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Closed? Open? Closed? Why is Iran changing course on...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

The shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz only hours after its reopening is a tactic by Iran to gain leverage over the United States before possible negotiations, according to Chinese analysts. With the clock counting down to the end of a two-week ceasefire on Wednesday, a deal with Washington was still possible and the likelihood of Tehran imposing a toll on the waterway was low, they added. The assessment came as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Saturday that control of

Lesson for China? Iran’s low-cost 358 missile takes...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

The “drone-killing” success of Iran’s 358 loitering munition, especially against expensive US-made platforms, is attracting attention well beyond the battlefield in the Middle East. In China, state media has taken a look at the Iranian-designed counter-drone loitering interceptor’s reported role in bringing down multiple uncrewed aerial vehicles, or drones, like the MQ-9 “Reaper” in the US-Israel war on Iran. The 358 missile, also known as the SA-67, weighs about 50kg (110lbs). Powered by a...

UK’s counterterror police probe another London arson...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

UK counterterror officers are investigating an arson attack on a shop in an area of London with a large Jewish population, police said on Saturday, following similar incidents in recent weeks. No one was injured in the fire on late Friday in Hendon, in the northwest of Britain’s capital, London’s Metropolitan Police said in a statement, without specifying the business targeted. It comes after police arrested two people over a separate arson attack on a synagogue in nearby Finchley, on

Hong Kong woman loses HK$4.9 million to bogus online...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

A Hong Kong woman has lost nearly HK$4.9 million (US$625,800) in three months after being cheated by bogus “investment experts” in an online scam. The victim was lured into contacting the scammers after seeing a post on social media advertising high-return stock investments, police said. She was then instructed to download an app via an online messaging service. Believing the scheme to be genuine, the victim transferred about HK$4.86 million in more than 40 transactions between January and

China trade deal has Canadians looking forward to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

In Canada, fans and foes of Chinese electric vehicles are holding their breath for brands like BYD to hit the market. Whether they love them or not, they share the hope that Chinese carmakers will help to bring all EV prices down, as affordability becomes a growing concern for consumers. Companies including BYD, Geely, Nio and Xpeng are preparing to roll out sales locations in Canada, seizing the opportunity of warmer ties between the two countries. Ottawa struck a milestone trade deal with...

Hong Kong Sevens at ‘pinnacle’ on 50th anniversary,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

Hong Kong rugby has reached a “pinnacle” as the city celebrates the 50th anniversary of its annual Sevens tournament, the man who coached the local team at the first edition of the event in 1976 has said. Peter Duncan, who stepped down as president of Hong Kong China Rugby in March after a decade in the post, described the annual three-day tournament as an “iconic” sporting event that helped to cement the city’s status in the international community. “If you were sitting in the stadium in

Hong Kong’s Mirror star Keung To urges public to...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

Hong Kong Cantopop singer Keung To has urged the public to learn from his mistakes after he was fined HK$2,200 (US$280) for careless driving, running a red light and failing to display a probationary sign on his car while driving. Keung, a member of the popular boy band Mirror, also said on Saturday that the “P” sign might have fallen off and he was not aware of it until police told him. The 26-year-old singer, who reportedly obtained his probationary driving licence in February last year,

Wang Fuk Court residents prepare for emotional return...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

For 66-year-old Ming Lee, the only way to get back to his flat in Hong Kong’s Wang Fuk Court is by walking up 25 flights of stairs, after the deadly inferno at the housing estate last November destroyed seven of its eight buildings, including their lift systems. Undaunted by the physical toll required, the retiree will ascend Wang Yan House next week and bid a final farewell to his home of four decades. “I exercise regularly, but after the fire, my mood and physical condition both

How China’s military could learn vital lessons from...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

China could gain a “massive strategic advantage” from the war in Iran by reshaping trade in the Middle East and catching up with the US militarily, according to one analyst. Zhu Zhaoyi, executive director of the Institute of Middle East Studies at Peking University HSBC Business School, also said that with the current ceasefire looking likely to be extended, Beijing should assume a more active role in peace talks. He told a seminar in Shenzhen on Friday that China should draw on the lessons

Japan, Australia finalise contracts to deliver first...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

Japan and Australia said on Saturday they have finalised contracts to jointly deliver the first three of 11 ships for the Australian navy based on the upgraded Japanese Mogami-class frigate, as the two countries deepen their defence cooperation amid China’s growing assertiveness. The deal, announced by Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Australian counterpart Richard Marles in Melbourne, comes ahead of Japan’s planned easing of its rules on defence equipment exports, which

Could the PLA use minelaying drones in a first island...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

The People’s Liberation Army could use minelaying drones to blockade Japan and other waters in the strategic first island chain during a conflict over Taiwan, a mainland Chinese military magazine has suggested. The PLA’s strategy would see AJX002 drones used for “offensive minelaying” missions targeting Japan’s islands, including the Ryukyu archipelago, as well as the waters of the Philippines, according to an analysis in the latest edition of Shipborne Weapons. It comes as America’s blockade

China limbless mum sews with mouth, uses limb stumps...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

An 81-year-old Chinese woman dubbed “the strongest Chinese mother” was born without limbs and managed to raise three children. The octogenarian who has moved many people online sewed with her mouth and used her elbows to hold chopsticks while looking after her family. Wang Yushi, 81, from Baiyin in Gansu province, northern China, was born with a congenital disability and has had no limbs since birth. She did not even have an official name until her late 20s. “My mother was born without hands

Hong Kong Housing Society aims to boost supply of...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

Hong Kong’s second-biggest public housing provider will gradually expand the supply of its subsidised sale flats, aiming for them to account for 40 per cent of its home supply in future projects. Hong Kong Housing Society chairman Ling Kar-kan said on Saturday the move was to meet residents’ strong desire to own their homes. In a television interview, Ling maintained the change had nothing to do with the agency’s financial soundness, although he agreed putting more flats on sale could help...

Iran reimposes shipping restrictions on Strait of Hormuz

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

Iran has closed the Strait of Hormuz again, according to Tehran’s Fars News Agency. “Control of the Strait of Hormuz has returned to its previous state, and this strategic strait is under the strict management and control of Iran’s Armed Forces,” an Iranian spokesman was quoted as saying. It came a day after Iran declared that it would allow non-military vessels to pass through the waterway for the duration of a ceasefire between Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. However,

Why Japan’s bond moves could see shift in East Asia’s...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

East Asia’s “economic miracle” in the post-World War II period was predicated upon a number of factors, such as the region’s export-led growth model, but critically it also depended on an assured supply of capital to finance business investment. One source of such finance was bank loans, the supply and direction of which can be officially influenced by various means rather than being chiefly market-determined. Even today, bank loans account for most of the business financing in Japan, the...

Ukraine works with Interpol to find thousands of...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

When Alina Dotsenko returned to her museum after Ukrainian forces retook the southern city of Kherson from Russian forces in late 2022, she found thousands of artworks had vanished. “I walked in and saw empty storage rooms, empty shelves. My legs gave way, and I just sat down by the wall, like a child,” the Kherson Art Museum director said. Before Russia’s full-scale invasion in early 2022, the museum held more than 14,000 works in a collection “ranging from America to Japan”. As the Russians...

Hong Kong charity breeding Labrador with golden...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

A Hong Kong charity is attempting to fast-track the supply of guide dogs for the blind by breeding a Labrador with a golden retriever for the first time, as only 10 per cent of applicants for canines were ready for immediate pairing. Jasmine Tang Yau-sheung, head of operations with Hong Kong Seeing Eye Dog Services, also told the South China Morning Post that the number of canines still lagged far behind demand, even with the imminent birth of the mixed-breed “goldadors”. This litter of...

Peace out: is Takaichi putting Japan’s pacifist...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is pursuing the first ever revision of her country’s post-World War II pacifist constitution, a step that observers say is likely to be welcomed in Washington and condemned in Beijing. Takaichi’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) secured a historic two-thirds majority in the National Diet’s lower house in February’s election, passing the threshold needed to pass constitutional amendments without other parties’ support. “An independent constitutional

Iranians fear ‘pressure will 100% increase’ after US,...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

Iranians striving to maintain a semblance of normal life after weeks of US and Israeli bombing and a deadly crackdown on protesters in January remain daunted by the future, as damage from air strikes ⁠and internet cuts take a toll. With talks expected on extending a truce and agreeing an end to the conflict, shops, restaurants and government offices have stayed open. On sunny spring mornings, city parks are busy with picnicking families and young people playing sports, while others gather at...

In Bangkok, Malaysia’s first Mr Bear winner finds...

News - South China Morning Post ·

2026/04/18

On Monday afternoon, amid the heat and chaos of Thailand’s Songkran festival, Gavin Chow was crowned Mr Bear International 2026 – the first Malaysian to win the title at a pageant that has quickly become part of Thailand’s growing queer festival circuit. Back in Chow’s home country, the climate is very different. Malaysia criminalises same-sex intimacy under federal law, LGBTQ gatherings have faced police raids and the 34-year-old activist’s own national qualifier earlier this year struggled

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