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East Asia

Iran ready to help Japan ships pass through Strait of Hormuz, Araghchi says

Calling on the world to oppose the attacks against Iran, the foreign minister notes Japan’s ‘balanced and fair’ position.

Cargo ships sail in the Arabian Gulf towards the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday. Photo: AP

Hong Kong Economy

Hong Kong to issue weekly updates on fuel price changes from April 1

Environment minister says policy aims to allow public to monitor oil price changes more accurately.

Vehicles get filled up at a petrol station in Sha Tin. Photo: Sam Tsang

Today in Photos

Gallery | Chile’s border barriers; Bangladesh’s Eid exodus: pictures of the week

An excavator digs up soil to install barriers near “Cristo de la Paz” at the Chile–Peru border crossing in Chacalluta, Arica province. Photo: AP

China Economy

China’s exports are booming – so why are plants in this factory hub closing?

Dongguan reflects a growing polarisation in the Chinese economy, with many factories and workers left behind as hi-tech firms surge ahead.

Illustration: Henry Wong

Science

Made-in-China clock loses a second in twice the age of the universe

Chinese scientists have created an optical clock that may lead to development of space-based versions that are smaller, stable and portable.

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Researchers from University of Science and Technology of China in Hefei have built this strontium optical lattice clock. Photo: CCTV
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Trending in China

Chinese pancakes trace back 5,000 years, references in ancient paintings, poems

Folk legend has it that the morning delicacy first appeared when a primordial goddess melted stones in a riverbed to ‘patch up the sky’.

The origins of the Chinese pancake trace back more than 5,000 years, with references to cooking and consuming them appearing in numerous ancient paintings and poems. Photo: SCMP composite/QQ.com

Basketball

WNBA, players’ union agree ‘groundbreaking’ 7-year labour deal

The agreement increases the salary cap from US$1.5 million to US$7 million and will adjust annually based on league and team revenue growth.

The new collective bargaining agreement will commence with the 2026 season and run through 2032. Photo: Getty Images

Economics

‘It’s really bad’: record fuel prices drive Filipinos off the road

With diesel in the triple digits amid the Iran war, Filipinos brace for a domino effect on rice, electricity and basic household necessities.

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Protesters hold signs opposing fuel price increases in Manila, the Philippines, on Friday. Photo: EPA

Politics

US government sues Harvard over anti-Israel protests, ‘hostile environment’

The Trump administration is seeking to be released from its obligation to pay millions of dollars in federal funds to the university.

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Demonstrators gather to protest Harvard’s stance on the war in Gaza and show support for the Palestinian people outside Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in April last year. Photo: AFP

Culture

Our cheat sheet for the best things to do in Hong Kong, March 22-28

Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants brings big name chefs to town, edible art comes to Central, and Hong Kong Ballet channels 80s pop.

A bite of banana at Central Yards Edible Art Fair, where galleries pair art movements with real food. Photo: courtesy of Central Yards Edible Art Fair
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Racing

Newnham hopes Invincible Ibis can take his ‘one chance’ at immortality in Derby

The top trainer came within a short head of glory 12 months ago with My Wish and his chance this year has drawn stall three.

Trainer Mark Newnham with Invincible Ibis. Photos: Kenneth Chan

Politics

Iran war nears 3-front tipping point as Gulf energy hubs burn

Israeli strikes on the world’s largest gas field and Iranian attacks on Saudi and Qatari hubs threaten a global energy crisis.

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Smoke and fire rise near the South Pars gas field following an attack amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

Entertainment

‘A fantastic roller coaster’: Hugh Bonneville, Aidan Gillen on Cold War 1994

Actors Hugh Bonneville and Aidan Gillen discuss starring in Cold War 1994, as well as what they got up to in Hong Kong while filming.

Cold War 1994 stars Hugh Bonneville (left) and Aidan Gillen in a gripping Hong Kong political thriller set during the 1997 handover. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Society

Refugee in Hong Kong could win global award. So why does she have mixed feelings?

Uzma Naveed named finalist for ‘national impact’ category of 2026 Women Changing the World Awards, an annual event in Paris.

Uzma Naveed has spent years speaking about the experience of refugees in the city in a bid to build empathy among the public. Photo: Edmond So

Icons & Influencers

How Lousy is redefining art across Hong Kong’s bustling streets

We spoke to Lousy this Art Month about how he digs deep into the city’s culture, from his hieroglyphic sketches to collabs with brands and gallery takeovers.

Hong Kong street artist Lousy’s work can be found across the city. Photo: @lousylousy/Instagram
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Blockchain

Has Hong Kong laid the groundwork to become a world-leading crypto hub?

With its regulatory clarity and superconnector edge, the city is drawing global crypto firms as it emerges as a premier Web3 hub.

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Illustration by Lau Ka-kuen

Opinion

Asian Angle | Malaysia’s LGBTQ crackdowns aren’t hypocrisy, they’re politics

Anwar’s government isn’t failing its ideals. It’s navigating a reality where Malay-Muslim legitimacy dictates the limits of social change.

A man holds a rainbow flag, commonly used to signal LGBTQ pride. Photo: Shutterstock

China Economy

Middle East oil shock sparks global airfare rises, with 9% increases feared

Surging jet fuel prices are pushing airlines – including several Chinese carriers – to raise fares, with a warning of 9 per cent price rises.

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Smoke rises above aircraft parked at Dubai International Airport after a drone strike on March 16. The growing conflict in the Middle East is causing global airlines to raise fares amid a spike in jet fuel prices. Photo: AP

East Asia

Ahead of BTS’ first show in years, South Korean police lock down central Seoul

An estimated 260,000 fans are expected to flood the city to watch the K-pop band, as memories of the 2022 Itaewon disaster still linger.

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K-pop super group BTS appears at the 2022 Annual Grammy Awards in Las Vegas. Photo: Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP

Politics

US woman charged with murder after taking abortion pill in Georgia

The woman gave birth to a premature infant who died within hours after taking misoprostol.

Nearly all abortions in Georgia are illegal after six weeks of pregnancy. Photo: Shutterstock
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Football

Women’s Asian Cup: record crowds mask old issues of ⁠gender, wealth inequality

While attendance figures have been impressive, on the pitch the gap between the continent’s traditional powers and the rest remains stark.

Japan goalkeeper Yamashita Akaya claims the ball against South Korea in the second semi-final of the Women’s Asian Cup, a match played before the largest crowd involving two non-hosting nations. Photo: Xinhua

Economy

Exclusive | Japanese executives absent from China’s key annual summit amid tensions: sources

Nearly 80 executives from foreign firms, with those from the US making up the largest group, will attend the two-day forum.

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Chinese Premier Li Qiang delivers a keynote speech at the opening ceremony of the China Development Forum, in Beijing, on March 23, 2025. Photo: Xinhua

Politics

South Korea’s cut-price interceptor outshines US Patriot in Iran war debut

The Cheongung-II hit 96 per cent of targets at a third of the cost of its US rival, triggering a scramble for the technology.

A Cheongung-II surface-to-air missile is launched towards a simulated target during a drill in 2024. Photo: South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff

Law and Crime

Police officers fire 5 shots at charging assailant carrying serrated knife, metal rod

Police say officers opened fire after verbal warnings ignored and pepper spray proved ineffective.

Screengrab of footage of the scene following the incident. Photo: Handout

Markets

Should the Hong Kong stock exchange make all IPO applications confidential?

Proposed rule change aims to encourage more applications, but what about transparency and document quality concerns?

Representatives of four companies bang gongs at the Hong Kong stock exchange to celebrate their share debuts on November 6, 2025. Photo: Nora Tam
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China Opinion

Being Chinese | In New York, ‘Chinese’ doesn’t begin to capture our many tastes

In a somewhat unexpected way, moving to New York broadened my perspective on China’s vast linguistic and culinary differences.

People go for skewers during a Zibo barbecue festival in Wuhan, Hubei province in 2023. As Chinese food reinvents itself overseas, different food cultures are coming to the surface of the uniform concrete-and-glass facades of Chinese cities. Photo: Getty Images

Trending in China

How ‘painful bag’ becomes popular subculture among China youth as expression of fandom

For ita bag enthusiasts, these creations symbolise freedom to express diverse passions, providing joy and relief through self-expression.

The ita bag accesory trend is a captivating subculture that has gained popularity worldwide, especially among young people in China. Photo: SCMP composite/RedNote/Douyin/IG@lalalalisa_m

SCMP Originals

Video | Why is Hong Kong struggling to have more babies?

Hong Kong recorded a record-low number of births in 2025 after a two-year uptick.

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Economy, Trade & Business

US approves sale of Iranian oil at sea in move to ease crude supply crisis

The US says the move will bring 140 million barrels of oil to markets, even as Iran says it has no surplus crude to sell globally.

Flames rise at the site of airstrikes on an oil depot in Tehran on March 7. Photo: TNS

Chinese culture

Reflections | How the Hakka spread in China and beyond, their cuisine reflecting hard lives

A people shaped by centuries of migration, Hakka communities are found across China and are prevalent in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Hakka women dressed in traditional costumes hold trays of Hakka foods during the opening ceremony of the Hakkien Food Carnival at Tai Po Lam Tsuen, Hong Kong, in July 2013. Photo: SCMP