By Swapnarka Arnan Picture Credit: Wendy Collings Music has always been a place where stories survive. Across cultures, it carries memory, pride, and belonging, especially for communities whose voices are often pushed aside. Originating in industrial towns and developing into a worldwide genre for people who felt marginalized or unheard by society, Metal happens to be my favorite genre, and today I would like to talk about a band that is not only transforming the genre but ha

By Kim Kunwoo When the Solomon Islands switched diplomatic ties from the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the People’s Republic of China in 2019, bulldozers followed close behind. Highways, ports, stadiums, and utilities rose almost overnight, financed under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Yet beneath the surface lies a more troubling construction project, one reshaping the foundations of the islands’ polity. Western concerns about the BRI in the Pacific have centered

By Patrick Luo Picture Credit: Johan Mouchet It is January 26th. Australia Day. Thousands of Australians, particularly Indigenous Australians, march through Sydney holding banners reading “Invasion Day – January 26, 1788.” Nearby, thousands of others wave blue Australian flags, carrying signs that say “Proud to be a True Blue Aussie.” That image reflects an internal battle within me about where I stand. Is January 26, 1788, a day worth celebrating? Is it a day to celebrate wh