Policy

Higher education now behaves like a market good, and price signals matter Governments should fund fewer, stronger universities and tie money to outcomes Demographic decline demands ruthless quality control, clear labeling, and real bridges to opportunity

China is accelerating BRI investment and pushing CPEC into Afghanistan India needs a dual anchor: Russian channels for access; US–EU scale for finance and standards Keep a compliant Chabahar link and build skills-led corridors to retain leverage in Kabul

Childcare subsidies alone haven’t raised births in Korea, Japan, or China The binding constraint is marriage risk—up-front costs and divorce/career exposure De-risk marriage with clear legal defaults, lower entry costs, and work guarantees

A 55% China tariff is rerouting supply chains toward ASEAN ASEAN can seize a third path by treating skills as trade infrastructure Bind investment to portable credentials and cross-border training to grow without picking sides On

Security and economics in Asia-Pacific have fused Alliances are uneven across the region Education must lead a balanced third path Asia-Pacific security economics has shifted from a background issue to a driving force.

AI shifts tasks across borders rather than causing mass layoffs Southeast Asia absorbs more of this work thanks to digital capacity and wages Skills, standards, and cross-border partnerships turn the shift into shared gains

Japan–China relations now shape Japan’s classrooms and campuses Low public trust and export controls tighten research and admissions Universities should segment risk, diversify enrollment, and teach geo-literacy Thirteen perce

China wins on speed and scale; the EU Global Gateway must answer with reliability and skills Education, maintenance, and transparent contracts should drive projects to deliver uptime, not just assets With faster procurement and pay-for-performance finance, Europe can win trust without matching China’s spending

Shutdown deepens gaps in public servicesInterest rate cuts possible as markets face uncertainty

Opposition Unity Collapses, LDP Likely to Produce Prime Minister Koizumi Leads Among Lawmakers and Party Members If No Majority, Runoff Between Top Two Candidates The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) leadership contest, effectively a prime

Senate Rejects Stopgap Bill, First Shutdown in Seven Years Partisan Stalemate over Obamacare Subsidy Extension Trump Blames Democrats, Warns of Federal Workforce Cuts The U.S.

Worldwide push to expand oil supplyMassive U.S. production and exports reshape prices

Trump Administration Cancels Large-Scale Climate Budgets in 16 States DOE and EPA Begin Cutting Green Programs and Rolling Back Policies “Green Terminology Banned” as DOE Takes Extreme Measures The Trump administration has decided to slash

China Poured $715 Billion Into R&D Last Year Chinese Industry Races to Surpass Germany, Japan, and the U.S.

Korea’s National Airport Workers’ Union Enters Indefinite Strike Ahead of Chuseok Worker Discontent Grows Over Subcontracting and Job Insecurity Strike Actions Mount Across Sectors Ahead of “Yellow Envelope Act” Implementation Workers at 15 airp

Ministry of Foreign Affairs: “Reconfirmation that ESTA holders may engage in same activities as B-1 visa holders” Dedicated “Investor Desk” to be set up at U.S. Embassy in Seoul Reflects heightened U.S.

Muted Impact, Questions Over Bookings and SalesShort-Lived Gains for Big Retailers, Widening Divide

European economics journals reform must reward method and openness over brand prestige Tie hiring and grants to reproducibility—open code, preregistration, independent replications Build EU benchmarks and nimble society journals so reliable work earns global reach

Summit Plans Centered in Gyeongju, Canceling Seoul StayPast Criticism of China’s “Self-Interest” Dominated

Moore Thread Speeds Through STAR Market Review Despite Losses MetaX and Biren Technology Also Eye Local IPOs Soon Chinese Government’s Backing Fuels Rapid Growth of Key Semiconductor Firms Moore Threads, often dubbed the “NVIDIA of China,” h