Minimalist News

AI Summary

The narrative surrounding the Syrian War is being questioned, as a new book challenges the mainstream view by suggesting that the conflict was exacerbated by U.S. covert operations rather than solely by Assad's crackdown on dissent.
U.S. military recruitment appears to be rebounding under a renewed focus on discipline and traditional values within the armed forces, following a period of perceived progressive disruptions to recruitment and training policies.
President Trump is rallying for a movement to eliminate mail-in ballots and modern voting machines ahead of the upcoming midterms, claiming that they compromise election integrity, following discussions with international leaders about electoral integrity.
Amid a significant federal push to restore law and order, more than 300 arrests have been made in Washington as part of a crackdown on crime, linked to Trump's recent emergency measures.
The rising costs of living, marked by double-digit inflation in essential goods like food and energy, are forcing families into precarious financial positions, with many struggling to afford basic necessities.

South China Morning Post

‘I love it’: Trump falls for Zelensky’s dapper look, months after scolding him scmp.com an hour ago by Agence France-Presse
The fates of nations have rarely, if ever, been decided by sartorial choices. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was certainly hoping …
China’s exports, investments to Global South surge in ‘age of tariffs’: report scmp.com 2 hours ago by Sylvia Ma
China is accelerating its pivot to the Global South to reduce reliance on the United States, potentially creating “a new order of global comme…
Japan’s SoftBank to invest US$2 billion in Intel as part of US push scmp.com 2 hours ago by Bloomberg
SoftBank Group agreed to buy US$2 billion in Intel stock, a move that extends its US investment effort and offers a vote of confidence in the …
Hong Kong can’t afford to outsource its healthcare to mainland China scmp.com 3 hours ago by Ken Ip
In recent years, Hongkongers have developed a new habit: going north for their medical check-ups. A 2024 survey found nearly one in three resi…
Zelensky says Ukraine security guarantees to be ‘unpacked’ in 10 days scmp.com 4 hours ago by Reuters
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Tuesday after his meeting with US President Donald Trump and European leaders that security gua…
Trump approval rating holds at 40%, lowest level of his term: poll scmp.com 6 hours ago by Reuters
US President Donald Trump’s approval rating held at 40 per cent in recent weeks, matching the lowest level of his current term amid weak ratin…
Russia rejects deployment of troops from Nato countries in Ukraine scmp.com 7 hours ago by dpa
Russia has once again categorically rejected the deployment of troops from Nato countries in Ukraine amid US-led efforts to end the war. The U…
How Beijing’s proposed new embassy in London could benefit Britain scmp.com 7 hours ago by Mark Logan
In a world increasingly defined by digital diplomacy and virtual communication, the persistent struggle over bricks and mortar might seem like…
‘Ketamine Queen’ accused of selling fatal dose to Matthew Perry to plead guilty scmp.com 7 hours ago by Associated Press
A woman known as the “Ketamine Queen”, charged with selling Matthew Perry the drug that killed him, agreed to plead guilty on Monday. Jasveen …
Union leader says he would take prison over forced end to Air Canada strike scmp.com 8 hours ago by Reuters
A leader of the union on strike against Air Canada said on Monday he would risk jail time rather than allow cabin crew to be forced back to wo…
Hamas accepts new Gaza truce plan from Egypt and Qatar, official says scmp.com 9 hours ago by Agence France-Presse
Hamas has accepted a new ceasefire proposal for Gaza, a senior member from the group said on Monday, after a fresh diplomatic push to end more…
Newsmax agrees to pay US$67 million in defamation case over 2020 election claims scmp.com 10 hours ago by Associated Press
The conservative network Newsmax will pay US$67 million to settle a lawsuit accusing it of defaming a voting equipment company by spreading li…
Trump says he will arrange Putin, Zelensky meeting after speaking with both scmp.com 10 hours ago by Robert Delaney,Finbarr Bermingham
US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he was brokering a meeting between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and their Russian coun…
Trump floats order to end mail-in ballots, voting machines after Putin talk scmp.com 11 hours ago by Bloomberg
US President Donald Trump said he would sign an executive order ahead of next year’s midterm elections targeting mail-in ballots and voting ma…
Israel revokes Australian diplomat visas over Palestinian recognition scmp.com 13 hours ago by Reuters
Israel’s foreign minister on Monday said he had revoked the visas of Australian diplomats to the Palestinian Authority, following a decision b…
Son of Norwegian princess is charged with 4 rapes, faces 10 years in prison scmp.com 14 hours ago by Agence France-Presse
The 28-year-old son of Norway’s crown princess has been charged with raping four women and several acts of violence. He faces 10 years in pris…
Zelensky warns against ‘rewarding’ Russia for Ukraine war ahead of Trump meet scmp.com 14 hours ago by Agence France-Presse
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said ahead of talks with Donald Trump on Monday that Russia should not be “rewarded” for its invasion, …
‘Like a hurricane’: Spain, Portugal battle wildfires as death toll mounts scmp.com 15 hours ago by Agence France-Presse
Thousands of firefighters backed by the military and water-bombing aircraft on Monday battled dozens of wildfires across Spain and Portugal, a…
Can China forge an offshore economic empire? EV producers are feeling the way scmp.com 15 hours ago by Luna Sun
The electric vehicle (EV) industry, formerly one of China’s most inward-focused industrial sectors, is now leading a push overseas, carrying t…
US negotiators face tough task to secure trade deal with China scmp.com 16 hours ago by Wendy Cutler
With the tariff truce extended to November 10, US and Chinese negotiators can now focus on shaping a trade deal in the lead-up to a possible s…
Thousands of Palestinians leave Gaza City amid fears of Israeli offensive scmp.com 16 hours ago by Reuters
Fearing an imminent Israeli ground offensive, thousands of Palestinians have left their homes in eastern areas of Gaza City, now under constan…
Japan, Germany to boost security cooperation amid wars, shifting US ties scmp.com 18 hours ago by Kyodo
Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya and his German counterpart Johann Wadephul agreed on Monday to strengthen bilateral cooperation, amid …
In Romania, volunteers battle to save country’s cultural treasures scmp.com 19 hours ago by Agence France-Presse
Graffiti covers the crumbling walls of the main thermal baths in one of Europe’s oldest spa towns. But after decades of neglect, a group of yo…
Israel ‘deliberately starving’ Palestinians in Gaza, Amnesty says scmp.com 20 hours ago by Agence France-Presse
Rights group Amnesty International on Monday accused Israel of enacting a “deliberate policy” of starvation in Gaza, as the United Nations and…
Egypt’s Red Sea tourism push threatens last of green turtles’ wild habitats scmp.com a day ago by Agence France-Presse
In Egypt’s Wadi al-Gemal, where swimmers share a glistening bay with sea turtles, a shadowy tourism deal is threatening one of the Red Sea’s l…
Trump and Putin meet in Alaska, hospital scandal in China: 5 weekend reads scmp.com a day ago by SCMP
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 …
Trump tells Zelensky Crimea, Nato off the table if he wants to end war scmp.com a day ago by Agence France-Presse
US President Donald Trump said that Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky could choose to end the war with Russia “almost immediately”, but reta…
Lawmakers can learn from CY Leung’s constructive criticism of government scmp.com a day ago by Alice Wu
Plans for the next Legislative Council are being cemented – the nomination process will begin on October 24, with the current term ending on t…
Happy home hunters as UK property prices drop by U$14,900 in 3 months scmp.com a day ago by Bloomberg
UK home prices are almost £11,000 (US$14,900) cheaper than three months ago, with sellers competing for attention during the market’s summer l…
Cambridge Dictionary adds online terms skibidi, tradwife and delulu scmp.com a day ago by dpa
“Skibidi”, “tradwife”, “delulu” and other slang terms popularised by social media are among thousands of new words to be added to the Cambridg…
Oil prices slip as Russia supply concerns ease after Trump-Putin meeting scmp.com a day ago by Reuters
Oil prices slipped in early Asian trade on Monday as the United States did not exert more pressure on Russia to end the Ukraine war by impleme…
Centrist candidate Paz leads as Bolivia’s presidential poll heads to runoff scmp.com a day ago by Reuters
Centrist senator Rodrigo Paz was leading Bolivia’s presidential election late on Sunday, according to early official results, which showed the…
Tens of thousands of Israelis protest in capital, calling for an end to Gaza war scmp.com a day ago by Agence France-Presse
Clutching pictures of hostages, waving yellow flags, banging on snare drums and shouting chants to bring captive Israelis home, tens of thousa…
Shooting in a crowded New York club leaves 3 dead despite record low gun violence scmp.com a day ago by Associated Press
A club shooting in the New York City borough of Brooklyn early Sunday morning has left three people dead and nine others wounded in a year of …
Syria’s President Sharaa hopes for Kurdish deal to prevent conflict scmp.com a day ago by Reuters
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has expressed hope that his country would avoid military conflict with US-backed Kurdish forces if efforts to…
Striking Air Canada flight attendants defy back-to-work order scmp.com a day ago by Reuters
Air Canada’s striking flight attendants on Sunday refused a government-backed labour board’s order to return to work, forcing the airline to d…
Terence Stamp, Superman villain and ‘swinging 60s’ icon, dies aged 87 scmp.com a day ago by Agencies
British actor Terence Stamp, the villain in Superman films and a star in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, has died at the age of 87, British me…
‘Extreme danger across nation’: 500 extra troops sent to fight Spain fires scmp.com 2 days ago by Associated Press
Spain is deploying a further 500 soldiers to battle wildfires that have torn through parched woodland during a prolonged spell of scorching we…
Iraq starts work on IS mass grave thought to hold thousands of bodies scmp.com 2 days ago by Agence France-Presse
Iraqi authorities have begun excavating the site of a mass grave believed to contain thousands of victims of Islamic State (IS) near Mosul cit…
Putin agreed to Nato-like Ukraine security protections: US envoy Witkoff scmp.com 2 days ago by Associated Press
Russian leader Vladimir Putin agreed at his Alaska summit with President Donald Trump to allow the US and European allies to offer Ukraine a s…
‘Now he cooks’: Senegal’s ‘schools for husbands’ try to shift gender roles scmp.com 2 days ago by Associated Press
On a recent evening in Senegal’s capital of Dakar, an imam named Ibrahima Diane explained to a group of men why they should be more involved i…
European leaders to join Zelensky, Trump for talks to end war scmp.com 2 days ago by Agence France-Presse
European leaders will join Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during his visit to Washington on Monday seeking an end to Moscow’s invasion…
Is US trade policy for sale? America’s partners deserve an answer scmp.com 2 days ago by Stephen Olson
Any lingering doubts about the extent to which US President Donald Trump has rewritten the rules of global trade should have been laid to rest…
Stung by tariffs, Lula tells Trump to visit and ‘get to know true Brazil’ scmp.com 2 days ago by Agence France-Presse
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Saturday that he hopes Donald Trump can come and get to know the real Brazil, as the South America…
‘I catch them stealing’: TikTok vigilante takes down London’s pickpockets scmp.com 2 days ago by Agence France-Presse
On a recent weekday, Diego Galdino was on the hunt for pickpockets in central London, patrolling tourist hotspots for familiar suspects and te…
Hamas rejects Israel’s Gaza relocation plan as a ‘blatant deception’ scmp.com 2 days ago by Reuters
Palestinian militant group Hamas said on Sunday that Israel’s plan to relocate residents from Gaza City constitutes a “new wave of genocide an…
Brazil’s Bolsonaro leaves house arrest for medical exams scmp.com 2 days ago by Agence France-Presse
Brazil’s ex-president Jair Bolsonaro left his home where he is under house arrest to undergo medical exams on Saturday, weeks before the Supre…
Asean-China trade pact update could not have come at a better time scmp.com 2 days ago by Genevieve Donnellon-May
Amid escalating tensions between the United States and China and lingering trade tensions, China and Asean have gone full steam ahead on upgra…
At Trump’s request, 3 states sending National Guard troops to Washington scmp.com 2 days ago by Reuters
The Republican governors of three states are deploying hundreds of National Guard troops to Washington DC at the request of the administration…
Canadian government moves to end Air Canada strike, seeks binding arbitration scmp.com 2 days ago by Reuters
The Canadian government on Saturday moved to end a strike by Air Canada cabin crew by asking a labour board to order binding arbitration, an a…