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Macedonia — A story of independence and progress
Macedonia is a country well known for its rich cuisine, wines, breathtaking nature, and, of course, Ohrid — a true gem that attracts visitors from all around the world. On September 8, this country celebrates its Independence Day, reminding us of the 1991 referendum in which citizens voted on whether to start an independent state.…
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Bodies, Barriers and Belonging
Cities count their citizens without saying a word. Who gets to cross the street, catch a bus, or visit a local office depends far less on who lives in a neighborhood and far more on how the street was designed. In Skopje, a curb dropping twelve centimeters straight onto asphalt or a steep bus step…
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A Secret Journey to the Bare Skanderbeg Mountains
I wake up bright and early in the morning, to the sound of crows below my 5th-story window. I am afraid that this will be the last morning I wake up in my comfortable bed. It was 5:30 in the morning and my ride was coming at 5:50 to take me up into the mountains.…
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The People of the Algorithm: Homogenized Lives Behind Invisible Bars
How different can you truly be? How free do you actually feel? Or most importantly: are we trapped inside an invisible prison—one with no iron bars and wide-open doors, yet one we can never seem to leave? Why is it that the moment we stop consuming or scrolling through feeds, we are instantly flooded with…
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From a Pirate Flag to a Protest Symbol
One Piece and Gen Z’s New Language of Resistance What is a pirate flag from a manga series doing at protests in different parts of the world? In 2025, amid growing public dissatisfaction in Indonesia, an unusual flag began to appear in the streets: a smiling skull wearing a straw hat. For One Piece fans,…
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The day intelligence switched side
1989. In a silent room. A man faces an opponent unlike any other. It doesn’t breathe. It feels neither fear nor tiredness. It knows neither doubt nor pride. Yet it is about to challenge the best player in the world.
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Am I Pretty Enough?
When was the last time you looked at yourself in the mirror and saw just yourself, without any judgment, without searching for the bad, without evaluating those extra pounds, already thinking about the next diet or workout routine? But just yourself, as you are. As I’m opening my browser to look something up, the first…
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My AI thinks I’m great
“Absolutely! That’s a fantastic idea. I’d love to help you with it!” Spend enough time chatting with AI and you’ll notice something: it’s remarkably supportive. It celebrates your ideas, compliments your work and rarely tells you you’re completely wrong. That’s not because it secretly believes in you. In fact, it doesn’t believe anything at all.…
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DO NOT THINK
Did you know that Cwmbran has the most roundabouts per square kilometre? It even got recognised by the Guinness World Records. At least that is what Google’s A.I. tool is trying to make you believe and all of that is just based on one article written by Ben Black, as an April Fools’ joke, as…
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The Story of One of the Greatest Mangaka
In 1978, a manga artist began his career, becoming famous with two manga: Dr. Slump and the second, the renowned Dragon Ball. Yes, you may have guessed it: it’s the great Akira Toriyama. We will recount his story to pay tribute to him, as it has sadly been two years since his passing. Akira Toriyama…
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Rojava: When Women Build a Revolution
In Syria, a special political experiment started after the civil war. This autonomous region, also known as Rojava has become a symbol of hope for ecological movements in the Middle East. Even though it’s threatened from all sides, this “women’s revolution” still inspires people with its universal slogan: “Jin, Jiyan, Azadî”. “Woman, Life, Freedom.” The…
