https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325577/feed The latest breaking news and stories on Italy, a country in southern Europe known as a parliamentary republic, and the world’s eighth largest economy. Also covering Italy’s relationship with China and Europe, plus commentary and updates on Italy’s economy, politics, society and social issues. en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Associated Press Associated Press The UN General Assembly condemned the US economic embargo of Cuba for the 34th year on Wednesday, even as Washington’s campaign to influence the outcome led to a number of countries voting against the resolution or sitting out the decision for the first time. The vote was 130-17, with 25 abstentions – a notable decrease in support from last year, when more than 160 nations supported the measure and only 12 abstained. While such resolutions at the UN General Assembly are not legally binding, they... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3372494/un-condemns-us-embargo-cuba-more-nations-sit-out-after-trump-pressure https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3372494/un-condemns-us-embargo-cuba-more-nations-sit-out-after-trump-pressure Wed, 28 Oct 2026 22:15:47 +0000 Caroline Lin,Eve Qiao Caroline Lin,Eve Qiao German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has begun his state visit to China in the eastern province of Anhui, spotlighting a growing trend among visiting foreign leaders to look well beyond Beijing. Steinmeier arrived in the provincial capital Hefei early on Tuesday to begin a five-day state visit, marking his first trip to China in nearly eight years and confirming an exclusive report by the South China Morning Post earlier this month. When foreign dignitaries bypass Beijing for provincial... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372340/german-leaders-china-visit-latest-sign-foreign-diplomacy-pivot-beyond-beijing https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372340/german-leaders-china-visit-latest-sign-foreign-diplomacy-pivot-beyond-beijing Tue, 27 Oct 2026 14:17:05 +0000 Xiaofei Xu Xiaofei Xu Protests across France were largely peaceful on Saturday, despite heightened tensions and sporadic clashes between protesters and the police, but authorities remained on high alert as night fell. The French Interior Ministry counted 410,000 people who hit the streets across the country on Saturday, down from the 550,000 who protested last weekend. The October 17 demonstrations descended into looting and the worst urban rioting France had seen in years. A total of 249 protests took place in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372031/france-high-alert-paris-march-begins-uneasy-calm https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3372031/france-high-alert-paris-march-begins-uneasy-calm Sat, 24 Oct 2026 13:17:24 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre When designer and entrepreneur Brunello Cucinelli announced that he would be releasing a documentary about his life directed by Oscar winner Giuseppe Tornatore, it caught many by surprise. Titled Brunello, Il Visionario Garbato (Brunello: The Gracious Visionary), the film combines interviews and real-life footage with re-enactments to show Cucinelli’s childhood and his early days as a striving entrepreneur and designer, long before he became known as the “king of cashmere”. Works of this type... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3371733/brunello-cucinelli-director-giuseppe-tornatores-documentary-about-his-life https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3371733/brunello-cucinelli-director-giuseppe-tornatores-documentary-about-his-life Fri, 23 Oct 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press US President Donald Trump on Thursday accused LeBron James of disrespecting the United States after the NBA star appeared to continue his warm-ups while the national anthem was performed before Philadelphia’s season opener on Tuesday. “I said right from the beginning that he’s no good, a TOTAL DISGRACE,” Trump said of James in a social media post sharing the video. “LeBron James should apologize to all of those Great American Warriors and Heroes who died for the American Flag, and all that our... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371833/trump-blasts-basketball-star-lebron-james-not-standing-still-during-us-anthem https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3371833/trump-blasts-basketball-star-lebron-james-not-standing-still-during-us-anthem Thu, 22 Oct 2026 20:38:11 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A truckers’ protest in southern Italy has halted the production of the famed buffalo mozzarella, causing an estimated loss of €3 million (US$3.37 million) in just 24 hours as the milk cannot reach dairies in the Naples region and the finished cheese cannot reach customers, an official said. The week-long strike by truck drivers over the high cost of diesel driven up by the Iran war has also blocked deliveries of other basic goods to supermarkets and left fuel pumps empty in much of southern... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371830/millions-cheese-revenue-lost-protest-hits-italys-buffalo-mozzarella-output https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371830/millions-cheese-revenue-lost-protest-hits-italys-buffalo-mozzarella-output Thu, 22 Oct 2026 17:47:29 +0000 Faye Bradley Faye Bradley Mariah Carey has just won a dismissal in a US$20 million defamation lawsuit filed by her brother, Morgan Carey, over her 2020 memoir, The Meaning of Mariah Carey. The “Emotions” singer’s estranged brother sued her back in 2021, claiming that she lied about him in her book where she alleged that Morgan – whom she refers to as an “ex-brother” – was violent in the family and dealt drugs in the 1980s. “More often, I felt I had to protect myself from him, and sometimes I would find myself protecting... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3371587/mariah-carey-wins-dismissal-us20m-defamation-lawsuit-filed-brother-morgan-so-who-he https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3371587/mariah-carey-wins-dismissal-us20m-defamation-lawsuit-filed-brother-morgan-so-who-he Wed, 21 Oct 2026 06:58:34 +0000 Reuters Reuters France will reinforce police with troops and mount a huge security operation for more protests planned on Saturday, the government said, acknowledging failures in its response to last weekend’s violence. “The deployment next Saturday will be massive,” Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu said on Tuesday, adding that the immediate priority was to restore order after rioting and looting swept Paris, Marseille, Lyon and other cities on October 17. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said the military would... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371556/france-deploy-troops-response-protests-after-violent-riots-sweep-cities https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371556/france-deploy-troops-response-protests-after-violent-riots-sweep-cities Tue, 20 Oct 2026 16:17:23 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Rising fuel costs, discontent with the state of schools, declining public services and a housing crisis have created perfectly stormy weather for an autumn of protests in Europe. Crowds have taken to the streets for weeks in major cities, resulting in arrests, looting, injuries, and violence across France, Italy and Albania. In Spain and Portugal, tent camps have sprung up in protests against unattainable rents and housing costs. Young Europeans are experiencing “a strong sense of uncertainty... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371458/paris-tirana-why-protests-and-riots-are-sweeping-across-europe https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371458/paris-tirana-why-protests-and-riots-are-sweeping-across-europe Tue, 20 Oct 2026 05:03:55 +0000 Peter Neville-Hadley Peter Neville-Hadley Libraries are hard drives containing the memory of the world in an ancient form. Less pocketable than anything digital, but in many cases far prettier, these buildings are also sometimes works of art in their own right and cathedrals of humanism, whether erected four centuries ago or by a still-living architect of global acclaim. Their beauty is inessential to their function but celebrates the knowledge they contain, the power and wealth or taste and intellect of those who commissioned them, or... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/travel/article/3370566/six-legendary-libraries-where-architecture-and-academia-meet https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/travel/article/3370566/six-legendary-libraries-where-architecture-and-academia-meet Tue, 20 Oct 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse France announced partial curfews in Paris and other cities on Monday after weekend demonstrations over soaring prices degenerated into some of the worst street violence in recent years. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu did not rule out imposing a state of emergency after the interior minister said police had “lost control”. Tourists in Paris had a taste of the disruption on Monday when they found the Louvre closed because of a small group of student protesters, while the US embassy in Paris... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371411/frances-pm-calls-curfews-nation-grapples-unrest https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371411/frances-pm-calls-curfews-nation-grapples-unrest Mon, 19 Oct 2026 12:57:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters Pope Leo pledged on Sunday to slowly resume his usual activities as the leader of the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics as he greeted crowds in St. Peter’s Square during his first public event since undergoing surgery for lung cancer five days ago. The 71-year-old pontiff had an ‌operation on Tuesday to remove the lower lobe of his right lung, fuelling speculation about how his illness might change his 17-month papacy. Smiling from a window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace as he spoke to pilgrims... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371311/pope-leo-pledges-return-duties-following-lung-cancer-surgery https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371311/pope-leo-pledges-return-duties-following-lung-cancer-surgery Sun, 18 Oct 2026 12:03:20 +0000 Reuters Reuters Pope Leo left hospital in Rome on Saturday afternoon and returned to the Vatican four days after surgery for lung cancer, an illness that has prompted speculation about how it might affect his 17-month papacy. The 71-year-old walked unaided to his waiting car, stopping to speak to well-wishers outside Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. He was pictured smiling broadly and waving through an open window when his black SUV left the hospital. He waved again to crowds as he was driven back into the Vatican but... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371256/pope-leo-leave-hospital-saturday-after-lung-cancer-surgery https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371256/pope-leo-leave-hospital-saturday-after-lung-cancer-surgery Sat, 17 Oct 2026 10:26:27 +0000 Han Li Han Li As the US prepares to host the G20 summit in Miami in December, Americans’ views of participating countries vary, with China viewed more favourably than Russia, although both rank near the bottom, according to the latest Pew Research Centre report. Americans gave China an average rating of 37 out of 100, compared with 27 for Russia, Pew found in a report released on Friday. Canada, Australia, Japan and Italy received the warmest ratings, with average scores in the mid-to-high 60s. “Russia stands... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371213/americans-see-china-more-positively-russia-both-near-bottom-g20-pew-report https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3371213/americans-see-china-more-positively-russia-both-near-bottom-g20-pew-report Fri, 16 Oct 2026 21:06:42 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Pope Leo spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin by phone on Friday, calling for a ceasefire in a Russian-occupied city in southern Ukraine, as he recovers in hospital from a lung cancer operation. The Vatican said that Pope Leo “expressed his deep concern about the grave humanitarian situation in the city of Oleshky, in the Kherson region, and called for a ceasefire to allow the delivery of food and medical assistance, and the voluntary and safe evacuation of the civilian population”. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371210/hospital-pope-leo-pushes-putin-ceasefire-contested-ukraine-city https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371210/hospital-pope-leo-pushes-putin-ceasefire-contested-ukraine-city Fri, 16 Oct 2026 17:47:47 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Of the Celine alumni who worked under Phoebe Philo and later emerged as influential figures in fashion – including Matthieu Blazy, Daniel Lee, Nadège Vanhee and Michael Rider – Nina Christen is perhaps the least known. Yet the Swiss-Chilean designer is behind some of luxury footwear’s most distinctive silhouettes. If over the last two decades you’ve swapped your pumps for combat boots, square-toe heeled sandals or supple leather loafers, you may have Christen to thank. Besides Celine, her résumé... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3370880/nina-christen-has-redefined-luxury-footwear-dior-and-loewe-now-shes-doing-it-her-own-label https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/trends/article/3370880/nina-christen-has-redefined-luxury-footwear-dior-and-loewe-now-shes-doing-it-her-own-label Fri, 16 Oct 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse EU leaders locked horns on Thursday over the bloc’s next long-term budget as they kicked off talks in Brussels under pressure to seal a deal before several high-stakes elections next year, most crucially in France. The 27-nation European Union wants an agreement by Christmas, worried that any future deal-making will be derailed by potential Eurosceptic wins across the bloc, including in France where the far-right’s Marine Le Pen is favoured in opinion polls. “We are facing very, very difficult... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371036/eu-leaders-clash-over-trillion-euro-budget-fears-grow-over-french-election-fallout https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3371036/eu-leaders-clash-over-trillion-euro-budget-fears-grow-over-french-election-fallout Thu, 15 Oct 2026 10:42:26 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Costa Rica, considered for decades a peaceful enclave in turbulent Central America, has now made fighting drug trafficking one of its main goals. And it is turning to one of its Central American neighbours for inspiration in its hardline crackdown. On Wednesday, President Laura Fernandez inaugurated a mega-prison that emulates the Terrorism Confinement Centre (CECOT) that has become a symbol of Salvadorean President Nayib Bukele’s security strategy. Bukele has managed to reduce murders to a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3370948/costa-rica-latest-adopt-bukele-blueprint-new-mega-prison https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/americas/article/3370948/costa-rica-latest-adopt-bukele-blueprint-new-mega-prison Thu, 15 Oct 2026 03:53:38 +0000 Beimeng Fu Beimeng Fu It is rare for an exhibition to be repellent and attractive, but the Disgusting Food Museum manages to be both – and does it remarkably well. Having drawn more than half a million visitors since 2018 to its home base in Malmö, Sweden, as well as pop-up exhibitions from the United States to Taiwan, the concept debuts in Hong Kong at Gate33 Gallery in Airside, Kai Tak, showcasing more than 80 polarising delicacies from 35 countries. Co-founded by Dr Samuel West – a clinical psychologist who also... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/culture/article/3370545/gross-encounters-disgusting-food-museum-opens-hong-kong https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/culture/article/3370545/gross-encounters-disgusting-food-museum-opens-hong-kong Thu, 15 Oct 2026 00:00:08 +0000 Tim Yuen Lingk Tim Yuen Lingk Rising sovereign debt and borrowing costs have prompted a fresh warning from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) about risks to the fiscal health of member countries, with 24-year highs in US Treasury yields expected to become one of the focal topics for central bankers and finance ministers gathering in Bangkok this week. The average yield on 10-year government bonds across the Group of Seven economies increased by more than 1 percentage point between February and September this year,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3370722/imf-warns-higher-borrowing-costs-are-straining-public-finances-worldwide https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/banking-finance/article/3370722/imf-warns-higher-borrowing-costs-are-straining-public-finances-worldwide Wed, 14 Oct 2026 02:00:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Pope Leo XIV spent a peaceful night in Rome’s Gemelli hospital after doctors removed the lower lobe of his right lung and confirmed he has cancer, the Vatican said on Wednesday. The surgery confirmed that the pope had the most common type of lung cancer, known as lung adenocarcinoma, the Vatican said in a medical bulletin late on Tuesday. The Vatican said doctors were waiting for the results of further tests before deciding on a course of treatment. The press office pointed to the medical... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370785/pope-leos-lung-surgery-successfully-completed-vatican-says https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370785/pope-leos-lung-surgery-successfully-completed-vatican-says Tue, 13 Oct 2026 20:04:00 +0000 Doris Lam Doris Lam I WAS BORN in October 1972, in New Jersey, in the United States. My parents were both immigrants – young adults who migrated during World War II, in the early 1940s. My father is Dutch and my mother is Italian, from Sicily. As children, we were always told that if we worked for the state, we’d be well taken care of. MY MUM WAS a nurse and she met my father in New York. She worked in a hospital, and he was a police officer. My father retired when he was in his 40s after he broke his back. We then... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/article/3370359/dr-ron-roukema-education-leadership-and-life-hong-kong-international-school https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/article/3370359/dr-ron-roukema-education-leadership-and-life-hong-kong-international-school Mon, 12 Oct 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Embracing the open-source approach is the only way for Europe to achieve technological independence, Alibaba Group Holding chairman Joe Tsai said, pointing to China’s own open-source drive as a blueprint for innovation under constraints. For Europe, which shares China’s deep roots in traditional manufacturing, the open-source approach presented a unique opportunity, Tsai said, highlighting that factories in the region possessed highly valuable manufacturing data. “You don’t want to feed it into... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3370428/open-source-ai-europes-only-path-tech-independence-says-alibaba-chairman-joe-tsai https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/tech-trends/article/3370428/open-source-ai-europes-only-path-tech-independence-says-alibaba-chairman-joe-tsai Sat, 10 Oct 2026 05:34:09 +0000 Kavita Daswani Kavita Daswani For Dorothy Wang, documenting her life is hardly new territory. After years of appearing on reality television, including Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, Bling Empire and Bling Empire: New York, the socialite-entrepreneur and heiress – her father Roger Wang is the billionaire founder of Chinese real estate company Golden Eagle International Group – has spent much of her adult life sharing her life with the public. But when she met lawyer Brandon Yankowitz through mutual friends in 2022, she found... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3370293/bling-empires-dorothy-wang-back-time-its-her-wedding-her-rules https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3370293/bling-empires-dorothy-wang-back-time-its-her-wedding-her-rules Sat, 10 Oct 2026 04:15:04 +0000 dpa dpa The United Kingdom is “open” to Germany joining an international coalition to build the next generation of fighter jets, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has announced. Speaking in Berlin on Thursday, during his first visit to the German capital since taking office, Burnham said he “indicated” to Chancellor Friedrich Merz Britain’s “openness” to the country joining the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP). Initially a pact between the UK, Italy and Japan to build a sixth-generation fighter jet,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370225/uk-signals-openness-germany-joining-gcap-fighter-jet-programme https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370225/uk-signals-openness-germany-joining-gcap-fighter-jet-programme Thu, 08 Oct 2026 14:40:11 +0000 Nicholas Spiro Nicholas Spiro When the governor of the Bank of France feels it is necessary to point out that “France is not Greece during the euro zone crisis”, it is clear there is a confidence problem at the heart of Europe’s monetary union. While there are stark differences between the current threats facing the single currency area and those that almost tore apart the bloc in 2012, bond investors can smell blood. Worryingly, France – the euro-zone’s second-largest economy, which was previously treated by investors as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370128/how-japanese-bond-yields-chinese-competition-are-stoking-euro-zone-fears https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3370128/how-japanese-bond-yields-chinese-competition-are-stoking-euro-zone-fears Thu, 08 Oct 2026 08:30:07 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Foreign workers building the vast new US consulate compound in Milan signed agreements at a Milan hotel Wednesday securing payouts averaging €45,000 (US$50,400) each for alleged labour abuses while working for an American construction company. More than 60 labourers, mostly from India, signed the deals Wednesday to receive their share of a €31 million (nearly US$35 million) settlement agreed last month with Alabama-based Caddell Construction. The signings began Tuesday. Prosecutors say it is the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370118/workers-mostly-indian-building-us-consulate-milan-agree-record-settlement https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3370118/workers-mostly-indian-building-us-consulate-milan-agree-record-settlement Thu, 08 Oct 2026 02:33:22 +0000 SCMP Style Reporter SCMP Style Reporter Before the luxury sneaker became a wardrobe staple, Hogan had already identified the opportunity in a shoe that could move comfortably between casual and cachet. The Italian brand marks its 40th anniversary this year by revisiting that founding instinct: a belief that well-made footwear should accommodate the pace of modern life without compromising on design or craftsmanship. Founded in 1986 within the Tod’s Group, Hogan began with the Traditional, a streamlined, cricket-inspired shoe defined... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3369799/style-edit-hogan-marks-40-years-luxury-sneakers-cinema https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3369799/style-edit-hogan-marks-40-years-luxury-sneakers-cinema Thu, 08 Oct 2026 02:00:08 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez Turkmenistan has added the FK-2000 missile-and-gun system to its growing arsenal of Chinese-made air defences, highlighting Beijing’s expanding role in the Central Asian weapons market once dominated by Russia. At least 10 FK-2000 vehicles – along with an array of other Chinese-made military equipment – could be seen in footage of Turkmenistan’s Independence Day parade in Ashgabat on September 27. Developed by the state-owned China Aerospace Science and Industry Corporation, the FK-2000 is a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369869/turkmenistan-grows-its-arsenal-chinese-air-defences-russias-role-shrinks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3369869/turkmenistan-grows-its-arsenal-chinese-air-defences-russias-role-shrinks Tue, 06 Oct 2026 05:00:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Chryssa Ntalaka’s classroom has become an object lesson in subtraction. The sole teacher in the last school on the idyllic Greek island of Kalamos has a shorter list of students every autumn. This year, just two. On September 23, the sixth graders sat at Ntalaka’s table beneath the whiteboard, in front of rows of unused desks and benches. When they head to middle school on Greece’s mainland next year, her school will be mothballed. Toys and picture books still sit on shelves in the nearby... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369816/empty-classrooms-remote-greek-island-signal-crisis-across-europe https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3369816/empty-classrooms-remote-greek-island-signal-crisis-across-europe Mon, 05 Oct 2026 11:40:41 +0000 Doris Lam Doris Lam Milan, Italy’s fashion capital and home to this year’s World’s 50 Best Bars awards ceremony, offers bites as exquisite as its reputation. For those checking out the awards this month, be sure to make time for the city’s food scene, which is every bit as compelling as its bar culture. Alongside traditional trattorias, a new generation of chefs with fine-dining pedigrees steps away from rigid traditions, experimenting with fermentation menus, sustainable work hours, and a fusion of cultures.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3369571/unsung-eats-5-best-places-eat-milan-during-worlds-50-best-bars-awards https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/100-top-tables/article/3369571/unsung-eats-5-best-places-eat-milan-during-worlds-50-best-bars-awards Sat, 03 Oct 2026 06:00:13 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Frédéric Arnault grew up surrounded by luxury executives and creative directors, and has been exposed to the inner workings of the world’s top luxury brands from a very young age. He is the son of Bernard Arnault, chairman and CEO of LVMH, the world’s largest luxury group and the company behind brands such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Bulgari and Fendi. The young Arnault spent most of his adult life working at LVMH’s watchmaking division, first as CEO of Tag Heuer and later as CEO of LVMH... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/luxury-ceos/article/3369350/loro-piana-ceo-frederic-arnault-navigating-italian-luxury-brands-complexities https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/luxury-ceos/article/3369350/loro-piana-ceo-frederic-arnault-navigating-italian-luxury-brands-complexities Thu, 01 Oct 2026 00:00:17 +0000 SCMP Style Reporter SCMP Style Reporter Since their founding, Max Mara and sister brand Sportmax have been lauded for consistently delivering a covetable wardrobe of luxurious essentials that celebrate sophisticated, effortless Italian tailoring. Every collection’s unique blend of timeless elegance and everyday wearability has made it a mainstay in the wardrobes of style stars like Kate Mara, Leighton Meester, Yoona Lim and Adria Arjona – the latter received the 2026 Women in Film (WIF) Max Mara Face of the Future Award – all of whom... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3369181/style-edit-max-mara-celebrates-1930s-women-explorers-sportmax-lightens-daily-essentials-ss27 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3369181/style-edit-max-mara-celebrates-1930s-women-explorers-sportmax-lightens-daily-essentials-ss27 Tue, 29 Sep 2026 08:46:36 +0000 Ann Cao Ann Cao Alibaba Group Holding has become an official technology and cloud partner of NBA team Brooklyn Nets, as the tech giant pushes for a deeper presence in the sports industry. The collaboration was announced on Monday under a multi-year strategic partnership between Alibaba and Brooklyn Sports & Entertainment, the parent company of the basketball team. It would also see Alibaba become Brooklyn Nets’ official jersey patch sponsor ahead of the basketball team’s 60th anniversary season, according to a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3369124/alibaba-deepens-sports-tech-push-new-brooklyn-nets-partnership https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/tech/article/3369124/alibaba-deepens-sports-tech-push-new-brooklyn-nets-partnership Tue, 29 Sep 2026 01:24:03 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre The last couple of days of a very happening Milan Fashion Week showcased the diversity of the Italian fashion industry, from the low-profile luxury embodied by Ferragamo and Tod’s – two labels known for their footwear and leather goods – to the Sicilian glamour of Dolce & Gabbana and Bottega Veneta’s celebration of textures. Louise Trotter’s third collection for Bottega Veneta felt like a breath of fresh air, which was probably how the designer envisioned the range from the start. In the show... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3368995/milan-fashion-week-bottega-veneta-dolce-gabbana-ferragamo-and-tods-round-out-best-ss27 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3368995/milan-fashion-week-bottega-veneta-dolce-gabbana-ferragamo-and-tods-round-out-best-ss27 Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:57:30 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Italy is becoming a magnet for wealthy property investors thanks to its high quality of life and flat tax regime, and interest is also on the rise among mainland Chinese and Hong Kong buyers, according to property agents. Rome introduced a flat tax regime nine years ago to attract high-net-worth individuals, with foreign residents allowed to make a flat annual tax payment of €300,000 (US$342,000) on all their overseas income under the scheme’s latest rules. The tax incentive has become a draw... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3368963/italy-attracts-wealthy-chinese-property-buyers-food-fashion-and-flat-tax https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3368963/italy-attracts-wealthy-chinese-property-buyers-food-fashion-and-flat-tax Mon, 28 Sep 2026 00:00:21 +0000 dpa dpa Italy has passed a decree banning face coverings in all schools and capping the proportion of newly arrived foreign pupils with insufficient Italian at 30 per cent per class from the next school year, the government in Rome said on Friday. The government said the 30 per cent quota applies in primary school to children who do not hold Italian citizenship, were not born in Italy and have not attended an Italian kindergarten for at least two years. In secondary schools the same rules apply, except... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368837/italy-ban-burkas-schools-30-cap-pupils-poor-italian https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368837/italy-ban-burkas-schools-30-cap-pupils-poor-italian Fri, 25 Sep 2026 11:20:08 +0000 Huizhao Huang Huizhao Huang Chinese carmakers have gained ground in Europe’s shift to electric cars, emerging as the biggest winners in plug-in hybrids despite moves by Brussels to curb their expansion. As petrol prices climbed across the EU, hitting a record high of more than €2.30 a litre (US$9.91 a US gallon) in Germany this month, the move to battery power gathered pace. Battery-electric registrations jumped 62.7 per cent year on year in August and accounted for 21.7 per cent of new registrations in the first eight... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368814/chinese-marques-driving-seat-high-petrol-prices-accelerate-eu-shift-electric-cars https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/china-economy/article/3368814/chinese-marques-driving-seat-high-petrol-prices-accelerate-eu-shift-electric-cars Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:37:49 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre The main shows of day three of Milan Fashion Week were Max Mara – the womenswear label that earlier this year celebrated its 75th anniversary with a show and exhibition in Shanghai – and Marni, where Belgian designer Meryll Rogge unveiled her second collection for the brand. Here’s what you need to know about the two shows. Fabrics always reign supreme at Max Mara, a brand that has a long history of developing high-quality textiles. The luxurious yarns the brand uses in its fall/winter... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3368745/milan-fashion-week-max-mara-brings-elevated-safari-style-marni-echoes-utilitarian-vibes-ss27 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3368745/milan-fashion-week-max-mara-brings-elevated-safari-style-marni-echoes-utilitarian-vibes-ss27 Fri, 25 Sep 2026 03:17:30 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A Croatian court has approved the extradition of a Ukrainian man who is wanted in Germany in connection with the 2022 undersea explosions that damaged the Nord Stream gas pipelines, state media said on Thursday. The report from HRT Television quoted the suspect’s lawyer Ljubo Pavaskovic as saying that he will appeal the September 18 ruling. It was not immediately clear when the man could be handed over to Germany. He was arrested on a European warrant in the northern Croatian town of Pula in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368715/croatian-court-approves-extradition-nord-stream-blast-suspect-germany https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368715/croatian-court-approves-extradition-nord-stream-blast-suspect-germany Thu, 24 Sep 2026 16:46:52 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Indonesia’s navy commissioned its first aircraft carrier on Thursday after acquiring the former Italian vessel to strengthen its maritime defences and disaster response. The Italian flag on the former ITS Giuseppe Garibaldi was replaced with the Indonesian flag on the carrier renamed the KRI Sriwijaya-100 as part of its official transfer at the ceremony held at Tanjung Priok seaport in North Jakarta. “The ship, which previously served in the Italian navy, now bears the name KRI Sriwijaya-100,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3368625/indonesia-commissions-first-aircraft-carrier-bolstering-sea-defence https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3368625/indonesia-commissions-first-aircraft-carrier-bolstering-sea-defence Thu, 24 Sep 2026 07:52:49 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Italy’s Senate on Wednesday gave final approval to legislation paving the way for a return to nuclear power nearly four decades after the Chernobyl disaster prompted the country to abandon atomic energy. The measure cleared the upper house 81-51 with seven abstentions. It marks a major step in Premier Giorgia Meloni’s drive to bolster energy security and meet climate goals, even though the construction of possible new reactors is still years away. The bill, which earlier passed the lower Chamber... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368603/italy-greenlights-return-nuclear-power-after-decades-long-ban https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368603/italy-greenlights-return-nuclear-power-after-decades-long-ban Thu, 24 Sep 2026 04:44:43 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Italy’s top fashion brands are showcasing their latest collections this week. Prada kicked off Milan Fashion Week with a blockbuster show celebrating one of its signatures, the skirt. Denim label Diesel followed with a very sexy range, the last to be designed by Belgian designer Glenn Martens, who will now fully focus on Maison Margiela, which, like Diesel, is owned by the OTB Group. Here is what you need to know about the biggest shows of day two: LVMH-owned Fendi and Jil Sander, another brand... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3368585/milan-fashion-week-fendi-and-jil-sander-spring/summer-2027-bring-sheer-glamour-and-distorted https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3368585/milan-fashion-week-fendi-and-jil-sander-spring/summer-2027-bring-sheer-glamour-and-distorted Thu, 24 Sep 2026 02:46:27 +0000 Reuters Reuters Italy’s Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli ordered the one-day closure of the Colosseum on Wednesday as a mark of respect after a worker was ‌killed overnight in an accident. Andrea Moretti, a 22-year-old technician, died after falling several metres while installing a new lighting system inside the ancient Roman arena. Built 2,000 years ago, the Colosseum was the biggest amphitheatre in the ⁠Roman Empire, used to host gladiator fights, executions and animal hunts. ‌It is Italy’s most visited... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368532/italys-colosseum-closes-after-worker-dies-accident https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368532/italys-colosseum-closes-after-worker-dies-accident Wed, 23 Sep 2026 11:09:37 +0000 Gabriel Dominguez Gabriel Dominguez China has upgraded its military base in Djibouti with communications equipment a US think tank says is “likely enhancing” the country’s ability to collect signals intelligence – potentially giving the PLA a window on foreign military operations in Djibouti and the wider Middle East. The Chinese facility sits within 16km (10 miles) of US, French, Italian and Japanese military bases, according to the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), in an unusually concentrated environment in... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3368246/djibouti-base-upgrade-may-offer-pla-window-foreign-military-middle-east-operations https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/military/article/3368246/djibouti-base-upgrade-may-offer-pla-window-foreign-military-middle-east-operations Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:58:37 +0000 Vincent Leung Vincent Leung “Photography is a universal language that transcends the barriers of culture and time.” These wise words from Fan Ho perfectly encapsulate the premise of a new exhibition celebrating his poetic camerawork at the Palazzo Falletti di Barolo in Turin, Italy. A Baroque noble residence might not be the first place that comes to mind when looking to discover Ho’s mid-20th century Hong Kong compositions, but the show invites viewers to look beyond the obvious and make connections to those scenes from a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3368204/fan-hos-poetic-photos-mid-20th-century-hong-kong-show-unlikely-place https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/arts/article/3368204/fan-hos-poetic-photos-mid-20th-century-hong-kong-show-unlikely-place Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:20:52 +0000 SCMP Style Reporter SCMP Style Reporter For a house built on top-notch textiles, Zegna has long understood that luxury is as much about atmosphere as it is about a beautifully cut jacket. The brand’s new Hong Kong boutique – or negozio, Italian for “store” – brings that approach to Tsim Sha Tsui’s Harbour City shopping complex, where a 250-square-metre space places warm materials, soft architecture, subtle Alpine inspiration and a full menswear wardrobe at the centre of the customer experience. Located on the ground floor of Gateway... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3367811/style-edit-zegnas-new-hong-kong-store-harbour-city-embodies-alpine-inspired-retail-vision https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/fashion/fashion-news/article/3367811/style-edit-zegnas-new-hong-kong-store-harbour-city-embodies-alpine-inspired-retail-vision Mon, 21 Sep 2026 02:00:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Sunday she will soon introduce a measure to her government that would cap the number of foreign pupils in classrooms and ban the wearing of burkas and niqabs in schools. Meloni told the youth wing of her nationalist conservative Brothers of Italy party that the measure would also make Italian language lessons compulsory for parents of foreign pupils having “serious difficulties integrating into the school system”. “For us, anyone who comes to Italy... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368172/italys-meloni-plans-ban-burkas-niqabs-schools-and-cap-foreign-pupils-classrooms https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3368172/italys-meloni-plans-ban-burkas-niqabs-schools-and-cap-foreign-pupils-classrooms Sun, 20 Sep 2026 16:32:17 +0000 Susi Snyder Susi Snyder The catastrophic danger posed to cities by nuclear weapons is nothing new. Putting major urban areas at risk across generations is, in fact, the point of these weapons of terror. The practice of doing so is benignly called nuclear deterrence, but it requires holding the cities of adversaries – real and imagined – under constant threat. The use of even the smallest nuclear weapons in today’s arsenals would cause a humanitarian emergency in cities. That is why city leadership should have a voice... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3367530/ending-nuclear-arms-race-starts-cities-doing-their-part https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/world-opinion/article/3367530/ending-nuclear-arms-race-starts-cities-doing-their-part Fri, 18 Sep 2026 12:30:05 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo What explains the vastly different attitudes of Hong Kong people and their mainland Chinese counterparts towards the United Kingdom? The first and easiest answer is, of course, Western freedom and democracy as allegedly practised – or at least taught – in colonial Hong Kong, as opposed to Chinese communist propaganda on the mainland. That is the most oft-cited claim, at least in Western media and public discourse, so I will not repeat it here. You can easily look up such arguments. Perhaps you... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3367682/why-mainland-chinese-despise-british-hongkongers-dont https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3367682/why-mainland-chinese-despise-british-hongkongers-dont Fri, 18 Sep 2026 08:30:05 +0000