US, Iran sign peace deal; China’s C919 jets grounded for safety checks: SCMP’s 7 highlights

We have selected seven stories from this week’s news across Hong Kong, mainland China, the wider Asia region and beyond 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. Iran and US sign peace deal, Strait of Hormuz to immediately reopen: PakistanIran and the US have signed a peace deal that will take immediate effect, with Iran reopening the Strait of Hormuz and the US lifting its naval blockade, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced.2. China’s first C919s get critical ‘C-checks’ as European regulators watchThree years after its maiden commercial flight as China’s flagship civilian airliner, the C919 is entering a pivotal maintenance phase. Photo: HandoutThree years after its maiden commercial flight as China’s flagship civilian airliner, the C919 is entering a pivotal maintenance phase, with jets across the series being progressively grounded for rigorous inspections.3. Malaysian tourists in China scorned for calling locals ‘smelly’A group of Malaysian tourists is facing intense backlash for filming strangers and mocking locals in China as “smelly”, sparking debate on travel etiquette and national image.4. Man ‘mistakenly beat girlfriend to death while trying to help her lose weight’Ng Ka-sing (centre) was arrested in 2022. Photo: Yik Yeung-manA jobless man accused of killing his girlfriend in a Hong Kong village house and illegally disposing of her body four years ago has claimed he mistakenly beat her to death while trying to help her lose weight by keeping her awake at night.5. Racist gesture at Korean World Cup fan costs Mexican guild chief his postSouth Korean YouTuber Yoon Su-jin, who posts under the handle InoCat, at a Fifa World Cup match in Mexico. Photo: Instagram/inocat_tA Mexican man who led an engineering guild has apologised after losing his position over a video showing him making a racist gesture at a South Korean fan during a World Cup match in Guadalajara.6. China’s Shein to be ousted from Paris store after other brands fleeA customer walks through Shein’s store at the Bazar de l’Hotel de Ville (BHV) department store in Paris, France, on March 19. Photo: AFPA department store in central Paris announced on Tuesday the end of its cooperation with Chinese ultra-fast fashion giant Shein, which, French media reported, could see the e-commerce platform’s first physical store closed by this Christmas.7. Chinese boy, 7, ends up in ICU with severe abdominal pain after downing iced drinksThe case of a seven-year-old Chinese boy who had to be sent to an intensive care unit (ICU) after drinking two iced drinks has triggered a heated online discussion.Further Reading