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Last reel for Grand Ocean Cinema after 56 years of screening in Tsim Sha Tsui

Last reel for Grand Ocean Cinema after 56 years of screening in Tsim Sha Tsui

The Standard2 days ago

Last reel for Grand Ocean Cinema after 56 years of screening in Tsim Sha Tsui

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Mongolia's prime minister resigns amid corruption claims after losing confidence vote
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Mongolia's prime minister resigns amid corruption claims after losing confidence vote

Mongolian Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene resigned on Tuesday, a parliamentary statement said, after losing a confidence vote among lawmakers. Advertisement The secret ballot followed days of protests in the capital Ulaanbaatar against alleged corruption. Speaking after the result of the vote was announced to parliament, Oyun-Erdene said: 'It was an honour to serve my country and people in times of difficulties, including pandemics, wars, and tariffs.' He will remain as caretaker prime minister until his successor is appointed within 30 days. People sing during a protest in Ulaanbaatar on May 21 calling for the resignation of Mongolia's Prime Minister Luvsannamsrain Oyun-Erdene. Photo: AFP Mongolia , a landlocked democracy in northern Asia, has battled deep-seated corruption for decades.

Hong Kong has to improve experience of visitors as events list grows
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Hong Kong has to improve experience of visitors as events list grows

Rightly or wrongly, Hong Kong is often compared with Shanghai or Singapore in various ways. From attracting foreign capital and talents to staging mega-concerts and events, the three places are seen as competing against each other. But while rivalry has become unavoidable on the global stage these days, Hong Kong certainly has its own unique strengths and appeal. Concerns have been raised as big names such as Taylor Swift and Lady Gaga bypassed Hong Kong for performances in Singapore and elsewhere. Separately, Shanghai has no fewer than 178 sporting events and other attractions lined up this year as part of an economic revival strategy similar to that of Hong Kong. The mainland metropolis staged two concerts by American diva Mariah Carey last week and will welcome renowned singer Katy Perry in November. With many regional counterparts also proactively promoting the mega-events economy, standing still means losing out. Hong Kong is therefore right in staging more events to stimulate the economy and consolidate its status as Asia's events capital.

Is Labubu the next Hello Kitty? Analysts debate the limits for China's Pop Mart
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South China Morning Post

time2 hours ago

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Is Labubu the next Hello Kitty? Analysts debate the limits for China's Pop Mart

Pop Mart, the company behind the hit collectible character Labubu, was virtually unknown outside mainland China before 2024, but now some analysts are comparing its success to that of Sanrio and its Hello Kitty property, suggesting that the Beijing toymaker could have created a new playbook for cultural exports. Labubu, a sharp-fanged but cute little monster that is often sold as a plush clip-on charm for handbags, has attracted high-profile fans including the family of football star David Beckham. Its popularity pushed Pop Mart's Hong Kong-listed shares to a record high of HK$234 last week, after the company's market capitalisation topped HK$300 billion (US$38 billion) the week before. The rally followed the April debut of the Labubu 3.0 series , which drew long queues in London, New York, and Dubai 'For years, there's been a push [for Chinese companies] to 'go global' by exporting heritage and storytelling,' said Chris Pereira, founder and CEO at iMpact, a brand consulting company in Singapore. 'But Labubu flips that script. It's not trying to explain China, it's just trying to be lovable.' The sustained hype around Labubu had 'great similarities' to Hello Kitty, which turned 50 last year, according to JPMorgan Chase. The US bank said that beyond common traits in character design and business model, Labubu was also catching up with Hello Kitty in areas such as merchandising, licensing and Google Trends search interest. With international sales surging more than 480 per cent year on year in the first quarter, led by increases of 900 per cent in the US and 600 per cent in Europe, Pop Mart has become a new favourite among investors. Pereira said the popularity of the intellectual property (IP) opens the door for a wave of Chinese brands to succeed not because they are about China, but because they tap into universal emotions through strong design and clever marketing. 'They are telling a successful Chinese story without ever mentioning China,' he said. JPMorgan Chase initiated coverage of Pop Mart last week with a rating of overweight, and set its price target at HK$250 – the most bullish prediction among 43 analysts covering the toymaker.

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