6 h. ago Eye on the prize: bags of rice, daily essentials up for grabs at Japanese arcade

An amusement centre in Japan is drawing crowds by offering bags of rice as claw machine prizes – a quirky marketing move that has struck a chord with consumers grappling with rising food costs. Since late May, the arcade in Kawagoe city, Saitama prefecture, has stocked its machines with 900-gram bags of rice to entice players with a shot at winning an increasingly expensive daily staple. The rice bags are the latest additions to the prizes customers can win at the machines. Over the past six...

Politics

6 h. ago Apple’s most sweeping software redesign disappoints mainland Chinese consumers

Mainland Chinese consumers were left unimpressed by Apple’s most sweeping software redesign in its history, according to domestic social media posts on Tuesday, at a time when the US technology giant faces growing headwinds in the world’s largest smartphone market. Apple on Monday previewed a new software interface design, called Liquid Glass, during the company’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference held at its US headquarters in Cupertino, California. For the very first time, the new design...

Events

7 h. ago India expected to maintain robust growth despite Pakistan tensions, trade woes

India is poised to remain the world’s fastest-growing major economy this year, analysts have said, with a recent jumbo rate cut by its central bank expected to boost consumption and investment, even as the country contends with fresh military tensions with Pakistan and an uncertain global trade environment. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) last week delivered a larger-than-expected interest rate cut of 50 basis points and reduced the cash reserve ratio – the minimum amount of capital banks must...

Events

7 h. ago Hong Kong court convicts couple of child cruelty, murdering newborn son

A Hong Kong court has convicted a couple for murdering their newborn son after rejecting their assertions that the infant’s head trauma and rib fractures could have been inflicted by his brother out of jealousy. A High Court jury comprising three men and four women returned a unanimous verdict on Tuesday to convict Imran Hossain, 32, and his wife Farzana Akter, 29, for murdering their seven-week-old baby, Iyman Hossain, in 2019. The unemployed couple were also found guilty of child cruelty for...

Events

8 h. ago US trade officials mull further rollback of port fee rules – what’s different now?

As the world awaits the outcome of the China-US trade talks in London this week, the US Trade Representative (USTR) has proposed changes to shipping policy – marking another possible rollback from the stricter measures announced in April that aimed to revive the domestic industry and curb China’s shipbuilding dominance. The proposed revisions, issued in a short press release over the weekend, would reduce port fees for car carriers and ease restrictions on liquefied natural gas (LNG) tankers....

Politics

9 h. ago Thailand’s Pattaya deploys AI drones as cries grow to tackle rising crime

A city in Thailand plans to deploy AI-powered police drones to hunt down criminals and visa overstayers amid growing concerns over public safety. Authorities in Pattaya want to link the drones to a centralised AI database so they can scan faces in crowds and pick out individuals with outstanding arrest warrants or expired visas, according to local media outlet The Thaiger. The drones will be used during large-scale local events and in tourist hotspots to monitor activities and respond to...

Events

10 h. ago Did China’s first emperor launch westwards mission to find ‘elixir of life’?

History records the Chinese emperor Qin Shi Huang as sending the alchemist Xu Fu eastwards towards Japan on a quest for the elixir of immortality. However, the ancient texts make no mention of any similar expedition heading west. But according to a state media report, findings by Chinese archaeologists suggest that a western expedition for the “elixir of life” may indeed have been launched during the reign of Qin Shi Huang. Qin Shi Huang, or the “first emperor of China”, was so named because he...

Events

10 h. ago Malaysia’s Anwar given second chance to prove immunity from sexual assault suit

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim will be allowed to argue that he has legal immunity from a sexual harassment civil suit after the Court of Appeal ruled in his favour on Tuesday, just days before proceedings were due to start. The suit, brought by Anwar’s former research assistant Muhammed Yusoff Rawther, alleges that Anwar sexually assaulted him in 2018 at the then-opposition leader's private residence. Anwar has denied the allegations. The case risks resurfacing controversies that have...

Events

10 h. ago Labubu becomes bait for China’s Ping An Bank to lure young customers

Hoping the world’s trendiest monster will scare up some new customers, China’s Ping An Bank is rewarding those who open new accounts with a Pop Mart Lababu doll amid fierce competition for young customers among Chinese retail banks. New clients who open a savings account and deposit more than 50,000 yuan (US$6,954) for at least three months could receive a blind box from the first or second series of the Chinese toy retailer’s popular collectibles, according to media reports. Customers who also...

Economics

10 h. ago ‘Unacceptable’: Japan group under fire for holding combat drills for students

An organisation in Japan’s Saitama prefecture is under fire for holding combat drills featuring toy guns for schoolchildren amid public anxiety about growing militarisation in the country. At the “junior survival school” run by a general incorporated association, primary and secondary schoolchildren took part in training similar to Japan Self-Defence Force (JSDF) drills and were taught how to handle toy guns, The Mainichi newspaper reported on Saturday, without naming the organisation. According...

Events

12 h. ago Former residence of South Korea’s Yoon under scrutiny over ‘pet pool’

A shallow pool inside South Korea’s presidential residence has sparked a debate among lawmakers over whether it was used by former president Yoon Suk-yeol and his wife for their pets. There has been increasing speculation that the pool was used for pets and not humans, said Representative Kim Byoung-joo at a meeting held on Monday by the Democratic Party, which became the country’s ruling party following President Lee Jae-myung’s election win last week. “I’ve looked around the space inside the...

Politics

13 h. ago China EV registrations in week 23: Nio 2,630, Xiaomi 4,370, Tesla 8,640, BYD 54,850

China EV registrations in week 23: Nio 2,630, Xiaomi 4,370, Tesla 8,640, BYD 54,850  CarNewsChina.com

Politics

13 h. ago Malaysia’s new luxury tax a hard sell for Anwar as popularity wanes

Many Malaysians may find life’s little indulgences suddenly beyond their reach from next month, when fresh taxes bite on premium goods and services like salmon and silk – and even haircuts – after the cash-strapped government said it would raise revenue from so-called luxury spending. Taxes of between 5 and 10 per cent will be imposed on “discretionary and non-essential goods” as well as financial and beauty services and private education from July 1, the Finance Ministry said in a statement...

Events

14 h. ago China EV insurance registrations for week ending Jun 8: Nio 2,630, Tesla 8,640, Xiaomi 4,370

China EV insurance registrations for week ending Jun 8: Nio 2,630, Tesla 8,640, Xiaomi 4,370  CnEVPost

Politics

14 h. ago Megaquake scare in Japan, Philippines boosts air power: 7 Asia highlights

We have selected seven stories from the SCMP’s coverage of Asia over the past week that resonated with our readers and shed light on topical issues. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. Japan on alert as Hokkaido tremors reignite megaquake fears A string of moderate earthquakes off the coast of Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido has reignited concerns among experts and residents about the risk of a catastrophic seismic event – though scientists stress...

Politics

14 h. ago China’s Huawei says US is exaggerating its chipmaking capabilities

China’s Huawei says US is exaggerating its chipmaking capabilities  ft.com

Politics

15 h. ago Hong Kong to mark July 1 anniversary with 71,000 free MTR tickets: John Lee

More than 70,000 free MTR tickets will be up for grabs on July 1 as part of citywide celebrations to commemorate the 28th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to Chinese rule, the chief executive has said. City leader John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday he would bring forward his annual policy address by a month to September, in light of the Legislative Council election scheduled for the end of this year. Public consultation is set to kick off on Monday next week. He said the government would...

Politics

15 h. ago Concern in Japan as police investigation uncovers possible yakuza

A police investigation into alleged organised crime activity in Japan has uncovered what experts say could be signs of cooperation between a domestic yakuza faction and Hong Kong’s 14K triad, one of Asia’s most powerful criminal networks. The concern centres around a video found on a mobile phone seized during an arrest in September last year, which shows individuals sharing glasses of sake – a traditional ritual that experts say can symbolise an oath of loyalty or alliance. According to Jiji...

Events

15 h. ago Huawei chips are one generation behind US but firm finding workarounds, CEO says

Huawei chips are one generation behind US but firm finding workarounds, CEO says  Reuters

Economics

16 h. ago Nara’s famed deer could face food crisis in winter as acorn trees cut down

A move to cut down acorn-bearing trees in Japan’s Nara Park has sparked concern among researchers about the survival of the attraction’s free-roaming deer during the harsh winter. Acorns serve as a vital food source for deer, while the trees also provide critical shelter, with the animals often gathering beneath dense canopies for warmth and protection in the colder months. “The base of these trees becomes a critical place that determines whether the deer can survive winter,” said Shiro...

Events