THE PHILIPPINES: WILL THE MUSLIM MAJORITY OF MINDANAO ACHIEVE INDEPENDENCE?

JONAH AGLUBAT WRITES– The Philippines has had its fair share of corruption and authoritarianism, from multiple colonizations to annexations.  Under the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos – who reigned for 21 years, from 1965 – 1986- the archipelagic nation has experienced states of extreme poverty, severe underemployment, and has been subject…

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CHINA: THE BRAINS BEHIND ADVANCES IN ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

NATALIA FALCHI WRITES — China’s technological advancement and dedication to innovative Artificial Intelligence systems is growing rapidly and robustly. Not only does this affect China socially, economically, and politically, but it affects the entire globe. In 2017, China’s ambition to become more advanced in the realm of Artificial Intelligence intensified…

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BOOK REVIEW: EATING WILD JAPAN: TRACKING THE CULTURE OF FORAGED FOODS WITH A GUIDE TO PLANTS AND RECIPES (2021) BY WINIFRED BIRD

ELLA KELLEHER WRITES  – Consider, for a moment, that food is not simply fuel, but rather each component to a meal contains a piece of living-giving energy. “Each grain [of rice]”, as author and translator Winifred Bird describes, “was thought to have a soul, and for many centuries people believed…

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SINO-US RELATIONS: IS THE EUPHORIA OVER CHINA’S NEW WASHINGTON AMBASSADOR JUSTIFIED AMID THE DREARY DIPLOMATIC REALITIES?

TOM PLATE WRITES — According to newspaper reports, on arrival in Washington Mr Qin Gang’s public tone seemed sort of chipper; and further, in the wake of his initial greet-and-meet with US officials, there surfaced simmering new communications between the US and China. Given the alarm with which many westerners…

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