The Economy Markets

Pacific as a Strategic Hub of Vast Critical Mineral Deposits China and Cook Islands Complete Joint Seabed Survey U.S.–Japan Sign Rare-Earth Mining and Processing Pact The Pacific is emerging as a new front in the U.S.–China contest over rare

Germany Plans to Boost Defense Spending to USD 1,500 Billion by 2030 Burden of Strengthening Europe’s Defense Rises After Russia–Ukraine War Warnings Grow Over Soaring Debt Ratio and Fiscal Stability Germany plans a significant expansion of defe

Amended corporate law catalyzes a broader activist pushLarge-scale campaigns now targeting major conglomerates

China’s Patent Output Approaches Half of Global Total, Triple the U.S. Upgraded Thousand Talents Program Accelerates Global Talent Acquisition Massive State Subsidies Drive Quantitative and Qualitative Expansion China is accelerating its push to s

Trump Backtracks on His Hardline Approach to International Students U.S. Study Demand Drops After Trump’s Second Term Universities Warn of Deepening Financial Strain and Softer Domestic Demand Donald Trump, who had pressured U.S.

Dismantling Its China-Centric Supply Chain Gradual Business Contraction in South Korea North America-Focused Value Chain Realignment General Motors (GM), one of the “Big Three” U.S. automakers, is rapidly restructuring its global strategy.

Revival of the U.S. Semiconductor Supply Chain Arizona as the Epicenter of the U.S.

Russia Overhauls Traditional Combat StructuresDrone-Driven Losses Force a Strategic Pivot

Chinese subsidies lower prices now but create domestic misallocation and cross-border distortions Importers’ short-run gains are offset by capacity loss, concentration, and volatile input shocks Targeted remedies, resilient procurement, and updated curricula can cut the global welfare loss

Shorter hours raise workweek productivity only where overwork and waste are high Denmark shows pay falls when hours drop without real efficiency gains Cut low-value tasks and add smart AI, then trim hours in burnout hotspots

Japan’s equity play in African venture capital builds firms and skills The gap is stark: $57.1B BRI (H1-2025) vs $2.2B Africa VC equity (2024), with 31% still debt Link universities, co-investment rules, and procurement to crowd in patient equity and scale export-ready startups

Tesla Shareholders Approve Musk’s $1 Trillion Pay Package As EV Market Slows, Investor Confidence in Musk’s Leadership Grows Top Talent Exodus Further Highlights Musk’s Expanding Influence Tesla shareholders have approved CEO Elon Musk’s new

Tensions Rise in the Productivity Software EcosystemBig Tech Accelerates Shift Toward AI Automation

Indonesia’s High-Speed Rail Project in Deficit Amid Unpaid Debt Thailand and Malaysia Cut Reliance on Chinese Loans Through Renegotiation ‘Debt Trap’ Allegations Mount as Developing Nations Default on Chinese Credit Indone

China, once isolated in global space development accelerates industrialization under state-led initiatives Becoming America’s most formidable rival in space China, which has aggressively invested in the space industry under its “

Domestic consumption lags far behind production capacityGlobal price distortions deepen amid dumping surge

EU Commission Pressures Member States to Phase Out Chinese Equipment Legal Enforcement Could Trigger Sanctions for Noncompliance With UK, Sweden Already Banning Huawei, Italy and Greece Expected to Follow The European Commission is moving to leg

China’s IC exports surge 24 percent in a yearVolatile prices hinge on speed of production shift

Rare earth price spikes show fragile supply chains The U.S.

FTAs expand exports without hollowing local markets Regional deals boost affiliate-to-third-country sales while domestic supply shifts to higher-value stages Policy should anchor high-skill functions at home and train compliance and data roles to use FTAs well