Why China’s big chip breakthrough has rattled the US
SMIC has developed a 7nm semiconductor, placing the Chinese behemoth in the league of Intel and others. The US has mounted a global effort backed by billions of dollars and…
Who is Aleksandr Dugin, whose daughter was killed in a car bomb?
Aleksandr Dugin, a political scientist and thinker, is a leading proponent of Eurasianism in modern Russia and speculated to have influence on President Vladimir Putin. A car bombing in a…
Can an AI-led Danish party usher in an age of algorithmic politics?
With a policy platform generated by artificial intelligence, The Synthetic Party hopes to stand in Denmark’s general election in 2023. Of all the problems that artificial intelligence (AI) has been…
What’s the holdup in Iran nuclear deal?
Iran is seeking assurance from the Biden administration that a future US government will not go back on the nuclear agreement. For more than a year, Iran and the US,…
Jamil Jan Kochai delivers an intimate view of Afghan lives in his new book
The 12 stories in ‘The Haunting of Hajji Hotak and Other Stories’ explores father figures, displacement, war and family lineage. Alternating between realist and magical, between novellas and flash-prose, Afghan-American…
How Iran’s dam-building obsession is killing Middle East’s largest lake
Sanctions-hit Iran projects dam-building as a sign of growth, but scientists say the country’s misplaced priorities are proving catastrophic for its water resources. It was once the largest saltwater lake…
How algorithms fuel anti-Muslim hatred in Europe and beyond
Researchers studying different social media platforms identify how algorithms play a key role in the dissemination of anti-Muslim content, prompting wider hate against the community. US Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar…
Who is Viktor Bout? Blinken’s latest bargaining chip with Russia
Dubbed the Merchant of Death and Sanctions Buster, this alleged Russian arms dealer was known for his global operations, extensive clientele and amorality. Now he’s the latest pawn in the…
UN resolution recognises right to clean, healthy environment
The resolution, based on a similar text adopted last year by the Geneva-based Human Rights Council, calls on all nations, global groups and businesses to scale up efforts to ensure…
Xi warns Biden not to ‘play with fire’ amid tensions over Taiwan
An in-person summit between the leaders has been planned, though no detail has been given on the timing or location. While this was Biden’s fifth talk with Xi since becoming…