Asia
All our reports, articles and notes covering this part of the world.
26 September 2020
Europe, India, Japan, Singapore, USA, Vietnam
Interests and relations between Russia, China, the USA, and the European Union
Russia is looking for closer relations with China as a counterbalance for threats from foreign powers like the USA. Russia’s authorities regularly express concern over the American defense systems establishing a global missile shield in the countries along its borders in both Europe and Asia. Russia incites race divisions in the US with fake news […]
23 September 2020
China, Japan
Illegal shark fins trading and special treatment of gangsters in El Salvador
The government of El Salvador has allegedly offered special treatment to the imprisoned leaders of street gangs in return for halting violence and support in elections for President Nayiby Bukele, according to a media report. Among the favors were better food, removal of repressive guards or reversing the decision to put rival gangs members in […]
23 September 2020
India, Nigeria, USA
Lack of coins in the US and temporary basic income
Temporary basic income for the poorest was proposed as a solution to the pandemic crisis by the United Nations Development Programme. With 3 billion people living below or just above the poverty line and around 100 million pushed into extreme poverty due to coronavirus, that kind of solution is recommended as many developing countries lack […]
23 September 2020
China, Hungary, Thailand
Protests in Hungary, Thailand and China
Thousands of Hungarian students formed a several kilometers long human chain in a protest demanding autonomy for the universities. In recent years, the government transferred control over some of the most important universities in the country to the foundations loyal to the administration of prime minister Viktor Orban. The current wave of protests started with […]
23 September 2020
Germany, Japan, USA
Will the stock markets react to the results of the U.S. presidential elections?
Large external deficits and loose monetary policy fueling inflation, loss of geopolitical hegemony and weaponization of dollar via trade, financial and technology sanctions could be deciding factors if the American currency were to lose its dominant position, according to Nouriel Roubini, an economist from New York’s University. The potential shift is to take years, though […]
19 September 2020
Congo, India, Netherlands, Spain
The mass graves in Spain and conflicts over museums in India
The Spanish government approved the new Law on Democratic Memory (“Ley de Memoria Democrática”) that will make the state responsible for unearthing the mass graves from the era of civil war and the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. About 100 000 victims stay in unmarked graves across the country. According to Amnesty International, that number is […]
19 September 2020
Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen
The peace talks in Sudan and Afghanistan and the conflict in Yemen
Sudan’s peace agreement signed between the transitional government and a coalition of rebel leaders is a chance to end conflicts in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile. The fight along the peripheries of the country involved the Army of Sudan and South Sudanese Sudan’s People Liberation Army, as well as rebels supported by both belligerent […]
11 January 2019
Asia, China
Tea or Coffee? What a Beverage Tells Us about China today
Chinese people drink 2.1 million tonnes of tea every year. The infusion has defined traditions, history, even maps. Surprisingly, in the camellia kingdom, Starbucks opens a coffee store every 15 hours. Near the wall of what’s said to be the oldest teahouse in China, there is a short, stooped over and nicked barber wearing a […]
26 December 2018
Asia, China
40 years later – from “Made in China” to Makers Land
December 2018 marks the 40th anniversary of Chinese reforms and opening-up policy that transformed the country forever. Shenzhen city was China’s reform pioneer. We travelled to once a fishing town that gave birth to Huawei and other technological giants. We talked about urbanism, electric vehicles, “Maker” Movement, education and ‘shanzhai’, a neologism for “fake” that […]
4 December 2018
Asia, China
Paying for Fried Chicken with the Face: A Journey around the Biometric Landscape in China
A customer orders crispy fried chicken using one of the screens at a Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) in Shenzhen. At the digital menu, there are pictures of the products and pricing information: a lip-smacking chicken bucket for 39 yuan (almost 5 euro), two chicken burgers plus a chicken bucket for 69 yuan (8.7 euro). After […]
