“The regime is terrified of one thing: Iranians being heard telling their own truth and having crimes documented” Iran is planning to permanently block its citizens from the global internet https://restofworld.org/2026/iran-blackout-tiered-internet/

More than 80 world leaders, 800 CEOs, and thousands of others gathered amid the Alps this week to attend the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland. Here's what they talked about: restofworld.org/2026/ai-davo...

Here's what you need to know about the new TikTok deal: restofworld.org/2026/tiktok-...

“The regime is terrified of one thing: Iranians being heard telling their own truth and having crimes documented” Following a repressive crackdown on protests, Iran is now building a system that grants web access only to security-vetted elites, while locking 90 million citizens inside an intranet

AI isn’t the culprit behind slower hiring; economic uncertainty and monetary policy shifts are. Advanced economies are struggling more, with hiring down 20%–35% compared to pre-pandemic levels. In emerging markets like India (+40%) and the UAE (+37%) hiring is up.

A new report from LinkedIn on #AI and #jobs has the term "new-collar" roles. These require hybrid skills—technical fluency, manual capability, and continual adaptability. In the past two years, ~1.3 mln AI‑related jobs were created, including data annotators and AI engineers.

What are this year's biggest tech job trends? All AI everything, the battle continues over the return to office, and some people are getting fancy new job titles Full roundup: https://restofworld.org/2026/tech-jobs-2026-ai-layoffs-hybrid-work/

In his new book, “Love Machines: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Our Relationships,” @jamesmuldoon.bsky.social profiles people who use AI companions. Read an excerpt about a woman who built a deathbot to grieve for her mother restofworld.org/2026/james-m...

There are many contradictions in the tech job market in 2026. Firms are laying off without having found ways to deploy AI at scale. Entry-level jobs are few, but critical roles are hard to fill. I reviewed tech job trends for @restofworld.org restofworld.org/2026/tech-jo...

At Rest of World, we know that technology thrives alongside humanity, often being used in novel ways and under surprising circumstances. Our 2026 photo contest seeks to celebrate its creative uses in the regions where you live. Enter here: https://restofworld.org/pages/photography-contest-2026/

“Africa remains the least-connected region in the world, yet this is precisely what makes it one of the most attractive markets for global connectivity providers. The scale of unmet demand means that virtually every major player sees Africa as a strategic growth market.”

“Always remember, your bosses aren’t in the Philippines. Rain, earthquake, volcano erupting … you still gotta go to work.” Outsourced workers in the Philippines are being forced to work through natural disasters. Our new story: restofworld.org/2026/philipp...

Our flagship newsletter is going twice-weekly. Sign up here https://restofworld.org/newsletters/global/

China’s WeRide, Baidu, and PonyAI are bringing robotaxi fleets abroad, while U.S. companies Waymo and Cruise stay home New: restofworld.org/2026/robotax...

“The government says it needs green energy, I get it. But rural communities like us have nowhere else to go” Taiwan’s aggressive expansion of wind energy to power the semiconductor industry is upending the livelihoods of rural communities https://restofworld.org/2026/taiwan-ai-green-energy-impacts/

The Global, Rest of World's newsletter featuring on-the-ground insights from our staff, is going twice-weekly. Subscribe here https://restofworld.org/newsletters/global/

Starlink satellite internet has become synonymous with censorship-proof connectivity. Iran proved that assumption wrong https://restofworld.org/2026/iran-starlink-internet-shutdown/

“I often say I will be the last generation of oyster farmers here. There’s no way we can fight this.” The rapid expansion of wind energy is disrupting farming communities in Taiwan https://restofworld.org/2026/taiwan-ai-green-energy-impacts/

When you place AI inside a social network designed for attention and conflict, moderation becomes much harder, harm spreads faster, and accountability gets blurry https://restofworld.org/2026/grok-ai-danger/

What makes Grok more dangerous than other AI chatbots is not that it can generate harmful content. The difference is that it lives on X New from @tarykuh.bsky.social https://restofworld.org/2026/grok-ai-danger/

Starlink has become synonymous with censorship-proof internet connectivity. But Iran's military-grade GPS jammers have proved that assumption wrong restofworld.org/2026/iran-st...

Startups valued at $1 billion or more were once so rare they were termed “unicorns.” These days, they're a common sight restofworld.org/2026/unicorn...

We broke down BYD’s financials, innovations, and public image in five charts to show where the world’s biggest EV seller stands as it bets on global expansion: restofworld.org/2026/byd-pro...

The EU has found a way to keep electric-vehicle makers happy without flooding the market with cheap Chinese cars restofworld.org/2026/why-the...

Microsoft has responded to resistance to data centers with a “community-first AI infrastructure” plan. President Brad Smith said the company will “pay our way to ensure our data centers don’t increase your electricity prices,” minimize water use, create jobs, forgo tax breaks & invest in AI training

Tesla sold fewer cars for the second year in a row in 2025. Why hasn't the sales decline affected Tesla’s stock price? Investors are betting on Tesla’s autonomous driving and robotics ventures. Our new story: https://restofworld.org/2026/tesla-car-2025/

AI adoption is on the rise globally, but new data shows some countries significantly outperforming others, and the gap between advanced nations and developing nations is growing Get the full breakdown: https://restofworld.org/2026/countries-generative-ai-adoption/

Two days before its general elections, Uganda has turned off the internet across the country. President Yoweri Museveni will be on the ballot for the seventh time, running to extend his 40-year tenure restofworld.org/2026/uganda-...

How should creators be compensated when AI is trained on their work? India thinks it has found a solution that benefits both tech companies and creators restofworld.org/2026/india-a...

I talked to one of my favorite publications, @restofworld.org, for this piece about AI licensing in India. restofworld.org/2026/india-a...

Iran's internet shutdown is systematically crippling Starlink, the satellite internet service from Elon Musk that is said to be almost impossible to jam restofworld.org/2026/iran-st...

Beating Tesla in the global electric-vehicle race is costing BYD dearly. The Chinese EV giant reported a 33% drop in profit for the period from July to September, marking its second consecutive quarter of declining earnings restofworld.org/2026/byd-pro...

Wind energy for AI is devastating Taiwan’s coastal farming communities https://restofworld.org/2026/taiwan-ai-green-energy-impacts

China is banning the Tesla-style “flush" door handle due to security concerns. The ban will come into effect on January 1, 2027. In the US and Europe, regulatory bodies are just starting to pay attention to the safety hazards these handles can pose.

Taiwan's semiconductor industry’s power demand is forecast to grow eightfold by 2028. A rapid expansion of wind energy to power this demand is upending the livelihoods of farmers, fishers and rural communities, reports Hsiuwen Liu for @restofworld.org restofworld.org/2026/taiwan-...

“I often say I will be the last generation of oyster farmers here. There’s no way we can fight this.” Taiwan’s aggressive expansion of wind energy to power the semiconductor industry is upending the livelihoods of rural communities restofworld.org/2026/taiwan-...

How workers in China are training robots to do very boring chores https://restofworld.org/2026/china-robots-training-centers-workers/

Countries are outlawing online gambling ads. Meta is selling them anyway https://restofworld.org/2026/meta-online-gambling-ads/

Rest of World's @rinachandran.bsky.social breaks down one of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's comments from #CES: the company’s next-generation Vera Rubin chips will no longer require data centers to run energy-intensive water chillers

Rest of World’s analysis found that Meta is disregarding local laws and the platform’s own guidelines around online gambling ads in at least 13 countries https://restofworld.org/2026/meta-online-gambling-ads/

The online gambling industry has exploded in popularity since the pandemic. Some countries are welcoming the booming business. Other countries — responding to concerns about rising scams, crippling debt and media reports linking gambling losses to suicides — want to ban it.

Rest of World deputy editor @rinachandran.bsky.social reports from #CES on one of this year's hottest items: wearable technology. Makers like Meta and Google say the technology helps people with disabilities, but just how accessible are these devices?

Two Chinese IPOs will test whether investors still have an appetite for AI amid mounting concerns about an industry bubble https://restofworld.org/2026/zhipu-ai-minimax-ipo/

ChatGPT can now read your medical records. What could go wrong? New from @rinachandran.bsky.social: restofworld.org/2026/openai-...

Donald Trump’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has unexpectedly boosted the stock of Latin American e-commerce giant MercadoLibre: restofworld.org/2026/maduro-...

“It’s a fine gig, though a bit boring.” To address a data shortage in robotics research, local governments in China have funded 40 training centers, where human trainers teach robots to mimic movements like folding clothes and wiping tables restofworld.org/2026/china-r...

Looking for a job? Be careful out there https://restofworld.org/2025/linkedin-job-scams/

What AI bubble? In his keynote at #CES yesterday, Jensen Huang said 2025 was an "incredible" year. Sure, for the company that hit more than $5 trillion in market cap. This year, is all about physical AI, he said, and two robots hobbled on to the stage.

In August, India banned all forms of real-money online gambling and its promotion. But Rest of World's new analysis reveals that illegal online gambling ads continue to be widespread on Meta platforms in India, and in 12 additional countries where they’re prohibited by law

The anti-Shein movement is growing https://restofworld.org/2025/anti-shein-temu-backlash-latin-america/