The fate of a ranting driver raises doubts about the “new” Uzbekistan (January 23, 2025, The Economist) (Subscription required)
The jailing of dissenters is nothing new in Uzbekistan, Central Asia’s most populous country, where faulting the president can land you in trouble. What is unusual is the recent public outcry after the imprisonment of an ordinary motorist, who found himself behind bars after his tirade over fuel shortages went viral.
The United Arab Emirates’ AI Ambitions (January 24, 2025, Center for Strategic & International Studies)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is placing enormous bets on artificial intelligence (AI) to diversify its economy and become the world’s next technological hub. As the United States develops its strategy for global AI leadership, the UAE presents a critical test case for engaging with technologically ambitious countries seeking to balance relations with both the United States and China—a challenge that will shape the United States’ broader approach to technological partnerships and export control policies.
The Maldives: The Future of Climate Change (January 7, 2025, Foreign Policy in Focus)
A prime example of the existential risks posed by climate change is the Maldives, a republic of 1,192 coral islands dispersed around the Indian Ocean. The Maldives, which have an average height of only 1.5 meters above sea level, are particularly susceptible to catastrophic weather events and increasing sea levels.
Inside Russia, A Snapshot Into Hopes, Fears, And Gripes Of A Society At War (January 23, 2025, Radio Free Europe - Radio Liberty)
President Vladimir Putin's increasingly autocratic rule has stifled dissent, choked off political opposition, and criminalized criticism of the armed forces -- or even open debate about the conduct or wisdom of the war. The repression has made it difficult for sociologists, opinion pollsters, and journalists to understand the sentiments of average Russians, particularly in provinces outside of big cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Meet the woman bringing AI to Mongolia’s nomadic herders (January 24, 2025, CNN)
“I come from a herder community, I still own 300 sheep.” It was a fitting introduction to explain to the audience why she’s so passionate about her work on digital inclusion in Mongolia, a democratic country sandwiched between Russia and China, where about 30% of the 3.5 million inhabitants are nomadic herders.
Kim Jong Un’s Emphasis on Chongryon (February 3, 2025, The Diplomat) (Subscription required)
The North Korean leader extends a warm welcome to a visiting group of Korean nationals resident in Japan. The sight of the young boys and girls shedding tears while singing songs of loyalty in front of Kim was widely reported by North Korean media.
We tried out DeepSeek. It worked well, until we asked it about Tiananmen Square and Taiwan (January 28, 2025, The Guardian)
The AI app soared up the Apple charts and rocked US stocks, but the Chinese chatbot was reluctant to discuss sensitive questions about China and its government.
China installs deep-sea detector to hunt mysterious ‘ghost particles’ (February 8, 2025, Indian Express)
Chinese scientists have placed special detectors deep in the South China Sea to explore the possibility of building a huge underwater observatory, reported SCMP. Their goal is to find neutrinos—tiny, nearly invisible particles that come from outer space and may hold clues about the origins of the universe.
Why many Hong Kong youth feel like failures – and how to build resilience instead (February 10, 2025, South China Morning Post - Young Post)
According to a recent survey conducted by the Hong Kong Christian Service, 48.3 per cent of participants – aged 12 to 24 – rated themselves at least a six out of 10 on a failure index. Many of them pointed to academics as the reason for their rating.
The Chinese New Year and renaissance of an old tradition in Hong Kong (February 3, 2025, Xinhua Net)
As the vibrant sounds of drums and gongs filled the air, a colorful troupe of performers holding an ancient auspicious animal, wound its way through the villages of the New Territories of Hong Kong, fanning up the festive atmosphere during the Chinese New Year.