International reporting on events and trends that influence Panama and the region. Stories include geopolitics, diplomacy, and global developments.
Hong Kong hosts Art Basel, Art Central and the 14th Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants awards for the first time in the city, prompting chef collaborations and a world-record attempt feast that are driving heavy booking demand.
Visa-free travel and an influx of foreign business and leisure visitors are boosting demand for luxury hotels in China, with international tourists typically spending more than domestic guests.
Canada and France have urged Israel to abandon plans to occupy southern Lebanon, with Ottawa warning that Lebanon’s sovereignty “must not be violated” amid reports of invasion preparations.
Profiles of senior Chinese specialists in nuclear, radar and missile work were removed from a national engineering body’s website, including entries for Wu Manqing and a top nuclear scientist.
A U.S. jury has ordered Meta to pay $375 million after finding the company endangered children on its platforms—the first time a state has won such a child-safety suit.
US media say the Trump administration has offered a temporary ceasefire and a 15-point plan to end what reports call the war on Iran — a move with potential regional and global implications.
Alongside Art Basel Hong Kong 2026, a network of free exhibitions — including the Collect Hong Kong Art Fair at the Hong Kong Arts Centre through March 29 — is promoting local emerging artists and broader public access during Art Month.
Macanese comfort food minchi — minced meat with potatoes, rice and a fried egg — highlights Macau’s fusion culinary heritage, prompting calls to protect family recipes and local foodways.
Waldorf Astoria’s new Qiantan property on Shanghai’s New Bund gives travelers an alternative to the historic Bund, reflecting the city’s expanding riverfront hospitality scene.
BTS fans have reacted strongly after Jin’s name was reportedly missing from the credits of the group’s new album Arirang, following a clipped comment during a promotional livestream that went viral.
The US plans to deploy up to 3,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, a rapid-reaction move with potential implications for regional security and global shipping.
NASA has cancelled plans for a lunar-orbit space station, opting to repurpose components to build a US$20 billion moon base and to develop a nuclear-powered spacecraft for Mars, under new NASA chief Jared Isaacman.
Iran said non-hostile ships can transit the Strait of Hormuz safely, a move reported alongside U.S. President Trump’s remark that talks are under way to end the war.
A drone ignited a fire at a fuel tank at Kuwait International Airport, raising concerns about drone threats to airport fuel infrastructure and aviation safety.
A South China Morning Post letter warns Hong Kong’s new weight management plan leans too heavily on BMI, urging policymakers to use multiple measures to guide policy and public messaging.
The World Snooker Tour and Sheffield City Council have agreed to keep the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible until at least 2045, with an option to extend to 2050 and a planned £45m redevelopment that could add 500 seats.
Mobility expert Joe Yoon says a focused nine-minute daily routine can counter the stiffness from prolonged sitting and help preserve movement as people age. Short, consistent mobility work is being promoted as an accessible way to maintain function and reduce everyday aches.
Rahul Kadakia, newly named president of Christie’s Asia Pacific, keeps a battered gavel that split during a Geneva sale where a lot soared from US$100,000 to US$1 million; he says the gavel has presided over billions in sales.
Turkiye Is Bankasi has approved a plan to open a Hong Kong office and is awaiting Turkish regulatory clearance before applying to the HKMA, underscoring Hong Kong’s role as a bridge between Asia and the Middle East amid regional tensions.
CK Hutchison’s Panama Ports Company says damages from an “illegal takeover” of Balboa and Cristóbal terminals have topped US$2 billion and has expanded international arbitration claims against Panama.