In the 1990s, the South Korean government began encouraging foreign women to come to Korea and marry rural bachelors after Korean women had fled the countryside for city jobs. Fe Calo and her sister-in-law, Marilou Quitiquit, are among over 25,000 estimated Filipina “marriage migrants” who have moved to Korea since then, following an industry of wedding brokers and policies in both countries facilitating migrants to raise families in Korea. Often, the women arrive without knowing the challenges that await them in a foreign land. Luckily for Fe, Marilou lives nearby in their remote village Ttangkkeut (“End of the Earth”) at the southernmost part of the Korean peninsula. With her husband Marilou grows the Filipino produce that Fe missed so dearly when she first left home and sells it to a wide network of Filipino-Korean multicultural - or “damunhwa” - families living throughout Korea. Among the village’s 5,906 residents, half the children now share Filipino ancestry. While “damunhwa” kids still face bullying and dismissal, the brilliant and resilient Filipino-Korean youth are undeniably part of Korea’s next generation. This story was supported in part by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.

Graphic designer Jeje lives in Jakarta and identifies as trans. As a child, when she was unsure of what to draw, she naturally began painting the feminine figure. She says she has to explain to people that she had a good upbringing and nothing happened to her. “I have always been this way.” She says today, representation exists beyond the field of arts–in sectors like healthcare and even politics. Government programs in Indonesia assist trans people in getting official ID's, health insurance, and bank accounts. But in 2020, the government began drafting new laws that will criminalize the trans community for existing. And in 2019, the Indonesian parliament proposed revisiting a criminal code that would make any relationship outside of the heterosexual traditional marriage illegal. Here's how Indonesian artists like Jeje are responding, and how activists like Shinta Ratri and Kusama Ayu for paving the way for more people to fight for trans rights.

A century-old footbridge in India collapsed on Sunday, leaving 135 people dead–including many children. Built in 1877, the bridge was recently renovated for 20M rupees and had reopened just 4 days earlier. CCTV footage shows a group of men rocking the bridge moments before the cable snap. The bridge, originally made by the British, became overcrowded as locals gathered for Diwali celebrations. The firm in charge of the bridge’s operation, the Oreva Group, is under fire. While Oreva’s owner said, “nothing will happen to the bridge for the next 8-10 years”, police reveal that the cables were rusted and not replaced during the renovation. 9 people have been arrested with the firm, including managers, contractors, and ticket clerks.

During the T20 World Cup innings, Virat Kohli not only helped India win the match against Pakistan,he even cried on field–something fans haven’t seen before. What did this win mean for him–and India? Virat Kohli is one of Forbes highest paid athletes, the face of over 30 brands, and globally the third most popular sportsman today. With 221M followers, Kohli aka the “King of Cricket” is now the most popular Indian celebrity too. How did he start his career and become who he is today? At the age of 9, Virat’s father sent him to a cricket training academy, where he binged on biryani, pranked teammates, and partied. But years later, when he watched his father die of a stroke, Virat set a clear goal to play for his country at the highest level. Not only has he succeeded in doing so but today, Virat has carved a space in millions of hearts.

We all know our astrological sign but do we know about where astrology comes from? Astrology originates from ancient Mesopotamia (aka Iraq). And it’s always been about much more than personality traits. Medieval Muslims scheduled many ordinary activities—from haircuts to sex—based on astrological timing. In China, often when someone is ill, a couple is arguing, a child has behavioral problems, etc., it’s believed their zodiac signs are not placed well in their home. History shows how easily indigenous traditions were stolen, renamed, and sold for profit: astrology is no different. So what can today’s practitioners do to protect astrology from exploitation and opportunists? Rituals are not to be consumed – they are to be respected. From finding a practitioner with a sense of history, to deepening your knowledge of the people who first practiced it, here are the ways you can keep astrology sacred.

On Saturday, nearly 100,000 people gathered in Itaewon, South Korea for the first Halloween with no social distancing rules since the pandemic. 156 people were killed in the crowd. As victims’ families mourn, Korean officials admit inadequate preparedness. Most victims were teens, in their 20’s, and women. More than 3 hours before the incident, emergency calls began warning police, but the 130 officers present were focused on cracking down on drugs instead. At 10PM, those at the bottom of a narrow, sloped alley fell and toppled over each other. Koreans are left to ask–why did this have to happen?