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With its wooden script and earnest tone, Tsui Hark’s government-sanctioned Chinese war epic may not win many hearts and minds
War is hell and so is a certain type of war movie: bloated, self-important and glassy-eyed with solemn patriotism. Directed by action veteran Tsui Hark, The Battle at Water Gate Bridge is the giant follow-up to China’s colossal military epic and domestic box-office smash, . It revives the tale of how, during the Korean war in the unimaginably cold winter of 1950, the Chinese army took on the US forces in Changjin county in North Korea and forced Uncle Sam to retreat towards the 38th parallel, gleefully picking up artillery and ammo that the Americans had been forced to abandon.
The first film took us to the “” – an event which was for America something between Dunkirk and a foretaste of Saigon – in which many American and UN personnel had to be airlifted out. Now the movie continues, with more of the same mega greenscreen effects: people getting blown up with grenades and run over with tanks, as well as plenty of bullet-time slo-mo and freeze-frame set pieces of battlefield chaos.

The actor’s production company, 3AD, is uniting with the two organizations as Sunrise Collective, which will host events Jan. 20 through 22 at Riverhorse on Main Street.

Foreign minister says in Beijing she will press for detained Australians Cheng Lei and Yang Hengjun ‘to be reunited with their families’
Chinese state media is urging Australia to resist being “swayed by Washington” and to “show verbal goodwill and substantial actions” on the eve of Penny Wong’s visit to Beijing.
Two state media outlets published editorials that may give an indication of the Chinese government’s wishes for the next steps in what the Australian government calls a “stabilisation” of the relationship.

China’s Covid situation is exploding. Crematoriums are inundated, hospitals are running out of space. American Chinese blogger Jennifer shares video of bodies piled up inside a hospital in China.

Plus: Elon Musk asks Twitter users if he should resign.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s last-minute bid for additional funds was dismissed on a legal technicality
It was almost a special moment in the early hours of Monday morning in the Palais des congrès in Montreal. China and Canada, two squabbling adversaries, had united for the good of the planet to help the world at Cop15 forge a to halt the destruction of Earth’s ecosystems.
From the emphasis on indigenous rights to conserving 30% of Earth for nature, there is good reason to believe the Kunming-Montreal agreement could be a truly historic, hopeful turning point in humanity’s relationship with nature after decades of destruction and warnings of mass extinctions.

Democratic Republic of the Congo’s environment minister says country has not agreed to ‘30 by 30’ deal
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s environment minister has said her country has not agreed to a to halt the destruction of the Earth’s ecosystems, prompting behind-the-scenes diplomatic efforts to keep the agreement alive just hours after it was adopted.
Ève Bazaiba, the DRC’s environment minister, said her country would be writing to the UN secretary general, António Guterres, and the Convention on Biological Diversity to express the DRC’s position on the final text. It comes after the Chinese Cop15 president, Huang Runqiu, appeared to force through the agreement in the final plenary just moments after the DRC negotiator had said did not support the deal, which is typically negotiated by consensus. His interventions prompted further objections from Uganda and Cameroon.

But a broad recognition that it was now or never for nature -- and a flurry of late diplomacy by China -- helped seal a "historic" deal on a night of high drama. Dubbed the "ugly duckling" of global ...

As much as things change, they don’t. The recent post-election action by the lame-duck legislature regarding burn pits and explosives disposal reminded me of a speech some 10 years ago ...

We’re getting a quick peek at Disney+’s 2023 slate with a sizzle reel that includes footage (albeit lightning quick) of Loki Season 2 and first looks at new series Star Wars: Ahsoka, ...

As Penny Wong heads to Beijing for the first such visit in four years, trade minister says he is confident economic issues can be resolved
The international trade umpire is set to rule within months on Australia’s complaints against China’s trade sanctions, setting up a deadline for the diplomatic thaw to produce a breakthrough.
As Australia and China prepare to mark the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations on Wednesday, the trade minister, Don Farrell, said he was prepared to meet the Chinese commerce minister at any time and place to seek a resolution.

Racial and ethnic discrimination is a regular occurrence for many of the more than 3.5 million South Asians living in the United States. A new study from the Texas A&M University School of Public ...