https://www.scmp.com/rss/325577/feed The latest breaking news and stories on Italy, a country in southern Europe known as a parliamentary republic, and the world’s eighth largest economy. Also covering Italy’s relationship with China and Europe, plus commentary and updates on Italy’s economy, politics, society and social issues. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Wednesday that an EU-developed age-verification app was ready to go, as the bloc pushes to better protect children from online harm. Brussels has been under pressure to come up with more stringent measures to safeguard children online as several EU capitals move ahead with plans to ban social media under a certain age. To that end, five EU countries including France and Italy last year started testing an age-check app that von der Leyen said on... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350202/eu-unveils-age-check-app-amid-efforts-better-protect-children-online?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350202/eu-unveils-age-check-app-amid-efforts-better-protect-children-online?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:15:08 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As the US imposes its own blockade on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz following the collapse of talks with Iran at the weekend, we take a look at how major economies in Asia and Europe could be affected by further restrictions on passage through one of the world’s most critical choke points for energy supplies. Who is most vulnerable in this energy crisis? According to a recent report by Japanese investment bank Nomura, the regions most exposed to the tensions in the Persian Gulf are Asian... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350051/which-countries-are-most-vulnerable-us-imposes-its-own-blockade-persian-gulf?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350051/which-countries-are-most-vulnerable-us-imposes-its-own-blockade-persian-gulf?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:00:17 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Parisian man could not believe his luck on Tuesday when he found out he had won a Pablo Picasso painting worth US$1 million with a US$117 raffle ticket. “How do I check that it’s not a hoax?” said Ari Hodara, 58, after organisers called him following the draw at Christie’s auction house in the French capital. Hodara described himself as an art amateur fond of Picasso and said he bought his ticket over the weekend after finding out about the charity raffle by chance during a meal in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350098/stunned-frenchman-wins-us1-million-picasso-us117-raffle-ticket?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350098/stunned-frenchman-wins-us1-million-picasso-us117-raffle-ticket?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:44:51 +0000 Gloria Tso Gloria Tso Yves Saint Laurent famously once said that fashion fades, but style is eternal. For designer Filippo Sorcinelli, who fashions garments for one of the world’s most revered religious figures, that statement carries even greater weight. Having dressed three popes – Benedict, Francis and now Leo – for some of their most notable appearances for the better part of two decades, Sorcinelli, 50, is now affectionately known as the pope’s tailor, his intricately embroidered liturgical vestments akin to the... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3349975/designer-filippo-sorcinelli-dressing-last-three-popes-interview?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3349975/designer-filippo-sorcinelli-dressing-last-three-popes-interview?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni lacks courage and has let Washington down, US President Donald Trump told an Italian newspaper on Tuesday, delivering a blunt public rebuke to one of his closest European allies. Meloni had been a vociferous supporter of Trump, but she distanced herself from him after he went to war with Iran ‌in February, and on Monday she openly criticised him for lashing out at Pope Leo, saying his verbal assault was “unacceptable”. Trump responded in an interview with... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350090/trump-turns-italys-meloni-says-he-shocked-her?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3350090/trump-turns-italys-meloni-says-he-shocked-her?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 15:10:35 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong The supervisor of a prestigious secondary school in Hong Kong has hit back at the director and distributor of a controversial coming-of-age documentary, accusing them of “defaming” the integrity of the institution’s principal and placing her in an “unjust position”. The claims, contained in a letter sent to students of Ying Wa Girls’ School on Monday, mark an escalation in the war of words over a screening of To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self that was planned at an Italian film festival that begins... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349922/hong-kong-school-hits-back-filmmaker-row-over-italian-screening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349922/hong-kong-school-hits-back-filmmaker-row-over-italian-screening?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:18:58 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan and Nato are drawing closer together, with 30 representatives from the transatlantic security alliance’s member states set to visit Tokyo this month amid mounting concern over Washington’s reliability as a security partner. The Nato envoys will reportedly hold talks on China’s expanding regional influence, Russia’s ongoing war in Ukraine and the implications of a more volatile global security order, according to Japanese public broadcaster NHK. “A delegation of this size underlines just... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349766/japan-welcome-30-nato-envoys-trump-rattles-us-allies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3349766/japan-welcome-30-nato-envoys-trump-rattles-us-allies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 00:00:18 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Award-winning Hong Kong documentary To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self has been withdrawn by its distributor from an Italian film festival after a dispute among stakeholders worsened. Golden Scene said on Sunday that its documentary would not feature at the Far East Film Festival in Udine, 10 days after the event’s line-up listed the title in its “out of competition” section. “We deeply regret this and reserve all legal rights to protect our company’s reputation and interests,” the company said,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349770/controversial-hong-kong-documentary-pulled-italian-film-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349770/controversial-hong-kong-documentary-pulled-italian-film-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 04:06:04 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Clashes over the screening of a controversial, award-winning Hong Kong coming-of-age documentary at an Italian film festival have escalated, with the director accusing the secondary school at the centre of the dispute of “blatantly lying” about the arrangement for the showing. Acclaimed filmmaker Mabel Cheung Yuen-ting slammed Ying Wa Girls’ School over the documentary’s screening in Udine, expressing shock and “intolerable” disappointment after her alma mater distanced itself from To My... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349580/filmmaker-accuses-school-blatantly-lying-row-over-documentary-screening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349580/filmmaker-accuses-school-blatantly-lying-row-over-documentary-screening?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:51:56 +0000 Cristina Manfredi Cristina Manfredi Amal Clooney was among the speakers at the Cartier Women’s Initiatives Dialogues, which took place in Milan on April 1. The event was held in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the initiative, which is an annual international entrepreneurship programme established by the luxury brand to champion women who drive change. Clooney, who is a human rights lawyer and co-founder of the Clooney Foundation Justice, appeared in the opening panel alongside Monica Lucarelli, the councillor for productive... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/luxury-news/article/3349354/amal-clooney-spoke-cartier-womens-initiative-dialogues-milan-programme-celebrated-20-years?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/luxury-news/article/3349354/amal-clooney-spoke-cartier-womens-initiative-dialogues-milan-programme-celebrated-20-years?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 07:15:28 +0000 dpa dpa The summer residence of Italy’s fascist dictator Benito Mussolini is to be used as a cultural community space featuring exhibitions on history to promote democratic values. Villa Mussolini, situated on the seafront promenade of the seaside resort of Riccione on the Adriatic coast, now belongs to the local council, which spent US$1.3 million to secure the site. The house was built around 1890 in the typical style of holiday homes on the Adriatic coast. The Mussolinis bought it in 1934 and used it... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349322/mussolinis-summer-villa-italian-coast-be-cultural-space?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349322/mussolinis-summer-villa-italian-coast-be-cultural-space?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 03:39:20 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Whether the US-Israeli war on Iran wraps up quickly or drags on, the repercussions will be felt for years, reshaping warfare, geopolitics and energy security as well as how the world sees the United States and its tactical and strategic capabilities. In the second of a three-part series, we examine some of the implications likely to unfold over months and years, affecting the future of conflict in an increasingly unstable world. As the United States and Israel wage war on Iran, they are also... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349261/missile-barrage-iran-continues-what-it-teaching-china-about-us-war-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/military/article/3349261/missile-barrage-iran-continues-what-it-teaching-china-about-us-war-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 22:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters The Iran-aligned Iraqi armed ⁠group Kataib Hezbollah ⁠has released abducted US journalist ⁠Shelly Kittleson, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday. Officials from the Pentagon, the FBI and the Iraqi Supreme Judicial Council were among the people who assisted in ‌securing Kittleson’s release, Rubio said in a statement. She was abducted in late March in Baghdad. “We are relieved that this American is now free and are working to support her safe departure from Iraq,” he added. Kataib... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349310/pro-iran-group-says-will-release-us-journalist-kidnapped-iraq?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349310/pro-iran-group-says-will-release-us-journalist-kidnapped-iraq?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:54:50 +0000 Jianxi Liu Jianxi Liu “We’ve had some very bad allies in Nato,” US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday, warning Washington could walk away from the transatlantic alliance unless allies fall in line with his Iran policy. Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte plans to visit the United States soon to stabilise the alliance. The timing is stark: Trump’s latest threat comes as several European capitals have openly refused to back Washington’s campaign to unblock the Strait of Hormuz, with some blocking the US from using... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348563/closing-airspace-us-europe-opens-existential-debate-over-nato?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3348563/closing-airspace-us-europe-opens-existential-debate-over-nato?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:30:07 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A student who featured in a controversial Hong Kong documentary has said she did not give her consent to it being shown at an Italian film festival, reiterating her objection to it being screened publicly. Ah Ling, one of six students who featured in the coming-of-age documentary To My Nineteen-Year-Old Self, said she was only notified by Ying Wa Girls’ School on Friday that the film would be screened at the Far East Film Festival in Udine, Italy, this month. The school also did not address her... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349052/student-controversial-hong-kong-documentary-hits-out-planned-italian-screening?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3349052/student-controversial-hong-kong-documentary-hits-out-planned-italian-screening?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 15:57:43 +0000 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 Associated Press Associated Press Pope Leo lifted a wooden cross and held it aloft from his waist at the start of the 14 stations of the Way of the Cross at the Colosseum on his first Good Friday as pontiff, marking the first time in decades that a pope has set out to carry the cross to every station. “I think it will be an important sign because of what the pope represents, a spiritual leader in the world today, and for this voice, that everyone wants to hear, that says Christ still suffers,” Leo told reporters this week... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349008/pope-leo-carries-cross-full-good-friday-procession-first-do-so-decades?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3349008/pope-leo-carries-cross-full-good-friday-procession-first-do-so-decades?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:50:00 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin An award-winning documentary capturing the lives of six girls over 10 years by Hong Kong director Mabel Cheung Yuen-ting will be screened at a film festival in Italy, three years after it was pulled from local cinemas due to a lack of consent from interviewees. To My Nineteen-year-old Self, which centres on Ying Wa Girls’ School, was one of the four special screenings revealed in the Far East Film Festival’s line-up on Thursday. The film festival, to be held between April 24 and May 2 in Udine,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348981/hong-kong-documentary-pulled-cinemas-3-years-ago-set-be-screened?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348981/hong-kong-documentary-pulled-cinemas-3-years-ago-set-be-screened?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 10:43:40 +0000 dpa dpa The suspected leader of an isolated forest community on the Mediterranean island of Sicily has been arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting child abuse, Italian news agencies ANSA and Adnkronos reported on Thursday. The suspect is a man of German-Indian origin. He is said to have led a community of 15 people, including two children, who lived in a forest near Cefalu on Sicily’s northern coast. The two children, aged 7 and 11, were reportedly not vaccinated, did not attend school and had to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348845/italy-arrests-german-indian-guru-child-abuse-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348845/italy-arrests-german-indian-guru-child-abuse-allegations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:12:02 +0000 Khushboo Razdan,Yuanyue Dang Khushboo Razdan,Yuanyue Dang US President Donald Trump on Wednesday declared the US‑Israel war against Iran had delivered “decisive, overwhelming victories”, even as he signalled that key military objectives were still “nearing completion” and that further strikes could inflict heavy damage on targets in the country. “We are going to hit them extremely hard. Over the next two to three weeks, we are going to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong. In the meantime, discussions are ongoing,” he said in a... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3348727/trump-declares-decisive-overwhelming-victory-iran-war-signals-end-operations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/article/3348727/trump-declares-decisive-overwhelming-victory-iran-war-signals-end-operations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 01:22:04 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Japan could get a boost in its push for a next-generation fighter jet if Canada joins a multinational consortium backing the aircraft’s development, as Tokyo aims to narrow the gap with China’s fast-modernising air force. The Canadian government said it intended to take part in the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), currently involving Japan, the United Kingdom and Italy, the Asahi newspaper reported on Tuesday. Japan is planning to replace its ageing F-2 fleet with a sixth-generation stealth... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348709/why-japans-advanced-fighter-project-may-get-canadian-tailwinds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3348709/why-japans-advanced-fighter-project-may-get-canadian-tailwinds?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:20 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham In the days after the United States and Israel tipped the Middle East into a new and catastrophic crisis with their attacks on Iran, European leaders were all over the map. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz both voiced support for regime change in Iran soon after the strikes started more than four weeks ago. Each of them also questioned the continued utility of the international rules-based order, while Merz’s foreign minister Johann Wadephul... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348402/europes-crisis-tourism-how-iran-war-swallowed-eus-geopolitical-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3348402/europes-crisis-tourism-how-iran-war-swallowed-eus-geopolitical-agenda?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 22:00:11 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa,Reuters Sumnima Kandangwa,Reuters Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli overcame a slow start to record ⁠his second straight win ⁠on Sunday at the Japanese ⁠Grand Prix in Suzuka, Japan. Antonelli, who recorded his maiden win two weeks ago in China, became the youngest-ever person to lead the drivers’ standings after finishing the race in 1 hour, 28 minutes and 3.403 seconds. “It’s been a big step,” said ⁠Antonelli, whose 72 points in the driver’s standings are nine more than teammate George ‌Russell. “Experience does a lot – obviously... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3348386/meet-f1-driver-kimi-antonelli-who-just-won-japanese-grand-prix-suzuka?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3348386/meet-f1-driver-kimi-antonelli-who-just-won-japanese-grand-prix-suzuka?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 10:00:21 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Reverend Paolo Venturelli never gets too close when he visits Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper. The Dominican friar prefers to stand away from the wall where it was painted, on the opposite side of the room that was once used by members of his order for meals. “From there, the painting looks as though it were painted in the middle of the refectory,” says Venturelli of the masterpiece depicting the story of Jesus’ final meal with his apostles. “It unleashes all kinds of human and spiritual... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3348074/where-last-supper-housed-convent-where-dominican-friars-still-live?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3348074/where-last-supper-housed-convent-where-dominican-friars-still-live?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Agencies Agencies Four European countries have called on Israel to abandon a bill seeking to revive the death penalty for people convicted of acts of terrorism, a measure opponents say would target only Palestinians. In a joint statement on Sunday ahead of an anticipated final vote in the Knesset on Monday, foreign ministers from France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom expressed their “deep concern” about the bill. “The death penalty is an inhumane and degrading form of punishment without any deterring... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348328/european-countries-appeal-israel-abandon-plans-revive-death-penalty?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348328/european-countries-appeal-israel-abandon-plans-revive-death-penalty?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 22:26:50 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The Israeli police prevented Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate mass on the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday for the first time in centuries, the Latin Patriarchate said on Sunday. Jerusalem’s major holy sites, including the church, are closed because of the continuing war in Iran, as the city has come under frequent fire from Iranian missiles. The Catholic Church called the police decision “a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348322/israeli-police-prevent-catholic-leaders-celebrating-palm-sunday-mass-jerusalem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348322/israeli-police-prevent-catholic-leaders-celebrating-palm-sunday-mass-jerusalem?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 16:43:39 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat As the country with the world’s largest cohort of billionaires, China is no stranger to wealthy elites engaging in luxurious leisure activities, but one common pastime in the West does not seem to have attracted a commensurate level of interest across the Pacific – yachting. While Chinese e-commerce billionaire Richard Liu recently announced a multibillion-dollar investment in a new yacht company, regulatory hurdles and infrastructure gaps have kept China’s wealthiest individuals from fully... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346817/chinas-high-end-yacht-owners-say-industry-growth-stifled-structural-gaps?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346817/chinas-high-end-yacht-owners-say-industry-growth-stifled-structural-gaps?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 08:00:10 +0000 Peter Neville-Hadley Peter Neville-Hadley It seems odd that one of the earliest depictions of a kiss in the history of Western painting should be found in a church. But after a half-hour train ride inland from Venice, and a gentle stroll through historic Padua’s winding streets, there it is, inside the heavily painted interior of the early 14th century Scrovegni Chapel. In a fresco called Meeting at the Golden Gate (circa 1305), by Giotto di Bondone, two ageing figures greet each other with a public display of affection that seems to... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3348137/padua-italys-painted-city-best-shows-are-frescoes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3348137/padua-italys-painted-city-best-shows-are-frescoes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 22:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A huge shipment of KitKat chocolate bars has been stolen in Europe, the brand said, warning that the heist risked causing shortages in stores right before Easter. KitKat, owned by Swiss food giant Nestlé, confirmed in a statement on Saturday that “a truck transporting 413,793 units of its new chocolate range has been stolen during transit in Europe”. The shipment, weighing around 12 tonnes (13.2 tons), disappeared last week while heading between production and distribution locations, it... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348270/over-400000-kitkat-bars-stolen-thieves-make-break-12-tonne-shipment?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348270/over-400000-kitkat-bars-stolen-thieves-make-break-12-tonne-shipment?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 19:12:05 +0000 Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu The Iran war has cut off a fifth of global oil and LNG supply, handing African producers “a structural advantage” in supplying global markets, although their capacity is hampered by factors beyond the Middle East conflict, according to analysts. “West and North African exports are largely insulated from the conflict, meaning barrels from Nigeria, Angola, Gabon, Algeria and Libya are viewed as lower-risk alternatives,” said Grace Goodrich and Anne-Laure Klein of Energy, Capital & Power, a Cape... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347841/african-producers-may-have-energy-edge-during-iran-war-if-they-can-overcome-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347841/african-producers-may-have-energy-edge-during-iran-war-if-they-can-overcome-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li Overseas galleries exhibiting at Art Central in Hong Kong are considering keeping their artworks in the city for months after the fair ends amid rising shipping prices as a result of the US-Israeli war on Iran. Ahead of the fair’s opening at the Central Harbourfront on Wednesday, gallerists told the South China Morning Post that fuel charges for shipping to Hong Kong had increased by as much as four times. Art Central brings together more than 100 galleries from the city, mainland China, South... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347730/visiting-galleries-may-keep-artworks-hong-kong-months-due-shipping-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3347730/visiting-galleries-may-keep-artworks-hong-kong-months-due-shipping-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 10:37:54 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Italian voters on Monday rejected a judicial reform backed by conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, delivering a stinging setback to the right-wing government one year ahead of national elections. “Italian citizens have decided and we respect their decision as always,” Meloni said in a video posted on Instagram. She pledged, as anticipated, to complete her mandate, which runs into 2027. “We will move forward as we always have: with responsibility, determination, and above all, with respect... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347636/italian-voters-reject-judicial-reform-setback-pm-giorgia-meloni?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347636/italian-voters-reject-judicial-reform-setback-pm-giorgia-meloni?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 16:57:26 +0000 Ambrose Li,Enid Tsui Ambrose Li,Enid Tsui Most overseas galleries were able to attend Hong Kong’s two annual art fairs, part of the much-anticipated Art March celebration, despite the conflict in the Middle East, though questions remain over how participants and artworks will leave the city as air travel continues to face heavy disruption. Organisers and logistics suppliers told the South China Morning Post that many inbound visitors would inevitably have to divert their journeys as interchange airports in Doha and Dubai were... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347557/hong-kongs-art-march-celebrations-press-amid-middle-east-conflict-disruptions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347557/hong-kongs-art-march-celebrations-press-amid-middle-east-conflict-disruptions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:01:33 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Two years into his tenure as creative director, Alessandro Michele – whose near-decade in the same role at Gucci redefined the house’s codes – brought Valentino back to its roots with the fall/winter 2026 ready-to-wear collection, Interferenze. Staged at the storied Palazzo Barberini in Rome, the show marked the maison’s first official return to its founder’s hometown since Valentino Garavani’s passing in January. It featured a star-studded front row with Gwyneth Paltrow and Colman Domingo... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3347288/style-edit-valentino-returns-rome-alessandro-micheles-fall/winter-2026-collection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3347288/style-edit-valentino-returns-rome-alessandro-micheles-fall/winter-2026-collection?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 02:00:16 +0000 Ian Storey Ian Storey If everything goes according to plan, Indonesia will be in possession of an aircraft carrier come Armed Forces Day on October 5. When that happens, it will become only the second country in Southeast Asia, after Thailand, to operate such a vessel. But this does not mean Indonesia’s maritime power will increase significantly. The issue here is prestige, not combat power. The warship in question is the Italian navy’s Giuseppe Garibaldi. The 14,000-tonne flat-top was commissioned in 1985 and... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3347362/indonesias-new-aircraft-carrier-more-vanity-project-war-machine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/opinion/article/3347362/indonesias-new-aircraft-carrier-more-vanity-project-war-machine?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 02:00:17 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A hidden cloister just a few steps from Rome’s Pantheon temple is a peaceful place for silent meditation – if the millions of tourists who trudge past even know it is there. Behind the large wooden door, its frescoed walls closed to the general public reveal details of the compound’s dramatic history, including papal conclaves and the Roman Inquisition interrogation of Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei. At the centre is a pond with goldfish and turtles surrounded by olive trees, two large palms... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3347268/most-beautiful-cloister-rome-hides-dramatic-and-dark-past?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3347268/most-beautiful-cloister-rome-hides-dramatic-and-dark-past?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:15:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters President ⁠Donald Trump assailed ⁠Nato allies on Friday ⁠over their lack of support for the US-Israel war against Iran, calling the long-time US allies “cowards”. “Without the U.S.A., Nato IS A PAPER TIGER!” Trump said in a social media post. Trump has ‌been calling for major US allies and others, none of whom were consulted or advised on the war, to help secure the safety of shipping through the Iran-controlled Strait of Hormuz. The conflict has roiled global markets, killed thousands and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347385/trump-calls-nato-cowards-over-lack-support-us-israel-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347385/trump-calls-nato-cowards-over-lack-support-us-israel-war-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 14:50:36 +0000 The Star The Star Flights are cancelled, schedules are in chaos and scores of European tourists are still waiting to go home, three weeks after the United States and Israeli attack on Iran. Some of them, like retiree John Williams, 61, and his wife Gillian, 60, from the United Kingdom, are making good use of their “extended” time in Malaysia. “We’re sort of stranded, but frankly we are in no hurry. We are spending a few days in Penang and will explore other ways to get home later,” Williams said. “We saw that... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347253/some-tourists-malaysia-make-most-mideast-flight-mess-others-scramble-get-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347253/some-tourists-malaysia-make-most-mideast-flight-mess-others-scramble-get-home?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 04:36:07 +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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The first two months of 2026 saw a record number of migrant deaths in the Mediterranean, despite fewer crossing attempts towards Europe, according to data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM). At least 655 people died or went missing in January and February - more than double the 287 recorded for the same period last year. NGOs and researchers said the reasons were multiple: storms, complications for rescue operations and border closures. Frontex, the EU’s border control... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347136/hundreds-die-crossing-mediterranean-2026-already-smashes-records?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347136/hundreds-die-crossing-mediterranean-2026-already-smashes-records?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 07:07:11 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam The Hong Kong Tourism Board will allocate three-quarters of its resources to overseas markets this year in a shift aimed at diversifying visitor demographics and attracting more overnight high spenders. The board also revealed on Wednesday that it would launch a new global campaign by the end of April to promote Hong Kong as a unique world city through social media, advertisements on regional broadcasters and billboards in selected countries. “It is not an easy task to convince those visitors... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347054/hong-kong-tourism-board-woo-overnight-big-spenders-diversify-visitor-mix?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347054/hong-kong-tourism-board-woo-overnight-big-spenders-diversify-visitor-mix?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 11:08:55 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa Anteprima showcased its latest collection during Milan Fashion Week, drawing on nostalgia and artistry in its fall/winter 2026 range. Showing at Milan Fashion Week, Anteprima continued its long-running approach to fashion as art with its new collection, created in collaboration with contemporary Japanese artist Aiko Miyanaga. Known for installations that give form to the intangible – time, memory, transformation – Miyanaga often uses ephemeral materials, like salt and naphthalene, in her works,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3346194/style-edit-anteprima-and-atsuro-tayama-unveiled-nostalgic-artistry-during-fashion-month?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3346194/style-edit-anteprima-and-atsuro-tayama-unveiled-nostalgic-artistry-during-fashion-month?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 02:00:09 +0000 dpa dpa Ukrainian ministers launched a protest at plans to reopen the Russian pavilion at the Venice Biennale, in a statement published in Kyiv on Sunday. Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Culture Minister Tetyana Berezhna called the admission of Russian artists to international events unacceptable and asked the organisers to reconsider their decision. After all, they had condemned Moscow’s aggression soon after the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine more than four years ago, they noted. “It is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345911/kyiv-protests-against-moscows-participation-venice-biennale-art-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345911/kyiv-protests-against-moscows-participation-venice-biennale-art-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 22:43:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Emmanuel Macron will visit Cyprus on Monday, his office said, as France deploys warships to the Mediterranean following a drone attack on the island EU member days ago. Macron will meet his Cypriot counterpart Nikos Christodoulides and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Paphos to show “solidarity” and detail moves to “strengthen security around Cyprus and in the eastern Mediterranean”, the Elysee said on Sunday. The visit will take place as the war pitting the US and Israel... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345905/macron-visit-cyprus-france-deploys-warships-mediterranean?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345905/macron-visit-cyprus-france-deploys-warships-mediterranean?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 16:54:36 +0000 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain What began as a US-Israeli assault on Iran is rapidly evolving into a conflict with the potential to spread far beyond the Middle East. Iranian missiles and drones have already struck or reached Turkey and Azerbaijan, while European powers are rushing additional warships, fighter jets and air defences to the eastern Mediterranean and Gulf to contain the fallout. Analysts warn the longer the war continues, the greater the risk that long-simmering regional fault lines – from Kurdish militancy to... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345689/how-far-could-war-iran-spread-beyond-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3345689/how-far-could-war-iran-spread-beyond-middle-east?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 07:00:09 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words In 53 BC, General Surena of the Parthian empire handed Rome one of its most humiliating defeats in the Battle of Carrhae. Surena used horse archers to rain showers of arrows from a distance on the Romans, supported by a sophisticated camel-train logistics system that allowed for a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3345545/us-attacks-iran-ancient-battle-carrhae-offers-lessons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3345545/us-attacks-iran-ancient-battle-carrhae-offers-lessons?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 03:30:07 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan Athletes of Asian heritage have come to the fore at this month’s Winter Olympics. They broke records, reshaped perceptions and inspired millions worldwide. Yet in the United States, the conversation around two of the most successful athletes, Eileen Gu, the freestyle skier representing China, and Team USA figure skater Alysa Liu, has too often drifted from their incredible achievements to questions of identity, loyalty and partisan point-scoring. This speaks volumes about the anxieties of a... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3345433/let-achievements-eileen-gu-and-alysa-liu-speak-themselves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3345433/let-achievements-eileen-gu-and-alysa-liu-speak-themselves?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 01:30:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters European powers said ⁠on Thursday they would work together to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea and send naval and other assets to protect Cyprus as the expanding US-Iran war entered its sixth day. The conflict – which has widened beyond Gulf states to the Mediterranean, where a drone strike hit a British airbase on Cyprus on Monday, and as far afield as Asia – has convulsed global markets and sent oil and gas prices soaring. Italy, ‌Spain, France and the Netherlands will send naval assets to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345596/italy-send-aid-gulf-states-and-cyprus-after-iranian-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345596/italy-send-aid-gulf-states-and-cyprus-after-iranian-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:33:38 +0000 Wynna Wong,Jess Ma Wynna Wong,Jess Ma Airfares from Hong Kong to European, South American and even some Asian destinations have surged amid the latest geopolitical tensions, according to industry insiders, especially on routes that typically transit through Middle Eastern aviation hubs. A check by the South China Morning Post found that airfares to such destinations had roughly tripled from Tuesday, days after the United States and Israel launched joint military strikes against Iran, triggering retaliatory action from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345571/sky-high-jump-airfares-hong-kong-europe-americas-even-asian-cities?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3345571/sky-high-jump-airfares-hong-kong-europe-americas-even-asian-cities?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 09:49:24 +0000 SCMP SCMP This article was first published on March 7, 2006. By Vivienne Chow Oscars win for dir­ector Ang Lee is bit­tersweet A mourn­ful story of cow­boys in love finally clinched Ang Lee the Oscar he missed out on six years ago, but the award left him dis­ap­poin­ted and “a bit sur­prised” at not win­ning the best pic­ture award. “It was a loss and a gain,” Lee said after being named best dir­ector for Broke­back Moun­tain. “I was happy about win­ning but not being able to win the best pic­ture award... https://www.scmp.com/culture/article/3345347/ang-lee-becomes-first-chinese-person-win-best-director-oscar-2006-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/culture/article/3345347/ang-lee-becomes-first-chinese-person-win-best-director-oscar-2006-scmp-archive?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 01:45:08 +0000