‘I Couldn’t Believe We Weren’t Falling over Ourselves for It’: Asia-Pacific Art Finally Conquers Britain
British museums are finally spotlighting contemporary art from the Asia‑Pacific, highlighted by the V&A’s new Rising Voices exhibition. The show features over 70 works from 25 countries, many never before displayed in the UK, and is anchored by a striking Māori‑inspired bouncer sculpture. Partnered with Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art, the exhibition builds on recent Australian‑focused shows at Tate Modern and the NGV. This marks a strategic shift toward diversifying the British cultural narrative.
‘Stunned and Shocked’: Ingrid Horrocks Wins Top Prize at New Zealand’s Ockham Awards for Her Fiction Debut
First‑time fiction writer Ingrid Horrocks captured New Zealand’s richest literary honor, the Jann Medlicott Acorn prize, with her debut short‑story collection All Her Lives. The award, worth NZ$65,000 (approximately US$39,000), was presented at the 2026 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. Horrocks’ book...
Hong Kong Dissident Nathan Law on China Spies in UK: ‘We’re Not Surprised’
Two men, Chi Leung “Peter” Wai and Chung Biu “Bill” Yuen, were convicted at the Old Bailey for assisting Chinese intelligence, marking the first espionage convictions in Britain. The case confirmed exiled Hong Kong activist Nathan Law’s fears after a...
Australia Eyes Security Pact with Fiji as Pushback From Beijing Undermines Agreement with Vanuatu
Australia is on the brink of signing a landmark security and economic treaty with Fiji, dubbed the Vuvale Union, as part of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s push to curb China’s sway in the Pacific. The deal follows a high‑profile visit...
Kokuho Review – Passionately Male Cain-and-Abel Kabuki Epic of Gender-Crossing Actors
Lee Sang‑il’s "Kokuho" is a sweeping five‑decade saga set in Japan’s kabuki world, focusing on the rivalry between two male onnagata performers. The film, starring Ryô Yoshizawa and Ken Watanabe, became a domestic box‑office hit and secured an Oscar nomination for...
Train Collision in Indonesia Kills 14 as Rescuers Work to Reach Survivors
A collision between a stationary commuter train and a long‑distance train near Jakarta’s Bekasi Timur station killed 14 people and injured 84. The crash was triggered when a taxi clipped the commuter train at a level crossing, causing it to...
Pilot’s Selfie Led to Mid-Air Collision in F-15K Fighter Jet, Says South Korea’s Air Force
South Korea’s air force apologized for a 2021 mid‑air collision between two F‑15K fighter jets that occurred when a wingman pilot attempted a selfie‑style maneuver to film his final flight. The unapproved climb and bank caused the wingman’s tail to...
World Food Systems ‘Pushed to the Brink’ by Extreme Heat, UN Warns
The UN’s joint FAO‑WMO report warns that intensifying heatwaves are pushing global food systems to the brink. In regions such as South Asia, sub‑Saharan Africa and parts of the Americas, farmers could be forced out of the fields for up...
Exit 8 Review – Escher-Esque Subway Station Corridor Leads to Disquieting Psychological Mystery
Exit 8, directed by Genki Kawamura, translates the unsettling Japanese video game into a claustrophobic psychological thriller. The film follows a young commuter, played by Kazunari Ninomiya, who becomes trapped in an Escher‑like subway corridor that loops endlessly, echoing a Möbius...
US ‘Restricts Intelligence Sharing with South Korea’ After Minister Identified Suspected Nuclear Site
The United States has partially curtailed the flow of satellite‑derived intelligence to South Korea after unification minister Chung Dong‑young publicly identified a suspected uranium‑enrichment site in Kusong, North Korea. Washington says the restriction applies only to nuclear‑site data, while missile...
Short-Term Gains for China From US-Iran War May Turn to Longer-Term Pain
The U.S. strike campaign against Iran has turned a short‑term windfall for China into a looming strategic headache. While higher oil prices initially insulated Beijing—thanks to its stockpiles and a 12% share of Iranian crude—rising pump prices and the risk...
North Korea Rapidly Expanding Nuclear Weapons Capability, UN Watchdog Warns
UN nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi warned that North Korea is rapidly expanding its nuclear weapons capability, citing intensified activity at the Yongbyon complex. The regime is believed to have assembled around 50 warheads and is constructing a new uranium...
After 1,200 Years, Cherry Blossom Record to Live on Despite Japanese Scientist’s Death
Prof. Yasuyuki Aono of Osaka Metropolitan University compiled a 1,200‑year record of mountain cherry (Prunus jamasakura) bloom dates, revealing a clear trend toward earlier spring flowering as a climate‑change signal. He entered the 2025 peak date (April 4) before passing away...
Chiang Mai’s New Year Revelry Hit by Smog and War-Related Price Spikes
Wildfires in the region have blanketed northern Thailand with thick haze, prompting emergency declarations in three provinces and driving a sharp rise in pollution‑related illnesses. The smog has forced many tourists to cancel or shorten visits to Chiang Mai, where...
About 250 Missing After Boat Carrying Rohingya Refugees Capsizes in Andaman Sea
More than 250 Rohingya refugees and Bangladeshi nationals are missing after a trawler capsized in the Andaman Sea. The overcrowded vessel left Teknaf in southern Bangladesh bound for Malaysia and encountered heavy winds and rough seas. UN refugee and migration...