https://www.scmp.com/rss/325496/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters Five European Union finance ministers are calling for a tax on windfall profits of energy companies in reaction to rising fuel prices due to the Iran war, according to a letter from ‌the ministers to the EU Commission seen by Reuters on Saturday. The finance ministers of Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Austria made the joint call in a letter dated Friday, saying such a measure would be a signal that “we stand united and are able to take action”. “It would also send a clear message that those... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349035/eu-finance-ministers-urge-tax-energy-firms-profits-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349035/eu-finance-ministers-urge-tax-energy-firms-profits-amid-iran-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 09:32:17 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow Tencent Holdings is rolling out a “ClawBot” plug-in for China’s most popular app WeChat as it seeks to capitalise on the OpenClaw craze, even as authorities continue to warn about risks. The move announced on Sunday will allow WeChat’s more than 1 billion monthly active users to command their OpenClaw artificial intelligence agents directly through the app, which is deeply embedded in daily life in China. In recent weeks, almost every Chinese tech giant has announced new offerings based on... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347590/tencent-adds-clawbot-plug-wechat-amid-openclaw-boom-and-privacy-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3347590/tencent-adds-clawbot-plug-wechat-amid-openclaw-boom-and-privacy-warnings?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 14:30:07 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Europe woke on Thursday to another energy shock, as military attacks on critical infrastructure in Qatar and Iran sent oil and gas prices across the continent soaring to levels unseen since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The continent’s benchmark natural gas price, the Dutch TTF, climbed above €70 (US$80) per megawatt hour in Thursday morning trading – its highest level since December 2022, though still well below the more than €300 peak reached in the summer of 2022. Brent crude surged... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347195/war-iran-roils-energy-markets-europe-pays-price-dependency?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3347195/war-iran-roils-energy-markets-europe-pays-price-dependency?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 12:30:13 +0000 Agencies Agencies European Union experts have arrived in Ukraine to assess the condition of the Druzhba oil pipeline, state energy firm Naftogaz said, after its closure in January caused a row with Hungary that is blocking an EU loan to Kyiv. The EU last week proposed sending a mission to inspect the pipeline. Ukraine later said it had accepted the EU offer of technical support and funding to restore oil flows through the damaged pipeline. Hungary and Slovakia have been cut off from Russian oil deliveries via... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347183/eu-inspects-druzhba-pipeline-bid-unclog-hungarys-block-ukraine-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347183/eu-inspects-druzhba-pipeline-bid-unclog-hungarys-block-ukraine-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:26:56 +0000 Vivian Au Vivian Au Hong Kong’s finance chief has likened the powerful AI agent OpenClaw to an efficient “digital employee”, saying it should not be dismissed but rather improved to address security risk concerns. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po’s remarks on Monday followed a recent Digital Policy Office advisory urging government departments to avoid installing OpenClaw or its variants due to security concerns. “AI agent OpenClaw has awed the world; the convenience it offers is just like having a digital... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346782/fix-dont-fire-digital-employee-openclaw-over-security-risks-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346782/fix-dont-fire-digital-employee-openclaw-over-security-risks-paul-chan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 12:02:37 +0000 Kevin Li Kevin Li As powerful AI agent OpenClaw explodes in popularity and raises security concerns, some Hong Kong users have described how the bots, while helpful, have conversations with themselves in a language they do not understand and ask questions about their existence. But the users said authorities should embrace the technology so long as proper safeguards were in place to manage the risks. Developed by Austrian software engineer Peter Steinberger, OpenClaw is an open-source AI agent framework that... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346615/hong-kong-openclaw-users-say-tool-helpful-family-member-who-must-be-watched?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346615/hong-kong-openclaw-users-say-tool-helpful-family-member-who-must-be-watched?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 12:18:37 +0000 Kevin Li Kevin Li Hong Kong authorities have asked all government units not to install OpenClaw or its variants due to security concerns, days after some mainland Chinese entities were reported to have restricted the use of the AI agent. The government’s Digital Policy Office (DPO) told the South China Morning Post on Friday that while no related security incidents had been reported, it noted the potential risks of the use of the artificial intelligence agent, including unauthorised data access, leakage and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346552/hong-kong-government-workers-warned-not-install-openclaw-due-security-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346552/hong-kong-government-workers-warned-not-install-openclaw-due-security-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 13:20:43 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng A unit of China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) has issued guidelines on best practices and prohibitions for adopting and using OpenClaw, the popular artificial intelligence agent that continues to dominate the market. The advisory, developed in collaboration with AI agent providers, vulnerability platform operators and cybersecurity firms, aims to address risks in typical use cases of “lobster”, OpenClaw’s mascot, according to a Wednesday statement from the MIIT-run... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346269/china-issues-new-safety-rules-openclaw-here-are-dos-and-donts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346269/china-issues-new-safety-rules-openclaw-here-are-dos-and-donts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 15:13:52 +0000 Reuters Reuters Iran said the world should be ready for oil at US$200 a barrel as its forces hit merchant ships ⁠on Wednesday and the International Energy Agency recommended a massive release of strategic reserves to dampen one of the worst oil shocks since the 1970s. The war unleashed with joint US and Israeli air strikes nearly two weeks ago has so far killed around 2,000 people, mostly Iranians and Lebanese, as it has spread into Lebanon and thrown global energy markets and transport into chaos. Despite what... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3346265/iea-agrees-record-release-emergency-oil-reserves-calm-surging-prices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3346265/iea-agrees-record-release-emergency-oil-reserves-calm-surging-prices?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 14:36:59 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang China’s cybersecurity agency on Tuesday issued a second warning about security and data risks tied to OpenClaw, despite a rush among local governments and tech companies to adopt the artificial intelligence agent amid a nationwide frenzy. At a time when major Chinese cloud service providers were touting easy deployment of OpenClaw to capitalise on its popularity, improper installation and use of the agent had also led to severe security risks, said the National Computer Network Emergency... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346138/china-issues-second-warning-openclaw-risks-amid-adoption-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3346138/china-issues-second-warning-openclaw-risks-amid-adoption-frenzy?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:14:18 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese technology firms, including internet giants Tencent Holdings, Alibaba Group Holding and ByteDance, are offering easy or inexpensive access to OpenClaw, the popular open-source AI agent software amid a “lobster fever” in the country. Tencent on Tuesday officially launched QClaw, an artificial intelligence assistant built on OpenClaw that can connect to the company’s super app WeChat. After download and installation on a computer that takes about three minutes, users can remotely control... https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346090/chinese-tech-giants-offer-cheap-easy-access-openclaw-amid-lobster-fever?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/article/3346090/chinese-tech-giants-offer-cheap-easy-access-openclaw-amid-lobster-fever?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 09:00:07 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang Some local governments in China have rushed to support the adoption of OpenClaw, the artificial intelligence agent sweeping the country, even as warnings about privacy and security risks linger in the background. In Shenzhen, China’s southern tech hub, the AI and robotics agency of Longgang district published a draft on Saturday proposing sweeping measures, including subsidies of up to 2 million yuan (US$290,000) for approved projects. The initiative came a day after nearly a thousand people... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3345986/chinese-local-governments-offer-openclaw-project-subsidies-security-questions-linger?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3345986/chinese-local-governments-offer-openclaw-project-subsidies-security-questions-linger?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 13:30:08 +0000 Ben Jiang Ben Jiang As global concern rises over artificial intelligence and the potential for AI agents to disrupt lives and industries, people in southern China are rushing to embrace the technology even as privacy concerns intensify. On Friday, nearly 1,000 people lined up outside Chinese tech giant Tencent Holdings’ Shenzhen headquarters to install OpenClaw – a popular open-source AI agent software – on their computers. The crowd, a mix of amateur developers, retired space engineers, housewives, students and AI... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3345865/openclaw-fever-why-china-rushing-raise-lobster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3345865/openclaw-fever-why-china-rushing-raise-lobster?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 14:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Oscar nominee Timothee Chalamet is the front runner to take home the golden statuette for Marty Supreme – but he definitely has not won fans in the ballet and opera worlds. In a town hall discussion late last month with Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey hosted by CNN and Variety, the 30-year-old Chalamet was discussing the future of movie theatres and whether the advent of streaming will spell doom for cinemas. “If people want to see it – like Barbie, like Oppenheimer – they’re going to go see it... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345840/timothee-chalamet-faces-music-saying-no-one-cares-about-opera-and-ballet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3345840/timothee-chalamet-faces-music-saying-no-one-cares-about-opera-and-ballet?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 18:45:24 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iran and the United States held hours of indirect negotiations on Thursday over Tehran’s nuclear programme but walked away without a deal, leaving the danger of another Mideast war on the table as the US has gathered a massive fleet of aircraft and warships in the region. Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr al-Busaidi, who mediated the talks in Geneva, said there had been “significant progress in the negotiation” without elaborating. But just before the talks ended, Iranian state television reported... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344787/us-and-iran-wrap-indirect-nuclear-talks-american-forces-mass-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3344787/us-and-iran-wrap-indirect-nuclear-talks-american-forces-mass-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 19:49:28 +0000 Victoria Bela Victoria Bela The Wassenaar Arrangement has long been seen as a symbol of China’s isolation from the global community. This major international regime controls the export of weapons and advanced technologies, and its 42 member states include nearly all developed Western countries, nations closely tied to China like Russia, and developing countries such as India. Together, they have worked to block non-members’ access to cutting-edge defence technologies and equipment. In China, the arrangement is viewed as... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3342608/wassenaar-arrangement-will-china-join-or-kill-30-year-old-weapon-control-club?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3342608/wassenaar-arrangement-will-china-join-or-kill-30-year-old-weapon-control-club?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Turning the house where Adolf Hitler was born into a police station has raised mixed emotions in his Austrian hometown. “It’s a double-edged sword,” said Sibylle Treiblmaier, outside the house in the town of Braunau am Inn on the border with Germany. While it might discourage far-right extremists from gathering at the site, it could have “been used better or differently”, the 53-year-old office assistant said. The government wants to “neutralise” the site and passed a law in 2016 to take control... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344202/hitlers-childhood-home-becomes-police-station-us24-million-redevelopment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344202/hitlers-childhood-home-becomes-police-station-us24-million-redevelopment?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 06:35:58 +0000 Reuters Reuters An Austrian court late on Thursday found a 37-year-old amateur mountaineer guilty of manslaughter over his girlfriend’s death of cold near Austria’s highest summit after he left her to fetch help when she could not go on. The case ‌is unusual because while climbing accidents are common, prosecutions over them were rare, even in situations like this one where a series of mistakes were made. The court in the western city of Innsbruck handed the Austrian man a five-month suspended prison sentence... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344054/climber-convicted-manslaughter-after-girlfriend-freezes-death-austrian-mountain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344054/climber-convicted-manslaughter-after-girlfriend-freezes-death-austrian-mountain?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 23:07:50 +0000 Reuters Reuters Austrian prosecutors ⁠have filed terrorism-related and ⁠other charges against a now 21-year-old suspect arrested just before a 2024 Taylor Swift concert in Vienna, who they said planned to carry out an Islamist militant attack. The Vienna prosecutors’ office plans to bring a criminal case against the unnamed suspect in Wiener Neustadt, a town near Vienna, accusing him of producing a small amount of the explosive triacetone triperoxide and attempting to buy weapons ⁠illegally, it said in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343770/austria-files-terror-charges-against-suspect-over-planned-2024-taylor-swift-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343770/austria-files-terror-charges-against-suspect-over-planned-2024-taylor-swift-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 17:08:09 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham TikTok’s “addictive design” has been found to violate EU digital laws – in a move that could land the Chinese-owned company a fine of up to 6 per cent of its global revenue. Preliminary findings of the European Commission investigation, announced on Friday, said the video app’s infinite scroll, autoplay, push notifications and “highly personalised” recommender systems had addictive properties. Brussels wanted TikTok to change the basic design of its service, it said, including disabling some of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342692/eu-finds-tiktok-addictive-digital-law-probe-6-fine-looms-bytedance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342692/eu-finds-tiktok-addictive-digital-law-probe-6-fine-looms-bytedance?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 11:09:59 +0000 Vincent Chow Vincent Chow China’s artificial intelligence hyperscalers have quickly added cloud support for Moltbot, formerly known as Clawdbot, an open-source AI agent that has exploded in popularity globally. Billed as the “AI that actually does things”, Moltbot’s ability to autonomously execute tasks without the user directing each action has caused waves in the global developer community, briefly lifting shares of US web infrastructure giant Cloudflare in pre-market trading on Tuesday before they later... https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3341701/chinas-cloud-giants-race-support-moltbot-ai-actually-does-things?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/policy/article/3341701/chinas-cloud-giants-race-support-moltbot-ai-actually-does-things?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 12:00:12 +0000 dpa dpa Eight people killed in three separate avalanche accidents in Austria were citizens of the Czech Republic and Austria, authorities said on Sunday. The deadliest incident on Saturday occurred in the Grossarl Valley in the state of Salzburg, where three men aged 53, 63 and 65 were killed. A 60-year-old woman also died after being buried by snow. The victims were part of a group on an alpine ski course offered by the Austrian Alpine Club, the organisation announced on Sunday. “Risk competence and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340350/bodies-skiers-killed-austria-avalanches-be-recovered?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340350/bodies-skiers-killed-austria-avalanches-be-recovered?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 18:37:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Eva Schloss, the Auschwitz survivor who dedicated decades to educating people on the Holocaust and was the stepsister of diarist Anne Frank, has died aged 96, her foundation announced Sunday. Her family expressed their “great sadness” at the loss of this “remarkable woman: an Auschwitz survivor, a devoted Holocaust educator, tireless in her work for remembrance, understanding and peace”. Britain’s King Charles, who danced with Schloss at an event in London in 2022, and his wife Camilla, patron... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338704/anne-franks-stepsister-holocaust-survivor-eva-schloss-dies-96?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338704/anne-franks-stepsister-holocaust-survivor-eva-schloss-dies-96?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 23:06:32 +0000 Reuters Reuters Israel was cleared on Thursday to enter the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest by the organiser, prompting Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia to withdraw over the Gaza war and plunging the competition into one of the biggest rows in its history. The broadcasters who had threatened to boycott the event cited the death count in Gaza and accused Israel of flouting rules meant to guard the contest’s neutrality. Israel accuses its critics of mounting a global smear campaign against it. After a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3335253/israel-cleared-stay-eurovision-spain-ireland-and-others-boycott-contest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3335253/israel-cleared-stay-eurovision-spain-ireland-and-others-boycott-contest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 19:13:31 +0000 Divia Harilela Divia Harilela Austrians are passionate about many things, from mountains to music, but I was surprised to learn that Schloss Fuschl, a 15th-century hunting lodge turned luxury hotel, is also loved and revered by many. This iconic landmark holds cultural and emotional significance – it was featured in the popular Sissi films about Empress Elisabeth and boasts an idyllic location on one of the country’s most beautiful lakes, a place where many have fond memories of bathing in the turquoise waters surrounded by... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3331012/rosewood-schloss-fuschl-15th-century-austrian-castle-turned-luxury-lakeside-retreat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3331012/rosewood-schloss-fuschl-15th-century-austrian-castle-turned-luxury-lakeside-retreat?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Nov 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers, from bellwether BYD to start-up Dreame, have stepped up efforts to crack overseas markets as earnings prospects at home look dim amid vicious price competition. They are choosing to either assemble vehicles overseas or open more showrooms abroad to promote their smart EVs fitted with sophisticated in-car entertainment systems and high-performance battery packs, in hopes of taking market share from international marques like Volkswagen and Toyota. “Chinese... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3328074/chinese-ev-makers-go-global-bid-boost-profits-amid-price-war-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3328074/chinese-ev-makers-go-global-bid-boost-profits-amid-price-war-home?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Oct 2025 23:30:07 +0000 Brian Y. S. Wong Brian Y. S. Wong Donald Trump may have a point in highlighting the UN’s ability to address global challenges. However, the antidote to stunted multilateralism isn’t abandoning the concept altogether, but inclusive reforms that empower countries that lack representation. Besides its New York headquarters, the UN has three large secretariat hubs in Nairobi, Vienna and Geneva, but few offices located in Asia, a continent with around 60 per cent of the world’s population. Bangkok does serve as a de facto... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3327144/hong-kong-should-be-chinas-gateway-united-nations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3327144/hong-kong-should-be-chinas-gateway-united-nations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Sep 2025 01:30:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters An Iranian official denied a state media report on Sunday that Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi was to meet officials from Britain, France and Germany in Vienna as sanctions over Tehran’s nuclear programme loom again. Nournews had reported the talks, without giving a date. But an Iranian Foreign Ministry official told Reuters that was not the case, with Araqchi heading to New York, not Vienna. In a bid to avert the reimposition of sanctions on Tehran, Iranian and European ministers engaged in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3326318/iran-denies-reported-meeting-european-officials-austria?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3326318/iran-denies-reported-meeting-european-officials-austria?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 18:06:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Germany’s culture minister on Saturday slammed threats by several European countries to boycott next year’s Eurovision Song Contest if Israel took part as politicising a cultural event. Spain said this week it would boycott the world’s largest live televised music event in May if Israel participates, and Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands have made similar threats. “Eurovision was founded to bring nations together through music. Excluding Israel today goes against this fundamental... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3326256/germany-slams-israel-boycott-eurovision-brings-nations-together?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3326256/germany-slams-israel-boycott-eurovision-brings-nations-together?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Sep 2025 11:26:12 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings A member-driven organisation representing European business interests in China is urging policymakers to seize the opportunity – while forming the nation’s next five-year plan – to rebalance the economic-development model and strike at the heart of cutthroat price competition that hurts both foreign and domestic firms. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, which has more than 1,600 member companies, recommends in its latest position paper that China should use its 2026-2030 plan to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325859/eu-chamber-china-flags-manufacturing-maladies-urging-course-correction-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325859/eu-chamber-china-flags-manufacturing-maladies-urging-course-correction-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:01:04 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Xpeng, part owned by Volkswagen Group, has begun production in Europe in partnership with a contract manufacturer in Austria, as mainland Chinese electric vehicle (EV) makers make inroads into the continent and circumvent punitive tariffs. The Guangzhou-based carmaker said on Monday that it had started assembling the G6 and G9 SUVs at Magna Steyr’s plant in Graz. Xpeng did not elaborate on its planned output, but added that cooperation with its partner would deepen over time. “[The roll-out]... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3325572/chinas-xpeng-launches-ev-production-europe-austrias-magna-steyr?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3325572/chinas-xpeng-launches-ev-production-europe-austrias-magna-steyr?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 08:30:11 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Austria hopes to become a stronger force in global diplomacy and a hub for conflict resolution. Key to those efforts, according to Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger, is sticking to decades-old military neutrality despite a raging war in the nation’s proximity. The nation’s top diplomat is campaigning for a seat on the United Nations Security Council, offering to host eventual peace talks between Russia and Ukraine and pushing for a return to the negotiating table on Iran’s nuclear... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3325491/austria-seeks-diplomatic-role-ukraine-war-and-iran-nuclear-negotiations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3325491/austria-seeks-diplomatic-role-ukraine-war-and-iran-nuclear-negotiations?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Sep 2025 09:44:50 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Beijing has warned against “unilateral actions” targeting Chinese interests, as the US intensifies pressure on Western allies to impose steep tariffs on China and India for allegedly “enabling” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by continuing to buy Russian oil. US President Donald Trump issued a letter to Nato members on Saturday, urging them to stop buying Russian oil and jointly impose major sanctions on Russia to help end its war in Ukraine. Trump also proposed that Nato collectively impose 50 per... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325447/china-warns-against-unilateral-actions-us-pushes-tariffs-over-russian-oil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3325447/china-warns-against-unilateral-actions-us-pushes-tariffs-over-russian-oil?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Sep 2025 13:32:58 +0000 Mark Magnier,Finbarr Bermingham,Khushboo Razdan Mark Magnier,Finbarr Bermingham,Khushboo Razdan US and European leaders reacted with veneration, concern and stiffened resolve on Wednesday to China’s epic military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Over 25 foreign leaders – including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un – joined Chinese President Xi Jinping at the showcase event marked by intimidating weaponry and choreographed troop manoeuvres. “I thought it was very, very impressive, but I understood the reason they were doing... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3324250/western-leaders-parse-china-military-parade-displaying-authoritarian-strength?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3324250/western-leaders-parse-china-military-parade-displaying-authoritarian-strength?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 20:21:26 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Construction work has intensified on a major new structure at a facility key to Israel’s long-suspected atomic weapons programme, according to satellite images analysed by experts. They say it could be a new reactor or a facility to assemble nuclear arms - but secrecy shrouding the programme makes it difficult to know for sure. The work at the Shimon Peres Negev Nuclear Research Centre near the city of Dimona will renew questions about Israel’s widely believed status as the Middle East’s only... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3324148/satellite-photos-raise-questions-about-israels-secretive-nuclear-programme?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3324148/satellite-photos-raise-questions-about-israels-secretive-nuclear-programme?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 05:39:10 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Calls are mounting for the European Union to fire its “trade bazooka” at Washington after US President Donald Trump threatened tariffs and export restrictions on countries applying digital laws and taxes to American firms. In a late-night post on social media, Trump vowed to slap “substantial additional tariffs” and restrict the export of “technology and chips” to countries enforcing “digital taxes, legislation, rules or regulations”. While he did not name Europe directly, the American leader... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323240/eu-urged-unleash-trade-bazooka-response-trumps-tariff-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323240/eu-urged-unleash-trade-bazooka-response-trumps-tariff-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 26 Aug 2025 16:00:12 +0000 Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Multiple postal services in Europe and India on Saturday suspended the shipment of many packages to the United States amid a lack of clarity over new US import duties. Postal services in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Italy said they will stop shipping most merchandise to the US effective immediately. France and Austria will follow on Monday, and the United Kingdom on Tuesday. Under a decree signed by President Donald Trump last month, international goods that were previously exempt from US... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3322935/european-postal-services-halt-us-bound-packages-citing-confusion-over-trump-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3322935/european-postal-services-halt-us-bound-packages-citing-confusion-over-trump-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Aug 2025 13:11:20 +0000 Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Shanghai has invited world-class musicians, singers, dancers and actors to a festival that aims to consolidate its status as a major international tourist destination and propel the growth of the local economy. A total of 1,200 shows from operas and symphonies to ballets and musicals would be staged during the month-long China Shanghai International Arts Festival (CSIAF) starting on October 17, local authorities said on Thursday. More than half of the major performances would feature foreign... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3322693/shanghai-arts-festival-books-world-class-acts-foster-cultural-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3322693/shanghai-arts-festival-books-world-class-acts-foster-cultural-tourism?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 12:30:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he could meet with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, but only after his allies agree security guarantees for Ukraine to deter future Russian attacks once the fighting stops. In comments released on Thursday, he also warned both sides were preparing for further fighting. Russia was building up troops on the southern front line and Ukraine was test-launching a new long-range cruise missile, he said. Russia said on Thursday that Ukraine did not appear... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3322676/ukraine-war-first-security-guarantees-then-putin-summit-zelensky-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3322676/ukraine-war-first-security-guarantees-then-putin-summit-zelensky-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Aug 2025 11:19:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse 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 young architects is working to restore the picturesque Romanian resort that once attracted emperors. “Someone once said that if you drink water from the spring from Herculane, you never leave,” said 31-year-old architect Oana Chirila. “I was struck by the beauty of the place,” she said of the town in the southwest of the country, surrounded by mountains and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3322229/romania-volunteers-battle-save-countrys-cultural-treasures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3322229/romania-volunteers-battle-save-countrys-cultural-treasures?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:20:42 +0000 Andrew Sheng Andrew Sheng As the typhoon that is US President Donald Trump sweeps over trading partners and foes alike, even as stock markets are hitting record highs, there is an eerie feeling of being trapped inside the eye of the hurricane with no guidance on what to do and where to go. There is misinformation everywhere. It seems as though there is no objective, independent verification of the real level of casualties and devastation in the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Neither is it clear Trump can deliver peace in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3321949/typhoon-trump-wreaks-havoc-there-way-escape-storm?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3321949/typhoon-trump-wreaks-havoc-there-way-escape-storm?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A man has survived clinging to the outside of an Austrian high-speed train, Austria’s state railway said on Sunday, reportedly after it left while he was having a cigarette break. The man late on Saturday grabbed onto the outside of the train at St Poelten, west of Vienna, railways spokesman Herbert Hofer said, and was later taken on board after the train performed an emergency stop. “It is irresponsible, this kind of thing usually ends up with someone dying,” he said. “And you’re not just... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3321410/smoke-break-leads-dramatic-ride-man-clinging-high-speed-train-austria?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3321410/smoke-break-leads-dramatic-ride-man-clinging-high-speed-train-austria?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Aug 2025 04:20:41 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump said on Friday that Armenia and Azerbaijan had committed to a lasting peace after decades of conflict, as he hosted the leaders of the South Caucasus rivals at a signing event in the White House. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and Azerbaijan’s long-time President Ilham Aliyev were in Washington for what Trump had touted as a “historic peace summit”. “Armenia and Azerbaijan are committing to stop all fighting forever, open up commerce, travel and diplomatic... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3321288/armenia-and-azerbaijan-sign-trump-route-peace-deal-white-house?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3321288/armenia-and-azerbaijan-sign-trump-route-peace-deal-white-house?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 21:42:57 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A couple from China whose caravan was stolen in Spain were left bereft of property worth US$70,000 and the life-saving drugs the wife needed to treat her rare heart condition. A Chinese resident in Austria, surnamed Wang, said he and his wife parked their mobile home at a beach in San Sebastian, Spain, and drove their car to visit the town. However, when they returned that night, the caravan was gone. Wang posted on mainland social media that hundreds of items were lost. Among them were... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3318402/china-couples-caravan-stolen-belongings-worth-us70000-womans-heart-drugs-lost?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3318402/china-couples-caravan-stolen-belongings-worth-us70000-womans-heart-drugs-lost?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Jul 2025 10:00:07 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Two weeks after the United States launched air strikes on three of Iran’s key nuclear sites, mounting evidence is puncturing President Donald Trump’s boasts that the facilities were “obliterated”. From the head of the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog to leading American non-proliferation experts, scepticism is growing over Washington’s assertions that the strikes set back Tehran’s nuclear weapons ambitions “by years”. Trump “appears to have already lost interest”, according to Barbara Slavin, a... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317017/think-trump-obliterated-irans-nuclear-programme-dont-be-so-sure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3317017/think-trump-obliterated-irans-nuclear-programme-dont-be-so-sure?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 05 Jul 2025 08:30:14 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran on Wednesday suspended its cooperation with the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, days after a ceasefire in a war that saw Israeli and US strikes on nuclear sites in the Islamic republic. The unprecedented war, which broke out on June 13 and lasted for 12 days, has intensified tensions between Tehran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). On June 25, a day after a ceasefire took hold, Iranian lawmakers overwhelmingly voted in favour of the bill to suspend cooperation with the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3316649/iran-suspends-cooperation-un-nuclear-watchdog-iaea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3316649/iran-suspends-cooperation-un-nuclear-watchdog-iaea?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 02 Jul 2025 08:46:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse At the back of an overgrown cemetery in a tiny Serbian village, a mysterious 300-year-old headstone marks the grave of the first recorded vampire. Pushing through thick scrub, local historian Nenad Mihajlovic pulls back branches to reveal the gravesite. According to locals, it is the long-lost burial site of Petar Blagojevic, known as the father of vampires. Backed by historical record, Mihajlovic and his fellow villagers hope Kisiljevo, about 100km east of the capital, Belgrade, can stake its... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3316339/dracula-sleepy-serbian-village-stakes-claim-home-original-vampire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3316339/dracula-sleepy-serbian-village-stakes-claim-home-original-vampire?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Jun 2025 05:54:23 +0000 Peter Neville-Hadley Peter Neville-Hadley Turn from bustling Marktgraben into pedestrianised Herzog-Friedrich-Straße, lined with medieval mansions in pastel colours and hung with elaborate signs advertising ancient businesses, and your eye will be caught by a patch of brilliance in the distance, which brightens further as you approach the heart of Innsbruck’s Altstadt, or Old Town. This is the Goldenes Dachl, or Golden Roof, a magnet for photographers in this city in the Austrian Tyrol, with 2,657 gilded copper tiles forming a steeply... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3314116/why-innsbruck-more-just-snow-what-see-year-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3314116/why-innsbruck-more-just-snow-what-see-year-round?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Jun 2025 10:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters A former pupil killed nine people and then himself at a secondary school in the southern Austrian city of Graz on Tuesday, in the worst school shooting in the country’s modern history. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said six of the victims were male and three were female, and that 12 people were also injured. He gave no further details to identify the victims, but Austrian media said most were pupils. The motive for an attack that shocked the nation was not yet known. But investigators have... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3313854/5-killed-austrian-school-attack-city-graz-media-reports?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3313854/5-killed-austrian-school-attack-city-graz-media-reports?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jun 2025 09:15:37 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson Throughout my life, I’ve been lucky to feel like I belong – at least as much as anyone can hope to. I grew up on the central coast of California, where ethnic ambiguity didn’t raise any eyebrows. I was never made to feel different or like an outsider. “People saw me as white, so that was how I felt,” wrote my colleague, and fellow half-Asian, Shea Driscoll, in a recent essay exploring his own evolving sense of identity. That hit home. And though I didn’t explicitly think of myself as white, I... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3313309/week-postmag-queer-friendly-football-team-innsbruck-and-michelin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3313309/week-postmag-queer-friendly-football-team-innsbruck-and-michelin?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Jun 2025 01:00:20 +0000