Topic: Asia

Asia covers the people, politics, business, culture and technology shaping a region of enormous diversity and global influence. From major economies and fast-moving innovation to film, music, sport and everyday life, it follows stories with consequences both within Asia and beyond it.

The topic matters because developments across Asia increasingly affect international markets, diplomacy, supply chains and popular culture. It offers readers a broad view of change across the continent, alongside the local context behind the headlines.

  • Casio Launches ‘Mother 3’ Watch For Game’s 20th Anniversary

    Casio has released a limited-edition G-Shock watch in Japan to mark the 20th anniversary of Mother 3, the Game Boy Advance role-playing game that was released in 2006 but never officially localised outside Japan, though a fan translation has allowed English-speaking players to experience it. The watch is notable partly because the Mother series has…

  • Brunello Cucinelli Docufilm ‘The Gracious Visionary’ Sells Internationally Ahead of North American Release (EXCLUSIVE)

    A documentary about Italian fashion designer Brunello Cucinelli, known as the “King of Cashmere,” has been sold to a wide range of international territories, expanding its reach ahead of a North American release on 24 July. “Brunello: The Gracious Visionary,” directed by Oscar winner Giuseppe Tornatore, follows its successful Italian theatrical run last year and…

  • Why are thousands of people protesting in Delhi?

    Tens of thousands of young protesters have taken to the streets of Delhi demanding the resignation of India’s education minister, in one of the largest demonstrations against Narendra Modi’s government in recent years. The movement, known as the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), began just months ago as a satirical online joke but grew rapidly after…

  • The hunger-striking engineer demanding education reforms in India

    Sonam Wangchuk, a prominent Indian engineer and activist, has been on hunger strike in Delhi since 28 June in support of youth-led protesters demanding reforms to India’s education system. He is backing a satirical online movement called the Cockroach Janta Party, formed after exam paper leaks and other scandals, and his protest has become one…

  • ‘Satluj’ Review: A Moving Indian Activist Drama Pulled From Circulation

    A review in Variety examines “Satluj,” an Indian activist drama directed by Honey Trehan starring Punjabi pop star Diljit Dosanjh, whose troubled release history mirrors the film’s own themes of state suppression. The film was pulled from Toronto International Film Festival’s lineup in 2023 without explanation under its former title “Punjab ’95,” and after finally…

  • 3 Arena Rock Anthems From the 1990s That Still Feel Huge Decades Later

    This piece highlights three arena rock anthems from the 1990s that the writer argues have retained their power and grandeur decades on. It’s a nostalgic, opinion-led feature rather than a hard news story, celebrating tracks that continue to resonate with audiences and dominate live crowd moments today. The selection spans the decade, from AC/DC’s 1990…

  • Venice Critics’ Week Unveils 2026 Selection With Films From Colombia, China & Tunisia

    Venice International Critics’ Week has announced the line-up for its 41st edition, revealing seven feature films in competition and two screening out of competition. Organised by the Union of Italian Film Critics and dedicated to emerging filmmakers, the sidebar to the main Venice Film Festival highlights a notably international selection this year, with Colombia particularly…

  • China delivers a one-two punch to America’s AI dominance 

    Chinese AI firms Moonshot and Alibaba have unveiled powerful new models that they claim rival the best systems from OpenAI and Anthropic, intensifying competition with Silicon Valley just as AI becomes central to national security and economic power. Moonshot released Kimi K3 on Friday, claiming it outperforms nearly every US system bar OpenAI’s and Anthropic’s…

  • Debut filmmakers dominate Venice Critics’ Week 2026 selection

    The Venice Film Festival’s Critics’ Week has confirmed its 2026 lineup, showcasing first-time filmmakers from around the world, with the United States notably absent from the selections while Italy and Colombia feature strongly. Curated by general delegate Beatrice Fiorentino, the programme opens with Shalini Adnani’s debut “Our Share of Sand”, a family drama following a…

  • Remember When Three Grieving Sons Came Together for a Mike + The Mechanics Classic in 1988?

    An American Songwriter feature revisits the story behind Mike + The Mechanics’ 1988 hit “The Living Years,” explaining how the song emerged from the shared grief of three men who had each lost their fathers. The track, co-written by Scottish songwriter BA Robertson, guitarist Mike Rutherford and singer Paul Carrack, became a poignant meditation on…