https://www.scmp.com/rss/325632/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Seong Hyeon Choi,Fan Chen Seong Hyeon Choi,Fan Chen A former president of Iceland has rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that nearby Greenland was surrounded by Chinese and Russian vessels, saying it was “not supported by facts”. In an interview on the sidelines of last weekend’s Munich Security Conference, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, who was Iceland’s president from 1996 to 2016, said there were “no Russian and Chinese ships in the waters of Greenland”. Trump said last month that the US “needed Greenland” – a Danish territory – “from the... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343884/trumps-claim-chinese-and-russian-ships-near-greenland-not-supported-facts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343884/trumps-claim-chinese-and-russian-ships-near-greenland-not-supported-facts?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:00:17 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A 30-year-old Chinese woman earning over 1 million yuan (US$140,000) per month has publicly announced her retirement plans to travel to Iceland, igniting widespread envy among younger generations online. Deng Yiran, a geophysics graduate from Nanjing University in Jiangsu province, southeastern China, has garnered considerable attention following her announcement to retire at such a young age. As of this month, Deng collaborates with several companies across China, including those in Beijing,... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3343421/china-woman-30-earning-us140000-month-running-marketing-firm-announces-retirement?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3343421/china-woman-30-earning-us140000-month-running-marketing-firm-announces-retirement?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Feb 2026 06:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Nato said on Wednesday that it had launched a mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic, part of an effort to defuse severe tensions within the alliance prompted by US President Donald Trump’s push for the US to acquire Greenland. The new mission, Arctic Sentry, will coordinate an increasing military presence of Nato allies in the region, including exercises such as Denmark’s Arctic Endurance on Greenland, the ‌alliance’s military headquarters said in a statement. Nato did not quantify... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343235/nato-launches-arctic-sentry-mission-bid-ease-greenland-tensions-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343235/nato-launches-arctic-sentry-mission-bid-ease-greenland-tensions-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:44:52 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Canada and France, which both oppose US President Donald Trump’s claim to Greenland, opened consulates in the Danish autonomous territory’s capital on Friday, in a show of support for the local government. Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has insisted that Washington needs to control the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island for security reasons. Trump last month backed off threats to seize Greenland after saying he had struck a “framework” deal with Nato chief Mark Rutte to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342736/canada-and-france-open-greenland-consulates-show-support-amid-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342736/canada-and-france-open-greenland-consulates-show-support-amid-trump-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Feb 2026 20:54:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump repeatedly made an apparent gaffe in a speech on Wednesday to world leaders assembled in Switzerland by referring to “Iceland” several times instead of his much coveted “Greenland”, with the White House furiously denying any confusion on his part. The 79-year-old Republican has been clamouring for the United States to acquire Greenland, a large island territory of Denmark, citing what he called security threats from Russia and China in the Arctic Circle. On Wednesday,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340761/white-house-responds-after-trump-repeatedly-refers-greenland-iceland-davos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340761/white-house-responds-after-trump-repeatedly-refers-greenland-iceland-davos?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 02:03:19 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A 47-year-old Chinese woman shares her idyllic life as a civil servant in a remote town in Iceland, igniting interest and spirited discussions on social media in mainland China. The woman, known as Megan, hails from Beijing. In 2020, at the age of 42, she decided to pursue a second master’s degree in Iceland, a few years after her divorce. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and her first master’s in business computing in the UK before transferring to a new energy major at a... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3339774/china-woman-47-shares-civil-servant-life-iceland-appreciates-culture-respects-choices?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3339774/china-woman-47-shares-civil-servant-life-iceland-appreciates-culture-respects-choices?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang BeOne Medicines, a global drug company that originated as a research and development (R&D) firm in Beijing, promoted Wang Lai to the newly created role of president, marking a leadership expansion as the company advances its late-stage pipeline and globalisation efforts. The 48-year-old has served as the company’s global head of R&D since April 2021. Effective January, Wang would take the helm of an expanded portfolio, retaining his R&D responsibilities while also overseeing business development... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337097/beone-medicines-names-rd-chief-wang-lai-co-president-lead-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3337097/beone-medicines-names-rd-chief-wang-lai-co-president-lead-global-expansion?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:43:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Mosquitoes have been discovered in Iceland in a first for the island nation, which has long been one of the world’s mosquito-free places, a researcher said on Monday. Three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes, two females and one male, were sighted around 30km (20 miles) north of the capital Reykjavik, according to Matthias Alfredsson, an entomologist at the Natural Science Institute of Iceland. “They were all collected from wine ropes … aimed at attracting moths,” the researcher said in an email,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3329852/mosquitoes-discovered-iceland-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3329852/mosquitoes-discovered-iceland-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:10:51 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service It was a cool, clear night as the National Geographic Endurance sailed out of Storefjord, one of the many beautiful fjords along the eastern coast of Greenland. We were just a few days into “Iceland’s Wild West Coast to East Greenland”, a voyage offered by National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, but I was eager to leave my stateroom behind. While other guests were getting cosy in their beds after the day’s adventures, I headed up to the top deck with a small overnight bag. I was going to spend... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3328740/unique-arctic-cruise-experience-spend-night-glass-igloo-atop-cruise-ship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3328740/unique-arctic-cruise-experience-spend-night-glass-igloo-atop-cruise-ship?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Oct 2025 04:15:07 +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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Stargazers enjoyed a “blood moon” on Sunday night during a total lunar eclipse visible across Asia and swathes of Europe and Africa. When the sun, Earth and moon line up, the shadow cast by the planet on its satellite makes it appear an eerie, deep red colour that has astounded humans for millennia. People in Asia, including India and China, were best placed to see Sunday’s total eclipse, which was also visible on the eastern edge of Africa as well as in western Australia. Stargazers in Europe... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3324678/blood-moon-rises-during-total-lunar-eclipse-has-astounded-humans-millennia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3324678/blood-moon-rises-during-total-lunar-eclipse-has-astounded-humans-millennia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Sep 2025 23:13:39 +0000 Cherry Liu Cherry Liu Ísadóra Bjarkardóttir Barney, aka Doa, the multitalented daughter of iconic Icelandic singer Björk, has just returned to the runway. The 22-year-old opened the Cecilie Bahnsen 10-year anniversary show at Copenhagen Fashion Week last Friday with a white tulle dress embellished with bows and floral appliqués. She completed the airy look with white knee socks and trainers. Her brunette bob and shimmering silver make-up also accentuated the outfit’s details. View this post on... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3321455/who-bjorks-daughter-isadora-bjarkardottir-barney-aka-doa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3321455/who-bjorks-daughter-isadora-bjarkardottir-barney-aka-doa?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Aug 2025 10:00:21 +0000 Reuters Reuters A volcano erupted on Wednesday in southwest Iceland, authorities said, with live media images showing it belching smoke and dramatic flows of glowing hot yellow and orange lava, the latest in a series of outbreaks near the capital in recent years. Often referred to as a land of ice and fire, the North Atlantic island nation with its many glaciers and volcanoes has now experienced a dozen eruptions since geological systems on its Reykjanes peninsula reactivated in 2021. A previous eruption... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3318406/new-volcanic-eruption-jolts-icelands-reykjanes-peninsula?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3318406/new-volcanic-eruption-jolts-icelands-reykjanes-peninsula?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:02:32 +0000 Mark Footer Mark Footer June 8 is World Oceans Day, an observance designed to raise awareness of the vital role our water bodies play in supporting life on Earth, through biodiversity and their ability to regulate the climate, and the urgent need to protect them. Today, a variety of events and exhibitions to highlight the cause are being staged around the world by governments, aquariums and schools, but spare a thought for Ross Edgley. The British ultra-endurance athlete entered the water on May 16 in an attempt to... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3313326/5-luxury-experiences-celebrate-world-oceans-day?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/travel/article/3313326/5-luxury-experiences-celebrate-world-oceans-day?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 00:30:08 +0000 A volcano erupted to the south of Iceland’s capital on Tuesday, spewing lava and smoke in a fiery display of orange and red that triggered the evacuation of tourists and residents, although air traffic continued as normal. Referred to as a land of ice and fire for its many glaciers and volcanoes, the North Atlantic island nation has now seen 11 eruptions south of Reykjavik since 2021, when dormant geological systems reactivated after some 800 years. “Warning: An eruption has begun,” the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3304778/volcano-erupts-near-icelands-blue-lagoon-triggering-evacuations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3304778/volcano-erupts-near-icelands-blue-lagoon-triggering-evacuations?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:26:25 +0000 It is a migration story that defies expectations. More than 10,000km separate the lush, tropical islands of the Philippines from Iceland, a nation of glaciers, geysers, and volcanic landscapes. Yet this North Atlantic nation has become an unlikely beacon of opportunity for Filipinos seeking higher wages, stability – and a gateway to Europe. Government figures show that as of last year, 2,631 Filipinos called Iceland home, making them the largest Asian community and fifth-largest among all... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3296202/tropics-tundra-why-filipinos-are-flocking-iceland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3296202/tropics-tundra-why-filipinos-are-flocking-iceland?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Jan 2025 09:00:07 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Cathay Pacific Airways has apologised after a flight from Canada bound for Hong Kong was forced to divert to Iceland when a passenger became ill and then flew back to Toronto for a crew change, causing a more than two-day delay. The airline said on Friday that flight CX829 was diverted to Keflavik International Airport after departing Toronto for Hong Kong so a passenger could receive urgent medical help. After refuelling, the flight returned to Toronto to comply with crew member flying hour... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3293373/cathay-apologises-over-54-hour-delay-flight-going-toronto-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3293373/cathay-apologises-over-54-hour-delay-flight-going-toronto-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Jan 2025 14:53:32 +0000 Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula volcano has erupted anew, creating a lava-spewing fissure around 3km long and prompting warnings of gas emissions across parts of the peninsula including in the nearby town of Grindavík. This latest eruption, which began on November 20th, is sending a lava flow towards the famous Blue Lagoon spa tourist attraction and marks the tenth volcanic event in the region in just three years. These photos were first published as an SCMP gallery on November 25,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3288962/seventh-eruption-year-iceland-volcano-stunning-pictures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3288962/seventh-eruption-year-iceland-volcano-stunning-pictures?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2024 09:25:07 +0000 While many of us experienced anxiety, sadness and loneliness during the pandemic, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Icelandic singer-songwriter and composer Björk thrived. She recorded her 11th album Fossora during “an unexpectedly happy lockdown in Reykjavík”, per The Guardian. Now, years out of the pandemic, Björk remains based in her native land, having divided her time between there and various parts of the globe over the past four decades – from London and New York to the Spanish... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3288650/where-queen-experimental-pop-bjork-2024-4-decades-industry-icelandic-artist-passionate-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3288650/where-queen-experimental-pop-bjork-2024-4-decades-industry-icelandic-artist-passionate-about?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 29 Nov 2024 11:00:12 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Switzerland-based Climeworks, which has built the world’s largest carbon capture plant, is in discussions with Hong Kong investors, offering them exposure to potentially lucrative projects that cost between US$2 billion and US$3 billion to build. Some of the talks are at an advanced stage, but the high financing costs and deployment of relatively new technology on capital-intensive infrastructure mean only investors with a long investment horizon would be a suitable match, said co-founder and... https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3284299/swiss-unicorn-climeworks-seeks-hong-kong-investors-carbon-capture-projects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/climate-and-energy/article/3284299/swiss-unicorn-climeworks-seeks-hong-kong-investors-carbon-capture-projects?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 Nov 2024 23:30:11 +0000 Iceland is on track for snap elections after Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson announced that the country’s governing coalition has ended. Benediktsson, head of the conservative Independence Party, told reporters on Sunday that tensions had mounted within the left-right coalition on issues ranging from foreign policy to asylum seekers and energy. The coalition had been made up of the Independence Party, the Left-Green Movement and the centre-right Progressive Party. The issues “were less... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3282211/iceland-pm-dissolves-parliament-calls-elections-november-30?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3282211/iceland-pm-dissolves-parliament-calls-elections-november-30?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 13 Oct 2024 18:25:30 +0000 I’m exhausted when I board my bus from Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík, Iceland. The short drive comes on the heels of a gruelling, 20-plus-hour flight from Hong Kong, so it’s understandable that, for a moment, I wonder confusedly whether I’ve been beamed onto an alien landscape. The scenery rolling past is like nothing I’ve ever seen before: all black, rocky lava plains covered with moss and dotted with the occasional house. Reykjavík is simultaneously one of the smallest capitals... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3280214/reykjavik-edition-true-luxury-heart-icelands-capital-its-stunning-interiors-and-michelin-worthy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3280214/reykjavik-edition-true-luxury-heart-icelands-capital-its-stunning-interiors-and-michelin-worthy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Sep 2024 08:18:09 +0000 An off-duty Hong Kong policeman has died and his wife, also an officer, has been injured in a car crash while on holiday in Iceland. Chief Inspector Vilhalmur Stefansson of Icelandic police told the Post on Wednesday that the man lost control of a rental car while driving along a gravel path at Krokssel at around 2pm on Tuesday and crashed into the Fossa River. The car was found upside down in the river at a depth of about two metres (6.6 feet). No other cars were involved. Stefansson said the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3279893/hong-kong-policeman-dies-wife-injured-car-crash-iceland-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3279893/hong-kong-policeman-dies-wife-injured-car-crash-iceland-holiday?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Sep 2024 07:54:10 +0000 Every year Claire Choisne, the creative director of Boucheron, is given free rein to create a high jewellery collection for the storied Parisian jeweller. While this sounds like a dream come true for anyone working in a creative field, it is also a very challenging – albeit exciting – undertaking. Aptly named Carte Blanche, the collection is always a highlight of Haute Couture Week in Paris and the talk of the town among editors. In jewellery circles, Choisne is known and highly respected for... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3277750/boucheron-creative-director-claire-choisne-talks-about-design-process-defying-convention-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3277750/boucheron-creative-director-claire-choisne-talks-about-design-process-defying-convention-and?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Sep 2024 02:00:12 +0000 Icelandic police on Monday called off the search for anyone trapped in the previous day’s collapse of an ice cave that killed one person and injured another, saying that all members of the tourist expedition had been accounted for. Authorities had initially mounted a large-scale rescue operation, with as many as 200 rescuers sifting through the icy rubble by hand to find two people believed to have been missing. But police eventually determined that no one was unaccounted for after examining the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3275888/ice-cave-collapses-iceland-killing-1-and-leaving-2-missing-during-tourist-group-visit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3275888/ice-cave-collapses-iceland-killing-1-and-leaving-2-missing-during-tourist-group-visit?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Aug 2024 05:39:06 +0000 It’s not every day that friendly and inoffensive Canada gets lumped with nasty Russia and China. But that was what Mike Pompeo did when he last attended the Arctic Council (AC) as US secretary of state under Donald Trump. “We recognise that Russia is not the only nation making illegitimate claims,” he said. “The US has a long-contested feud with Canada over sovereign claims through the Northwest Passage.” If every crisis presents an opportunity, the converse is also true. Pompeo points to the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3275729/next-battleground-between-east-and-west-may-be-arctic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3275729/next-battleground-between-east-and-west-may-be-arctic?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Aug 2024 15:20:39 +0000 Inspired by the streams, rivers and glaciers of Iceland, Boucheron’s latest high jewellery collection Or Bleu presents powerful jewelled expressions of the glorious, rugged natural beauty of the country. Waterfalls, waves and icicles are transformed into stunning pieces of high jewellery by creative director Claire Choisne, sculpted by the maison’s artisans. PHOTOGRAPHY MIKE RUIZ STYLING JOANNE M KENNEDY MAKE-UP MEGUMI ITANO USING MAC COSMETICS HAIR CLÁUDIO BELIZÁRIO NAILS CHRISTINA... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3272596/style-shoot-boucheron-or-bleu-high-jewellery-inspired-iceland-and-forms-and-force-water?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3272596/style-shoot-boucheron-or-bleu-high-jewellery-inspired-iceland-and-forms-and-force-water?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Aug 2024 02:00:14 +0000 Nato is helping finance a project aimed at finding ways to keep the internet running should subsea cables shuttling civilian and military communications across European waters come under attack. Researchers, who include academics from the United States, Iceland, Sweden and Switzerland, say they want to develop a way to seamlessly divert internet traffic from subsea cables to satellite systems in the event of sabotage, or a natural disaster. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s Science for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3269672/nato-backs-effort-save-internet-diverting-space-event-subsea-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3269672/nato-backs-effort-save-internet-diverting-space-event-subsea-attacks?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Jul 2024 20:30:25 +0000 Passengers travelling to Kerala, south India, used to buy bus, train and plane tickets to Trivandrum (“Triv-AN-drum”), confident they were pronouncing the name of the city correctly. Then, in 1991, Trivandrum changed its name to Thiruvananthapuram (“tiru-wan-anta POOR-am”) – and bookings to Goa surged. OK, that’s not entirely true but it’s fair to say that some place names are harder to pronounce than others, and our often bungled attempts give locals reason to snigger. Here’s a collection of... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3269258/how-say-place-names-most-get-wrong-laos-and-leicester-new-orleans-and-oaxaca?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3269258/how-say-place-names-most-get-wrong-laos-and-leicester-new-orleans-and-oaxaca?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jul 2024 08:15:07 +0000 Iceland, the world’s most gender equal country, is set to elect a woman as president for the second time in its history. Polling stations across the north Atlantic island are opening on Saturday to choose a successor to Gudni Th Johannesson, who is stepping down after two terms. The candidate who wins the most votes will become head of state in the single round election, and serve for four years. Two women are neck-and-neck in polls. Katrin Jakobsdottir, who stepped down as prime minister to run... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3265024/global-equality-champion-iceland-set-elect-woman-president-second-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3265024/global-equality-champion-iceland-set-elect-woman-president-second-time?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 01 Jun 2024 13:20:11 +0000 A volcano in southwestern Iceland sent glowing hot lava shooting 50 metres into the air on Wednesday, its fifth eruption since December, shortly after an eight-week-long eruption on the same Reykjanes peninsula came to an end. Authorities had warned of the risk of renewed volcanic activity in the area just south of the capital Reykjavik as studies showed magma accumulated underground. “The lava fountains reach 50 metres (164 feet) high and the length of the fissure seems to be around 2.5km and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3264611/iceland-volcano-erupts-again-fifth-time-december?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3264611/iceland-volcano-erupts-again-fifth-time-december?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 May 2024 13:30:44 +0000 Romania and Bulgaria partially joined Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone on Sunday, marking a new step in the two countries’ integration with the European Union. After years of negotiations to join the Schengen area, there is now free access for travellers arriving by air or sea from both countries. However, land border checks will remain in place due to opposition primarily from Austria which has long blocked their bid over illegal migration concerns. European Commission President Ursula von... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3257400/romania-and-bulgaria-partially-join-europes-schengen-travel-zone-land-border-checks-remain?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3257400/romania-and-bulgaria-partially-join-europes-schengen-travel-zone-land-border-checks-remain?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 Mar 2024 22:29:47 +0000 A Russian court sentenced Lyusya Shtein, a member of Pussy Riot and a former municipal deputy in Moscow, to six years in prison in absentia for anti-war social media posts, the court’s press service said on Wednesday. Shtein, 27, was found guilty of spreading “war fakes” in connection with a March 2022 post on X, in which she accused Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine of “bombing foreign cities and killing people”, Russian independent news outlet Mediazona reported. Russia calls UK courts ‘a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3256998/russia-sentences-pussy-riot-activist-6-years-absentia-ukraine-war-fakes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3256998/russia-sentences-pussy-riot-activist-6-years-absentia-ukraine-war-fakes?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 27 Mar 2024 20:59:19 +0000 Lava from a new volcanic fissure on an Icelandic peninsula, the fourth eruption to hit the area since December, steadily advanced on Sunday, but the eruption’s intensity had decreased, authorities said. Icelandic police declared a state of emergency shortly after the eruption at 8.23pm local time on Saturday. The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) said response workers were monitoring the lava’s advance, “which has been slow and steady since” Sunday morning. It said that the lava was some 200 metres... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3255722/lava-iceland-volcano-advances-fourth-eruption-december?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3255722/lava-iceland-volcano-advances-fourth-eruption-december?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 17 Mar 2024 19:53:50 +0000 Last month, the Arctic Council broke the ice by agreeing to reconvene its working group meetings virtually, nearly two years after seven of its eight members, including the US, halted participation in protest against the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which held the council chairmanship then. The working groups had been relying on “written procedures” for the last six months, after Norway took over the chairmanship and found ways to resume project work. The latest development will hopefully pave... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/world/article/3255279/how-ukraine-war-and-sanctions-russia-put-arctic-cooperation-ice?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/world/article/3255279/how-ukraine-war-and-sanctions-russia-put-arctic-cooperation-ice?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Mar 2024 21:31:05 +0000 A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on Thursday for the third time since December, sending jets of lava up to 50 metres into the sky and triggering the evacuation of the Blue Lagoon spa and cutting heat and hot water to thousands of people. This is the sixth eruption on the southwestern Reykjanes peninsula since 2021. The eruption began at about 6am local time along a 3km (nearly two-mile) fissure northeast of Mount Sundhnukur, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. Several communities... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3251435/iceland-volcano-erupts-third-time-2-months-spewing-lava-50-metres-air-evacuating-blue-lagoon-spa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3251435/iceland-volcano-erupts-third-time-2-months-spewing-lava-50-metres-air-evacuating-blue-lagoon-spa?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 08 Feb 2024 10:46:56 +0000 Lava flowing from a volcano that erupted on Sunday near the Icelandic fishing port of Grindavík has engulfed homes just hours after villagers were evacuated to safety, authorities said. It was the North Atlantic nation’s fifth volcanic eruption in under three years. The most recent occurred just weeks ago on December 18 in the same region, southwest of the capital Reykjavik. At least three houses were engulfed in fire as glowing orange lava flowed into the edge of the town of Grindavík, live... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3248407/volcano-erupts-iceland-flowing-lava-reaches-fishing-town-grindavik?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3248407/volcano-erupts-iceland-flowing-lava-reaches-fishing-town-grindavik?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Jan 2024 16:57:07 +0000 A volcano in Iceland was erupting on Tuesday, with geysers of molten lava shooting into the pitch-black night sky after weeks of seismic activity had the region southwest of the capital on high alert. The eruption on the Reykjanes peninsula, just north of the fishing town Grindavik, began Monday at around 10.17pm after an earthquake swarm, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said, referring to a series of small shakes. Live-streamed footage of the eruption showed glowing orange jets of lava... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3245540/iceland-volcano-erupts-after-weeks-earthquake-activity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3245540/iceland-volcano-erupts-after-weeks-earthquake-activity?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 19 Dec 2023 02:54:12 +0000 A series of earthquakes is continuing to shake Iceland, with some 880 tremors registered by the authorities between midnight and 6am on Sunday, broadcaster RUV reported. All the tremors were small, however, measuring below a magnitude of 3.0, making it a quieter night overall than the previous two nights. There are still fears of volcanic eruption on the Reykjanes Peninsula southwest of the capital Reykjavik. However, data from the night showed no change in the position of the magma... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3241261/iceland-hit-880-earthquakes-overnight-amid-volcano-eruption-fears?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3241261/iceland-hit-880-earthquakes-overnight-amid-volcano-eruption-fears?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Nov 2023 13:25:55 +0000 One of Iceland’s biggest tourist attractions, the Blue Lagoon geothermal spa, has closed temporarily as a swarm of earthquakes put the island nation’s most populated region on alert for a possible volcanic eruption. Guests rushed to leave the spa’s hotels in the early hours of Thursday, after they were shaken awake shortly before 1am by a magnitude 4.8 quake, the strongest to hit the region since the recent wave of seismic activity began on October 25. Bjarni Stefansson, a taxi driver, described... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3240995/blue-lagoon-iceland-spa-guests-flee-panic-earthquakes-raise-fears-volcanic-eruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3240995/blue-lagoon-iceland-spa-guests-flee-panic-earthquakes-raise-fears-volcanic-eruption?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Nov 2023 08:15:08 +0000 Iceland’s prime minister and women across the volcanic island nation went on strike on Tuesday to push for an end to unequal pay and gender-based violence. Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir said she would stay home as part of the “women’s day off,” and expected other women in her Cabinet would do the same. “We have not yet reached our goals of full gender equality and we are still tackling the gender-based wage gap, which is unacceptable in 2023,” she told news website mbl.is. “We are still... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3239012/iceland-pm-katrin-jakobsdottir-strike-equal-pay-end-gender-based-violence-which-unacceptable-2023?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3239012/iceland-pm-katrin-jakobsdottir-strike-equal-pay-end-gender-based-violence-which-unacceptable-2023?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Oct 2023 09:49:18 +0000 Iceland’s government said it will resume hunting fin whales after a two-month halt, but with new guidelines aimed at killing them as quickly as possible to reduce suffering. Iceland resumed hunting fin whales, which can reach lengths of over 20 metres (65 feet), in 2006 after a 20-year pause. The International Whaling Commission – a global body that oversees whale conservation – imposed a moratorium in 1986 after some species came close to extinction. Although several are still endangered or... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3233046/iceland-resumes-whale-hunting-after-temporary-ban-slaughter-needs-be-faster?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3233046/iceland-resumes-whale-hunting-after-temporary-ban-slaughter-needs-be-faster?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 01 Sep 2023 03:50:35 +0000 A volcano erupted near Iceland’s capital on Monday, the country’s meteorological office said, marking the third time in two years that lava has gushed out in the area. Local media footage shows a massive cloud of smoke rising from the ground as well as a substantial flow of lava at the site around 30km (19 miles) from Reykjavik. According to an Agence France-Presse reporter, the smoke can be seen from the road connecting the capital to the international airport, with cars pulled over and people... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3227239/volcano-erupts-near-icelands-capital-reykjavik-gushing-lava-and-billowing-smoke?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3227239/volcano-erupts-near-icelands-capital-reykjavik-gushing-lava-and-billowing-smoke?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jul 2023 21:43:02 +0000 Gender equality is starting to feel like a far-off dream especially as it could take the world another 131 years to close the gender gap, according to the World Economic Forum. The WEF published its 2023 Global Gender Gap Report this week and examined gender parity across 146 countries, finding that the gender gap has closed across a variety of areas of society by 68.4 per cent globally, up 0.3 per cent from 2022’s 68.1 per cent score. The gender gap measures equality across areas like the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3224928/another-131-years-close-global-gender-gap-world-economic-forum-report-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3224928/another-131-years-close-global-gender-gap-world-economic-forum-report-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jun 2023 13:12:16 +0000 Iceland’s government said it was suspending this year’s whale hunt until the end of August due to animal welfare concerns, likely bringing the controversial practice to a historic end. Animal rights groups and environmentalists hailed the decision, with the Humane Society International calling it “a major milestone in compassionate whale conservation”. “I have taken the decision to suspend whaling” until August 31, Food Minister Svandis Svavarsdottir said in a statement on Tuesday, after a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3224819/iceland-suspends-whale-hunting-over-animal-welfare-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3224819/iceland-suspends-whale-hunting-over-animal-welfare-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jun 2023 02:55:35 +0000 A summit of a rights body spanning Europe on Tuesday created a “register of damages” to record Russia’s destruction of Ukraine for future compensation, and heard Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky plead for Western fighter planes. Leaders from the 46-nation Council of Europe including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasised that Moscow would be held accountable for the harm and destruction it has caused in its 15-month invasion of its neighbour. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3220798/europe-takes-step-towards-making-russia-pay-ukraine-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3220798/europe-takes-step-towards-making-russia-pay-ukraine-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 May 2023 21:21:05 +0000 British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will push other global leaders to pledge more support for Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion when he attends international summits next week, his office said on Saturday. Sunak, looking to bounce back after heavy losses for his Conservative Party in local elections last week, will travel to Iceland on Tuesday to meet other European leaders attending a Council of Europe summit. In addition to the war in Ukraine, efforts to strengthen Europe’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3220483/uks-sunak-seek-more-ukraine-support-international-summits-next-week?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3220483/uks-sunak-seek-more-ukraine-support-international-summits-next-week?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 May 2023 22:14:45 +0000 Norway took over the Arctic Council’s rotating presidency from Russia on Thursday amid concerns that the work of the eight-country intergovernmental body on protecting the sensitive environment is at risk because of suspension of cooperation with Moscow over the war in Ukraine. In March 2022, seven Western members of the Arctic Council, which doesn’t deal with security issues but makes binding agreements on environmental protection and gives a voice to the indigenous peoples of the Arctic... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3220257/norway-takes-over-presidency-arctic-council-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3220257/norway-takes-over-presidency-arctic-council-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 May 2023 16:11:18 +0000 Luxury holidays to the regions around the North and South Poles are becoming more accessible – and fabulous – attracting affluent tourists to winter getaways in far-flung destinations such as Alaska, Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Antarctica itself. Boasting stunning views of glaciers, icebergs and polar wildlife, many properties also offer tailored expeditions to give a taste of adventure without sacrificing on comfort (or warmth). Happily, sustainability is a top priority at these luxury... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3216185/chill-out-these-5-luxury-icy-escapes-antarctica-iceland-norway-greenland-and-alaska-feel-call-wild?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/luxury/article/3216185/chill-out-these-5-luxury-icy-escapes-antarctica-iceland-norway-greenland-and-alaska-feel-call-wild?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Apr 2023 05:00:12 +0000 A “Northern Lights” display lit up Hong Kong’s night sky at the premiere of a large-scale outdoor art show by a Swiss artist designed to mimic the natural phenomenon. Dan Acher’s installation, “Borealis”, a light and sound display based on the Northern Lights, colourful displays in vivid colours seen in the night sky in the northern hemisphere, was unveiled on Monday. City residents watched in awe at the event’s debut in the West Kowloon Cultural District and onlookers used smartphones and... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3210096/light-fantastic-borealis-art-show-illuminates-hong-kong-night-sky?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3210096/light-fantastic-borealis-art-show-illuminates-hong-kong-night-sky?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Feb 2023 16:03:46 +0000