Global Pulse

标签： Asia

亚洲

  • Southern China braces for heavy rainfall

    Southern China braces for heavy rainfall

    A fresh, widespread round of intense rainfall is poised to impact large swathes of southern China over the coming three days, the National Meteorological Center has confirmed in its latest official forecast. The inclement weather system will begin unfolding on Sunday, starting with rain bands developing over the Sichuan Basin and Guizhou before shifting steadily eastward. Over the course of the event, the precipitation is projected to reach more than 10 provincial-level regions across southern China, including major affected areas such as Sichuan, Guizhou, Hunan, Zhejiang and Guangdong.

    Most of the impacted regions are forecast to see moderate to heavy rainfall, with the peak intensity of the event expected to fall between Monday and Tuesday, according to the center’s meteorologists. On the opening day of the event Sunday, heavy downpours are predicted to hit northeastern parts of the Sichuan Basin, central and southern Chongqing, northern Guizhou, and northeastern Yunnan, with total accumulated precipitation expected to range between 50 and 70 millimeters in these zones.

    In preparation for the prolonged heavy rain, national authorities have issued multiple warnings and public advisories to reduce risk of harm and damage. The general public has been urged to implement proactive precautions against secondary disasters triggered by heavy and sustained rainfall, adjust travel plans accordingly, and avoid areas with road waterlogging. Officials also emphasized that residents should stay tuned for the latest official weather updates, and remain aware of the hazards associated with severe convective weather, including sudden strong winds and hail.

    On Saturday, two national government bodies — the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the China Meteorological Administration — issued a joint warning highlighting elevated risk of farmland waterlogging across multiple affected regions. From Sunday through Wednesday, high risk of waterlogging that can damage crops and infrastructure is forecast for the Sichuan Basin, southeastern Hubei, and most parts of Hunan and Jiangxi.

    Local governments in high-risk zones have been instructed to step up preparedness measures, including proactive management of water storage levels in reservoirs and rural ponds, and intensified pre-emptive drainage operations in agricultural fields to mitigate the impact of potential waterlogging.

  • Geocultural forces reshaping China’s economic map

    Geocultural forces reshaping China’s economic map

    On April 1 this year, China’s National Bureau of Statistics published updated provincial and municipal GDP rankings that paint a clear picture: while all major Chinese economic regions have recorded consistent growth, a profound geographic reordering of the country’s economic landscape is underway.

    The most striking shift plays out at the provincial level, measured by GDP per capita. In the latest data, Jiangsu claims first place and Zhejiang takes third, leaving Guangdong in fourth position. Two decades ago, this ranking looked radically different: Guangdong held an unchallenged top spot, with Zhejiang and Jiangsu trailing far behind in third and fourth respectively.

    This reordering is even more dramatic when examining city-level data. Back in 2005, nine Guangdong cities earned a spot in the country’s top 25 ranking for GDP per capita. By comparison, Jiangsu only had five cities in that group, and Zhejiang just two. Twenty years later, that balance has flipped completely: only three Guangdong cities remain in the top 25, while Jiangsu now has seven and Zhejiang has four.

    None of this changes the fact that all three provinces remain among China’s most developed economic hubs. Since the launch of economic reforms in the late 1970s, China’s growth model centered on manufacturing and export-led development, which entrenched long-term regional inequality that heavily favored coastal eastern provinces. Guangdong was the original pioneer of this model.

    Decades ago, Shenzhen and Zhuhai, two of China’s first special economic zones, leveraged their proximity to Hong Kong and Macao respectively to rocket up the rankings: Shenzhen held first place in 2005, and Zhuhai third. By 2025, Shenzhen has fallen to sixth and Zhuhai to 16th. Guangzhou, Guangdong’s capital and largest city, which ranked eighth in 2005, has dropped to 22nd, even as it built itself into a global manufacturing and trade hub. It is also worth noting that Guangdong remains home to some of China’s most globally successful innovative firms, from telecommunications giant Huawei and drone leader DJI to tech conglomerate Tencent and electric vehicle and battery manufacturer BYD. All these firms continue to expand their influence both domestically and internationally.

    Even so, China’s cutting-edge startup ecosystem has gradually shifted northward, and the country’s latest five-year plan, released on March 12, makes this new geographic center of gravity explicit. In high-growth sectors like artificial intelligence and robotics, Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang, has emerged as a leading hub, home to prominent local players DeepSeek and Unitree, with backing from Hangzhou-based global tech giant Alibaba. In the fast-expanding biomanufacturing sector, national industry leader WuXi Biologics operates major facilities in Hangzhou, Suzhou (Jiangsu) and nearby Wuxi. Suzhou ranked 25th in 2005 and now sits at 7th, while Wuxi moved from 11th to 5th over the same period.

    Analysts point to the strong advantage in higher education held by Jiangsu and Zhejiang as a key driver of this divergence. Last March, The Economist profiled Zhejiang University, concluding that the institution has played a transformative role in turning Hangzhou into a world-class startup hub, mirroring how Stanford University catalyzed the growth of Silicon Valley. Leading global and domestic university rankings consistently place both Zhejiang University and Nanjing University (Jiangsu’s capital Nanjing, which moved from 31st to 11th in city-level GDP per capita rankings over 20 years) among China’s top 10 higher education institutions, alongside leading schools in neighboring Shanghai and Anhui. Guangdong has no universities that hold a consistent spot in the national top 10.

    This educational advantage that Jiangsu and Zhejiang hold is not a recent development: it stretches back centuries. The Jiangnan region, which covers the southern bank of the Yangtze River and spans most of modern Jiangsu and Zhejiang, has been China’s leading cultural and economic center since the Southern Song Dynasty. The region turned its historic strengths in agricultural productivity and trade into widespread artistic and intellectual achievement, laying the groundwork for a long-standing culture of academic excellence. In contrast, the Lingnan region that corresponds to modern Guangdong, while historically open to global seaborne trade, remained geographically and culturally separated from core regions of China for much of its history. Both regions carry deep commercial traditions, but Jiangnan’s centuries-old intellectual heritage gives it a unique edge in nurturing the skilled talent required to advance global technological frontiers.

    This shift is not limited to economics: as Jiangsu and Zhejiang expand their economic lead, they are also reemerging as central players in China’s cultural landscape. In the 1980s and 1990s, Cantonese pop culture spread across the entire country, fueled by Hong Kong’s economic boom, giving the Cantonese language unprecedented cultural prestige across China. That prestige has declined sharply alongside Hong Kong’s relative economic slowdown. At the same time, Shanghai’s rise as a global economic powerhouse has elevated the profile of Jiangnan dialects, which are reasserting their presence in the public sphere even amid nationwide efforts to standardize Mandarin.

    It is important to note that this ongoing economic and cultural shift from Guangdong to Jiangsu and Zhejiang is not a foregone conclusion. Future trajectories will depend heavily on the strategic choices and innovation success of individual entrepreneurs and firms across all regions. Global demand for Chinese goods and services is also subject to rapid shifts, shaped by ongoing trade restrictions on Chinese exports in major markets around the world. Regardless of how trends unfold in coming years, this regional reordering makes clear that China’s economic future is far from monolithic, with diverse regions competing and evolving along distinct paths.

  • Diplomats, business leaders discuss future of global economic cooperation at Sydney forum

    Diplomats, business leaders discuss future of global economic cooperation at Sydney forum

    On April 20, Sydney played host to a high-profile forum that brought together senior diplomatic representatives and top business leaders from across the globe, all gathering to deliberate on the evolving trajectory of global economic collaboration and the future framework of international trade. Organized by the Australian Business Summit Council Inc., the gathering also functioned as an advance preview event for the seventh edition of the Council’s flagship industry publication, EKONOMOS, which is scheduled for an official public launch on May 29 this year.

    The guest list for the forum included a slate of distinguished diplomatic figures, among them Arjaree Sriratanaban, Ambassador of Thailand to Australia; Diego Felipe Cadena Montenegro, Ambassador of Colombia to Australia; and Doris Adzo Denyo Brese, High Commissioner of Ghana to Australia. They were joined in the discussion by diplomatic envoys from China, Egypt, and Malta, as well as a cohort of prominent local Australian business leaders, cross-industry professionals, and representatives from the nation’s multicultural media community.

    Frank Alafaci, who currently serves as president of the Australian Business Summit Council Inc. and previously held a board position at the Australia China Friendship and Exchange Association, outlined the core mission of the upcoming seventh issue of EKONOMOS. He emphasized that the publication underscores the Council’s longstanding commitment to bridging connections between business leaders and unlocking new commercial opportunities both within Australia and across international markets.

    “It is more than a magazine; it is a meeting point of perspectives—bringing together voices from diplomacy, business, academia and government,” Alafaci told attendees during his opening remarks.

    Throughout the forum’s keynote sessions, each speaker brought unique regional and industry insights to the table. Ambassador Arjaree Sriratanaban of Thailand shone a spotlight on untapped opportunities to deepen bilateral trade and investment partnerships between Bangkok and Canberra, outlining pathways for expanded collaboration across key growth sectors. For his part, Colombian Ambassador Diego Felipe Cadena Montenegro stressed that inclusive multilateral cooperation and shared commitments to sustainable development are non-negotiable foundations for advancing mutually beneficial global economic partnerships. Local Australian entrepreneur Garry Simonian turned the discussion to the digital era, detailing how transformative technologies including artificial intelligence, digital innovation, and other emerging tools are reshaping the landscape of cross-border business and global trade.

    Following their individual keynote addresses, the three speakers joined a panel discussion moderated by Alafaci, where they delved into the most pressing current challenges facing global business, trade, and cross-border investment, and responded to a range of questions from on-site attendees. The forum closed with broad consensus among participants that open dialogue and cross-stakeholder collaboration will be critical to navigating current global economic uncertainty and unlocking inclusive growth for all regions.

  • In China, a quiet sense of safety shapes visitors’ travel experience

    In China, a quiet sense of safety shapes visitors’ travel experience

    As China eases visa policies and sees a steady rebound in inbound tourism, a new, understated feature of the country is winning widespread praise from international visitors: a pervasive, everyday sense of safety that transforms ordinary travel experiences into lasting, positive memories. What makes this appeal stand out is not dramatic landmarks or spectacular natural scenery, but small, mundane moments that reveal a deep-rooted social order that locals take for granted, but surprises first-time foreign guests.

    Take German tourist Lukas Schmidt, for example. Around 30 minutes after he finished a meal at a central Shanghai restaurant, he realized he had accidentally left his smartphone behind. By the time he hurried back to the establishment, staff had already safely stored the device, and returned it to him without any extra fuss immediately after confirming his ownership. The low-stakes but reassuring encounter left a deep impact on Schmidt. “It makes people worry less about losing things,” he noted, adding that this level of everyday safety is just a normal part of daily life across China.

    Foreign travelers still flock to China for its iconic ancient landmarks, breathtaking natural landscapes, cutting-edge futuristic cityscapes and thousands of years of rich cultural heritage. But in hundreds of thousands of travel posts, short videos, live streams and personal diaries shared under hashtags like #ChinaTravel, a consistent new theme has emerged: China’s strong public safety and social order have become a core part of the country’s global travel appeal.

    Canadian traveler Dave Mani, who has visited 55 countries across the globe, shared this sentiment in a YouTube documentary of his first trip to China earlier this year. “This is probably one of the top three safest places I’ve ever been to,” he said.

    Common examples of this everyday safety repeatedly pop up in visitors’ content: food and parcel deliveries left unattended outside residential building entrances with no risk of theft; personal bags, phones and other valuables left briefly in public cafes or parks that remain untouched when owners return. These are unremarkable scenes for Chinese locals, but eye-opening revelations for many international guests used to higher risk of theft in their home countries.

    Nighttime life in China also challenges many foreign visitors’ prior expectations. In countless major cities around the world, dark hours after sunset are tied to caution and avoidance of empty public spaces. In China, however, visitors document a vastly different scene: brightly lit public streets, groups of joggers out for late-night runs, and crowded, bustling night markets that stay active well into midnight.

    American backpacker Christian Grossi captured this atmosphere in a viral video from a Saturday night in Chongqing, where he joined thousands of locals in a central public square to watch a drone light show. “It feels super peaceful and super safe. Everyone has their phones out filming. I have never felt any sort of danger here,” he said in the clip. “You can see there is no heavy police presence, no extra security, just people out enjoying their lives.”

    ### Data and Analysis Back Up Visitor Perceptions

    This widespread perception of safety among travelers aligns with global survey data and official Chinese crime statistics. The 2025 Gallup Global Safety Report ranks China among the highest-scoring countries worldwide for public perceptions of safety and overall law and order performance. Official Chinese government data adds further context: in 2025, the total number of criminal cases across the country dropped 12.8% year-on-year, hitting its lowest level since 2000, while minor public security cases declined 3.5% over the same period.

    Analysts point to a combination of interconnected factors that drive China’s strong public safety outcomes. Widespread deployment of technology-assisted public safety monitoring systems has drastically improved emergency response times and crime prevention capacity across urban and rural areas. But beyond technology, experts emphasize that high levels of public trust in law enforcement play a foundational role.

    “When people see police regularly stepping in to help solve everyday problems, from recovering lost belongings to mediating minor disputes, trust is built naturally,” explained Lu Jifeng, a professor at Shandong University of Science and Technology. He noted that Chinese police are widely recognized for their service-oriented approach, a priority that builds public confidence over time.

    This trust is often experienced directly by foreign visitors themselves. Earlier this month, Katherine Taylor McCall, an American English teacher based in China, recovered a smartphone she had left in a ride-hailing car with rapid assistance from local police, who contacted the ride-hailing platform, identified the driver, and retrieved her device within hours. “Thank you! Chinese police, amazing!” she shared after the incident.

    At a deeper structural level, observers note that decades of rapid economic development have drastically reduced poverty-driven crime, while effective grassroots governance and widespread voluntary public participation in community safety efforts have further strengthened the overall sense of public security. Cultural traditions also play a quiet role, experts add.

    Belgian cycling enthusiast Claude Brouir experienced this social cohesion firsthand during a cross-country cycling trip across China last year. Local residents along his route volunteered help with translation, arranged affordable accommodation, and shared insights into local customs, making his solo journey far easier and more enjoyable than he expected. “Mutual trust is just part of how people interact here,” he said after the trip.

    Wang Dianli, a sociology professor at Shandong University, explains that this culture of mutual respect and harmony has deep roots. “Confucian teachings that emphasize social harmony and respect for others have shaped everyday behavior in Chinese society for centuries,” he said. That underlying cultural norm creates a baseline of mutual trust that reinforces public safety in daily life.

    For many visitors, this consistently safe, welcoming travel experience has become a reason to extend their trips — or even put down roots in China long-term. A South African content creator who runs the popular social media account “Because I’m Lizzy” has lived in China for multiple years, and cites everyday positive interactions with locals and the pervasive sense of safety as core reasons for staying. “The Chinese people really are the friendliest I’ve ever met, and I never have to worry about my safety here,” she said.

    Fabien Loudet, a French national who has lived in China for more than 16 years, compares his current experience to his childhood growing up in France, where he said a constant background awareness of risk — knowing which neighborhoods to avoid, staying constantly alert in public spaces — was just a normal part of life. “That feeling of constant unease gradually disappeared completely after I came to China,” he shared in a recent social media video. “Peace of mind is priceless. Much as I love my home country, I couldn’t see myself living back in a place without the level of safety I get to experience here every day.”

  • Chinese costume dramas top Southeast Asian streaming platforms

    Chinese costume dramas top Southeast Asian streaming platforms

    A viral social media moment this month has underscored just how far Chinese costume dramas have penetrated mainstream popular culture across Southeast Asia: Thailand’s Royal Thai Army turned to a hit new Chinese historical romance to boost military recruitment, leveraging the show’s massive local fanbase to draw new applicants.

    The service’s official Facebook page shared recruitment creatives featuring lead characters from *Pursuit of Jade*, a lavishly produced Chinese costume drama that has taken global streaming platforms by storm since its March premiere. One playful poster read: “Do you want a boyfriend with the same heroic spirit as Marquis Wu’an, the male lead of *Pursuit of Jade*? Ask your partner to join the cavalry!” The post racked up nearly 100,000 likes from Thai internet users, who widely praised the military’s clever, trend-savvy approach to outreach.

    “This is one of the most creative recruitment posters I’ve seen in years — the army is really keeping up with the times,” commented Thai netizen Ratchaneekorn. Other users joked with the page’s administrator, asking whether the account team itself counted itself among the drama’s legion of local fans. For *Pursuit of Jade*, the viral recruitment moment is just the latest marker of its unexpected global success: the series currently tops Google Trends search rankings for Chinese dramas across 15 international markets, including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the United States and Canada. It has broken viewership records on Chinese streaming giant iQIYI’s international platform, and became the first Chinese drama to top Netflix’s trending charts in multiple Asian regions, earning high user ratings on popular global entertainment site MyDramaList.

    For many viewers across Southeast Asia, the appeal of Chinese costume dramas extends far beyond catchy plotlines. Amy Chen, a 34-year-old Chinese-Malaysian professional based in Kuala Lumpur who has followed Chinese content for years, counts *Pursuit of Jade* as her current favorite series. She attributes the genre’s growing regional popularity to a combination of cultural proximity and uncompromising production quality: “We get the cultural references naturally, and on top of that, you get opulent set designs, exquisite costumes and makeup, tightly crafted storylines, and seamless streaming access on major platforms — it’s a complete package that’s hard to beat.” *Pursuit of Jade* also weaves traditional Chinese cultural elements like Qin opera and shadow puppetry into its narrative, giving international viewers a window into unique aspects of Chinese heritage while delivering a compelling, modern viewing experience.

    The breakout success of *Pursuit of Jade* is no isolated incident; it is the most visible sign of a years-long growth trend in Chinese television exports. Data from the Development and Research Center of China’s National Radio and Television Administration (NRTA) shows that China’s TV series export revenue jumped nearly threefold between 2012 and 2023, rising from $24 million to $70 million. Per NRTA analysis, costume dramas — one of the first Chinese genres to build an international fanbase — remain the most popular category of Chinese content in the global market, with 2023 hits like *Bright Moon Citation*, *The Song Inquisitor*, and *Flourished Peony* all earning top rankings across multiple overseas markets.

    Southeast Asia has emerged as the largest and fastest-growing core market for Chinese drama exports, drawing major investment from leading Chinese streaming platforms including iQIYI, WeTV, Youku and Mango TV, all of which have launched localized regional services with Thailand as a key operational hub. Industry leaders note that Chinese content has carved out a large, loyal audience in Thailand following decades of K-drama dominance, with appeal cutting across age groups.

    Sirisak Koshpasharin, vice-chairman of Thailand’s National Federation of Motion Pictures and Contents Associations, explained that Chinese content has deep roots in the country: “Older generations of Thais, many of whom have Chinese immigrant heritage, grew up loving classic Chinese dramas like *Justice Pao*. What’s really striking now is that more and more young Thais are also falling in love with modern Chinese series.” He cited overlapping cultural values and lifestyle similarities as a key foundation for the trend, adding that improved production quality and wider distribution have accelerated growth: “Today’s Chinese dramas have compelling stories, high production value, and addictive cliffhangers that keep Thai viewers coming back. Short-video apps and major streaming platforms now prioritize Chinese content, so it’s easier than ever for young people to discover it.”

    Beyond full-length costume dramas, the region’s fast-growing base of internet users has also created fertile ground for the expansion of Chinese micro-dramas — bite-sized series that typically run between one and 10 minutes per episode, with hundreds of episodes per series. Data from analytics firm DataEye shows that the number of paying micro-drama users in Southeast Asia grew 28% year-on-year in the latest reporting period, confirming the region as a core market with strong commercial potential and a loyal established audience.

    Beyond entertainment value, the rising popularity of Chinese content is also shifting young Southeast Asians’ perceptions of China and sparking deeper curiosity about the country. Chompoo, a 21-year-old Thai university student and lifelong fan of Chinese dramas who grew up watching the classic costume hit *My Fair Princess* and now follows *Pursuit of Jade*, said Chinese content has shaped her desire to visit the country. “I’ve never been to China, but I really want to go. The landscapes, modern trends, and food all sound so attractive, and Chinese technology and innovation are really impressive. I admire how Chinese creators integrate different influences and build on existing ideas to make something new,” she said.

    Kampol Piyasirikul, head of the Chinese Studies Program at Bangkok’s Thammasat University, noted that costume dramas are just one part of a broader wave of Chinese cultural content gaining traction among young Thais, from pop idols to fashion collectibles. He emphasized that people-to-people cultural exchange through popular content plays an increasingly critical role in building mutual understanding and trust between Chinese communities and audiences across the globe.

  • Japanese government’s push to revise Self-Defense Forces rank titles sparks doubts

    Japanese government’s push to revise Self-Defense Forces rank titles sparks doubts

    A controversial proposal from Japan’s central government to revise the rank nomenclature of the nation’s Self-Defense Forces (SDF) has triggered widespread doubt and criticism across the country, after local media confirmed the administration’s plan to submit amending legislation to the national Diet before the end of 2026.

    Among the most contentious changes proposed is the rebranding of the rank currently called “issa”, which translates directly to “first field officer”, to “taisa” — a term that was widely used for officer ranks in the defunct Imperial Japanese Army, the military force that led Japan’s aggressive expansion across Asia in the years leading up to and during World War II. The revival of this pre-1945 military terminology has put the government’s motivations under intense scrutiny.

    Japan’s SDF has operated with a unique set of rank titles since the force was formally established in 1954, a deliberate structural choice designed to align with the constraints of Japan’s post-war pacifist constitution. The SDF has long been positioned as a defensive force distinct from conventional national militaries, and this upcoming reform marks the first time the country has revised its military rank naming system since the SDF’s founding. According to a report from Japan’s leading daily newspaper *Yomiuri Shimbun*, the change represents a major policy departure from the framework that has stood for more than 70 years.

    Concerns over the reform have spread rapidly across Japanese social media, with many users questioning the government’s reasoning. One user asked publicly, “Titles like ‘taisa’ belonged to the old Imperial Japanese Army. Why are we bringing them back now?” Another commentator pushed back against the government’s official justifications, which frame the changes as a way to build a greater sense of honor and pride among SDF personnel and bring Japanese ranks into alignment with international naming standards. “Can’t our current ranks already instill honor and pride?” the user wrote, adding that the move is a clear reflection of the right-leaning policy orientation of the current Takaichi administration.

    Veteran Japanese military journalist Kazutaka Kimura has gone as far as labeling the renaming initiative a “stupid policy” in public commentary. Ryo Tsunoda, a senior researcher at Japan’s Ritsumeikan University, noted that for decades, the Ground Self-Defense Force has intentionally distanced itself from the legacy of the Imperial Japanese Army as part of Japan’s broader reflection on its wartime responsibilities. Tsunoda added that the government’s claim that the public will accept the renaming as nothing more than a symbolic measure to boost respect for the SDF remains highly unproven, with broad public skepticism still lingering across Japanese society.

  • Iran diplomat leaves Islamabad, Trump cancels US delegation trip

    Iran diplomat leaves Islamabad, Trump cancels US delegation trip

    On a Saturday marked by already tense diplomatic posturing around the ongoing U.S. war on Iran, former President Donald Trump made an abrupt last-minute call to scrap a scheduled diplomatic trip by two of his top administration negotiators to Pakistan’s capital Islamabad. The sudden cancellation, justified by Trump as a response to the excursion being “too much work”, came just moments after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had departed the Pakistani capital following his own diplomatic outreach.

    Araghchi, who had shared Iran’s formal position on a viable long-term framework to end the U.S.-led war with Pakistani authorities, left open a key question that has underscored months of stalled diplomacy: whether the U.S. is genuinely committed to negotiated resolution, rather than just performative diplomatic posturing. This breakdown in planned talks was far from unexpected. For days leading up to the scheduled meeting, Iranian officials had repeatedly made clear they would refuse to participate in direct negotiations with the Trump administration as long as the U.S. naval blockade on Iranian territory remained in effect.

    Despite these explicit public refusals from Iran’s top leadership, the Trump White House doubled down on its plans, pushing forward with preparations for a new round of direct talks between special envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff and Iranian representatives. This pattern of misalignment between U.S. claims and Iranian reality has become a recurring feature of the war’s diplomatic phase, according to investigative journalist Jeremy Scahill of Drop Site.

    Scahill, who published a pre-cancellation analysis of the diplomatic standoff, noted: “This has happened repeatedly: Trump claims the Iranians are begging for talks, Iran says it is false. The U.S. says Iran is lying, and then it becomes clear Iran meant what it said.” His assessment confirmed that it is the United States, not Iran, that is actively pursuing direct negotiations at this juncture. Scahill also warned that Iranian leadership remains deeply skeptical that the U.S. and Israel will uphold any ceasefire long-term, and has used the current lull in fighting to accelerate military preparations for renewed conflict. Tehran has not only prepped new retaliatory strike capabilities, including targeted actions in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, but has also upgraded its core weapons systems while the U.S. has reinforced its own regional military footprint during the ceasefire.

    Trump has pushed back against narratives of stalled diplomacy, claiming Saturday his administration “holds all the cards” and that Iranian leadership is facing internal unrest. But Sina Toossi, a senior fellow at the Center for International Policy, pushed back on that framing, arguing that Trump’s actions reveal clear desperation to secure any sort of deal ahead of upcoming political milestones. “So he invents ‘fractures’ in Tehran to explain being repeatedly stood up,” Toossi noted, adding that Iran’s negotiating position has remained entirely consistent: it demands an end to the blockade and refuses to back down from its core red lines, while Trump relies on spin to mask repeated diplomatic setbacks.

    The cancellation of the Kushner-Witkoff trip also came on the heels of a bombshell NBC News report that revealed extensive damage to U.S. military bases and equipment across the Persian Gulf from recent Iranian strikes, damage far more severe than the administration has publicly acknowledged, with repair costs projected to reach billions of dollars. Toossi called the entire Iran conflict a tactical and strategic disaster for the U.S., noting that despite aggressive efforts to control public narrative, the full scale of U.S. losses is now coming into view. “The war backfired and inflicted far more damage than its proponents want to admit,” he said.

    The chaos around diplomatic efforts has been matched by escalating rhetoric and controversial actions from Pentagon leadership. On Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used a press briefing to issue fresh threats against journalists who publish classified information from anonymous sources, doubling down on the aggressive, violent language that has become a hallmark of his public comments. Most notably, Hegseth threatened that the U.S. military would “shoot and kill” any Iranian boats found attempting to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, which has remained closed despite a recent extension of the bilateral ceasefire.

    Hegseth equated the potential action to the U.S.’s controversial Caribbean drug boat operation, which has killed at least 180 people accused of drug trafficking and been widely condemned as a campaign of extrajudicial killing. “The War Department stands ready for what comes next, locked and loaded,” Hegseth said, adding that he has repeatedly criticized longstanding rules of engagement designed to protect civilian lives as “stupid.” “We’ll use up to and including lethal force if necessary,” he added.

    Hegseth’s efforts to control media coverage of the Pentagon have also escalated in recent days: on Thursday, the department fired the ombudsman for independent military newspaper Stars and Stripes, and Hegseth has demanded journalists adhere to a policy that prohibits any coverage not pre-approved by the department. It was in this charged environment that a new Capitol Hill presence, celebrity gossip outlet TMZ, which recently expanded into political reporting, got the chance to question Hegseth in the briefing room.

    TMZ correspondent Jacob Wasserman asked a question that cut through the usual talking points, pressing the Defense Secretary on the mental and physical impact of ordering lethal strikes across multiple regions. “I’ve heard you talk a lot about bombing people and places,” Wasserman said. “And when you give these orders to carry out this extreme level of violence, what’s going through your mind and your body? Do you have, like, an adrenaline rush? Are you scared? Do you feel like you’re on a power trip?”

    Hegseth appeared caught off guard, smirking and dismissing the question as a “very TMZ question” before denying that any pursuit of power informs his strike decisions. He refused to engage with the question’s core, instead repeating that his “only thought process is to ensure that our war fighters have everything they need to be successful, defeat and destroy the enemy”, before returning to his familiar call for “maximum violence to the enemy.”

    Wasserman’s colleague Charlie Cotton followed up with a second provocative question, referencing Hegseth’s repeated comments about renaming the Department of Defense to the Department of War (a change that would require congressional approval). Cotton asked if Hegseth would instead consider renaming the agency the Department of Peace, given that is the stated end goal of all U.S. military action. In response, just moments after calling for “maximum violence”, Hegseth claimed the U.S. military deserves the Nobel Peace Prize every year, framing it as the primary guarantor of global security and safety for people around the world.

  • ‘We don’t come to play’: Is Gawdland’s RuPaul win Asia’s big drag moment?

    ‘We don’t come to play’: Is Gawdland’s RuPaul win Asia’s big drag moment?

    In a landmark moment for global drag culture, 24-year-old Thai performer Gawdland — born Tharathep Thaweephon — has etched her name into the history books as the first Southeast Asian to take home the crown in *RuPaul’s Drag Race UK vs the World*, breaking a long-running glass ceiling for regional performers on the world stage.

    The victory, which caps off a hard-fought competition against fan-favorite queens from seven different countries including the U.S., UK, Canada, Mexico, Germany, Sweden, and the Philippines, fulfills a lifelong dream the drag artist nurtured growing up in the quiet northern Thai town of Lamphun. Long before her rise to international fame, Gawdland carried her regional identity as a core part of her art, a choice that ultimately became her greatest competitive advantage.

    Gawdland, who entered the competition determined to avoid the early elimination fate that felled prominent Southeast Asian predecessors like Thailand’s Pangina Heals in 2022 and the Philippines’ Marina Summers in 2024, leaned fully into distinctly Thai aesthetics for every runway look. Her iconic designs drew inspiration from Lamphun’s ancient temples, and she brought iconic Thai cultural figures to life on stage: she sashayed as a Muay Thai warrior, embodied the vivid energy of a Siamese fighting fish, and reimagined the mythic half-bird, half-woman Kinnaree from Thai folklore. A consistent undercurrent of warrior strength ran through every one of her creations. Initially unsure how much of her Thai identity to center in the global competition, Gawdland credited her stylist and friend Art Arya for pushing her to embrace her roots unapologetically. “She told me that this Thai-ness is exactly what would make me stand out. Our culture, this difference that sets us apart from everyone else,” Gawdland shared. “Once you’re standing on that main stage next to the others, you will be outstanding.”

    That unapologetic authenticity culminated in a viral standout performance of her original track *Firecracker*, during which she interacted with flames bursting from a fireworks prop in a bold, memorable routine. The performance resonated so deeply across Southeast Asia that a group of young Filipino jasmine garland sellers in Manila spontaneously broke into a dance to the track after recognizing Gawdland in public. The 24-year-old queen posted a joyful clip of the encounter, cheering the boys on using the Filipino queer slang term “nakshie” (meaning daughter), a moment that captured the outpouring of regional support that followed her historic win.

    Speaking to BBC Thai after her victory, Gawdland framed the win as far more than a personal achievement. “For me to win this crown, to have this victory, it means the world. It means representation, it means taking up space. It means that we can dream big. We can dream an impossible dream,” she said. “I am the proof of Asian drag excellence. When we do drag in Asia, in South East Asia, we’re not here to play. We’re here to win.” Her greatest hope, she added, is that her victory will inspire marginalized young queer people across the region — like the three young flower sellers in Manila — to pursue their own dreams, no matter how out of reach they may seem.

    While Gawdland’s victory marks a historic milestone for Southeast Asian drag, the community still faces significant structural and social challenges across the region. Home to nearly 700 million people, much of Southeast Asia remains socially conservative, with widespread legal and cultural discrimination against LGBTQ+ communities. Homosexuality is criminalized in Malaysia, and in Indonesia’s Aceh province, same-sex relations are punishable by public caning under Sharia law. Even in the comparatively progressive Philippines, same-sex couples lack formal legal recognition and protections. To date, Thailand is the only nation in the region that recognizes same-sex unions.

    Drag performers across the region also face growing scrutiny as their profile rises. Gawdland herself faced online backlash for wearing an outfit featuring the colors of the Thai flag, while two years prior, Filipina drag artist Pura Luka Vega was arrested after a performance in which she wore a costume portraying Jesus Christ. Though charges were ultimately dropped, the incident sparked widespread conservative outrage in the predominantly Catholic nation. For Gawdland, this scrutiny underscores a core truth of the art form: “Drag is political. It has always been. It’s been that way for a long time. The origins of drag are protest, a refusal to submit to tradition. Society wants us to be men, but no, I’ll be a woman,” she said. “That question — ‘What is she doing? Why is she doing this?’ — that is the very core of drag. It leaves behind a conversation, dialogue, debate.”

    Beyond social and political barriers, the Southeast Asian drag industry also faces systemic underfunding. Gawdland had to raise 1 million Thai baht (approximately $31,000) to cover the costs of competing on *UK vs the World*, pulling together savings from her own performances, support from producers, and contributions from senior drag queens in Thailand. Sakol Sopitachasak, an assistant professor at Bangkok’s Thammasat University who has published research on Thai drag, explained that while the Thai government supports traditional arts, drag rarely qualifies for public funding. “It’s a profession that requires you to put everything into one person. You have to do your makeup, your costumes, be creative, and you have to be able to act, be a good speaker, be funny, be sarcastic… You need so much,” Sakol noted.

    Gawdland’s £50,000 prize for winning the competition, paired with her new title of “Queen of the Mothertucking World,” offers a lifeline not just for her, but for the broader Thai drag ecosystem. She emphasized that booking a single drag queen supports an entire network of behind-the-scenes workers, from costume designers and hair stylists to choreographers and dancers. “Hiring one drag queen goes on and on. Everyone gets paid because we’re essentially a money distributor,” she explained.

    In the weeks since her victory, Gawdland has returned to Thailand for a triumphant homecoming, headlining this year’s Songkran (Thai New Year) celebrations in Bangkok — an event that has become a major draw for LGBTQ+ tourists from across the region. Carried on a throne through crowds of revelers under a central Bangkok train station, the newly crowned queen reflected on the journey that brought her from a small northern town to the global drag throne. Just months earlier, waiting for her flight to London at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport, she said she had worried about how domestic audiences would receive her. But the outpouring of support from Thai fans after the show premiered has erased any doubt. “It’s beyond the word worth it. Every exhaustion, every effort, every tear and drop of blood, every pain, every heartbreak — it all vanished instantly. It is so, so worth it for everything I have now,” she said.

  • A 17th Century ‘supercomputer’ once owned by Indian royalty heads for auction

    A 17th Century ‘supercomputer’ once owned by Indian royalty heads for auction

    A landmark piece of early modern scientific craftsmanship is set to hit the auction block next week at Sotheby’s London, offering collectors and cultural institutions a once-in-a-generation chance to own a historically significant 17th-century brass astrolabe with deep royal Indian roots.

    Described by auction house specialists as potentially the largest intact astrolabe surviving anywhere in the world, this hand-held astronomical device — often dubbed the “smartphone of the pre-modern era” — has never been displayed publicly before, after spending decades in a private collection.

    The astrolabe traces its origins back to early 17th-century Lahore, which was then the preeminent center of astrolabe manufacturing in the Mughal Empire. It was crafted collaboratively by Qa’im Muhammad and Muhammad Muqim, two master artisans from the legendary Lahore School of instrument making, where the closely guarded craft of precision instrument building was passed down through family lines. Only two joint works by the brother artisans are known to exist today; the second, a far smaller example, is held in a museum collection in Iraq.

    The massive instrument was commissioned by Aqa Afzal, a Mughal nobleman of Iranian descent who held senior administrative posts under emperors Jahangir and Shah Jahan and oversaw governance of Lahore. Its extraordinary scale and ornate craftsmanship were intentionally designed to reflect the high status of its patron. Weighing 8.2 kilograms, measuring 30 centimeters in diameter, and standing 46 centimeters tall, the astrolabe is nearly four times the size of a typical 17th-century Indian astrolabe.

    Beyond its size, the piece carries notable cross-cultural significance. Star markers on the device feature traditional Persian names paired with Sanskrit translations etched in Devanagari script, reflecting the multicultural intellectual landscape of Mughal South Asia. It also bears inscribed coordinates for 94 global cities, 38 individually detailed star pointers connected by intricate floral filigree, five precision-calibrated plates, and degree divisions subdivided to one-third of a degree — a level of technical precision unmatched by many earlier astrolabes from the Middle East, which prioritized function over artistic refinement.

    Historically, astrolabes functioned as versatile multi-purpose astronomical tools. First invented in ancient Greece in the 2nd century BCE, the design spread to the Islamic world by the 8th century, before spreading further across South Asia. These layered metallic devices allowed users to map stellar positions, calculate the direction of Mecca, track the movement of celestial bodies, tell time, measure the height of structures or depth of wells, and even calculate calendar dates for astrology. Dr. Federica Gigante, a researcher at the Oxford Centre for History of Science, Medicine and Technology, compares the astrolabe’s versatility to that of a modern smartphone, noting its ability to serve dozens of practical and intellectual functions.

    Gigante added that the Lahore astrolabe’s accuracy is extraordinary, capable of delivering precise measurements of celestial body altitudes that rival only the finest surviving historical instruments, including one built for Persian ruler Abbas II.

    After its creation, the astrolabe entered the royal collection of Jaipur’s Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II in western India. Following the maharaja’s death, it passed to his wife, Maharani Gayatri Devi — one of the most iconic public figures of 20th-century India — before being transferred to a private collection during her lifetime.

    Sotheby’s specialists say the astrolabe’s pristine condition, unbroken royal provenance, and one-of-a-kind scale and craftsmanship are expected to draw intense bidding interest from both global institutional collections and private collectors. The piece is valued at an estimated £1.5 million to £2.5 million, which would shatter the existing auction record for an astrolabe. The current record, set in 2014, was a much smaller Ottoman astrolabe made for Sultan Bayezid II, which sold for just under £1 million.

    Leading up to the 29 April auction, the astrolabe will be on public display for the first time in Sotheby’s London galleries from 24 to 29 April, giving visitors a rare chance to view a masterpiece of Mughal scientific art that has been hidden from public view for centuries.

  • Huangshan’s fish lantern tradition captivates Russian influencer

    Huangshan’s fish lantern tradition captivates Russian influencer

    An 800-year-old traditional Chinese folk art has left a deep and lasting impression on a visiting Russian digital influencer, shining a global spotlight on one of Anhui province’s most cherished intangible cultural treasures. Angelika Romanovskaia, a Russian content creator traveling with a group of international influencers through East China’s Anhui, recently explored Shexian County in Huangshan and encountered the iconic Zhanqi fish lantern tradition that has been passed down through generations of local villagers.

    During her visit to Zhanqi Village, Romanovskaia did not just observe the celebrated craft from a distance — she stepped into the workshop to try her hand at the intricate, age-old lantern-making process, learning the techniques that artisans have refined over hundreds of years. She later joined local performers in the traditional fish lantern dance, a core part of the cultural practice that is held during festivals to bring good fortune and prosperity to the community.

    What struck the Russian influencer most was the unexpected scale of the full-size ceremonial fish lanterns. She described the handcrafted works as surprisingly sturdy in structure while boasting incredible, intricate beauty that cannot be replicated by mass-produced decorations. Reflecting on her experience, Romanovskaia emphasized the urgent need for greater collective efforts to protect and promote this unique cultural heritage, which has survived for more than eight centuries to remain a vibrant part of local life today.

    The visit of international influencers to Anhui’s cultural sites is part of broader efforts to share lesser-known Chinese traditional crafts with global audiences, helping to cross cultural boundaries and build global appreciation for intangible cultural heritage from around the world.