A new era for the Catholic Church has begun with the election of its first-ever American pope. Cardinal Robert Prevost, an American clergyman, has been chosen by the College of Cardinals to serve as the new pope. He has taken the papal name Pope Leo XIV, making him the 14th pope in history to use the name “Leo” — and notably, the first American to lead the global Catholic Church.
On May 2, the Trump administration sent shockwaves through the space industry by proposing a massive 24% budget cut to NASA—amounting to about $6 billion. This would reduce NASA’s 2025 budget from $24.8 billion to around $18.8 billion.
The U.S. government, under the leadership of President Donald Trump, has announced a significant tariff increase on certain goods imported from China, reaching up to 245%. This number is not a mistake or typo, but the result of a combination of several tariff measures imposed on Chinese products at the same time, especially those related to “rare earth minerals,” which are strategic resources critical to national security.
President Donald Trump has announced a major shift in trade policy, deciding to temporarily reduce import tariffs on most trade partner countries to just 10% for a period of 90 days, in order to create room for trade negotiations. However, in a sharp contrast, China will face an immediate tariff hike to 125%.
Japan has now officially entered spring, which means it’s time for the much-anticipated sakura season! This year, the blooms started on March 22 in Fukuoka and Tokyo, making them some of the first places to witness the blossoms beginning to bloom.
The recent major earthquake in Myanmar on March 28 has sparked significant concerns—especially regarding its potential impact on the oil and gas pipelines that connect Myanmar to China. These pipelines are a key component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
The Crew Dragon mission of SpaceX has successfully concluded! Four astronauts have safely returned to Earth after an extended mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), far longer than initially planned. Especially, Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore had to stay in space for an incredible 9 months, instead of the originally planned 8 days.
Japan is currently facing a rising cost of living, but workers seem to have received some good news. In January 2025, the base wage increased by 3.1%, marking the highest wage increase in 32 years. This increase is due to a strong labor market and unions pushing for higher pay to offset the effects of inflation.
DBS Group, Singapore’s leading bank, is preparing to reduce its workforce by 4,000 positions over the next 3 years due to AI replacing human jobs, particularly among contract workers and temporary staff.
Currently, studying an MBA in the U.S. is undergoing significant changes as many universities are beginning to reduce the number of international students admitted, in line with the “America First” policy of the U.S. government, especially during the presidency of Donald Trump. This has involved cuts in financial support and stricter visa regulations to limit the number of immigrants and international students.
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Tell: 092-5363292, 02-0021008
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