Asia

Smuggled and Forged: The Houthis’ Shadow Economy

In 2025, the U.S. re-designated the Houthis as terrorists, but their shadow economy of forged passports and smuggled money endures.

A Golden Triangle: ASEAN Takes a Positive Angle

Three economic titans controlling $1 trillion in trade are meeting in Malaysia to prove that cooperation beats confrontation amidst Trump's trade war.

MENA-Asia Tourism Boom: Europeans Want Sophistication, Not Just Bling

Global trade tensions are reshaping tourism as Asia and the Middle East pivot to attract high-spending, experience-driven Europeans.

A Salacious Scandal at the Heart of the FBI

FBI agents paid for sex while training others to fight trafficking in Asia—scandal sparks outrage and fuels Trump’s calls for reform.

Recognition: A Similar Fight for Survival

Taiwan and Somaliland face diplomatic isolation but thrive as strategic trade hubs. Explore their fight for recognition and global impact as Trump weighs up U.S. policy in the region.

Popular

Addiction by Design Enters the Courtroom

Social media addiction trial targets Meta, Google as regulators crack down on infinite scroll and addictive design harms to children.

Bad Bunny’s Zara Shirt Becomes €30,000 Commodity

One performance. One jersey. Thirty thousand euros on resale sites by Tuesday.

Lithuania: Small States and the Price of Acting Alone

Some small states tried to champion democratic values on the world stage but found that moral stands are often too hard to maintain without an economic shield.

Ronaldo Boycott Exposes Saudi Football’s Fault Lines

One player refused to play. An entire model began to crack.

Trade, Not Tribes: Phoenician Culture Spread by Contact, Not Conquest

As a study published in Nature on 23 April 2025 analysed DNA from 210 individuals across 14 Mediterranean sites, researchers discovered that Phoenician ideas travelled further than Phoenician bodies, challenging centuries of assumptions about ancient expansion.