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- 1US accuses China of secret nuclear weapons testing▼US challenges China on secret nuclear tests as arms race looms
The United States has accused China of conducting secret nuclear weapons tests, warnings that could deepen tensions between the two powers and fuel a new arms race. The claim, reported by Asia Times, adds to ongoing friction over nuclear arsenals, arms control agreements and transparency between Washington and Beijing.
- 2
Europe is preparing for intensified competition with Asia over liquefied natural gas supplies, according to a Financial Times report. As both regions vie for limited cargoes, buyers could be forced to bid up prices, with implications for Europe's energy security and household and industrial costs. The competition centres on securing winter supply and attracting flexible US and Qatari cargoes away from Asian buyers.
- 3US Agency Flags Very Strong El Nino Expected for 2026-2027●NEDTalk—The Very Strong El Nino of 2026–2027: How a Warm Tropical Pacific Ocean May Reshape Weather Worldwide
NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service is highlighting forecasts of a very strong El Nino in 2026-2027, warning that unusually warm waters in the tropical Pacific could reshape weather patterns worldwide. Strong El Nino events typically bring heavier rains to parts of the Americas, drought to Australia and Southeast Asia, and altered hurricane and monsoon seasons, prompting scientists to urge early preparation.
- 4Shanti Pereira defends Asian Games 200m title in Aichi-Nagoya▼Asian Games Aichi-Nagoya 2026: Shanti Pereira defends women's 200m crown, uncertain about 2030
Singapore sprinter Shanti Pereira successfully defended her women's 200m crown at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, reaffirming her status as Asia's top female sprinter. Asked about the 2030 Asian Games, she said her participation remains uncertain as she takes her career one step at a time.
- 5Bangladesh startup funding hits five-year low in first half▼Investor hurdles drag Bangladesh startup funding to 5-year low in Jan-Jun
Startup funding in Bangladesh fell to its lowest level in five years during January-June, according to The Business Standard, which attributes the decline to obstacles facing investors. The report suggests difficulties in raising and deploying capital are squeezing the country's early-stage ecosystem, leaving founders with fewer financing options at a time when startups elsewhere in South Asia are also competing for scarcer venture funding.
- 6Singapore hits joint-highest September temperature of 35.8°C●# Singapore Singapore Records Joint-Highest September Temperature After Woodlands Hits 35.8°C Singapore recorded its joi
Singapore recorded its joint-highest daily maximum temperature for September after the Woodlands Avenue 9 climate station reached 35.8°C at 3.27pm on Saturday, 26 September 2026. The reading ties the national September record and adds to ongoing concerns about rising heat in the city-state, with observers linking the milestone to broader climate change trends in Southeast Asia.