This feature examines how Middle Eastern education systems navigate tensions between global models and local cultures. Drawing on studies across the Gulf, Turkey, Bahrain, Oman, the UAE, and Iran, it explores shadow education markets, policy borrowing, teacher learning communities, culturally grounded early education, and classroom critiques of test-driven systems. Together, these perspectives show education as an ongoing negotiation, not simple adoption, shaping identity, equity, and future readiness across the region.

Researchers at University of Tsukuba have developed a cellulose-based composite sheet that integrates paper pulp with starch, polyaniline (a conductive polymer), Prussian blue (a coordination compound), and alginic acid (a natural polysaccharide). These components were assembled into layered structures using a traditional papermaking technique. The resulting sheet exhibits efficient simultaneous adsorption and immobilization of radioactive elements, including cesium, iodine, and strontium.

Scientists developed a single molecule combining p-type and n-type semiconductor components that self-assembles into two distinct nanoscale p/n heterojunctions, key structures for converting sunlight to electricity. Their findings highlight the importance of nanoscale structural control in bottom-up, single-component organic thin-film solar cells.

Researchers from the School of Engineering at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) have pioneered a mechanical bond strategy to create quasi-solid-state electrolytes (QSSEs) for lithium-metal batteries (LMBs). This marks the first use of mechanically interlocked molecules (MIMs) in covalent organic frameworks (COFs) to achieve high-performance battery operation, harnessing the unique chemistry of interlocked systems to enable safe, stable, and high-energy-density LMBs.

Researchers in China found alternate wetting and moderate drying irrigation (AWMD) regime significantly increased contents of lipid, TFFAs, FUFAs, linoleic acid and oleic acid in milled rice.

Elevated levels of lipid, TFFAs, FUFAs, linoleic acid, and oleic acid contributed more favorably to enhanced rice cooking and eating quality. The AWMD improved rice cooking and eating quality through optimization of lipid and free fatty acid biosynthesis in rice grains.

As offshore carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) expands, pipelines carrying supercritical CO₂ will be central to moving captured carbon to subsea storage sites. A new critical review synthesizes what is known about external and internal corrosion in offshore CO₂ pipelines, compares existing corrosion prediction approaches, and summarizes practical protection strategies while pinpointing key gaps such as multi-impurity corrosion mechanisms, missing international standards for CO₂ pipeline fluid quality, and the need for non-toxic antifouling coatings.