Maldives is sinking 3 times faster than Venice — disappearing paradise faces extinction by 2050 (May 18, 2025, Journee-Mondiale)
Rising sea levels threaten coastal communities worldwide, but while Venice’s plight commands global attention, the Maldives is disappearing at an alarming rate – yet remains largely absent from international headlines.
Oman launches longest tourist walkway in Nakhal (June 14, 2025, Gulf News)
Oman has launched its longest tourist walkway in the Wilayat of Nakhal, South Al Batinah Governorate, a major new initiative designed to revitalize rural tourism and support local communities. The project will reduce traffic congestion at key sites and create jobs.
How Malaysia is preparing its workforce for the future (June 10, 2025, World Economic Forum)
Automation threatens about 620,000 jobs in Malaysia but it also creates opportunities in emerging roles. Malaysia is taking a data-driven and collaborative approach to workforce development to manage this change. Beyond employment statistics, the true goal is to preserve human dignity in the face of technological disruption.
One of the world’s most closed countries has just made it easier to visit (April 24, 2025, The Independent UK)
Turkmenistan, long one of the world's most closed countries, has adopted a law that will bring in electronic visas and make it easier for foreigners to enter.
Post-COVID boom in visitors sparks over-tourism fears in Asia (May 6, 2025, Reuters)
Rebound in visitors leading to unsustainable practices in some regions. Fears Asia's most beautiful places could become 'the next Boracay'. Phuket is building a new incinerator to cope with plastic waste. Malaysia leveraging Indigenous-led tourism. Nikoi and Cempedak resorts are investing heavily in sustainability.
Uzbekistan: a hidden agricultural gem in Central Asia (May 10, 2025, MEER)
Uzbekistan, a country in Central Asia, is home to one of the most fertile agricultural lands with a potential of being an agricultural goldmine for global investors. The country ranks in the top 15 in terms of producing various agricultural goods, including apples, cucumbers, grapes, onions, plums, tomatoes, and watermelons.
Selling comfort: ‘loneliness economy’ emerges as more South Koreans live alone (April 19, 2025, South China Morning Post)
Loneliness-driven businesses capitalise on people’s feelings of isolation and social disconnection to make profits. Such loneliness-driven businesses include psychological counselling and therapy, dating apps and even controversial dating services in return for money.
Silicon Valley led the quest for driverless cars. But Chinese robotaxis are catching up fast (June 9, 2025, Rest of World)
Chinese and American companies have long led the costly endeavor of developing autonomous ride-hailing services. Now, robotaxi firms are taking the competition global. Apollo Go challenges pioneer Waymo’s head start and leads country rivals in overseas push.
Macao bolsters 'soft connectivity' with mainland (June 14, 2025, China Daily)
The Macao Special Administrative Region is taking more moves in response to the national policy of promoting the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area's "hard connectivity" of infrastructure and "soft connectivity" of rules and standards to build a closer partnership for connectivity.
Hong Kong Is Becoming a Key Part of Xi’s Ambitions to Counter US (June 5, 2025, Bloomberg)
Many observers, including the economist Stephen Roach, had thought this would erase Hong Kong's appeal as a global business hub. What was its selling point if, as a US government report put it in December, Hong Kong is “nearly indistinguishable from any other neon-lit city on the Chinese mainland”?
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Joann Pittman
Joann Pittman is Vice President of Partnership and China Engagement and editor of ZGBriefs. Prior to joining ChinaSource, Joann spent 28 years working in China, as an English teacher, language student, program director, and cross-cultural trainer for organizations and businesses engaged in China. She has also taught Chinese at the University …View Full Bio
Blessing Asia
In October-2022 more than 500 Christian leaders from across Asia gathered in Thailand for the Asia 2022 Congress, sponsored by the Lausanne Movement and various partnering organizations. I had the opportunity to participate in the Congress virtually and was mightily blessed. From Bible exposition to K-pop worship, and through seminars and workshops, the participants were encouraged by the stories of what God is doing in countries all over Asia. Clearly, God is on the move.
A beautiful vision was portrayed in a video of the popular worship song The Blessing, featuring singers from all over Asia. Here it is:
Many of the sessions have already been posted on their website and to their YouTube channel.
One that I found particularly helpful considering all that is going on in China was a presentation titled Church and State Relationship in Asia Today. You can see the video here.
I encourage you to spend some time on their website; there are fantastic resources for understanding God’s work in Asia today.
Original link: https://www.chinasource.org/resource-library/blog-entries/blessing-asia/
Image credit: Andrea Brucker, via Unsplash
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