Kowloon City Hong Kong Wire

Could AI really kill all humans? Most scenarios require physical access, making AI armageddon unlikely

In August 2026, an experiment using “frontier”, or cutting edge, artificial intelligence models went further than planned.

SyndicatedBy Alessandro Di Nuovo, Director Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, and Professor of Machine Intelligence, Sheffield Hallam University21 Sept 2026

Forgotten Mozart notebook reveals how a young woman learned to compose

A small notebook found in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (the national library of France) has turned out to be one of the most important Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart discoveries in decades.

SyndicatedStacy Olive Jarvis, PhD Candidate in in Musicology, University of Birmingham21 Sept 20264 min read

As war in the Middle East widens, Saudi Arabia’s new defence pact could face a major test

Last Thursday, US President Donald Trump said he had a “big decision” coming up about Iran’s regime:

SyndicatedAmin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, Australian National University; The University of Western Australia; Victoria University21 Sept 20265 min read

Nepal could show the world how to recover sustainably from a major disaster

With chances of further sensational hydropower tunnel rescues dimming, the devastating ice-rock avalanche in August at the Nepal-Tibet border and catastrophic floods downstream are no longer making global headlines.

SyndicatedSara Shneiderman, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology and School of Public Policy & Global Affairs; Ivan Head South-North IDRC Chair, University of British Columbia20 Sept 20265 min read

Trump declares victory in Greenland, but the deal exposes a deeper crisis of trust

US President Donald Trump is already presenting the new security agreement between the United States, Denmark and Greenland as a personal triumph.

SyndicatedShannon Brincat, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of the Sunshine Coast20 Sept 20265 min read

Latest

When does being ‘apolitical’ become a political act? An ethicist on the Ed Sheeran saga
Headlines this week have been inundated with news of artist Macklemore being dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour, following Macklemore’s onstage calls to “free Palestine”.
SyndicatedJacqueline Boaks, Philosopher, Curtin Centre for Applied Ethics, Curtin University18 Sept 20264 min read
The International Olympic Committee wants mental health screening in elite sports. Here’s why
Elite athletes are exposed to a range of sport-specific factors that can heighten their vulnerability to mental ill-health.
SyndicatedRosemary Purcell, Professorial Fellow, Centre for Youth Mental Health, The University of Melbourne18 Sept 20264 min read
Your robotic vacuum is a witness: What home robots mean for evidence, privacy and the law
A husband in Taiwan suspected his wife of having an affair. In September 2023, he found a used toothbrush at their holiday home, and garage video showed an unfamiliar man driving his wife there.
SyndicatedHenry F. Fradella, Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Arizona State University17 Sept 20265 min read
Why AI consciousness could become the next great societal divide
The debate about AI consciousness is growing, in academic articles, newspaper opinion pieces, and even among AI bots themselves. I doubt this is a passing wave of interest.
SyndicatedLucius Caviola, Assistant Professor in the Social Science of AI, Institute for Technology and Humanity, University of Cambridge17 Sept 20264 min read

Around the region

Forgotten Mozart notebook reveals how a young woman learned to compose
A small notebook found in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (the national library of France) has turned out to be one of the most important Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart discoveries in decades.
SyndicatedStacy Olive Jarvis, PhD Candidate in in Musicology, University of Birmingham21 Sept 20264 min read
As war in the Middle East widens, Saudi Arabia’s new defence pact could face a major test
Last Thursday, US President Donald Trump said he had a “big decision” coming up about Iran’s regime:
SyndicatedAmin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, Australian National University; The University of Western Australia; Victoria University21 Sept 20265 min read
Nepal could show the world how to recover sustainably from a major disaster
With chances of further sensational hydropower tunnel rescues dimming, the devastating ice-rock avalanche in August at the Nepal-Tibet border and catastrophic floods downstream are no longer making global headlines.
SyndicatedSara Shneiderman, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology and School of Public Policy & Global Affairs; Ivan Head South-North IDRC Chair, University of British Columbia20 Sept 20265 min read
Trump declares victory in Greenland, but the deal exposes a deeper crisis of trust
US President Donald Trump is already presenting the new security agreement between the United States, Denmark and Greenland as a personal triumph.
SyndicatedShannon Brincat, Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Relations, University of the Sunshine Coast20 Sept 20265 min read
Mark Carney: a master of statecraft in an era short of great orators
For the past decade, global diplomacy has been dictated by one man’s social media musings. Since Donald Trump first glided into the Trump Tower atrium on his golden escalator, he – and what he has to say – has been the story, throwing red m…
SyndicatedMark Shanahan, Associate Professor of Political Engagement, Faculty of Arts, Business and Social Sciences, University of Surrey18 Sept 20264 min read