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AdvertisementHong Kong propertyBusinessFinancial firm Ares doubles Hong Kong office footprint as real estate outlook improvesRents for prime offices in Central could rise up to 5 per cent, according to JLL, while Knight Frank expects a gain of as much as 8 per cent
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPCheryl ArcibalPublished: 1:10pm, 12 Jan 2026Updated: 1:11pm, 12 Jan 2026Ares Management, one of Asia’s largest alternative investment managers, is doubling its real estate footprint in Hong Kong, a move that aligns with a broader expansion by financial firms and demand for office space in the core Central business district.
The Los Angeles-based asset manager would add about 12,500 sq ft of space in Gloucester Tower, where it has been a tenant since 2017, according to a statement from the landlord Hongkong Land on Monday. The new lease will be effective in March.
“We are delighted that Ares has chosen to expand in Hongkong Land’s Central portfolio, underscoring our position as the ..

Viral Trades Are Dying, Forget Moonshots: Dubai’s Top Crypto Minds Say This Is How You Win Profits in 2026 Dubai, January 11, 2026: With the global cryptocurrency economy evolving rapidly, crypto traders in the UAE are sharpening their strategies for what many analysts predict will be a pivotal year. According to Dubai market specialists, 2026 could be a breakthrough period for retail and institutional crypto traders alike, provided they adopt smart, risk-aware tactics tailored to market realities.The call to action comes as the UAE crypto market continues to grow, with Statista forecasts suggesting local crypto revenues could reach $254.3 million by 2025 and an estimated 3.78 million users in the country, roughly a 39% penetration rate. This boom, backed by regulatory frameworks like Dubai’s world-first Virtual Assets Regulation (VAL) law, sets the stage for Dubai to serve not just as a regional hub but a global centre for digital asset trading and innovation.As cryptocurrency markets..

League of Legends streamer Drututt was hit with a seven-day Twitch ban just days after the new season launched. The suspension followed his use of a controversial hashtag, which he says was self-directed humor, not exclusionary. Fans are split over Twitch’s decision, especially as the ban disrupts his momentum during peak interest and a key competitive announcement. Just days into the new season of League of Legends, controversy has once again followed one of its most outspoken creators. Popular streamer Drututt found himself locked out of Twitch at the worst possible moment, right as fans were flooding streams to understand sweeping gameplay changes. The timing could not have been harsher, and the reason behind the ban has sparked fierce debate across the community.This is not unfamiliar territory for Drututt, whose confrontational humor and rule-testing style have often placed him under the platform’s microscope. Still, many viewers argue this latest suspension crossed into overreach..

AdvertisementPop culture in AsiaThis Week in AsiaLifestyle & CultureSoft power, hard cash: Southeast Asia’s billion-dollar anime obsessionDriven by Gen Z spending and streaming, the region’s US$1.3 billion anime market represents a triumph for Japan’s cultural push
Reading Time:4 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPUshar DanielePublished: 1:00pm, 11 Jan 2026Updated: 1:08pm, 11 Jan 2026For Sana Kok, anime has always been more than entertainment.
The 28-year-old Malaysian still remembers the first series he caught on television as a child: the bright colours, larger-than-life characters and cinematic storytelling unlike anything else he had ever seen. By his teens, action-packed anime titles had become a fixture of his evenings.“Anime has some of the best storytelling out there,” said Kok, now a digital marketer who sees his childhood fascination reflected in a new wave of Southeast Asian fans, many introduced to the genre by the rise of streaming platforms.
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AdvertisementUS-Venezuela conflictChinaDiplomacyCan Peru keep both China and US onside in an increasingly volatile environment?Its mineral resources make it a focus for superpower rivalry, but analysts say the country is in a very different situation to Venezuela
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPCao Jiaxuanin BeijingPublished: 11:54am, 11 Jan 2026Last weekend’s US raid on Venezuela has shone a spotlight on the wider strategic concerns in play in South America, including the US-China rivalry in countries such as Peru.The country is a key hub for mineral exports to Asian markets, but it has tried to maintain a balance between Beijing and Washington.
China had funded a strategically important port on Peru’s Pacific coast, but it had remained “broadly aligned” with US interests, analysts said. Washington also regards it as part of its “western hemisphere backyard” when it comes to law enforcement and anti-drugs operations.AdvertisementDespite Peru’s increasingly chaotic politics..

Beyond the Likes: Khalid Al Ameri Calls Out the ‘Destructive’ Race for Followers at Dubai’s 1 Billion Followers Summit Content and social media personalities from different parts of the world are thronging one of the greatest gatherings for the creator economy in the world, the 1 Billion Followers Summit taking place in Dubai. The 4th version of the 1 Billion Followers Summit, a three-day international event where 30,000+ content personalities attend, is actually not a boasting stage for the number of their followers but a learning platform where speakers inspire them to think beyond the figures.Organised by the UAE Government Media Office and held at iconic venues including the Emirates Towers, DIFC and the Museum of the Future, the summit is one of the world’s largest events dedicated to the future of digital content, hosting more than 580 sessions and workshops under the theme “Content for Good”.“Content creation is a responsibility and a mission,” said UAE leadership in welcoming g..

Oman announces Muscat fireworks at Al Khoudh Dam on Sunday, January 11, starting 8 PM sharp/Representative Image The General Secretariat of National Celebrations has officially announced a grand fireworks display in Muscat to mark the anniversary of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik’s Accession to the Throne. The event will take place tomorrow, January 11, at Al Khoudh Dam in the Wilayat of Seeb, and fireworks begin at 8:00 PM.The display is part of the nationwide celebrations being held across the Sultanate to commemorate Accession Day, an occasion of national significance. Authorities have invited the public to attend the event and participate in the celebrations, while urging everyone to adhere to the safety and traffic guidelines issued by the relevant authorities to ensure an orderly and secure experience for all attendees.

AdvertisementHong Kong societyHong KongSocietyMore than a game: rugby helps Hong Kong charity tackle cultural divides in schoolsRugby For Good, an Operation Santa Claus beneficiary, uses sport to help students of all backgrounds find common ground on and off the field
Reading Time:3 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPCindy SuiPublished: 1:50pm, 10 Jan 2026Passing, tackling and scrums – all part of the sport of rugby.
But in some Hong Kong schools, they take on a deeper meaning – helping to bridge divides between students of different backgrounds.
Since 2013, the charity Rugby For Good has been introducing the game to school campuses, using sport as a tool to bring together young people from diverse ethnicities and communities.
AdvertisementThis year, the NGO is one of 13 charities selected by the annual fundraising campaign Operation Santa Claus (OSC) to receive funding. The support will go towards training 500 students aged 12 to 15 next year – including those like past participants Aaminah..

AdvertisementHong Kong’s Tai Po fire tragedyHong KongSocietyRebuilding fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court ‘not practical’, Hong Kong officials sayAuthorities plan to repurpose Tai Po site for community use, citing decade-long delays and HK$6 billion in acquisition costs before rebuilding
Reading Time:2 minutesWhy you can trust SCMPLam Ka-singPublished: 1:46pm, 10 Jan 2026Updated: 1:55pm, 10 Jan 2026Hong Kong authorities estimate that acquiring all homes in the fire-ravaged Wang Fuk Court will cost around HK$6 billion (US$770 million), with officials saying that rebuilding on the same site was “not really very practical”.
Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun said on Saturday that the site was expected to be repurposed for community facilities rather than housing, citing overseas examples where sites of similar tragedies were rarely redeveloped for residential use. He stressed that “no one will earn big money” from the land in future.
“In this moment, we feel on-site reconstruction i..

Trump (File photo) After, Venezuelan military op and threatening Greenland and Columbia, US President Donald Trump now seems to turn his attention to Mexico, to target drug cartels, following maritime attacks in the eastern Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea.“We are going to start now hitting land with regard to the cartels. The cartels are running Mexico,” said Trump in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity aired on Thursday night, signalling a tougher stance on cross-border cartel operations.Any direct action against cartels inside Mexico, however, would represent a major escalation of US military involvement in the region. Trump said on Sunday that he was pressing Sheinbaum to allow US troops to operate in Mexico against drug cartels, an offer he claimed she had previously rejected.then, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum warned on Monday that the Americas “do not belong” to any single power, responding to Trump’s comments about Washington’s “dominance” of the hemisphere following..