At a time when so much seems to be going wrong, it is reassuring to feel the arrival of spring. Not least in Japan, where the cherry blossoms are now in full bloom. Millions of Japanese have already taken part in the celebrations, and many more look forward to experiencing the annual enchantment known as hanami – “flower viewing.”
“The event is not merely a natural experience, but a way of contemplating existence,” says the cultural historian Haruo Shirane. “It reflects who we Japanese are – spontaneous, playful, and philosophical.”
The celebration begins, naturally, in the far south, where spring arrives first. On the islands of Okinawa, the cherry trees may bloom as early as January. The climate there is subtropical and mild, and the blossoms are often a deeper shade of pink than on the mainland. From Okinawa, the bloom spreads northward, and by late March it reaches cities such as Kyoto, Osaka, and Tokyo. The most famous place in Tokyo for cherry blossom viewing is undoubtedly Ueno Park, where thousands of trees form a pale pink canopy over the paths.
As the colorful climax approaches, competition for picnic spots becomes fierce. Many companies send employees out early in the morning to check the trees, the sun, and the shade. The best spots are quickly claimed with large blue tarps marked with messages: “Mitsubishi 6 p.m.,” “Nikon Sales Department 7 p.m.,” or “Subaru 6–10 p.m., please do not remove this sign!”
But the festivities do not end there. After Tokyo, the blossoms continue their journey northward, all the way to the island of Hokkaido. In the winter sports city of Sapporo, the celebration does not begin until late April or early May. The Japanese follow the weather forecasts closely, and for the most devoted, the weather becomes an obsession.
A hanami is, above all, a social gathering filled with smiles and laughter, and the food is almost as important as the blossoms themselves. It is not a single dish, but a universe of small delicacies carefully arranged in square boxes – grilled fish or chicken, eggs, boiled, fried, and pickled vegetables, and, of course, rice. Colorful rice dumplings on skewers are also part of the feast, as is pink rice cake filled with bean paste, wrapped in a salted cherry leaf. Everything is washed down with beer – or sake, though usually in more moderate quantities.
søndag 12. april 2026
Trump confirms May meeting with Xi Jinping as Iran war forces postponement
US president Donald Trump says he will meet Chinese president Xi Jinping in China on 14-15 May, after delaying the landmark trip amid the US-Israel war with Iran. This would be the first visit to China by a US president in nearly 10 years. Trump is also set to host Xi in Washington DC later this year, and officials are "finalizing preparations for these Historic Visits", he wrote on Truth Social on Wednesday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the dates of Trump's visit, telling reporters that President Xi had understood and accepted the request to postpone the trip.
"President Xi understood that it's very important for the president to be here throughout these combat operations right now," Leavitt said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the dates of Trump's visit, telling reporters that President Xi had understood and accepted the request to postpone the trip.
"President Xi understood that it's very important for the president to be here throughout these combat operations right now," Leavitt said at a press briefing on Wednesday.
Why Chinese tech companies are racing to set up in Hong Kong
In a hotel lobby on Hong Kong Island, a delivery robot pauses outside one of the lifts as the doors open, and a guest steps out. The robot waits, and then rolls neatly inside. The move looks simple, but it isn't. To work in the busy hotel, owned by an international chain, the robot must navigate a building that won't slow down for it.
People are often getting in the way, and it must be able to take the lift to the correct floor, and then find the right room. The company behind the robot, Yunji, is a mainland Chinese tech business that is aiming to use Hong Kong as a springboard for successful overseas expansion.
"We aim to make our product succeed in Hong Kong, and then expand outward," says the firm's vice-president, Xie Yunpeng.
People are often getting in the way, and it must be able to take the lift to the correct floor, and then find the right room. The company behind the robot, Yunji, is a mainland Chinese tech business that is aiming to use Hong Kong as a springboard for successful overseas expansion.
"We aim to make our product succeed in Hong Kong, and then expand outward," says the firm's vice-president, Xie Yunpeng.
China says it will resume some ties with Taiwan including more direct flights
China said Sunday it would resume some ties it had suspended with Taiwan such as direct flights to cities across China and imports of Taiwanese aquaculture products as the island’s opposition party leader concludes her visit.
The Taiwan Work Office under China’s Communist Party issued a statement saying it would explore setting up a longstanding communication mechanism between the Communist Party and Taiwan’s Kuomingtang Party, and facilitate the import of Taiwan’s aquaculture products, after it banned them in recent years.
Cheng Li-wun, the head of the Kuomingtang, and China’s President Xi Jinping held a high-profile meeting Friday during which both called for peace without offering specifics. Taiwan is self-ruled but China claims the island as part of its territory.
The Taiwan Work Office under China’s Communist Party issued a statement saying it would explore setting up a longstanding communication mechanism between the Communist Party and Taiwan’s Kuomingtang Party, and facilitate the import of Taiwan’s aquaculture products, after it banned them in recent years.
Cheng Li-wun, the head of the Kuomingtang, and China’s President Xi Jinping held a high-profile meeting Friday during which both called for peace without offering specifics. Taiwan is self-ruled but China claims the island as part of its territory.
Iran war diverts US military and attention from Asia ahead of Trump’s summit with China’s leader
In 2011, President Barack Obama declared it was time for America to leave behind the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and “pivot” to Asia to counter the rise of China. Fifteen years later, the U.S. finds itself still at war in the Middle Eastand has pulled military assets from the Asia-Pacific as it aims to eliminate the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.
The demands of the Iran war also caused President Donald Trump to delay by several weeks his highly anticipated trip to China, deepening worries that the U.S. is once again getting distracted at the cost of its strategic interests in Asia, where Beijing seeks to unseat the U.S. as the regional leader.
The demands of the Iran war also caused President Donald Trump to delay by several weeks his highly anticipated trip to China, deepening worries that the U.S. is once again getting distracted at the cost of its strategic interests in Asia, where Beijing seeks to unseat the U.S. as the regional leader.
'Memory of a generation': China mourns the sudden death of a controversial education influencer
Within a decade, Zhang Xuefeng became one of the most recognisable names among China's youth.
With more than 26 million followers on Douyin, China's domestic version of TikTok, the 41-year-old was among the country's most prominent influencers - even while building his reputation in a niche field. By offering students and parents advice on university applications and choice of majors, he sought to help them achieve what many view as an all-important goal: better job prospects.
Issues of employability are complex in China, and Zhang was known for his extremely pragmatic approach. It also made him a highly controversial figure. Zhang once declared that "any major is better than journalism" and described liberal arts majors as a "service industry that caters to others".
With more than 26 million followers on Douyin, China's domestic version of TikTok, the 41-year-old was among the country's most prominent influencers - even while building his reputation in a niche field. By offering students and parents advice on university applications and choice of majors, he sought to help them achieve what many view as an all-important goal: better job prospects.
Issues of employability are complex in China, and Zhang was known for his extremely pragmatic approach. It also made him a highly controversial figure. Zhang once declared that "any major is better than journalism" and described liberal arts majors as a "service industry that caters to others".
Chinese researcher's death after questioning in US prompts anger in Beijing
China has called on American authorities to investigate the death of a Chinese semiconductor researcher in the US, who was found dead after "hostile questioning" by law enforcement there. US media have identified the researcher as Danhao Wang from the University of Michigan. Wang died shortly after talking to federal investigators, CBS News reported.
The University of Michigan said in a statement that it was investigating "a possible act of self-harm", after a researcher's fatal fall from a campus building on 19 March. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US, told the BBC on Thursday that they were "deeply distressed by this tragedy".
He said China has "repeatedly lodged solemn representations with relevant US government agencies and universities regarding this case", and have contacted the victim's family to "provide active assistance with the aftermath".
The University of Michigan said in a statement that it was investigating "a possible act of self-harm", after a researcher's fatal fall from a campus building on 19 March. Liu Pengyu, a spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in the US, told the BBC on Thursday that they were "deeply distressed by this tragedy".
He said China has "repeatedly lodged solemn representations with relevant US government agencies and universities regarding this case", and have contacted the victim's family to "provide active assistance with the aftermath".
India refuses to criminalise marital rape. This new series shines a light on it
A new web series that confronts marital rape in India has put the spotlight on the grim topic in a country that has stubbornly refused to criminalise it. Chiraiya - the Hindi word for small birds - aired on JioHotstar in March. It has already drawn an audience of millions, making it one of the network's most popular Hindi shows in months.
Praised by media critics for confronting a subject that is largely seen as taboo, it has sparked conversations on social media about consent and misogyny. At the same time, some commentators have described it as "anti-men" and "an attempt to undermine the sanctity of marriage".
Divy Nidhi Sharma, the show's scriptwriter, says the series follows two women, Kamlesh and Pooja.
Praised by media critics for confronting a subject that is largely seen as taboo, it has sparked conversations on social media about consent and misogyny. At the same time, some commentators have described it as "anti-men" and "an attempt to undermine the sanctity of marriage".
Divy Nidhi Sharma, the show's scriptwriter, says the series follows two women, Kamlesh and Pooja.
Japanese town sours on the crowds coming to see cherry blossoms and Mount Fuji
The trouble started with a beautiful photo. Social media was soon awash with the lovely view of Japan’s snow-capped Mount Fujilooming over a red pagoda and the short-lived cherry blossoms that herald the approach of spring.
Tourists wanting a similar shot soon packed this peaceful town at the foot of the mountain. The complaints were not far behind: chronic traffic jams; piles of litter; ill-mannered foreigners knocking on doors of private homes to borrow toilets; tourists relieving themselves in front yards.It got so bad officials in Fujiyoshida announced in February that they were canceling this year’s annual cherry blossom festival, which started as a way to promote tourism a decade ago.
Tourists wanting a similar shot soon packed this peaceful town at the foot of the mountain. The complaints were not far behind: chronic traffic jams; piles of litter; ill-mannered foreigners knocking on doors of private homes to borrow toilets; tourists relieving themselves in front yards.It got so bad officials in Fujiyoshida announced in February that they were canceling this year’s annual cherry blossom festival, which started as a way to promote tourism a decade ago.
lørdag 11. april 2026
Japan’s unsustainable pacifist delusion
Japan’s pacifist constitution is often cited as a constraint on what the nation of 123 million and the world’s fourth-largest economy can and cannot do militarily.
The latest crisis in the Middle East has made that harder to ignore. As disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz continue, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized US allies for doing too little to help secure one of the world’s most vital energy corridors.Japan, heavily dependent on Persian Gulf crude, has clear stakes in the outcome. Yet Tokyo has responded with caution, citing Article 9 of its constitution and the limits it imposes on military action.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has acknowledged the importance of securing the Strait of Hormuz but emphasized that legal constraints limit what Tokyo can do. It was almost customary. Japan would act if it could, but its constitution prevents it from doing so.
The latest crisis in the Middle East has made that harder to ignore. As disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz continue, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized US allies for doing too little to help secure one of the world’s most vital energy corridors.Japan, heavily dependent on Persian Gulf crude, has clear stakes in the outcome. Yet Tokyo has responded with caution, citing Article 9 of its constitution and the limits it imposes on military action.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has acknowledged the importance of securing the Strait of Hormuz but emphasized that legal constraints limit what Tokyo can do. It was almost customary. Japan would act if it could, but its constitution prevents it from doing so.
China’s Middle East billions still woefully reliant on US gunboats
China has staked roughly US$145 billion in investments and construction contracts across the Middle East, while Iranian oil alone accounts for 13–14% of its imports.
Yet Beijing maintains no permanent military presence in the volatile region, with its only overseas base in Djibouti, thousands of miles away. The result is a structural mismatch at the heart of Chinese foreign policy: economic ambitions that increasingly depend on a security architecture Beijing does not control.Following US and Israeli airstrikes on Iran, the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly 20% of the world’s oil and gas normally passes — was effectively shut down. Iran’s blockade reduced traffic by more than 90% from normal levels, stranding over 600 vessels, including hundreds of tankers, inside the Gulf.
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Hungary: Scandal, fear and hope ahead of vote
Peter Magyar is still only Hungary's opposition leader but he's already talking as though he was elected prime minister, listing the new government's top domestic and foreign policy priorities and saying he wants to reach out to those who don't vote for him.
Magyar, a 45-year-old lawyer and ex-diplomat who has been the face of the opposition in Hungary for the past two years, is not short of self-confidence. But during the course of this campaign and, above all, over the past few weeks, Magyar, who heads the center-right Tisza party, seems to have undergone a transformation — he acts as if he has already won Hungary's April 12 vote and is now overseeing the transfer of power.
Magyar's attitude reflects the mood of many in Hungary. Dissatisfaction with current Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his governance has been growing for some time.
Magyar, a 45-year-old lawyer and ex-diplomat who has been the face of the opposition in Hungary for the past two years, is not short of self-confidence. But during the course of this campaign and, above all, over the past few weeks, Magyar, who heads the center-right Tisza party, seems to have undergone a transformation — he acts as if he has already won Hungary's April 12 vote and is now overseeing the transfer of power.
Magyar's attitude reflects the mood of many in Hungary. Dissatisfaction with current Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his governance has been growing for some time.
HUNGARY: VIKTOR ORBÁN COULD ACTUALLY LOSE
Viktor orbán is the closest thing in Europe to a prime minister for life. He has served four consecutive terms since 2010, perpetuating his power with the ruthlessness of a royal. But ruthlessness may not guarantee him reelection. That became clear to me recently in Székesfehérvár, a small city in central Hungary where Orbán was born.
Székesfehérvár lacks Budapest’s grand boulevards and baroque extravagance, but the city is not without luster. Hungary’s first king, Stephen I, built a basilica in Székesfehérvár that served as the coronation site for later monarchs. Rain was lashing the city when I visited one evening last month. It was dark and cold. But close to 1,000 people had gathered in the town square, all of them waiting for Péter Magyar, a onetime Orbán loyalist who broke with the prime minister two years ago and is now trying to unseat him in elections on Sunday. Most polls have shown Magyar’s party, Tisza, with a comfortable lead over Orbán’s Fidesz Party. But it’s not a given that popular support will translate into a victory at the polls.
Székesfehérvár lacks Budapest’s grand boulevards and baroque extravagance, but the city is not without luster. Hungary’s first king, Stephen I, built a basilica in Székesfehérvár that served as the coronation site for later monarchs. Rain was lashing the city when I visited one evening last month. It was dark and cold. But close to 1,000 people had gathered in the town square, all of them waiting for Péter Magyar, a onetime Orbán loyalist who broke with the prime minister two years ago and is now trying to unseat him in elections on Sunday. Most polls have shown Magyar’s party, Tisza, with a comfortable lead over Orbán’s Fidesz Party. But it’s not a given that popular support will translate into a victory at the polls.
China’s state media turns to social media and AI to tell its story — and often mock the US
The messaging from China’s Communist government may once have been dogmatic and rigid — not anymore. Having largely tamed the internet at home with tight censorship, Beijing is now tapping the power of social media and artificial intelligence to tell its story — and often to skewer the U.S. and its president.
In a five-minute AI-generated animation modeled after classic martial arts movies, China’s state media frames out an allegory for the war in Iran. A white eagle in regal attire representing the U.S. unleashes an evil laugh before his army attacks a group of Persian cats draped in black cloaks standing in for Iranians, who vow to fight after losing their leader and close off a crucial trading route.
In a five-minute AI-generated animation modeled after classic martial arts movies, China’s state media frames out an allegory for the war in Iran. A white eagle in regal attire representing the U.S. unleashes an evil laugh before his army attacks a group of Persian cats draped in black cloaks standing in for Iranians, who vow to fight after losing their leader and close off a crucial trading route.
Is Hungarian Leader Viktor Orbán, an Icon of the Far Right, About to Be Ousted by Voters?
Voters will head to the polls on Sunday to cast their ballots in Hungary’s general election—the results of which will have profound implications for the country, the European Union, and beyond.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has led Hungary since 2010, but recent polling indicates that he is now at risk of losing power: most polls show that his ruling party, Fidesz, is trailing behind the opposition party, Tisza, by a significant margin.
Orbán, who has cast himself as a proponent of “illiberal democracy,” is an icon of the global far-right, and viewed by U.S. President Donald Trump as a MAGA ally—so much so that U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance joined Orbán in Budapest on Tuesday, in an effort to boost the Prime Minister’s flailing campaign just days before the general election. Vance said that Orbán was “wise and smart” and that his leadership “can provide a model to the Continent.”
US intelligence indicates China is preparing weapons shipment to Iran amid fragile ceasefire, sources say
US intelligence indicates that China is preparing to deliver new air defense systems to Iran within the next few weeks, according to three people familiar with recent intelligence assessments.
It would be a provocative move considering Beijing said it helped broker the fragile ceasefire agreement that paused the war between Iran and the US earlier this week. President Donald Trump is also set to visit China early next month for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The intelligence also underscores how Iran may be using the ceasefire as an opportunity to replenish certain weapons systems with the help of key foreign partners.
Two of the sources told CNN there are indications that Beijing is working to route the shipments through third countries to mask their true origin.
It would be a provocative move considering Beijing said it helped broker the fragile ceasefire agreement that paused the war between Iran and the US earlier this week. President Donald Trump is also set to visit China early next month for talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The intelligence also underscores how Iran may be using the ceasefire as an opportunity to replenish certain weapons systems with the help of key foreign partners.
Two of the sources told CNN there are indications that Beijing is working to route the shipments through third countries to mask their true origin.
‘A Perfect Storm’: How AI Is Transforming the Global Scam Industry
For the past few years, it’s escaped no one that levels of Internet and telephone fraud have skyrocketed. One in four adults worldwide lost money to scams last year, according to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance NGO, while 13% encountered an attempted scam at least once a day. Globally, over $1 trillion is lost to online fraud annually in what the U.N. has dubbed a “scamdemic.”
The vast majority originates from Southeast Asia, where some 300,000 people from over 65 countries have been trafficked into fortified compounds predominantly in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. From these “scam prisons,” victims are forced to orchestrate romance-investment cons, crypto fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling. In Cambodia alone, online fraud is estimated to generate $12.5 billion annually, or half the country’s formal GDP, according to a 2024 estimate by the U.S. Institute of Peace. It’s little wonder the war-ravaged nation of 18 million has earned a snide moniker: “Scambodia.”
The vast majority originates from Southeast Asia, where some 300,000 people from over 65 countries have been trafficked into fortified compounds predominantly in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. From these “scam prisons,” victims are forced to orchestrate romance-investment cons, crypto fraud, money laundering, and illegal gambling. In Cambodia alone, online fraud is estimated to generate $12.5 billion annually, or half the country’s formal GDP, according to a 2024 estimate by the U.S. Institute of Peace. It’s little wonder the war-ravaged nation of 18 million has earned a snide moniker: “Scambodia.”
fredag 10. april 2026
US isn’t losing soft power in SE Asia — it’s ceding it to China
Commentators increasingly warn that the United States is losing its soft power – and the data backs them up. The Brand Finance Global Soft Power Index 2026 ranked the US as the steepest decliner among the 193 countries surveyed, with China now less than 1.5 points behind.
Richard Stengel, undersecretary of state for public diplomacy in the Obama administration, recently likened Trump’s America to post-war Britain – an imperial hegemon shrinking into “Little America.” The analogy is vivid, though slightly misleading. And it risks obscuring a more consequential story playing out, at least in Southeast Asia.
Richard Stengel, undersecretary of state for public diplomacy in the Obama administration, recently likened Trump’s America to post-war Britain – an imperial hegemon shrinking into “Little America.” The analogy is vivid, though slightly misleading. And it risks obscuring a more consequential story playing out, at least in Southeast Asia.
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