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An interview with Ronna Chao, the multi-talented inventor of The Billie System

Ronna Chao sat down with TMS to give us a bit of insight into her life and the innovative Billie System – an eco-friendly method of recycling textile waste without using water.

From Credit Suisse's consequences to the problems of space trash – Here's your November 25 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: Credit Suisse expects big losses – Credit Suisse has faced a string of scandals recently.

Why space debris is a real problem

When we shoot stuff into space, it doesn’t always come back to Earth. But it doesn’t just disappear, either.

Japan’s first major investigation into the Unification Church

Japanese politics have a lot of ties to the Unification Church, which some have described as a “cult.”

The average Hong Kong public housing wait time is down to 5.6 years from 6 years

Hong Kong is one of the world's most densely populated places, with a population of around 7.5 million. So, its housing demand is incredibly high.

Credit Suisse expects about US$1.6 billion worth of losses in Q4

Switzerland's second-largest lender has been accused of being used by money launderers, corrupt politicians and crooks.

Lumiere Runway brings Hollywood to Hong Kong

Lumiere Runway, a multi-brand fashion show, is bringing Hollywood to Hong Kong. On November 26, guests’ senses will be tantalized and teased as Meler Productions transports them to a whole new fashionable experience in the Grade 1 heritage building, Haw Par Mansion. The mansion will be transformed to host this

From a crypto superman to your brain being wired to boogie – Here's your November 24 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: Is Binance CEO Zhao a crypto superman? – Since the collapse of FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried's bankrupted crypto empire, the industry has been in the Wild West.

Dance dance revelations – what makes us go footloose?

Even if you have two left feet, dancing is always fun. A celebration of movement and music – what's not to love?

Is Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao a crypto superman?

Since the collapse of FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried's bankrupted crypto empire, the industry has been in the Wild West.

More trouble at China’s biggest iPhone factory

On Tuesday, more protests broke out at the factory, with employees allegedly complaining that the terms of their pay had been changed.

The GameStop meme stock phenomenon – some are still bullish, some are still shorting

From April 2020 to January 2021, GME skyrocketed 10,692% in less than a year. But how did it happen?

The best of times at Tempo Tempo

If you're looking for a laid-back yet professional environment to wine and dine in, catch Tempo Tempo on the second floor of Oxford House in Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay. This beautiful vast outdoor terrace brings a touch of the Mediterranean to Hong Kongers – celebrating love, happiness and savoire-vivre through fine

From Iger's big Disney comeback to a massive underwater volcano – Here's your November 23 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: What's happening at Disney? – Bob Iger was Disney's CEO for 15 years, retiring in December 2021.

How Hong Kong’s old Supreme Court building has been brought back to life

The Magistry in Tai Kwun has opened as a new culinary and social space in Hong Kong.

How could winter affect the war in Ukraine?

Right now, more than half the country's energy system has been damaged.

Hong Kong has one of the best public transit systems in the world

Despite having millions of passengers daily, the MTR is still so convenient and efficient that it can bring you almost anywhere in the city with spotless connections.

Why is Bob Iger’s return to Disney as CEO such a big deal?

When complaints about Chapek reached the board, it did something pretty shocking by calling back its former CEO.

From Trump's Twitter account to our nuclear future – Here's your November 22 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: Trump’s back on Twitter? – After Elon Musk bought Twitter for US$44 billion, he immediately started to reshape it.

Where does the world stand on nuclear power?

The concept of nuclear tools is making a total comeback in 2022.

FIFA threatens yellow cards for players sporting OneLove armbands at the World Cup in Qatar

With all of the controversy and complications happening over in Qatar during the World Cup, FIFA has just run into one more.

There’s new-found optimism on Chinese assets with the country’s recent policy shifts

Wall Street big boys, including Morgan Stanley and Bank of America, are turning bullish on Chinese assets. So, where did the new-found optimism come from?

Elon Musk reinstates Trump’s Twitter account after public poll

Over the weekend, Musk started a Twitter poll asking followers to vote on bringing back Trump's account.

From the close of COP27 to confused circling sheep – Here's your November 21 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: COP27 ends with a historic step – For the last two weeks, representatives of nearly 200 countries have been in talks to resolve global warming at the COP27 summit in Egypt.

COP27 approves breakthrough agreement to offer climate victims financial help

For the last two weeks, representatives of nearly 200 countries have been in talks to resolve global warming at the COP27 summit in Egypt.

What’s going to happen to crypto post-FTX crash?

Crypto hasn’t been performing super well over this past year.

Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes was sentenced to 11 years in prison for fraud

On Friday, the 38-year-old former CEO was given 11 years and three months in prison for three counts of investor fraud and one count of conspiracy.

FIFA chief’s strange opening statement to the World Cup

Now, the president of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, is getting attention for his opening statements.

Our interview with Bamboo Scenes Founder Madelon de Grave

TMS sat down with Madelon de Grave to chat about her fascinating life journey from the Netherlands to Hong Kong, the considerations behind art curation and the evolution of Bamboo Scenes along with the metaverse.

From Tom Ford becoming a billionaire to our obsession with true crime – Here's your November 18 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: Tom Ford is in the billionaire’s club –Tom Ford is a high-end luxury fashion and beauty giant with a super successful brand known especially for fragrance and eyewear.

True crime is massively popular – but is it ethical?

True crime has seen a real boom in popularity lately. But is society’s true crime obsession a good thing?

What can we expect at Bangkok’s APEC forum?

This week, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings kicked off in Bangkok, Thailand.

Crypto lenders get hit by the FTX collapse

A crypto crisis was sparked by the collapse of the second-largest cryptocurrency exchange platform, FTX, which went bankrupt last week.

Tom Ford becomes a billionaire with Estée Lauder purchase

Tom Ford is not only a fashion designer, creative director, author and filmmaker – but he’s about to become a billionaire with a net worth of over US$2 billion.

From the Poland missile blast to an interrupting baby elephant – Here's your November 17 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: Poland missile blast likely an accident – On Tuesday, Ukraine said Russia attacked the country with more than 90 missiles, the biggest offensive in more than a month.

The pros and cons of billionaire philanthropy

Billionaires have a lot of money, obviously. But they also give a lot of money away.

Donald Trump is back in the race for 2024

Well, everyone, strap in. Trump is running for office again in 2024.

Poland missile blast isn’t likely to have come from Russia, say officials

Early Wednesday, the Polish Foreign Ministry said the missile was likely Russian-made, but the whole situation was still under investigation.

Apple prepares to diversify its supply chain with US-produced chips

Apple is not the only tech giant eyeing its chips to be made in the US.

Visit Conspiracy Chocolate and The Whisky Library’s bean-to-bar, grain-to-glass pop-up in Hong Kong’s IFC

Are you naughty, or are you nice? Smokey or sweet? Complex or bitter? This holiday season brings together Hong Kong’s home-grown chocolate makers and spirit curators, launching their first pop-up in IFC mall. Launched on November 11, the pop-up will run till May 2023, and if the sound of

From China's path to peace to more weird mascots – Here's your November 16 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: China's path to peace? – China and US relations hit a low point when US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi made a controversial visit to Taiwan in August.

Is overpopulation really a threat?

As the world's population hits 8 billion people, should we be worried?

The UN calls for Ukraine reparations from Russia

On Monday, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution calling for Russia to be held accountable for breaking the law by invading Ukraine and occupying Ukrainian territory.

The three biggest rainforest nations join together to save the jungle

Even though it's the final week of COP27 in Egypt, rainforests are still in the spotlight when it comes to climate change.

China's vice president says the country will follow the path of peaceful development

On Tuesday, Chinese Vice President Wang Qishan talked about China's global outlook at the Bloomberg New Economy Forum in Singapore.

From policy changes in China to the G20 summit – Here's your November 15 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: The end of China’s property crisis? – Chinese real estate has been struggling for a while now – hitting market confidence and weighing on the world's second-largest economy.

What to know about this year’s G20 summit

The Group of Twenty, aka the G20, is a coalition of leaders of the world's largest economies.

Biden and Xi meet at the G20 summit amid rising US-China tensions

On Monday, US President Biden and China’s President Xi met during the G20 summit in Indonesia.

Hong Kong anthem mixup at the Rugby Sevens final

On Sunday, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens men’s team beat South Korea in the final of the second leg of the Asian Rugby Sevens Series in South Korea.

China unveils new 16-point plan to ease the real estate crisis

Chinese real estate has been struggling for a while now – hitting market confidence and weighing on the world's second-largest economy.

From Elizabeth Holmes maybe heading to the slammer to Pokémon victory – Here's your November 14 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: Elizabeth Holmes is looking at jail time – Elizabeth Holmes is the former CEO of Theranos, a blood-testing startup founded in 2004.

How are streaming services moving forward?

Where does the streaming phenomenon go from here?

How the ASEAN Summit handled Myanmar

On Friday, ASEAN delegates called on Myanmar to make actual progress on the Consensus or be barred from the bloc's meetings.

Sam Bankman-Fried resigns as FTX CEO and his crypto exchange files for bankruptcy

We're still talking about FTX and its CEO, Sam Bankman-Fried, because the world's second-largest crypto empire keeps falling deeper and deeper into a hole.

US prosecutors say Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes should face 15 years in prison

In 2015, Wall Street Journal journalist John Carreyrou exposed Holmes and Theranos, saying that the company’s claims were false.

Meet Eve, Hong Kong's newest functional recovery soda and wellness beverage, and founder Amy Tsien

TMS sat down with the founder of Eve, Amy Tsien, to chat about breaking stereotypes of the wellness industry, entrepreneurial insights and how she hopes to promote mental health on her business journey.

From Singles' Day slumping to a not-so-baby shark – Here's your November 11 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: What’s the deal with Singles’ Day? – In case you didn't know, Singles' Day is the biggest Chinese online shopping day of the year.

The voter fraud myth, explained

Citing voter fraud, politicians can try to create laws that make voting harder – especially for BIPOC, lower-class, elderly and immigrant citizen voters.

Biden and Xi to meet on Monday

With the G20 conference coming up next week, US President Biden and Chinese President Xi will talk beforehand on Monday.

FTX goes into panic mode as Binance walks away from its buyout deal

“I f---ed up,” FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried told investors on a call, according to people with knowledge of the conversation.

China’s Singles’ Day is facing challenges after tech and celebrity crackdowns

Happy Singles' Day! In case you didn't know, Singles' Day is the biggest Chinese online shopping day of the year.

No Monday Blues with Hong Kong's MindBeauty

What if Mondays didn't have to be as soul-crushing as we make them out to be? Maybe Monday could be a day to look forward to instead? Hong Kong's MindBeauty is helping us achieve exactly that – with an exciting Happy Hour event on November 21 at Sheung Wan's private member's

From US-Russia nuclear talks to a toad you probably shouldn't lick – Here's your November 10 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: The US and Russia nuclear treaty talks – In 2010, the US and Russia signed an agreement called The New START treaty, which was extended to last through 2026.

COP27 and corporate net zero greenwashing

Another environmental story from us! We know we've been talking about climate topics quite a lot lately, but with COP27 going on, there are so many interesting developments that we want to share.

Twitter quitters are heading for Mastadon, a Germany-based, open-source alternative

Elon Musk’s Twitter is pretty much a disaster so far, and his takeover could potentially spell the end of the platform.

Chinese bank valuations are looking gloomy – at lows near the depths of the 2008 financial crash

China's property market has been dealing with a bit of a crisis, and it continued to struggle in October, facing liquidity problems and enormous debts.

The US and Russia, the world’s two largest nuclear powers, will resume talks over nuclear treaty

On Tuesday, US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the countries have agreed to resume the treaty talks soon.

From Russian election interference to the rise of misinformation – Here's your November 9 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: Putin’s ally admits to interfering in US elections – Russia has been accused of meddling in US elections since at least 2016.

Is misinformation growing on social media?

The internet has enabled a crisis of public misinformation. Anyone can say anything, and fake news is just a part of our everyday lives now. It shouldn't be like this. So why is it?

Bitcoin hacker who stole US$3.36 billion is busted

Websites that rely on cryptocurrency for in-site purchases can be pretty vulnerable to criminal activity. There’s a lot of hacking going on.

Taiwan’s exports fall sightly, but beat expectations of a slump

China is Taiwan's biggest trade partner – China and Hong Kong buy about 40% of Taiwan's total exports.

Russian businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin admits to Russian interference in US elections

Russia has been accused of meddling in US elections since at least 2016.

CHOMP celebrates its one-year anniversary this month

What do you get when you put three amazing things together – great food, saving the planet and a sick party? The answer is CHOMP’s first-year anniversary party!

From China's zero-COVID stance to a blood moon eclipse – Here's your November 8 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: China’s zero-COVID measures are here to stay – Since the pandemic started, China has had some of the strictest COVID restrictions in the world – also known as its zero-COVID stance.

The world’s richest people contribute more to carbon emissions – but how?

At this point, it's no secret that the rich have larger carbon footprints than the poor. But how much are the wealthy actually contributing to the climate crisis?

North Korea confirms it simulated attacks on South Korea and the US in response to joint military drill

On Monday, North Korea confirmed that these recent missile launches were simulated strikes on South Korea and the US.

China pledges to stick with its strict zero-COVID policy

Since the pandemic started, China has had some of the strictest COVID restrictions in the world – also known as its zero-COVID stance.

Apple iPhone shipments will arrive late as China COVID curbs carry on

Apple has said it's looking at fewer iPhone 14 shipments than expected, meaning iPhone orders will be backed up.

From the return of Hong Kong Sevens to bumblebee recreation – Here's your November 7 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: Hong Kong Sevens is back! With the recent global banking summit, it's clear that Hong Kong is looking toward reopening and trying to reverse the setback brought by isolation under COVID restrictions.

The hype of meme coins

We all know that the crypto world has become a bit of a gamble these days. Bitcoin, the cryptocurrency forerunner, reached an all-time high just last year.

India’s strategy at the COP27 climate conference

In New Delhi – the capital of India – farmers have been burning crop stubble, and the winter winds are super calm, causing smog to smother the city.

Germany’s Chancellor Scholz visits Bejing on a controversial trip

Scholz is the first G7 leader to visit China since the pandemic started and the first to meet with Xi after securing his third term in office.

Hong Kong Sevens returns after three years of COVID restrictions

With the recent global banking summit, it's clear that Hong Kong is looking toward reopening and trying to restore the damage brought by isolation under COVID restrictions.

Artist Mr Doodle on how Doodlism is the next Cubism and the evolution of his style

It often starts with a blank canvas and an outstretched arm that extends into a thick black marker. In unhurried yet unhesitant motions, thick, smooth lines materialize into a dance of anticipation for his 2.6 million Instagram followers – what has Mr Doodle conjured up now?

From Hong Kong's rate hike to the world's best cheese – Here's your November 4 news briefing

To start off, we're looking into: Hong Kong raises interest rates after the Fed’s hike Hong Kong's monetary policy has been pegged to the US dollar since 1983, in a close range between 7.75 to 7.85 Hong Kong dollars against the greenback. So, when the Hong Kong

How experimental drug treatments affect people with mental illnesses

As a part of our overall wellness, mental health plays a huge role by affecting how we experience our everyday lives. But, according to the WHO, mental health conditions and substance use disorders have risen 13% in the last decade.

China says the US has “no right” to interfere in its port deal with Germany

Last year, Chinese shipping giant Cosco made a bid for a 35% stake in one of three terminals in Germany's largest port in Hamburg.

The Ukraine grain export deal is back on as Russia agrees to rejoin

Ukraine is one of the world’s biggest exporters of grain, but stocks have been piling up in the country since Russia invaded.

Hong Kong and its banks hike interest rates following the Fed’s hawkish stance

Hong Kong's monetary policy has been pegged to the US dollar since 1983, in a close range between 7.75 to 7.85 Hong Kong dollars against the greenback.

From Hong Kong warming up to crypto to Qatar’s World Cup dilemma – Here’s your November 3 news briefing

From Hong Kong warming up to crypto to Qatar’s World Cup dilemma – Here’s your November 3 news briefing

What is the human rights sitch in Qatar, host of the World Cup?

The 2022 FIFA World Cup will kick off in just a couple of weeks. This year, it's taking place in Qatar, a small Arab country on the western coast of the Persian Gulf.

North Korea fires the highest number of missiles in a day, and South Korea responds

North Korea has test-fired a record number of missiles this year, claiming that the launches are a response to drills on South Korea's side of the peninsula.

The US wants to have talks with China on its growing nuclear force

Washington is calling on Beijing for nuclear talks. China – one of the world’s largest nuclear weapons producers – is growing fast in its military power.

Hong Kong will explore making retail crypto trades legal

The Hong Kong government has proposed a plan to allow retail investors to trade cryptocurrencies and related funds legally.

From China’s Longfor’s shares tumbling to Heidi Klum’s best impression of a worm – Here’s your November 2 news briefing

From China’s Longfor’s shares tumbling to Heidi Klum’s best impression of a worm – Here’s your November 2 news briefing

How do video games affect your brain?

Video games have become a central piece of media culture. Adults and children alike pore over them for hours for a little virtual fun.

The DRC and Rwanda clash – here’s what you need to know

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has a problem with M23 rebels in its eastern provinces. Formed in 2012 by Congolese army deserters, these rebels used to make up another armed group called the National Congress for the Defense of the People (CNDP), which Rwanda had supported.

Hong Kong seeks a comeback as financial hub

After almost three years of isolation from the world with strict COVID measures, sweeping social unrest and an exodus of companies and residents, Hong Kong has been hoping to make a comeback as an international finance hub by hosting a three-day banking summit for over 200 global finance leaders.

Chinese developer Longfor takes a big hit as its billionaire chair steps down

For a while now, China's housing market has been struggling. Starting with Evergrande, developers low on cash began defaulting on loans and failing to finish projects.

From Lula winning Brazil to what to expect from the COP27 climate conference – Here's your November 1 news briefing

From Lula winning Brazil to what to expect from the COP27 climate conference – Here's your November 1 news briefing

Workers flee the world’s biggest iPhone factory, Foxconn, in China over COVID lockdown

Foxconn, the world’s biggest iPhone factory in Zhengzhou, China, with around 200,000 workers, had strict COVID measures put in place about two weeks ago to stem an outbreak from spreading outside the plant.

Gearing up for COP27 in Egypt – here’s what you need to know

COP27 comes during a strange sociopolitical moment. The world is teetering on the edge of economic recession and dealing with ballooning inflation.

In a big comeback, Lula wins the Brazilian runoff against Bolsonaro

On Sunday, Lula narrowly won the presidency for the third time, with a 50.9% vote compared to 49.1% for his opponent, right-wing Bolsonaro.

China updates women’s rights law for the first time in decades

The history of women's rights in China is long and complex. But gender discrimination issues have kind of snowballed even more recently.

From tragedy in South Korea to Russia backtracking on the Black Sea grain deal – Here’s your October 31 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: 153 killed in Seoul Halloween celebration On Saturday night, at least 153 people were killed while celebrating Halloween in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul in South Korea. This year, Itaewon attracted thousands of partygoers to celebrate the first mask-free outdoor Halloween since the

What’s in store for Elon Musk’s Twitter?

Since Elon Musk officially acquired Twitter last Thursday, there have already been some operational changes. Internally, there have been some major shifts in how Twitter is run. First, Musk let some top executives go, the first of what will probably be major job cuts affecting the company’s 7,500

Iranian protesters ignore a “last day” ultimatum

It’s been more than a month of mass protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini while she was in police custody. The protests against the Iranian government have been met with deadly violence. Other young people, including Nika Shakarami, have been killed during these demonstrations. Rather than

Russia blames Ukraine for naval attacks and suspends the grain export agreement

Ukraine’s Black Sea grain exports were interrupted by Russia’s invasion earlier this year, and grain has been piling up in the country for over eight months. But, in July, the UN negotiated a deal with Russia to allow Ukraine to ship its grain to ease a global food

Halloween stampede in Seoul, South Korea, kills 153

On Saturday night, at least 153 people were killed while celebrating Halloween in the Itaewon neighborhood of Seoul in South Korea. This year, Itaewon attracted thousands of partygoers to celebrate the first mask-free outdoor Halloween since the pandemic started. The incident took place in a crowded party area; thousands of

How Basin is bringing a taste of the Mediterranean to Hong Kong

Basin sits nestled in the heart of the restaurant district of Central. A slice of the Mediterranean translated in its refined decor of classy marble table tops, velvety cool grey chairs, gold accents and facades of deep sea blue. A pristine open kitchen brings a live show where chefs hustle

From China buying into a German port to Elon’s punny Dad jokes – Here’s your October 28 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Germany approves China buying stake in its busiest port Last year, Chinese shipping giant Cosco made a bid to purchase a stake in some terminals at Germany’s largest shipping port in Hamburg. But, officials have been divided over the deal and worried

Are electric vehicles really the answer to the climate crisis?

The electric vehicle (EV) revolution is really catching speed. While the world’s most famous EV producer is Tesla, other brands are quickly catching on. GM, Ford and Mercedes-Benz are all making moves into the EV market. In the coming years, we can expect 12 more EVs to come out.

Meta is no longer one of the top 20 companies in the world

Meta’s latest big project is Reality Labs (RL), a metaverse initiative that hasn’t quite taken off yet. RL used to be the independent company Oculus until Facebook (now Meta) bought it, integrating its software and hardware. Right now, they’re doing a lot of (very expensive) development in

The European Commission proposes new measures against air pollution

Each year, there are 300,000 premature deaths in Europe because of air pollution. It also causes a lot of problems like diabetes, lung disease and cancer. Many European countries have their own laws and approaches to cleaning up the air, water and environment, though they mostly fall short of

Germany approves Chinese shipping company Cosco to buy stake in its Hamburg port

Last year, Chinese shipping giant Cosco made a bid to purchase a stake in some terminals at Germany’s largest shipping port in Hamburg. But, officials have been divided over the deal and worried about becoming too reliant on China, its largest trading partner. Some German coalitions and the European

From Elon Musk finally pulling the cord to dating people like your ex – Here’s your October 27 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Elon Musk promises to buy Twitter Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been flip-flopping back and forth about buying Twitter for months. When he threatened to pull out of the purchase, Twitter decided to take him to court. But recently, the court put the

Is there a reason you keep dating people similar to your ex?

Have you ever dated two people with similar personalities, looks or both? Your current significant other may be more similar to a former partner than you realize. And, it turns out, there may be a scientific reason behind that. While it may seem strange to date someone who reminds you

The UN says our current climate pledges aren’t enough to avoid a disastrous climate breakdown

We’ve been seeing the effects of climate change all around the world in a big way. Freak weather events have been disastrous, from the drought crisis in China to massive hurricanes in Central America to historic heat waves in Europe. With the COP27 climate conference coming up in just

Russia’s “dirty bomb” accusations could be a “false flag” operation says the West

Earlier this week, Russian defense minister Sergei Shoigu accused Ukraine of planning to use a “dirty bomb” – a powerful explosive with radioactive materials that scatter through the air when exploded. But, three NATO nuclear powers – the US, the UK and France dismissed Russia’s claims with a joint statement, suspecting

Elon Musk promises bankers he’ll close the US$44 billion Twitter deal by Friday

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been flip-flopping back and forth about buying Twitter for months. When he threatened to pull out of the purchase, Twitter decided to take him to court. But recently, the court put the lawsuit on hold, giving Musk until Friday to close the deal or else

From the US accusing China of spying to AI bots being a little too good at copying art styles – Here’s your October 26 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: The US accuses China of spying In 2019, the US began a probe into Chinese company Huawei for stealing trade secrets from T-Mobile and committing bank fraud by breaking sanctions and doing business with Iran. The company has been in US crosshairs since

Why are Wall Street execs headed to Saudi Arabia this week?

After Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) announced his plan to open the country to foreign investors and become a supply chain hub, Wall Street is looking to Saudi Arabia more often for investment opportunities – despite US-Saudi political tensions, which increased recently after OPEC+’s decision to cut oil production.

Is there plagiarism in the world of AI art?

Recently, we’ve seen the popularity of AI image generators skyrocket. With platforms like DALL-E, NightCafe and Midjourney, this phenomenon has flooded the internet. If you’re unfamiliar with how this concept works – by using short text descriptions generated by the user, these AI bots create entirely new images by

The US alleges two Chinese spies interfered in its Huawei investigation

In 2019, the US began a probe into Chinese company Huawei for stealing trade secrets from T-Mobile and committing bank fraud by breaking sanctions and doing business with Iran. The company has been in US crosshairs since former President Trump’s administration, as the government was concerned it could pass

Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai is found guilty of fraud

Do you remember the Hong Kong protests that broke out and gained traction in 2019? Well, the city is still feeling the affects of those. In fact, a few major names have been dealing with the waves brought on by their links to the demonstrations. One of those people is

From Singapore telling Branson to bring it to the Chinese Politburo’s lack of ladies – Here’s your October 25 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Singapore challenges billionaire Richard Branson Earlier this month, UK billionaire Richard Branson wrote a blog post called “What’s the matter with Singapore?” criticizing the country’s use of the death penalty, especially for drug crimes. Describing Singapore as “on the wrong side

What’s the truth about vaping?

Smoking cigarettes is bad for you. You straight up shouldn’t do it. It was about 220 years ago that people first began to figure out the health risks of smoking tobacco, and people started to really have concerns in the 50s and 60s. But only within the past half-decade

What does Rishi Sunak bring to the table as the new UK prime minister?

The UK has been through a lot over the past couple of months. After all, former Prime Minister Liz Truss lasted only 45 days in office. An unrefrigerated head of lettuce literally lasted longer than she did. While Truss was head of state, the pound plummeted, Queen Elizabeth died and

For the first time in 25 years, there are no women on China’s Politburo

This past weekend, China’s CCP Congress ended with announcing the new lineup of the Party’s 205-member Central Committee, 24-member Politburo and the most powerful seven-member Politburo Standing Committee, which is basically like a presidential cabinet. These three groups are responsible for making policy decisions and essentially overseeing how

Singapore challenges Virgin founder Richard Branson to a death penalty debate

Earlier this month, UK billionaire Richard Branson wrote a blog post called “What’s the matter with Singapore?” criticizing the country’s use of the death penalty, especially for drug crimes. Describing Singapore as “on the wrong side of history,” Branson said the “rising frequency of executions” were “dark stains”

From Xi Jinping clenching a third term to one gigantic fish – Here’s your October 24 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Xi Jinping’s new dream team A day after the weeklong, twice-a-decade 20th CCP Congress ended, President Xi introduced the government’s new dream team at a press conference. The new Politburo Standing Committee, which is basically a presidential cabinet at the top

Who are the young men fleeing Russia’s mobilization?

As Russia’s war with Ukraine continues, many different groups of people have been displaced by the violence – including some Russians. Not every Russian is in favor of Putin’s decision to move in on Ukraine. While there are people who support the war, many Russian citizens aren’t so

Italy’s new far-right prime minister Giorgia Meloni is sworn in

Italy, the third-largest economy in the EU, gave the largest vote share to the right-wing Brothers of Italy party leader, Giorgia Meloni, in its September 25 election. Since then, the world has been paying attention to how she will lead the most far-right government since the fascist era of Benito

China’s next core of power has surfaced

A day after the weeklong, twice-a-decade 20th CCP Congress ended, President Xi introduced the government’s new dream team at a press conference. The new Politburo Standing Committee, which is basically a presidential cabinet at the top of government, includes Xi and six of his associates. As expected, Xi also

India launches 36 satellites into space with OneWeb

One of the world’s major communications companies, OneWeb, is working on creating a “satellite constellation” of 648 satellites for global broadband coverage. The company has gotten 426 of these satellites into orbit already. But, it sent those satellites into space using Russian-made Soyuz rockets run by the French company

Quitting corporate law to become content creators – a look back on Em and Lloyd’s first year as full-time YouTubers

For professionals in the law industry or law students on their way into the field, Em and Lloyd’s YouTube channel is a haven of answers. Peeling back the curtains, they offer an insider look into the life of a lawyer with their popular “Week in my Life” series and

From Hong Kong trawling for talent to Liz Truss throwing in the towel – Here’s your October 21 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: How Hong Kong is attracting top talent Yesterday, we broke down key points of Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee’s policy speech. One topic he spoke on that’s super relevant right now revolves around attracting talent back to the city. Many

Liz Truss and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

We talked yesterday about how UK Prime Minister Liz Truss was being hammered politically. Her approval rating was in the single digits; she announced a tax plan that made the national bank have to roll out emergency stimulus; and then she had to fire the treasury secretary and roll back

How some banks are greenwashing (and what you can do about it)

Banks are learning the value of catering to the eco-friendly crowd by advertising that they’re helping to fight climate change. This makes sense since ESGs are on the rise, which essentially means that investors are looking to make investments in more environmentally and socially responsible companies. But it turns

Elon Musk has an interesting forecast for Tesla

Even though it’s worth US$700 billion, Tesla hasn’t quite been living up to expectations lately. Its stocks have been struggling over the last few months, and it did say on Wednesday that it expects to miss its vehicle delivery target this year. The Q3 2022 financial results

How Hong Kong is attracting and keeping top talent

Yesterday, we broke down key points of Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee’s policy speech. One topic he spoke on that’s super relevant right now revolves around attracting talent back to the city. Many residents have chosen to leave the city for rival financial hubs like Singapore in

From John Lee’s policy address to Netflix making a major comeback – Here’s your October 20 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: John Lee’s CCP Congress address This past July, John Lee became Hong Kong’s chief executive. Lee gave his first policy address as Hong Kong’s leader yesterday before the Legislative Council at the ongoing CCP Congress. One of his major economic

Hong Kong leader John Lee addressed the Party Congress – here’s what you need to know

This past July, John Lee became Hong Kong’s chief executive. He’s known for being a favorite of Beijing and was the only candidate to replace former leader Carrie Lam. Lee gave his first policy address as Hong Kong’s leader yesterday before the Legislative Council at the ongoing

Netflix reverses its declining subscriber numbers

Netflix was the first major TV and film streamer out there, but it didn’t dominate the market for long. It seems like every media company is trying to create a streaming service – from Disney, NBC and HBO to Amazon Prime, Apple and Hulu … There are too many to name

It’s not me, it’s you – what is The Great Breakup?

It’s not exactly a secret that women have a more difficult time climbing the ranks of big businesses than men. Globally, they hold only 23% of executive positions and only 29% of senior management positions. There are many reasons for this, from the “motherhood penalty” to downright sexism and

Is this the end of the line for Liz Truss?

About six weeks ago, Liz Truss became the prime minister of the UK, having won an election of about 200,000 conservative voters. She ran on a platform of cutting taxes for the rich, touting trickle-down economics as her justification. But when she went to implement the policy, UK markets

From Australia’s stance on Jerusalem to Liz Truss trying to outlast a head of lettuce – Here’s your October 19 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Australia reverses its Israel decision It’s become a major point of Israel’s foreign policy for other countries to recognize West Jerusalem as its capital. But most countries see Tel Aviv as the capital. The issue is that Jerusalem is situated right

Investment bankers want that millennial dough

Younger generations are made up of a weird set of investors. Instead of stashing cash under their mattress like in the good ol’ days or investing in stocks and bonds, they’re putting their money into digital investments, like cryptocurrencies, NFTs and, of course, meme stocks. But Hong Kong banks

Iran is selling missiles and drones to Russia to use in Ukraine

Russia’s supplies have reportedly been running a bit low recently in the war in Ukraine. According to British intelligence leaders, this is noticeable with the kinds of missiles Russia is using. At the beginning of the war, it used precise missiles (called precision-guided missiles) to hit targets across Ukraine.

Microsoft is making layoffs in the wake of struggling sales

This hasn’t been a great year for a lot of companies, including in the tech industry. In the 47 years Microsoft has been around, it’s seen plenty of economic advances, with its stock growing 200% in the past five years, thanks to brands like Xbox, Windows, Azure and

Australia reverses its decision on Israel’s capital

It’s become a major point of Israel’s foreign policy for other countries to recognize West Jerusalem as its capital. But most countries see Tel Aviv as the capital. The issue is that Jerusalem is situated right outside of the West Bank and has kind of a loose status

From the Iran prison fire to Netflix’s new profile transfer feature – Here’s your October 18 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Inside the Iran prison fire In Tehran, Iran, Evin prison is a notorious detention center known for holding dissidents and political prisoners among its thousands of inmates. Sections of it are run by Iran’s intelligence services and Revolutionary Guard, and there have

Netflix is rolling out profile transfers

Netflix has sort of been going through it recently. It used to have a hard grip on the streaming market, but now with all sorts of other streaming services, it makes up a much smaller market share. Earlier this year, it released a report that said it was losing subscribers.

Credit Suisse is going through the wringer again

Swiss banking giant Credit Suisse has had its ups and downs recently. See, the company hasn’t done the best job of risk management, meaning investors have been a little shaken. And it’s seen its share price fluctuate as a result of its upcoming turnaround plan. Speculations about its

China delays releasing its economic data

All heads are turned toward China’s Communist Party Congress right now. As we reported yesterday, President Xi’s opening speech on Sunday covered a ton of ground, and we’ll be seeing how different leadership races unfold under his vision of China’s future. But, this week, we were

Inside the Iran prison fire

In Tehran, Iran, Evin prison is a notorious detention center known for holding dissidents and political prisoners among its thousands of inmates. Sections of it are run by Iran’s intelligence services and Revolutionary Guard, and there have been accusations of torture and human rights abuses against the facility. In

From key points from President Xi’s CCP congress speech to a lifesize Pan Solo – Here’s your October 17 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Xi’s CCP Congress speech Occurring only twice a decade, China’s Communist Party Congress is a pretty big deal when it comes to choosing the country’s future leaders. And this year’s, in particular, is important for a few reasons. Kicking

Is the blockchain going for gold?

Gold is a pretty weird asset. On the one hand, it isn’t used up like oil or grains, so it doesn’t deal with the same supply issues you see in those industries. This is because once gold is mined, it just stays in the world, whether it’s

Demand for Beyond Meat is sizzling out

You’ve probably noticed and/or heard how inflation is making things more expensive worldwide. So, to save a buck, people are generally choosing not to spend their extra money on plant-based meats when they go to the grocery store. Sales of meat alternatives fell almost 11% in the year

President Xi gave a speech to open the CCP Congress – here’s what you need to know

Occurring only twice a decade, China’s Communist Party Congress is a pretty big deal when it comes to choosing the country’s future leaders. And this year’s, in particular, is important for a few reasons. It’s the first one since the COVID pandemic (and China’s zero-COVID

What’s the deal with the Van Gogh soup throwers?

Climate activism groups have sprouted up all over the world as the climate crisis has become more intense and received more news coverage. To get the world’s attention, though, climate protesters have gotten creative. And, over the past few months, activists in the UK have been gluing themselves (literally)

Exploring the potential of hypnotherapy with All About You’s Sonia Samtani

Sitting in one of the warm, neatly presented rooms of Hong Kong’s All About You Centre, I take in the hypnotherapy posters on the walls. “According to Forbes Magazine, hypnotherapy has a 93% success rate with less sessions required than both behavioral and psychotherapy," says one of them. Sounds

From China’s bursting housing bubble to Prince Charles’ “Dear, oh dear" – Here’s your October 14 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: China’s housing bubble, explained In China, residential housing makes up about a quarter of domestic output. And this market is crashing. For years, preselling housing real estate made it easy for developers to snag loans; they could buy more land and keep

Are dream jobs worth it?

There are pretty much two extremes for the advice people give on choosing a job. On one end is the hustle-culture version, which says you should get a degree in a high-paying field and then get the highest-paying job you can find. On the other end is the ‘follow your

NATO and Russia proceed with nuclear exercises despite rising tensions

Since the start of Russia’s war in Ukraine, much of the West, and especially NATO, has done its best to stay out of actual combat, partly because NATO getting involved directly could trigger a nuclear response from Russia. And, Putin gave a speech last month that essentially said Russia

How Asian tech is dealing with US chip export curbs

Last week, the US announced some hard and fast restrictions on tech exports to China. It limited exports of some types of advanced computing chips and also made it more difficult to sell semiconductor equipment to any Chinese company. The US is trying to stop China from developing tech that

China’s bursting housing bubble, explained

In China, residential housing makes up about a quarter of domestic output. And this market is crashing. For years, preselling housing real estate made it easy for developers to snag loans; they could buy more land and keep building. Two years ago, though, President Xi cracked down on these lending

From the Russian nuclear threat to a Fat Bear Week winner – Here’s your October 13 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Will Russia use tactical nuclear weapons? Lately, the threat of nuclear war seems closer than ever. In August, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that “humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation," referring to the Ukraine war and nuclear threats

Why Alex Jones is being forced to pay up nearly US$1 billion

Back in 2012, a 20-year-old gunman shot 26 people at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Most people understandably saw it as a horrific tragedy and mourned the death of school children, teachers and staff. But not Alex Jones – he said the attack was staged. Jones is a conspiracy

India is dealing with a new epidemic of antibiotic-resistant “superbugs”

There’s a new epidemic in India – not of COVID, but antibiotic-resistant “superbugs." In plain speak, this means bacteria that have adapted to medicines and become resistant to the drugs supposed to get rid of them. This is obviously a huge problem, and critics say it is because doctors in

China doubles down on zero-COVID approach

Earlier this year, the Chinese government adopted a new strategy for controlling the spread of COVID: regular mass PCR testing. Every citizen was tested a few times a week to isolate cases and cut the need for widespread lockdowns. The government had high hopes for this plan, which continues to

Will Russia use tactical nuclear weapons in the war against Ukraine?

Lately, the threat of nuclear war seems closer than ever. In August, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that “humanity is just one misunderstanding, one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation," referring to the Ukraine war and nuclear threats in Asia and the Middle East. In a future nuclear attack, a tactical

From New Zealand taxing cow burps to one gigantic gourd – Here’s your October 12 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: New Zealand will tax cow burps? Experts say we need to keep global warming from rising an additional 1.5 degrees Celsius (about 3 degrees Fahrenheit) to avoid the worst of climate change. Recently, New Zealand has stepped up to the plate by

Is Meta’s new VR headset leading the way?

Meta just launched its newest VR headset, and boy, is it snazzy. It has a better resolution screen, meaning it’s easier to read text and see small images. It has cameras that detect where your eyes are looking, so VR chats feel a little more natural. And you can

NASA flew a spacecraft into a rock, and it was a smashing success!

A couple of weeks ago, NASA smashed a spacecraft into an asteroid. In fairness, they were aiming for it and trying to figure out how much they’d be able to divert an asteroid if it were headed towards Earth. (And hopefully, we can all agree that avoiding asteroid strikes

Putin and UAE President MBZ talk about Ukraine and OPEC+

Last week, OPEC+, a group of oil producers including the UAE and Russia, agreed to cut oil production by two million barrels a day. This is its biggest cut since 2020, and the US is totally against the move. Apart from both being OPEC+ members, the UAE and Russia have

New Zealand has proposed a controversial farm levy for the environment

Experts say we need to keep global warming from rising an additional 1.5 degrees Celsius (about 3 degrees Fahrenheit) to avoid the worst of climate change. Recently, New Zealand has stepped up to the plate by pledging to cut methane emissions 10% by 2030 as part of a plan

From US-China chip woes to a fresh volcano eruption in Italy – Here’s your October 11 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: The US and China butt heads over tech When it comes to global tech, the semiconductor supply chain is pretty exclusive. Lately, China has been investing a lot in domestic tech to get in on the industry. Right now, TSMC leads manufacturing for

Airlines plan to go net zero by 2050

In 2015, when world leaders gathered in Paris to come up with a climate agreement, the accord they walked out with left out two big industries from their emissions goals – aviation and shipping. This is a problem since airlines produce at least 2.5% of global emissions, and experts say

Musk says China doesn’t want Starlink

Elon Musk’s company Starlink works pretty much like this – it puts satellites in orbit that can shoot down WiFi signals, and then you have receivers on the ground that can pick up the signal. This makes it great for emergency situations since all you need is power on the

US-Hong Kong relations strained over a Russian’s megayacht

Apart from placing sanctions on Russia for its continued invasion of Ukraine, the US has taken things a step forward by sanctioning individual people. These sanctions are placed on Russian government officials and elites close to President Putin. More specifically, these sanctions restrict luxury assets like yachts and planes. These

US chip export curbs have China’s tech shares tumbling

When it comes to global tech, the semiconductor supply chain is pretty exclusive. Lately, China has been investing a lot in domestic tech to get in on the industry. Right now, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company leads manufacturing for the most advanced semiconductors. And Netherlands-based ASML is the only company that

From the Nobel Peace Prize winners to welcoming new baby turtles in San Diego – Here’s your October 10 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Nobel Peace Prize shared among activists Last week, the Nobel Prizes were awarded, including the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. Winners promote peace in various ways, from human rights to disarmament. About a third of them have been shared among different people and organizations.

The US is still dealing with inflation

Economies around the world are in a bit of limbo right now. With record-high inflation, there’s essentially too much money circulating in the economy, meaning prices of everything from gas to food go up. There are really two ways to deal with that problem. One is to raise interest

What to expect from the Chinese Communist Party Congress

Only held every five years, Chinese Communist Party congresses are significant in appointing national leadership. The week before the congress is known as the seventh plenum in the Chinese political cycle, where the outgoing congress approves amendments to the constitution and party nominations. During the weeklong congress, which kicks off

Portugal to open up digital nomad visas for people to stay up to a year

When the pandemic hit and a lot of people shifted to working remotely, it was because we were all stuck at home trying not to get each other sick. But now that COVID guidelines are loosened, people who are still working remotely have the chance to do that from anywhere

The 2022 Nobel Peace Prize is shared among Ukraine, Belarus and Russia activists

Last week, the Nobel Prizes were awarded, including the prestigious Nobel Peace Prize. At this point, it’s been awarded 103 times to 140 Nobel Prize laureates since 1901, 110 individuals and 30 organizations. Winners promote peace in various ways, from human rights to disarmament. About a third of them

How 2°East co-founder Sally Lim is bringing sustainable watches and slow marketing to Hong Kong

Sustainable brand 2°East manufactures simple watches, and it’s backed by two people with a vision to make ethical consumption accessible. These analogue timepieces are for anyone looking to make an effort to shop with the environment in mind. Built with intricate craftsmanship, including quality materials like sapphire crystal,

From tensions on the Korean peninsula to giving Putin a taste of his own medicine – Here’s your October 7 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Korea’s missile face-off Things are heating up between North and South Korea, with the US and Japan also getting involved. Over the past couple of months, South Korea and the US launched a series of joint military exercises to deter North Korea.

At least 37 people, including 22 children, have been killed in Thailand massacre

On Thursday, a former police officer killed at least 37 people at a preschool center in Na Klang district in Thailand. Twenty-two of the victims were children. Officers say most of the children killed were stabbed to death, and the man shot other victims. After fleeing the scene, the man

The underground abortion networks around the world

Back in June, the US Supreme Court came out with a decision that said, in so many words, that people in the US didn’t have the right to an abortion. This didn’t make it illegal to get an abortion, but it sent it back to states to make

Hong Kong developers are a threat to its bird habitat

Hong Kong’s wetlands, which provide foraging and roosting grounds for hundreds of bird species, have been a hot topic lately. Recently, it came to light that the government may re-zone the conservation and buffer areas there. The buffer area is a border surrounding the reserve that the government created

What’s happening on the Korean peninsula?

Things are heating up between North and South Korea, with the US and Japan also getting involved. Over the past couple of months, South Korea and the US launched a series of joint military exercises to deter North Korea. But North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has interpreted them as

From more military drills in the East to Fat Bear Week – Here’s your October 6 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: The US and Philippines launch combat drills Tensions have been on the rise lately between the US and China, which claims self-governed Taiwan as its territory. Now, the US and the Philippines have launched joint naval exercises off the Philippine coast. Through October

Spotify is looking to overcome its misinformation woes

Spotify is buying a company called Kinzen, an AI startup that specializes in getting software to recognize potentially harmful things that people say. Think things like calls to violence, racist language or even “dog whistles,” something seemingly tame on the surface that an audience understands to be much darker. Kinzen

Virgin Atlantic drops Hong Kong in Russian airspace issues

Hong Kong has seen a slew of travel changes lately, having dropped all hotel quarantine restrictions for arrivals less than two weeks ago. For the most part, this has been good news for the travel industry. Hong Kong’s Travel Industry Council expects outbound travel to boost as much as

The US and Philippines launch combat drills amid tensions with China

Tensions have been on the rise lately between the US and China, which claims self-governed Taiwan as its territory. While the US says it still supports the “One China” policy, it has pledged to support Taiwan’s right to defend itself from invasion and sent arms to the island. Plus,

OPEC+ is majorly cutting oil output

With the Russian war in Ukraine, energy prices are all out of wack globally. In the US, there are fears that higher prices at the pump will affect the upcoming midterm elections, and Europe is worried about whether or not it will have enough energy to get through the winter.

From the Nobel Prize for quantum physics to more (or maybe less) Musk shenanigans – Here’s your October 5 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: The Nobel Prize has been awarded for quantum physics In science, quantum mechanics is a field that deals with the behavior of atoms and subatomic particles. Right now, quantum physicists are really interested in the theory of quantum entanglement, which explores how particles

Five bankers leave Credit Suisse’s Hong Kong branch

We talked a bit yesterday about how Credit Suisse, a Swiss investment bank, has been going through the wringer recently. It’s dealt with high-profile scandals, a very non-favorable market for its target audience, and most recently, its stock prices jerking around because investors are skeptical about its ability to

Is the Elon-Twitter saga over?

It looks like the feud between Elon Musk and Twitter is finally coming to an end (maybe). If you haven’t been following along for one of the weirdest company acquisitions of the year, then let’s rehash. Toward the beginning of the year, Musk became interested in Twitter. Privately,

Judge considers giving Elizabeth Holmes a new trial

Elizabeth Holmes, the founder of the health technology company Theranos, continues to make headlines as she takes on fraud charges against her. This past January, she was found guilty of defrauding investors. Facing 20 years in prison, Holmes was convicted on four out of 11 counts of fraud. In a

The Nobel Prize has been awarded to three scientists for quantum physics

In science, quantum mechanics is a field that deals with the behavior of atoms and subatomic particles. Right now, quantum physicists are really interested in the theory of quantum entanglement, which explores how particles that have traveled far apart can still communicate and act in coordination with one another. These

From Google Translate exiting China to Elon Musk getting dragged on the internet – Here’s your October 4 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Google’s retreat from China Google has struggled to survive in China for the better part of the last two decades. Back in 2010, Google pulled its search engine from mainland China because of the country’s internet censorship. At one point, Google

Elon picks a fight with Zelenskiy

On Monday, world-renowned political science expert Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk waded into a Twitter discussion about the Ukraine war. Recently, Russia claimed a bunch of land in eastern Ukraine for itself. But this kind of annexation is entirely illegal under international law, and the referenda that were held

Credit Suisse has ups and downs in one day

Swiss bank Credit Suisse has sort of been going through it lately. It’s dealt with scandals in recent years (including that time it lost billions of dollars on a bad bet with Bill Hwang), and it’s going through an overhaul later this month. On top of that, the

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei breaks his silence on the country’s protests

A couple of weeks ago, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died in police custody after she was taken in by the “morality police” for allegedly not wearing her hijab correctly. Her death has stirred up mass protests and demonstrations throughout Iran and international outrage. Recently, Amnesty International reported that leaked documents revealed

Google continues retreating from the Chinese market

Google has struggled to survive in China for the better part of the last two decades. Back in 2010, Google pulled its search engine from mainland China because of the country’s internet censorship. At one point, Google considered a search service specifically for the Chinese market, but that project

From a heated Brazilian election to Elon Musk’s new robot friend – Here’s your October 3 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Brazilians go to the polls In Brazil, current far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has been a polarizing leader since he started his term in 2019. Bolsonaro’s most controversial acts as president revolve around how his administration has contributed to the destruction of the

At least 125 are dead after a football game stampede in Indonesia

On Saturday night, at least 125 people were killed during a crowd rush at a football game in Malang, Indonesia. The whole thing started when fans flooded the football pitch to riot after the home team lost to their rivals, and police then shot tear gas into the crowd. This

Elon Musk shows off Tesla’s humanoid robot

In everything from “Star Trek" to “Ex Machina," there’s a pretty clear message – we have good reasons to be afraid of humanoid robots being plugged into AI. But Elon Musk, notorious for heeding the advice of not-so-futurists, has decided it’s in everyone’s best interest to push forward

The ridesharing rivalry between Uber and Lyft continues

Competition between ridesharing platforms Uber and Lyft isn’t anything new. But, over the years, Uber has been diversifying its services. No longer just a glorified taxi, Uber now offers food and grocery deliveries, car rentals and more. Meanwhile, Lyft has stayed more singularly focused and localized in its niche,

Brazilians go to the polls in a landmark presidential election

In Brazil, current far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has been a polarizing leader since he started his term in 2019. Bolsonaro’s most controversial acts as president revolve around how his administration has contributed to the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, dropped the ball on Brazil’s COVID response and tried

How James Marlow of Hong Kong’s Green Hour believes education is the core of sustainability

Hong Kong’s Green Hour may have never existed if it wasn’t for a random New Year’s challenge from a friend back in 2018. “I didn’t really plan on doing anything around environmentalism before setting this up. It wasn’t something that I ever intended to do,

From the Bank of England stepping in to adult Happy Meals – Here’s your September 30 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: The Bank of England steps in to avoid a financial crisis The UK’s economy has been struggling lately. The pound is hitting rock-bottom lows against the US dollar, recently at just US$1.058 (from our experience, it’s usually around US$

How Venice is fighting with the ocean

If there’s a city in the West to watch as climate change causes ocean levels to rise, it’s Venice. Venice, Italy, which requires boats for most daily transportation, has been dealing with flooding for decades. But now, with climate change causing sea levels to go up, the consequences

Russia updates – Russia admits mistakes in mobilization and plans to annex parts of Ukraine

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “partial mobilization” of its citizens into the war in Ukraine. This was a big deal since, so far, Russia has refused to act like the country is in wartime. But this partial mobilization meant requiring people to fight – particularly reservists and people

Major debut IPOs flop in Hong Kong – what does this say about the market?

Around the world, central banks are raising interest rates to calm inflation, driving up fears of a global recession. As tensions rise between China and the US over Taiwan (among other issues), uncertainty lingers over Chinese listings in the US (there’s a huge US inspection of Chinese audits happening

Why is the Bank of England stepping in to avoid a financial crisis

The UK’s economy has been struggling lately. The pound is hitting rock-bottom lows against the US dollar, recently at just US$1.058 (from our experience, it’s usually around US$1.30ish). Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, some British people were appalled at having such a

From a rocky start at the US-Pacific summit to Lizzo’s mad flute-playing skills – Here’s your September 29 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: The US Pacific summit is off to a rocky start As China and the US compete for power in the Pacific, diplomatic activity has become a flurry. This past June, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi went on a high-profile tour of the region

WNBA players can’t outsource their pay as easily anymore – but should they need to?

Professional basketball in the US has a pay equity problem. The median pay for a man in the NBA is more than US$4.3 million for an eight-month season; women in the WNBA have a season that’s half as long, but their average pay is between US$130,

Meta takes down Pornhub’s Instagram account

When you think of free speech on social media, you’re probably thinking about political or even hate speech. But what about porn? Well, Instagram (which doesn’t allow nudity) just banned Pornhub’s account permanently. To be clear, it’s not like Pornhub was posting explicitly pornographic content on

Foreign influence social media campaigns are back targeting US voters

Over the past few years, spam accounts on social media used to influence elections have (alarmingly) become the norm. When it comes to American elections, this phenomenon seems to repeat itself again and again. Back in 2014, Russia developed a so-called “troll farm" to spread false and offensive messages on

The US is seeking deeper ties with the Pacific Islands, but are they interested?

As China and the US compete for power in the Pacific, diplomatic activity has become a flurry. This past June, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi went on a high-profile tour of the region that lasted 10 days. Soon after his return, the US announced a Pacific summit, which kicked off

From Russia’s cyberattacks on Ukraine to Spain’s nightmare-inducing transit mascot – Here’s your September 28 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Russia’s cyberattacks on Ukraine Over the years, Russia hasn’t been a stranger to targeting Ukraine’s digital systems. In 2015 and 2016, it targeted Ukraine’s energy systems after the annexation of Crimea. In 2017, Russia was also responsible for the

Just say no to pointless work meetings

It’s pretty much inevitable that if you’ve worked with other people, no matter how closely, you’ve ended up in meetings that either could have been an email or that you didn’t need to be in. These can feel like a waste of time and be demoralizing.

A gas pipeline burst in Europe, and no one knows who did it

Energy is a hotly contested topic right now (no pun intended). See, Russia is a huge producer of oil and natural gas, and Europe has historically relied on the country to help it through the cold winters. But now that the EU has sanctioned the bejeezus out of Russia, every

What does Giorgia Meloni’s win mean for Italy and for Europe?

Recently, Europe has witnessed a rise in the popularity of far-right politics. In 2017, the anti-immigrant party Alternative for Germany first gained seats in Germany’s parliament, the Bundestag. And a party described as having “neo-nazi roots" won more than 20% of the vote in a Swedish election earlier this

Is Russia about to launch major cyberattacks on Ukraine?

Over the years, Russia hasn’t been a stranger to targeting Ukraine’s digital systems. In 2015 and 2016, it targeted Ukraine’s energy systems after the annexation of Crimea. In 2017, Russia was also responsible for the NotPetya attacks on Ukraine that caused a shutdown of Chernobyl’s radiation

From a push to reopen Hong Kong to chucking puffins off a cliff – Here’s your September 27 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Is Hong Kong ready to reopen? Recently, Japan said it would reopen its borders in October, and Taiwan also plans to ditch its mandatory quarantine in a couple of weeks if it’s passed the peak of its latest omicron BA.5 outbreak.

Are deepfakes ethical?

Back in 2018, former US President Barack Obama said that “Killmonger was right,” referring to the villain in “Black Panther.” He also said that conservative US politician Ben Carson “is in the sunken place” and that “President Trump is a total and complete dipshit.” Except President Obama didn’t really

Snowden is a Russian citizen now

Nine years ago, Edward Snowden leaked a bunch of info about how the US and British governments were spying on ordinary citizens, even if they weren’t actively suspected of doing anything wrong. He got in trouble over it and is facing espionage charges in the US. So, he fled

The US and Japan discuss Taiwan during Vice President Harris’ Tokyo visit

Following Japan’s surrender after World War II, the US and Japan developed a strong relationship and have become allies. And yesterday, US Vice President Kamala Harris visited Tokyo and spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Akasaka Palace. She was leading a US delegation for former Prime Minister

Is Hong Kong ready to reopen?

Recently, Japan said it would reopen its borders in October, and Taiwan also plans to ditch its mandatory quarantine in a couple of weeks if it’s passed the peak of its latest omicron BA.5 outbreak. Hong Kong has had a mandatory hotel quarantine for international travelers for over

From China and India calling for peace in Ukraine to worldwide climate protests – Here’s your September 26 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: China and India call for peace in Ukraine With Putin making nuclear threats, anti-war protests in Russia leading to over a thousand arrests and Putin backing referendums in Ukrainian regions to join Russia, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is close to boiling over. But China

Masses are fleeing Russia after Putin’s “partial mobilization”

Russia has called its invasion of Ukraine a “special military operation,” which in theory has meant that it involves only enlisted military personnel and shouldn’t affect the general population too much. This also allowed the government to side-step officially declaring war on Ukraine. (In practice, there’s been some

Digital nomads are becoming more common in China

If you haven’t heard of the “996" system, it’s pretty brutal. It’s a kind of work culture well-known in China where people work from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week. And on the flip side of that, you have a protest work

China and India call for an end to the Ukraine war at the UN General Assembly

With Putin making nuclear threats, anti-war protests in Russia leading to over a thousand arrests and Putin backing referendums in Ukrainian regions to join Russia, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is close to boiling over. But China has largely stayed out of it. And, really, no world power has supported Russia in

Worldwide climate protests seek reparations ahead of COP27

As climate change causes more extreme weather events around the world, the countries that have contributed the least to global carbon emissions are often met with the most damage. In 2020, a report showed that the Global North is responsible for 92% of excess carbon emissions. And yet, developing nations

Exploring the Hong Kong Lesbian and Gay Film Festival with “Suk Suk" director Ray Yeung

It’s been two years of dealing with a pandemic, and we’ve grown to adapt to the changes as we always do. But when our collective experiences have often been reduced to virtual “Netflix parties," the opportunity to return to the cinema has never been more novel. To grip

Immerse yourself in the world of fintech at FINNOVASIA’s 2022 Hong Kong FinTech Week

Hong Kong’s 7th annual FinTech Week is quickly approaching, set to take place from October 31 to November 4. Led by Invest Hong Kong and organized by FINNOVASIA, Hong Kong FinTech Week (HKFTW) is a pretty huge deal in the city. The convention offers a platform for international fintech

From the anti-war protests in Russia to new, snazzy pics of Neptune – Here’s your September 23 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Anti-war protests have erupted across Russia Although Russia invaded Ukraine in February, not all Russians support the conflict. And, back in March, Russia enacted two laws to pipe down any dissent over the war. These laws criminalize independent war reporting and anti-war protests.

How does inflation affect climate change?

We all know that the decisions we make at the grocery store affect our carbon footprint. But we’ve also all been a little tight on cash at times and had to decide if we actually needed the all-natural, plant-based, biodegradable, carbon-neutral, green-to-the-max shower loofah – and opted for the boring

Japan is reopening its doors

Japan has been pretty strict with its COVID guidelines since the start of the pandemic. And after the first couple of waves of the pandemic had passed, it was a country that still resisted reopening despite pushes from its business sector to reopen for economic reasons. You might even remember

How Meta and Google are trimming their workforces

Mass layoffs are bad for PR, and Silicon Valley knows it. But, last week, Google told employees it plans to cut its Area 120 research division’s projects in half. And, Meta has announced it would defer extending full-time job offers to this year’s summer interns to take more

More than 1,300 Russians have been arrested in nationwide anti-war protests

Although Russia invaded Ukraine in February, not all Russians support the conflict. And, back in March, Russia enacted two laws to pipe down any dissent over the war. These laws criminalize independent war reporting and anti-war protests. With Putin’s recent order to mobilize as many as 300,000 reservists

From China chatting with the GCC to anti-war protests erupting in Russia – Here’s your September 22 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: China and the GCC talk energy and security China has a longstanding history of cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In fact, China is the GCC’s largest trading partner. Since

Russia arrests more than 1,300 people in anti-war protests

Russia is in a pretty bad slump right now. The country has been dealing with significant hits to its economy from sanctions by the West; a couple of weeks ago, it lost a lot of territory due to a highly successful military campaign by Ukraine in the north; and the

Is TikTok the new Google?

You’ve probably had that annoying experience where you went to Google to find a local restaurant for dinner, and it just wasn’t helpful. Maybe it doesn’t do a good job differentiating between similar names (how am I supposed to remember if the place my friend recommended was

YouTube courts its Shorts creators in a bid to beat TikTok

In September 2020, Google-owned YouTube launched its Shorts feature to compete with the TikTok user explosion. TikTok has over a billion monthly active users, and other social media platforms (like YouTube) are trying to catch up with it. This has been a difficult shift, with Shorts costing YouTube a quarter-billion

China and the GCC talk energy, security and more cooperation

China has a longstanding history of cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. In fact, China is the GCC’s largest trading partner. Since 2004, the two have been negotiating a free trade negotiation with some stops and starts

From Russia’s next moves in Ukraine to a Beyond Meat exec’s taste for … human flesh? – Here’s your September 21 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Russia plans to annex parts of Ukraine The war in Ukraine has turned tides recently, with Ukraine taking back major territory in the Kharkiv region from Russian forces. And, with Russia seeming to run out of wartime supplies like weapons, hopes were rising

Plant-based meat executive bites a guy’s nose

You’ve probably heard about Beyond Meat, a company that specializes in creating plant-based imitation meat products. The idea is to reduce people’s meat consumption, and even if you don’t go vegan or vegetarian or anything, cutting a little bit of meat out of your diet can go

Is going off the grid the way of the future?

Puerto Rico just got hit by a huge hurricane, which knocked power out across the island and left most of its more than 3 million residents in a blackout. But for a select few buildings, which were outfitted with either solar panels or an emergency generator, the blackout meant needing

Protests erupt in Iran after woman dies in custody of morality police

In Iran last week, 22-year-old Mahsa Amini died after being arrested. Stopped by authorities for having “unsuitable attire," Amini was taken to the station by Iran’s morality police for “re-education." In an interview, Amini’s brother said he was told she’d suffered a random heart attack or a

Russia’s next move is trying to annex parts of Ukraine

The war in Ukraine has turned tides recently, with Ukraine taking back major territory in the Kharkiv region from Russian forces. And, with Russia seeming to run out of wartime supplies like weapons, hopes were rising that the seven-month war could be moving toward an end. But it looks like

From Turkey trying to join the SCO to the Grand Theft Auto VI leaks – Here’s your September 20 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Will Turkey join the SCO? Last week, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan hosted the leaders of many countries. The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and security bloc headed mainly by China. Although some view the SCO as an anti-Western

Meta isn’t doing so hot, and here’s why

In the not-so-distant past, Facebook (now Meta) was among the biggest Silicon Valley giants in existence. Two years ago, its CEO Mark Zuckerberg was the third-richest person on Earth, behind only Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. But, all that money is tied up in more than 350 million Facebook stock

Turkey is seeking full membership to the SCO

Last week, the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Uzbekistan hosted the leaders of many countries. The SCO is a Eurasian political, economic and security bloc headed mainly by China. Although some view the SCO as an anti-Western and anti-NATO body, the Central Asian member-states have collaborative relationships with the

China’s nuclear deal with Argentina slips again

Last February, China and Argentina made a nuclear deal. State-owned China National Nuclear Corp signed a contract with Argentina promising to build the US$8 billion Atucha III nuclear power plant using Chinese technology while covering 85% of the costs. This deal had been in the making since 2015 but

Your science teacher lied to you about dinos; here’s how they actually died

At some point, probably in a primary school science class, you likely learned that the Earth used to be filled to the brim with dinosaurs of all kinds until about 66 million years ago when a meteor hit the Yucatán Peninsula (modern-day Mexico) and wiped them all out. Well, scientists

From the EU cutting off Hungary’s funds to Yeezy’s drama with a 90s fashion relic – Here’s your September 19 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: The EU moves to cut funding to Hungary Since Hungary’s 2004 membership in the EU, things haven’t always gone smoothly. Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, has had arguments with the EU over Hungary’s civil rights policies and independence of

Are business travelers a dying breed?

During the pandemic, airline tickets were super cheap. One reason was that everyone wasn’t taking their tour-de-COVID to different parts of the world, opting to stay home instead. (Good job, by the way.) Another is that gas prices got super cheap, meaning jet fuel was super cheap, and airlines

Ye scraps his Gap deal

A couple of years ago, 24-time Grammy winner Kanye West (aka “Ye”) made a deal with Gap to put his brand Yeezy on its shelves. The first round of the products the company rolled out was a puffy blue jacket that sold out in just a few hours. And in

Terra founder, Do Kwon, denies being “on the run”

Early this year, Terraform Labs completely collapsed, with the cryptocurrency ecosystem losing US$40 billion worth of investors’ money, crumbling the crypto coins Terra and Luna. This collapse contributed to a loss of faith in digital assets – especially the stability of so-called “stablecoins." Then, five South Korean investors accused Terra’

The EU may cut funding to Hungary over corruption issues

Since Hungary’s 2004 membership in the EU, things haven’t always gone smoothly. Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orban, has had arguments with the EU over Hungary’s civil rights policies and independence of the country’s judicial, media and academic sectors. Now, another feud has begun as Hungary

Visual artist Afa Annfa on solitude, longing and being an artist in Hong Kong

In the heat of Hong Kong summer, you will find Hong Kong visual artist Afa Annfa with a single-origin cold brew or a fruity tonic coffee in hand before picking up a paintbrush and working on her paintings. After graduating from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Annfa started working for an

From the inside scoop on Xi and Putin’s meeting to a treasure trove of Deadpool butt jokes – Here’s your September 16 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Xi and Putin reunite When Chinese President Xi Jinping last saw Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hadn’t even started. At that meeting in early 2022, the two established a “no limits" partnership, causing the West some anxiety. Then,

How Patagonia is making its move to solve the climate crisis

Patagonia is unique when it comes to handling its climate impact. The outdoor clothing company has always been relatively concerned about sustainability. For years, it’s been donating 1% of its annual income to help the climate, and in 2018 it put climate goals into its company charter. Back in

Adobe buys Figma for US$20 billion

Figma is a collaboration platform for software developers, and it’s been one of the leading players competing against Adobe’s version of the same kind of platform. This is a big deal because, for a while, Wall Street bought into the belief that Adobe had the superior software for

The 4 groups that controlled the international COVID response

As the first major pandemic since the Spanish Flu a century ago, COVID caught everyone by surprise, leaving the world devastated. Now, the WHO says that the end of COVID is “in sight.” But how did we get here? Who was driving the global COVID response? On Wednesday, Politico released

The scoop on Xi’s and Putin’s Thursday reunion

When Chinese President Xi Jinping last saw Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hadn’t even started. At that meeting in early 2022, the two established a “no limits" partnership, causing the West some anxiety. Then, the war with Ukraine began. While China hasn’t directly condemned

From new clashes between Armenia and Azerbaijan to making connections on “whisper networks" – Here’s your September 15 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Armenia and Azerbaijan clash again As longtime adversaries, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been involved in a conflict that’s lasted more than 30 years. The clash is over both countries claiming a region called Nagorno-Karabakh. This area is part of Azerbaijan but is

Australia will probably avoid the worst of the economic crisis

Experts have been saying for a while now that a recession is likely in several major countries. Bloomberg’s poll of economists says the chance of recession is 50% in the US and 60% in the UK. With continued stringent COVID restrictions in China, countries around the world are bracing

Whisper networks – the new “who you know” of hiring

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve probably heard it a thousand times – when it comes to job hunting, it’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know. The idea of networking for the sake of job opportunities is as old as jobs themselves, and

The US considers China sanctions to deter action against Taiwan

Despite Taiwan’s resistance, China still wants to reunite with the breakaway region. President Xi has called the reunification with Taiwan “inevitable." Over the last few months, high-profile American officials, like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, made trips to Taiwan despite China’s disapproval and warnings against the visits. In response,

Despite a ceasefire, Armenia and Azerbaijan clash again

As longtime adversaries, Armenia and Azerbaijan have been involved in a conflict that’s lasted more than 30 years. The clash is over both countries claiming a region called Nagorno-Karabakh. This area is part of Azerbaijan but is mostly populated by ethnic Armenians and under the control of ethnic Armenian

From Sri Lanka’s debt woes to trash-loving clever cockatoos – Here’s your September 14 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Sri Lanka’s next move in its debt crisis Sri Lanka is dealing with a major debt crisis ranging from estimates of US$85 billion to over US$100 billion. The crisis has resulted in a depletion of essential imports like fuel and

What’s the next move in the Sri Lankan debt crisis?

Sri Lanka is dealing with a major debt crisis ranging from estimates of US$85 billion to over US$100 billion. The crisis has resulted in a depletion of essential imports like fuel and medicine. Sri Lanka’s former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was also booted out of office after nationwide

What are ESG funds, and why are people criticizing them?

If you haven’t heard of ESG, a good place to start is the acronym – it stands for Environment, Social and Governance. The idea is to allow companies to measure how socially conscious they are, specifically regarding issues like carbon footprints and green initiatives. The UN created the classification, which

What’s in store for President Xi’s planned meeting with Putin?

China is gearing up for its next party congress, which will take place in about a month. President Xi is expected to get a historic third leadership term during the congress, making him the country’s most powerful leader since Mao Zedong. As China prepares for this event, China-Russia relations

Foreign-language content is finally getting its heyday

For a long time, most content meant for global consumption has been in English. Pick a year out of the past 50 for awards like the Emmys, and you’re not going to find many foreign-language TV shows (or films) topping the charts. But if you’ve lived abroad, you

From rethinking the monarchy to Elon Musk’s shoebox mementos for sale – Here’s your September 13 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: What’s next for the monarchy post-Elizabeth? Having invaded around 90% of countries on the planet (only 22 nations went untouched, according to historian Stuart Laycock), the UK has a long history of global imperialism. These days, though, the UK has backed off

How one billionaire is doing his own climate activism

Companies make a lot of big promises about what they’re doing to combat climate change, but it probably isn’t shocking to hear that many of them don’t follow through. For example, a study that came out in February, which included a close look at companies like Google,

Modern-day slavery is skyrocketing

According to a new UN report released on Monday, as you read this sentence, around 50 million people are living in modern slavery. That’s about 10 million more than were reported five years ago. That definition of modern slavery is tricky, so let’s break that down first. Modern

The US may curb chip exports to China again

China relies heavily on imported semiconductor chips even though it’s the world’s largest exporter of them. In fact, more than 90% of chips produced in China are made by foreign firms. And, it’s seen chip imports contract considerably this year. From January to August, its imports were

Debates over British imperialism have sparked after Queen Elizabeth II’s death

Having invaded around 90% of countries on the planet (only 22 nations went untouched, according to historian Stuart Laycock), the UK has a long history of global imperialism. These days, though, the UK has backed off from hard-line colonialism for the most part. But, the British monarch is still the

From Ukraine pushing back and making gains to a Donkey Kong faux pas – Here’s your September 12 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Is Ukraine’s luck turning? When it invaded Ukraine in February, Russia seemed way more prepared for war as a major world power with a larger military. But lately, developments have begun to turn the tide in Ukraine’s favor. Foreign sanctions are

Did Apple just launch the next space race?

So, if you haven’t heard, Apple just launched the new iPhone 14, and it’s a doozy. Among the phone’s many features (including a controversial island hole punch for notifications and the camera), it’s included satellite access for its new phones. If you’re excited about making

Are nasal vaccines the way to go for COVID?

Last week, China became the first country to approve an inhalable version of the COVID vaccine. Instead of an injection into your arm, this vaccine is a spray given through the mouth or nose. It has the same basic ingredients as the shot (using a harmless version of the virus

How Ukraine is taking Kharkiv back

When it invaded Ukraine in February, Russia seemed way more prepared for war as a major world power with a larger military. But lately, developments have begun to turn the tide in Ukraine’s favor. Foreign sanctions are reportedly starting to affect Russia’s weapon supply, the US and Europe

Gautam Adani, Asia’s richest man – and coal tycoon – is looking toward green energy?

Over the course of the pandemic, while most people experienced an intense recession, some billionaires saw their wealth multiply. By, like, a lot. For example, India suffered intensely, with millions of people pushed into poverty. In fact, India’s economic struggles made up more than half of the global poverty

How BSD Education is making digital skills more accessible

Wanting to make tech education more accessible for teachers and students, BSD Education (Build Something Different) offers a customizable curriculum for educators wanting to bring digital skills learning to the classroom. Chris Geary and Nickey Khemchandani founded the program in Hong Kong in 2013, and since then, it has made

From Russia buying weapons from North Korea to the end of an era with Queen Elizabeth II’s death – Here’s your September 9 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Is Russia buying weapons from North Korea? According to US intelligence, Russia isn’t having the easiest time recruiting soldiers. And with a major series of Western economic sanctions against Russia, the country’s supply lines are finally seeing effects. Basically, Western sanctions

Scientists think there are health benefits to magic mushrooms

We’ve all felt a bit lonely at times and maybe wondered why we aren’t more connected to the people around us. But many philosophers would argue that those feelings come from an illusion – a hallucination of the self. Basically, this argument says that the belief that you’re

The Queen of England is dead. What happens now?

Queen Elizabeth II died earlier today. She was 96 years old, and in her 70-year reign as Britain’s monarch, she had 15 prime ministers, from Winston Churchill to the newly appointed Liz Truss. Elizabeth unexpectedly came to the throne at just 25 years old in 1952 after her father’

Israel and China working on free trade deal by the end of 2022

Since the early 2000s, cooperation between China and Israel has accelerated. China has boosted its average yearly investment in Israel from 2002, with its annual investment ballooning from US$20 million to more than US$200 million. Mainly, they help each other out with technology and infrastructure. Last year, China

The US says Russia is trying to buy weapons from North Korea

Could Russia’s strength in Ukraine be waning? According to US intelligence, Russia isn’t having the easiest time recruiting soldiers. And with a major series of Western economic sanctions against Russia, the country’s supply lines are finally seeing effects. Basically, Western sanctions have limited Russia’s ability to

From Biden’s simple “No" to an adorable chimp on the loose – Here’s your September 8 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Biden says “No” terrorism label on Russia In supporting Ukraine, the US totally condemns Russia’s invasion and has imposed heavy sanctions to get Putin to back off. Since the invasion started, Ukraine’s (and some US senators’) call for the US to

Apple did its thing

Apple just had its fall keynote, which is usually when it announces new devices coming out soon. This time around, those new devices included new AirPods Pro, some new Apple Watches and, of course, the heavily-anticipated iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro. Starting with the AirPods, the new generation of

Despite major losses, Snapchat is looking to grow

Snapchat isn’t doing so hot right now. Its stock has been on a downward slide for about a year now, making the company worth US$130 billion last year, now only worth an estimated US$20 billion this year. Snap also just laid about 1,200 employees off, and

Xi pushes for China to adopt green energy

China’s President Xi Jinping has a history of supporting climate initiatives and engaging with the science behind climate change. By his estimations, Xi has announced that China will reach peak carbon emissions by 2030. At a US-led summit last year, he also explained that developed countries should up their

Biden says “No" to labeling Russia a state sponsor of terrorism

In supporting Ukraine, the US totally condemns Russia’s invasion and has imposed heavy sanctions to get Putin to back off. Since the invasion started, Ukraine’s (and some US senators’) call for the US to officially designate Russia a state sponsor of terrorism has been on the rise. And

From cyberspying accusations to lots of space news – Here’s your September 7 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: China accuses the US of cyberspying China, the US and Russia are pretty big deals when it comes to researching cyberwarfare. For years, it’s been the norm for the US and allies to accuse China of widespread cyberattacks and spying. Recently, though,

NASA’s Dart will hit an asteroid in space

If you watched “Don’t Look Up,” and walked away from it having laughed but also trying to hide the fact that you now worry about asteroids hitting the Earth, you’re not alone. In fact, the folks over at NASA are light years ahead of you (pun absolutely intended)

China tests new ultra-powerful rocket engine

So we’ve talked a lot about space recently, and with good reason. NASA is working on getting its new SLS rockets to launch off the Artemis I, the first of a series of missions to bring astronauts back to the moon. But China hasn’t been far behind, either.

Indigenous groups are struggling to save the Amazon

The world’s largest rainforest, the Amazon, is at risk because of massive deforestation. Today, only 74% of the original forest remains. And at the forefront of protection efforts to save it are South American Indigenous groups. A new study on the Amazon by scientists and Indigenous organizations working together

China says the US hacked a Chinese research university

China, the US and Russia are pretty big deals when it comes to researching cyber warfare. For years, it’s been the norm for the US and allies to accuse China of widespread cyberattacks and spying. Recently, though, China has begun more directly accusing the US of staging official cyberattacks

From the US-China audit deal to Timothée Chalamet’s backless wonder – Here’s your September 6 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: What’s up with the US-China audit deal? As of March 31, 2022, there were 261 Chinese companies listed on major US stock exchanges, with a total market capitalization of US$1.3 trillion. The benefit of this international listing is that non-Chinese

The edit button is coming to Twitter

If you’re a Twitter junkie, you know the struggles of not having an edit button. Whether it’s a typo, a misquote, or you just want to update your tweet to show current info, so far it’s been impossible to use the same edit feature that pretty much

Russia’s economy is taking a beating under Western sanctions, internal report says

Since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the West has hit Russia pretty hard with a wide range of sanctions. But Russia has been pretty upbeat about the situation, mainly using the sanctions as a reason it can’t put much effort into helping the West out with

Who is Liz Truss, the new prime minister of the UK?

In July, drama wreaked chaos on the British government. The world watched in disbelief as Boris Johnson announced he’d be stepping down as prime minister amid a mountain of scandals, one of which being a record-breaking number of resignations from his own cabinet. They did so after it was

A US-China audit deal will prevent delistings

As of March 31, 2022, there were 261 Chinese companies listed on major US stock exchanges, with a total market capitalization of US$1.3 trillion. The benefit of this international listing is that non-Chinese citizens can trade shares of these companies. But, US law requires that companies on the

From the US hosting Pacific Island countries to NASA making oxygen on Mars – Here’s your September 5 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Biden will host a Pacific Island Summit The South Pacific region isn’t usually on the radar of Western leaders. But as China has grown closer to the region, signing a security deal with the Solomon Islands back in April, worry started to

Why NASA making oxygen on Mars is a huge deal

Us humans have been dreaming about making it to the planet Mars for pretty much as long as we’ve been able to see the thing. But now, we’re getting pretty close to actually being able to do that, and depending on who you listen to, it might even

Qatar will allow beer sales at this year’s FIFA World Cup

If you’re a big football fan, you probably already know that the FIFA World Cup is in Qatar this November. Until recently, though, there’s been a question about whether or not spectators will be allowed to enjoy the typical ice-cold alcoholic beverages (namely, beer) they usually drink during

Meet the new Starbucks CEO, Laxman Narasimhan

Starbucks is such a major institution that there’s hardly a day when it’s not making the news. With Pumpkin Spice Lattes returning to the seasonal menu and the recent wave of unionized locations, you can’t escape the ’bucks. Now, the coffee chain is getting a new CEO.

Why is Biden inviting Pacific Island leaders to Washington for a summit?

The South Pacific region isn’t usually on the radar of Western leaders. But as China has grown closer to the region, signing a security deal with the Solomon Islands back in April, worry started to loom in the West. In fact, the US and Australia sent officials to the

From Hong Kong’s “reverse quarantine" to the rapid rise of Grammarly – Here’s your September 2 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Malaysia’s former First Lady gets jail time On Thursday, Rosmah was sentenced to 10 years for bribery in exchange for government contracts. Allegedly, Rosmah solicited 187.5 million ringgit (US$42 million) and received another 6.5 million ringgit (US$1.5

US test scores indicate significant learning loss during COVID

You’ve heard it before – during the pandemic, everything was disrupted. And part of that everything was kids’ education, which took a hit when children had to stay home from school. Some places did remote learning; others did forms of homeschool (which parents were famously not the biggest fans of)

How did editing software Grammarly become one of the world’s biggest unicorns?

Remember when everyone worked in offices and what often could have been an email was easier to flesh out in person? Fast forward three years into the pandemic, with millions working from home and Zooming in their PJs, those “could have been an email" conversations are now, in fact, emails,

Hong Kong’s Lee suggests “reverse quarantine” for China travel

In Hong Kong, there’s been lots of economic pressure to reopen the city and lift restrictions, but there’s also the threat of rising COVID cases if that happens too soon. Right now, it’s looking like Hong Kong’s economy will contract for the third time in four

The wife of jailed Malaysian prime minister Najib has also been sentenced to 10 years in jail

Last Tuesday, Malaysia’s former prime minister, Najib Razak, started a 12-year jail sentence for graft charges in the multibillion-dollar 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) corruption scandal. 1MDB was a fund for long-term economic development in Malaysia, but Najib was accused of laundering money through it and looting its funds. After

From Taiwan stockpiling weapons to a giant tomato fight – Here’s your September 1 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Taiwan is stocking up on weapons from the US China claims Taiwan as its own, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has talked about reunification between the two regions many times. So after Pelosi’s controversial early August visit to Taiwan, China held some

Russia closes Nord Stream 1 temporarily – again

Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine started, Europe has been looking closely at its energy receipts. See, in the past, it bought a lot of its energy (mainly gas and oil) from Russia. But during the war, sanctions on Russian oil combined with the understanding that Russia could essentially shut

Russian military exercises are joined by China, India and others

In July, Russia announced its Vostok 2022 (East 2022) military exercises, which will go on despite the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia said these drills are planned combat training and involve more than 50,000 troops and 5,000 weapons units, including 140 aircraft and 60 warships. The exercise

Taiwan is stocking up on weapons from the US – the same ones used by Ukraine

China claims Taiwan as its own, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has talked about reunification between the two regions many times. So, after Pelosi’s controversial early August visit to Taiwan, China held some military exercises and fired missiles around the region, reportedly entering the island’s territory in the

The next phase of the Ambani legacy

If you’ve watched any TV, you know that fraternal feuds over the family business can get pretty ugly. Well, that isn’t just in Hollywood – it really does happen. One of the most famous examples in recent history was the Ambani family. See, when Dhirubhai Ambani, the founder of

Is quiet quitting the new workplace trend?

In the past few weeks, the term “quiet quitting” has appeared out of nowhere. Although the concept isn’t entirely new, the phrase started trending after a TikTok video, which now has 3.5 million views, went viral earlier this year. So what is quiet quitting, and why is it

From new COVID measures in China to quiet quitting in the workplace – Here’s your August 31 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: New lockdowns are hurting the Chinese economy China’s zero-COVID policy has been putting a damper on its economy for a while now. Entire cities have been looking at lockdowns, like Hainan Island. Yesterday, a few of China’s bigger cities announced new

The Soviet Union’s last leader, Mikhail Gorbachev, has died at 92

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of the Soviet Union before its collapse, has died at the age of 92, according to state media. Gorbachev was born in Privolnoye, just east of modern-day Ukraine, and he grew up as a committed communist during World War II. He climbed through the party’

The latest COVID lockdowns are hurting the Chinese economy

China’s zero-COVID policy has been putting a damper on its economy for a while now. Entire cities have been looking at lockdowns, like Hainan Island. While air travel around the world is showing signs of recovery, air traffic in and out of China is almost nonexistent. Yesterday, a few

A whistleblower’s claims may help Elon Musk in his Twitter lawsuit

You may remember that Elon Musk (super-rich guy, CEO of Tesla, internet troll) made a US$44 billion deal to buy Twitter earlier this year. And then he tried to back out of that agreement, stirring up legal trouble. Musk claimed Twitter hadn’t provided the necessary information on fake/

From new WhatsApp features in India to Legos in the workplace – Here’s your August 30 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: WhatsApp integrates in-app shopping in India Meta’s WhatsApp, the popular messaging platform, has plans to become more versatile. Like China’s WeChat, Meta wants WhatsApp to become a do-it-all platform for managing everyday life – from shopping to paying rent to transferring money.

Legos have entered the workplace

So it turns out that Legos, those multicolored bricks you put together to make funky-looking cars or buildings that span the color spectrum, actually have a pretty good use in the office. A few companies have been experimenting with how to use Legos in the office to solve problems, enhance

 India’s Supreme Court says that families are families, no matter how “traditional” they are

India’s march toward LGBTQ+ equality has been, well, more of a trudge, to be honest. It took until 2018 for a court to decriminalize sex between men, and though same-sex marriage is still illegal, a challenge to this is working its way through the court system. (In fairness, it’

A Thailand court has suspended the prime minister, but he will stay on as the defense minister

Since 2014, Prayuth Chan-ocha has been the prime minister of Thailand. As an ex-army chief, Prayuth took over by leading a military coup, and then, during a controversial 2019 election, he won the office again. Under his direction, the constitution was rewritten to include a prime minister term limit of

WhatsApp integrates in-app shopping in India with JioMart

Meta’s WhatsApp, the popular messaging platform, has plans to become more versatile. Like China’s WeChat, Meta wants WhatsApp to become a do-it-all platform for managing everyday life – from shopping to paying rent to transferring money. India banned WeChat and some other Chinese apps in 2020, but WhatsApp is

From new space missions to enormous dinosaurs – Here’s your August 29 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: France and Algeria make a new pact As a former French colony, Algeria has been independent since 1962. Under French rule for 132 years, Algeria liberated itself through a brutal eight-year war. With this shared history, it’s no wonder that their relationship

Heightism in the workplace

When you think of equality in the workplace, what comes to mind? Probably making sure women get paid the same as their male counterparts or maybe ensuring that racial minorities are represented among the staff. It may also mean making sure that LGBTQ+ folks are included and given equal opportunities

NASA will launch a new era of rockets toward the moon

On Monday, NASA is launching its new space launch system (SLS) rocket on what is essentially a dress rehearsal for future trips to the moon and Mars. You can think of the SLS as a new-and-improved version of the Saturn V rocket that carried astronauts to the moon during the

Russia and China pose challenges in the Arctic, says NATO

As a NATO member, Canada has been criticized for its relative lack of military spending. But, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Canada’s started stepping up, pledging to invest C$4.9 billion (US$3.8 billion) to improve the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). NORAD is an

France and Algeria make a new pact following Macron’s visit

As a former French colony, Algeria has been independent since 1962. Under French rule for 132 years, Algeria liberated itself through a brutal eight-year war. With this shared history, it’s no wonder that their relationship has been somewhat … rough. But, diplomatic relations between the two have become especially important

Hong Kong food guru Simran Savlani’s journey to A Spark of Madness

The pandemic pushed many of us to a standstill in our lives. But, whether in terms of careers or our personal lives, we often must choose between fight or flight in tackling our problems. A Spark of Madness founder Simran Savlani chose the latter. Her career unknowingly and unexpectedly took

From China’s massive stimulus package to a global mental health crisis – Here’s your August 26 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Meta and Twitter have busted fake pro-US accounts In sharing information, social media has become a hugely relevant platform. This also means that Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and now TikTok are all tools used in the disinformation and propaganda game. In the past, American

China unveils a 1 trillion yuan infrastructure stimulus package

China, like everywhere else, has had it pretty hard during COVID. But with its strict lockdown restrictions in place when outbreaks come up, the economy has taken a pretty good beating. The manufacturing sector, the biggest in the world, has been significantly slowed down because those people who would usually

Meta and Twitter have busted fake pro-US accounts manipulating opinions in the East

In sharing information, social media has become a hugely relevant platform. This also means that Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and now TikTok are all tools used in the disinformation and propaganda game. In the past, American officials have accused countries like Russia and China of manipulating social networks to sow divisions

Angola’s election results roll in amid a tight race

Since gaining its independence from Portugal in 1975, the African country of Angola has been ruled by one political party, the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA). As the second-biggest oil producer in Africa, Angola’s leaders and expat community profit from oil output while more than

The world is having a mental health crisis

Living through a global pandemic, not seeing friends or family for weeks or months and having to work from the same place you sleep have caused increased global stress. Back in March, the WHO reported that depression and anxiety went up about 25% in just the first year of the

From Ukrainian POWs on trial to more eco-friendly vinyls for your record collection – Here’s your August 25 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: A Ukrainian POW trial spells controversy For months, the Ukrainian city of Mariupol was under siege, with Ukraine’s national guard attempting to keep Russia away before finally surrendering in May. Hundreds of the national guard’s Azov Regiment’s members have been

Biden cancels some student loan debt for US students and grads

Whether you’re an American or not, you’ve probably heard the horror stories about people straddled by student loan debt from their time at a US university. Well, following through on a campaign promise, US President Joe Biden announced a package that will cancel US$10,000 worth of

The problem with vinyls

You may be surprised to hear the vinyl industry is booming despite the shift to music streaming platforms and song downloads. It’s been on an upward swing for a bit now, but 2021 was the first year since 1986 that the industry broke US$1 billion in revenue, a

China’s record drought and heat wave are forcing the country to look into alternative power sources

For over two months, the southeastern region of China has been undergoing a record-breaking heat wave and drought. Apart from affecting the population’s health and the country’s crops, this weather anomaly is now responsible for an energy crunch. In China, hydroelectricity is the second-biggest power source, so a

A Russian trial of Ukrainian POWs has caused international controversy

For months, the Ukrainian city of Mariupol was under siege, with Ukraine’s national guard attempting to keep Russia away before finally surrendering in May. Hundreds of the national guard’s Azov Regiment’s members have been imprisoned by Russia since then, with the head of the Russian-backed separatist government

From former prime ministers facing legal troubles to dogs loving us more than we ever realized – Here’s your August 24 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Pakistan’s former PM is charged with terrorism Booted out earlier this year by a no-confidence vote in Parliament, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has claimed that him being kicked out was a conspiracy between the US, the Pakistani military and his

An Australian tennis player Kyrgios has been hit with a defamation suit over his Wimbledon comments

What’s the only thing snobbier than going to a tennis tournament at Wimbledon stadium in London? Well, it’s suing over what someone said about you at a tennis tournament at Wimbledon stadium in London, of course! So back in July, when the men’s final was going on

JWST takes stunning new pictures of Jupiter

About a month ago, the stunning first photos from the US$10 billion James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) were released to the public, with a promise that more photos of all sorts of things in the universe would be getting their time in the spotlight. Well, on Tuesday, that thing

Malaysia’s former prime minister loses a final appeal in the 1MDB scandal

Serving as the Malaysian Prime Minister from 2009 to 2018, Najib Razak has been in the midst of a multi-billion dollar graft scandal. In July 2020, Najib was found guilty of criminal breach of trust, abuse of power and money laundering. This conviction comes from allegedly receiving US$10 million

Former Pakistan prime minister has been charged with terrorism

Booted out earlier this year by a no-confidence vote in Parliament, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has claimed that him being kicked out was a conspiracy between the US, the Pakistani military and his successor, and he’s been hosting mass rallies in a bid to return to office.

From a potential EU visa ban on Russians to free government scooters in France – Here’s your August 23 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Will Europe ban Russians? There’s been recent debate over the idea of limiting or banning EU travel visas for Russians after Zelenskiy requested the West make the move. Finland has said it will cap the daily visas available to Russians from 1,

France wants people to switch to a bike or a scooter … and it’s willing to pay

A little while back, we wrote a story about how high gas prices were causing some interesting consumer behaviors, like people switching to bikes and electric vehicles. And we got this legendary response: Well, if that’s you, we have good news – France is willing to subsidize that scooter! More

China’s Pinduoduo is heading to the US

When it comes to e-commerce in the US, Amazon is hands down the biggest player. It has nearly 38% of the overall market, with Walmart coming in second at just over 6% of the roughly US$768 billion industry. But Chinese company Pinduoduo (PDD) is coming to challenge Amazon’s

6 people have been arrested so far in a Hong Kong trafficking case involving job scams

Dozens of Hong Kongers are suspected of going missing in Thailand, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos on promises of false job opportunities this year. The victims were given flight tickets, had their passports taken when they landed and were forced to work in a scam center. Twenty-three of these victims are

Will the EU institute a travel ban on Russian citizens?

Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Europe has kept a largely united front in its response. Supporting Ukraine’s independence, the EU has imposed economic sanctions on Russia as a bloc and made strides to reduce its reliance on Russian energy. When the war is over, though, European countries may

From a Mexican government murder conspiracy to Andrew Tate getting the boot – Here’s your August 22 new briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: The Mexican government is behind students’ disappearance In 2014, 43 college students from a radical teacher training college went missing from buses in Iguala, Mexico. Initially, they were intercepted by local police and weren’t heard from or seen again afterward. This past

Andrew Tate has been banned from TikTok, Instagram and Facebook

If you haven’t heard of Andrew Tate, honestly, congratulations. He’s an American-British former kickboxer who got kicked off of the reality TV show “Big Brother" back in 2016 after some homophobic and racist tweets and footage surfaced of him beating a woman with a belt. Tate said the

Singapore repeals gay sex ban

LGBTQ+ people are heavily stigmatized and discriminated against throughout much of southern Asia, and for a long time, gay sex has even been illegal in many of those places. For example, Singapore has had a law on the books since colonial times called 377A that banned sex between men, though

The COVID pandemic saw a rise in egg freezing

All over the world, the average childbearing age is getting slightly older. As of this past June, the average age women give birth now stands at 30 or above in most Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries, a global economic and trade policy group with 38 member countries.

A truth commission finds that the disappearance of 43 students in Mexico was state-sponsored

In 2014, 43 college students from a radical teacher training college went missing from buses in Iguala, Mexico. Initially, they were intercepted by local police and weren’t heard from or seen again afterward. It’s not clear why they were taken, but the students remain missing. The government launched

Connecting through suffering – how photographer Kasper Forest captures Hong Kong’s dark side

Hong Kong photographer Kasper Forest derived his pseudonym from his Chinese name, Lam (林) – written in Chinese as two “tree trunks" pieced together. Two trunks might form a forest, and perhaps thousands of pictures might form a fuller picture of a city’s identity. Forest certainly thinks so. From photographing

From a Saudi student’s 34-year sentence to carbon credits and crypto – Here’s your August 19 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Saudi student receives 34-year sentence for tweets Over the past five years, there’s been a crackdown on dissent in Saudi Arabia under its current leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Although there have been certain progressive advances under MBS (like granting women

Crypto and carbon credits?

So you might have heard of something called carbon offsets, or carbon credits. Basically, the idea is that companies that focus on pulling carbon out of the air sell these credits to all the other companies in the world that specialize in putting carbon back into the air. (Well, maybe

Why’s China pushing back on the US CHIPS and Science Act?

Back in July, US Congress passed a bill called the CHIPS and Science Act, which was essentially legislation that invests a lot of money into the country’s domestic production of microchips. There are two main reasons to do this. One, there’s a chip shortage in the world, and

The Chinese government looks to make having a baby cheaper to help boost its birth rate

With one of the lowest birth rates in the world, China’s population is aging. China’s birth rate in 2021 was 1.16, far below the international standard of 2.1 for keeping a stable population. And, it reported its lowest number of births since 1950 last year. So

Saudi Arabia doctoral student imprisoned for 34 years over political tweets

Over the past five years, there’s been a crackdown on dissent in Saudi Arabia under its current leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS. He’s responsible for the arrests of activists, princes and businessmen. Although there have been certain progressive advances under MBS (like granting

From developing countries snapping up Russian oil to “idiots" surfing the Venice Grand Canal – Here’s your August 18 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Myanmar buys Russian oil More and more developed countries are limiting their demand for Russian oil as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. Notably, the US banned crude oil imports from Russia back in March. An EU embargo on Russian oil is also

Venice surfers expelled from the city after a run-in with the mayor

Venice, Italy, is known for its beautiful canals, through which one often sees gondolas floating by, small boats gently motoring through, and … surfers hanging loose and catching a big one? Well, it turns out that the city’s mayor doesn’t love that so much. See, videos of a pair

US Pharmacy chains ordered to pay US$650 million to Ohio counties for fuelling opioid crisis 

Back in the 90s, Big Pharma told the US medical community that opioids weren’t addictive, so doctors in the US gave many people prescriptions for them. But that wasn’t true, and because of all those prescriptions, millions of people have misused opioids, leading to an opioid addiction and

Brazil’s presidential campaigning begins, stoking fears of political violence

Brazil’s current president, Jair Bolsonaro, is not particularly popular among the population, and he is facing some competition in the upcoming election on October 2. So far, Bolsonaro has been criticized for mishandling the COVID pandemic (more than 680,000 Brazilians died as a result) and his roll-back of

Myanmar buys Russian oil turned away by the West

More and more developed countries are limiting their demand for Russian oil as Russia continues its invasion of Ukraine. Notably, the US banned crude oil imports from Russia back in March. An EU embargo on Russian oil is also approaching, coming into effect this December. So far, the biggest buyers

From a new study on the dangers of nuclear war to Mariah Carey’s battle for the “Queen of Christmas" throne – Here’s your August 17 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Nuclear conflict could kill billions In total, about 13,000 nuclear warheads worldwide are still in use. The US, Russia and China are among the top five countries with the most nuclear weapons. So, as tensions continue rising between China and the US,

The WHO is asking people for a new name for monkeypox

You might have noticed that virus names are notoriously bad. For example, SARS-CoV-2 (the official name for COVID) is long and confusing and just reminds people of the totally different version of SARS that showed up in the early 2000s. COVID-19 was a little better, except that a whole bunch

38 Syrians were found stranded on an island between Greece and Turkey

Thirty-eight Syrian migrants were found stranded on a tiny island along the border between Turkey and Greece. They’d been on the island for about a month, and part of why they were there for so long was because Turkey and Greece were debating who should be responsible for taking

Former Myanmar leader sentenced to another 6 years

After Myanmar’s democratic government was ousted in February 2021 by a military junta, former leader Aung San Suu Kyi was immediately detained. She was charged with crimes ranging from sedition to corruption and is already serving an 11-year prison sentence. Charges against her are widely seen as a way

A study shows that any potential nuclear conflict could kill billions

In total, about 13,000 nuclear warheads worldwide are still in use. The US, Russia and China are among the top five countries with the most nuclear weapons. So, as tensions continue rising between China and the US, and also between the US and Russia, fears of nuclear warfare are

From Russia and North Korea’s alliance to a failed red panda matchmaking – Here’s your August 16 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Russia and North Korea strengthen ties Historically, Russia and North Korea have gotten along. In fact, the Soviet Union was the first to recognize North Korea as having authority over the entirety of Korea and supported North Korea during the Korean War. Fast

Apple jumps on ads

How often do you peruse the internet and, despite the million flashing banners on every edge of your screen, wish there were more ads? Just us? Whether you like it or not, Apple is entering the ad game much harder than before. See, up until now, the two major companies

Kenya’s election is decided and disputed

Kenyans were hit hard both economically and through healthcare by the pandemic. So when it came to the country’s recent presidential election, it was between William Ruto, who ran as an outsider despite having been the deputy president for the past decade, and Raila Odinga, the country’s former

Australia’s former prime minister secretly held three other roles

Scott Morrison served as Australia’s 30th prime minister from 2018 to 2022. Throughout his administration, he faced criticism over his leadership style and responses to national issues. Now, it’s coming out that he also held a secret form of “shadow government" that most people inside his administration didn’

Russia and North Korea strengthen ties as they face global isolation

Historically, Russia and North Korea have gotten along. In fact, the Soviet Union was the first to recognize North Korea as having authority over the entirety of Korea and supported North Korea during the Korean War. Fast forward, and North Korea has shown support for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

From Salman Rushdie’s road to recovery to women protesting in Kabul – Here’s your August 15 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: The attack on Salman Rushdie Back in 1988, novelist Salman Rushdie released “The Satanic Verses,” in which two characters become an angel and a devil after a plane explosion. A series of dream sequences in the book includes a made-up narration of the

Chinese internet watchdog publishes Musk article

China’s internet watchdog, the Cyberspace Administration of China, is in charge of creating rules on the internet in China. It regularly publishes a magazine called China Wangxin, or China Cyberspace. Typically, it uses the publication to make announcements about policy decisions, but it also can sometimes feature prominent people

Women’s protest in Afghanistan turns violent

About a year ago, the Taliban took control of Afghanistan, making substantial changes to women’s rights in the country. Despite promises that the Taliban would take a more progressive approach with its laws, now most young girls can’t go to secondary school, there are more restrictions on women’

A controversial Chinese research ship will dock in Sri Lanka

Right now, Sri Lanka is facing an unprecedented financial crisis – its worst since it gained independence in 1948. The country’s neighbor, India, has been helping Sri Lanka more than any other nation. Because of the crisis, massive protests caused former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to flee the country for Singapore

Salman Rushdie is off a ventilator after a stabbing attack. Here’s what you need to know

Back in 1988, novelist Salman Rushdie released “The Satanic Verses,” in which two characters become an angel and a devil after a plane explosion. A series of dream sequences in the book includes a made-up narration of the life of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. The novel got a lot of

ARHT Media expands the possibilities of communication with holograms

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen many kinds of scenarios where we’ve adapted to the situation and its limitations through the use of technology. Whether we’re using video calling platforms to attend online classes or hold work meetings, or catching the latest film releases on streaming services like

From South Korea’s missile defense to Chinese students turning away from studying in the US – Here’s your August 12 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: South Korea expands defense system North Korea has been expanding its nuclear program for a while, and, to counter it, the US has been rolling out something called the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile-defense system in South Korea. This system is meant

The US isn’t the top choice for Chinese students anymore

Chinese nationals have previously made up as much as 35% of the international students studying in the US. For a while, the US was the top place that Chinese students wanted to go if they were looking to study abroad. Now, though, those numbers are going down. So far, the

Why thinking too hard makes you tired

Feeling tired after using a lot of mental power isn’t exactly a new phenomenon, but now scientists can actually explain why it happens. One previous theory suggested fatigue was an illusion created by the brain to make us turn to a more enjoyable activity. But yesterday, a new study

What’s the new Langya virus found in China?

More than two years from the onset of the COVID pandemic, we’re already seeing another widespread health concern with monkeypox. And with its first case in 2018, a new virus was discovered in China. Langya henipavirus (LayV) has been known to cause fever, fatigue, cough, loss of appetite, body

China is unhappy with South Korea expanding its missile-defense system

North Korea has been expanding its nuclear program for a while, and, to counter it, the US has been rolling out something called the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile-defense system in South Korea. This system is meant to detect if a missile gets launched and shoots it down. But

From Musk’s Tesla stock sale to thousands of beagles saved in the US – Here’s your August 11 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Musk sells Tesla stocks in case he has to buy Twitter Elon Musk has been in a pretty hairy court battle with Twitter after trying to pull out of the deal to buy the social media giant unless it proved that less than

A former Twitter employee, Ahmad Abouammo, has been found guilty of spying for Saudi Arabia

If spying and espionage are charges you thought died during the Cold War, think again. On Tuesday, a jury convicted Ahmad Abouammo, a former Twitter employee, of spying for the government of Saudi Arabia by collecting personal information of dissidents and critics of the royal family in the country and

Votes are still being tallied in Kenya’s tight presidential race

President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya is leaving office, leaving the presidential race between two newcomers. The two frontrunners are Deputy President William Ruto and veteran opposition leader Raila Odinga. So far, Kenyan media has shown that this race would be close; the winner must get 50% plus one vote. But,

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida reshuffles his cabinet amid concern over ties to the Unification Church

Last October, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida took office. He’s a member of the conservative Liberal Democratic Party, replacing former LDP Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In July, Abe was assassinated by someone who hated the Unification Church, to which the LPD is linked to. The Unification Church has been

Musk sells nearly US$7 billion worth of Tesla stock in case the Twitter deal goes through

Elon Musk has been in a pretty hairy court battle with Twitter after trying to pull out of the deal to buy the social media giant unless it proved that less than 5% of its accounts were fake. Twitter then sued Musk to try to get him to follow through

From the FBI raid on Trump’s Florida home to Serena Williams’ retirement announcement – Here’s your August 10 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: FBI raids Trump’s home Over the past few months, Former US President Donald Trump has been the focus of an investigation by a select congressional committee into the January 6 riot on the US Capitol. As the 2024 US presidential election nears,

Japanese fashion pioneer Issey Miyake dies

Issey Miyake, the revolutionary Japanese fashion designer known for combining modern and traditional fashion techniques, died on Friday. Miyake was born in Hiroshima in 1938, and when he was only 7 years old, the city was devastated by an atomic bomb dropped by the US. His mother died of radiation

Coinbase reports an over US$1 billion loss just after announcing a partnership with BlackRock

In case you haven’t heard, we’re in a bit of a crypto winter (or a crypto recession or a crypto bear market – pick your poison). So when Coinbase announced last week that it would partner with BlackRock to use some of its software tools for Bitcoin, it was

China’s military drills spur fears of a Taiwan invasion

Last week, China began military drills in the waters near Taiwan, even reportedly inching past the unofficial boundary line of Taiwanese territory in the Taiwan Strait. These drills are widely seen as a show of intimidation against the region after Nancy Pelosi’s recent visit. Yesterday, Taiwan’s foreign minister,

What you need to know about the FBI’s raid of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home

Over the past few months, Former US President Donald Trump has been the focus of an investigation by a select congressional committee into the January 6 riot on the US Capitol. As the 2024 US presidential election nears, Trump has also hinted at running for office again. But, with his

From an English museum returning pillaged art to Africa to Apple helping you focus – Here’s your August 9 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: An English museum is returning some looted Nigerian art At the height of their colonial reign, the British invaded Nigeria. During a violent military campaign in 1897, British forces looted the famous brass plaques known as Benin Bronzes from Benin City in southern

Apple’s Focus mode will be a win, eventually

When iOS 15 came out, Apple released a new mode called Focus, designed so you can customize your phone setup for different contexts. For example, you’d be able to set a time so that you don’t get work calls after the workday is done or receive any email

Russia turns Ukrainian nuclear plant into a military base

Back in March, pretty early into the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia took control of a city called Zaporizhzhya, which is also home to a nuclear power plant. At the time, the plant was struck, but luckily there was no damage to the nuclear reactor. Russia also raised global nuclear

Hong Kong cuts down COVID quarantine to 3 days for arrivals

Along with mainland China, Hong Kong is one of the few places still requiring a COVID quarantine for new arrivals. At one point, Hong Kong had a 21-day quarantine period. But, the strict rules really hurt the city’s economy, leading to an exodus of expats and rising pressure from

An English museum will return some looted Benin Bronzes to Nigeria

At the height of their colonial reign, the British invaded Nigeria. During a violent military campaign in 1897, British forces looted the famous brass plaques known as Benin Bronzes from Benin City in southern Nigeria. Currently, the British Museum has the largest collection of Benin Bronzes in the world. Nigeria

From Putin and Erdoğan’s private meeting to Amazon’s purchase of iRobot – Here’s your August 8 news briefing

Turkey and Russia are in talks Historically, Russia and Turkey are economically tied. But Turkey is a member of NATO and a major weapon supplier to Ukraine. But it hasn’t imposed sanctions on Russia like the West and clashes with Russia when it comes to the conflict in Syria.

Amazon, iRobot and data

On Friday, Amazon announced it was buying iRobot for US$1.7 billion. You probably know iRobot from their signature autonomous vacuum, the Roomba. Experts say that Amazon can probably reduce their logistics costs a bit, as well as some of its sales, marketing, and administrative costs, and at the

The Senate passes the largest climate legislation in US history

For a while now, Democrats in the US Senate have been wrangling with Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrstin Sinema, two relatively moderate Democrats who have been negotiating versions of legislation they want. Being the 49th and 50th votes for Democrats, they held a lot of power since a 50 vote

Israel and Palestine agree to a Gaza truce after days of deadly attacks

In 2005, the Israeli military left the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip and then launched a string of raids on the region. Over 2 million people live on the Strip at the moment. Before now, the last attack by Israel on Gaza was in May 2021, which led to

What you need to know about Putin and Erdoğan’s private meeting in Sochi

Three weeks ago, Turkish Recep Tayyip Erdogan and President Putin met in Tehran to discuss re-opening grain shipments from Ukraine through the Black Sea. Turkey and the UN mediated an agreement allowing certain ships past Russian blockades. Historically, Russia and Turkey are economically tied, with the TurkStream pipeline running Russian

Meet Hong Kong’s Harmony Ilunga – model, activist and entrepreneur

Some beauty standards aren’t just unattainable for most people – they’re even rooted in discrimination. Harmony Ilunga, model and founder of Hong Kong’s first diverse modeling agency, Harmony HK, knows this all too well. Ilunga emigrated as a refugee from the Democratic Republic of Congo at the age

From Brittney Griner’s Russian prison sentence to Jeff Bezos’ billionaire blunder – Here’s your August 5 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: US Senate approves Finland and Sweden for NATO In the past, Nordic countries have generally sidestepped major military alliances. With Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, though, we’re starting to see some exceptions to this. One big alliance that’s changing is

A new telescope will tell us about the collision of neutron stars

When a star reaches the end of its life, it turns into a neutron star, collapsing in on itself and crushing the atoms that made it emit light before. These neutron stars are incredibly heavy (one teaspoon of its matter weighs about four billion tons), and eventually, two of them

Everything you need to know about Brittney Griner’s 9-year sentencing

Brittney Griner, the American WNBA star detained in Russia at the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, was found guilty in a Russian court of bringing drugs illegally into the country and was sentenced to nine years in a Russian penal colony. The judge also fined her 1 million

US Senate approves NATO membership for Finland and Sweden, opposing Russia

In the past, Nordic countries have generally sidestepped major military alliances. With Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, though, we’re starting to see some exceptions to this. One big alliance that’s changing is NATO, the Western defense bloc made up of 30 democratic ally countries. About three months

President Zelenskiy wants to talk with President Xi

Since Russia invaded Ukraine last February, Putin has spoken to Chinese President Xi at least twice. Allegedly, Xi expressed respect for Russia’s actions. This isn’t that surprising since Russia and China renewed their pact against Western influence like three weeks before the invasion. They’re both permanent members

From tensions in Kosovo to potentially life-saving pig zombies – Here’s your August 4 news briefing

To start off, we’re looking into: Tensions rise in Kosovo Kosovo, which is in southeastern Europe and used to be part of Yugoslavia, declared independence in 2008 after a violent conflict which ended with NATO bombing Serbia in 1999. Still, Kosovo isn’t totally recognized as an independent country,

There’s a big difference between mostly dead and all dead, it turns out

For a while now, scientists have thought that when an animal (or a human) dies, cells in all the various organs of the body also start dying rapidly. A recent new finding might challenge that, though. See, some researchers in the US have developed a technology called OrganEx, which reverses

Small Hong Kong firm AMTD grows to be bigger than Goldman, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo