesset to form a government. The opposition faces…
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The Promise and Pitfalls of Nvidia’s Venture in Kazakhstan
CEO Jensen Huang received a warm welcome in a country whose aims for AI may exceed its capabilities.
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What’s a Revolution in Military Affairs Good For?
War on the Rocks
For decades, militaries have chased the next revolution in warfare. But what actually makes a revolution in military affairs revolutionary? Is there one happening now? Does it matter? Is it just about drones and AI or something more? Ryan…
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3 killed in rock spire collapse in Turkey’s touristic Cappadocia
South China Morning Post Tech
Three people, including a foreign national, were killed on Thursday when a rock spire collapsed in Turkey’s Unesco-listed Cappadocia region after a landslide triggered by heavy rain, officials said. The region, a magnet for tourists from…
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The Manhattan Project, Take Two
ChinaTalk
In the new era of global competition, being at the forefront of Super Intelligence innovation equals geopolitical power. To maintain leadership and establish the next world order, the U.S. is moving to cement its lead. Barnett Koven is a…
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The Lasting Price of Mbappé’s Apology to China
The commercial fallout for Real Madrid may be temporary, but the precedent for censoring speech beyond China’s borders is far more consequential.
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Japan Advances Deep-Sea Mining as Support for a Moratorium Grows
As the first country to have continuously retrieved rare-earth mud from such depths, Japan is in a position to influence the future of the maritime order.
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US economy grows faster than expected 3.4% in 3Q, driven by consumers, AI investment
South China Morning Post Tech
The US economy grew faster than expected in the third quarter as resilient consumer spending and AI-driven business investment more than offset the impact of higher oil prices stemming from the conflict in the Middle East. Gross domestic…
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‘Made in Vietnam’ Is Harder To Prove Than It Looks
Companies are under increasing pressure to show that goods produced in their new locations are genuinely made there.
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A Judicial Challenge to India’s Paternalistic Anti-trafficking Framework
The Supreme Court distinguishes trafficking from voluntary adult sex work, but legislative reform and effective implementation remain essential to protect dignity and autonomy.
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What a China-US AI Safety Channel Needs
Trump and Xi agreed to set up a China-U.S. AI incident reporting channel. But AI companies in both countries don’t currently provide the necessary information.
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As North Korea’s Loudspeaker Broadcasts Loom, South Korea Has No Good Options
Kim Yo Jong said broadcasts near the border will resume this month. For Seoul, every possible response carries a cost.
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Russian Help Would Make North Korea’s Missile-test Flurry Worse News
Many security analysts have attributed North Korean missile progress to the closer relationship between North Korea and Russia.
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ECB head Lagarde resigns amid mounting economic, political challenges for Europe
South China Morning Post Tech
European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde resigned on Thursday, ending months of speculation about her future just as Europe enters a period of rising economic volatility and divisive electoral politics, particularly in her native…
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China slams EU’s potential new trade safeguards, says they may violate WTO rules
South China Morning Post Tech
Beijing reiterated its opposition on Thursday to potential new European Union trade safeguards targeting Chinese exports, vowing to take “all necessary measures” to defend the interests of its companies. “Artificially restricting normal…
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Xi-Trump summits must leave businesses with greater clarity, not less
South China Morning Post Tech
An aircraft supplier can have parts ready and a customer waiting yet be unable to ship while Washington holds up its licence. In Shanghai, Citi has approval to establish a securities business after years of waiting. Companies must invest…
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Asian Cybersecurity in the Age of AI and Quantum Computing
AI has changed – perhaps forever – the tone and tenor of discussions at Singapore International Cyber Week, and probably all cyber forums of equal scale.
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The Daily Roundup
The Wire China
October 29th, 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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10 US states to vote on data centre development on election day amid opposition
South China Morning Post Tech
Voters in 10 US states will decide on election day whether to curb data centre development in their communities, as the rapid buildout needed to power the AI boom stirs local opposition. Resistance is especially visible in Ohio, one of the…
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Roasting China’s AI Industry
ChinaTalk
Xianyu (咸鱼), the writer behind 葬AI — “Funeral AI” — produces some of my favorite satire about China’s AI industry. ChinaTalk readers may remember his essay “Open Models Are the United Front of AI” . In this conversation, we talk about: Why…
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Promises and Perils of Nepal’s India Pivot
Kathmandu should avoid making sweeping claims that constraints in India-Nepal ties have disappeared or that the anti-India nationalism in Nepal has run its course.
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Delhi’s De-Hyphenation Policy is Taking Shape in the South Caucasus
Azerbaijan backed Pakistan during the May 2025 military clashes. Foreign Minister Jaishankar’s recent visit to Baku is part of an effort at rapprochement.
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Spain begins 3 days of mourning after high-speed train disaster
South China Morning Post Tech
Spain began three days of mourning on Thursday after its second high-speed rail collision this year killed 69 people and injured scores, with relatives desperately seeking news about their loved ones. One of Europe’s deadliest train…
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A Tale of Two Markets: A Dickensian Take on the Coming Years in Defense Tech
War on the Rocks
It’s a strange time for the defense technology sector. Despite the headlines of record capital, valuations, and defense budgets, there is a growing unease among investors and leadership teams. Production contracts remain as elusive as…
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Sitting Ducks or Strategic Shields: What Does the Small Reactor Promise Mean for Future Conflicts?
War on the Rocks
Amid the rapid expansion of AI and data centers alongside growing climate commitments as the demand for clean energy rises, nuclear power is increasingly viewed as a reliable source to fill the gaps and complement the stochastic output of…
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How Flavio Bolsonaro pulled off a clandestine escape to the US
South China Morning Post Tech
Flavio Bolsonaro’s clandestine escape to the United States bewildered Brazil and triggered a frantic search for his whereabouts. The Supreme Court had ordered the son of jailed ex-leader Jair Bolsonaro to forfeit his passports after his…
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Hegseth fires Pentagon’s top military planner as Trump weighs new Iran strikes
South China Morning Post Tech
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired the Pentagon’s top military planner, a defence official said on Wednesday, the latest in a series of generals to be ousted and one that comes even as President Donald Trump weighed renewed…
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Why US allies in Middle East are accelerating direct talks with Iran
South China Morning Post Tech
The United States’ Muslim-majority Middle Eastern allies have accelerated talks with Tehran over a new regional security framework amid fears of further blowback from the Iran war. Saudi Arabia directly entered the diplomatic fray for the…
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Evolving Scope of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor
The two countries have launched the China-Pakistan Information Corridor to counter ‘misleading narratives,’ expand cultural exchanges, and strengthen think tank cooperation.
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Hegseth Seeks to Reassure Southeast Asia of US Security Commitment to the Region
Speaking at the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting in Cebu, the U.S. secretary of war pledged to "defend our interests and the interests of our allies and partners.”