‘Golden’ makes history for K-pop

The Netflix animated film “Kpop Demon Hunters” scored two major wins : Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song for the track “Golden.”

Released in 2025, the film follows a fictional K-pop girl group that uses music to fight supernatural enemies. Its soundtrack has generated global hits, with “Golden” becoming the first K-pop song to win an Academy Award.

Singer Ejae , who performs the track and voices the singing parts of the film’s lead character Rumi, spoke about the significance of the moment.

“Growing up, people made fun of me for liking K-pop,” she said during the acceptance speech. “But now everyone’s singing our song and all the Korean lyrics. I’m so proud.”

Director Maggie Kang also addressed the importance of representation when accepting the award for Best Animated Feature alongside Chris Appelhans and producer Michelle LM Wong.

“For those of you who look like me, I’m so sorry that it took so long to see us in a movie like this,” Kang said. “But it is here, and that means the next generations don’t have to go longing.”

“K-Pop Demon Hunters” had already won Golden Globe awards earlier in the season for both best animated feature and best original song.

Filipino-American breaks a century-long barrier

Filipino-American cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw made Oscars history by becoming the first woman to win Best Cinematography.

Arkapaw won the award for her work on Ryan Coogler’s film “Sinners,” ending a nearly century-long male stronghold in the category.

She also became the first Filipino, the first Black woman and the first Asian woman to receive the prize.

Arkapaw , whose family roots trace to Masantol, Pampanga in the Philippines as well as the American South, had already been widely recognised during awards season for her work on the film.

“Sinners,” a vampire horror film that explores race relations, received 16 Oscar nominations. Among its producers is Zinzi Coogler, who became the first Filipino nominated for Best Picture.

Arkapaw also set technical milestones during production, becoming the first woman to shoot on both IMAX film and Ultra Panavision, and the only cinematographer to use IMAX film stock developed by Kodak specifically for the film.

Michael B. Jordan honours African roots

“Sinners” star Michael B. Jordan won the Best Actor award for his role in the film, marking his first Academy Award.

During his acceptance speech, Jordan thanked director Ryan Coogler and acknowledged the Black actors who paved the way before him, including Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington and Halle Berry.

“I stand here because of the people who came before me,” he said.

Jordan also highlighted his family’s support, noting the global journey behind the moment.

“My dad came in from Ghana to be here,” he told the audience at the Dolby Theatre.

With the win, Jordan joins a small group of Black actors who have received the Best Actor Oscar, including Jamie Foxx, Will Smith, Forrest Whitaker, Poitier and Washington.

The victories across several categories underscored the growing influence of artists connected to the Global South at Hollywood’s biggest awards ceremony.

The war began on Feb. 28, 2026, when U.S. forces, alongside Israel, carried out large-scale strikes on Iranian targets in cities including Tehran, Isfahan, Qom, Karaj and Kermanshah following weeks of failed negotiations over Iran’s nuclear programme.

Iran responded with retaliatory attacks across the Gulf and neighbouring countries, widening the conflict beyond its borders and drawing multiple states into the confrontation.

Iran’s counterattacks have hit several countries hosting U.S. military assets or aligned with Washington.

In Bahrain, a missile and drone barrage targeted the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet and nearby infrastructure , killing at least one civilian and injuring two others, according to reports of the incident.

Qatar has also been struck during the conflict. Missile debris injured 16 civilians in Doha after Iran launched retaliatory strikes on targets linked to the U.S. military presence in the country.

Meanwhile, in Kuwait, Iranian strikes targeting U.S. and allied assets killed six people and wounded at least 18 others, with dozens of missiles and drones intercepted by regional defence systems.

The confrontation has also intensified hostilities involving Iran’s regional allies and rivals. Israel has reported deaths and hundreds of injuries from missile strikes and drone attacks linked to Iran or Iran-aligned forces, while clashes involving Iranian-backed militias have affected countries including Syria, Iraq and Jordan.

Analysts say the conflict illustrates how quickly tensions between Washington and Tehran can spill across borders, drawing in neighbouring states and threatening key energy and trade routes.

The escalation followed the largest U.S. military buildup in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq war, with aircraft carriers, fighter jets and missile defence systems deployed to the region in the weeks leading up to the strikes.

U.S. officials said the operation aimed to weaken Iran’s military capabilities and halt its nuclear ambitions, while critics warned the move could ignite a wider regional war.

Xie recently starred in the Channel 8 drama "The Gift of Time" in 2025, where he played a wealthy entrepreneur battling cancer. The role marked his first acting project since leaving showbiz in 2005.

Reports indicate that he had already asked to be excluded from consideration before the awards nominations were finalised, and that he will not attend the ceremony scheduled for April 19 at The Theatre at Mediacorp.

In a message posted on Instagram, he expressed in Chinese gratitude for the recognition he received during his career and credited the success of his performances to the teamwork behind each production.

He also emphasised that awards are the best recognition for young and active actors and should remain so, as he is semi-retired.

"I deeply understand what awards mean to every colleague still climbing the ladder of success; they are a testament to hard work and perseverance, and stepping stones to the next opportunity. Although I had the opportunity to meet the audience last year as Lin Huoyan, I am already semi-retired and hope that the spotlight will remain on outstanding actors who are still active, giving them more opportunities to shine," reads Xei's message when translated.

Born on 15 September 1961, Xie Shaoguang, whose birth name is Cha Shao-kwong, is widely regarded as one of Singapore’s most accomplished Mandarin-language television actors.

He built his reputation through numerous dramas produced by MediaCorp Channel 8 and became one of the country’s most recognisable screen stars in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Over the course of his career, Xie won the Star Award for Best Actor five times, a record that stood for many years and helped cement his status as one of Singapore’s leading television performers.

During the height of his career, Xie appeared in several critically acclaimed series. One of his best-known roles came in the 1998 family drama "Stand by Me", where he played Du Hanmin, a former doctor who becomes paralysed. The series was a major success and won Best Drama Serial at the Star Awards, with Xie himself taking home the Best Actor prize for his performance.

After stepping away from acting in 2005, Xie spent nearly 20 years pursuing other interests. During that period, he worked as a chef and even spent time as a Buddhist monk before eventually returning to the screen in 2024.

Despite his comeback, Xie has suggested he now considers himself semi-retired and prefers that the spotlight shift toward younger actors in the industry.

Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny made headlines at the 2026 Grammy Awards after winning Album of the Year for Debí Tirar Más Fotos. The victory marked a historic moment for Latin music, with the project becoming one of the most prominent Spanish-language albums ever recognised in the ceremony’s top category.

He continued to host the 2026 Super Bowl Halftime show, which went on to become the most-watched and streamed since Michael Jackson's Super Bowl performance in 1993.

African artists also had a strong showing at the Grammys.

South African singer Tyla also won Best African Music Performance for her single Push 2 Start, adding to the global momentum of African genres such as Afrobeats and Amapiano. To add to her winning catalogue, she won the 57th NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding International Song of the Year with her hit single, "Is It".

The awards also paid tribute to one of Africa’s most influential musicians. Nigerian Afrobeat pioneer Fela Aníkúlápó Kuti received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to be honoured in that category.

Latin and African artists have increasingly moved beyond regional success to become mainstream global figures.

Additionally, Nigerian sensation Tems became the first African female artist to record seven entries on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 in February 2026. She reached that mark after her song “What You Need” debuted at number 93 on the Billboard Hot 100, bringing her total number of songs on the chart to seven.

With this total, Tems ties the record for the most Hot 100 appearances by any African act, alongside Burna Boy and South African band Seether.

Streaming platforms and social media have accelerated this shift, allowing audiences around the world to discover genres such as reggaeton, Afrobeats and Amapiano.

As a result, music from the Global South now regularly competes in major international categories rather than being confined to specialised genre awards.

The influence of Global South artists has also been visible across other international ceremonies in early 2026.

On February 28, Spanish star Rosalía , known for blending flamenco with contemporary pop and urban sounds, was among the artists recognised at the BRIT Awards, where she received the International Artist of the Year award.

The win reflects the broader diversification of global pop music, with non-English language artists increasingly recognised at traditionally Western-dominated ceremonies.

While troop levels fluctuate depending on operational needs, Pentagon briefings and Congressional Research Service (CRS) reports confirm that the United States maintains a substantial and strategically positioned presence across the Gulf and Levant.

According to U.S. Department of Defence data, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia host some of the largest concentrations of American personnel in the region.

Kuwait has historically served as a logistics and staging hub for operations in Iraq and Syria. Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, U.S. troop levels there surged, and while numbers have fluctuated, thousands remain stationed at bases such as Camp Arifjan.

Saudi Arabia also hosts significant U.S. forces, particularly since Washington redeployed troops there in 2019 after heightened tensions with Iran . Reuters reported at the time that the move aimed to strengthen regional deterrence.

Qatar hosts Al Udeid Air Base, the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East. The base serves as the forward headquarters for U.S. Central Command’s air operations. According to the Pentagon and reporting by Reuters , Al Udeid plays a central role in air operations spanning Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan during the height of those conflicts.

Bahrain hosts the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. The naval presence underpins maritime security operations across the Persian Gulf, Red Sea and Arabian Sea. The U.S. Navy states that the Fifth Fleet oversees operations covering roughly 2.5 million square miles of water.

Despite the formal end of major combat operations in Iraq in 2011 and the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, U.S. forces remain in Iraq and Syria under a mission focused on preventing the resurgence of the Islamic State.

Pentagon statements and Reuters reporting confirm that approximately 2,500 U.S. troops are deployed in Iraq in an advisory and counterterrorism role. In Syria, around 900 to 2,000 personnel are reported to be operating in support of local partner forces in the northeast.

These deployments have occasionally drawn scrutiny following attacks by Iran-aligned militias, prompting periodic U.S. retaliatory airstrikes, according to Reuters coverage.

Jordan hosts several thousand U.S. troops at facilities used for training, logistics and regional response operations. The United Arab Emirates also hosts U.S. forces at Al Dhafra Air Base, supporting air operations and missile defence coordination.

The U.S. military presence in the Middle East is rooted in decades of security agreements, counterterrorism operations and energy security concerns. The Congressional Research Service notes that U.S. basing arrangements are designed to provide rapid response capability, reassure allies and deter regional adversaries.

According to figures from Programs and discussions at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, there are now 10,867 active data centres worldwide. The United States alone accounts for roughly 4,030 facilities, approximately 37% of the global total.

Major hubs such as Northern Virginia, Texas and California continue to attract hyperscale investment from leading cloud and AI providers in the U.S.

America’s dominance is a combination of capital access, strong fibre connectivity, reliable power infrastructure and the presence of the world’s largest technology companies like Google, Meta and Amazon.

The United Kingdom (511) and Germany (479) rank second and third globally, followed by France (343). Europe’s data centre expansion is increasingly influenced by environmental regulations and energy efficiency requirements, particularly under EU sustainability frameworks.

The Netherlands (186), Italy (207) and Spain (192) also remain important connectivity hubs within the region.

China operates 368 data centres, placing it fourth globally. Notably, the country is home to the largest single data centre in the world , located in Hohhot, spanning approximately 10.7 million square feet, according to infrastructure reports referenced by GBC Engineers.

China ’s strategy includes redistributing computing capacity to energy-rich inland regions to support long-term digital expansion.

India now hosts approximately 277 data centres, reflecting rapid digital growth and government-backed initiatives to strengthen domestic AI and cloud infrastructure. At the India AI Impact Summit 2026 , experts highlighted rising demand from fintech, e-commerce, and AI model development as key growth drivers.

Elsewhere in the Asia-Pacific region are Australia (268), Japan (255), and Indonesia (185), which are expanding capacity to support 5G networks, enterprise cloud adoption and regional data localisation requirements.

Canada has 288 facilities, benefiting from stable energy systems and climate advantages that lower cooling costs.

Brazil leads Latin America with 199 data centres, driven by digital banking, retail platforms and cloud service expansion.