https://www.scmp.com/rss/330757/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Ishani Sarkar Ishani Sarkar Apple TV’s new psychological thriller, Imperfect Women, has quickly gained traction since its premiere on March 18 – it is the third most-watched TV show on Apple TV at the time of writing. The series, based on a 2020 novel of the same name by Araminta Hall, stars Elisabeth Moss as Mary, Kerry Washington as Eleanor, and Kate Mara as Nancy – long-time friends whose bond is threatened when Nancy is found dead. Shockingly, not long after Nancy’s passing, her wealthy widower, Robert – who is... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3349394/meet-joel-kinnaman-who-plays-monster-robert-imperfect-women?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3349394/meet-joel-kinnaman-who-plays-monster-robert-imperfect-women?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 22:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Iran on Saturday executed two men convicted of membership in a banned opposition group and carrying out disruptive actions aimed at overthrowing the Islamic Republic, the judiciary said. The executions were the latest in a series targeting members of the banned People’s Mojahedin Organisation of Iran (MEK), after four other convicted members of the group were put to death earlier in the week. They also come against the backdrop of Iran’s war with the United States and Israel, sparked by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349026/rights-groups-raise-alarm-after-iran-executes-2-more-opposition-group-members?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3349026/rights-groups-raise-alarm-after-iran-executes-2-more-opposition-group-members?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 06:31:17 +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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Swedish prosecutor on Monday charged a man, suspected of selling his wife’s sexual services to over 120 men, with aggravated pimping, several rapes and assault. The man, 62, was arrested in late October after his wife reported him to police in northern Sweden. He has been held in custody since then. According to the charge sheet, the man had for years benefited financially from pressuring his wife “to perform and submit to sexual acts”. The man was accused of creating ads online, setting up... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348435/sweden-charges-monster-man-selling-wife-over-120-men?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348435/sweden-charges-monster-man-selling-wife-over-120-men?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:47:39 +0000 Vanessa Lee Vanessa Lee “Have you ever had fried bananas in Chinese food before?” Lap-see Lam asks with a twinkle in her eye over our video call between Stockholm and Hong Kong. I admit I haven’t, at least not of the Chinese persuasion. The artist explains that fried bananas with syrup and ice cream is a typical Swedish-Chinese dish. Another is Swedish meatballs in tomato sauce served with rice. But the most remarkable is a dish called “four small dishes”. “It’s basically different dishes on the same plate, and... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347328/multimedia-artist-lap-see-lams-hong-kong-show-explores-cultural-identity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3347328/multimedia-artist-lap-see-lams-hong-kong-show-explores-cultural-identity?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 04:15:07 +0000 SCMP SCMP We have selected seven Lifestyle stories from the past seven days that resonated with our readers. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Your ultimate guide to Hong Kong art week: fairs, exhibitions, radical pop-ups With a surge of new venues and a relentless calendar of openings, navigating Hong Kong’s 2026 art week requires strategy. The South China Morning Post presents a carefully curated shortlist. 2. Is Year of the Horse’s second month lucky for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347945/guide-hong-kong-art-week-cultural-chinese-dining-sweden-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347945/guide-hong-kong-art-week-cultural-chinese-dining-sweden-7-lifestyle-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Victoria Burrows Victoria Burrows Partway through our meal at Surfers, a Chinese restaurant in Sweden’s capital of Stockholm, Ludvig Saaf bursts into song. It is a Mongolian drinking song about fermented mare’s milk, but few in the dining room can understand the Mandarin lyrics. We join in, though, answering each rousing “Hey!” with a rowdy one of our own. At the end, we shout “ganbei” – a Chinese term meaning “cheers” – and down our thimble-sized glasses of baijiu, a Chinese spirit. Saaf, tall and blond with a pierced lower... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347152/trailblazing-chinese-restaurant-sweden-showing-what-culture-really-all-about?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3347152/trailblazing-chinese-restaurant-sweden-showing-what-culture-really-all-about?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 04:45:11 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Surging jet fuel prices amid the US-Israel war on Iran are pushing global airlines including Chinese carriers to raise fares, with an industry leader warning that prices could rise by up to 9 per cent if the energy crisis continues. China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines and at least two private Chinese carriers are among a growing list of global airlines that have raised fares since US-Israeli strikes on Iran started on February 28. Global airfares could rise by 8 to 9 per cent if fuel... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347330/airfares-rise-china-and-beyond-amid-gulf-oil-shock-9-increases-feared?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3347330/airfares-rise-china-and-beyond-amid-gulf-oil-shock-9-increases-feared?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 03:00:08 +0000 Agencies Agencies Military escorts to protect tankers in the Strait of Hormuz are not a sustainable solution, according to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). “It reduces the risk, but the risk is still there,” IMO Secretary General Arsenio Dominguez told the Financial Times. He said that a military deployment was “not a long-term or sustainable solution”. US President Donald Trump has called for an international naval operation off the Iranian coast to secure oil shipments, saying at the weekend that... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346889/military-escort-tankers-strait-hormuz-not-long-term-fix-imo-head?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3346889/military-escort-tankers-strait-hormuz-not-long-term-fix-imo-head?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 09:17:41 +0000 Alice Yan Alice Yan Over two decades in a little-known, freezing city in northern China, a Swedish man has built a career and witnessed the booming development of the country’s carmaking industry. Gustav Holmgren, 44, whose Chinese name is Ge Siwen, is the legal representative and site manager of ATM (Hulun Buir) Proving Ground Service, which provides cold-weather vehicle testing for carmakers. He is, perhaps, the only foreigner in the city. His company is located in Yakeshi, a small city with a population of... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3345570/swedish-man-owns-vehicle-testing-centre-chinas-inner-mongolia-likely-only-foreigner-there?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3345570/swedish-man-owns-vehicle-testing-centre-chinas-inner-mongolia-likely-only-foreigner-there?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 10:00:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union’s ambitious industrial policy to challenge China has been gutted, removing AI, semiconductors and quantum computing from a list of strategic technologies that must be “made in Europe” to tap billions in government funds. Biotechnology and robotics are other cutting-edge sectors to be cut from the Industrial Accelerator Act (IAA) ahead of the proposal’s formal unveiling by the European Commission on Wednesday, a leaked draft showed. Plans to exclude non-EU-based producers from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345311/eu-strips-ai-chips-and-quantum-industrial-plan-aimed-countering-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3345311/eu-strips-ai-chips-and-quantum-industrial-plan-aimed-countering-china?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 13:51:51 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Emmanuel Macron said Monday that France will expand its atomic arsenal and could deploy nuclear-armed aircraft to allied countries for the first time, as he unveiled an unprecedented plan to bolster security on the continent. Speaking from the Ile Longue nuclear submarine base as the clock ticks on his presidency, Macron announced that eight European countries including Germany, Poland, Sweden and Britain had agreed to participate in what he called a “forward” nuclear deterrence... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345189/europe-reacts-macrons-offer-deploy-atomic-weapons-frances-allies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345189/europe-reacts-macrons-offer-deploy-atomic-weapons-frances-allies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 19:40:58 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse President Volodymyr Zelensky marked the four-year anniversary of the Ukraine war by accusing Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin of trying to take over Ukraine, saying he had failed to achieve this and other war goals. In a video address that showed Ukrainians carrying out acts of resistance against Russian soldiers in the opening days of the conflict, Zelensky added that Ukraine was ready to do “everything” it could to secure a strong, lasting peace. Hundreds of thousands have died since Russia... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3344478/4-years-ukraine-conflict-zelensky-says-russias-putin-did-not-win-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3344478/4-years-ukraine-conflict-zelensky-says-russias-putin-did-not-win-war?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 10:29:35 +0000 Cao Li Cao Li Zeekr, the premium electric vehicle (EV) brand owned by Geely Auto, has entered the Italian market, with customer deliveries and retail openings set to follow in spring. The move is part of its broader European expansion, following the launch of sales in Germany in December last year. In partnership with local distributor Jameel Motors Italia, Zeekr began taking orders for its full model range on Thursday, according to a press release. “Italy is a key market in our European expansion, and the... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344079/chinese-ev-maker-zeekr-accelerates-european-expansion-italy-launch?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3344079/chinese-ev-maker-zeekr-accelerates-european-expansion-italy-launch?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 04:43:31 +0000 Reuters,Associated Press Reuters,Associated Press Russia is demanding that European countries who accused Moscow of poisoning Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny with a dart frog toxin provide concrete data to support their allegation, according to Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said on Saturday that analyses of samples from Navalny’s body had confirmed the presence of epibatidine, a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America and not found naturally in Russia. They said Moscow... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3343935/russia-demands-concrete-proof-it-poisoned-navalny-dart-frog-toxin?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3343935/russia-demands-concrete-proof-it-poisoned-navalny-dart-frog-toxin?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 13:38:12 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo Washington’s contempt and even hostility has led to a fundamental rethink among its European and Canadian allies. Under Prime Minister Mark Carney, Ottawa is rapidly reorienting its defence, security and economic policies against an openly predatory United States. Even the ever compliant Europeans are starting to openly articulate a more independent defence posture and to fortify their economies in the face of Donald Trump’s universal tariff war and financial threats. And yet, Australia, which... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3343922/forget-canada-real-51st-american-state-appears-be-gullible-australia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3343922/forget-canada-real-51st-american-state-appears-be-gullible-australia?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 13:00:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that Washington is “not disputing” a report by five European countries that imprisoned Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was fatally poisoned with a rare frog “toxin”. Rubio said the report released on Saturday by Britain, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden was “very troubling”. Britain, which has outright blamed Russia for Navalny’s death, said it was considering new sanctions on Moscow as a result. Navalny, a staunch critic of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3343650/us-not-disputing-troubling-european-report-navalny-poisoning-rubio-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3343650/us-not-disputing-troubling-european-report-navalny-poisoning-rubio-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 17:16:17 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was poisoned by the Kremlin with a rare and lethal toxin found in the skin of poison dart frogs, five European countries said on Saturday. The foreign ministries of the UK, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said analysis of samples taken from Navalny’s body “conclusively confirmed the presence of epibatidine”. It is a neurotoxin found in the skin of dart frogs in South America that is not found naturally in Russia, they said. A joint statement... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3343599/russia-poisoned-alexei-navalny-dart-frog-toxin-european-nations-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3343599/russia-poisoned-alexei-navalny-dart-frog-toxin-european-nations-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 16:36:14 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham A 16th-century Flemish castle is the setting on Thursday as European leaders try to resolve a set of economic tensions haunting Europe that are almost as old: the pull between free trade and protection, integration and sovereignty. On the agenda are prickly items such as how to kick-start the EU economy, whether to issue joint debt and how far to go with “buy Europe” provisions aimed at unpicking reliance on China and the United States. Seven years after European Commission President Ursula von... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343263/free-trade-or-fortress-europe-battle-soul-eu-economy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343263/free-trade-or-fortress-europe-battle-soul-eu-economy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Feb 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Luuk van Middelaar is the director of the Brussels Institute for Geopolitics, a think tank he co-founded in 2022. A political theorist and historian by trade, he has written several books and was in the cabinet of the first European Council president Herman Van Rompuy. Van Middelaar is widely read and cited across Europe for his analysis of the EU’s political evolution, with his books translated into many languages and awarded major European literary prizes. He writes regularly for leading... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342650/europe-must-act-fast-trumps-more-brutal-new-world-order-luuk-van-middelaar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3342650/europe-must-act-fast-trumps-more-brutal-new-world-order-luuk-van-middelaar?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 22:00:30 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian More foreign companies have rolled out instant delivery services exclusively for China or upgraded to more comprehensive offerings in the country, as they vie to stand out in the highly digitalised market and cater to consumers’ strong demand for instant services. Multinationals offering instant delivery now include Swedish furniture retailer Ikea, German tyre manufacturer Continental, US warehouse-style retailer Sam’s Club and German discount supermarket chain Aldi Nord. “China leads the world... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341868/multinationals-race-chinas-us1439-billion-instant-retail-market?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3341868/multinationals-race-chinas-us1439-billion-instant-retail-market?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Feb 2026 03:00:15 +0000 Alice Li Alice Li As China’s two largest cities by economic output, Beijing and Shanghai are widely seen as barometers for the country’s broader economic performance. In 2025, Beijing’s gross domestic product reached 5.2 trillion yuan (US$748 billion), making it the second Chinese city to cross the 5-trillion-yuan mark after Shanghai, which breached the threshold in 2024 and did so again in 2025 with a GDP of 5.67 trillion yuan. Based on last year’s figures, each city’s economic size is comparable to that of a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341382/tale-two-megacities-how-did-beijing-and-shanghais-gdps-surpass-5-trillion-yuan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3341382/tale-two-megacities-how-did-beijing-and-shanghais-gdps-surpass-5-trillion-yuan?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 29 Jan 2026 00:00:14 +0000 Sylvia Ma Sylvia Ma For decades, the US dollar has served as the currency of global reserve, the de facto anchor for the vast majority of international exchanges. Consequently, United States government debt – most commonly in the form of Treasury assets such as bonds, notes and bills – has long been regarded as a safe haven by investors, prized for its unmatched liquidity and deep market penetration. That faith has remained strong in the past, even amid global financial crises. But the events of recent weeks... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341391/age-trump-are-safe-haven-us-assets-not-so-safe-any-more?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3341391/age-trump-are-safe-haven-us-assets-not-so-safe-any-more?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 22:00:13 +0000 dpa dpa Lars Marstone is leaning on the pier in Lysekil’s harbour, arms crossed, as though personally greeting the wind and waves arriving at this town on Sweden’s southwest coast. ‌Moored nearby is Signe, his lovingly restored wooden boat. Her name derives from the Old Norse Signý, meaning “victorious” or “blessed”. For more than 50 years, Signe has been braving the waves. Today, she will be taking us on ‍an oyster and mussel tour, the first leg of our expedition to some of Sweden’s “blue food”... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3341006/taste-swedens-delicious-sustainable-blue-food-fresh-sea-boat-tours?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3341006/taste-swedens-delicious-sustainable-blue-food-fresh-sea-boat-tours?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 27 Jan 2026 04:43:05 +0000 Reuters Reuters The European Parliament has put ‍off until next week a decision on whether to resume work on the EU’s trade deal with the United States, which it had suspended in protest against US President Donald Trump’s demands to acquire Greenland and threats of tariffs. The parliament’s trade committee ⁠had been expected to set its position in votes on Monday and Tuesday, and the assembly’s president, Roberta Metsola, said last week discussions could resume soon to get the process back on track. But German... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341310/eu-lawmakers-divided-over-resuming-work-us-trade-deal-after-greenland-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341310/eu-lawmakers-divided-over-resuming-work-us-trade-deal-after-greenland-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 26 Jan 2026 18:31:59 +0000 Agencies Agencies US President Donald Trump showcased his new “Board of Peace” on Thursday, a day after backing off his own threats against Greenland. Trump abruptly announced on Wednesday that he was scrapping tariffs against Europe and ruling out military action to take Greenland from Denmark, partially defusing a crisis which has shaken the meeting of global elites. On his second day at the Swiss ski resort, Trump sought to promote the “Board of Peace”, his controversial body for resolving international... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340860/watch-trump-showcase-his-board-peace-davos-after-greenland-climbdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340860/watch-trump-showcase-his-board-peace-davos-after-greenland-climbdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Jan 2026 10:02:24 +0000 Reuters Reuters Canada is considering whether to send a ‌small contingent of troops to Greenland to ‍take part in Nato military exercises, a source directly familiar with the matter said on Monday. The news was first reported by CBC News and the Globe and Mail newspaper. Military officials have presented plans for the operation to the government and are awaiting a decision from ‍Prime Minister Mark Carney, said the source, who requested anonymity ‍given the sensitivity of the matter. Carney’s office declined to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340475/canada-could-send-small-contingent-troops-greenland-nato-exercises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340475/canada-could-send-small-contingent-troops-greenland-nato-exercises?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 17:38:39 +0000 Reuters Reuters European Union ambassadors reached broad agreement on Sunday to intensify ‌efforts to dissuade US President Donald Trump from imposing tariffs on European allies, while also preparing retaliatory measures should the duties go ahead, EU diplomats said. Trump vowed on Saturday to implement ‍a wave of increasing tariffs from February 1 on EU members Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, along with Britain and Norway, until the US is allowed to buy Greenland, a step major EU... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340351/eu-considers-us108-billion-retaliatory-tariffs-us-over-trumps-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340351/eu-considers-us108-billion-retaliatory-tariffs-us-over-trumps-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 20:05:19 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US President Donald Trump’s fixation on Greenland offers an ice-cold reminder to leaders in Europe and abroad: no deal is ever final. Trump announced a 10 per cent tariff, rising to 25 per cent in June, on eight European nations, including Denmark, for saying they would undertake token Nato military exercises in Greenland in response to US sabre-rattling. While the tariffs are not certain to take effect, the threat was a brazen escalation and insult to close US allies, trampling over the US-EU... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340290/trumps-greenland-bid-might-force-eu-stop-placating-him-and-fight-back?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340290/trumps-greenland-bid-might-force-eu-stop-placating-him-and-fight-back?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 02:03:20 +0000 Mark Magnier Mark Magnier Opening a new front in his worldwide tariff onslaught, US President Donald Trump said on Saturday he would impose a 10 per cent import tax on the United Kingdom and six European countries for opposing his plan to purchase Greenland and that the rate would more than double if they did not let him acquire the Danish territory. His post on Truth Social two weeks to the day after he abducted Venezuela’s president from Caracas marks the latest chapter in a tumultuous start to 2026, even by Trump’s... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340283/trump-hits-denmark-and-other-nato-allies-tariffs-force-greenland-sale?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340283/trump-hits-denmark-and-other-nato-allies-tariffs-force-greenland-sale?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Jan 2026 16:39:58 +0000 Reuters Reuters European countries sent small numbers of military personnel to Greenland on Thursday as ‌Denmark said it was pressing on with plans for a “larger and more permanent” Nato presence to secure the island coveted by US President Donald Trump. The modest European deployments, meant to help ‍Denmark prepare military exercises, sent a strong message of support a day after a meeting of officials from the US, Denmark and Greenland failed to reach any breakthrough on the impasse. After that meeting, Trump... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340058/european-allies-send-troops-greenland-amid-trumps-purchase-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340058/european-allies-send-troops-greenland-amid-trumps-purchase-pressure?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 Jan 2026 14:11:05 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang Structural biologist Alexey Amunts – an expert in mitochondrial biochemistry – has joined the Shenzhen Medical Academy of Research and Translation (SMART). Amunts, who holds research position in Germany, confirmed he joined SMART in January this year as a full-time senior investigator and would “contribute to its international relations agenda”. He is internationally recognised for high-resolution structural studies of the molecular machines that underpin cellular energy conversion and protein... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339717/resolution-revolution-pioneer-alexey-amunts-leaves-max-planck-join-chinas-smart?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3339717/resolution-revolution-pioneer-alexey-amunts-leaves-max-planck-join-chinas-smart?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 13 Jan 2026 08:00:27 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times Young people in South Korea are more likely than their peers in Germany, Japan, France and Sweden to agree that having children would bring great joy, but they also express far stronger concerns about the economic burden of childbirth, a study found. The findings, drawn from a survey of 2,500 adults aged 20 to 49 in each of the five countries, were published in a report titled “A Study on International Cases of Population Policies” by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs on... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3339598/south-koreans-see-joy-parenthood-fear-economic-strain-study-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3339598/south-koreans-see-joy-parenthood-fear-economic-strain-study-reveals?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Jan 2026 10:18:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Snow, ice and high winds brought transport chaos to swathes of Europe for a third day on Wednesday, with hundreds of flights cancelled and passengers stranded. Airports in Paris and Amsterdam were the worst affected, with the Dutch authorities saying more than 1,000 travellers had been forced to spend the night at Schiphol, one of Europe’s busiest hubs. Six people have died in weather-related accidents as the continent reels from the most bitter cold snap of the winter so far. Five of those... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339082/snow-ice-paralyse-europe-brutal-cold-snap-disrupts-flights-rail-services?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339082/snow-ice-paralyse-europe-brutal-cold-snap-disrupts-flights-rail-services?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 12:16:01 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Ikea will close seven stores in mainland China, as the multinational furniture retailer grapples with the country’s weak property market and sluggish consumer spending, which have dampened demand for its goods. Following a comprehensive review, Ikea China said the seven stores would cease operations from February 2. These are located in Shanghai’s suburban Baoshan district, Guangzhou, Tianjin, Nantong and Xuzhou in eastern Jiangsu province, Ningbo in eastern Zhejiang province and Harbin in... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339068/furniture-retailer-ikea-close-seven-stores-china-amid-property-market-slump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3339068/furniture-retailer-ikea-close-seven-stores-china-amid-property-market-slump?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:30:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump doubled down on Sunday on his claim that Greenland should become part of the United States, despite calls by Denmark’s prime minister to stop “threatening” the territory. Washington’s military intervention in Venezuela has reignited fears for Greenland, which Trump has repeatedly said he wants to annex, given its strategic location in the Arctic. While aboard Air Force One en route to Washington, Trump reiterated the goal. “It’s so strategic right now. Greenland is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338747/trump-doubles-down-greenland-ambitions-after-us-intervention-venezuela?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338747/trump-doubles-down-greenland-ambitions-after-us-intervention-venezuela?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jan 2026 06:36:27 +0000 Shi Huang Shi Huang After working in Europe for 35 years, Mikael Oliveberg, a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (RSAS) and a judge of the Nobel Prize for chemistry, has taken a full-time position at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University in China. Oliveberg has left Stockholm University after nearly two decades as a tenured professor with its Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics. He was welcomed to his new post by Li Lang, Guangxi Medical University’s vice-president, at a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3338629/nobel-prize-jurist-thomas-mikael-oliveberg-joins-top-medical-school-southern-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3338629/nobel-prize-jurist-thomas-mikael-oliveberg-joins-top-medical-school-southern-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 08:00:18 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A fire at a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana in the early hours of New Year’s Day has left dozens of people presumed dead and around 100 injured, according to authorities. Here is a look at some other nightclub, bar and music venue fires that have led to significant death tolls: December 2025: A fire ripped through a popular nightclub in Arpora village, in India’s Goa state, killing 25 people, including kitchen workers and tourists. March 2025: A fire and ensuing stampede at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338451/swiss-ski-resort-bar-inferno-joins-long-list-worlds-worst-club-fires?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338451/swiss-ski-resort-bar-inferno-joins-long-list-worlds-worst-club-fires?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 02 Jan 2026 02:23:18 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Two people died on Saturday in Sweden, authorities said, as a storm battered Norway, Sweden and Finland, leaving thousands without power. The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute issued alerts for strong winds for large parts of the northern half of the country as Storm Johannes hit the country. One fatality, a man in his 50s, was reported near the Kungsberget ski resort in central Sweden. The man was hit by a falling tree, Mats Lann of Gavleborg police said. He was taken to a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337915/2-dead-storm-johannes-batters-nordic-nations-thousands-left-without-power?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337915/2-dead-storm-johannes-batters-nordic-nations-thousands-left-without-power?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Dec 2025 20:41:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse London police on Tuesday arrested Swedish activist Greta Thunberg at a demonstration in support of pro-Palestinian hunger strikers, Palestinian campaign groups said. Thunberg’s arrest makes her the highest-profile person to be detained by police since the government banned the Palestine Action group under anti-terror laws. Prisoners for Palestine, which organised the protest, said in a statement that Thunberg was arrested under the UK Terrorism Act. Thunberg, 22, was holding a sign reading: “I... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337538/swedish-activist-greta-thunberg-arrested-uk-pro-palestinian-protest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3337538/swedish-activist-greta-thunberg-arrested-uk-pro-palestinian-protest?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 Dec 2025 13:52:32 +0000 Junjie Wang Junjie Wang Subscribers: The Daily Pulse won’t be published December 24-26. We resume publication on Monday, December 29. Merry Christmas! As 2025 comes to a close, SCMP Plus is looking back at the year’s highlights, starting with the 10 most read editions of Daily Pulse, our five-times-a-week briefing about the key China-related issue of the day. #10 US-China talks | Europe win on rare earths | Politburo (July 25) The gist: The US and China were readying for a third round of trade talks in Stockholm to... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335772/10-most-read-daily-pulse-briefings-2025?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3335772/10-most-read-daily-pulse-briefings-2025?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Dec 2025 09:00:10 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma George Yeo is a visiting scholar at the National University of Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy. He started his career in the military before entering politics in 1988. During his 23 years with the Singaporean government, Yeo held ministerial portfolios ranging from arts to health, trade and – for seven years – foreign affairs. After he left politics, Yeo was vice-chairman of Kerry Group in Hong Kong from 2012 to 2021 and chairman and executive director of its logistics arm from... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337074/george-yeo-superpower-headaches-and-why-us-dollar-could-crack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3337074/george-yeo-superpower-headaches-and-why-us-dollar-could-crack?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Dec 2025 22:00:17 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran As Australia’s new restrictions on social media use by children under 16 take effect this month, governments across Southeast Asia are rolling out or weighing their own measures aimed at protecting young users online. From platform licensing rules in Malaysia to age-based access limits in Indonesia, the moves reflect a broader global push to rein in tech companies over child safety, cyberbullying and harmful content. But analysts say such policies can also open the door to wider regulatory... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3336820/southeast-asia-follows-australia-tightening-social-media-rules-safety-or-censorship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3336820/southeast-asia-follows-australia-tightening-social-media-rules-safety-or-censorship?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 00:00:24 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele As the holiday season approaches in the United States, the rush for Christmas gifts is straining manufacturers thousands of kilometres away in Southeast Asia, where supply chain shocks triggered by US tariffs are hitting exports of everything from mittens and headphones to toys. Manufacturers have spent much of the past year trying to adapt to the tariffs, which have driven up production and logistics costs while also disrupting delivery schedules. Now, the seasonal demand spike has only served... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3336255/trumps-tariffs-southeast-asia-put-us-christmas-gifts-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3336255/trumps-tariffs-southeast-asia-put-us-christmas-gifts-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:14 +0000 Maria Siow Maria Siow Washington’s latest national security blueprint may be one of its most consequential in years, yet it barely mentions Southeast Asia. Analysts say that absence speaks volumes, signalling a narrowing of American priorities that risks turning the region into a “bargaining chip” in the US-China rivalry. The National Security Strategy published by the White House on December 4 presents the Trump administration’s vision for restoring “American economic independence”, alongside preventing conflict in... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336256/southeast-asia-barely-features-americas-new-security-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3336256/southeast-asia-barely-features-americas-new-security-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 04:00:10 +0000 Meredith Chen Meredith Chen Mary Roettger was just one of millions of Americans seeking a social media life raft when she warily logged onto China’s RedNote platform for the first time in January. As fears loomed over a threatened US ban on TikTok, the Florida writer braced for a clumsy, spam-filled experience full of “negative people”. Instead, she was struck by a starkly different culture. Roettger was “blown away with the amount of tenderness and excitement” of the online community suddenly before her. “That was new,”... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335401/soft-power-hard-work-can-china-harness-social-media-apps-rewire-its-global-image?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3335401/soft-power-hard-work-can-china-harness-social-media-apps-rewire-its-global-image?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 03:10:47 +0000 Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Aidan Jones,Ushar Daniele,Iman Muttaqin Yusof Daniel Ho’s clients want the best money can buy: branded residences and glass-wrapped penthouses complete with panoramic views and high-rise parking spots fit for supercars in the elite enclaves of Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Manila. A world away, or so it seems, mid-level asset manager Charoen Kijvekin sees a very different reality playing out. His clients are debt-stricken Thais trying to claw back repossessed homes from auction and families on the bottom rung of the property ladder... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3336254/southeast-asias-rich-buy-sky-garages-while-middle-class-lose-their-homes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3336254/southeast-asias-rich-buy-sky-garages-while-middle-class-lose-their-homes?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Dec 2025 01:30:14 +0000 Enoch Yiu Enoch Yiu Hong Kong will need to attract global champion firms across different sectors to raise funds to strengthen the city’s role as an international financial centre over the next 10 years, according to a concept paper issued by the Financial Services Development Council (FSDC) on Friday. “Global markets do not stand still,” said Benjamin Hung Pi-cheng, chairman of the FSDC, at a media briefing where the council outlined a wide range of ideas to bring the city’s capital market to the next level. “Hong... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3336228/hong-kong-needs-attract-global-champions-broaden-fundraising-base-fsdc?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3336228/hong-kong-needs-attract-global-champions-broaden-fundraising-base-fsdc?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Dec 2025 09:30:12 +0000 Mia Nurmamat Mia Nurmamat With their domestic profits narrowing and production capacity expanding, China’s firms are continuing to widen their overseas footprints in search of new, more lucrative markets. In this series, we examine China Inc.’s next phase of “going global” and the complex, challenging international environment its companies have chosen to enter. The “Made in China” label has evolved considerably in recent decades. Mostly found affixed to low-cost goods of relative simplicity in China’s early years as a... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3333074/chinas-companies-become-industry-leaders-where-world-are-they-going?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3333074/chinas-companies-become-industry-leaders-where-world-are-they-going?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Dec 2025 07:52:55 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng With their domestic profits narrowing and production capacity expanding, China’s firms are continuing to widen their overseas footprints in search of new, more lucrative markets. In this series, we examine China Inc.’s next phase of “going global” and the complex, challenging international environment its companies have chosen to enter. The emergence of Chinese companies onto the global stage has been one of the most important business stories of the past 50 years. From engineering contractors... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335005/railways-labubus-chinas-businesses-and-their-50-year-journey-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3335005/railways-labubus-chinas-businesses-and-their-50-year-journey-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Dec 2025 05:01:12 +0000