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Business

Hong Kong buyers snap up more than 180 new homes as market confidence returns

About 70 per cent of buyers were end users and 30 per cent investors, with mainland buyers accounting for about 20 per cent of the total.

Prospective buyers queue at the Lai Chi Kok sales office of The Pavilia Farm III to secure flats at the Tai Wai Station development on Saturday. Photo: Jelly Tse

Diplomacy

Breaking | Iran reimposes shipping restrictions on Strait of Hormuz

The waterway has ‘returned to its previous state’, Chinese news agency reports.

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Shipping restrictions have changed again in the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important waterways. Photo: Reuters

Entertainment

How US$50 popcorn buckets have become the newest collecting craze

From Mario to Marvel characters, themed popcorn buckets are tapping into millennial nostalgia and helping boost cinema profits.

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A Yoshi popcorn bucket is seen at Cineworld Wandsworth in London, England. Cinema operators are betting on increasingly elaborate popcorn buckets to capitalise on millennial nostalgia, drum up excitement for films and ultimately increase profits. Photo: courtesy of Cineworld Wandsworth

Asia Opinion

Macroscope | Will Japan’s corporate bond initiative signal a shift in Asia financing?

Japanese authorities are promoting the domestic corporate bond market as an alternative for firms seeking funding without losing control.

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A man stands in front of an electronic board displaying the closing numbers of the Nikkei Stock Average on the Tokyo Stock Exchange, in Tokyo, on April 2. Photo: AFP

Racing

Purton reunites with Cosmo at Sha Tin as he seeks a 10th straight century

Champion jockey needs two wins from his strong book of Sunday rides to reach 100 for another term.

Zac Purton boots home Patch Of Cosmo in January. Photos: Kenneth Chan
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Europe

Inside Ukraine’s desperate race to track cultural artefacts looted by Russia

Russia has moved to formalise control over seized collections by adding 77 Ukrainian museums in occupied regions into its national catalogue.

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A Ukrainian artifact is 3D scanned in The Archa III (Ark Project) truck on March 24 in Prague, Czech Republic.Prague’s National Museum will send the truck with equipment across Ukraine to help preserve the country’s cultural heritage. Photo: AFP

Tech Trends

Huawei retains lead in China smartphones, Apple shipments surge in first quarter

Apple ranked second in the first quarter with a 19 per cent share, boosted by a 20 per cent surge in shipments, the largest growth among the top six brands.

Huawei Pura 80 smartphones are displayed at the company’s flagship store in Beijing, June 11, 2025. Photo: Reuters

Society

Charity breeding Labrador with golden retriever to boost guide dog supply

‘Labradors are naturally friendly, obedient and food-motivated, which is a good quality for training due to the high-value, immediate reward,’ charity says.

The number of canines still lags far behind demand, according to Hong Kong Seeing Eye Dog Services. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Diplomacy

Is Takaichi putting Japan’s pacifist constitution on the chopping block?

Goal of changing the post-war system has never been closer, but upper house could still be a stumbling block, analysts argue.

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After leading the LDP to its historic supermajority, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has the confidence needed to push for more assertive defence policies. Photo: Getty Images

Travel & Leisure

William Shakespeare’s only London house finally found with 17th century map

The location of the house where the Bard likely wrote works including Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet was found on a map in the London Archives.

Historians have long known that Shakespeare bought property in 1613 near the Blackfriars Theatre, but the exact location was a mystery - until now. Photo: AP
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Middle East

Iranians fear ‘pressure will 100% increase’ after US, Israeli strikes stop

Iranians are worried that an agreement with the US will free the regime to return to asserting control over its people.

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A man sits on a bench in a memorial, set for the students who were killed during a February 28 strike on a school in southern town of Minab, on April 12. Photo: AP

Lifestyle & Culture

Crowned in Bangkok, constrained at home: Malaysia’s first Mr Bear winner

Gavin Chow’s victory highlights the contrast between Bangkok’s queer visibility and the pressures still facing LGBTQ people in Malaysia.

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Gavin Chow (center) after being named the winner of the Mr Bear International competition in Bangkok on Monday. Photo: Facebook / Mr Bear International

Global Economy

Hong Kong wants to be a global gold vault. Does the Iran war create an opening?

Geopolitical risk is driving a rethink of where bullion is stored – and Hong Kong’s unique status is drawing attention.

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The Hong Kong Gold Exchange kicking off the Year of the Horse with its traditional Chinese New Year opening ceremony in Sheung Wan. Photo: SCMP

Science

Chinese robo-diving suit could help users consume almost 40% less oxygen

Advanced algorithm designed to shadow a diver’s every move could also cut the risk of accidents when undertaking complex underwater tasks.

The device was tested in both indoor and outdoor pools. Photo: Wang Xiangyang

Gender & Diversity

China eatery hit for ‘beating wife’ sales slogan hinting at domestic violence approval

Other offensive sayings surface, like ‘a wife cannot be beaten to death and peppers cannot burn in the sun’, ignite online anger.

A Chinese noodle restaurant sparked public outrage after displaying a slogan that condoned domestic violence, shocking many that such an outdated phrase is still used publicly today. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock
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Politics

Public opinion a factor in government’s decision to investigate officials: minister

Civil service chief Ingrid Yeung says permanent secretaries, while not covered under new mechanism, could still be taken to task if found culpable.

The Legislative Council building in Admiralty. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong

Gallery | Israel strikes Lebanon; world’s oldest gorilla turns 69: the week in pictures

New German police trainees throw their hats after taking their oath of service in Cologne, Germany. Photo: AP

Opinion

Opinion | Passage through the Strait of Hormuz is a right in war and peace

Neutral ships have a legal right of passage, even in war. Singapore has defended international law, which provides for a stable world order.

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An illustration shows the Strait of Hormuz, which is bordered by Iran and Oman. Photo: Reuters

East Asia

Magnitude 5 quake hits Japan’s Nagano prefecture

The 1.20pm quake in Omachi registered an upper 5 on the Japanese seismic scale, strong enough ‌to make movement difficult without support.

Old style buildings in Nagano prefecture. Photo: SCMP

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong minister urges long-term view, says Middle East investment unaffected

Minister Algernon Yau urges businesses to avoid short-term thinking, says Hong Kong entrepreneurs are discerning in assessing opportunities.

Dubai cityscape. The trade between Hong Kong and the Middle East accounted for 1.5 per cent of the city’s total trade volume. Photo: Getty Images
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United States & Canada

US court lets Trump resume work on US$400 million White House ballroom – for now

The three-judge panel set a June hearing to review a Washington judge’s earlier order halting the project.

Construction workers the East Wing of the White House in preparation to build a new ballroom on December 1, 2025. Photo: AFP

East Asia

In hi-tech South Korea, AI shamans take place of traditional human practitioners

The technology, which combines voice recognition with a generative AI chatbot, uses a centuries-old belief system to interpret fates.

An AI shaman offers to read visitor’s fortunes in four languages at a South Korean shamanism theme shop in Seoul on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

Health & Wellness

Got knee pain? How exercise can help you avoid surgery, as a rugby player found

Exercise and other therapies are often preferred treatment alternatives to knee replacement surgery. Rob Naylor experienced this first-hand.

Tim McCosker (kneeling), a physiotherapist at CoreOFit Physio, works with his patient, former Hong Kong rugby player Rob Naylor, at the clinic in Causeway Bay. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Diplomacy

Trump predicts meeting with Xi will be ‘special’ ahead of China visit

The US leader switches focus to next month’s trip to Beijing hours after hailing Iran’s announcement it would reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

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Xi and Trump pictured during their most recent meeting in South Korea last year. Photo: dpa

Transport

Faulty devices, low battery: some taxi drivers make excuses to avoid e-payments

‘Cash is king’ mentality persists, experts say, as some cabbies fear income trail will lead to taxation or loss of eligibility for public housing.

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Various electronic payment systems are offered in a taxi, in compliance with a law that came into effect on April 1. Photo: Jelly Tse
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Travel & Hotels

Review | Rosewood Amsterdam blends luxury and heritage in the heart of the city

The historic building dates back more than 300 years, and has been restored to its former glory by the Hong Kong-based hotel group.

A bathroom in a suite overlooking a canal at Rosewood Amsterdam. Photo: Handout

Southeast Asia

Gloves are off: Malaysian makers warn hospitals of price hikes, output cuts

Sustained disruption to naphtha supply chains from the Iran war could lead to glove shortfall by late May, analysts say.

Workers collect rubber gloves at Top Glove’s factory in Klang, outside Kuala Lumpur. Photo: Reuters

China Business

China’s drug makers are speeding up – will AI be their secret weapon?

Chinese biotech firms are striking big global deals as drug makers, but could artificial intelligence take them to the next level?

Illustration by Henry Wong

United States & Canada

How record US$75 billion ICE expansion led to ‘red flag’ recruits

ICE agents’ backgrounds and training have come under scrutiny after numerous high-profile incidents in which officers used excessive force.

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ICE agents detain a man in the Little Village neighbourhood of Chicago on December 16, 2025. Photo: Chicago Sun-Times/AP

Blockchain

Hong Kong seen leading Asia in push to scale stablecoins, HSBC says

Interoperability and real-world applications seen as key hurdles as city looks to unlock tokenisation’s full potential.

As part of its push to establish itself as a global cryptocurrency hub, Hong Kong has developed a comprehensive regulatory framework for digital assets. Photo: Jelly Tse