Chinese and American youths have found a way to talk to each other.
And a nostalgic journey through the history of Nokia's mobile phones.
The Intersection” is your Monday, Wednesday, and Friday briefing on global affairs, business, culture, travel, and design—offering fresh insights through the lenses of sustainable development, women-centered perspectives, and emerging global trends. The aim? To keep you informed, curious, and always ready with a compelling conversation starter at the dinner table.
The main question of the day: are we watching Biden’s Farewell Address tonight? 8 p.m. Eastern!
In their second attempt, South Korean law enforcement officers detained impeached President Yoon over his brief imposition of martial law last month.
Pete Hegseth, Trump’s pick for US secretary of defense, defended his record in a contentious Senate confirmation hearing on Tuesday, acknowledging he was “not a perfect person” as Democratic lawmakers grilled the military veteran and Fox News host on allegations of sexual assault, excessive alcohol use, and financial mismanagement. He seems absolutely disgusting. Women senators did a fantastic job of demonstrating how ill-prepared he is for the role. Not only because of his personal issues but also because he failed to name a single member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a close U.S. partner, and falsely claimed that Chinese spy balloons did not fly over the United States during Trump’s previous term. Can you imagine showing up for the biggest test of your life and not even doing the bare minimum homework?! Except he is most likely going to be confirmed because while he is concerned about “standards being lowered” to allow women into combat roles, Republicans already have such low standards that this guy seems fine to lead the Defense Department. I read a Fox News article on the hearing to see how they reported on it, and the only thing they focused on is his ability to take the “woke ideology” out of the military.
(And, because you are much smarter than this guy, the ASEAN nations are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.)
Buenos Aires will scale back its monthly peso devaluation in February, according to the country’s central bank. The policy, a cornerstone of President Javier Milei’s strategy to curb inflation, has sparked concerns over its impact on the competitiveness of Argentine businesses, adding complexity to the country’s already fragile economic landscape.
Aalto University in Helsinki has unveiled the Nokia Design Archive, an online repository celebrating two decades of Finland’s legendary mobile phone innovator. The archive features 700 curated entries and 20,000 items, including unseen sketches, concepts, and marketing materials from Nokia's most iconic handsets, alongside designs and presentations that shaped mobile history. Tracing its roots back to 1865 as a pulp mill, Nokia evolved into a global powerhouse, producing everything from power supplies to rubber boots before entering the mobile market with the 1982 Mobira Senator car phone and the 1987 Mobira Cityman 900. Over the next 20 years, Nokia became synonymous with groundbreaking design and innovation, shaping the mobile industry while developing networks and protocols still in use today. The archive, spanning the early 1990s to 2017, is a nostalgic journey through a brand that defined an era of connectivity and creativity. (My first phone was a Nokia 3310!)
In a plot twist that no one saw coming, U.S. TikTok users are responding to the app's looming ban by flocking to Xiaohongshu, a Chinese social media platform. Dubbed "TikTok refugees," these users have propelled Xiaohongshu—meaning “Little Red Book” in English but referred to as “RedNote”—to the top spot on Apple’s U.S. App Store for free downloads this week. The platform combines e-commerce, short videos, and social posting, creating a hybrid space for creativity and connection. What’s more, cultural exchange can actually exist there. Chinese and American users are engaging directly, with the former offering to teach Mandarin to their newfound counterparts. The camaraderie across borders is not surprising but also ironic, given the geopolitical backdrop. Turns out that the unintended consequence of banning a non-Chinese app is a mass migration to an actual Chinese app that facilitates dialogue between citizens of the two countries! Wow. Brb downloading it…I finally have a reason to use my Mandarin language skills!
The State of Luxury 2025 report from Business of Fashion and McKinsey & Co. highlights a challenging period for the global luxury market, with value creation poised to decline year-over-year for the first time since 2016 (excluding 2020). Overexposure, diminished exclusivity, and unsustainable price increases have strained the sector, alienating aspirational consumers and reducing demand. Economic headwinds, particularly in China—previously a key growth driver—compound the issue, while the evolving client base adds complexity. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing experiences over goods, forcing brands to compete with luxury travel and wellness offerings. This shifting landscape demands a recalibration of strategies, as heightened expectations mean simply maintaining the status quo is no longer sufficient. The report calls for a strategic reset, emphasizing a return to the fundamentals of craftsmanship, innovation, and bespoke service to meet the demands of a more diverse, discerning clientele. Luxury brands must also navigate generational divides, appealing to younger shoppers without alienating loyal, heritage-focused consumers. Growth projections remain modest, with an estimated 1-3% annual increase from 2024 to 2027, driven primarily by emerging markets like the Middle East and India. However, these gains may not offset the stagnation in core markets such as the US, Europe, and China. To remain relevant, luxury leaders are encouraged to focus on long-term strategies, invest in creative excellence, and uphold their promise of exclusivity and uncompromising quality.
I’m SO curious what will happen in the "luxury" world over the next couple of years…I think that people’s understanding of what true luxury encompasses is changing.
Russia and Vietnam are getting cozier with a new agreement to deepen cooperation on nuclear energy and maritime research through 2030. The accord, formalized by both nations’ prime ministers in Hanoi, reflects Vietnam’s renewed focus on expanding its nuclear power capabilities after an eight-year hiatus. The move is part of the country’s broader strategy to diversify its energy portfolio and cut carbon emissions. This partnership builds on recent initiatives to strengthen ties. Last summer, Putin visited Hanoi to discuss advancing nuclear science, followed by an agreement in July between Vietnam’s Ministry of Science and Technology and Russia’s Rosatom to construct a 10-megawatt microreactor in Dong Nai province. Economic ties are also flourishing: in 2024, bilateral trade rose by 26 percent to $4.6 billion, with both nations setting an ambitious target of $15 billion by 2030. Keeping our eyes on this relationship…
The British Fashion Council (BFC) is ushering in a new era. With a new CEO starting in April (I wrote about it last week), the organisation has also unveiled a significant shift in its approach to sustainability, aligning itself with Copenhagen Fashion Week’s (CPHFW) pioneering framework. Starting this year, the BFC will adopt the sustainability requirements developed by CPHFW in 2020, widely recognised as one of the industry’s most progressive initiatives. This collaboration will introduce stricter minimum standards for brands participating in the BFC’s NewGen programme at London Fashion Week. The transition begins in 2025, with full implementation set for January 2026. Key measures include requiring brands to submit detailed sustainability strategies, ensuring quality and longevity in design, and meeting material standards—at least 60 percent of materials used must come from preferred sources, while animal fur, skins, and feathers will be prohibited. Brands must also document proper waste management, adhere to fair labour practices, and eliminate single-use plastics. While the Norwegian Fashion Hub and Fashion Council Germany have already integrated CPHFW’s requirements for Oslo and Berlin fashion weeks, London’s adoption marks the first of the four major fashion capitals to embrace such rigorous standards. This bold step could inspire New York, Milan, and Paris to follow suit, positioning London at the forefront of fashion’s sustainable future.
A good read for your travel inspiration. Would you walk around Ireland’s wild, remote, and rugged Dingle Peninsula? I would in a heartbeat.
French-Iranian author and illustrator Marjane Satrapi, best known for her graphic memoir and film Persepolis, has refused the Légion d’Honneur in protest of France’s “hypocrisy” in its dealings with Iran. In a letter to France’s culture minister, Satrapi explained her decision to decline the award, citing frustration with France’s treatment of Iranian dissidents and the contrast between its leniency toward oligarchs' families and its restrictions on those seeking refuge. "I can't ignore what I see as a hypocritical attitude toward Iran, which forged the other part of my identity," she wrote. Her refusal places her among intellectuals like Jean-Paul Sartre and Annie Ernaux, who have similarly declined the honor, with Satrapi criticizing French visa policies that allow the children of Iranian elites to freely travel to France while young dissidents struggle to obtain basic tourist visas. Her graphic memoir, Persepolis, which recounts her youth in Tehran and eventual exile, remains a poignant critique of the Iranian regime and a testament to the complexities of identity in exile.
Raspberry AI, a generative AI platform tailored to the fashion industry, has raised $24 million in funding to drive innovation in product development. The platform leverages artificial intelligence to enable brands to generate photorealistic renderings of design sketches in any fabrication, streamlining the creative process and reducing both time and costs. The technology promises to enhance design agility and client service, offering fashion houses a powerful tool to keep pace with shifting trends and consumer demands. Notable clients already on board include Under Armour, Li & Fung, and MCM Worldwide, signaling a growing appetite for AI-driven efficiencies among global brands. This latest funding round positions Raspberry AI as a frontrunner in the intersection of fashion and technology.
Hanoi has grappled with severe air pollution in recent weeks, consistently ranking among the world’s most polluted cities. In response, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha urged for an expedited shift towards electric vehicles, announcing plans for low-emission zones across the city this year. These zones will see polluting vehicles banned, while residents will be offered support to transition to electric alternatives. Vietnam, already the world’s second-largest market for electric two-wheelers, has seen them account for 12% of the country’s total two-wheeler sales, signaling a promising path towards cleaner urban mobility.
With an estimated 20 quadrillion ants on Earth at any given moment, these industrious insects are omnipresent and outnumber humans by at least 2.5 million to one. Beyond their ubiquity, ants share surprising traits with us: extraordinary collective intelligence, intricate social structures, and even a knack for agriculture. Their colonies are models of efficiency, seamlessly dividing labor and building robust community networks. Now, their capabilities are being harnessed in an unexpected way: fighting crop infestations and diseases naturally. In orchards across several countries, ants are being deployed as a chemical-free alternative to pesticides. Studies suggest they could replace insecticides in crops ranging from cocoa to citrus, reducing the spread of pear scab, coffee leaf rust, and fungal diseases in oak seedlings. Weaver ant nests have proven particularly effective, lowering pest damage in mango, cashew, and citrus trees while yielding harvests comparable to those achieved with chemical treatments. While nations like China embraced ants as a natural insecticide over a millennium ago, this eco-friendly approach has yet to gain significant traction in North America and Europe—though its time may finally be approaching.
Remember, if you are traveling to or through the U.K. and are a citizen of a visa-exempt country (including the U.S. and Canada), you will now need to apply for digital authorization and pay a fee (around $13, and it lasts two years).
Matilda of Flanders (1031–1083), Queen of England and Duchess of Normandy, played a pivotal role in medieval Europe as the wife of William the Conqueror and regent of Normandy. Born into the influential House of Flanders, Matilda was the daughter of Count Baldwin V and Adela of France, connecting her lineage to French royalty. Her strategic marriage to William, Duke of Normandy, in 1051/52 unified powerful territories and set the stage for the Norman Conquest of England. Despite initial resistance to the match, citing William’s illegitimacy, Matilda’s marriage to him proved enduring, producing nine children who survived to adulthood, including two future kings, William II and Henry I.
As William embarked on his historic conquest in 1066, Matilda governed Normandy with authority, later joining her husband in England for her coronation. She seamlessly alternated between England and Normandy, ruling in her husband's absence and ensuring political stability. Matilda also contributed to cultural and religious life, founding Sainte-Trinité Abbey in Caen and overseeing her children’s education. Her sons studied under the renowned Lanfranc, while her daughters received Latin instruction, an exceptional standard for the time. Tales of her earlier life include romantic intrigue, with rumors of unrequited affection for an Anglo-Saxon land-owner, Brictric, whose lands she reportedly confiscated in later years. Drama.
Matilda's leadership extended beyond governance to actively supporting William’s campaigns, notably funding the flagship Mora for the Norman invasion. Her final years were marked by steadfast service to her family and realm until her death in 1083 at the age of 52. Deeply affected by her passing, William expressed his grief by swearing off hunting, his favourite pastime. True love. Matilda’s legacy endures as a testament to her political acumen, cultural contributions, and the central role she played in shaping the fortunes of the Norman dynasty.
What are you thinking or reading about today?
Jennifer
xxx