It wasn’t that long ago when Australia was the top dog of the cricket world. During much of the nineties and oughties, the boys from Down Under were unstoppable.

But even with modern cricket legends Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and the Waugh brothers (Mark and Steve), the team didn’t always enjoy its trips to India, which has always been a testing battlefield for visiting team.

Still, Australia were never whitewashed. Until now. In the test series just completed on the subcontinent, four tests were played and India won all four.

This is by no means a vintage Indian team either – it recently lost to England at home – but it is still a tough competitor on its own turf.

The manner of the defeat has provided heated debate in Australia.

Also making headlines was “homework-gate,” and it didn’t make for comfortable reading. The short version of the story behind the scandal is that four Australian players – Shane Watson, James Pattinson, Mitchell Johnson and Usman Khawaja – were dropped for not handing in written answers to team manager Mickey Arthur on ways they could improve their performances.

"It took a lot of thinking because you had to look at your game and where you thought you could improve, what you had learnt and what you could do to help this team level this series," team captain Michael Clarke said.

Clarke added, "For the four players to not do it, not only does it let the team down, it also shows a lack of respect for the head coach and in the Australian cricket team that is unacceptable."

In response, some high-profile former players were quick to give their opinions as to why the decision to sack the four players was excessive.

Watson, the vice-captain who was one of those dropped, didn’t seem to agree with the way it was handled.

“Any time you are suspended from a Test match, unless you have done something unbelievably wrong and obviously everyone knows what those rules are – I think it is very harsh,” Watson said. “In the end I have got to live with it. That is the decision they have made and at this point in time I am at a stage where I have to weigh up my future with what I want to do with my cricket in general.”

If Australia was winning, it would not be a problem. But this comes at a time when the country is coming to terms with its new position in the world of cricket.

With India behind them, Australia can now at least focus on their upcoming tour of England. If they can win the Ashes, all will be forgiven.

It won’t be easy. England have won the last two series between the rivals and outplayed the Aussies Down Under during a 2009/2010 tour. But in cricket, anything can happen.

That was one of the major findings of the The European Fine Art Foundation’s (TEFAF) annual report on the state of the art market, published earlier this month.

The most in-depth report of its kind, TEFAF’s data come from public auctions as well as information the foundation collected by polling 6,500 art dealers around the world.

TEFAF estimates the value of the global art market declined by around 7 percent last year to U.S. $55.68 billion, down from just over U.S. $60 billion in 2011.  

This 7 percent decline was not divided equally among different countries, however. Indeed, art sales in China were valued at just U.S. $12.7 billion last year, a sharp drop of 24 percent from the year before. Auction sales, which had driven growth in recent years, were down by 30 percent. By contrast, the U.S. market grew at a modest 5 percent to U.S. $18.5 billion.

In the five years prior to 2012, art sales had skyrocketed in China, growing by an astonishing 350 percent between 2009 and 2011 alone, according to the data collected by TEFAF. These sales had cushioned the blow the financial crisis had on the industry, and ultimately allowed China to displace the U.S. as the world’s largest art market in 2011.

In describing the factors behind the drop in art sales in China last year, the report says:

“The main reasons for the deceleration in growth were both demand factors (including a slowdown in economic growth and continuing liquidity constraints) and a reduced amount of high quality, high priced works coming onto the market. Many art funds and other speculative investors also reduced their participation in the market during the year.”

Altogether the U.S. share of the global market last year was 33 percent, up from 29 percent in 2011. China’s share of the global market was 25 percent, down 5 percent from the year before.

Zachary Keck is assistant editor for The Diplomat.

Hindus can hardly catch their breath this spring. Just a few weeks ago India wrapped up its Maha Kumbh Mela, a Hindu mega-event held every 12 years that lasts almost eight weeks and is the largest gathering on the planet. Yet today another massive Hindu occasion is underway and is sweeping the entire nation and Indian diaspora: Holi.

Compared with the Kumbh, what Holi lacks in magnitude it makes up for in fun. It is a celebration of spring’s arrival, in which people take to the streets from Mumbai to Delhi and across the vast countryside to douse each another with colored powder and launch water balloons. Packs of youths can be seen cavorting in India’s streets, completely soaked and coated in red, purple, blue and yellow. Some great photos of the action can be seen here and here.

Time notes that there are regional variations, such as the traditions found in the villages of Nandgaon and Barsana (71 miles from New Delhi), in which men sing to woo women, who return the gesture by good-humoredly beating them with bamboo sticks.

Aside from local spins on the festival, the core element remains the same: color. The use of color was inspired by the legend of Radha and Krishna. As the story goes, Krishna was envious of Radha’s complexion. Yashod, Krishna’s mother, suggested he color Radha’s face.

Water is an addition that gives revelers some relief from the oppressive heat that hits much of India at this time. While celebrants are still sure to get wet (or drenched), this year the Indian government is encouraging the public to forego (or at least tone down) the splashing. The reason being that drought is hitting some parts of India particularly hard this year.

Mumbai, battling its most severe draught since 1972, is one example, according to an article published by the Financial Times. The article notes that estimates in the city’s economic survey for 2012-2013 suggest the agricultural industry in Mumbai’s home state of Maharashtra could shrink 1.4 percent during this fiscal year.

According to an article published by the Times of India, on average participants use about two 15-liter buckets of water during the celebration. The Financial Times also notes that in the past tankers were dispatched to apartment blocks around Mumbai to give access to those celebrating in public spaces – a practice that will not be followed this year.

“There is massive wastage of water during the Holi festival in the metropolis,” The Indian Express quoted BJP general secretary Sanjay Upadhyay as saying. He went on to suggest that a “50 percent water cut should be imposed in Mumbai during the Holi celebrations and there should not be any water supply through tankers.”

Alongside the issue of water – used to mix in with the colored powder – the powder itself is also a growing concern. An article in the Hindustani Times notes that the colors of Holi were originally derived from season flowers and herbs. Over time, says the article, this tradition devolved and now many of the powders sold on the streets are made of toxic chemical mixtures, inspiring calls for a return to the festival’s organic roots.

In a show of support for a healthier, drier Holi, even Bollywood – known for its wild Holi parties – is curtailing the festivities this year. A number of stars have spread the word via Twitter.

“I appeal to the people of Maharashtra to play dry Holi with chandan (sandalwood paste) and flowers and save water,” spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar tweeted.

Bollywood acting legend Amitabh Bachchan further drove the point home, tweeting: "Water shortage in Maharashtra... and it’s only March. What will happen in Summer? Save water! Play a dry Holi!!"

If nothing else, upsets and advances made last night an eventful one for the 2014 World Cup qualifying round now taking place in Asia.

In Group A, proceedings concluded without any major incident, with Uzbekistan defeating Lebanon 1-0 and South Korea edging ahead of Qatar 2-1, thanks to a goal by poster-boy Son Heung-Min in the 97th minute. Both winners are likely to claim the two qualifying spots in their group.

For Group B, things were a bit more interesting. Perhaps Group B’s biggest surprise was the outcome of Japan’s match with Jordan. Leading into the showdown, chances looked good for Japan. Yet despite hopes that Japan would be the first team to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Brazil, Jordan came through with a shocking 2-1 win, stopping the Samurai Blue in their tracks.

After a good initial run – four wins and one draw – when they arrived in Amman, Japan led Group B by a solid margin of seven points. One more point would have booked their trip to Brazil. However, Jordan surprised fans with the upset victory, rocketing from last place in the group to second and leaving Japan’s World Cup fate uncertain.

There were a handful of close calls – Ryoichi Maeda headed a ball that hit the goal’s crossbar while Hiroshi Kiyotake, Makoto Hasebe and Shinji Kagawa all came close – but in the end goals by Jordan’s Khalil Bani Ateyah and Ahmad Ibrahim put Jordan in the lead 2-0. Kagawa did manage one goal with 21 minutes remaining, but other attempts on goal failed, including Yasuhito Endo’s missed penalty kick.

“We played well, controlled the game and created many chances but we were not lucky and we couldn't score except for the once,” Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni told reporters. “Jordan were lucky today and they scored two goals from the few chances that they had in the game.”

Lucky or not, this was a huge win for Jordan. “This was a historic win for Jordanian football,” Jordan coach Adnan Hamad told reporters.

Meanwhile, Australia’s draw with Oman also surprised many. After an early goal by Oman’s Abdul Aziz Mubarak just six minutes into the game, things did not look good for the Socceroos. By the four-minute mark of the second half, the lead has increased to 2-0 for Oman following an own goal by Mile Jedinak.

Thanks to a burst of effort that led Australia’s Tim Cahill to score with a header three minutes later, followed by a late, blazing goal from outside the box by Brett Holman, the Socceroos managed to avert a loss. Still, Socceroos coach Holger Osieck was none too pleased.

“We had different hopes going into the game ... this isn't what we expected,” Osieck said. “The first half wasn’t according to plan and we almost paid dearly. We didn’t break through, we always passed backwards, we delayed our game and there was no penetration. But the spirit was back in the second half and we had our chances.”

In the wake of last night’s matches, Japan still leads group B with 13 points, Jordan has seven, while Australia and Oman have six and Iraq has five. Uzbekistan leads Group A, with South Korea in second.

In practical terms there are two main poles in the Chinese media-sphere: state-run media and Weibo. With the former, the public receives the official, polished version of events. By contrast, the latter features an ongoing stream of news, covering the good, the bad and the ugly – with particular emphasis on the latter two. Indeed, bad news is passed along the Weibo grapevine, a microblogging service with 400 million users, at lightning speed, picking up color and humor along the way.

A prime example: the mysterious recent appearance of around 11,000 dead pigs showing up in Shanghai’s Huangpu River, followed by more than 1,000 dead ducks found stuffed in 50 to 60 woven plastic bags, bobbing in the Nanhe River in Pengshan county, Sichuan province.

As news of the nation’s second incidence of mass livestock deaths in the course of a month spread, state media was quick to jump in and put the public at ease. Xinhua reported a local official as saying that there was nothing to fear. The report also mentioned that local authorities had not determined the birds’ cause of death.

As the Financial Times noted, the Weibo community was quick to respond. “How can you tell they are harmless when you don’t know how the ducks died?” one Weibo user asked. Another jumped in: “First it was pork soup, now duck soup is available.”

This response is typical of Weibo’s users, who offer an ongoing social commentary of China’s day-to-day affairs. “There were all kinds of funny responses to the news about the pigs and ducks,” Shanghai resident and regular Weibo blogger Joyce Cai told The Diplomat. “Most people were being sarcastic and making fun of the government. Some were quite funny.”

China’s penchant for biting, cynical commentary surprises some, as Ginger Huang noted in an article published by The World of Chinese, a Beijing-based English-language monthly magazine. Huang notes that even novelist and essayist Lin Yutang, who was responsible for translating the word “humor” into Chinese (settling on yōumò) succumbed to this misconception. When asked if he thought his compatriots were unable to discern the nuances of irony and wit, Lin responded, “That is a concrete fact, indeed.”

In the article, Huang wrote: “Whenever you log on (to Weibo), fresh news of corruption, pollution, bus crashes and collapsed bridges fall faster than an avalanche. The world of Weibo is such a stark contrast to the CCTV-1 Network News that users need a big dose of humor and satire.”

Huang introduces some of the most renowned satirists of Weibo, including one who parodies a diehard North Korean patriot, another who gives an irreverent guide to navigating the modern world for young people through a parody of a traditional fortune telling calendar, and a group of 50 Hangzhou-based dubbers who rewrite soap operas, films and news clips and redub them with absurdist replacement scripts.

For Cai, “Humor attracts attention easier. But the downside is that sometimes people trust what they read on Weibo too easily, without thinking.”

She adds, “This is not the problem of Weibo, but of official news. If they let the truth out then it would not let social media have the chance to take advantage of it. Of course the government has already realized that too, and is using Weibo. But that’s a whole different story.”

Even the United Nations was dragged into the act, with Weibo users selling fake tickets last December for a chance to board an ark ahead of the prophesied Mayan Apocalypse on December 21, 2012. The tickets, called “United Nations 2012 China Tibetan Noah’s Ark tickets,” were selling for around 10 yuan (U.S. $1.60) a pop with a “face value” of 10 billion yuan, according to Shanghaiist.

In response to the Weibo meme, the UN felt obliged to announce on its own official Weibo account: “The United Nations sincerely has not issued any boat tickets.”

The tickets were on sale before the apocalyptic Mayan prophecy, which proved inaccurate when December 21 ended with civilization intact. Had the Mayan interpreters been right, the response on Weibo would have been interesting.

Steve Jobs, acclaimed innovator and one of the most successful business leaders in history, continues to have an impact. In what must be a first for a modern inventor, the life story of Apple’s legendary founder is being put down in a manga series, which debuted in Japan yesterday. The first monthly installment was released yesterday in the May issue of a monthly Japanese comic anthology called Kiss. A preview can be seen here.

The series follows the initial release in January 2012 of a digital comic book produced in the Western tradition of comics. The story told in the manga version, created by acclaimed artist Mari Yamazaki, follows the same trajectory laid out in the authorized biography of Jobs written by Walter Isaacson.

Interestingly, Yamazaki’s manga-fied tribute to the great innovator is only the latest in a series of pop-cultural objects to depict Jobs in Asia. First, Hong Kong toy maker In Icons was asked to halt production of a 12-inch Steve Jobs doll. But this did not phase Japanese designer Takao Kato of Legend Toys, who stepped in to produce yet another 12-inch action figure – this one aimed at Japan’s burgeoning otaku market, known for having an appetite for amassing collections of hyper-realistic figurines and toys (as well as many outright odd ones). In Legend’s version, a likeness of Jobs sits on a leather sofa with beard, glasses and trademark black turtle neck.

In a similar fashion, Yamazaki is illustrating the manga account in a semi-realistic style. Initial reviews have been very positive of the artistic treatment of Jobs, which has been rendered in a semi-realistic, monochrome style. Yamazaki’s rendition, in fact, begins with a conversation – that lasts 15 pages – in which Jobs prods Isaacson to pen his biography. The story soon rewinds to Jobs’ childhood and explores his early years as a mischief-maker raised by foster parents. As he grows into his high school and college years, his experiences with marijuana and LSD enter the picture.

As an article in The Verge points out, the very interesting thing about this tone and focus is the context in which it is being placed: a manga monthly targeted at young women that normally runs tales of adolescent love and drama – in a country where illegal drugs are strictly regulated. Then again, the article reminds us that this is Steve Jobs. When it comes to genius, normal rules need not apply.

Editor's Note: Thanks to a reader who correctly pointed out the distinction between anime and manga. The title has been modified to more accurately reflect this difference.

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is starting feel close now and Japan is close to booking its ticket. The Samurai Blue only needs to win in Jordan on Tuesday night in the final round of the Asian zone of qualification.

With a win tomorrow, the Samurai Blue will be the first team to qualify for the tournament. It wouldn’t be its first time: Japan did the same in 2010.

Under Italian coach Alberto Zaccheroni, the team has earned 13 points from a possible 15. With the other four teams in the group taking points from each other, it is only a matter of time until Japan secures its spot.

"We have got three games left to play before the end of the qualifiers, but we want to finish in style," Zaccheroni told the media recently. "My expectations, just like yours, are very, very high.

He added, "To live up to all these expectations, the pivotal point will be to get to this match as physically prepared as possible."

The AFC Asian Cup champions will have to do without stars Keisuke Honda and Yuto Nagatomo. But with talents like Shinji Kagawa of Manchester United, it should not be a huge problem.

If Japan ties in Amman then it will be enough for a place in Brazil if Australia ties with Oman in Sydney.

Australia has started the final round of qualifiers slowly, collecting just two points in the opening three games. The worries that were growing Down Under at the prospect of missing the first World Cup since 2002 were smoothed over by a hard-fought away win against Iraq last October. Australia now has five points.

With three of the four remaining games at home, the Socceroos should have enough to take second place. Any failure to take three points from Oman in Sydney will get heart rates racing. That would give Oman, Jordan or Iraq the advantage.

Over in Group A, matters are more interesting. Just one point separates the top four teams. Uzbekistan has eight points, while South Korea, Iran and Qatar each have seven.

The next phase for Group A starts with Qatar’s trip to Seoul on Tuesday. South Korea won 4-1 in Doha last August, but anything can happen. After a frustrating draw with Uzbekistan and a loss in Iran, South Korea needs three points and a return of confidence. Coach Choi Kang-hee is under pressure.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan could take a big step towards its first World Cup if it defeats Lebanon in Tashkent.

Last night in India, all eyes were on Mumbai via India’s television channel Colors, which broadcast the contest for Pond’s Femina Miss India 2013 live at 10 pm.

In the end, Navneet Kaur Dhillon emerged victorious as Miss India 2013 in the Yash Raj Studios. Sobhita Dhulipala, a 20-year-old student in Mumbai, won first runner up and actress Zoya Afroz (18) from Lucknow in the state of Uttar Pradesh was awarded second runner up.

This year was the 50th anniversary of the competition, lending added weight to the title for Dhillon, the 20-year-old daughter of an army officer from Patiala in the state of Punjab and media student at Punjabi University. The limelight is not new for Dhillon, who also won the Femina Miss Glowing skin award. She will go on to represent India at the next Miss World contest – India has won international titles 34 times, second only to Venezuela.

The road to Mumbai was not easy. After auditions were held in Goa, Pune, Calcutta, Bangalore, Indore, Chandigarh and Delhi, 23 women were chosen to compete in the widely televised show.

Television actor Manish Paul hosted the event, which opened with a wistful audiovisual look at the event’s history. The event was judged by Karan Johar, John Abraham, Asin, Chitrangada Sing, Shiamak Davar, Ritu Kumar and Yuvraj Singh. Priyanka Chopra, Aishwarya Rai and Sonu Nigam crooned and performed for the crowd. And all 23 finalists, donning Bharatanatyam (classical Indian dance) costumes and ghagra-cholis, danced across the stage.

Chopra, who won Miss India in 2000, has since become a Bollywood megastar and singer, a path commonly taken by winners of the contest. Nodding to that possibility, amid cheers, Chopra told the three winners, “It (the crown) stays with you forever. It changes you from who you could have been to who you are going to be.”

Editor's Note: The text has been updated from the previous version.

An unfortunate social reality in the Asia-Pacific is that it accounts for the lion’s share of the world’s human trafficking: according to the United Nations, 56 percent to be exact. Globally, the number of victims is around 2.5 million people, mainly women and children.

In an effort to stem this human rights atrocity, MTV EXIT (End Exploitation and Trafficking), an award-winning freedom and human rights multimedia campaign linked to the global music giant, announced yesterday that it will soon air Butterfly, an “edutainment” program that will shine a light on this dark spot of the region’s underbelly through that perennial television favorite: Korean drama.

“The reason we selected a Korean drama as a format for a human trafficking awareness program was due to the massive popularity of that format across Asia,” MTV EXIT Director Matt Love told The Diplomat. “In almost every country in Asia, Korean dramas are among the highest-rated programs, so it’s an excellent medium to reach a large number of young people with key safe migration messages.”

Enlisting celebrated Korean drama director Jun Ki Sung and producer Hyun-Good Shin, the organizers have spared no expense to make sure the message gets out to Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia (the hardest hit region) for a start, with the rest of Asia also slated to receive the transmission.

MTV EXIT has joined forces with some impressive partners, from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Australian Government’s Agency for International Development (AusAID) to Walk Free: The Movement to End Modern Slavery and the Korean Committee for the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The program has also been endorsed by the South Korean Ministry of Gender Equality and Family and received support from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). This roster speaks for itself, with a message that is loud and clear: this issue is pervasive and urgently needs attention.

According to Love, the three most common forms of human trafficking affecting Asia today are forced sex work, forced domestic work and child trafficking. While many associate human trafficking most closely with prostitution, the reality is more complex.

“People can fall victim to trafficking for many different reasons, and it’s not just about sex trafficking,” Love said. “Many people are trafficked into forced labor or domestic work, or in the case of child trafficking, begging is a big issue... Poverty is a huge driving force behind many trafficking victim stories.”

Today, human trafficking is the third most profitable criminal activity worldwide after trafficking illegal drugs and arms. In total, criminals rake in about U.S. $10 billion annually through the buying and selling of human beings.

The impacts of this trade on the victims are profound: from emotional abuse and rape to threats against self, family and death. Ultimately, however, slavery has broad implications for the health, safety and security of society.

To illustrate the multifaceted nature of human trafficking, Butterfly is told in three parts, each an interlocking story that explores a different way that people become enslaved.

“The stories are told through three main characters who only dream of having a better life for themselves,” Love said. “There are many push factors that make people vulnerable to trafficking. Butterfly looks at some of the most common push factors.”

There are two more parts to this 75-minute series, with each story exploring this complex social ill in a different light. In one of the stories, titled “Rose,” a character named Jang Mi is lured from her village with the promise of becoming an actress (only to become a sex slave). In “Hwaja,” a woman is forced to travel to Korea where she becomes a domestic worker because she cannot afford to take care of her children. And in the third tale, “Butterfly,” Jin Young is abducted by a child trafficking ring near his family’s home.

In a sense, for viewers of the show, it is a call to action, Love explained. “The series shows the importance of reporting a suspected case of human trafficking to the police. Everyone has the responsibility to act if they suspect someone is being exploited.”

For those who doubt that a television program is sufficient to combat human trafficking, Love had this to say: “I think drama is a great vehicle for educating audiences on a variety of issues, from health to social to economic issues. With good narrative, compelling characters and an important social message, there is potential for big impact and positive behavior change.”

India’s Supreme Court upheld its conviction of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt for possessing illegal arms. Dutt was charged with receiving the arms from the organizers of the 1993 Mumbai mass bombings that took place in 12 different locations, killing 273 and injuring 713. In total, 100 people were convicted for the attacks by a TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities) court in 2006.

Dutt had been out on parole since 2007. Originally, his sentence was set at six years, which judges have reduced by one year. The actor’s appeal for release on probation was turned down by judges. Having already served 18 months behind bars, Dutt will spend more than three more years in jail.

“I am heartbroken,” Dutt said in a statement. “I know in my heart that I have always been a good human being, respected the system and always been loyal to my country... God is great and he will guide me through this.”

He added, “My family is very emotional right now and I have to be strong for them. I am sorry I can’t come down and meet you all.”

When the verdict was announced in court yesterday, the actor’s sister Priya Dutt, a Congress MP, began to cry.

The weapons that led to Dutt’s conviction included an AK-56 automatic rifle and a 9mm pistol, which he received from the men subsequently convicted for their role in the Mumbai terror attack, which was orchestrated by Mushtaq “Tiger” Memon, who remains at large, and masterminded by Muslim gangster Dawood Ibrahim.

The death sentences of 10 others convicted in the bombings were commuted to life in prison. Of the 11 originally sentenced to death, only Yakub Memon, Tiger Memon’s brother, had his death sentence upheld.

Dutt has claimed that he was unaware of the bombing plot and that he requested the weapons to protect his family during Mumbai’s communal riots in 1992. Although judges described Dutt’s crimes as “serious,” he was acquitted of the heavier charges of terrorism and conspiracy.

Bollywood has reacted strongly to the conviction, with many tweeting their words of sympathy for Dutt yesterday. Priyanka Chopra, Hrithik Roshan and Arjun Rampal were among them.

Chopra tweeted: “My heart goes out to Sanju sir and his family..the nicest gentlest person..I pray for some respite for him through our judiciary.”

Roshan chimed in: “I cannot comprehend. I know d law is d LAW. But I can bet my Life 2 say that Sanju sir doesn’t deserve this!”

Actor Kamaal R Khan was more cynical. “Technically tday is last day of acting career of Sanjay Dutt,” he tweeted. “He will be around 60yrs when he will be released so then he will be politician.”