South Korean companies are offering workers tens of thousands of dollars (tax free) to have babies. But are cash incentives enough to address the country’s record-low fertility rates? K. Oanh Ha and Bloomberg’s Hyonhee Shin explore on today’s Big Take Asia podcast.

Read more: Korean Companies Pay Employees Huge Sums to Have More Kids

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For the first time in history, Japan’s ruling party has elected a woman as its leader. Sanae Takaichi, 64, is an unconventional figure — and now she’s on track to become Japan’s first female prime minister.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg’s Paul Jackson about Takaichi’s path to power, why her politics aren’t resonating with some Japanese women and what her leadership could mean for Japan’s economy and its relationship with the United States.

Read more: Japan Braces for Shift to Right Under ‘Iron Lady’ Fan Takaichi - Bloomberg

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President Donald Trump’s H-1B visa fee has sent shockwaves through India’s workforce, which makes up roughly 70% of recipients. 

On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha and Bloomberg’s Sankalp Phartiyal unpack how the policy could disrupt careers, reshape global talent flows and shatter the American dream for tens of thousands of workers.

Read more: Why Trump Is Charging a $100,000 Fee for H-1B Visas
Trump’s $100,000 Visa Targets a $280 Billion India Success Story

Further listening: India Won’t Stop Buying Russian Oil. Now It’s Paying the Price.

Watch, from Originals: How an Army of Middlemen Game the US Work Visa System

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After months of negotiation, the US and China have reached a tentative agreement to secure TikTok’s future in the US.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha sits down with Bloomberg’s Josh Wingrove and Mark Anderson to unpack TikTok’s “America-First” era. They discuss what you need to know about potential changes to the platform, how a majority American-controlled board could impact the app’s future and what the deal tells us about China-US negotiations moving forward.

Read more:
TikTok’s Algorithm to Be Secured by Oracle Under Trump Deal

What We Do and Don’t Know About US TikTok Deal With China

Further listening: 
Americans Flocked to RedNote as the TikTok Ban Loomed. Will the Party Last?

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Across South Asia, Gen Z protestors are flooding the streets, demanding change. These protests have resulted in some of the worst violence Nepal and Indonesia have seen in years, presenting a challenge to the ruling elites.

On today’s Big Take Asia podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg Opinion’s Karishma Vaswani about what’s driving this wave of youth-led uprisings and what it would take for lasting political change.

Read more: Gen Z Protesters Are Challenging Asia’s Old Guard

Further listening: After a Deadly Student Uprising, Bangladesh Starts Over, Again

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The leaders of China, Russia and India shared smiles and handshakes, putting on a surprising show of unity in a striking moment that went viral earlier this month.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Daniel Ten Kate about what’s driving their alignment and what the shift means for Trump and the US-led world order.

Read more: Xi Unites a World That Doesn’t Want to Be Pushed Around by Trump

Further listening: India Won’t Stop Buying Russian Oil. Now It’s Paying the Price.
What Xi Jinping’s Military Purge Means for China and the World

Watch, from Originals: How Xi Unleashed China’s Biggest Military Purge Since Mao

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Beijing is holding its first military parade since 2019, showcasing the strength of China’s armed forces. Underneath the show of power, a Bloomberg investigation has found President Xi Jinping is orchestrating the biggest purge of military leadership since Mao Zedong.

On today's Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha speaks with Bloomberg's John Liu about the dramatic restructuring of China’s military and what this sweeping shakeup could mean for the rest of the world.

Read more: Xi Unleashes China’s Biggest Purge of Military Leaders Since Mao

Further listening:

The Shadowy Fleet of Tankers Moving Iranian Oil to China
Tensions Are Growing in the South China Sea

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South Korean shipyards are busier than they’ve been in years. Seoul and Washington are working to finalize a new trade deal that will include a $150 billion commitment to help stimulate the US shipbuilding industry.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha talks to Bloomberg’s Weilun Soon about whether the US-South Korea shipbuilding alliance could help President Trump achieve his US shipbuilding dreams, what South Korea stands to gain from the investment – and if it will be enough to disrupt China’s maritime dominance.

Read more: South Korea’s $150 Billion Bet on Trump’s Shipbuilding Dream

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From a life of hard labor in the Gobi Desert to becoming a prominent Hong Kong investor, Weijian Shan's story is one of incredible contrasts. 

In an exclusive interview with Bloomberg's Mishal Husain, the Chinese economist and author opens up about his childhood during the Cultural Revolution, his thoughts on Hong Kong’s National Security law and President Trump’s trade war with China.

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Myanmar is the world’s third-largest producer of rare earths and a critical supplier for neighboring China. But rebels have recently taken control of most of the country’s mines — creating a complicated situation for Beijing and for global supply chains.

On today’s Big Take Asia Podcast, host K. Oanh Ha and reporter Timothy McLaughlin discuss the Kachin Independence Organization’s newfound control of a majority of Myanmar’s rare-earth mines, how the change is shifting Myanmar's political dynamics and what the group’s growing influence could mean for the future of rare earths. 

Read more: A Rebel Army Is Building a Rare-Earth Empire on China’s Border

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