The Southeast Asian Night Market takes place along the capital's along Frank Kitts Promenade this Saturday 20 March. We've just announced the programme . A highlight will be the four-member Cynthia Alexander Group who will be playing a mix of standard instruments as well as ethnic Filipino instruments. Other attractions include open-air Indonesian puppetry with gamelan orchestra, local performers, delicious Southeast Asian food stalls and colourful souvenirs. View media release.

Only one third of secondary school heads of department say they have included some Asia-specific topics in their teaching programmes over the past two years, says a new Asia New Zealand Foundation report. The Asia in Secondary Schools report, launched on 16 March, was commissioned by Asia:NZ as part of its Business Education Partnership  and conducted by Colmar Brunton. View highlights and download PDF.

Thanks to the 50,000-plus people from the Canterbury area who turned up in Christchurch's Victoria Sqaure for the 2010 Lantern Festival. View photos through our slideshow and Facebook page . This follows the success of the Auckland Lantern Festival. Elizabeth Chan, one of a number of Young Leaders who volunteered in Auckland,  reported back on "a roaring start to the year".

Laura Jackson undertook a work placement at the Shanghai Daily in September and October 2009. Laura's stint coincided with the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic. "The pride Chinese have for their country is something New Zealanders will never have for their own homeland, or ever fully understand. And the lack of understanding the rest of the world has of China is not lost on those who live there."

Julian Nixon reports on an agreement between Hong Kong and New Zealand to be signed this month. "The Closer Economic Partnership between New Zealand and Hong Kong is designed to foster cooperation between customs officials, reduce compliance costs for businesses through the removal of technical and administrative red tape and create greater transparency in areas such as business law," he explains.