https://www.scmp.com/rss/519398/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Reuters Reuters European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Sunday she felt that EU governments were not ready to give Ukraine a date for membership despite a demand to do so from ‌President Volodymyr Zelensky. Zelensky repeated on Saturday that he needed a date as part of security guarantees for a final peace package with Russia. “My feeling is that the member states are not ready to give a concrete date,” Kallas told a panel at the Munich Security Conference. “There’s a lot of work to be... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343638/eu-not-ready-give-ukraine-date-membership-says-blocs-foreign-policy-chief-kallas?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343638/eu-not-ready-give-ukraine-date-membership-says-blocs-foreign-policy-chief-kallas?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 12:49:25 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Flight routes between Europe and China are suddenly crowded with prime ministers and presidents, giving the impression of a continent pivoting eastward. A flurry that began late last year with visits to Beijing by the Spanish king and French president has continued with leaders of Britain, Ireland and Finland, with Germany’s chancellor to follow next month. The frenzied outreach comes with the transatlantic relationship on the rocks. US President Donald Trump’s designs on Greenland have even... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341938/full-pivot-or-anxious-hedge-europes-leaders-flock-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3341938/full-pivot-or-anxious-hedge-europes-leaders-flock-china?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 10:00:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump stole the show at the World Economic Forum in Davos, but he may have also made the annual gabfest of the global elite relevant again – at least for a week. The relevance of the gathering of CEOs and political leaders in the Swiss Alps is regularly questioned by critics who deride it as an out-of-touch echo chamber where little gets done. But all eyes were on this year’s Davos as Trump barrelled into town with a geopolitical storm hanging over the picturesque ski resort,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341046/how-trump-stole-show-davos-and-revived-wef-never-been-more-relevant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341046/how-trump-stole-show-davos-and-revived-wef-never-been-more-relevant?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:42:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse It looked like a rock concert: hundreds of the world’s rich and powerful stood in a massive line for a precious seat to hear US President Donald Trump deliver his speech in the Swiss ski resort of Davos. After a two-hour wait, the doors to the World Economic Forum’s congress hall closed to the disappointment of many who had to scramble for spots in four overflow rooms to watch him on television screens. The exclusive crowd included executives of top companies, academics and politicians – even... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340738/huge-lines-laughs-and-gasps-trump-addresses-davos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340738/huge-lines-laughs-and-gasps-trump-addresses-davos?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:00:12 +0000 Sophie Wushuang Yi Sophie Wushuang Yi The Donald Trump administration is executing not merely a restructuring but a fundamental redefinition of American military purpose. The clearest evidence emerged in June, when the US president deployed 700 active-duty Marines to Los Angeles alongside 4,000 federalised National Guard troops to confront immigration enforcement protests – without California Governor Gavin Newsom’s consent. A federal judge subsequently ruled that this deployment violated the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3329870/retreating-globally-us-finds-new-arena-flex-power-home?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3329870/retreating-globally-us-finds-new-arena-flex-power-home?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:30:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters Alarmed by Russia’s vast military spending since its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the three Baltic states were drawing up contingency plans to deal with the possibility of hundreds of thousands of people fleeing a Russian troop build-up or attack. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have long voiced fears to fellow Nato states about possible Russian aggression, citing Russian cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns and incursions over the past few months by Russian fighter jets and drones. Russia has... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3328502/baltic-nations-planning-mass-evacuations-event-russian-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3328502/baltic-nations-planning-mass-evacuations-event-russian-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Oct 2025 06:45:33 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press British, Lithuanian and Latvian authorities have detained people on suspicion of carrying out intelligence-related activities on behalf of Russia in the latest of a string of incidents linked to Moscow by Western officials. The Metropolitan Police said on Thursday they arrested three people just east of London on suspicion of spying for Russia. On Wednesday, Lithuanian prosecutors said they uncovered and detained a Russia-linked network of suspects who are alleged to have planned and organised... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3326023/uk-police-arrest-3-spying-lithuania-eyes-russia-linked-sabotage-network?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3326023/uk-police-arrest-3-spying-lithuania-eyes-russia-linked-sabotage-network?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Sep 2025 11:55:34 +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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Russia and its key ally Belarus began major joint military drills early Friday, putting Nato on edge two days after Poland accused Moscow of escalating tensions by firing attack drones through its airspace. The “Zapad” exercises also come as Russian forces grind across the sprawling front line in Ukraine and escalate aerial attacks on Ukrainian cities. Nato’s eastern flank members that border Belarus - Poland, Lithuania and Latvia - are on high alert over the drills, which Belarus says will be... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3325314/nato-high-alert-russia-and-belarus-launch-major-war-games?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3325314/nato-high-alert-russia-and-belarus-launch-major-war-games?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Sep 2025 07:06:46 +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 Bloomberg Bloomberg Nato’s easternmost member states are grappling with a sharp rise in radio and satellite interference, with Baltic governments accusing Russia of positioning equipment for electronic warfare close to their borders. Since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the Baltic Sea region has registered widespread signal jamming, including of the Global Positioning System or GPS, which has affected air and maritime communications. But authorities in the Baltic... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3322958/russia-needles-nato-escalating-signal-spoofing-baltic-nations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3322958/russia-needles-nato-escalating-signal-spoofing-baltic-nations?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Aug 2025 04:12:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Sunday he had signed a decree to pull Ukraine out of the Ottawa Convention banning the production and use of anti-personnel mines as a necessary step in view of Russian tactics in their 40-month-old war. Ukraine ratified the convention in 2005. The Ottawa Convention, adopted in 1997, prohibits the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of all types of anti-personnel mines, which are considered especially inhumane weapons. More than 160 countries... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3316300/ukraine-track-withdraw-ottawa-anti-personnel-mines-treaty-zelensky-decree-shows?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3316300/ukraine-track-withdraw-ottawa-anti-personnel-mines-treaty-zelensky-decree-shows?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Jun 2025 19:51:52 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse France charged a British citizen with offences including money laundering and identity theft after he allegedly organised a bizarre ceremony at Disneyland Paris where he played the role of the groom in a fake marriage with a nine-year-old girl, prosecutors said on Tuesday. He is suspected of hiring the theme park before it opened to the public on Saturday for the staged wedding event, in a contract worth €130,000 (US$151,000). The man, who has not been named but has a criminal record in Britain... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3315660/france-charges-uk-man-over-staged-disneyland-marriage-child?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3315660/france-charges-uk-man-over-staged-disneyland-marriage-child?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jun 2025 09:50:07 +0000 Nato members Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia plan to withdraw from the Ottawa convention banning anti-personnel landmines due to the military threat from their neighbour Russia, the four countries said on Tuesday. Quitting the 1997 treaty, which has been ratified or acceded to by more than 160 nations, will allow Poland and the three Baltic countries to start stockpiling and using landmines again. “Military threats to Nato member states bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3302888/poland-baltic-nations-quit-landmine-treaty-amid-russia-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3302888/poland-baltic-nations-quit-landmine-treaty-amid-russia-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 18 Mar 2025 13:05:28 +0000 Lithuanian prosecutors on Monday blamed the Russian military intelligence service for being behind the arson attack on an Ikea store in Vilnius last year, calling it “an act of terrorism”. Lithuania, a Baltic state and Nato member, has been a staunch ally of Kyiv since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February 2022, and frequently warned against sabotage attempts inspired by Russia. On Monday, Lithuanian prosecutor general’s office attributed the arson attack at Vilnius’s Ikea furniture store to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3302737/lithuania-blames-russian-military-intelligence-ikea-store-arson?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3302737/lithuania-blames-russian-military-intelligence-ikea-store-arson?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Mar 2025 14:09:09 +0000 A Norway-owned and Russian-crewed ship that authorities suspect may have been involved in damage to an underwater fibre optic cable connecting Latvia and the Swedish island of Gotland has been stopped off Norway, police said pn Friday. The Silver Dania was stopped on Thursday evening and brought into the port of Tromsø in northern Norway on Friday morning by a Norwegian coastguard vessel, Norwegian police said in a statement. They said that followed a request from Latvian authorities and a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3296978/norway-detains-ship-and-russian-crew-suspected-damaging-sweden-latvia-cable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3296978/norway-detains-ship-and-russian-crew-suspected-damaging-sweden-latvia-cable?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 31 Jan 2025 12:41:49 +0000 The Brutalist, the story of a Holocaust survivor who chases the American dream, and musical thriller Emilia Perez took home the first major movie honours of Hollywood’s awards season at the Golden Globes. The Brutalist was named best movie drama and star Adrien Brody won best film actor. The genre-shifting trans musical Emilia Perez won best film, comedy or musical, handing Jacques Audiard’s movie a major prize and elevating the Oscar chances of Netflix’s top Oscar contender. Most of the TV... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3293560/2025-golden-globes-brutalist-emilia-perez-and-shogun-triumph-demi-moore-surprises?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3293560/2025-golden-globes-brutalist-emilia-perez-and-shogun-triumph-demi-moore-surprises?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Jan 2025 05:38:27 +0000 Aileen Chuang Aileen Chuang US private-equity firm L Catterton has acquired a majority stake in Chinese-owned bath and body care company Stenders in a rare transaction amid a consumption decline and lacklustre foreign investment in mainland China. The acquisition through L Catterton’s Asia fund platform marks the consumer sector-focused firm’s fourth investment in China in the past 12 months, with deployment totalling US$200 million. The firm said it was able to identify companies with “favourable risk and reward profiles”... https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3277826/us-private-equity-firm-l-catterton-invests-stenders-chinas-consumer-trends-shift?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3277826/us-private-equity-firm-l-catterton-invests-stenders-chinas-consumer-trends-shift?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Sep 2024 01:00:14 +0000 Another basketball competition for the US men and women to sweep, perhaps, but Serbia will fancy their chances of beating the former. Athletes to watch Jimmer Fredette, United States: The 35-year-old Fredette, who became a superstar at Brigham Young University and was the 10th overall pick in the 2011 NBA draft, headlines the American men’s team. He began playing 3X3 in 2022 and was named USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year in 2023. Canyon Barry, US: The son of Hall of Famer Rick Berry... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3269844/paris-olympics-all-you-need-know-about-3x3-basketball-competition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3269844/paris-olympics-all-you-need-know-about-3x3-basketball-competition?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2024 06:00:08 +0000 While the recent Nato summit celebrated the organisation’s 75th anniversary, its focus on China underscored a shift in geopolitical dynamics. The transatlantic alliance, which was founded to defend against the threat from the Soviet Union and later Russia, is increasingly critical of China and its global role. Nato has voiced deep concern over China’s failure to condemn Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and accused Beijing of providing material and political support for Moscow’s war efforts. This... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3271129/how-natos-china-focus-obscures-greater-threats-coming-within?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3271129/how-natos-china-focus-obscures-greater-threats-coming-within?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Jul 2024 01:30:11 +0000 China’s trade policy drew castigation in Geneva this week as its economic rivals found fault with a lack of transparency in its state subsidies and in the impact of industrial overcapacity in the Chinese economy. After the World Trade Organization itself pointed to the opaque nature of China’s state support measures in a lengthy report, a two-day session at the body saw more than 70 of its members take the floor and Beijing fielding over 1,500 written questions. Li Fei, China’s vice-minister for... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3271213/wto-chinas-trade-policy-sparks-war-words-amid-darkening-geopolitical-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3271213/wto-chinas-trade-policy-sparks-war-words-amid-darkening-geopolitical-outlook?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 19 Jul 2024 17:20:31 +0000 When leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization gather in Washington next week to commemorate the enduring unity between Europe and North America, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping and Donald Trump will be the names dominating the discussions. A senior official in US President Joe Biden’s administration said on Friday that the negotiations on the final communique of the summit were continuing, but the text in the draft on China was “very solid”. Reiterating evidence of Beijing’s role in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3269412/threats-vladimir-putin-xi-jinping-will-be-focus-upcoming-nato-summit?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3269412/threats-vladimir-putin-xi-jinping-will-be-focus-upcoming-nato-summit?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Jul 2024 21:35:31 +0000 The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) has named young Finnish conductor Tarmo Peltokoski as its next music director. The 24-year-old succeeds the 63-year-old Dutch maestro Jaap van Zweden, who led the orchestra for a record 12 years. The choice by one of Asia’s top orchestras of Peltokoski to lead it is likely to cause a stir given his young age; his initial, four-year contract as music director will formally begin in September 2026, when he will be 26. “He is young and my perspective... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3269164/tarmo-peltokoski-24-named-hk-phils-next-music-director-why-he-couldnt-say-no?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/arts-culture/article/3269164/tarmo-peltokoski-24-named-hk-phils-next-music-director-why-he-couldnt-say-no?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 09:15:07 +0000 Thinking of visiting China, India, or Venezuela with a US passport for your summer holiday? Not so fast – or at least not before securing a visa. Some of the best wonders of the world require US citizens to obtain a visa before take-off, an inconvenience in planning that long-awaited international getaway. US passport holders can access 188 countries globally without a visa, putting it in eighth place among world passports on the global mobility spectrum, according to the 2024 Henley Passport... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3268536/singapore-has-worlds-most-powerful-passport-ahead-japan-us-8th-henley-passport-index?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3268536/singapore-has-worlds-most-powerful-passport-ahead-japan-us-8th-henley-passport-index?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 28 Jun 2024 22:00:22 +0000 Belarus said on Monday its army was taking part in the second stage of Russian exercises ordered by President Vladimir Putin to practise the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons. The first phase of the drills took place in southern Russia last month, in what nuclear analysts said was a warning signal by Putin to deter the West from wading more deeply into the war in Ukraine. Belarusian Defence Minister Lieutenant General Viktor Khrenin said the exercises were a proactive measure to “increase... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3266061/belarus-join-russias-nuclear-drills-practise-deploying-tactical-nuclear-weapons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3266061/belarus-join-russias-nuclear-drills-practise-deploying-tactical-nuclear-weapons?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jun 2024 10:33:06 +0000 The European Parliament lurched to the political right on Sunday, with the parties of heavyweight leaders Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz suffering damaging losses in French and German polls. French President Macron dissolved the national parliament after his centrist group was trounced by the far-right National Rally of Marine Le Pen, in a move that will lead to legislative elections at the end of June. Alternative for Germany (AfD), another far-right group, followed the conservative Christian... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3266001/china-hawk-von-der-leyen-confident-new-term-europe-lurches-right?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3266001/china-hawk-von-der-leyen-confident-new-term-europe-lurches-right?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Jun 2024 04:04:25 +0000 Voters in Slovakia, Italy and other European Union nations are casting their ballots Saturday on the third day of elections for the European Parliament, with populist and far-right parties looking to make gains across the 27-member bloc. In Slovakia, the election was overshadowed by an attempt to assassinate populist Prime Minister Robert Fico on May 15, sending shock waves through the nation of 5.4 million and reverberating throughout Europe. Analysts say the attack could boost the chances of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3265898/european-union-elections-slovaks-others-vote-under-shadow-assassination-attempt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3265898/european-union-elections-slovaks-others-vote-under-shadow-assassination-attempt?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jun 2024 09:10:15 +0000 Global trade is facing several challenges. Last year, global trade volumes initially rebounded but the overall trend showed a slowdown compared to the robust growth of 2022. The trade in goods in particular was down sharply last year by nearly US$2 trillion. These headwinds are a result of geopolitical tensions, including conflicts and supply chain disruptions. Trade between Asia and Europe has not been immune to this, as reflected in the slower growth last year. As global trade is vital for... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3265200/how-trans-caspian-middle-corridor-can-help-revive-asia-europe-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3265200/how-trans-caspian-middle-corridor-can-help-revive-asia-europe-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 05 Jun 2024 12:30:11 +0000 What have Hollywood superstar Susan Sarandon and the Chinese Communist Party got in common? The chances are, they are both rooting for two Irish politicians, Clare Daly and Mick Wallace, to be re-elected to the European Parliament this week. In a video that went viral last week, the Oscar-winning actress pointed to the two lawmakers’ vocal support for Gaza, contrasting them with her own country, the United States, which is “in a very pro-war time”. “There are very few voices for peace in places... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265092/chinas-best-friends-european-parliament-fighting-political-lives-back-home-ireland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3265092/chinas-best-friends-european-parliament-fighting-political-lives-back-home-ireland?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Jun 2024 04:00:08 +0000 With the tennis clay-court season in full flow, it’s time for second grand slam of year with the French Open. The tournament, organised by the French Tennis Federation, was first held in 1891 and is also referred to as Roland Garros, after the stadium which has hosted it since 1928. On the men’s side, Rafael Nadal is the all-time record holder with 14 triumphs – and is likely to be competing for the last time. While Chris Evert has the most victories on the women’s side with seven from 1974 to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3263604/when-french-open-2024-who-can-battle-novak-djokovic-where-can-i-watch-it-everything-you-need-know?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/tennis/article/3263604/when-french-open-2024-who-can-battle-novak-djokovic-where-can-i-watch-it-everything-you-need-know?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 May 2024 06:22:50 +0000 Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people in the European Union face less discrimination but more physical or sexual attacks than three years ago, a vast survey by an EU rights body showed on Tuesday. The online survey of more than 100,000 people who identify as LGBTQ carried out in June, July and August last year found only slight overall changes compared with the previous such survey three years earlier, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights said in a report on the findings... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3262776/lgbtq-people-eu-face-less-discrimination-more-violence-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3262776/lgbtq-people-eu-face-less-discrimination-more-violence-survey-finds?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 May 2024 08:42:07 +0000 Thousands of protesters rallied in Georgia after parliament adopted a law to brand overseas-funded NGOs as groups under “foreign influence”, a measure Brussels has warned will undermine Tbilisi’s European aspirations. Lawmakers on Tuesday voted 84 to 30 in favour during the third and final reading of the law, which was widely denounced as mirroring repressive Russian legislation used to silence dissent. Protesters skirmished with riot police in the street outside the parliament building in the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3262718/more-protests-georgia-after-parliament-passes-russian-inspired-foreign-influence-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3262718/more-protests-georgia-after-parliament-passes-russian-inspired-foreign-influence-law?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 May 2024 02:13:30 +0000 Once a hothouse for grooming elite civil servants, Hong Kong’s trade office in London was where former city leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor and ex-financial secretary John Tsang Chun-wah nurtured their budding careers before rising to the top jobs within government. But as UK-Hong Kong relations hit rock bottom following the 2019 protests and the city’s implementation of the national security law, the government outpost has become a hotspot for protests and even vandalism. The Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3262699/uk-spying-case-puts-hong-kong-trade-offices-london-and-elsewhere-cross-hairs-geopolitical-battles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3262699/uk-spying-case-puts-hong-kong-trade-offices-london-and-elsewhere-cross-hairs-geopolitical-battles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 May 2024 00:30:11 +0000 Nato is a transatlantic security apparatus at its core but, increasingly, there are calls for the alliance to expand into the Indo-Pacific, which has become the new centre of global attention. As Nato’s partners in the Asia -Pacific, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand attended its summit in Madrid, Spain, in 2022 for the first time and were again present at the summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, last year. Dubbed the “Asia-Pacific 4”, their inclusion underscored the rising importance of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3261440/nato-needs-allies-asia-does-it-need-indo-pacific-presence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3261440/nato-needs-allies-asia-does-it-need-indo-pacific-presence?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 May 2024 11:30:25 +0000 Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Paris visit next month is set to capture the political centre stage for his European tour, but his expected trips to Central and Eastern European states will be no less significant for the dynamics of the China-Europe relationship. Talks between Xi and France’s President Emmanuel Macron are likely to focus on persuading China to reduce its growing trade and industrial ties with Russia – an economic partnership that Western governments are concerned is bolstering... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3260389/xis-european-tour-why-hungary-and-serbia-are-important-stops?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3260389/xis-european-tour-why-hungary-and-serbia-are-important-stops?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Apr 2024 11:30:12 +0000 TikTok is in the cross hairs of authorities in the US, where new legislation threatens a nationwide ban unless its China-based parent ByteDance divests. It would be the biggest blow yet to the popular video-sharing app, which has faced various restrictions around the world. TikTok is already banned in a handful of places and from government-issued devices, due to official worries that the app poses privacy and cybersecurity concerns. Those fears are reflected in the US bill, which is the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3260539/these-are-places-where-chinese-owned-tiktok-already-banned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3260539/these-are-places-where-chinese-owned-tiktok-already-banned?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Apr 2024 23:00:13 +0000 A Belgian man with a very rare metabolic condition that causes his body to produce alcohol had a drink-driving charge against him dismissed in court on Monday. The 40-year-old proved he has auto-brewery syndrome (ABS), which causes carbohydrates in his stomach to be fermented, increasing ethanol levels in his blood and resulting in signs of intoxication. His lawyer, Anse Ghesquiere, confirmed the unusual case to Agence France-Presse after Belgian media reported on it. She said scientists believe... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3259963/belgian-man-whose-body-brews-alcohol-beats-drink-driving-charge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3259963/belgian-man-whose-body-brews-alcohol-beats-drink-driving-charge?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Apr 2024 18:45:05 +0000 The European Commission will launch an investigation into European firms’ access to procurement markets in China’s medical devices sector, sources said. The probe would mark the first case under the EU’s international procurement instrument, or IPI – a new economic weapon. An official announcement is expected in the coming days. It will add to a legion of probes Brussels has instigated in recent weeks, with frustration mounting against Beijing’s economic policies and its perceived unwillingness... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3259179/eu-launch-first-ever-procurement-probe-over-chinas-medical-devices-sector-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3259179/eu-launch-first-ever-procurement-probe-over-chinas-medical-devices-sector-sources-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 16 Apr 2024 12:00:37 +0000 Hong Kong starting point guard Ricky Yang said he was tempted to explore more about the short version of the game after bowing out of 3x3 basketball’s Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The city’s men’s team lost to the Netherlands and Switzerland at Victoria Park on the second day of the tournament on Saturday to remain winless but that did not deter Yang as the Hongkonger said he was interested to play more 3x3. “I am still exploring, it’s an Olympic event so I wanted to help out when... https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3258946/fiba-3x3-basketball-olympic-qualifying-hosts-hong-kong-out-running-paris-hail-very-good-experiences?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/basketball/article/3258946/fiba-3x3-basketball-olympic-qualifying-hosts-hong-kong-out-running-paris-hail-very-good-experiences?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Apr 2024 03:39:52 +0000 The eastern Ukrainian region of Kharkiv, which has been particularly hard hit by Russian shelling, has ordered the forced evacuation of families with children from 47 villages near the border. These are communities in the three districts of Bohodukhiv, Izyum and Kharkiv, the military governor of the region, Oleh Syniehubov, said on Thursday via Telegram. However, the regional capital was not affected, he added. The reason for the evacuation was the almost daily shelling of the towns by the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3258713/order-evacuate-children-issued-ukraines-kharkiv-region-governor-promises-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3258713/order-evacuate-children-issued-ukraines-kharkiv-region-governor-promises-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:50:38 +0000 Hong Kong needs more innovative and automated solutions on top of government incentives to help its under-utilised, money-losing sustainability efforts, an industry expert said. Stronger legislation, and studying the efforts in Vietnam and Indonesia, may offer some guidance. High operating costs and inefficient logistics are factors undermining the financial viability of the city’s plastic waste recycling drive, said Max Craipeau, founder and CEO of Hong Kong-based Greencore Resources and... https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3257995/hong-kong-needs-new-solutions-legislation-rescue-its-money-losing-plastic-bottles-recycling-industry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/article/3257995/hong-kong-needs-new-solutions-legislation-rescue-its-money-losing-plastic-bottles-recycling-industry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Apr 2024 06:00:22 +0000 The Kremlin on Monday dismissed a report that Russian military intelligence may be behind the mysterious “Havana Syndrome” ailment that has afflicted US diplomats and spies globally. Insider, a Russia-focused investigative media group based in Riga, Latvia reported that members of a Russian military intelligence (GRU) unit known as 29155 had been placed at the scene of reported health incidents involving US personnel. The year-long Insider investigation in collaboration with 60 Minutes and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3257498/kremlin-dismisses-report-russia-behind-havana-syndrome-affecting-us-spies?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3257498/kremlin-dismisses-report-russia-behind-havana-syndrome-affecting-us-spies?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Apr 2024 19:41:47 +0000 Last year, Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte surprised many by taking a stance on the rivalry between the United States and China. In an opinion piece calling for greater support for Ukraine, he expressed doubt about China’s dominance in the 21st century, declaring it to be the century of democracy and America. This marked a significant shift for the Netherlands towards the Western alliance. It initially had few allies in such a move, but other nations are now following suit. The allure of China... https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/world/article/3256041/why-are-so-many-countries-rethinking-their-relations-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/comment/opinion/world/article/3256041/why-are-so-many-countries-rethinking-their-relations-china?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 21 Mar 2024 12:30:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Finland remained the world’s happiest country for a seventh straight year in an annual UN sponsored World Happiness Report published on Wednesday. And Nordic countries kept their places among the 10 most cheerful, with Denmark, Iceland and Sweden trailing Finland. Afghanistan, plagued by a humanitarian catastrophe since the Taliban regained control in 2020, stayed at the bottom of the 143 countries surveyed. For the first time since the report was published more than a decade ago, the United... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3256027/finland-worlds-happiest-country-seventh-year-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3256027/finland-worlds-happiest-country-seventh-year-report-says?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 20 Mar 2024 02:52:33 +0000 European Union trade officials are frantically trying to kill an effective ban on recycled plastic made outside the bloc, arguing that it will sharpen accusations of “green imperialism” from the Global South. This comes days after France demanded the addition of a last-minute clause to landmark EU packaging rules that will require producers in China and elsewhere in the world to match standards applied to recycled plastic packaging in Europe. France believes it is only fair that non-EU actors... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3255270/green-imperialism-de-facto-eu-ban-recycled-plastics-imports-sparks-row-brussels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3255270/green-imperialism-de-facto-eu-ban-recycled-plastics-imports-sparks-row-brussels?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:23:33 +0000 Ukraine on Monday summoned the Vatican’s envoy to Kyiv after Pope Francis suggested the country should consider raising “the white flag” against Russia, causing fury in Kyiv. Ukraine has angrily rejected Pope Francis’s suggestion to negotiate with Russia two years after its invasion, vowing “never” to surrender to Moscow. “Due to the statements of Pope Francis the Apostolic Nuncio was invited to the ministry of foreign affairs of Ukraine,” the ministry said on social media, using the term for a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3255008/ukraine-summons-vatican-envoy-over-pope-francis-white-flag-comments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3255008/ukraine-summons-vatican-envoy-over-pope-francis-white-flag-comments?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 Mar 2024 19:18:51 +0000 Ukraine on Sunday rebuffed Pope Francis’s call to negotiate an end to the war with Russia, with President Volodymyr Zelensky saying the pontiff was engaging in “virtual mediation” and his foreign minister saying Kyiv would never capitulate. Francis said that when things were going badly for a party to a conflict one had to show the “courage of the white flag” and negotiate. The pope’s interview was believed to be the first time Francis has used terms like “white flag” or “defeated” in discussing... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3254882/kyiv-slams-popes-white-flag-call-vows-no-surrender-russia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3254882/kyiv-slams-popes-white-flag-call-vows-no-surrender-russia?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 Mar 2024 21:22:47 +0000 US President Joe Biden is backing outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte to succeed Jens Stoltenberg as the next secretary general of Nato, a US official said on Thursday, soon after Britain’s Foreign Office said the same. Stoltenberg’s successor when he steps down in October will take office at a crucial juncture, tasked with sustaining Nato members’ support for Ukraine’s costly defence against a Russian invasion while guarding against any escalation that would draw the alliance directly into... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3252888/us-uk-back-outgoing-dutch-pm-mark-rutte-become-nato-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3252888/us-uk-back-outgoing-dutch-pm-mark-rutte-become-nato-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 Feb 2024 13:34:17 +0000 Foreigners who seek internet celebrity status in China have landed on a number of different strategies to capture the attention of audiences on the mainland. Some leverage their professional skills in dancing or music to impress, while others manage to win over a distant fanbase without even being based in China. One tactic is to demonstrate admiration for Chinese culture, showcasing the level of esteem in which they do so by adopting what has become known as an “overactive hyperthyroidism-style... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3251193/top-earners-china-loving-foreign-influencers-move-mainland-social-media-offering-fitness-dance-tips?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3251193/top-earners-china-loving-foreign-influencers-move-mainland-social-media-offering-fitness-dance-tips?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Feb 2024 01:00:15 +0000 Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny died on Friday in the Arctic prison colony where he was serving a 19-year-term, Russia’s federal penitentiary service said. Western governments immediately attacked the Kremlin over the death of the most outspoken critic of President Vladimir Putin. Navalny lost consciousness after a walk and could not be revived by doctors, the prison service said. “Navalny felt bad after a walk, almost immediately losing consciousness. Medical staff arrived immediately... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3252234/russian-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-dies-prison?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3252234/russian-opposition-leader-alexei-navalny-dies-prison?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Feb 2024 12:12:34 +0000