NIAS Fortnightly on ​​​​​​​Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR)

CWA # 556
NIAS Fortnightly on ​​​​​​​Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR)
When Science, Technology and Innovation meet Society

STIR Team
21 September 2021
Photo Source: NIAS

NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology and International Relations (STIR), Vol 1, Issue 9

Cover Story
By Lokendra Sharma and Akriti Sharma

When Science, Technology and Innovation meet Society

An Interview with Young Innovators João Pedro de Goes Novochadlo and Junyi Gao

In the recently concluded BRICS-Young Scientists Forum Conclave (13-16 September 2021) hosted by India, João Pedro de Goes Novochadlo and Junyi Gao bagged the first and second prize in the young innovators' category, respectively. João, who hails from Brazil and is currently associated with the University of Southern California, works on technological solutions for visually challenged people. Junyi, who hails from China and is currently associated with the Peking Union Medical College Hospital, contributes to the advancement of medical technologies. They respond to questions about their innovative projects, ensuing benefits for society, the significance of transboundary networks of scientists, and their message to young innovators.

Can you describe the innovative projects you are working on?
João Pedro de Goes Novochadlo: I have been dedicating my time to Veever, a project that I had the opportunity to present during the BRICS-YSF India Conclave 2021. Veever is a free mobile application that uses micro-location technology and artificial intelligence to facilitate the interaction and mobility of visually challenged and impaired people in indoor and outdoor spaces, all through a virtual voice assistant. We are a start-up that works with assistive technology for people with disabilities using four central technical pillars as a solution: micro-location systems, mobile applications, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Information is transmitted to the user's smartphone by placing Bluetooth devices (beacons) arranged indoors and outdoors. The mapping of these spaces is done by an artificial intelligence algorithm that predicts and corrects some inconsistencies in information spreading. This content is shared through a mobile application that uses an offline database and voice assistant or video recordings to locate, guide, and describe the user's surroundings. Other functionalities embedded in smartphones, such as gyroscope sensor and GPS, are also used to have a greater sense of what is in that space. Finally, cloud platform is used for data storage and management, allowing the infrastructure manager to control what is sent to the user. Alongside that, usage patterns can also be monitored for gathering insights.

Junyi Gao: As one of the major advances in the medical field, endoscopic technology has been widely and deeply applied in surgical operations, but at the same time it has brought several challenges, such as increasing hemostasis difficulty, changes in surgical approaches and poor field of vision resulting from smoke generated by energy equipment. Although several tentative inventions have been developed, such as anti-fog coated lenses, there were still few satisfactory solutions. In the past years, our group thoroughly analyzed various adverse events in the surgical video, and tried to use artificial intelligence technology to optimize the real-time surgical video, aiming to provide better vision to surgeons and help them make the best choice in surgeries.

To reduce the surgical risks caused by the disadvantages of endoscopic technology, we combined deep learning technology with a deductive reasoning algorithm and applied these techniques in video real-time digital processing. At present, our group has successfully developed a software package containing several functions, such as real-time bleeding area tracking, defogging, gauze recognition and recurrent laryngeal nerve recognition.

How will your work benefit society at large? 
João: Veever is a start-up whose main objective is to promote accessibility and social inclusion through technology for people with visual disabilities. Through our solution, we can deliver a much more inclusive experience so that our users can better move around, guide and interact within internal and external environments. In addition, we also work to raise awareness of the cause of people with disabilities, creating informational content and developing community empowerment activities. It's noteworthy that the challenges of people with disabilities, in general, are identical in every part of the world: the lack of accessibility.

Junyi: Our project is designed to provide better surgical vision and more important information to surgeons during operations; we hope our product would benefit surgeons performing laparoscopic surgeries, especially the surgeons in populous and developing countries. With the development of the economy and society, people's demand for high-level medical services will gradually increase, and the pressure on the medical resources will also increase. A shorter training period for doctors and a higher level of medical care can help relieve the pressure of sharply increasing medical demand. Our product could provide surgeons with valuable information during surgical treatment to improve the operation safety, such as bleeding areas and key anatomical structures, resulting in reduction of medical resources loss due to surgical complications.

What factors led to choosing the area of research and innovation? 
João: Between 2014 and 2015, I did volunteer work at an institute that served people with visual impairments in my hometown, Curitiba. There, I had the opportunity to get in touch and live with some people who introduced me to the challenges they had to face daily. At the end of 2015, I participated in a hackathon. I decided, with my team, that we would develop a project to minimize the problems arising from the lack of accessibility in urban spaces. Just because I don't face this challenge, it doesn't mean that I'm not responsible for helping solve it.

Junyi: In recent years, AI technology has become ubiquitous in our daily lives. In the medical area, AI technology also performed outstandingly in multiple fields, including interpretation of medical examination, cancer diagnosis and treatment decision. With the development of the economy and society, people's demand for high-level medical services will increase sharply and this problem will be more prominent in developing countries. Application of AI in healthcare might relieve this pressure in some ways. The endoscopic technology has been widely and deeply applied in surgical operations in the past decades, but has also brought some problems.

As a surgeon, I can deeply appreciate the convenience that medical advancement brings to the people, but at the same time, how to better apply advanced technology to benefit patients has become an area of importance. In recent years, our group tried to apply the deep learning technology to processing of surgical videos in the past years, providing surgeons with better real-time visual information during the operations and ensuring the safety of surgery.

Do you think building networks of scientists and innovators beyond national boundaries will lead to a better world - peaceful, prosperous and sustainable?
João: Yes; all knowledge, when shared, is essential for building a more just and socially egalitarian society. Contacting people from different countries, especially those who share our problems and challenges, helps us amplify our power to impact and our ability to execute. I am also delighted to shed light on such an important topic: social inclusion and technology as an engine of transformation, carrying forward connections and ideas that will make our world even better.

Junyi: Science and innovation are very important for the advancement of human society. We not only have the right to share the earth's resources, but also share the obligation to protect the earth and develop the future of mankind.

Breaking the national boundaries, scientists and innovators could make science and technology better benefit human society. In a quote often attributed to George Bernard Shaw, he said: "If you have an apple and I have an apple, and we exchange apples, we both still only have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea, and we exchange ideas, we each now have two ideas". Forums like the BRICS-YSF provide a meeting platform for scientists and innovators. In the recent India Conclave 2021, scientists and innovators from different countries fully shared their ideas and technologies, and such exchanges and sharing marked the possibility of a better world.

What would be your message to young scientists and innovators?
João: Never give up; and whenever you can, act with purpose. Bringing real meaning to your projects will motivate you to work harder and harder, especially when you start to see the results of your work. We are a generation that has almost unlimited access to information. We can connect with any part of the world in a way never seen before in our society. We need to use this opportune moment to be agents of positive transformation, understanding that there is no competition when it comes to the future of our planet. There is just potentially unending scope for collaboration.

Junyi: First of all, as young scientists and innovators, we need to learn more about the needs of society, discern the problems, and try to apply our scientific achievements to improve people's lives. Secondly, scientific research is a difficult process: we not only need to learn to solve problems tactfully, but also need to constantly strengthen our confidence. Last but not least, young people need to create a research environment that respects and encourages science and innovation.

About the interviewers
Lokendra Sharma and Akriti Sharma are PhD Scholars at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, NIAS.

In Brief
By Avishka Ashok and Lokendra Sharma

China's success with Shenzhou-12 and upcoming space missions
On 17 September, Shenzhou-12, China's seventh crewed mission, landed back on earth after a successful outer space flight. The mission broke the record in China for spending the longest duration in space after the three-member crew spent three months in the Chinese Space Station. The spacecraft landed in the Gobi Desert after separating from its orbit on the same day.

The mission was launched on 17 June 2021 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre and was entrusted with numerous tasks. Other than breaking records for being the longest Chinese mission in space, the mission is also credited for bringing the first group of astronauts to Tiangong. It is the Chinese Space Station which was launched in April 2021. The Shenzhou-12 installed a mechanical arm in the Tiangong which will help build the rest of the space station while the country prepares for the next spacewalk, scheduled to happen on 3 October 2021. The mission was also tasked with extravehicular operations, confirming the feasibility of long-duration missions and recycling resources in space. 

The crew consisting of Mission Commander Nie Haisheng, Major General Liu Boming and Senior Colonel Tang Hongbo tested the latest space-suits and the abilities of the newly installed equipment and conducted a seven-hour long spacewalk, the longest in China's history of space missions. The Shenzhou-12 mission was different from other Chinese space missions because of its tricky landing conditions. Unlike most missions that land in Siziwang Banner Sit, the Shenzhou-12 landed in Dongfeng due to its topography, climatic conditions, rescue and search practicability and return options. The mountainous terrain posed a challenge to the rescue team but the astronauts were brought to the site soon after they landed.

On 20 September, China also launched the Long March-7 Y4 rocket which was accompanied by the Tianzhou-3 cargo spacecraft. The spacecraft was launched from the Wenchang Space Launch Centre in Hainan and is tasked with depositing the supplies, equipment and propellant for the upcoming Shenzhou-13 mission. The mission aims to double the longest-duration in space record by spending six months at the Tiangong Space Station. All activities related to Tiangong and the space missions are celebrated in China with enthusiasm as the country is not a part of the International Space Station. ("Shenzhou-12 crewed spaceship launch a complete success", China Manned Space, 17 June 2021; Rhea Mogul, "Chinese astronauts complete first space walk outside new Tiangong space station", CNBC, 4 July 2021; Deng Xiaoci and Fan Anqi, "Mission accomplished: China's Shenzhou-12 crew safely back on earth", Global Times, 17 September 2021; Deng Xiaoci, "China successfully launches Tianzhou-3 for second space station supply mission; to support upcoming six-month Shenzhou-13 manned mission", Global Times, 20 September 2021)

 

Australia to procure nuclear-powered submarines 
On 15 September, a new security alliance called AUKUS was launched by the US, the UK and Australia for tackling shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. The main highlight of the alliance, however, was the commitment of the US and the UK to supply Australia with nuclear-powered submarines (SNN). While the delivery of the submarines, which are expected to be at least eight initially, may only happen in the 2040s, Australia is considering leasing SSN from the AUKUS partners as a stop-gap measure. Once put into operation, Australia will join a select list of countries — the US, Russia, the UK, France, China, and India. However, Australia would be the only country without nuclear weapons to have a SSN. 

There are primarily two types of nuclear submarines: SSN and the nuclear-powered ballistic submarines (SSBN). While the former houses a nuclear reactor fuelled with highly enriched uranium (HEU), the latter has nuclear tipped ballistic missiles in addition to nuclear propulsion. Once fuelled, the mini-reactors in nuclear submarines can last for decades without the need to refuel. Even as Australia and other AUKUS members have made it clear that no submarine would be armed by nuclear weapons, it is hardly a move in consonance with larger arms control and disarmament goals. The sharing of sensitive nuclear technology and HEU has ignited proliferation concerns. 

Operating a fleet of SSNs would confer multiple advantages to Australia as compared to the diesel-powered submarines they currently operate or the diesel-powered submarines they were planning (but cancelled in wake of this deal) to procure from France. First, a SSN can be in continuous operation for months at a stretch, giving Australia the capability to project power in the seas near China (especially the hotly contested South China Sea). Second, SSNs comparatively have better speed. Lastly, since they need to resurface only in many months, they are stealthier. (Raghav Bikhchandani, "What are nuclear-powered submarines that Australia will acquire under first AUKUS initiative", The Print, 19 September 2021; Andrew S. Erickson, "Australia Badly Needs Nuclear Submarines", Foreign Policy, 20 September 2021; AJ Mitchell, "How do nuclear-powered submarines work? A nuclear scientist explains", The Conversation, 16 September 2021)  


S&T Nuggets

 By Akriti Sharma and Lokendra Sharma

Climate and Environment
Japan: Research to address agricultural nitrous oxide emissions
On 7 September, NHK-World Japan reported that the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences has collaborated with the researchers overseas to explore ways to reduce the agricultural emissions of a key greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide. The gas is produced when the nitrogen fertilizer is applied to the farm produce. It is considered to be 300 times more harmful than carbon dioxide. The researchers have developed a new type of wheat which can prevent the nitrogen fertilizer from emitting harmful gas. The tests have shown that the new wheat emits 25 per cent less nitrous oxide. Additionally, the new wheat can maintain the same productivity level while absorbing 60 per cent less fertilizer. Researchers at Tohoku University and the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization have developed bacteria that can convert nitrous oxide emissions from the soybean fields into a harmless gas. Reduction of emission of greenhouse gases from the agriculture sector is important and the scientists in Japan have been able to reduce the emissions by 30 per cent. ("New researches tackle nitrous oxide emissions", NHK-World Japan, 7 September 2021)

The UN: WMO report says COVID-19 has not slowed down the pace of climate change
On 16 September, the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released a report titled "United in Science 2021: A multi-organization high-level compilation of the latest climate science information". The reduction in the carbon dioxide emissions due to the economic slowdown caused by the pandemic was temporary. The report says that emissions during January-July 2021 were at the same level as 2019 levels or the pre-pandemic level. While releasing the report, the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres said: ​​"Unless there are immediate, rapid and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, limiting warming to 1.5C will be impossible, with catastrophic consequences for people and the planet on which we depend". Secretary-General WMO said: "Throughout the pandemic we have heard that we must 'build back better' to set humanity on a more sustainable path, and to avoid the worst impacts of climate change on society and economies. This report shows that so far in 2021, we are not going in the right direction". ("United in Science 2021", World Meteorological Organization, 16 September 2021)

Iceland: Zurich-based carbon capture plant project opened
On 8 September, Zurich-based Climeworks opened its carbon capture plant — Orca in Iceland. The start-up claimed that it will build a much larger plant in future which would help in removing millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Orca will remove 4,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year and store it underground. The Orca plant sells the most expensive carbon offset in the world and has been sold out of credit several times in its lifespan of 12 years. According to the energy models, the world will require removal of tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to achieve net zero emissions. The disadvantages of carbon capture is that they require too much energy to operate at a meaningful scale. However, the US President Joe Biden's recent infrastructure bill includes USD 3.5 billion for four direct air capture hubs. (Leslie Hook, "World's biggest' direct air capture' plant starts pulling in CO2", Financial Times, 8 September 2021)

Health
COVID-19: Pfizer claims its COVID-19 vaccine works for kids 
On 21 September, Pfizer claimed that its COVID-19 vaccine works for kids aged 5-11 and it will soon seek US authorization for the same. It is a key step towards vaccinating children. The vaccine jointly developed by Pfizer and BioNTech already is available for anyone 12 and older. After testing, it has been found out that a lower dose of the same vaccine is effective for elementary school kids. The dosage also proved safe with similar or fewer temporary side effects including sore arms, fever and achiness. Cuba has started immunizing children aged two with their homegrown vaccine and China has cleared two vaccines for the kids aged three and above. However, the western countries have not started vaccinating children younger than 12 years of age. (Lauren Neergaard, "Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine works in kids ages 5 to 11",  AP, 21 September 2021)

China: First of its kind treatment for spinal deformity combined with spinal herniation
On 8 September, the Department of Orthopedics at Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University successfully performed world's first surgical treatment for "anterior and posterior scoliosis-correction of cervicothoracic spinal deformity, spinal hernia release, and dural hernia repair" for a patient with "congenital cervical thoracic spinal deformity combined with spinal cord herniation". The 40-year-old patient was diagnosed with a "congenital spinal deformity combined with spinal herniation". Prof Liao Bo's team successfully implemented the surgery with full cooperation with a multidisciplinary team. ("Professor Liao Bo's team at Tangdu Hospital Complete the World's First 'Postoperative Revision of Congenital Cervicothoracic Spinal Deformity Combined with Spinal Cord Herniation'", Global Times, 8 September 2021)

COVID-19: Scientists question the need for booster doses
On 13 September, an article titled "Consideration in boosting Covid-19 vaccine immune responses" was published in The Lancet which concluded that "booster doses for the general population are not appropriate at this stage in the pandemic".  A group of 18 scientists suggested inoculation of the unvaccinated should be prioritized. Al Jazeera reported that the WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, had called "countries to avoid giving out extra COVID jabs until the end of the year". The UN health agency also urged "all nations to vaccinate at least 10 per cent of their populations by the end of this month, and at least 40 per cent by the end of this year". Although the authors also acknowledged that "some individuals, such as the immunocompromised, could benefit from an additional dose of the same vaccine or of a different vaccine that might complement the primary immune response". ("Covid-19 vaccine boosters not widely needed, say scientists," Al Jazeera, 13 September 2021; Philip R Krause et. al., "Considerations in boosting COVID-19 vaccine immune response," The Lancet,  13 September 2021)

Space
The US: SpaceX's civilian crew returns back to earth after three days in space
On 18 September, SpaceX successfully completed its Inspiration4 mission when the all-civilian crew landed in the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of Florida. SpaceX's first space tourism flight was comparatively different from recent ones by Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic. While the latter two went around 100 kms above earth (sub-orbital), the SpaceX flight went up to 590 kms (orbital), which is even above the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope. And unlike the previous flights which offered only a short period of weightlessness, the SpaceX Dragon capsule stayed encircled earth for three days. The four civilian crew included two persons selected through a contest, a cancer recovered health care worker and a billionaire, Jared Isaacman. Jared has now become the third billionaire to make a trip to space, after Richard Branson and Jeff Bezos. A highlight about the crew was that none of them were trained astronauts and thus had no professional experience. (Amy Thompson, "SpaceX's Private Inspiration4 Crew Is Back on Earth", Scientific American, 21 September 2021; Marcia Dunn, "SpaceX launches 4 amateurs on private Earth-circling trip", AP, 16 September 2021)

The UK: OneWeb launches 34 more satellites in its quest for global internet 
On 15 September, London-based OneWeb reached a new milestone when its 34 satellites were successfully placed into earth's orbit by Arianespace's Soyuz rocket which lifted off from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. With this launch, OneWeb will now have 322 satellites circling earth, which is nearly half of the total number of satellites it eventually wants to put in space — 648. OneWeb plans use a constellation of low earth orbit satellites to provide global internet, even in the remotest corners of earth. OneWeb has secured global funding, and the UK government and India's telecom major Bharti group acquired the company in 2020 as the OneWeb emerged from bankruptcy. The company is directly competing with SpaceX's Starlink to provide global internet. (Mike Wall, "Arianespace Soyuz rocket launches 34 more OneWeb internet satellites to orbit", Space, 14/15 September 2021)

China: Indigenous hydrogen liquefying system developed 
On 21 September, the Global Times reported that China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation (CASC) has developed a hydrogen liquefying system with about 90 per cent of localization. Producing about two tons of liquified hydrogen, it will be a major boost for the country's domestic space industry. So far, China's main rockets in the Long March series have relied on liquid hydrogen produced by foreign equipment. Another positive fallout will be for the larger energy sector, which is vying to use hydrogen as a fuel. ("China's self-developed hydrogen liquefying system to power domestic carrier rockets", Global Times, 21 September 2021)

Technology
Europe: European Commission announces plans for self-reliance in semiconductors
On 15 September, the European Commission (EC) announced plans for building a regional ecosystem to ensure self-reliance in semiconductor chips. Reuters quoted EC President Ursula von der Leyen as saying during a speech at the European Parliament: "We will present a new European Chips Act. The aim is to jointly create a state-of-the-art European chip ecosystem, including production. That ensures our security of supply and will develop new markets for ground-breaking European tech". This comes in the wake of global chip shortage and a realisation among European policy makers that a reliance on Asian and North America based suppliers is not sustainable. (Foo Yun Chee, "EU plans' Chips Act' to promote semiconductor self-sufficiency", Reuters, 15 September 2021)

China: Machines being developed that can track data sent abroad by automobiles 
On 14 September, Reuters reported that China Automotive Engineering Research Institute (CAERI) has been developing machines and systems that are capable of tracking the data generated by cars in China. High-end cars sold by foreign companies have a number of sensors that collect and transmit data back to the company's servers and this has been an issue of concern for the Chinese government. Regulators have mandated that any data being generated within China has to be stored locally. The company developing these communication detection systems, CAERI, has tested vehicles of various foreign companies, including Tesla, Audi, Mercedes-Benz, Daimler and Land Rover. It is however unclear when this system would be rolled out and at what scale. ("China develops machines that can track data sent abroad by cars", Reuters, 14 September 2021)          

Israel: Citizen Lab finds another exploit developed by the NSO Group
On 13 September, the University of Toronto based Citizen Lab, which is an interdisciplinary group researching digital espionage on civil society, reported that it had found a "zero-day zero-click exploit against iMessage" called FORCEDENTRY. Found to be effective against the operating systems of Apple devices (iOS, MacOS, WatchOS), Citizen Lab "determined that the mercenary spyware company NSO Group used the vulnerability to remotely exploit and infect the latest Apple devices with the Pegasus spyware". On the same day, Apple released updates for its devices to patch this vulnerability after Citizen Lab shared the details with the former. The NSO Group, accused by Citizen Lab to be behind developing this exploit, has previously been embroiled in another controversy over targeting of civil society across many countries using a sophisticated attack through popular communications app WhatsApp. (Bill Marczak et. al., "FORCEDENTRY: NSO Group iMessage Zero-Click Exploit Captured in the Wild", The Citizen Lab, 13 September)

Lithuania: Defense Ministry flags cybersecurity risks of Chinese mobiles 
On 21 September, the Lithuanian Ministry of National Defense warned citizens against using Chinese mobile phones. The Ministry's National Cyber Security Centre conducted a "cyber security assessment of 5G smartphones made by Chinese manufacturers and supplied in Lithuania: Huawei P40 5G , Xiaomi Mi 10T 5G, OnePlus 8T 5G", according to a press release by the Ministry. The investigation found multiple problems with the smartphones, including that relating to freedom of speech. The Xiaomi device in particular was found to censor "449 keywords and keyword combinations in Chinese characters, for example, free Tibet, America's voice, democratic movement, Long Live the Democratic Taiwan, etc". The report comes against the backdrop of tense relations between China and Lithuania after Taiwan announced establishing a 'Taiwanese' (and not 'Taipei' which China prefers) representative office in Lithuania. ("Things your smartphone does without your awareness: investigation into three China-made 5G devices", Ministry of National Defense of Lithuania, 21 September 2021). 

About the authors

Lokendra Sharma and Akriti Sharma are PhD Scholars, Avishka Ashok is a Research Associate at the School of Conflict and Security Studies, NIAS.


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The World This Week#323-324
The Trump-Putin meeting & the US-China tariff extension
TWTW note
August 2025 | CWA # 1780

Abhiruchi Chowdhury

Trump tariffs:
Weaponization of access to the US economy
The World This Week
August 2025 | CWA # 1779

GP Team

The World This Week#322
US tariffs on India, Brazil and Canada & the EU-US trade deal
This Week in History
August 2025 | CWA # 1778

Lekshmi MK

28 July 1914
Austria-Hungary declares war on Serbia, starting the First World War
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1770

Abhiruchi Chowdhury

Pakistan-Afghanistan relations:
Why the focus on terrorism, refugees, and Uzbekistan as the third partner?
The World This Week
July 2025 | CWA # 1769

GP Team

The World This Week#321
Indian PM Modi's visit to the Maldives I Elections to the Upper House in Japan
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1762

Lekshmi MK

Ocean Darkening: 
What is the phenomenon? What are its effects? And who are more vulnerable?
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1749

R Preetha

Africa as the Hunger Epicenter
Of the 13 Global Hunger Hotspots, 8 are in Africa: Five reasons why
The World This Week
July 2025 | CWA # 1748

GP Team

The World This Week #318
PM Modi’s Visit to Trinidad and Tobago & Ghana, One big beautiful bill, and Quad Foreign Ministers Meeting
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1744

Chittrothu Vaihali

EU-Canada Summit 2025
What is security and defence partnership all about?
Conflict Weekly
July 2025 | CWA # 1742

IPRI Team

Conflict Weekly # 287-88
The 12 Day War and the Congo-Rwanda Peace Deal
Global Politics Explainer
July 2025 | CWA # 1738

Fleur Elizabeth Philip

Thailand and Cambodia
What was the phone call between PM Shinawatra and President of Senate Hun Sen? What is the border dispute between the two? Why has this become an issue?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1735

Padmashree Anandhan

NATO Summit 2025:
Trump making Europe great again
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1734

GP Team

The World This Week #317
NATO Summit 2025 and Russia-Mali bilateral agreements
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1733

Ananya Dinesh

China and the Pacific Islands 
What was the recent China-PIC joint statement about? What it says, and what it means?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1728

M Kejia

G7 Summit 2025:
The Focus on the Middle East and Trade negotiations
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1727

Aparna A Nair

Second China-Central Asia Summit:
China’s continuing search for regional partners, and the emphasis on the BRI
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1726

GP Team

The World This Week #316
China-Central Asia Summit in Kazakhstan, and the G7 Summit in Canada
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1725

Brighty Ann Sarah, R Preetha, Santhiya M, Aparna A Nair & M Kejia

Operation Midnight Hammer: US bombs three nuclear sites in Iran
What were the three Iranian nuclear sites that were targeted? What are the B2 Bombers and Bunker Buster Bombs? What do these attacks mean? What Next?
Conflict Weekly
June 2025 | CWA # 1724

IPRI Team

Conflict Weekly #286
The Spiralling Israel-Iran Crisis, and the Dangerous Hunger Hotspots
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1721

Rizwana Banu S and Santhiya M

Who are the Afrikaners?
Why is Trump interested in the Afrikaner question in South Africa?
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1720

Lekshmi MK

New WMO Report on Arctic Warming
What are the social, economic and environmental implications of Arctic warming
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1719

J Yamini  

China’s EV Surge
What contributes to the rise of BYD
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1717

J Yamini

Gender Violence in Pakistan:
What are the larger issues in the Noor Mukadam case?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1715

Femy Francis

The US-China:
On Tariffs, Rare Earths and Visas
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1713

GP Team

The World This Week #315
The UN Ocean Conference in France and the US-China Meeting in London
Conflict Weekly
June 2025 | CWA # 1709

IPRI Team

Conflict Weekly #284-285
Cambodia-Thailand Border Tensions, Protests in the US, and the Indigenous Māori question in New Zealand
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1705

GP Team

The World This Week #314
Elections in South Korea and Poland I China and the Pacific Island Countries I Bangladesh Election Announcement 2026
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1703

M Kejia 

Sagarmatha Sambaad in Nepal
Kathmandu’s Global Agenda for the Himalayas
Global Politics Explainer
June 2025 | CWA # 1700

R Preetha

Ethiopia bans the TPLF
What does the TPLF ban mean for the Pretoria agreement? What next for Ethiopia?
TWTW Note
June 2025 | CWA # 1694

Aashish Ganeshan

The US:
Harvard vs Trump Administration
The World This Week
June 2025 | CWA # 1691

GP Team

The World This Week #313
China-ASEAN-GCC Summit I President Macron's visit to South East Asia I Trump Vs Harvard
The World This Week
May 2025 | CWA # 1690

GP Team

The World This Week #312
Elections in Romania, Portugal & Poland I UK-EU Summit
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1689

Padmashree Anandhan

Ukraine
Continuing Russia’s Aerial Attacks, despite exchange of prisoners
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1688

Ayan Datta

Gaza
The Humanitarian Crisis and Israel’s Renewed Offensive
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1685

Aparna A Nair

UK-EU Summit:
First step towards a reset
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1683

Aashish Ganeshan

Elections in Portugal:
The Rise of Chega Party and the Search for Political Stability
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1679

Aashish Ganeshan

US in the Middle Easr
Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1678

Gauri Gupta

China in Latin America
China-CELAC forum: Strengthening ties with Latin America and Caribbean
The World This Week
May 2025 | CWA # 1677

GP Team

The World This Week #310-311
China in Latin America and the Carribbean I Trump's Middle East Visit I Denmark as the new Arctic Chair
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1675

Lekshmi MK

Turkey:
PKK disbands after 40 years of armed insurgency
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1673

Padmashree Anandhan

Ukraine:
The Discussion in Turkiye and the Elusive Ceasefire
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1672

D Suba Chandran

India and Pakistan:
De-escalation and the “New Normal”
CW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1671

Abhiruchi Chowdhury

US, Ukraine and Russia:
Air attacks amidst a Minerals deal and Ceasefire Proposals
Global Politics Early Bird
May 2025 | CWA # 1670

Fleur Elizabeth Philip

Singapore Elections in 2025:
People’s Action Party (PAP) Wins, Again
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1667

R Preetha and Brighty Ann Sarah

East Asia:
Tough Tariff Negotiations with the US
TWTW Note
May 2025 | CWA # 1666

Padmashree Anandhan

The US-Ukraine
The mineral deal with the US
Conflict Weekly
May 2025 | CWA # 1665
Conflict Weekly # 280-81
India-Pakistan De-escalation I Ukraine Discussion in Istanbul I The Battle over Port Sudan I Disbanding of PKK in Turkiye I France-Algeria Diplomatic Tensions
Global Politics Early Bird
May 2025 | CWA # 1663

R Preetha

Canada Elections 2025:
What do the results convey? What next for Mark Carney?
NIAS Global Politics Database
March 2024 | CWA # 1251

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
NIAS Global Politics Database
February 2024 | CWA # 1226

NIAS Africa Team

Africa This Week
The War in Ukraine
October 2023 | CWA # 1091

Annem Naga Bindhu Madhuri

Issues for Europe
IPRI Quarterly Forecasts I Triggers, Trends, and Trajectories
July 2023 | CWA # 1012

Bibhu Prasad Routray

Myanmar continues to burn
2022: The World This Year
December 2022 | CWA # 879

Padmashree Anandhan

The Ukraine War
Europe: Heatwaves, Wildfires, Droughts, and Ice Melt in Alps
November 2022 | CWA # 838

Rishma Banerjee

Tracing Europe's droughts
NIAS Africa Weekly
March 2022 | CWA # 705

NIAS Africa Team

In Focus: Libya
The World This Week: 150th Issue
December 2021 | CWA # 630

GP Team

Europe in 2021
Pakistan Reader
October 2021 | CWA # 588

Abigail Miriam Fernandez

TLP is back again
NIAS Fortnightly on Science, Technology & International Relations
August 2021 | CWA # 528

STIR Team

Space Tourism
Science, Technology and International Relations
September 2019 | CWA # 162

Lakshman Chakravarthy N

5G: A Primer
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 71

Mahesh Bhatta

Nepal
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 70

Nasima Khatoon

The Maldives
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 69

Harini Madhusudan

India
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 68

Sourina Bej

Bangladesh
South Asia Monthly Brief (Nov 2018)
December 2018 | CWA # 67

Seetha Lakshmi Dinesh Iyer

Afghanistan