Tariffs are on the ballot. 3 in 4 voters say tariffs will shape their vote this November, a new Cato poll finds. Learn more from Cato's @Rowebotz.

Mapped: The Top Renewable Power Source by State or Province ⚡ visualcapitalist.com/mapped-…

Asia in 1227.

Sweden is officially trading screens and tablets for physical books and handwriting to reverse a decline in reading skills. Once at the forefront of hyper-digitalized learning, Sweden is engineering a dramatic pivot back to the basics in its classrooms. Concerned that an overreliance on digital tablets and screens has eroded reading comprehension and foundational writing skills, Swedish education officials are investing heavily in traditional printed textbooks. The national strategy aims to phase out digital devices for children under the age of six entirely, following a drop in international reading assessment scores. Experts point out that while technology was championed to level the playing field, its unrestricted use has instead led to shorter attention spans and reduced retention among younger learners. Scientific evidence strongly supports this retro transition. Research indicates that the physical act of handwriting activates complex neural networks governing motor skills, vision, memory, and language—cognitive benefits that are largely lost on a keyboard. Furthermore, reading from a printed page provides critical spatial cues that aid comprehension, unlike digital screens that often subject students to cognitive fatigue and constant distractions. While computers and tablets remain valuable tools for research and collaboration, educators worldwide are watching Sweden's massive reinvestment in physical books as a potential blueprint for a more balanced, science-backed approach to modern schooling. source: The Guardian. Switching off: Sweden says back-to-basics schooling works on paper.

We at the Indonesian Institute for Foreign Affairs (IIFA) @iifa_uiii just published our 2026 Expert Survey on Global Affairs, drawing on insights from scholars across the globe. Downloadable through this link: iifa.uiii.ac.id/publications…

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦

Southeast Asia is now a $4.5 trillion economy and one of the world’s fastest-growing regions. Yet only about 22 percent of its exports stay within the bloc. Discover more in F&D magazine’s Picture This. imf.org/en/publications/fand…

ft.com/content/8869caf9-3cd1… @RanaForoohar: “Like the Great Game of the 19th century, the U.S.–China conflict today is both economic and political, geographic and virtual, a battle over territorial spheres of influence, but also broader systems dominance.” China’s strategy is to get there first, pursuing a modern forward strategy, gaining control over physical and virtual chokepoints, and seizing advantage in the ports, supply chains, resources, technologies, and standards that will define the next era of competition. #Kipling #NewGreatGame #PolarSilkRoad . #Chokepoints . .

This longform @FT article argues that the power operates through the systems on which others depend: shipping, ports, finance, technology and communications. Military strength draws support from these commercial and industrial capabilities.

Sockeye salmon are coming home after four years. Across North America’s North Pacific coast, their red bodies can change stretches of river. One of the best places to see it is British Columbia’s Adams River, where the largest returns follow a four-year cycle. This is one of those years. October 2026 marks a dominant year for sockeye returning to the Adams River, a cycle known for bringing huge numbers of fish to their spawning grounds. In large runs, their bodies pack the shallows with bright red. Sockeye look very different at sea, with silvery sides and blue-green backs. As they prepare to reproduce, their bodies turn red and their heads become green. Males also grow hooked jaws. The color comes from the fish, rather than the water changing color. After growing in the Pacific Ocean, the adults return to freshwater to spawn. They stop feeding during this last migration, drawing on stored energy as they push upstream through currents and past predators. At the spawning grounds, females dig nests in the gravel, lay their eggs, and cover them after fertilization. Young salmon later use nearby lake habitat as a nursery before moving toward the ocean. Most Fraser River sockeye return at about four years old. The Adams River’s especially abundant generation produces its dominant run, with smaller returns in the years between. Salmon return every year, and even dominant-year numbers vary. The adults die after spawning, but their bodies keep supporting life. Bears, eagles and other wildlife feed on salmon, while decay releases ocean-derived nutrients into freshwater and nearby ecosystems. At Tsútswecw Provincial Park, the Adams River Salmon Society expects sockeye around mid-October, with spawning usually lasting into early November. The Salute to the Sockeye festival runs October 9–25, marking the return and the longstanding bond between salmon and Secwépemc communities. Visitors can watch from marked trails and viewing areas while staying out of the water and giving spawning fish room.