The Fight Over Language, From Haiti to Kyrgyzstan (April 13, 2025, Foreign Policy) (Subscription required)
The in-depth essays and reporting below explore the geopolitics of ongoing fights over language, shedding light on the cultural and linguistic dimensions of imperialism and resistance, both past and present.
Teenage Afghan girls were banned from school - now these classes are their only option (March 25, 2025, BBC)
While the madrassas are seen by some as a way to offer young women access to some of the education they would have had in mainstream schools, others say they are no substitute and there are concerns of brainwashing.
Going underground: Experts clash over 'hidden city' beneath Egypt pyramids (March 26, 2025, Eurasianet)
A heated debate has erupted among Egyptologists after researchers claimed to have found an “underground city” beneath the Pyramids of Giza. Is the discovery, based on radar images, groundbreaking or exaggerated?
Child care by grandma: Asian model under strain in Mongolia (February 15, 2025, Nikkei Asia) (Subscription required)
With the changing social and economic situation, grandmothers are less able to help out even as alternative child care arrangements remain limited. More mothers are feeling compelled to leave full-time work to look after their kids at a time the nation is in particular need of their contributions.
Asia’s Ticking Time Bomb: When Dams Meet Disaster Zones (April 13, 2025, Modern Diplomacy)
The late March earthquake in Myanmar didn’t just rattle the earth—it laid bare the brittle backbone of Asia’s dam-driven progress.
The 10 safest cities in the world in 2025: A global safety snapshot (April 4, 2025, Middle East Economy)
In 2025, Abu Dhabi was ranked first on the world’s safest cities list for the 9th consecutive year, reflecting the emirate’s efforts to develop pioneering security plans, strategies and initiatives. With a safety index of 88.4, Abu Dhabi emerges as the safest city in the world.
Would Taiwan’s youth fight a war against mainland China? It depends how they are asked (March 23, 2025, South China Morning Post)
As Taipei ramps up rhetoric towards Beijing, youth opinions about military service differ from surveys to interviews.
Beyond the baccarat tables: Macao’s rich Portuguese history is still visible today (March 16, 2025, Euronews)
Mention Macao, and most people think of casinos. Fair or not, the city has earned its reputation as a gambling powerhouse. But long before it became Asia’s casino capital, Macao was a vital outpost in Portugal’s global empire. Churches and cuisine stretching back centuries still reflect Portugal’s legacy as Macao integrates into China.
China to seek out life in the solar system as NASA faces cuts, commercial players expand ambitions (April 9, 2025, Space News)
China has unveiled a long-term planetary exploration roadmap for planetary habitability and the search for extraterrestrial life. The roadmap outlines a series of upcoming and proposed missions targeting key destinations across the solar system.
Transgenderism a fundamental human right? Hong Kong public disagrees, survey finds (January 7, 2025, The Gospel Herald)
Research reveals that respondents from various backgrounds prioritize personal safety and fairness when it comes to transgender issues. When laws involve moral judgments, most respondents believe courts should not make the decisions.
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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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