https://www.scmp.com/rss/519180/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Daniel Ren Daniel Ren Chinese self-driving technology firm Pony AI plans to launch robotaxi services with partners Uber Technologies and Verne in Zagreb, Croatia, spearheading commercialisation of autonomous cabs in Europe amid an accelerated go-global drive. The three companies aimed to operate a fleet of thousands of robotaxis in various European cities over the next few years after achieving consistent performance and safety, Guangzhou-based Pony said on Thursday. Neither the starting date for the service nor the... https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348026/chinas-pony-ai-launch-robotaxi-service-europe-uber-local-start?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3348026/chinas-pony-ai-launch-robotaxi-service-europe-uber-local-start?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 11:31:20 +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 Serbia’s president confirmed late on Thursday that his country possesses Chinese supersonic surface-attack cruise missiles, after photos of the weapons attached to Serbian fighter jets leaked online. Photos, which began circulating on social media and defence blogs earlier this week, showed missiles believed to be Chinese-made CM-400AKG cruise missiles attached to Serbia’s Russian-made MiG-29 planes. “We have things we do not show,” President Aleksandar Vucic told Serbia’s national broadcaster... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346420/serbian-president-confirms-his-country-owns-chinese-supersonic-missiles-after-photo-leak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346420/serbian-president-confirms-his-country-owns-chinese-supersonic-missiles-after-photo-leak?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 22:47:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The presidents of Argentina and Romania said on Sunday they have been invited to attend the inaugural meeting of US President Donald Trump’s controversial “Board of Peace” in Washington on February 19. Originally designed by Trump as a mechanism to oversee the Gaza truce and post-war reconstruction, the board’s mandate has since expanded, prompting concerns among critics that it could evolve into a rival to the United Nations. Writing on his Facebook page, Romania’s President Nicusor Dan said... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342854/romania-argentina-leaders-invited-trumps-board-peace-meeting-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3342854/romania-argentina-leaders-invited-trumps-board-peace-meeting-us?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2026 19:29:27 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings A member-driven organisation representing European business interests in China is urging policymakers to seize the opportunity – while forming the nation’s next five-year plan – to rebalance the economic-development model and strike at the heart of cutthroat price competition that hurts both foreign and domestic firms. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China, which has more than 1,600 member companies, recommends in its latest position paper that China should use its 2026-2030 plan to... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325859/eu-chamber-china-flags-manufacturing-maladies-urging-course-correction-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3325859/eu-chamber-china-flags-manufacturing-maladies-urging-course-correction-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:01:04 +0000 Mark Magnier,Finbarr Bermingham,Khushboo Razdan Mark Magnier,Finbarr Bermingham,Khushboo Razdan US and European leaders reacted with veneration, concern and stiffened resolve on Wednesday to China’s epic military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Over 25 foreign leaders – including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un – joined Chinese President Xi Jinping at the showcase event marked by intimidating weaponry and choreographed troop manoeuvres. “I thought it was very, very impressive, but I understood the reason they were doing... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3324250/western-leaders-parse-china-military-parade-displaying-authoritarian-strength?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3324250/western-leaders-parse-china-military-parade-displaying-authoritarian-strength?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 03 Sep 2025 20:21:26 +0000 Reuters Reuters Firefighters across Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey and the Balkans were battling wildfires on Tuesday with another heatwave pushing temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) across parts of Europe. Global warming is giving the Mediterranean region hotter, drier summers, scientists say, with wildfires surging each year and sometimes whipping up into “whirls”. “We are being cooked alive, this cannot continue,” said a mayor in Portugal, Alexandre Favaios, as three fires... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3321622/europes-out-control-wildfires-hit-tourism-spots-forests-were-being-cooked-alive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3321622/europes-out-control-wildfires-hit-tourism-spots-forests-were-being-cooked-alive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 13:03:05 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A hugely popular right-wing Croatian singer and hundreds of thousands of his fans performed a pro-Nazi World War II salute at a massive concert in Zagreb, drawing criticism. One of Marko Perkovic’s most popular songs, played in the late Saturday concert, starts with the dreaded “For the homeland – Ready!” salute, used by Croatia’s Nazi-era puppet Ustasha regime that ran concentration camps at the time. Perkovic, whose stage name is Thompson after a US-made machine gun, had previously said both... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3317155/right-wing-croatian-singer-performs-pro-nazi-salute-fans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3317155/right-wing-croatian-singer-performs-pro-nazi-salute-fans?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Jul 2025 13:31:45 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press When the scaffolding came down inside an unassuming hilltop church, it revealed a raging storm of biblical proportions. A wide-eyed Moses holds the Ten Commandments aloft in righteous fury, ready to shatter the tablets when his followers abandon God for a golden calf. Lightning sizzles and a tornado surges in the background. The late artist Maxo Vanka created the mural in 1941, based on a scene from the Book of Exodus. It is one of 25 that cover the walls and ceilings of St Nicholas Croatian... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3313791/furious-moses-callous-tycoon-battlefield-madonna-pittsburgh-church-murals-revived?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts/article/3313791/furious-moses-callous-tycoon-battlefield-madonna-pittsburgh-church-murals-revived?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Jun 2025 20:15:08 +0000 Laura Zhou Laura Zhou A group of ambassadors in Beijing has called for an overhaul of the world’s multilateralism systems to tackle the political and economic chaos unleashed by US President Donald Trump. “The world doesn’t need another trade war. The world doesn’t need more geopolitical conflicts,” Jorge Toledo, the EU’s ambassador to China, said in Beijing on Friday. “We have a special responsibility in the European Union and in China to stabilise, rebalance and improve our relationships, and not to add more... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3311616/diplomats-call-renewed-world-order-confront-trump-tariff-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3311616/diplomats-call-renewed-world-order-confront-trump-tariff-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 May 2025 14:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse East met West and often went for cocktails in Zagreb’s Hotel Esplanade. The most glamorous and storied hotel in the Balkans has just celebrated its 100th birthday and is still packing in the stars, from Shakira to David Beckham. Richard Nixon and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev were both guests in its heyday, and a galaxy of Hollywood legends – from Elizabeth Taylor to Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock – crossed the Iron Curtain to hang out in its art deco bar. Others came to gamble in its... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3308674/hotel-esplanade-zagrebs-century-famous-guests-david-beckham-richard-nixon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3308674/hotel-esplanade-zagrebs-century-famous-guests-david-beckham-richard-nixon?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 03 May 2025 09:15:08 +0000 A new museum of laughter is offering to put people through the spinner to wash away the negativity of modern life. Visitors to the HaHaHouse in the Croatian capital Zagreb are blasted with a puff of white smoke once they step inside to blow away their worries before climbing into a “giant washing machine”. The “centrifuge of life” then whips them away, Willy Wonka-style, down a twisting slide into a pool filled with little white balls where their journey to a happier place starts. Its creator,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3298309/healing-power-laughter-was-spark-museum-thats-filled-it?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3298309/healing-power-laughter-was-spark-museum-thats-filled-it?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Feb 2025 01:45:07 +0000 In 2005, Aziz Abu Sarah – a Palestinian then living in east Jerusalem – met a Jewish friend who was visiting Israel from the United States. Although it was the tail end of his tour, his friend had not met any Muslims or Arabs on his trip, and he was harbouring anti-Palestinian views. “He was so one-sided, even though he knew me,” Abu Sarah says. It was a revelation that planted the seed for Mejdi Tours, a tour operator intended to bridge the divide between two populations at odds with each... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3298550/how-dual-narrative-peace-tourism-tours-take-travellers-deep-complex-relationships?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3298550/how-dual-narrative-peace-tourism-tours-take-travellers-deep-complex-relationships?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Feb 2025 20:15:07 +0000 Croatian Deputy Prime Minister Josip Dabro, a leading member of a nationalist hard-right party, resigned on Saturday after a video surfaced of him shooting at random from a moving car. The incident is the latest to trouble the government of conservative Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic, whose health minister, Vili Bros, was dismissed in November to face a corruption probe. “I hereby submit my irrevocable resignation,” Dabro posted on social media. The 42-year-old was also agriculture minister in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3295350/croatias-deputy-pm-josip-dabro-quits-over-video-him-firing-gun-moving-car?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3295350/croatias-deputy-pm-josip-dabro-quits-over-video-him-firing-gun-moving-car?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Jan 2025 22:23:05 +0000 Croatia’s opposition-backed President Zoran Milanovic, a critic of the European Union and Nato, overwhelmingly won re-election for another five-year term on Sunday, defeating a candidate from the ruling conservative party in a run-off vote, official results showed. Milanovic won more than 74 per cent of the vote compared to his challenger Dragan Primorac, who received nearly 26 per cent, according to the results released by Croatia’s state election authorities after more than 99 per cent of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3294440/croatias-president-favoured-win-run-amid-eu-and-nato-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3294440/croatias-president-favoured-win-run-amid-eu-and-nato-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jan 2025 12:04:10 +0000 Croatia’s incumbent President Zoran Milanovic looks set to win a second term in office according to an early election tally. With 63 per cent of all votes counted on Sunday evening, the former social democrat Milanovic was clearly ahead with 50.1 per cent. His challenger Dragan Primorac, who is supported by the conservative ruling party HDZ, had meanwhile collected 21.8 per cent of the vote. Post-election polls suggested an even clearer lead. According to figures from the public broadcaster HTR,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3292688/croatian-incumbent-milanovic-headed-election-victory-early-results-indicate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3292688/croatian-incumbent-milanovic-headed-election-victory-early-results-indicate?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Dec 2024 21:11:29 +0000 A knife-wielding teenager walked into a school in Croatia’s capital on Friday, stabbed a seven-year-old girl to death and wounded three more children and their teacher, authorities said. The attack took place around 9.50am on the last day of school before Christmas at the Precko Elementary School in the Zagreb neighbourhood of the same name. It caters for children between the ages of 7 and 15. “The attacker is a 19-year-old who is a former student of that school and still lives nearby,” said... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3291801/teen-stabs-7-year-old-death-wounds-teacher-and-3-more-children-croatian-school?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3291801/teen-stabs-7-year-old-death-wounds-teacher-and-3-more-children-croatian-school?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Dec 2024 17:22:16 +0000 The numbers of foreign visitors flocking to China are rapidly beginning to resemble levels from before the pandemic. The welcome revival has without a doubt been supported by Beijing’s decisions to liberally grant visa-free access to an ever increasing number of countries. Such arrangements for visa-free access were once secured through lengthy bilateral negotiations. No longer. On Saturday, another four nations – Japan, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania – were added to the scheme, with their... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3289572/china-benefits-all-fronts-visitors-soar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3289572/china-benefits-all-fronts-visitors-soar?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Dec 2024 15:55:55 +0000 Croatia is set to become the latest European country to tackle a tourism-related housing price crunch, although some property owners fear the proposed legislation will affect business. A package of draft laws was approved in the Croatian parliament last week, but the final nationwide legislation will only be passed after wider discussion and likely amendments. Cities from Malaga and Barcelona in Spain to Athens, Greece, and Budapest in Hungary have clamped down on short-term rentals to alleviate... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3287542/croatia-latest-nation-consider-restricting-short-term-tourist-rentals?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3287542/croatia-latest-nation-consider-restricting-short-term-tourist-rentals?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 23 Nov 2024 05:15:06 +0000 The lawmaker in charge of sport in Hong Kong has pledged to provide “any assistance” the city’s Olympic delegation needs in Paris, but warned that athletes and officials could be judged on their performances at the Games. While Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung stopped short of suggesting there would be financial penalties for poor results, he reiterated the government stance that the city’s national sports associations were being asked to “continually improve their... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/hong-kong/article/3271916/paris-olympics-hong-kong-delegation-will-get-any-assistance-it-needs-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/hong-kong/article/3271916/paris-olympics-hong-kong-delegation-will-get-any-assistance-it-needs-games?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 Jul 2024 15:00:08 +0000 Much-travelled Lulu Sun has taken a circuitous route to arrive in the fourth round of Wimbledon and become the first New Zealand woman to go that far since 1959. Qualifier Sun extended her dream run at the All England Club on Friday as she beat China’s Zhu Lin 7-6, 7-6 to set up a clash with British favourite Emma Raducanu. She will be the huge underdog against the former US Open champion and will have to contend with a partisan Centre Court crowd, but the 23-year-old appears unfazed. “I wasn’t... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3269423/sun-continues-rise-wimbledon-where-emma-raducanu-awaits-fourth-round?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3269423/sun-continues-rise-wimbledon-where-emma-raducanu-awaits-fourth-round?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 06 Jul 2024 05:00:08 +0000 Kylian Mbappé and France’s attack might be misfiring, but an outstanding defence has helped carry them to the quarter-finals of Euro 2024. Les Bleus have scored only three times in four games so far at the European Championship, once from a penalty by Mbappe and twice via opposition defenders, including Jan Vertonghen’s own goal which sealed a 1-0 win over Belgium in the last 16. However, France kept a third clean sheet in a tournament in which they have let in a solitary goal: a penalty by... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3268863/euro-2024-kylian-mbappe-france-misfiring-germany-defence-key-quarter-final-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3268863/euro-2024-kylian-mbappe-france-misfiring-germany-defence-key-quarter-final-run?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 02 Jul 2024 09:30:08 +0000 China will go into the next phase of Asia’s qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup with head coach Branko Ivankovic pledging they will not be pushovers, despite facing regional heavyweights Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia. The Chinese kept dreams of a place in Canada, Mexico and the United States alive by the narrowest of margins when the previous round concluded earlier this month, advancing ahead of Thailand with a better head-to-head record over the Southeast Asians. Ivankovic’s appointment led... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3268553/underdogs-china-will-not-be-bullied-world-cup-qualifying-rivals-vows-coach-ivankovic?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3268553/underdogs-china-will-not-be-bullied-world-cup-qualifying-rivals-vows-coach-ivankovic?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Jun 2024 04:00:28 +0000 Italian police said on Wednesday that they have busted a Chinese trafficking network that used luxury cars to smuggle Chinese migrants into Italy, before confiscating their passports and treating them like slaves. The smugglers had the migrants pose as “unsuspecting Asian citizens, well-dressed, with little luggage, travelling in powerful and expensive cars, driven by Chinese citizens who had lived in Italy for years and spoke Italian”, police said in a statement. Investigators were alerted to a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3268182/chinese-migrants-smuggled-italy-luxury-cars-and-exploited-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3268182/chinese-migrants-smuggled-italy-luxury-cars-and-exploited-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Jun 2024 18:24:56 +0000 India’s football federation has accused Igor Stimac of using an astrologer to pick players after sacking him as coach following their World Cup qualifying failure. The former West Ham and Croatia defender had a turbulent relationship with the All India Football Federation (AIFF) during his five years in charge. Defeat by Qatar earlier this month ended India’s dreams of reaching the third round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and his contract was terminated last week. In his final... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267980/indian-fa-accuse-sacked-igor-stimac-using-astrologer-pick-players?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267980/indian-fa-accuse-sacked-igor-stimac-using-astrologer-pick-players?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 25 Jun 2024 09:30:17 +0000 Mattia Zaccagni’s superb last-gasp strike fired Italy into the Euro 2024 knockouts with a 1-1 draw against Croatia in a fraught Group B clash on Monday. Italy progress in second place behind winners Spain and will face Switzerland in the last 16, while Croatia are on the verge of elimination but could still progress depending on other results later in the week. With only two points it is unlikely Zlatko Dalic’s side will qualify as one of the four best third-place teams but it is still... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267891/euro-2024-zaccagni-rescues-italy-last-gasp-strike-leaving-croatia-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267891/euro-2024-zaccagni-rescues-italy-last-gasp-strike-leaving-croatia-limbo?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Jun 2024 22:02:09 +0000 A stoppage-time header from Niclas Fullkrug rescued a 1-1 draw for Germany against Switzerland on Sunday in Frankfurt, ensuring the Euro 2024 hosts finish top of Group A. The Swiss took the lead when Dan Ndoye scored from close range after 28 minutes to stun the home side. Germany took a series of risks late in the hope of an equaliser and veteran striker Fullkrug delivered, heading home in the second minute of stoppage time. The result means Switzerland, rather than Germany, face a tougher... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267745/euro-2024-last-gasp-fuellkrug-goal-rescues-top-spot-euro-hosts-germany?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267745/euro-2024-last-gasp-fuellkrug-goal-rescues-top-spot-euro-hosts-germany?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Jun 2024 22:25:27 +0000 Spain qualified for the last 16 of Euro 2024 with a match to spare on Thursday after beating Italy 1-0 in a dominant display which ensured that La Roja would go through as Group B winners. Riccardo Calafiori’s own goal nine minutes after half-time was the difference between the two sides at Gelsenkirchen in the biggest match to date at the tournament in Germany. But the slender margin of victory did not reflect a statement performance from Spain who completely nullified Italy and should have had... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267436/euro-2024-dominant-spain-brush-past-italy-1-0-qualify-last-16-match-spare?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267436/euro-2024-dominant-spain-brush-past-italy-1-0-qualify-last-16-match-spare?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2024 21:35:27 +0000 Manager Dragan Stojkovic praised Serbia’s persistent attacks and shots on goal which earned a last-gasp equaliser in their Euro 2024 Group C clash against Slovenia on Thursday and kept their tournament hopes alive. A header by substitute Luka Jovic deep into added time cancelled out right back Zan Karnicnik’s 69th-minute opener for Slovenia, in a fluctuating game in which Serbia had 15 attempts on goal. “We do not give up, we believe all the way to the end and the result came as a reward for... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267430/euro-2024-serbia-rewarded-never-say-die-attitude-1-1-clash-slovenia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267430/euro-2024-serbia-rewarded-never-say-die-attitude-1-1-clash-slovenia?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2024 19:16:22 +0000 Hosts Germany became the first team through to the knockout stages following their 2-0 victory over Hungary on day six at Euro 2024. Meanwhile, Croatia’s hopes of reaching the last-16 took a hit as they were held to a 2-2 draw against Albania, but Scotland’s dreams are still just about intact after they drew 1-1 with Switzerland. Germany’s clash with Hungary was considered somewhat of a banana skin for the hosts, as Julian Nagelsmann’s side had failed to beat them when they met at Euro 2020 and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267305/euro-2024-germany-though-scotland-still-alive-croatia-albania-play-out-thrilling-draw?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267305/euro-2024-germany-though-scotland-still-alive-croatia-albania-play-out-thrilling-draw?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Jun 2024 02:08:46 +0000 Spain are hoping the “exceptional” Fabian Ruiz can again be the difference-maker when they look to build on an impressive win against Croatia in their second Euro 2024 outing against Italy on Thursday. The meeting between the reigning European champions and the three-time winners of the competition in Gelsenkirchen is the stand-out tie of the opening round at the tournament. Top spot in Group B, and a theoretically easier last-16 draw, is at stake as the two sides aim to build on victories in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267196/euro-2024-fabian-ruiz-ready-play-starring-role-again-spain-against-holders-italy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3267196/euro-2024-fabian-ruiz-ready-play-starring-role-again-spain-against-holders-italy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 19 Jun 2024 14:00:09 +0000 EU leaders punted their final decision on the bloc’s top jobs to an end-of-June summit Monday, but the contours of a deal returning Ursula von der Leyen as European Commission chief were apparent following their talks in Brussels. Briefing reporters afterwards, European Council president Charles Michel insisted the leaders’ dinner was never intended to seal a final deal on the EU’s top three jobs – heading the commission, chairing summits, and stewarding the bloc’s diplomacy. “It was a good... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3266993/ursula-von-der-leyen-tipped-nod-eu-leaders-haggle-over-top-jobs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3266993/ursula-von-der-leyen-tipped-nod-eu-leaders-haggle-over-top-jobs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jun 2024 20:49:57 +0000 Mainland Chinese football experts have suggested China stick with their defensive and counter-attacking approach if they are to stand a chance of avoiding elimination in the next round of 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers. Despite losing 1-0 to South Korea in Seoul last Tuesday, China scraped into the third round of the Asian qualifiers after Thailand failed to beat Singapore by the required three-goal margin in Bangkok later that night. Level on every metric with Thailand after six group matches,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3266893/how-china-can-reach-2026-fifa-world-cup-according-football-commentator-zhan-jun?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/china/article/3266893/how-china-can-reach-2026-fifa-world-cup-according-football-commentator-zhan-jun?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Jun 2024 08:30:19 +0000 England’s attacking arsenal sees them start Euro 2024 as the bookmakers’ favourites to end a wait since 1966 to win a major tournament, but some doubts persist over the Three Lions ahead of their opener against Serbia. Gareth Southgate’s men have won just one of their past five matches – a run that includes a 1-1 draw with North Macedonia and a shock 1-0 home defeat to Iceland in their final warm-up match before flying out to Germany. England are still expected to cruise through a group that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266764/euro-2024-england-aim-dispel-defensive-doubts-against-tricky-serbia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266764/euro-2024-england-aim-dispel-defensive-doubts-against-tricky-serbia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jun 2024 06:30:53 +0000 Italy made the worst possible start to their European Championship title defence by conceding after just 23 seconds against Albania but stormed back to take the victory. The Azzurri recovered from letting in the quickest goal in the tournament’s 64-year history to win 2-1 in Dortmund in an atmospheric Adriatic derby that immediately threatened an upset. Nedim Bajrami thrilled a heavily pro-Albanian crowd at Westfalenstadion by pouncing on a throw-in by Italy left back Federico Dimarco that... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266783/euro-2024-italy-concede-record-early-goal-bounce-back-beat-albania-opening-game?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266783/euro-2024-italy-concede-record-early-goal-bounce-back-beat-albania-opening-game?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jun 2024 03:03:04 +0000 Spain made a dream start to Euro 2024 on Saturday by beating Croatia 3-0 in Berlin, with Lamine Yamal becoming the youngest player in the competition’s history The three-time European champions tore apart a disappointing Croatia at the Olympiastadion in the German capital, with Alvaro Morata breaking the deadlock just before the half-hour mark. Fabian Ruiz soon made it 2-0 and Dani Carvajal got the third goal just before the interval as Spain seized control of a difficult Group B which also... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266782/euro-2024-slick-spain-hammer-croatia-barcelonas-lamine-yamal-youngest-history?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266782/euro-2024-slick-spain-hammer-croatia-barcelonas-lamine-yamal-youngest-history?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Jun 2024 02:49:26 +0000 Italy kick off their European Championship title defence against Albania on Saturday as a new-look team tries to rebuild the reputation of one of the world’s most important football nations. Luciano Spalletti’s Italy take on Albania in Dortmund in the first of three clashes in a fiendishly difficult Group B, which also contains Spain and Croatia. And those two later fixtures make Saturday’s game hugely important, as with the four best third-place finishers in the six groups reaching the knockout... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266682/moment-truth-underrated-italy-euros-title-defence-begins-against-minnows-albania?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266682/moment-truth-underrated-italy-euros-title-defence-begins-against-minnows-albania?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 14 Jun 2024 21:00:21 +0000 Two clubs in mainland China, and reigning Major League Soccer champions Columbus Crew, have joined the chase for Hong Kong’s free-agent striker Michael Udebuluzor. The 20-year-old Udebuluzor’s contract with German club Ingolstadt 04 expires on June 30. Back in March, Udebuluzor told the Post he was in a “toxic relationship” with Ingolstadt after “a lot of things changed” following his 2021 arrival. Udebuluzor, who is in Turkmenistan for a World Cup qualifier with the Hong Kong representative... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266040/transfer-news-hong-kong-striker-michael-udebuluzor-target-clubs-china-mls-free?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3266040/transfer-news-hong-kong-striker-michael-udebuluzor-target-clubs-china-mls-free?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Jun 2024 04:00:15 +0000 China’s 2026 Fifa World Cup exploits could be as good as over if they fail to beat Thailand in a crucial “six-pointer” qualifier on Thursday. However, should China prevail at Shenyang Olympic Sports Centre, they would progress to the third qualification round before their final game against South Korea at the Seoul World Cup Stadium next Tuesday. The men’s national side currently sit second in Group C in the Asian section of World Cup qualification with seven points, three points behind leaders... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265475/china-vow-aggressive-offensive-approach-crucial-world-cup-qualifier-against-thailand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265475/china-vow-aggressive-offensive-approach-crucial-world-cup-qualifier-against-thailand?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Jun 2024 02:00:14 +0000 Defending champions Italy come into Euro 2024 without the weight of the favourites tag hanging over them but in major tournaments they can never be written off, if they can progress from a challenging group. Italy went into Euro 2020 having failed to qualify for the previous World Cup, and they come into this year’s tournament in the same situation, but under Luciano Spalletti they are ready to put the past behind them in a bid to repeat the glory days. Unlike last time when they strolled... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265499/euro-2024-italy-unfancied-after-world-cup-look-repeat-2021-wembley-triumph?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265499/euro-2024-italy-unfancied-after-world-cup-look-repeat-2021-wembley-triumph?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jun 2024 12:00:14 +0000 Spain will arrive in Germany for Euro 2024 looking to re-establish themselves as major title contenders while hoping to tune out the noise after months of controversy surrounding the country’s scandal-ridden federation (RFEF). As they brace for the challenge of a tough Group B alongside Croatia, European champions Italy and surprise package Albania, Spain manager Luis de la Fuente and his players have had to deal with the furore swirling around the RFEF. With a corruption investigation under way... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265357/euro-2024-three-time-winners-spain-aiming-glory-after-difficult-period-major-tournaments-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265357/euro-2024-three-time-winners-spain-aiming-glory-after-difficult-period-major-tournaments-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 04 Jun 2024 15:59:08 +0000 This month marks the start of Euro 2024, the main tournament for Europe’s international sides. A 12-month delay because of the coronavirus pandemic meant fans have only had to wait three years since the last tournament in 2021. On that occasion, it was a first-ever pan-European event, with several major cities across the continent staging matches. However, we have returned to tradition with just one host this time. So, with less than two weeks to go until kick-off, here’s everything you need... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265197/when-euro-2024-where-can-i-watch-it-who-can-stop-france-england-all-you-need-know-about-summer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265197/when-euro-2024-where-can-i-watch-it-who-can-stop-france-england-all-you-need-know-about-summer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jun 2024 14:00:17 +0000 Atalanta defender Giorgio Scalvini is out of Italy’s European Championship title defence with a knee-ligament tear, the country’s football federation confirmed on Monday. Scalvini will sit out the Euros after being injured during Atalanta’s defeat on Sunday to Fiorentina, the final match of the Serie A season that had been postponed in March. “The tests he underwent last night showed a tear to the anterior cruciate ligament of his left knee,” said the FIGC in a statement. Scalvini, who is the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265204/euro-2024-italy-hit-major-blow-atalantas-europa-league-hero-giorgio-scalvini-suffers-serious-knee?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3265204/euro-2024-italy-hit-major-blow-atalantas-europa-league-hero-giorgio-scalvini-suffers-serious-knee?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jun 2024 10:15:31 +0000 Zhang Zhilei put an exclamation point on a night of fights between Queensberry Promotions and Matchroom boxing by knocking out American Deontay Wilder, and likely ending the former heavyweight champion’s career in the process. The pair’s bout was the last on the 5 v 5 card in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, in an event that pitched fighters promoted by Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom and Frank Warren’s Queensberry. Warren’s stable produced a clean sweep of wins, taking the US$3 million prize in the process. In... https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3265057/zhang-zhilei-knocks-out-deontay-wilder-heavyweight-clash-puts-exclamation-point-5v5-clean-sweep?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/boxing/article/3265057/zhang-zhilei-knocks-out-deontay-wilder-heavyweight-clash-puts-exclamation-point-5v5-clean-sweep?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Jun 2024 04:58:20 +0000 Premier League winning manager Claudio Ranieri has called time on his career at club level after keeping Cagliari in Serie A, but has left the door open to working with an international side. Famous for leading Leicester City to a fairy-tale Premier League title in 2015-16, the Italian, 72, performed another “miracle” by avoiding relegation with the Sardinian side. Ranieri led Cagliari to promotion last season with a winner in the 94th minute of the Serie B play-offs and then unexpectedly kept... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3263978/premier-league-winner-claudio-ranieri-retires-club-management-while-olivier-giroud-gets-set-end?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3263978/premier-league-winner-claudio-ranieri-retires-club-management-while-olivier-giroud-gets-set-end?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 May 2024 10:30:10 +0000 Superyachts have become the go-to status symbol for the ultra wealthy, providing highly secluded leisure and networking sites. They are – even more so than property – the single most expensive asset you can own. While many tech billionaires have bought yachts, the richest of the rich, like Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg and Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, have gone even bigger. Their boats are virtual palaces at sea, decked out with amenities like gyms, spas, pools, nightclubs and... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3263975/9-largest-yachts-owned-tech-billionaires-ranked-jeff-bezos-kuro-where-he-got-engaged-lauren-sanchez?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3263975/9-largest-yachts-owned-tech-billionaires-ranked-jeff-bezos-kuro-where-he-got-engaged-lauren-sanchez?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 May 2024 10:00:19 +0000 Tributes poured in from football’s elite as India captain Sunil Chhetri announced on Thursday he would retire from international football, ending a record-breaking career for his country spanning two decades. The attacker has hit 94 goals in 150 appearances for India, behind only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the list of active men’s international goalscorers. He is also India’s most-capped player. In a video message on social media platform X, Chhetri said the 2026 World Cup qualifier... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3262944/cristiano-ronaldo-lionel-messi-sunil-chhetri-india-captain-international-footballs-third-highest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3262944/cristiano-ronaldo-lionel-messi-sunil-chhetri-india-captain-international-footballs-third-highest?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 May 2024 10:28:56 +0000 Hong Kong will play a football international in Europe for the first time, after the city’s chiefs confirmed a friendly date with Liechtenstein on October 10. The pioneering fixture at the 7,000-capacity Rheinpark Stadion was the idea of head coach Jorn Andersen, who said facing unfamiliar opposition would allow Hong Kong to “learn about different playing styles”. Andersen said Hong Kong would return to Asia for their second friendly fixture in October’s Fifa window, which provides a final... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3262598/liechtenstein-host-hong-kong-citys-first-ever-football-match-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3262598/liechtenstein-host-hong-kong-citys-first-ever-football-match-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 May 2024 05:54:14 +0000 Switzerland on Saturday won the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Swedish host city Malmo, beating runner-up Croatia, after having been among bookmakers’ top-three to win the competition. Billed as a feel-good celebration of European diversity, this year’s contest has been thrust into the political spotlight with calls for Israel to be excluded over its military campaign in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’ deadly attack on October 7 in Israel. Swiss rapper and singer Nemo, 24, won the contest with The... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3262346/switzerland-wins-eurovision-israel-gaza-war-casts-shadow-over-contest?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3262346/switzerland-wins-eurovision-israel-gaza-war-casts-shadow-over-contest?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 May 2024 23:21:05 +0000 Dutch contestant Joost Klein has been expelled from Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest final after a complaint by a member of the production crew, organisers have said, adding to the headaches for host Sweden as it also grapples with anti-Israel protests. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) said on Friday it was investigating an “incident” involving Klein, 26, whose quirky song “Europapa” had made him one of the favourites. The 68th version of the contest, normally a festival of catchy songs... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3262323/dutch-contestant-joost-klein-expelled-eurovision-final-amid-anti-israel-protests?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3262323/dutch-contestant-joost-klein-expelled-eurovision-final-amid-anti-israel-protests?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 May 2024 11:51:14 +0000