https://www.scmp.com/rss/519454/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A British police force said on Thursday it would reopen a probe into rape and sexual assault allegations made by women against self-proclaimed misogynist influencer Andrew Tate between 2014 and 2015. It is the latest in a slew of investigations into Tate, a British-US citizen who promotes his divisive views to millions of followers on social media. “Hertfordshire Constabulary can confirm that a decision has been made to reinvestigate allegations made by women between 2014 and 2015 relating to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348063/uk-police-reopen-andrew-tate-rape-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3348063/uk-police-reopen-andrew-tate-rape-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 01:02:36 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Julia had a plan: spring break, Kuala Lumpur’s skyline, then a long-overdue reunion in the jungles of Sarawak. What she got instead was a travel booking screen showing €3,000 (US$3,440) flights and a cascade of cancellation alerts. “I just can’t afford that,” the 22-year-old Romanian told This Week in Asia. Her original Emirates itinerary had her transiting through Dubai or Abu Dhabi, but the US-Israel war on Iran upended her plans after the carrier warned of disruptions and two-week... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347358/visit-malaysia-2026-meets-iran-war-crisis-it-never-planned?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3347358/visit-malaysia-2026-meets-iran-war-crisis-it-never-planned?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong lawmakers have said Andrew and Tristan Tate cannot be extradited to the UK or Romania – where they face prosecution – without formal requests from those governments, as the infamous influencer brothers continued their visit to the city on Monday. The legislators also rejected claims that the city had become a haven for fugitives following the suspension of extradition treaties with several Western countries, including the United Kingdom, in 2020. The controversial influencers entered... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346790/hong-kong-cannot-extradite-tates-without-uk-or-romania-requests-lawmakers-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346790/hong-kong-cannot-extradite-tates-without-uk-or-romania-requests-lawmakers-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:30:08 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok Online influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate, who both face rape and human‑trafficking charges in Romania and the United Kingdom, were reported to have entered Hong Kong over the weekend, sparking heated discussion online. Andrew posted a video of him and Tristan on a luxury boat in Victoria Harbour on X on Sunday, while other posts showed the brothers visiting the Lan Kwai Fong nightlife district and a crab restaurant in Causeway Bay. A video he posted a day earlier showed them singing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346680/online-influencers-andrew-and-tristan-tate-seen-partying-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3346680/online-influencers-andrew-and-tristan-tate-seen-partying-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 14:33:11 +0000 The Korea Times The Korea Times South Korea will take part as an observer in the inaugural meeting of the US-led “Board of Peace”, dispatching a former envoy to Thursday’s session in Washington, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “Kim Yong-hyun, former ambassador to Egypt, will attend the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace scheduled for February 19, as the South Korean representative,” the ministry said in a statement on Wednesday. A ministry official said that South Korea would attend as a non-member observer... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343904/south-korea-signals-cautious-support-trumps-board-peace-attending-observer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3343904/south-korea-signals-cautious-support-trumps-board-peace-attending-observer?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 08:45:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A Sydney man who tried to post native lizards, dragons and other reptiles out of Australia in bags of popcorn and biscuit tins has been sentenced to eight years in jail, authorities said on Tuesday. The eight-year term handed down on Friday was a record for wildlife smuggling, federal environment officials said. A district court in Sydney gave the man, 61-year-old Neil Simpson, a non-parole period of five years and four months. Investigators recovered 101 Australian reptiles from seized parcels... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343823/australian-smuggler-jailed-record-8-years-mailing-lizards-popcorn-bags?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3343823/australian-smuggler-jailed-record-8-years-mailing-lizards-popcorn-bags?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 08:53:29 +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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ukraine’s power grid experienced mass outages on Saturday after a “technical malfunction” caused electrical lines between Moldova, Romania and Ukraine to fail, Ukraine’s energy minister said. The outages knocked out water supplies to Ukraine’s capital, Kyiv, and prompted a complete shutdown of the city’s metro network, paralysing transport for thousands. “Today at 10.42am a technical malfunction occurred, causing a simultaneous shutdown of the 400-kilovolt line between the power grids of Romania... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3341954/electricity-lines-between-ukraine-moldova-romania-fail-causing-mass-outages?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3341954/electricity-lines-between-ukraine-moldova-romania-fail-causing-mass-outages?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 12:03:17 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu The economic benefits of China’s abundant and cheap supply of electricity were recognised by US tech billionaire Elon Musk and other speakers at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday. As the United States and the European Union contemplate how to catch up, Tesla CEO Musk said the artificial intelligence (AI) industry was facing an energy bottleneck around the globe – with AI chips being produced rapidly and electricity output struggling to keep up – apart from the notable... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340968/davos-debut-musk-highlights-key-china-advantage-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3340968/davos-debut-musk-highlights-key-china-advantage-ai-race?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 Jan 2026 07:34:46 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse All 40 people who perished in a New Year’s fire at a Swiss ski resort bar were identified on Sunday, with half of them under the age of 18. A heavy pall of grief hung over Crans-Montana as more than a thousand mourners walked in silence through the resort to remember those killed and injured in the tragic blaze at the Le Constellation bar. After days of agonising uncertainty for loved ones, local police on Sunday finished identifying the fire’s 40 fatalities. Their ages ranged from 39 to two who... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338700/raw-emotion-mourners-pay-tribute-victims-swiss-ski-resort-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3338700/raw-emotion-mourners-pay-tribute-victims-swiss-ski-resort-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Jan 2026 20:18:47 +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 Tom Hussain Tom Hussain Israel is cashing in on soaring international demand for combat-proven air defence systems, as analysts say the billions of dollars' worth of weapon sales will significantly expand the country’s influence beyond the Middle East. The weapon exports to Europe, Asia and Africa are helping Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration overcome its diplomatic isolation over the Gaza war by making the Jewish-majority state a key long-term security partner for its customers. “Exporting air defence... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337726/israels-rising-air-defence-sales-become-its-most-potent-foreign-policy-weapon?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/politics/article/3337726/israels-rising-air-defence-sales-become-its-most-potent-foreign-policy-weapon?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 Dec 2025 05:30:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A powerful wave dragged a group of swimmers out to sea while they were in a popular seawater pool along the rocky, western coastline of the Spanish island of Tenerife, leaving four died and one missing, Spanish authorities said Monday. Crews recovered three bodies on Sunday - a 35-year-old man, a 55-year-old woman and another man - during a major rescue operation that used jet skis and helicopters to locate and pick up all those dragged out to sea. The fourth, a woman, died on Monday, a day... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3335691/powerful-wave-spanish-tourist-island-sweeps-swimmers-sea-killing-4?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3335691/powerful-wave-spanish-tourist-island-sweeps-swimmers-sea-killing-4?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 04:12:27 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press European officials said on Monday they were comforted by the outcome of discussions on US peace proposals for Ukraine that they had viewed as tilted in Russia’s favour, but they didn’t disclose details of the weekend talks and warned of a long road to peace. “The negotiations were a step forward, but there are still major issues which remain to be resolved,” Finnish President Alexander Stubb wrote on social media about Sunday’s meeting in Switzerland between US and Ukrainian officials. US... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333999/europe-demands-rework-us-peace-deal-russia-ukraine-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333999/europe-demands-rework-us-peace-deal-russia-ukraine-war?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Nov 2025 16:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse From Finland opening diplomatic outposts in Senegal to Czech instructors training Mauritanian security forces, a group of smaller European nations has joined a global scramble for influence in Africa. Estonia, Romania and Malta are among European Union countries that have sought to boost their presence on the continent over the past five years, revamping diplomatic and trade links. “There is a wave of second-generation Africa policy refreshes completed and … under way,” said Alex Vines of the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3333849/africa-attracts-smaller-eu-nations-scrambling-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3333849/africa-attracts-smaller-eu-nations-scrambling-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 09:46:06 +0000 Coco Feng Coco Feng Chinese merchants who sell to overseas markets via popular sites like Shein and Temu are struggling with escalating tax and compliance burdens from both their main export market, the European Union, and the domestic tax authority. The latest pressure came from the EU, which on Thursday agreed to abolish a rule that allowed goods worth less than €150 (US$174) to enter the region without customs duties. The new rule will apply once an EU customs data hub is ready, scheduled for 2028. However, the... https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3332873/chinese-vendors-shein-temu-face-double-tax-trouble-levies-home-and-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-war/article/3332873/chinese-vendors-shein-temu-face-double-tax-trouble-levies-home-and-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Nov 2025 02:00:20 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) said it had foiled a plot by Ukrainian and British spies to tempt Russian pilots to steal a MiG-31 jet armed with a Kinzhal hypersonic missile for US$3 million, state media reported on Tuesday. The RIA news agency cited the FSB as saying that the hijacked jet was to be flown toward a Nato airbase in the Romanian city of Constanta, where it could have been shot down by air defences, the agency reported. The FSB, the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3332321/russia-says-foiled-spy-plot-steal-mig-31-jet-armed-hypersonic-missile?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3332321/russia-says-foiled-spy-plot-steal-mig-31-jet-armed-hypersonic-missile?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 11 Nov 2025 07:51:19 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Poland and Romania are deploying a new weapons system to defend against Russian drones, following a spate of incursions into Nato airspace in recent months that exposed the alliance’s vulnerabilities and put Europe on edge. The American Merops system, which is small enough to fit in the back of a midsize pickup truck, can identify drones and close in on them, using artificial intelligence to navigate when satellite and electronic communications are jammed. As well as being deployed in Poland and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3331808/nato-deploys-new-system-detect-russian-drone-incursions-defend-poland-and-romania?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3331808/nato-deploys-new-system-detect-russian-drone-incursions-defend-poland-and-romania?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Nov 2025 11:20:16 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The United States has informed its Nato allies that it will scale back its troop presence along Europe’s eastern border with Ukraine as it focuses on security priorities elsewhere in the world, Romania’s Defence Ministry said on Wednesday. The US Army later confirmed the move, but denied it was a sign of lessened commitment to Nato. Depending on operations and exercises, around 80,000-100,000 US troops are usually present on European soil. Nato allies have expressed concern that the Trump... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3330813/us-tells-nato-troop-cut-europe-sparking-fears-security-gap?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3330813/us-tells-nato-troop-cut-europe-sparking-fears-security-gap?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Oct 2025 14:28:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Europe on Thursday recent drone incursions showed Russia was looking to “escalate” its aggression, as he offered his country’s war-honed expertise to help counter the threat. The warning came at a summit of European leaders from just under 50 countries, who converged on a conference centre in Copenhagen under tight security after mystery drone flights rattled Denmark last month. The drone sightings in Denmark and high-profile aerial incursions by... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3327694/ukraines-zelensky-warns-europe-russia-looking-escalate-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3327694/ukraines-zelensky-warns-europe-russia-looking-escalate-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 22:24:46 +0000 Reuters Reuters European Union leaders backed plans on Wednesday to bolster the bloc’s defences against Russian drones as they met in Copenhagen days after airspace intrusions by unmanned aircraft rattled Denmark. European authorities have accused Russia of brazen violations of the region’s airspace, including with recent incursions by drones over Poland and fighter planes over Estonia. “Europe must be able to defend itself,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said after the EU summit. “We need to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3327558/eu-leaders-discuss-drone-wall-repel-russia-after-airspace-violations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3327558/eu-leaders-discuss-drone-wall-repel-russia-after-airspace-violations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:34:11 +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 Associated Press Associated Press Britain on Monday summoned the Russian ambassador in London following Moscow’s “unprecedented violation” of Nato airspace, as the UK announced it would send fighter jets to help defend Polish airspace. The Foreign Office called the incursions into Polish and Romanian airspace in recent days “unacceptable” and summoned Andrei Kelin, the Russian ambassador. “Significant and unprecedented violation of Polish and Nato airspace by Russian drones last week, followed by a further incursion into... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3325651/uk-summons-russian-ambassador-over-violation-nato-airspace-sends-jets-poland?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3325651/uk-summons-russian-ambassador-over-violation-nato-airspace-sends-jets-poland?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 22:52:44 +0000 Reuters,Agence France-Presse Reuters,Agence France-Presse Ukraine’s forces have advanced in the border districts of northern Sumy region, an area where Russian troops have tried for months to establish a foothold, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. Zelensky, speaking in his nightly video address on Sunday, also quoted Ukraine’s top commander as saying Moscow’s forces had suffered significant losses in the Donetsk and Kharkiv regions along the 1,000km (620-mile) frontline. Zelensky was speaking after a week of Russian statements... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3325559/ukraine-makes-advances-romania-condemns-russian-drone-intrusion?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3325559/ukraine-makes-advances-romania-condemns-russian-drone-intrusion?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 15 Sep 2025 05:54:42 +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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Graffiti covers the crumbling walls of the main thermal baths in one of Europe’s oldest spa towns. But after decades of neglect, a group of young architects is working to restore the picturesque Romanian resort that once attracted emperors. “Someone once said that if you drink water from the spring from Herculane, you never leave,” said 31-year-old architect Oana Chirila. “I was struck by the beauty of the place,” she said of the town in the southwest of the country, surrounded by mountains and... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3322229/romania-volunteers-battle-save-countrys-cultural-treasures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3322229/romania-volunteers-battle-save-countrys-cultural-treasures?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 09:20:42 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Ion Iliescu, the former Romanian president who steered his country through its transition from communism to democracy and was dogged by controversy over his own political past, has died. He was 95. Iliescu died on Tuesday in a hospital in Bucharest, according to a press release from the government. Romanian media had reported he was in hospital undergoing treatment for lung cancer. A Moscow-trained engineer and long-time Communist Party official, Iliescu emerged as the central figure in... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3320874/ion-iliescu-romanias-first-post-communist-president-dies-95?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3320874/ion-iliescu-romanias-first-post-communist-president-dies-95?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 Aug 2025 17:31:44 +0000 SCMP’s Asia desk SCMP’s Asia desk Vanuatu has vowed to close loopholes in its “golden passport” scheme and take steps to nullify citizenship granted to influencer Andrew Tate, who reportedly bought the island nation’s travel document before he was arrested in Romania on charges of rape and human trafficking. Tate obtained the passport in December 2022 through a programme that allows foreigners to buy citizenship for US$130,000, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) said in a statement on Monday. That... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3312997/vanuatu-seeks-cancel-andrew-tates-golden-passport-citizenship?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/people/article/3312997/vanuatu-seeks-cancel-andrew-tates-golden-passport-citizenship?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Jun 2025 06:23:40 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate have been charged in Britain with rape and other crimes, prosecutors said on Wednesday. The charges were authorised last year, and news media at the time reported on arrest warrants issued against the Tates, dual US and British citizens who moved to Romania in 2016. The Crown Prosecution Service said this was the first time it confirmed the two had been criminally charged in Britain. Andrew Tate, 38, faces 10 charges related to three women that include... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3312188/andrew-and-tristan-tate-face-rape-and-trafficking-charges-uk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3312188/andrew-and-tristan-tate-face-rape-and-trafficking-charges-uk?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 17:36:51 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Fifty-five men have been arrested in France this week as part of an operation to dismantle a suspected paedophile ring operating via the Telegram messaging app, authorities said on Thursday. The arrests took place in 42 departments over possession, distribution and regular viewing of pornography involving children “under the age of 10”, France’s OFMIN, an office tasked with preventing violence against minors, told Agence France-Presse. The arrests, which followed a 10-month investigation, took... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3311394/france-arrests-55-men-telegram-paedophile-ring-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3311394/france-arrests-55-men-telegram-paedophile-ring-crackdown?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 22 May 2025 10:04:22 +0000 Reuters Reuters Romania’s centrist mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, won the country’s presidential election on Sunday in a shock upset over a hard-right, nationalist rival who had pledged to put Romania on a path inspired by US President Donald Trump’s politics. Official results from nearly all voting stations showed Dan winning about 54 per cent of ballots cast by voters in the EU and Nato member country of about 19 million people, while Trump supporter George Simion was at 46 per cent. Dan, a soft-spoken... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3310842/romanian-centrist-nicusor-dan-course-win-presidency-shock-turnaround?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3310842/romanian-centrist-nicusor-dan-course-win-presidency-shock-turnaround?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 May 2025 20:07:36 +0000 Syed Munir Khasru Syed Munir Khasru In recent elections across the world, many right-wing politicians echoed US President Donald Trump’s political style, policies and even rhetoric, reflecting a rise in populism. But the tide is turning and in several instances, Trumpism has backfired. In Canada and Australia, an “anti-Trump bump” was in effect as voters rejected chaos and Trump-style protectionism in favour of stability and centrism. Thanks to the Trump effect, political parties previously expected to lose reversed their... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3309459/trumpism-waning-leaders-still-need-address-voter-frustrations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3309459/trumpism-waning-leaders-still-need-address-voter-frustrations?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 May 2025 12:30:09 +0000 dpa dpa Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu tendered his resignation on Monday in the wake of Sunday’s re-run of the country’s presidential election. Ciolacu, a Social Democrat, told reporters he was quitting as his government’s candidate, Crin Antonescu, failed to advance to the run-off vote on May 18. That run-off will see far-right frontrunner George Simion face conservative liberal Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan. With Ciolacu’s resignation, the coalition of Ciolacu’s Social Democrats, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3309165/romanian-pm-resigns-after-re-run-presidential-election?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3309165/romanian-pm-resigns-after-re-run-presidential-election?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 May 2025 20:26:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Hard-right Eurosceptic George Simion won the first round of Romania’s presidential election re-run on Sunday, near final results showed, after a ballot seen as a test of the rise of Donald Trump-style nationalism in the European Union. Ballots from nearly 99.6 per cent of voting stations showed Bucharest Mayor Nicusor Dan, 55, was in second place at around 21 per cent, behind Simion’s 40.6 per cent. They will meet in a run-off on May 18. A Simion victory could isolate the country, erode private... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3309055/romania-nationalist-george-simion-clear-winner-first-round-presidential-vote?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3309055/romania-nationalist-george-simion-clear-winner-first-round-presidential-vote?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 May 2025 22:54:54 +0000 Influencer brothers Andrew and Tristan Tate checked in at a police station near Romania’s capital on Monday, complying with judicial control requirements in the case in which they are charged with human trafficking and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. Outside the police station in Voluntari, self-described misogynist Andrew Tate told reporters “I’m a free person who has not been convicted of anything”. He said he will “comply with all judicial authorities everywhere around the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3303693/tate-brothers-check-romania-police-station-over-sex-trafficking-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3303693/tate-brothers-check-romania-police-station-over-sex-trafficking-case?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Mar 2025 17:50:08 +0000 Mădălina Ghenea, the Romanian model turned House of Gucci actress, is working hard to capture audiences’ attention beyond what’s written about her in the tabloids. From model to actress The 37-year-old actress began her career at 15, modelling across Europe. Throughout her modelling career she appeared in campaigns for brands including Peroni beer and for the long-standing German mail-order catalogue Quelle. Despite finding success as a model in Europe, Japan and South Africa, Ghenea had... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3302700/meet-madalina-ghenea-romanian-model-and-actress-rise-after-bit-parts-house-gucci-lady-gaga-and?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/entertainment/article/3302700/meet-madalina-ghenea-romanian-model-and-actress-rise-after-bit-parts-house-gucci-lady-gaga-and?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Mar 2025 20:00:10 +0000 Romania’s central election authority on Sunday barred far-right pro-Russian candidate Calin Georgescu from running in May’s presidential election re-run, a decision likely to deepen a constitutional crisis in the European Union and Nato member. The cancellation on December 6 of the presidential election due to allegations of Russian meddling in Georgescu’s favour has thrust Romania to the heart of a dispute between the administration of US President Donald Trump and European nations over how... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3301714/romanian-far-right-candidate-calin-georgescu-barred-may-presidential-vote?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3301714/romanian-far-right-candidate-calin-georgescu-barred-may-presidential-vote?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 09 Mar 2025 22:27:01 +0000 A notorious French fugitive who staged a deadly escape last year appeared in a Romanian court on Sunday after a nine-month international police hunt culminated in his arrest in Bucharest. Mohamed Amra, sporting dyed red hair possibly meant to disguise his identity, flashed a big smile at onlookers as he was escorted by police in and out of the courthouse. Ten other people in Amra’s entourage were arrested overnight, suspected of taking part in the preparation and execution of his escape last... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3299833/after-9-months-run-french-fugitive-who-staged-deadly-escape-faces-court-romania?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3299833/after-9-months-run-french-fugitive-who-staged-deadly-escape-faces-court-romania?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Feb 2025 19:00:50 +0000 US Vice-President J.D. Vance and billionaire Elon Musk on Thursday launched forceful attacks on Romania’s decision to cancel its presidential election in December. Vance said the cancellation meant Romania does not share American values, while Musk labelled the chief judge of the country’s top court a “tyrant”. Their remarks were the latest broadsides aimed at Bucharest by members of US President Donald Trump’s administration. Romania’s Constitutional Court voided the election in December before... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3299515/elon-musk-ramps-romanian-election-dispute-branding-chief-judge-tyrant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3299515/elon-musk-ramps-romanian-election-dispute-branding-chief-judge-tyrant?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:11:18 +0000 Romanian President Klaus Iohannis on Monday announced he would resign following pressure for him to step down ahead of the re-run of an election that was voided over allegations of Russian interference. Pressure had been growing on pro-European Iohannis, leader of liberals who had said he would remain in office until his successor is elected in May. Romania’s top court decided to cancel the presidential elections in December amid allegations of Russian meddling and after a previously... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3298115/romanias-president-resigns-election-re-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3298115/romanias-president-resigns-election-re-run?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 10 Feb 2025 13:30:10 +0000 The prize in this art theft is worth more than its gold. To Romania, the ancient helmet is a priceless cultural heirloom. To the Netherlands, it’s a stolen artefact that authorities hope to retrieve to uphold a reputation for safe museums. The intricate golden Cotofenesti helmet dates back some 2,500 years and is one Romania’s most revered national treasures from the Dacia civilisation. It was on display at the small Drents Museum in eastern Netherlands on the last weekend of a 6-month stint... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3296512/theft-netherlands-ancient-golden-helmet-leaves-romania-distraught?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3296512/theft-netherlands-ancient-golden-helmet-leaves-romania-distraught?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jan 2025 18:42:36 +0000 Romania’s top court annulled the result of the first round of the country’s presidential election on Friday, adding that the entire election process would have to be rerun. The second round had been due to be held on Sunday and voting is already under way in polling stations abroad. Having polled in single digits before the first presidential election round on November 24, Calin Georgescu – who wants to end Romanian support for Ukraine against Russia’s invasion – surged to a victory that raised... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3289777/romania-rerun-polls-after-top-court-annuls-presidential-election-result?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3289777/romania-rerun-polls-after-top-court-annuls-presidential-election-result?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Dec 2024 13:44:33 +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 Romania’s presidential election was thrown into chaos as a court ordered a recount of first-round results and security officials alleged that interference via TikTok had boosted a little-known far-right candidate. The moves came as the country braces for legislative polls plus a run-off vote between a far-right admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin and a pro-European centrist contender. The Romanian presidency said security officials had detected “cyberattacks” intended to influence the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3288583/recount-order-tiktok-claims-throw-romania-election-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3288583/recount-order-tiktok-claims-throw-romania-election-chaos?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Nov 2024 20:00:36 +0000 Romania is reeling after a little-known, far-right populist secured the first round in the presidential election, beating the incumbent prime minister. Calin Georgescu, who ran independently, will face reformist Elena Lasconi in a December 8 run-off after most local surveys predicted he would win less than 10 per cent of the vote. Georgescu, 62, was ahead after nearly all ballots were counted with around 22.95 per cent. According to local media, Georgescu in the past has praised Russian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3288100/far-right-populist-and-reformist-will-face-romanias-presidential-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3288100/far-right-populist-and-reformist-will-face-romanias-presidential-run?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 25 Nov 2024 20:42:49 +0000 Romanian Social Democrat Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu and hard-right independent Calin Georgescu were tied after the first round of a presidential election on Sunday, with roughly 80 per cent of the votes counted, electoral bureau data showed. Ciolacu and Georgescu each had about 22.1 per cent and could face each other in a December 8 run-off. However, with results from large cities and those of Romanians abroad likely to be counted last, the final list of candidates to make it into the second... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3287900/romanians-vote-presidential-race-could-pit-nationalist-against-leftist-run?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3287900/romanians-vote-presidential-race-could-pit-nationalist-against-leftist-run?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 24 Nov 2024 06:31:02 +0000 Masked police officers in Romania carried out fresh raids early on Wednesday at the home of divisive internet influencer Andrew Tate, who is awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. Romania’s anti-organised crime agency, DIICOT, said it was searching four homes in the counties of Bucharest and nearby Ilfov, investigating allegations of human trafficking, the trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, influencing... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3275330/influencer-andrew-tates-romania-home-raided-new-allegations-emerge-involving-minors?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3275330/influencer-andrew-tates-romania-home-raided-new-allegations-emerge-involving-minors?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Aug 2024 09:45:09 +0000 The seeds of Hong Kong’s historic success in fencing at the Paris Olympics were sowed decades ago through strategic planning and substantial investment in nurturing talent, experts said. Gold medallist and épéeist Vivian Kong Man-wai said on Sunday that she planned to “take a break” from being a professional fencer after nearly 20 years in the sport, but veteran athletes predicted more stars would emerge as the city entered its “harvest period” and hoped authorities could build more facilities... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3273003/hong-kongs-vivian-kong-hangs-her-sword-experts-say-fresh-fencing-stars-can-emerge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3273003/hong-kongs-vivian-kong-hangs-her-sword-experts-say-fresh-fencing-stars-can-emerge?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 04 Aug 2024 07:00:12 +0000 How to follow Hong Kong’s magic Monday? Repeat 50 per cent of the formula and add a confirmed table tennis medal match. The extraordinary half-hour that brought fencing gold for Cheung Ka-long and swimming bronze for Siobhan Haughey at the end of day three will be difficult to top, let alone on the next day. But Haughey dives straight back into the pool on Tuesday, and her second event could end with her on top of the podium rather than on its lowest step. Table tennis player Doo Hoi-kem has the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/asia/article/3272422/paris-olympics-5-watch-day-4-include-haughey-part-2-and-triathlon-dirty-seine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/asia/article/3272422/paris-olympics-5-watch-day-4-include-haughey-part-2-and-triathlon-dirty-seine?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2024 04:32:41 +0000 Vivian Kong Man-wai said it was the “Hong Kong spirit” which helped her achieve the improbable on Sunday, coming back from a six-point deficit to stun Auriane Mallo-Breton in the women’s épée final and win Hong Kong’s first gold medal at the Paris Olympics. And congratulations on her achievement have come in from across the city and beyond, with Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu making a point to personally call the 30-year-old to pass on his good wishes, before he left on a six-day visit of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/fencing/article/3272166/paris-olympics-vivian-kong-says-embarrassment-drove-her-win-hong-kongs-first-gold?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/paris-olympics-2024/fencing/article/3272166/paris-olympics-vivian-kong-says-embarrassment-drove-her-win-hong-kongs-first-gold?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 Jul 2024 22:18:51 +0000