Submit your Article

Netflix has removed a Chinese series from its Vietnam platform after Hanoi objected to an episode that featured a map showing disputed territorial claims in the South China Sea. The 27-episode romance drama “Sign on Me” includes photos of the alleged “nine-dash line,” which Vietnam has condemned as “incorrect” and a “violation of national sovereignty.”

China uses the line on its map to demarcate its territorial claims in the South China Sea. Vietnam is one of several countries to oppose these claims. Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture gave Netflix 24 hours to remove the series on January 3. The series has now been removed from Netflix’s Vietnam platform.

The controversial map appeared several times in episode 25 of “Sign on Me,” which featured a presentation about China’s solar energy potential. The show’s main characters appear during a speech where a map of China showing part of the nine-dash line is projected onto an auditorium screen.

‘Sign on Me’ is popular in China and other regions. Before the series was removed, it was one of Netflix’s top 10 shows in Singapore, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Beijing has not officially commented on the ban, although its state-run Global Times newspaper published an article on Tuesday urging Hanoi to “keep cultural exchanges separate from the South China Sea issue.” China has been asserting sovereignty over many territories and adjacent waters in the South China Sea in recent years, despite protests from Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei.

In 2023, Vietnam also ordered Netflix to remove another Chinese series, “Flight to You,” from a similar map. These are not the only Chinese series that Vietnam has banned for featuring the nine-dash line. Authorities also banned Warner Bros.’ Hollywood blockbuster “Barbie” in 2023 and DreamWorks’ animated film “Abominable” in 2016.

Little-known South Korean filmmaker Yoon Ga-eun has found unexpected national recognition after her latest film, The World of Love, became a surprise box-office success. Speaking to BBC Korean in Seoul in late November, Yoon said the film’s impact had yet to fully register. She described feeling grateful but also overwhelmed by the sudden attention.

The film, widely praised by local media as the “movie of the year,” focuses on the life of a teenage survivor of sexual violence, centring not on the crime itself but on the challenges and small victories of everyday life after trauma. Its sensitive portrayal of school, family, friendships and young romance has struck a chord with audiences.

Since its October release, the film has earned more than $1.1m at the box office and received a 9 out of 10 rating on major search platform Naver. Acclaimed director Bong Jun-ho has also publicly praised the work, calling it a “masterpiece.”

Observers say the film’s success reflects a broader shift in South Korea, where conversations about sexual violence and the treatment of survivors are increasingly entering the public space.

A person died  in a rhinoceros attack in Chitwan on Monday. 

The deceased has been identified as Babu Kaji Shrestha (56) of Bharatpur-12.

The incident occurred while he had been to the Rambel Community Forest of Bharatpur Metropolitan City–12 to collect the fodder. 

Rabindra Khanal, spokesperson at the District Police Office, confirmed that the man died on the spot.

James Cameron’s science fiction fantasy film Avatar: Fire and Ash has crossed the $1bn mark at the global box office, becoming the director’s fourth movie to reach the milestone. According to Walt Disney Studios, the visually striking film has earned $1.03bn in worldwide ticket sales.

The film is the third installment in the Avatar franchise, which has now generated a combined global revenue of $6.35bn. Fire and Ash continues the story from Avatar: The Way of Water, focusing on Jake and Neytiri as they grieve the death of their son.

Industry analysts say the Avatar films continue to attract audiences to theaters due to their immersive visuals. Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Comscore, noted that the franchise’s 3D experience is especially suited for the big screen.

The original Avatar, released in 2009, earned $2.9bn worldwide and remains the highest-grossing film of all time in unadjusted figures. Its sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, released in 2022, collected over $2.3bn globally and won an Academy Award for best visual effects.

Ahn Sung-ki, a South Korean cinema star, known to be "The Nation's Actor" died on Monday. He has worked for 60 years in a cinema field. Ahn was 74 years old and died at Seoul’s Soonchunhyang University Hospital suffering from blood cancer for years, his agency, the Artist Company, and hospital officials said. “We feel deep sorrow at the sudden, sad news, pray for the eternal rest of the deceased and offer our heartfelt condolences to his bereaved family members,” the Artist Company said in a statement. President Lee Jae Myung posted a condolence message, saying Ahn provided many people with comfort, joy and time for reflection. “I already miss his warm smile and gentle voice,” Lee wrote on Facebook.

Files of more than 10,000 cases that were burnt at the Supreme Court during the Gen Z movement have been recovered.  

Out of 24,000 case files at SC, 20,000 case files were burnt in the arson attack that took place during the Gen Z movement on September 8 and 9, 2025.

SC Spokesperson Nirajan Pandey said that files of 10,340 cases have been recovered till January 5. 

The SC had urged the Office of the Attorney General, Nepal Bar Association and with the parties to concerned cases to provide files of the cases which were destroyed.   

Activities are underway to collect the files of those cases from the Office of the Attorney General, Nepal Bar Association and with the parties to concerned cases, accordingly.

Canada's former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland has said she will leave parliament to accept a job as adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, BBC reported. 

Freeland said her role as an economic development adviser for Ukraine would be unpaid. In July, she will also take on a position to lead the Rhodes Trust, an educational charity, in the UK. 

She was elected in 2013, and served in key roles such finance, foreign affairs and international trade minister under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, according to BBC.

Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in as Venezuela's interim president in a parliamentary session that began with demands for the release of ousted leader Nicolas Maduro from US custody, BBC reported. 

Rodriguez, 56, vice president since 2018, said she was pained by what she called the "kidnapping" of Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who were seized by US forces in an overnight raid on Saturday.

In a dramatic scene inside a New York court room two hours earlier, Maduro had insisted he was still president of Venezuela as he pleaded not guilty to four charges of drug trafficking and terrorism, according to BBC.