Good morning, happy Friday and welcome to Firstft Asia. In today’s newsletter:
Trump administration escalates attacks on Harvard
A shameful set for the North Korean navy
India and Pakistan launch diplomatic attacks from rivals
The Trump administration has banned Harvard University from registering international students. This is a massive escalation of attacks at one of the most famous Ivy League schools in the United States.
How That Happened: Homeland Security Secretary Christie Noem wrote to Harvard yesterday to inform the administration that the accreditation of the university’s student and exchange visitor program was “quickly effective” revoked. The decision comes amid a growing crackdown on elite institutions, accusing US President Donald Trump of failing to tackle anti-Semitism by promoting “awakening” ideology.
What that means: The move will affect student admissions next year, but Noem also said the ban would require Harvard’s nearly 6,800 existing international students, accounting for more than 27% of this year’s intake, to switch enrollment to other universities. It will also raise concerns for the 1.1 million foreigners who have their largest shares coming from India and China, as well as others who want to study in the US.
Harvard’s response: The university said the administration’s move was “illegal” and “completely committed” to maintaining its ability to host international students. Harvard has already sued the administration for halting more than $2 billion in funding for the university. Please read the entire story.
Here are other things that keep tabs today and weekends:
Economic Data: Japan and Singapore will release CPI inflation rate data for April.
Results: Cathay Financial Holdings reports its results for the first quarter.
Provincial visit: French President Emmanuel Macron will begin his trip to Vietnam on Sunday as part of a major tour of Southeast Asia. (Reuters)
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Five more top stories
1. UN Kim Jong assaulted the North Korean navy after failing to launch the biggest warship. During the launch where Kim was present, the ship caused unbalanced and harm to the hull. North Korean leaders have condemned the failure of a 5,000-ton naval destroyer as “criminal acts” caused by “carelessness.”
2. Trump took a big step to fulfill his second term’s key objectives with passing his drastic “big beautiful” tax bill by a small majority in the House. But Republicans celebrated yesterday after the bill was passed in one vote, which could become the poisoned holy grail for the president and his party.
Related News: U.S. Renewable Energy Group stocks fell yesterday. The cuts in the clean energy tax credits of Trump’s groundbreaking tax bill have proven to be more aggressive than expected.
3. Two staff members at the Israeli Embassy were shot and killed by a man who chanted “free and free Palestine” outside an event at the Jewish Museum in Washington on Wednesday night. Israeli and US officials have accused the attacks of anti-Semitism, but police said the suspect was in custody. Details are shown below.
4. Microsoft-Backed Builder.AI collapsed after internal investigations found evidence of possible fake sales, and the company revised its revenue to just a quarter of its previous estimate. Builder.ai, one of the UK’s most funded technology startups, informed employees earlier this week that lenders would begin bankruptcy proceedings after being called default.
5. The UK’s National Crime Agency has obtained a freeze order on two London properties related to the regime of expelled Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina amid allegations of embezzlement. The property is owned by Ahmed Shayan Fazl Rahman, son of Salman F. Rahman, a Bangladeshi businessman who served as Sheikh Hasina’s investment advisor.
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Detailed news
India’s rage is working on the international community that believes it is willing to trust Islamabad, including the US ©Rajat Gupta/Epa-Efe/Shutterstock
India and Pakistan are sending competing delegations around the world to strengthen their sympathy and to impose their views on the conflict this month. Here is what the two countries are telling foreign authorities about their rival diplomatic attacks.
We’re reading too. . .
Space Race: Elon Musk’s Starlink Satellite System rules the battle against the future of global connectivity, but Amazon and Chinese rivals are working to catch up.
EuroStar’s competition: Funding, regulation and various rail systems mean potential rivals have been years away from launching services.
“The Cult of Saint Traoré”: How Burkina Faso’s Russian-backed junta leader transformed from an obscure military officer into an anti-West icon.
The chart of the day
The bets that currency trades form part of trade negotiations with the US helped lift a string of Asian currencies against the dollar as traders seek indications they offer to reduce interventions to appease Trump.
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Take a break from the news
Most people do stupid things, Simon Cooper writes, as smartphones take away our attention span, reading skills and reasoning abilities. How to defeat trends? Here are seven habits to live to become a great thinker.
©Harry Keep
