https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/rss/519182/feed en https://assets-v2.i-scmp.com/production/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg dpa dpa Tom Cruise tearing through the Old Town alleyway Zelezna towards the Estates Theatre; Mozart conducting an opera – these are just a couple of scenes from the many classic films shot in Prague, in the Czech Republic. Beyond the Cruise spy thriller Mission: Impossible (1996) and Amadeus (1984), winner of eight Oscars, recent films include Blade Runner 2099 and A Place Called Home. Then there are the television shows, says Hedvika Petrzelkova, a public relations officer at the Czech Film... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3367393/9-movie-locations-prague-you-may-recognise-xxx-van-helsing-and-amadeus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3367393/9-movie-locations-prague-you-may-recognise-xxx-van-helsing-and-amadeus?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Sep 2026 10:15:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Firefighters battling Belgium’s largest modern-day wildfire were counting on crucial air support on Sunday to help tame the blaze in a hard-to-access nature reserve, after it doubled in size over the previous 24 hours. More than 250 firefighters and emergency personnel were mobilised through the night, according to a Sunday morning update from the regional government which warned conditions in the High Fens park near the German border “remain challenging”. From 80 hectares burned on Friday, the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3364187/belgium-battles-worst-wildfire-record-eu-allies-come-aid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3364187/belgium-battles-worst-wildfire-record-eu-allies-come-aid?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 16 Aug 2026 10:09:40 +0000 Ashlyn Chak Ashlyn Chak Private kitchens and high-end boutiques might seem worlds apart, but Eva Che, founder of catering brand CheHub, has found that they share common currencies: atmosphere, detail and hospitality. “The food [at a private kitchen] is the interesting product that makes people curious to come,” says Che, 30, a self-taught cook who draws on her Cantonese heritage, Czech upbringing and experience in luxury fashion retail for her catering brand. “What keeps the client coming back again and again are the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3361970/chef-turns-down-earth-cantonese-recipes-luxury-diasporic-gastronomy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3361970/chef-turns-down-earth-cantonese-recipes-luxury-diasporic-gastronomy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Jul 2026 09:16:27 +0000 Wee Kek Koon Wee Kek Koon Czech politics seldom register on anybody’s radar in East Asia, but within a month of living in Prague, I am already hooked on the country’s political drama. It is more fascinating than any reality TV show. At the moment, the main spectacle is the very public spat between the Czech president and prime minister. President Petr Pavel, a liberal and popular retired army general who previously served as chairman of the Nato Military Committee, and Prime Minister Andrej Babis, a populist business... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3361558/when-chinese-emperors-and-their-prime-ministers-fell-out-results-could-be-deadly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/lifestyle/chinese-culture/article/3361558/when-chinese-emperors-and-their-prime-ministers-fell-out-results-could-be-deadly?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Jul 2026 00:15:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Massive forest fires burned out of control in southwestern France and central Spain on Friday, prompting authorities to evacuate an estimated 200,000 people from their homes. Some even fled by boat when flames swept through the touristic area on France’s Atlantic coast. Dozens of firefighters were injured, authorities said in France, but no deaths were reported in either country. Some 141,000 fled homes in the Gironde and Landes departments in France, the French interior ministry said. In... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361753/spain-france-wildfires-force-tens-thousands-evacuate?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361753/spain-france-wildfires-force-tens-thousands-evacuate?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jul 2026 09:36:13 +0000 Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi Xiaofei Xu,Ji Siqi China has added 14 entities from the European Union to its export control list, including German defence giant Rheinmetall, the Ministry of Commerce announced on Friday. Effective immediately, the order means that the export of dual-use items – products with civilian and military applications, including some rare earth elements – from China to the named entities is prohibited, as is the shipment of dual-use items of Chinese origin to the listed companies and institutions. The move came after... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3361732/china-adds-eu-entities-export-control-list?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3361732/china-adds-eu-entities-export-control-list?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Jul 2026 08:14:39 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse One soldier died and four were injured on Thursday when a military helicopter crashed in the Czech Republic, the army said. “A Venom helicopter has crashed at the 22nd helicopter base in Namest nad Oslavou. Five soldiers were on board. Emergency services are currently deployed at the scene,” the army wrote on social media. In a later post, it added that one soldier was killed and four injured in the crash. “Our absolute priority now is to provide all possible care and support to the injured... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361637/1-dead-4-injured-czech-army-helicopter-crash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3361637/1-dead-4-injured-czech-army-helicopter-crash?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Jul 2026 14:30:16 +0000 Alyssa Chen Alyssa Chen A group of Czech lawmakers are visiting China in the first high-level engagement between the two countries since 2019, a move Chinese analysts described as “testing the waters” rather than representing a more substantive thaw. Tomio Okamura, speaker of the Chamber of Deputies and head of the delegation, told local media he was hoping to secure agreements on more direct flights, an increase in Chinese tourist numbers and visa-free travel for Czech citizens. Representatives from 40 Czech firms –... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361239/czech-legislators-testing-waters-china-visit-after-years-tension?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3361239/czech-legislators-testing-waters-china-visit-after-years-tension?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jul 2026 12:07:38 +0000 Reuters Reuters German far-right activist Marla-Svenja Liebich, who legally changed gender to a woman in 2024, was taken to a men’s prison after being extradited to Germany from the Czech Republic, officials said on Thursday. Liebich arrived in Germany on Wednesday and was initially taken to a ‌women’s prison in Chemnitz in the eastern German state of Saxony before being transferred to a men’s prison on the same day, the Saxony Ministry of Justice said. The decision was taken by experts in consultation with the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3360815/german-far-right-activist-sent-mens-prison-despite-gender-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3360815/german-far-right-activist-sent-mens-prison-despite-gender-change?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:35:47 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Norwegian police said on Wednesday that 28 men across seven countries had been arrested in an operation targeting buyers of material depicting sexual abuse of children. Norway’s National Criminal Investigation Service (Kripos), said the men had used the cryptocurrency Monero to pay for access to several forums on the dark web. “We have worked closely with six countries to coordinate the arrests of the identified users who paid with cryptocurrency to gain access to the forums,” police prosecutor... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3359871/norway-police-says-28-arrested-international-child-porn-operation?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3359871/norway-police-says-28-arrested-international-child-porn-operation?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:11:22 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Thousands of Czechs rallied in the capital on Sunday to condemn a plan by the government led by populist Prime Minister Andrej Babis to overhaul funding for public broadcasters that is considered dangerous for their independence. The protesters gathered in front of the Czech public television offices in Prague, Czech Republic, to voice their support for the media a day before their staff plan to go on a warning strike, and after recent protest marches in the regional capitals and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3357844/thousands-rally-prague-against-governments-public-broadcasting-overhaul-plan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3357844/thousands-rally-prague-against-governments-public-broadcasting-overhaul-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jun 2026 19:00:06 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham As national EU leaders meet in Brussels to thrash out a possible new China policy, speculation is high as to where they all stand amid fluid member-state dynamics. In the last part of this three-part series, we look at whether the conventional wisdom will be fundamentally changed in the EU and how the bloc could forge a united front in dealing with China. Over dinner on Thursday, leaders from the European Union’s 27 member states will chew on one of their toughest courses in years: “global... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3357388/climate-change-trade-battlelines-drawn-europes-new-china-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3357388/climate-change-trade-battlelines-drawn-europes-new-china-strategy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Jun 2026 22:00:15 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Beijing has strongly condemned Czech senate president Milos Vystrcil’s visit to Taiwan this week, demanding “immediate and effective” measures to eliminate its negative impact. Vystrcil, who is leading a delegation of some 40 representatives from the Czech business, academic and cultural sectors, arrived in Taiwan on Monday morning. He is set to meet the island’s leader, William Lai Ching-te, and other high-level officials before leaving on Thursday. This is Vystrcil’s second visit to the island... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355518/beijing-demands-czech-measures-curb-impact-senate-presidents-taiwan-trip?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3355518/beijing-demands-czech-measures-curb-impact-senate-presidents-taiwan-trip?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Jun 2026 07:30:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A concert by the US rapper Kanye West, who was supposed to perform on July 18 in Reggio Emilia in northern Italy, has been banned on public safety grounds, the authorities said. The prefect of the province, Salvatore Angieri, said the decision was made following requests from bodies including the local Jewish community. They had “expressed reservations” about the appearance of the rapper as part of the Pulse of Gaia Festival, the statement released on Friday evening said. Another concert by the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3355487/italy-bans-kanye-west-concert-over-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3355487/italy-bans-kanye-west-concert-over-security-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 31 May 2026 17:36:53 +0000 dpa dpa Czech police have arrested a man suspected of stealing an almost 800-year-old religious relic from a Catholic church and encasing it in concrete. According to a police spokeswoman on Friday, the suspect admitted taking the skull, which is revered by believers as a relic of Saint Zdislava of Lemberk, from the Church of St Lawrence in the northern Czech town of Jablonne v Podjestedi on Tuesday. Investigators used special equipment to confirm the skull was hidden inside a solid concrete block... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3353791/czech-police-recover-medieval-saints-800-year-old-skull-encased-concrete?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3353791/czech-police-recover-medieval-saints-800-year-old-skull-encased-concrete?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 May 2026 03:30:13 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse An American climber has died in an avalanche on Mount Makalu, officials said on Tuesday, as fatalities mount early in Nepal’s busy spring climbing season. Shelley Johannesen, 53, was killed on Monday while descending from the summit of the world’s fifth-highest peak, expedition organisers said, marking the season’s latest death. David Roubinek, a 38-year-old Czech climber, and three Nepali guides have died in the Himalayas so far this season. Johannesen, co-founder of US-based outfitter Dash... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353272/us-climber-dies-avalanche-nepals-mount-makalu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353272/us-climber-dies-avalanche-nepals-mount-makalu?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 May 2026 09:21:18 +0000 Peter Neville-Hadley Peter Neville-Hadley The duck-like beak of the sleek AVE high-speed train points the way south out of Madrid as it trundles sedately along a tangle of tracks before picking up speed and turning east towards Valencia, on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. First class consists of great armchairs – single seats on either side of the aisle with vast amounts of leg room. My tray table is down to hold a novel, and to receive a snack and a coffee in due course. But despite the carriage’s pleasantly woody interior, the adequate... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/travel/article/3351831/discover-europe-affordable-first-class-eurail-adventures?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/postmag/travel/article/3351831/discover-europe-affordable-first-class-eurail-adventures?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 03 May 2026 00:00:09 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran The arrest of fugitive former congressman Zaldy Co has revived a long-stalled Philippine corruption investigation and sharpened political pressure on President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr, whom the wanted lawmaker has accused of personally benefiting from a multibillion-peso kickback scheme tied to flood control projects. Observers called Co’s arrest a “notable step towards accountability” in a case that had stalled after the collapse of the commission set up to investigate it. Co resigned from the... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3350513/arrest-philippine-ex-lawmaker-zaldy-co-missing-puzzle-piece-flood-control-probe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/people/article/3350513/arrest-philippine-ex-lawmaker-zaldy-co-missing-puzzle-piece-flood-control-probe?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 Apr 2026 12:30:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr said on Thursday night that a key suspect in a corruption scandal that has sparked public outrage in the Philippines has been arrested in the Czech Republic and that efforts were under way to repatriate the former lawmaker. Zaldy Co, who resigned from the House of Representatives in September after being implicated in financial anomalies involving flood control projects, was detained by authorities in Prague after crossing into the Central European... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350373/philippines-corruption-scandal-suspect-zaldy-co-arrested-prague-marcos-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350373/philippines-corruption-scandal-suspect-zaldy-co-arrested-prague-marcos-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 17:37:34 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham At a top-level meeting of her 26 department chiefs in March, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen quietly approved a plan to stop EU funds from going to clean technology projects containing Chinese inverters. Inverters are the essential power electronics at the heart of solar and wind systems. Industry groups estimate that Chinese companies led by Huawei Technologies control more than 220 gigawatts of Europe’s installed solar capacity via the devices. The commission wants to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350056/eu-cut-funding-chinese-inverters-quiet-offensive-replaces-grandstanding?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3350056/eu-cut-funding-chinese-inverters-quiet-offensive-replaces-grandstanding?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 10:01:18 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li With two weeks of Hong Kong’s art month remaining, the city will continue to host a rich array of events, from a pop culture convention to a slew of exhibitions. The South China Morning Post highlights some of the shows taking place in the rest of March. From ComplexCon to classical concerts Pop culture festival ComplexCon will return to Hong Kong for its third edition on March 21 and 22, with headliners including Jennie from K-pop powerhouse Blackpink and American rapper Yeat, making his Asian... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346632/blackpinks-jennie-art-basel-cj-hendry-top-hong-kong-events-catch-march?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3346632/blackpinks-jennie-art-basel-cj-hendry-top-hong-kong-events-catch-march?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 05:00:09 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo US ambassador to Nato Matthew Whitaker must have mistaken China for his boss, Donald Trump. After all, it was the US president who kept saying he could end the war in Ukraine in 24 hours. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference last week, Whitaker claimed Beijing could stop Russia’s war in Ukraine in a day if it wanted to. “China could call Vladimir Putin and end this war tomorrow and cut off his dual-purpose technologies that they’re selling,” he said. “China could stop buying Russian oil... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/article/3343643/china-and-un-are-not-problem-ukraine-and-palestine-west?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/opinion/article/3343643/china-and-un-are-not-problem-ukraine-and-palestine-west?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 14:34:58 +0000 Connor Mycroft Connor Mycroft European lawmakers have renewed their calls for the bloc’s executive arm to revoke Hong Kong’s special trade status, and to sanction the city’s chief executive and officials to protest against the conviction of former media boss Jimmy Lai on national security charges. During the debate in the European Parliament on Thursday, Hong Kong time, some MEPs stressed the importance of the EU taking concrete measures in response to the verdict, following a non-binding motion passed in the wake of an... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3340752/european-mps-debate-actions-punish-hong-kong-after-jimmy-lai-conviction?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3340752/european-mps-debate-actions-punish-hong-kong-after-jimmy-lai-conviction?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 Jan 2026 23:44:52 +0000 dpa dpa Eight people killed in three separate avalanche accidents in Austria were citizens of the Czech Republic and Austria, authorities said on Sunday. The deadliest incident on Saturday occurred in the Grossarl Valley in the state of Salzburg, where three men aged 53, 63 and 65 were killed. A 60-year-old woman also died after being buried by snow. The victims were part of a group on an alpine ski course offered by the Austrian Alpine Club, the organisation announced on Sunday. “Risk competence and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3340350/bodies-skiers-killed-austria-avalanches-be-recovered?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3340350/bodies-skiers-killed-austria-avalanches-be-recovered?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 18:37:10 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Hua Chunying, China’s foreign vice-minister, beamed this week as she presented a leading Czech lawmaker with a decorative porcelain plate – a gift that signalled a possible thaw in ties between Prague and Beijing. The image sent tongues wagging in Europe: a symbol that a new Chinese charm offensive towards a Europe jilted by its erstwhile ally across the Atlantic had reached even its most hawkish capitals. China has spent the opening weeks of the year courting European governments, offering... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340190/chinas-charm-offensive-beijing-bypasses-brussels-bid-soften-eu-trade-push?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340190/chinas-charm-offensive-beijing-bypasses-brussels-bid-soften-eu-trade-push?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 Jan 2026 15:00:15 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Andrej Babis, a billionaire supporter of US President Donald Trump, returned to power as Czech prime minister on Tuesday, signalling a possible end to Ukraine aid and potentially rockier ties with the European Union. Babis’s ANO movement, which won the October parliamentary elections, teamed up with two Eurosceptic parties to form a coalition government. In its policy statement, the coalition said the EU had “its limits” and no right to impose decisions infringing on the sovereignty of member... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3335771/trumpist-billionaire-babis-returns-power-czech-pm-amid-fraud-trial-and-eu-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3335771/trumpist-billionaire-babis-returns-power-czech-pm-amid-fraud-trial-and-eu-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:03:19 +0000 Agencies Agencies British playwright Tom Stoppard, who won an Oscar for the screenplay for the 1998 film Shakespeare In Love, has died at the age of 88, United Agents said on Saturday. “We are deeply saddened to announce that our beloved client and friend, Tom Stoppard, has died peacefully at home in Dorset, surrounded by his family,” the talent agency said. “He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity, and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3334646/oscar-winning-uk-playwright-tom-stoppard-dies-aged-88?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3334646/oscar-winning-uk-playwright-tom-stoppard-dies-aged-88?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 29 Nov 2025 18:14:14 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim Global cooperation is needed to help smaller and developing nations defend themselves against cyber threats, Singapore has warned, stressing that cybersecurity is “only as strong as its weakest link”. Speaking on Thursday at the Singapore International Cyber Week – a week‑long gathering of global policymakers, industry leaders and cybersecurity experts to address digital governance and threat preparedness – Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said states with fewer resources remained the most... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3330053/singapore-urges-cooperation-against-cyber-threats-protect-developing-nations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3330053/singapore-urges-cooperation-against-cyber-threats-protect-developing-nations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Oct 2025 08:37:30 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The party of billionaire ex-premier Andrej Babis topped the Czech general election on Saturday with 97 per cent of the vote counted, according to official results. His ANO (Yes) party, campaigning on pledges of welfare and halting military aid to Ukraine, scored 35.2 per cent of the vote in a country of 10.9 million people. The Together grouping of outgoing Prime Minister Petr Fiala came second with 22.9 per cent, ahead of its coalition partner STAN with 11.1 per cent. A total of six parties... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3327891/czech-republics-trumpist-ex-pm-set-win-vote-putting-ukraine-aid-doubt?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3327891/czech-republics-trumpist-ex-pm-set-win-vote-putting-ukraine-aid-doubt?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Oct 2025 12:52:51 +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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/economy/global-economy/article/3325859/eu-chamber-china-flags-manufacturing-maladies-urging-course-correction-5-year-plan?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:01:04 +0000 Mark Magnier,Finbarr Bermingham,Khushboo Razdan Mark Magnier,Finbarr Bermingham,Khushboo Razdan US and European leaders reacted with veneration, concern and stiffened resolve on Wednesday to China’s epic military parade marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Over 25 foreign leaders – including Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un – joined Chinese President Xi Jinping at the showcase event marked by intimidating weaponry and choreographed troop manoeuvres. “I thought it was very, very impressive, but I understood the reason they were doing... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/us/diplomacy/article/3324250/western-leaders-parse-china-military-parade-displaying-authoritarian-strength?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/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 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao Ahead of the 80th anniversary of Victory Day, marking the end of the Sino-Japanese war and the global fight against fascism, we look at the profound changes of the post-war period and how they continue to affect China’s place in the world. In the second part of this series, Shi Jiangtao looks at the often contradictory sentiments in relations between the two countries. Eighty years after the end of World War II, a harrowing cinematic portrayal of Japanese wartime atrocities during the 1937... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323532/love-hate-and-post-war-paradox-china-japan-relations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3323532/love-hate-and-post-war-paradox-china-japan-relations?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Aug 2025 22:00:28 +0000 Shi Jiangtao Shi Jiangtao This year marks half a century of formal diplomatic relations between China and the European Union as well as the 25th anniversary of the founding of the European Union Chamber of Commerce in China. In this, the fourth part of the series, Shi Jiangtao looks at how the issue of Taiwan is overshadowing the relationship. As mainland China and the European Union mark 50 years of diplomatic ties, there is growing concern in Beijing that the bloc may be undermining its one-China policy, as Brussels –... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322001/why-eu-stance-taiwan-growing-cause-concern-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322001/why-eu-stance-taiwan-growing-cause-concern-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 15:00:11 +0000 Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow Raymond Ma,Neil Denslow China’s retail sales growth unexpectedly cooled in July, leading a bevy of data releases on Friday that signalled weak domestic consumption, diminishing returns from government stimulus efforts and challenges from the US trade war. Retail expansion slowed to 3.7 per cent from 4.8 per cent in June, missing the 4.9 per cent forecast among economists polled by financial data provider Wind. Industrial output growth cooled to 5.7 per cent, the slowest since November. Fixed asset investment also eased... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3321948/china-retail-slowdown-trump-putin-summit-wang-yi-visits-india?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/plus/article/3321948/china-retail-slowdown-trump-putin-summit-wang-yi-visits-india?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 15 Aug 2025 09:00:09 +0000 SCMP SCMP Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Chinese military ‘warns off’ US destroyer from vicinity of Scarborough Shoal A US destroyer has entered disputed waters in the South China Sea, less than two days after an apparent collision involving a Chinese coastguard vessel and a PLA Navy ship while the former was pursuing a Philippine coastguard vessel in the area. 2. China boosts hybrid crop... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3321757/pla-warns-us-ship-near-scarborough-shoal-china-property-woes-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/article/3321757/pla-warns-us-ship-near-scarborough-shoal-china-property-woes-scmp-daily-highlights?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 13:15:07 +0000 Fan Chen Fan Chen Beijing has severed ties with Czech President Petr Pavel following his private visit to congratulate the 14th Dalai Lama on his 90th birthday last month. The meeting on July 27 “seriously contravenes the political commitment made by the Czech Republic government to the Chinese government, and harms China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian. He added that China “strongly deplores and firmly opposes” the meeting and that Beijing had lodged... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321694/china-cuts-ties-czech-president-over-petr-pavels-birthday-visit-dalai-lama?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3321694/china-cuts-ties-czech-president-over-petr-pavels-birthday-visit-dalai-lama?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 13 Aug 2025 08:17:20 +0000 Reuters Reuters Firefighters across Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey and the Balkans were battling wildfires on Tuesday with another heatwave pushing temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) across parts of Europe. Global warming is giving the Mediterranean region hotter, drier summers, scientists say, with wildfires surging each year and sometimes whipping up into “whirls”. “We are being cooked alive, this cannot continue,” said a mayor in Portugal, Alexandre Favaios, as three fires... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3321622/europes-out-control-wildfires-hit-tourism-spots-forests-were-being-cooked-alive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3321622/europes-out-control-wildfires-hit-tourism-spots-forests-were-being-cooked-alive?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 12 Aug 2025 13:03:05 +0000 Orange Wang Orange Wang Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has confirmed he will attend China’s World War II commemorations next month, making him the first EU leader to publicly announce his plans to be at the event, which will feature a military parade in Tiananmen Square. “Apparently, I will visit China again on the occasion of the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II,” Fico said in a video posted on his private social media account on Sunday. “I would like to use this visit to confirm joint... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320676/slovak-pm-robert-fico-attend-chinas-wwii-commemorations-amid-eu-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3320676/slovak-pm-robert-fico-attend-chinas-wwii-commemorations-amid-eu-tensions?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Aug 2025 09:55:16 +0000 Reuters Reuters At Amsterdam’s World Heritage canals on Saturday around 80 colourful Pride boats sailed through in the finale of a week-long celebration in the city that stood in stark contrast to recent crackdowns on LGBTQ rights in fellow European Union member state Hungary. While the flotilla is not political, attendees used the occasion in the Netherlands to criticise conflicts or world leaders for their stance on LGBTQ rights. Thehany Gilmore, a 43-year-old Dutch-Caribbean dressed in a leather outfit with... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3320562/amsterdam-pride-parade-blends-celebration-and-protest-lgbtq-show-solidarity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3320562/amsterdam-pride-parade-blends-celebration-and-protest-lgbtq-show-solidarity?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 19:34:13 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made some of her strongest criticisms of China to date on Tuesday, laying into Beijing’s stance on Russia and its policies on trade. The speech at the European Parliament was designed to set out the hawkish German's stall ahead of a major showdown with China’s leaders in two weeks. It showed that from the European perspective, the outlook for that summit is getting increasingly gloomy. What was supposed to be a two-day summit has been reduced to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317442/von-der-leyen-deepens-gloom-over-china-eu-summit-attack-beijings-russia-stance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3317442/von-der-leyen-deepens-gloom-over-china-eu-summit-attack-beijings-russia-stance?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 13:32:50 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Governments around the world are evacuating thousands of their nationals caught up in the rapidly spiralling Israel-Iran conflict, organising buses and planes and in some cases assisting people crossing borders on foot. Foreigners have rushed to leave both countries after Israel launched an unprecedented bombing campaign last Friday targeting Iran’s nuclear and military facilities, sparking retaliation from Tehran. The evacuations gained new urgency as US President Donald Trump announced on... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3315152/air-land-and-sea-nations-race-evacuate-citizens-israel-and-iran?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/middle-east/article/3315152/air-land-and-sea-nations-race-evacuate-citizens-israel-and-iran?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Jun 2025 03:34:07 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham In a gleaming white technology campus half an hour’s drive north of Barcelona, Josep Maria Gomes wants to turbocharge an already thriving partnership between Spain and China. His job at TecnoCampus, a hybrid facility housing a university and business and technology park in the city of Mataro, is to connect local start-ups with cutting-edge tech innovations. More and more these days, he sees these coming from China. “In sectors like cybersecurity, Internet of Things, sensory robotics and... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3312873/tale-two-cities-why-china-appears-so-different-when-viewed-barcelona-and-prague?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3312873/tale-two-cities-why-china-appears-so-different-when-viewed-barcelona-and-prague?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Jun 2025 15:00:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Russia on Thursday accused Serbia of exporting arms to Ukraine, saying it was a stab in the back by its long-time Slavic Balkan ally. “Serbian defence enterprises, contrary to the ‘neutrality’ declared by official Belgrade, continue to supply ammunition to Kyiv,” the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, SVR, said in a statement. The statement alleged that the export of the Serbian arms to Ukraine were going through Nato intermediaries, “primarily the Czech Republic, Poland and Bulgaria.... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3312387/russia-accuses-serbia-betrayal-supplying-arms-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3312387/russia-accuses-serbia-betrayal-supplying-arms-ukraine?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 30 May 2025 03:40:40 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham The European Union and the Czech Republic have slammed a group associated with the Chinese Ministry of State Security for conducting a “malicious cyber campaign” targeting the country’s foreign ministry. The ministry said the attack started in 2022 and “affected an institution designated as Czech critical infrastructure”, without specifying what had been targeted. “Following the national attribution process, the government of the Czech Republic has identified the People’s Republic of China as... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3312165/china-accused-malicious-cyber-campaign-targeting-czech-foreign-ministry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/china/diplomacy/article/3312165/china-accused-malicious-cyber-campaign-targeting-czech-foreign-ministry?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 28 May 2025 11:51:45 +0000 The Philippines’ Balikatan, or “shoulder to shoulder”, military drills with the United States this year will be the “Super Bowl” of exercises that will fully test Manila’s defence plan, Army Brigadier General Michael Logico has vowed. Echoing these sentiments on Tuesday, American counterpart Marine Colonel Doug Krugman said the drills would include “quite an interesting mix of equipment” – including the China-opposed Typhon missile system – to be deployed by the US. Another weapon freshly... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3306660/philippines-vows-super-bowl-exercises-coming-balikatan-military-drills-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/week-asia/politics/article/3306660/philippines-vows-super-bowl-exercises-coming-balikatan-military-drills-us?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 15 Apr 2025 14:25:48 +0000 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed Russia’s war in Ukraine with Czech foreign minister Jan Lipavsky on Monday as Washington and Europe seek to regroup following US President Donald Trump’s clash with Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky last week. The two officials discussed US-Czech relations “including our support of peace and stability, increasing defence spending for Nato, and buying US technology to help meet Czechia’s energy needs”, US State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3300902/marco-rubio-and-czech-counterpart-discuss-ukraine-after-trump-zelensky-clash?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3300902/marco-rubio-and-czech-counterpart-discuss-ukraine-after-trump-zelensky-clash?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2025 19:22:56 +0000 A 16-year-old boy killed two women in a knife attack at a discount shop in the Czech Republic on Thursday, police said, adding the motive remained unclear. Police arrested the teenager, a Czech national, minutes after the attack at an Action branch on the outskirts of Hradec Kralove, around 100km (60 miles) east of Prague. “Both of those attacked suffered injuries which were so serious that they could not be saved despite all efforts of the rescuers,” police said on X. Police spokeswoman Iva... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3299487/teenager-kills-2-women-knife-attack-czech-shop?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3299487/teenager-kills-2-women-knife-attack-czech-shop?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:56:53 +0000 Six people have died and eight others were injured in an explosion that caused a fire in a restaurant in the Czech Republic overnight, authorities said on Sunday. The injured were taken to hospital or to a specialist clinic for burns in the capital Prague, the fire brigade said. Three of the injured were in critical condition, according to local media reports. Witnesses said the fire started when a gas heater on a glass-enclosed outdoor terrace toppled over, causing its propane cylinder to... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3294458/6-dead-8-injured-after-gas-explosion-causes-fire-czech-republic-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3294458/6-dead-8-injured-after-gas-explosion-causes-fire-czech-republic-restaurant?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jan 2025 17:18:53 +0000 Cheryl Arcibal Cheryl Arcibal Chinese companies are increasingly looking to set up factories in central and eastern Europe to circumvent tariffs and business disruption amid heightening geopolitical tensions, according to a European industrial real estate developer. Amsterdam-listed CTP anticipates a 10 to 15 per cent increase in clients from China next year, according to Jaromir Cernik, the company’s Asia director. CTP is Europe’s largest developer and manager of logistics and industrial real estate by gross lettable area,... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3292133/chinese-firms-seek-european-base-factories-amid-trade-tensions-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/business/article/3292133/chinese-firms-seek-european-base-factories-amid-trade-tensions-tariffs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:00:11 +0000 Britain’s centuries-old Royal Mail is set to pass into foreign ownership after the UK government approved the takeover of its parent company by Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky’s EP Group on Monday. The takeover of International Distribution Services (IDS) by EP Group is worth £3.6 billion (US$4.5 billion). The “deal protects workers and key services whilst seeing Royal Mail continue to be headquartered in Britain, securing jobs and tax receipts in the UK”, the government said in a... https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3291061/uk-approves-royal-mail-takeover-czech-billionaire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www-scmp-com.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/news/world/europe/article/3291061/uk-approves-royal-mail-takeover-czech-billionaire?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Dec 2024 12:52:36 +0000