https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/325632/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg Frank Chen Frank Chen Chinese airlines plan to add 288 domestic routes for the 2026-27 winter-spring travel season, with tropical Hainan and ski destinations in Xinjiang popular among travellers. International flights to some countries are also set to surge by 40 per cent. Most of the new domestic routes will connect coastal cities with tourist hotspots in central and western China, according to figures from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC). The new flight season began on Sunday and runs until March... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3372172/chinas-airlines-are-adding-288-domestic-routes-can-sectors-recovery-keep https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3372172/chinas-airlines-are-adding-288-domestic-routes-can-sectors-recovery-keep Mon, 26 Oct 2026 11:30:13 +0000 Zhu Wenqian Zhu Wenqian Hong Kong’s retirement system remains one of Asia’s stronger performers this year, ranking second and trailing only Singapore. The two remain clear regional leaders, ahead of Malaysia, mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, according to a report. The city retained its B grade, with its score edging up from 70.6 to 71.2, ranking 16th globally out of 55 systems, according to the annual Marsh CFA Institute Global Pension report by Marsh, a New York-based global professional services firm,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3371439/hong-kong-ranks-2nd-asian-pension-systems-behind-singapore-ageing-tests-retirement https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3371439/hong-kong-ranks-2nd-asian-pension-systems-behind-singapore-ageing-tests-retirement Tue, 20 Oct 2026 04:01:04 +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 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that Iceland had long been a “critical outpost” for security during a visit to the island, as his country pushed for greater US influence in the Arctic region. His trip comes after US President Donald Trump has stirred up the power balance in the region by making threats to buy or annex Greenland. The United States signed a security pact with Denmark and Greenland in late September that will allow Washington to establish two new military bases... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369952/iceland-critical-outpost-security-rubio-says-during-visit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3369952/iceland-critical-outpost-security-rubio-says-during-visit Tue, 06 Oct 2026 14:17:33 +0000 Julian Ryall Julian Ryall Iceland’s move towards a whaling ban could leave Japan more exposed than ever as it defends an industry critics say relies on public money, political symbolism and a shrinking domestic appetite for whale meat. The Icelandic government has announced plans to submit a bill early next year to end whaling – a step that would leave Japan and Norway as the world’s only two nations still carrying out commercial hunts. For environmental campaigners, the move has renewed hopes that Japan will no longer... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3367475/icelands-whaling-ban-plan-threatens-leave-japan-alone-defending-industry https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/health-environment/article/3367475/icelands-whaling-ban-plan-threatens-leave-japan-alone-defending-industry Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:13 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Iceland’s voters rejected restarting negotiations to join the European Union in a referendum that pitted concerns about geopolitical stability against keeping national control of Iceland’s prized fisheries, officials said on Sunday. Opponents defeated the measure by a margin of 52.8 per cent to 47.2 per cent, the National Electoral Commission said. The result puts the divisive issue to rest for now – more than a decade after a Eurosceptic government ended EU talks that had begun after the 2008... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365778/icelandic-voters-reject-proposal-restart-negotiations-join-european-union https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365778/icelandic-voters-reject-proposal-restart-negotiations-join-european-union Sun, 30 Aug 2026 17:44:06 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The Netherlands will not take part in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, its broadcaster has said, adding that the event can “no longer be considered neutral” given divisions over the Gaza war. “It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the contest, undermining its neutral character. The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division,” said Taco Zimmerman, director general of AVROTROS in a statement from the broadcaster on Monday. The... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365062/netherlands-withdraws-no-longer-neutral-eurovision https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3365062/netherlands-withdraws-no-longer-neutral-eurovision Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:30:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Day briefly turned to night in Spain on Wednesday, as the country witnessed its first total solar eclipse in more than a century, plunging it into eerie darkness in one of nature’s greatest spectacles. The spectral glow of the sun’s outer corona, shimmering out of the edges of the shadowy moon, drew gasps and cheers from huge crowds, just 90 minutes after it first appeared in the remote Arctic region of northern Russia. “It’s a sight I never would have imagined seeing,” said Isabel Troyano, a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3363830/solar-eclipse-turns-day-night-spain-wows-crowds-across-europe https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3363830/solar-eclipse-turns-day-night-spain-wows-crowds-across-europe Wed, 12 Aug 2026 20:48:49 +0000 Carolina Malis Carolina Malis For many, a holiday ends with a suitcase full of souvenirs. For a growing number of travellers, however, it ends with skin that looks different – glowier – from how it did at the beginning of the trip. This is the whole premise behind the glowcation, a term everywhere in recent travel trend reports that describes a very specific kind of trip: one built around a wellness treatment, beauty ritual or very targeted pharmacy haul. During a normal holiday, many people will squeeze in an odd spa... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3363172/6-glowcation-destinations-your-next-beauty-and-wellness-fix-seoul-marrakech https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3363172/6-glowcation-destinations-your-next-beauty-and-wellness-fix-seoul-marrakech Mon, 10 Aug 2026 04:45:06 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Mark Wahlberg shed the aura of a Hollywood star when he savoured street food and mingled with locals in Penang while filming Netflix’s The Big Fix. His trip delighted Malaysians and highlighted the country’s growing appeal to global productions. Videos of Wahlberg, who played a former Boston police detective in Spenser Confidential, filming around the Malaysian state went viral on social media over the weekend. Some clips showed the 55-year-old walking through a market, waving to onlookers and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3360460/mark-wahlberg-savours-penangs-charm-malaysians-floored-stars-humility https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3360460/mark-wahlberg-savours-penangs-charm-malaysians-floored-stars-humility Tue, 14 Jul 2026 03:43:20 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse One of Iceland’s two remaining whaling ships set out this week to hunt the giant mammals after a two-year hiatus, local media and campaigners reported on Saturday. Iceland is one of only three countries that still openly permit whaling, alongside Norway and Japan – despite international opprobrium from the public and animal welfare organisations. A protester chained himself to the mast of the vessel before it left the port of Reykjavik on Friday. He climbed down in the evening and was escorted... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3357794/iceland-resumes-whale-hunt-amid-protest https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3357794/iceland-resumes-whale-hunt-amid-protest Sat, 20 Jun 2026 16:31:24 +0000 Reuters Reuters Bulgaria won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time on Saturday in a final overshadowed by five countries’ boycott over Gaza, claiming a dramatic ‌victory despite another big public vote for Israel that secured it second place. The garish and usually good-natured competition involving pop acts from countries across Europe and beyond, now in its 70th year, has been plunged into crisis by a dispute over Israel’s military offensive in Gaza, a response to ⁠the Hamas-led attack on October 7,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3353846/bulgarias-dara-wins-eurovision-contest-beating-out-israel-top-spot https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3353846/bulgarias-dara-wins-eurovision-contest-beating-out-israel-top-spot Sat, 16 May 2026 23:46:15 +0000 Sumnima Kandangwa Sumnima Kandangwa As in most fields, women in art have often been pushed to the margins and left woefully under-represented. It was only during the Renaissance, still most celebrated for the works of Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Raphael, that women artists such as Sofonisba Anguissola and Lavinia Fontana gained some recognition. Yet barriers persist today. In her 1971 essay, “Why Have There Been No Great Women Artists?”, Linda Nochlin identified the structural and institutional obstacles that kept women... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3352834/5-exhibitions-celebrating-female-creatives-marilyn-monroe-frida-kahlo https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/lifestyle/design/article/3352834/5-exhibitions-celebrating-female-creatives-marilyn-monroe-frida-kahlo Sat, 09 May 2026 00:00:10 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre A former journalist who’s been living in Milan for well over two decades, California native J.J. Martin turned her impeccable taste and love for all things fabulous into La DoubleJ, a fashion and lifestyle label known for its bold prints, colourful aesthetic and “good vibes all around”, as the saying goes. Here, Martin shares her favourite finds from her adopted hometown of Milan and beyond. What I’m watching My favourite things to engage with are the consciousness teachings, lessons or... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3351836/style-according-jj-martin-founder-milan-based-la-doublej https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3351836/style-according-jj-martin-founder-milan-based-la-doublej Fri, 01 May 2026 23:00:13 +0000 Seong Hyeon Choi,Fan Chen Seong Hyeon Choi,Fan Chen A former president of Iceland has rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that nearby Greenland was surrounded by Chinese and Russian vessels, saying it was “not supported by facts”. In an interview on the sidelines of last weekend’s Munich Security Conference, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, who was Iceland’s president from 1996 to 2016, said there were “no Russian and Chinese ships in the waters of Greenland”. Trump said last month that the US “needed Greenland” – a Danish territory – “from the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343884/trumps-claim-chinese-and-russian-ships-near-greenland-not-supported-facts https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3343884/trumps-claim-chinese-and-russian-ships-near-greenland-not-supported-facts Wed, 18 Feb 2026 10:00:17 +0000 Yating Yang Yating Yang A 30-year-old Chinese woman earning over 1 million yuan (US$140,000) per month has publicly announced her retirement plans to travel to Iceland, igniting widespread envy among younger generations online. Deng Yiran, a geophysics graduate from Nanjing University in Jiangsu province, southeastern China, has garnered considerable attention following her announcement to retire at such a young age. As of this month, Deng collaborates with several companies across China, including those in Beijing,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3343421/china-woman-30-earning-us140000-month-running-marketing-firm-announces-retirement https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/china-personalities/article/3343421/china-woman-30-earning-us140000-month-running-marketing-firm-announces-retirement Fri, 13 Feb 2026 06:00:09 +0000 Reuters Reuters Nato said on Wednesday that it had launched a mission to strengthen its presence in the Arctic, part of an effort to defuse severe tensions within the alliance prompted by US President Donald Trump’s push for the US to acquire Greenland. The new mission, Arctic Sentry, will coordinate an increasing military presence of Nato allies in the region, including exercises such as Denmark’s Arctic Endurance on Greenland, the ‌alliance’s military headquarters said in a statement. Nato did not quantify... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3343235/nato-launches-arctic-sentry-mission-bid-ease-greenland-tensions-trump https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3343235/nato-launches-arctic-sentry-mission-bid-ease-greenland-tensions-trump Wed, 11 Feb 2026 16:44:52 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Canada and France, which both oppose US President Donald Trump’s claim to Greenland, opened consulates in the Danish autonomous territory’s capital on Friday, in a show of support for the local government. Since returning to the White House last year, Trump has insisted that Washington needs to control the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island for security reasons. Trump last month backed off threats to seize Greenland after saying he had struck a “framework” deal with Nato chief Mark Rutte to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3342736/canada-and-france-open-greenland-consulates-show-support-amid-trump-threats https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3342736/canada-and-france-open-greenland-consulates-show-support-amid-trump-threats Fri, 06 Feb 2026 20:54:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse US President Donald Trump repeatedly made an apparent gaffe in a speech on Wednesday to world leaders assembled in Switzerland by referring to “Iceland” several times instead of his much coveted “Greenland”, with the White House furiously denying any confusion on his part. The 79-year-old Republican has been clamouring for the United States to acquire Greenland, a large island territory of Denmark, citing what he called security threats from Russia and China in the Arctic Circle. On Wednesday,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3340761/white-house-responds-after-trump-repeatedly-refers-greenland-iceland-davos https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3340761/white-house-responds-after-trump-repeatedly-refers-greenland-iceland-davos Thu, 22 Jan 2026 02:03:19 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu A 47-year-old Chinese woman shares her idyllic life as a civil servant in a remote town in Iceland, igniting interest and spirited discussions on social media in mainland China. The woman, known as Megan, hails from Beijing. In 2020, at the age of 42, she decided to pursue a second master’s degree in Iceland, a few years after her divorce. She earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting and her first master’s in business computing in the UK before transferring to a new energy major at a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3339774/china-woman-47-shares-civil-servant-life-iceland-appreciates-culture-respects-choices https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/people-culture/trending-china/article/3339774/china-woman-47-shares-civil-servant-life-iceland-appreciates-culture-respects-choices Sat, 17 Jan 2026 08:00:08 +0000 Julie Zhang Julie Zhang BeOne Medicines, a global drug company that originated as a research and development (R&D) firm in Beijing, promoted Wang Lai to the newly created role of president, marking a leadership expansion as the company advances its late-stage pipeline and globalisation efforts. The 48-year-old has served as the company’s global head of R&D since April 2021. Effective January, Wang would take the helm of an expanded portfolio, retaining his R&D responsibilities while also overseeing business development... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3337097/beone-medicines-names-rd-chief-wang-lai-co-president-lead-global-expansion https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/china-business/article/3337097/beone-medicines-names-rd-chief-wang-lai-co-president-lead-global-expansion Fri, 19 Dec 2025 10:43:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Mosquitoes have been discovered in Iceland in a first for the island nation, which has long been one of the world’s mosquito-free places, a researcher said on Monday. Three Culiseta annulata mosquitoes, two females and one male, were sighted around 30km (20 miles) north of the capital Reykjavik, according to Matthias Alfredsson, an entomologist at the Natural Science Institute of Iceland. “They were all collected from wine ropes … aimed at attracting moths,” the researcher said in an email,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3329852/mosquitoes-discovered-iceland-first-time https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3329852/mosquitoes-discovered-iceland-first-time Tue, 21 Oct 2025 17:10:51 +0000 Tribune News Service Tribune News Service It was a cool, clear night as the National Geographic Endurance sailed out of Storefjord, one of the many beautiful fjords along the eastern coast of Greenland. We were just a few days into “Iceland’s Wild West Coast to East Greenland”, a voyage offered by National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions, but I was eager to leave my stateroom behind. While other guests were getting cosy in their beds after the day’s adventures, I headed up to the top deck with a small overnight bag. I was going to spend... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3328740/unique-arctic-cruise-experience-spend-night-glass-igloo-atop-cruise-ship https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3328740/unique-arctic-cruise-experience-spend-night-glass-igloo-atop-cruise-ship Mon, 13 Oct 2025 04:15:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Germany’s culture minister on Saturday slammed threats by several European countries to boycott next year’s Eurovision Song Contest if Israel took part as politicising a cultural event. Spain said this week it would boycott the world’s largest live televised music event in May if Israel participates, and Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and the Netherlands have made similar threats. “Eurovision was founded to bring nations together through music. Excluding Israel today goes against this fundamental... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3326256/germany-slams-israel-boycott-eurovision-brings-nations-together https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3326256/germany-slams-israel-boycott-eurovision-brings-nations-together Sat, 20 Sep 2025 11:26:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Stargazers enjoyed a “blood moon” on Sunday night during a total lunar eclipse visible across Asia and swathes of Europe and Africa. When the sun, Earth and moon line up, the shadow cast by the planet on its satellite makes it appear an eerie, deep red colour that has astounded humans for millennia. People in Asia, including India and China, were best placed to see Sunday’s total eclipse, which was also visible on the eastern edge of Africa as well as in western Australia. Stargazers in Europe... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3324678/blood-moon-rises-during-total-lunar-eclipse-has-astounded-humans-millennia https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/australasia/article/3324678/blood-moon-rises-during-total-lunar-eclipse-has-astounded-humans-millennia Sun, 07 Sep 2025 23:13:39 +0000 Cherry Liu Cherry Liu Ísadóra Bjarkardóttir Barney, aka Doa, the multitalented daughter of iconic Icelandic singer Björk, has just returned to the runway. The 22-year-old opened the Cecilie Bahnsen 10-year anniversary show at Copenhagen Fashion Week last Friday with a white tulle dress embellished with bows and floral appliqués. She completed the airy look with white knee socks and trainers. Her brunette bob and shimmering silver make-up also accentuated the outfit’s details. View this post on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3321455/who-bjorks-daughter-isadora-bjarkardottir-barney-aka-doa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3321455/who-bjorks-daughter-isadora-bjarkardottir-barney-aka-doa Mon, 11 Aug 2025 10:00:21 +0000 Reuters Reuters A volcano erupted on Wednesday in southwest Iceland, authorities said, with live media images showing it belching smoke and dramatic flows of glowing hot yellow and orange lava, the latest in a series of outbreaks near the capital in recent years. Often referred to as a land of ice and fire, the North Atlantic island nation with its many glaciers and volcanoes has now experienced a dozen eruptions since geological systems on its Reykjanes peninsula reactivated in 2021. A previous eruption... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3318406/new-volcanic-eruption-jolts-icelands-reykjanes-peninsula https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3318406/new-volcanic-eruption-jolts-icelands-reykjanes-peninsula Wed, 16 Jul 2025 07:02:32 +0000 Mark Footer Mark Footer June 8 is World Oceans Day, an observance designed to raise awareness of the vital role our water bodies play in supporting life on Earth, through biodiversity and their ability to regulate the climate, and the urgent need to protect them. Today, a variety of events and exhibitions to highlight the cause are being staged around the world by governments, aquariums and schools, but spare a thought for Ross Edgley. The British ultra-endurance athlete entered the water on May 16 in an attempt to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/travel/article/3313326/5-luxury-experiences-celebrate-world-oceans-day https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/travel/article/3313326/5-luxury-experiences-celebrate-world-oceans-day Sun, 08 Jun 2025 00:30:08 +0000 A volcano erupted to the south of Iceland’s capital on Tuesday, spewing lava and smoke in a fiery display of orange and red that triggered the evacuation of tourists and residents, although air traffic continued as normal. Referred to as a land of ice and fire for its many glaciers and volcanoes, the North Atlantic island nation has now seen 11 eruptions south of Reykjavik since 2021, when dormant geological systems reactivated after some 800 years. “Warning: An eruption has begun,” the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3304778/volcano-erupts-near-icelands-blue-lagoon-triggering-evacuations https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3304778/volcano-erupts-near-icelands-blue-lagoon-triggering-evacuations Tue, 01 Apr 2025 10:26:25 +0000 Gracia Yap,Srinidhi Ragavendran Gracia Yap,Srinidhi Ragavendran It is a migration story that defies expectations. More than 10,000km separate the lush, tropical islands of the Philippines from Iceland, a nation of glaciers, geysers, and volcanic landscapes. Yet this North Atlantic nation has become an unlikely beacon of opportunity for Filipinos seeking higher wages, stability – and a gateway to Europe. Government figures show that as of last year, 2,631 Filipinos called Iceland home, making them the largest Asian community and fifth-largest among all... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3296202/tropics-tundra-why-filipinos-are-flocking-iceland https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3296202/tropics-tundra-why-filipinos-are-flocking-iceland Sun, 26 Jan 2025 09:00:07 +0000 Edith Lin Edith Lin Cathay Pacific Airways has apologised after a flight from Canada bound for Hong Kong was forced to divert to Iceland when a passenger became ill and then flew back to Toronto for a crew change, causing a more than two-day delay. The airline said on Friday that flight CX829 was diverted to Keflavik International Airport after departing Toronto for Hong Kong so a passenger could receive urgent medical help. After refuelling, the flight returned to Toronto to comply with crew member flying hour... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3293373/cathay-apologises-over-54-hour-delay-flight-going-toronto-hong-kong https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3293373/cathay-apologises-over-54-hour-delay-flight-going-toronto-hong-kong Fri, 03 Jan 2025 14:53:32 +0000 Iceland’s Reykjanes peninsula volcano has erupted anew, creating a lava-spewing fissure around 3km long and prompting warnings of gas emissions across parts of the peninsula including in the nearby town of Grindavík. This latest eruption, which began on November 20th, is sending a lava flow towards the famous Blue Lagoon spa tourist attraction and marks the tenth volcanic event in the region in just three years. These photos were first published as an SCMP gallery on November 25,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3288962/seventh-eruption-year-iceland-volcano-stunning-pictures https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/article/3288962/seventh-eruption-year-iceland-volcano-stunning-pictures Mon, 02 Dec 2024 09:25:07 +0000 While many of us experienced anxiety, sadness and loneliness during the pandemic, it would not be an exaggeration to say that Icelandic singer-songwriter and composer Björk thrived. She recorded her 11th album Fossora during “an unexpectedly happy lockdown in Reykjavík”, per The Guardian. Now, years out of the pandemic, Björk remains based in her native land, having divided her time between there and various parts of the globe over the past four decades – from London and New York to the Spanish... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3288650/where-queen-experimental-pop-bjork-2024-4-decades-industry-icelandic-artist-passionate-about https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/people/celebrities/article/3288650/where-queen-experimental-pop-bjork-2024-4-decades-industry-icelandic-artist-passionate-about Fri, 29 Nov 2024 11:00:12 +0000 Eric Ng Eric Ng Switzerland-based Climeworks, which has built the world’s largest carbon capture plant, is in discussions with Hong Kong investors, offering them exposure to potentially lucrative projects that cost between US$2 billion and US$3 billion to build. Some of the talks are at an advanced stage, but the high financing costs and deployment of relatively new technology on capital-intensive infrastructure mean only investors with a long investment horizon would be a suitable match, said co-founder and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/climate-and-energy/article/3284299/swiss-unicorn-climeworks-seeks-hong-kong-investors-carbon-capture-projects https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/climate-and-energy/article/3284299/swiss-unicorn-climeworks-seeks-hong-kong-investors-carbon-capture-projects Sun, 03 Nov 2024 23:30:11 +0000 Iceland is on track for snap elections after Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson announced that the country’s governing coalition has ended. Benediktsson, head of the conservative Independence Party, told reporters on Sunday that tensions had mounted within the left-right coalition on issues ranging from foreign policy to asylum seekers and energy. The coalition had been made up of the Independence Party, the Left-Green Movement and the centre-right Progressive Party. The issues “were less... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3282211/iceland-pm-dissolves-parliament-calls-elections-november-30 https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3282211/iceland-pm-dissolves-parliament-calls-elections-november-30 Sun, 13 Oct 2024 18:25:30 +0000 I’m exhausted when I board my bus from Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík, Iceland. The short drive comes on the heels of a gruelling, 20-plus-hour flight from Hong Kong, so it’s understandable that, for a moment, I wonder confusedly whether I’ve been beamed onto an alien landscape. The scenery rolling past is like nothing I’ve ever seen before: all black, rocky lava plains covered with moss and dotted with the occasional house. Reykjavík is simultaneously one of the smallest capitals... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3280214/reykjavik-edition-true-luxury-heart-icelands-capital-its-stunning-interiors-and-michelin-worthy https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/lifestyle/travel-hotels/article/3280214/reykjavik-edition-true-luxury-heart-icelands-capital-its-stunning-interiors-and-michelin-worthy Fri, 27 Sep 2024 08:18:09 +0000 An off-duty Hong Kong policeman has died and his wife, also an officer, has been injured in a car crash while on holiday in Iceland. Chief Inspector Vilhalmur Stefansson of Icelandic police told the Post on Wednesday that the man lost control of a rental car while driving along a gravel path at Krokssel at around 2pm on Tuesday and crashed into the Fossa River. The car was found upside down in the river at a depth of about two metres (6.6 feet). No other cars were involved. Stefansson said the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3279893/hong-kong-policeman-dies-wife-injured-car-crash-iceland-holiday https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3279893/hong-kong-policeman-dies-wife-injured-car-crash-iceland-holiday Wed, 25 Sep 2024 07:54:10 +0000 Every year Claire Choisne, the creative director of Boucheron, is given free rein to create a high jewellery collection for the storied Parisian jeweller. While this sounds like a dream come true for anyone working in a creative field, it is also a very challenging – albeit exciting – undertaking. Aptly named Carte Blanche, the collection is always a highlight of Haute Couture Week in Paris and the talk of the town among editors. In jewellery circles, Choisne is known and highly respected for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3277750/boucheron-creative-director-claire-choisne-talks-about-design-process-defying-convention-and https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3277750/boucheron-creative-director-claire-choisne-talks-about-design-process-defying-convention-and Wed, 11 Sep 2024 02:00:12 +0000 Icelandic police on Monday called off the search for anyone trapped in the previous day’s collapse of an ice cave that killed one person and injured another, saying that all members of the tourist expedition had been accounted for. Authorities had initially mounted a large-scale rescue operation, with as many as 200 rescuers sifting through the icy rubble by hand to find two people believed to have been missing. But police eventually determined that no one was unaccounted for after examining the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3275888/ice-cave-collapses-iceland-killing-1-and-leaving-2-missing-during-tourist-group-visit https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3275888/ice-cave-collapses-iceland-killing-1-and-leaving-2-missing-during-tourist-group-visit Mon, 26 Aug 2024 05:39:06 +0000 It’s not every day that friendly and inoffensive Canada gets lumped with nasty Russia and China. But that was what Mike Pompeo did when he last attended the Arctic Council (AC) as US secretary of state under Donald Trump. “We recognise that Russia is not the only nation making illegitimate claims,” he said. “The US has a long-contested feud with Canada over sovereign claims through the Northwest Passage.” If every crisis presents an opportunity, the converse is also true. Pompeo points to the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/article/3275729/next-battleground-between-east-and-west-may-be-arctic https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/article/3275729/next-battleground-between-east-and-west-may-be-arctic Fri, 23 Aug 2024 15:20:39 +0000 Inspired by the streams, rivers and glaciers of Iceland, Boucheron’s latest high jewellery collection Or Bleu presents powerful jewelled expressions of the glorious, rugged natural beauty of the country. Waterfalls, waves and icicles are transformed into stunning pieces of high jewellery by creative director Claire Choisne, sculpted by the maison’s artisans. PHOTOGRAPHY MIKE RUIZ STYLING JOANNE M KENNEDY MAKE-UP MEGUMI ITANO USING MAC COSMETICS HAIR CLÁUDIO BELIZÁRIO NAILS CHRISTINA... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3272596/style-shoot-boucheron-or-bleu-high-jewellery-inspired-iceland-and-forms-and-force-water https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/style/luxury/jewellery/article/3272596/style-shoot-boucheron-or-bleu-high-jewellery-inspired-iceland-and-forms-and-force-water Fri, 02 Aug 2024 02:00:14 +0000 Nato is helping finance a project aimed at finding ways to keep the internet running should subsea cables shuttling civilian and military communications across European waters come under attack. Researchers, who include academics from the United States, Iceland, Sweden and Switzerland, say they want to develop a way to seamlessly divert internet traffic from subsea cables to satellite systems in the event of sabotage, or a natural disaster. The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s Science for... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3269672/nato-backs-effort-save-internet-diverting-space-event-subsea-attacks https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3269672/nato-backs-effort-save-internet-diverting-space-event-subsea-attacks Mon, 08 Jul 2024 20:30:25 +0000 Passengers travelling to Kerala, south India, used to buy bus, train and plane tickets to Trivandrum (“Triv-AN-drum”), confident they were pronouncing the name of the city correctly. Then, in 1991, Trivandrum changed its name to Thiruvananthapuram (“tiru-wan-anta POOR-am”) – and bookings to Goa surged. OK, that’s not entirely true but it’s fair to say that some place names are harder to pronounce than others, and our often bungled attempts give locals reason to snigger. Here’s a collection of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3269258/how-say-place-names-most-get-wrong-laos-and-leicester-new-orleans-and-oaxaca https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/magazines/post-magazine/travel/article/3269258/how-say-place-names-most-get-wrong-laos-and-leicester-new-orleans-and-oaxaca Fri, 05 Jul 2024 08:15:07 +0000 Iceland, the world’s most gender equal country, is set to elect a woman as president for the second time in its history. Polling stations across the north Atlantic island are opening on Saturday to choose a successor to Gudni Th Johannesson, who is stepping down after two terms. The candidate who wins the most votes will become head of state in the single round election, and serve for four years. Two women are neck-and-neck in polls. Katrin Jakobsdottir, who stepped down as prime minister to run... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3265024/global-equality-champion-iceland-set-elect-woman-president-second-time https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3265024/global-equality-champion-iceland-set-elect-woman-president-second-time Sat, 01 Jun 2024 13:20:11 +0000 A volcano in southwestern Iceland sent glowing hot lava shooting 50 metres into the air on Wednesday, its fifth eruption since December, shortly after an eight-week-long eruption on the same Reykjanes peninsula came to an end. Authorities had warned of the risk of renewed volcanic activity in the area just south of the capital Reykjavik as studies showed magma accumulated underground. “The lava fountains reach 50 metres (164 feet) high and the length of the fissure seems to be around 2.5km and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3264611/iceland-volcano-erupts-again-fifth-time-december https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3264611/iceland-volcano-erupts-again-fifth-time-december Wed, 29 May 2024 13:30:44 +0000 Romania and Bulgaria partially joined Europe’s ID-check-free travel zone on Sunday, marking a new step in the two countries’ integration with the European Union. After years of negotiations to join the Schengen area, there is now free access for travellers arriving by air or sea from both countries. However, land border checks will remain in place due to opposition primarily from Austria which has long blocked their bid over illegal migration concerns. European Commission President Ursula von... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3257400/romania-and-bulgaria-partially-join-europes-schengen-travel-zone-land-border-checks-remain https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3257400/romania-and-bulgaria-partially-join-europes-schengen-travel-zone-land-border-checks-remain Sun, 31 Mar 2024 22:29:47 +0000 A Russian court sentenced Lyusya Shtein, a member of Pussy Riot and a former municipal deputy in Moscow, to six years in prison in absentia for anti-war social media posts, the court’s press service said on Wednesday. Shtein, 27, was found guilty of spreading “war fakes” in connection with a March 2022 post on X, in which she accused Russian soldiers captured by Ukraine of “bombing foreign cities and killing people”, Russian independent news outlet Mediazona reported. Russia calls UK courts ‘a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3256998/russia-sentences-pussy-riot-activist-6-years-absentia-ukraine-war-fakes https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3256998/russia-sentences-pussy-riot-activist-6-years-absentia-ukraine-war-fakes Wed, 27 Mar 2024 20:59:19 +0000 Lava from a new volcanic fissure on an Icelandic peninsula, the fourth eruption to hit the area since December, steadily advanced on Sunday, but the eruption’s intensity had decreased, authorities said. Icelandic police declared a state of emergency shortly after the eruption at 8.23pm local time on Saturday. The Icelandic Met Office (IMO) said response workers were monitoring the lava’s advance, “which has been slow and steady since” Sunday morning. It said that the lava was some 200 metres... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3255722/lava-iceland-volcano-advances-fourth-eruption-december https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3255722/lava-iceland-volcano-advances-fourth-eruption-december Sun, 17 Mar 2024 19:53:50 +0000 Last month, the Arctic Council broke the ice by agreeing to reconvene its working group meetings virtually, nearly two years after seven of its eight members, including the US, halted participation in protest against the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, which held the council chairmanship then. The working groups had been relying on “written procedures” for the last six months, after Norway took over the chairmanship and found ways to resume project work. The latest development will hopefully pave... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/comment/opinion/world/article/3255279/how-ukraine-war-and-sanctions-russia-put-arctic-cooperation-ice https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/comment/opinion/world/article/3255279/how-ukraine-war-and-sanctions-russia-put-arctic-cooperation-ice Sat, 16 Mar 2024 21:31:05 +0000 A volcano in southwestern Iceland erupted on Thursday for the third time since December, sending jets of lava up to 50 metres into the sky and triggering the evacuation of the Blue Lagoon spa and cutting heat and hot water to thousands of people. This is the sixth eruption on the southwestern Reykjanes peninsula since 2021. The eruption began at about 6am local time along a 3km (nearly two-mile) fissure northeast of Mount Sundhnukur, the Icelandic Meteorological Office said. Several communities... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3251435/iceland-volcano-erupts-third-time-2-months-spewing-lava-50-metres-air-evacuating-blue-lagoon-spa https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3251435/iceland-volcano-erupts-third-time-2-months-spewing-lava-50-metres-air-evacuating-blue-lagoon-spa Thu, 08 Feb 2024 10:46:56 +0000