Greetings, /r/GlobalPowers.

This is just a quick update to make good on my promises in the Discord to let you all experiment with the Subreddit Monitor and prove it actually works; as such, I've made the brand new, all-organic, GMO-free GP Subreddit Monitor Demo, which is just a controlled frontend for the Monitor itself. This sheet shows everything the Monitor is recording: a list of every post and comment made (since I added the functionality, anyways, and minus a few that got deleted when I screwed up my code), and a list of every System Input, valid and invalid, and their components when broken down. You can already see some testing ones I've made in there, although I purged a lot of the others for clarity.

Let me state now that I fully expect that this demo sheet WILL break in some hitherto unexpected way, so don't be surprised if you see stuff that looks broken. It's the first time the community is properly engaging with the Monitor, and nothing works flawlessly on the first go. Fortunately, that's also sort of the point; I would like you all to please try and break it, so that I can make the Monitor more resilient prior to a real season when it actually needs to work properly. So go off and submit lots of weird and interesting broken System Inputs to make my job harder (and some working ones, just to educate yourselves).

In the comments of this post, you're more than welcome to experiment with the Monitor and try to write your own System Inputs (or any comment really). When you do, though, you should note the following:

• Make sure you know what you're doing - read the contents of the original post detailing System Inputs and how they work, and follow it to the letter. It remains accurate.
• Obviously, being a demo, none of these are actually going to do anything. For demo purposes, you can put anything for the Value and Operation components, and for the national ISO codes you can just pick any you prefer.
• The only thing you need be aware of regarding Types is that, for demo purposes, only three Types are recognized by the Monitor: [TEST], [TESTING], and [DEMO], brackets included. Failure to use these Types in your attempted System Input will lead to it not being recognized by the Monitor, and therefore not showing up in the relevant lists.
• Please allow for some time for your entries to appear! The limits of Google Sheets means that it will not be an instantaneous process, unfortunately, and it can vary based on lots of different factors including "how many people worldwide are using Google Sheets." Unfortunately I can't solve that problem yet.
• The post list is in "titles only" mode at the minute, just to avoid fucking up the list with formatting by making each cell huge.

Alright, that's it for now. Go get 'em, tigers. If you need a hand let me know and I can walk you through it again. Any further questions or comments or concerns, feel free to ask.

Greetings, /r/GlobalPowers.

This past season I've noticed that there's at least one or two people consistently reporting a whole bunch of posts, particularly MODPOSTs, and while I have a pretty good guess about who it might be (hi Art) I can't know for sure to address their concerns privately. They have also sent in no mod-mail for us to respond to. So, here you go:

M1 ended because it was getting about one post per day, if we were lucky. On average it was lower than that. It was achieving said metrics because (I conjecture; I may be wrong) of mod inactivity, a lack of things to do, and a lack of engagement on the part of other players, meaning there was really very limited potential for diplomacy and conflict for those who remained. There was really no point in continuing to expend effort on it from a mod perspective, not that we were doing much to begin with, and in any case it did not seem like players were engaging all that much anyways.

The end of M1 should not be unexpected. Although it closed early due to aforementioned low activity, M1 was always going to be ephemeral: mini-seasons in our context, as we said from the beginning, are meant to be space-filling experiments that provide experience to mods and players, let people satisfying their posting itch, and let us test out ideas for new things. That makes them inherently temporary. They were always going to be temporary. The only thing I do genuinely apologize for is not providing more forewarning, but - let's be real. If you needed it, you would have been posting in the four empty days prior.

And as for "waiting for a sheet game" - GP is not and will never be a sheet game. We aren't building a national abstract; we aren't giving you client sheets to manage. GP is a game about creative writing. In pursuing this gameplay, it uses sheets to give players the information they need to make that writing responsive, realistic, and (most importantly) fun, both to write and to read. With that principle in mind, the system I presented the other day makes doing the work we already had to do easier, and that's it. It means a human mod doesn't have to sit down and plot 100+ economic statistics for a comprehensive IMF anymore, meaning it comes out faster and has better, more realistic numbers. It therefore allows players to make better informed decisions and for the world to react more appropriately to those decisions, ultimately making for more interesting writing and more entertaining gameplay.

The wealth of information it is possible to generate with this supersedes anything we could do by hand anyways.

I hope that helps address your concerns. And no, you won't be waiting another two years for a season. The next season (mini-or-otherwise) should be coming fairly soon.

Greetings, /r/GlobalPowers.

As you may know, I mentioned some time ago that I was, as a moderator, "kind of tempted to pursue an organized, top-down, sheets-managed gameplay loop, where information is centralized in a backend sheet that flows to the various different subsheets."

Turns out temptation is a cruel mistress.

Over the past few weeks I've been working behind the scenes on a project, the majority of which consists of something I am calling the GP Subreddit Monitor. It is an innovation that is unique among all xPowers games (to my knowledge, anyways), and represents a possible future for /r/GlobalPowers and her gameplay. Today I'm going to finally reveal that innovation to you, detail the effort and decision-making that went into it, and hopefully impress upon you how revolutionary it can be for our game.

(Side note: I know—or at least imagine—that I have acquired a bit of a reputation for overly long and excruciatingly dry development logs in the past, so I'm going to try and avoid that with this one. I have a lot to explain, though, so apologies in advance if I fail.)

Let's jump right into it. The story so far is as-you-know: while the other mods have been working on M1, I have been working behind the scenes on improvements to GP and her internal systems. This effort, an on-and-off affair beginning about two months ago, has resulted in the GP Subreddit Monitor—as well as the associated GP Master Sheet. I'll be focusing mainly on the Monitor in this post, as it's where most of my effort has gone, but rest assured that the Master Sheet (insofar as it currently exists) will get a little explanation as well.

The GP Subreddit Monitor is a Google Sheet that imports, reads, stores and filters the contents of every post and comment made to the subreddit. It also imports some useful supplementary data about these posts and comments—the title (for posts), the author's username, the permalink/url, and an approximate timestamp. In order to achieve this, the Monitor:

• Ensures automatic refreshes of its view of the subreddit, thus ensuring the Monitor keeps functioning without a human actively looking at it
• Logs all posts/comments to an aggregate record, thus creating a "running list" of everything posted to the subreddit (including later-deleted items, but not later edits)
• Identifies whether or not the post/comment was made by a moderator, and formats the contents to be suitable for further manipulation
• Reports errors to the GP Master Sheet (more on that later) and/or moderators, and tries to automatically account for any human error that may crop up
• Responds to moderator-defined criteria and separates specific posts/comments that meet this criteria onto a separate page, creating an equivalent running list of these specific posts/comments
• Transfers the finalized, properly formatted lists of posts/comments to specific locations on the GP Master Sheet

I’m not going to intimately explain exactly how it does all this—it’s long and boring and I want GP to have its time in the sun—but you are welcome to insert any variety of techno-magic you prefer. For our purposes today, you only need to know two facts about the technical side: the first is that the Monitor exclusively makes use of stable, well-documented features of Reddit/Google Sheets to achieve its goals—we’re (hopefully) not at risk of deprecation by the powers that be. The second is that it achieves its functionality without any additional effort on our part: the Monitor is entirely automated. It does not require any mod labour, bots, or external dependencies (at least, no GP-specific dependencies; as mentioned, it will probably need Reddit and Google to keep existing) to function; the only thing we had to do was make it work in the first place.

That's sort of all you need to know about what the Monitor does, so allow me to discuss what that functionality means for GP. Aside from providing us with a comprehensive list of every post and comment made to the subreddit, the Monitor's ability to filter out specific posts/comments opens up revolutionary possibilities for GP's systems, both in-game and out of it. Walking through the logical steps and deriving from first principle is easier than explaining in paragraphs, so let's do that:

• We have the ability to automatically filter out specific types of posts and comments, and define what these filters are looking for.
• We can therefore control the format of these specific posts/comments, and therefore what data they contain.
• The Monitor automatically finds and stores these specific posts/comments, with their specific types of data, to a spreadsheet.
• Because these posts and comments are now in Google Sheets, we can manipulate these specific types of posts and comments with formulas, code and automation.
• We can therefore have spreadsheets—automatically, and without any manual mod effort—react to these specific posts/comments, and therefore to player actions and decisions.
• All together now: spreadsheet-based game mechanics can now automatically react and respond to in-game player actions and decisions, no mods necessary.

You'll no doubt already grasp the implications of this, but allow me to demonstrate with an example just to cement the concept. Let's say you, the noble claimant of Saudi Arabia, have just completed an economic post that you think should result in your GDP growth increasing—to 9% per year, say.

In seasons past, getting this result to actually happen was a rather involved affair that could require days of significant manual mod labour, if we were actually running the IMF at all. Now, with the GP Monitor (and a suitably-rebuilt IMF that takes advantage of it), all you need to do to make the whole process happen is write a single comment:

[IMF] SAU SAU ChangeGDPGrowth 9%

Once you've done that, click the save button to post. That's it!

Well, that's it for you anyways. Behind the scenes, though, a series of automated processes begins when the GP Monitor sees your comment. Using the filters we defined, it recognizes it as one of those specific types of comment we're looking for and logs it to the running list. Once it's done that, it ships it to the Master Sheet. There, the IMF's own scripts are automatically looking for any new inputs, and they find yours. They set about processing, correctly interpret your comment as "Saudi Arabia wants to change its GDP growth to 9%", and, assuming no mod has invalidated it, automatically make the requested change. The IMF is updated to reflect this. You check back some time later to see the new value present, and are satisfied with the rapid turn-around time and ease of use inherent to a well-designed automated system. You go about the rest of your day.

There you have it: frictionless, automatic, responsive gameplay mechanics. That is what the Monitor's functionality means for GP.

So, now you know what the Monitor can do. Great! Before moving on, though, I should explain what exactly that comment you just posted (the example above) actually was. This is going to necessarily involve some more specifics and technicalities—and IS STILL SUBJECT TO CHANGE LATER—but please bear with me, because it is by far the most important component of this system.

The contents of that comment are something called a System Input. A System Input is a string of words, arranged in a specific way and containing specific information, that is read by the Monitor and filtered out of other subreddit content—namely other comments. They are then passed to GP's mechanics sheets, which can then act based on the information they contain. They are what players and mods alike (although we can also directly fudge with things, obviously) use to engage with GP systems via the Monitor.

Each System Input must follow a very strict structure. This structure currently consists of five mandatory and one optional component, which you can see in our example comment above. These components must be written in the correct order, be a single phrase or value, and be separated by spaces, exactly as presented in the example. In addition, all of the mandatory components must be a phrase or value recognized by the sheets—so make sure your spelling is correct, and don't include ANY formatting like Italics. What these recognized values are will eventually be included on each system's wiki page, and available on the Discord.

If an attempted System Input does not follow all of these rules exactly as stated, if WILL be rejected.

Let me repeat, to drill it into you: if an attempted System Input does not follow all of these rules, exactly as stated, if WILL be rejected. Do not come complaining to us if you didn't follow them and you never got your +1.9% GDP Growth or whatever.

Now that nobody will ever mess up a System Input, let me break down the different components and detail what they represent to the Monitor and to the mechanic sheets. This is also the order they have to be written when submitting a System Input.

• The Type: the first component. This is the [IMF] in our example. The Type is a representation of which mechanic you are engaging with when submitting the System Input. For example, if you wanted to engage with Milestones, for instance, you might write [MILESTONE]. Space? [SPACE]. We can also have aliases for a Type, so each mechanic can have multiple keywords if we want.
• The Origin: the second component. This is the first SAU in our example. The Origin tells the sheets which claim is submitting the input, and uses ISO 3166-1 Codes to represent each claim. Both two-letter (alpha-2) and three-letter codes (alpha-3) are accepted, but numeric ones (alpha-3) are not. Now you know why the claim list has ISO codes in it.
• The Target: the third component. This is the second SAU in our example. The Target tells the sheets which claim is receiving the input, and also uses ISO 3166-1 Codes in the same way as the Origin. A self-targeting input is just the same code twice. And yes, this does mean that claims can submit inputs targeting other claims. I'm sure you can already imagine the possibilities of that. For the record, this particular functionality may be dropped long-term if it doesn’t work out—nevertheless, we intend to give it a try, and we aim to ensure it is very well regulated to prevent shenanigans (and have already come up with methods for doing that).
• The Operation: the fourth component. This is the "ChangeGDPGrowth" in our example. The Operation represents what you're doing with that System Input, and is hopefully self explanatory. Mods, obviously, can control what operations are available for what mechanics.
• The Value: the fifth component. This is the 9% in our example. What it represents depends on the Operation: if the operation is changing a number like GDP Growth, then obviously the Value is what the new GDP Growth will be. By default, numeric changes are considered an absolute change, but if you preface them with a + or - they'll be read as a relative change instead. That said, the Value doesn't need to be numeric, so one can envision an operation like "ChangeClaimName" where the Value would be whatever your new claim's name is.
• Lastly, the Note. This is not present in the example, and is the only optional component in a System Input. Notes consist of every word written after the Value (if any), up to a maximum word limit specified by the mods—currently 100. You don't need to include a Note with your System Input, but you are encouraged to do so if you want to include some supplementary information for the Mods to review.

As an additional detail, you should note that you can include multiple System Inputs in one comment. You just need to make sure that each one has every mandatory component required, even if they're all going to the same mechanic and targeting the same claim. For example, you can write a comment that goes:

[IMF] SAU SAU ChangeGDPGrowth 9% This text is all a note attached to the first System Input [MILESTONE] SAU DEU StartMilestone Seasteading This note is attached to the Second Input and is for us starting a milestone with Germany [IMF] SAU YEM ChangeHDI -4 This is because we're blowing up Yemen some more; note the relative change!

And each one will be read as a distinct System Input. This does unfortunately mean you (mostly) can't have regular, normal, non-note text between System Inputs, because the way it works is by logging all text after each System Input (and before the next one) as a Note until it reaches the word limit. Conceptually, you could do it if you had a Note that completely filled the word limit—after which any further text would not be included—but that's up to you.

Also, small side note: System Inputs in posts currently aren't being read—because while we are reading the posts already, setting up the filters requires some tedium I can't be asked to do until the concept is actually validated first. I'll do it eventually.

So, to sum: a comment can contain something called a System Input, which is itself broken down into five mandatory and one optional component (again, subject to change). These components are written as follows: [TYPE] Origin Target Operation Value Note. Types tell the sheets where the Input is going, Origin tells them who sent it, Target tells them who's receiving it, Operation tells them what it's doing, Value tells them how much to change, and Notes are to make sure the squishy humans can keep up. Now you know.

Finally, I just want to touch briefly on the GP Master Sheet, which I've mentioned a little bit throughout this post.

All you really need to know about it is that the GP Master Sheet is a spreadsheet that will, eventually, be the main way the Moderators operate GP's systems. Beyond that, and for our purposes today, the main functions of the Master Sheet are three-fold. The Master Sheet is where the Monitor sends all valid System Inputs once it's done validating them, and it is where the Moderators can read through the lists of Inputs to approve/disapprove them in the eyes of the mechanics (we will, of course, also inform players when and why their inputs have been disapproved). Naturally, it is also where the mechanics sheets read those System Inputs and their mod approval status.

If you like, the Master Sheet is the human oversight layer between "mechanical interpretation of player actions" and "mechanical response to player actions." It's where we make sure things don't go off the rails, although it will also be so much more than that eventually. More to come, in that regard.

Alright, that's it for today. I hope this has been exciting and informative for you all, and that you can see that the Monitor and System Inputs offer us a future with staggering potential. It is a future where GP mechanics, like the IMF and others as well, can just be—not requiring us to actively run them, not requiring you to deal with a massive National Abstract (love you PWP) or complex client sheets (love you EP and CWP), and not drawing on your hopes and prayers to function. It is a future where GP has the best gameplay in the xPowers world.

Thanks for reading, and if you have any questions or concerns feel free to raise them in the comments, on the Discord, or with me directly. If any mod team for another game is interested in learning how this was done, feel free to get in touch. Eventually, it's possible I'll "open source" the Monitor for xPowers-wide use generally, but I'd like GP to enjoy its time in the sun first.

Greetings, /r/GlobalPowers.

This is just a quick little post to announce that M1 will be ending today, on the basis that it seems to have naturally wound itself down anyways. Thanks for playing! Our aim was mainly to tide players over while work was continuing in the background and give a chill environment to just play a little bit of GP, and I think M1 succeeded at that, so all's well that ends well.

If you want, you're more than welcome to post [EPILOGUE] posts for your claims over the next week or two.

I'll be revealing what I've been working on behind the scenes very shortly, so look out for that, and be sure to keep an eye on the subreddit and join the Discord to be informed as to what and when GP's next season (mini or otherwise) will be starting. I can promise it won't be a two year break. Again, thanks for playing!

DEC

NOV

#Russo-Ukraine War

The Kyiv Post

Kyiv, Ukraine

“Russian forces have suffered another embarrassing loss on the Ukrainian front, with Ukrainian forces announcing the capture of the Russian city of Kursk, bringing new questions of just how long Putin can continue the Russian war effort. Pockets of fighting remain in the city, but satellite photography of the photo published in various news outlets shows the Russian city in ruins as Ukrainian forces claimed victory in the grinding incursion.

Elsewhere, Russian forces in the Donbass continue a slow but steady advance. Having shown down considerably, the trench warfare in the region continues to invoke images of the First World War, with some of the highest casualty numbers of the years long war coming from this region in the most recent months. Experts and government officials on both sides of the conflict still believe that there is no end in sight to the grinding war between the two former Soviet states.”

#Venezuela

Caracas, Venezuela

An overnight eruption of gunfire caused mass panic and confusion in the Venezuelan city of Caracas, with videos surfacing online showing Venezuelan policemen and soldiers alike rushing through city streets, firing into the darkness, and for the in some cases firing at each other.

At 3 AM local time, Venezuelan Military officials took to national TV and social media to call for calm in the city, and urged citizens across the country to remain in their homes until morning or face arrest.

At 7 AM, reports set social media ablaze as news broke that General-in-chief Domingo Hernández Lárez had orchestrated a coup against Nicolas Maduro, which culminated in the execution of the former president around 6:30 AM local time.

A military led transitional government has installed itself into power, and has pledged elections at the beginning of next year. Whether the military will actually honor this pledge, is another matter altogether.

#Colombia

Bogota, Colombia

In a worrying pattern of increasing civil conflict in the region, the Colombian government published a damning report labeling the FARC peace deal “a resounding failure”, publishing a list of over 400 instances in which FARC affiliated militias have attacked Colombian military personnel over the last year. Deep in the Colombian countryside, low intensity skirmishes between government forces and FARC affiliated groups has become a near daily occurrence, with the report also noting a sizeable increase in kidnappings by the group in major urban centers.

With the country slipping into violence, governments around the world have begun cautioning citizens to avoid the region entirely if possible.

#Chile

Santiago Chile

The Chilean Mining Industry has seen a tremendous boom over the course of the last year, with multiple massive mineral deposits poising the nation to be a key figure in global supply chains for years to come. This boom was triggered by the Chilean Ministry of Mines announcing that officials had discovered and confirmed the largest known high-grade Gallium Gallium deposit on Earth, as well as several new large deposits of Lithium, Manganese, Nickel across the country.

These discoveries has elevated Chile to be one of the most mineral rich nations on the planet, with a high concentration of critical materials needed for modern day technologies. Following through with this, Chilean government has launched several initiatives seeking private and public partnerships with the goal of rapidly developing the additional mining and refinement capabilities needed to tap its newfound mineral wealth.

#Argentina

Buenos Aires, Argentina

Javier Milei, eccentric and controversial president of Argentina, has won resounding praise from economists around the world as the Argentine Central Bank released an annual report of the country’s economic performance. Inflation in Argentina has fallen to the lowest levels in over a century, with the country achieving a GDP growth rate of 6.5% in the most recent quarter.

The Milei government has begun pushing narratives at home and abroad of the “Argentinian Miracle” as the nation defies a struggling global economy, roaring ahead to have the highest levels of growth in all of the Western Hemisphere.

Critics however, have pointed out that the Argentine president has used this wave of success and popular support to severely clamp down on civil liberties in the nation, managing to push through dozens of laws ranging everywhere from limiting public demonstrations to legalizing government surveillance of all online activity. Using massive omnibus bills, the Milei led government has mastered control of the narrative within the country, slipping authoritarian measures into massively popular bills and bullying opposition into a corner on national TV and social media.

In spite of this criticism, the president has reached record levels of popularity in the country, and in early polls holds a strong 35 point lead over all other potential opponents.

"Well, I would do that and we're sitting down, you know, I was, somebody, we had Senator Marco Rubio and my daughter, Ivanka was sooo..uh..impactful on that issue. It's very important issue… But I think when you talk about the kind of numbers that I'm talking about, that, because, the child care is, child care is ..couldn't, you know, there's something you'd have to have it in this country, you have to have it. uh but when you talk about those numbers compared to the kind of numbers that I'm talking about by taxing foreign nations at levels that..they're not used to but they'll get used to it very quickly. And it's not gonna stop them from doing business with us, but they'll have a very substantial tax when they send product into our Country. Those numbers are so much bigger than any numbers we're talking about including child care...that it's gonna take care. We're gonna have. I look forward to having no deficits within a fairly short period of time. Coupled with the reductions that I told you about on waste and fraud and all the other things that are going on in our Country. Because I have to stay with child care..I wanna stay with child care but those numbers are small relative to the kind of economic numbers that I'm talking about INCLUDING growth..but growth also headed up by what the plan is that I just..uhh..that I just told you about, we're gonna-bee takin in trillions of dollars. And as much as child care..uhh..is talked about as being expensive, it's relatively speaking not very expensive compared to the kinda of numbers we'll be taking in. We're gonna make this into.....an incredible Country that can afford to take care of it's people..and then we'll worry about the rest of the World..let's help other people. But we're gonna take care of our Country first, this is about America first, is about Make..CHINA..Great..Again..We have to do it because right now we're a failing Nation..so we'll take care of it. Thankyou."

OCT

SEP

AUG

###The Kaesong Accords

Kaesong, Democratic People's Republic of Korea

July 16th, 2026

In a historic moment that will go down in history, the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have signed the Kaesong Accords, a comprehensive set of agreements aimed at formally ending the Korean War and paving the way for lasting peace and cooperation on the Korean Peninsula. The Kaesong Accords are a product of President Yoon Suk Yeol's 'Double Track' strategy, which was announced in response to rapidly changing realities in Pyongyang. The accords were signed today in Kaesong, a city located just north of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), which holds a special place in inter-Korean relations due to the Kaesong Industrial Park.

I. Kaesong Agreement - Peace on the Korean Peninsula

The first component of the Kaesong Accords is a groundbreaking peace agreement which will replace the armistice agreement currently in place and officially end the Korean War, putting an end to a conflict which has raged for more than three-quarters of a century. It includes mutual calls to deepen diplomatic and political cooperation between Seoul and Pyongyang, and sees both nations commit to 'peaceful coexistence' on the Korean Peninsula. The recognition and establishment of diplomatic missions by both Koreas is a powerful achievement, and paves the way for deepening international cooperation. A new diplomatic hotline will be set up, ensuring communication even during times of crisis. The agreement also includes a joint statement acknowledging the shared aspiration of the Korean people for reunification, although it stops short of outlining concrete steps toward that goal. Both the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea however classify reunification as 'necessary' and 'of the highest importance and priority'

• Ending of the Korean War, formally ending the state of war that has plagued the Korean Peninsula for over 75 years
• Commitment to Peace Coexistence between the Republic of Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
• Roadmap to deepening Diplomatic and Political Cooperation
• Creation of the Seoul-Pyongyang Diplomatic Hotline
• Establishing of mutual diplomatic missions (includes diplomatic recognition)
• Joint Statement on the need for the Korean people to reunify (Simple statement, no concrete movements towards reunification)

II. Kaesong Agreement - Comprehensive Plan for the Demilitarization of the Korean Peninsula

The second agreement of the Kaesong Accords, also known by its official name, the 'Comprehensive Plan for the Demilitarization of the Korean Peninsula', is the most ambitious of the three Kaesong Agreements. In it, North Korea pledges to cease the development of 'any and all unconventional weapons' between June 2026 and June 2027, with negotiations ongoing to extend this 'timeslot' further, possibly even indefinitely. This commitment is the first major step by the new North Korean government towards denuclearization, a long-standing and important demand of South Korea and the international community. Additionally, both nations have agreed to a non-aggression pact, promising not to engage in any military hostilities against each other. The agreement also includes a phased reduction of military personnel near the DMZ, with the Korean People's Army and the Republic of Korea Armed Forces noticeably drawing down their forces. All military exercises within 20 kilometers of the border will be halted.

• North Korea pledges to stop the development of "any and all unconventional weapons" between June 2026 and June 2027
• Both Parties agree to a mutual non-aggression pact, wherein they commit not to attack, invade, or otherwise engage in military hostilities against each other.
• A phased reduction of military personnel and equipment near the DMZ (SK - 65,000, NK- 85,000)
• Cessation of all military exercises 20 kilometers near the border

III. Kaesong Agreement - Development Plan for the Korean Peninsula

The third Kaesong Agreement focuses on economic and humanitarian cooperation between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea. South Korea has committed to increasing humanitarian aid to the North, including basic foodstuffs, medical supplies and agricultural equipment, allowing Pyongyang to address urgent needs and begin planning long-term development. The Kaesong Industrial Park, which was closed in 2016, will be reopened and expanded, with more South Korean companies being called on to begin production at the site. Additionally, agricultural cooperation and food security initiatives have been signed as part of the third Kaesong Agreement, which will see both Koreas work to establish a stable food supply in the North. Lastly, the Republic of Korea will begin diplomatically lobbying members of the international community, including the United States of America, to ease sanctions on the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, primarily focusing on sanctions on imports of agricultural and industrial equipment.

• Increased South Korean humanitarian aid
• The reopening and expansion of Kaesong Industrial Park
• Argicultural cooperation and food security initiatives
• RoK will work with the international community to ease sanctions on the DPRK

May, 2026

Nothing short of another Taiwan Strait Crisis could have electrified the Taiwanese political scene as much as the United States Supreme Court's ruling in the case of Chen v. United States, handed down in the past couple of weeks. Long-standing political considerations and the entire positions of political parties were cast into doubt overnight.

Many pundits suggested that the upcoming 2026 local elections across Taiwan would be a bellwether of Taiwanese reaction to the political bombshell lobbed into Taipei by the Supreme Court of the United States.

Democratic Progressive Party

Perhaps most catastrophically impacted were the ruling Democratic Progressive Party, whose foundational party plank of Taiwanese independence and sovereignty suddenly came under intense scrutiny and was rendered, quite likely, impossible. How, politicians asked each other, could Taiwan ever dream of independence from China when the United States had cut off billions of dollars in funding, but worse had cast indelible doubt on their reliability as allies? There began intense and, in some cases, panicked reexamination of the party platform.

The telephone simply never ceased to ring in the office of the Secretary-General of the DPP, Lin Yu-chang, nor in the Presidential Office Building. Members of the Legislative Yuan belonging to the DPP composed dozens of emails seeking guidance over this sea-change. Certain members of the DPP, hardline supporters of Taiwanese independence, submitted calls urging the President and their party to hold firm on the issue. Some, on the other end, went as far as to inquire as to whether or not there would be repudiation or reform of the Resolution on Taiwan's Future, promulgated in 1999, which reinforced the DPP's commitment to the issue of Taiwanese independence.

On a conference call with party leadership, President Lai Ching-te fielded concerns but suggested that until the American political fallout of the Chen decision was handed down, no drastic changes to the party platform should be undertaken. American response to the ruling had yet to be measured, and the reaction of American politicians could yield a return to the status quo by way of Congressional action. He announced he would be directing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to make the appropriate inquiries of their American partners. Until such time, no change could or indeed should be made.

Kuomintang

On the opposite side of the aisle in the Legislative Yuan, nationalist Kuomintang legislators loudly decried the change and proclaimed the now-evident unviability of Taiwanese independence. Emerging as a loud voice were members of the KMT's Huang Fuxing faction, radical deep-Blue members wholly opposed to any notion of Taiwanese independence. To them, withdrawal of American support only underlined that the solution to cross-strait strife remained unification. Runner-up in the 2021 party leadership election, Chang Ya-chung, who had been the favored candidate of the Huang Fuxing members, emerged again as a prominent supporter of the 1992 consensus who spoke publicly against the DPP's equivocations on the question. "It is the worst betrayal of the Republic of China in 80 years," one Kuomintang legislator stated.

Eric Chu, only just reelected Chairman of the Kuomintang in 2025's leadership elections, was placed in the unenviable position of moderating the more hardline factions of the KMT and corralling the younger, more Taiwan-focused cadres of the party. It was, naturally, an impossible task-- the rampant factionalism of the KMT had been a persistent problem since democratization and would not suddenly alleviate now, in this moment of peak political drama.

Broadly, the energized deep-Blue wing of the KMT turned its eyes on the 9-in-1 elections upcoming in November. A number of hard-liner candidates began collecting signatures even in KMT-held constituencies, which was a matter of considerable alarm to party leadership that led to intense political wrangling behind the scenes. The collapsing cohesion of the Kuomintang placed immense pressure on Chairman Chu, whose administration was failing outright to keep the party in line.

Taiwan People's Party

Ailing after repeated scandals in 2024 and 2025 saw the indictment of party officials and the arrest of party chairman Ko Wen-je in connection to shady real estate deals penned during his mayoral term, the TPP had bled much of its influence by 2026. Chen v. United States was perhaps providential for the relatively few TPP Members of the Legislative Yuan, then. It laid bare the inherent weakness of the DPP's stance on cross-strait relations, that of overreliance on American support to pave the way for Taiwanese independence. TPP members launched condemnation at their DPP counterparts in the Legislative Yuan, leading to notable and boisterous interactions on the floor of the legislature.

Broadly, the TPP aligned with the more moderate membership of the KMT in this moment, those who wished to maintain the status quo between the mainland and Taiwan. Their voices amplified those of the center on the question. Some more dour TPP observers would remark that contrary to their initial legislative mission, they were swiftly becoming a subsidiary party to the KMT.

Astana- In a speech today President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev announced that Kazhakstan would be breaking away from Russia and China, citing the aggression of the two nations. "We cannot stand idle while Russia and China seek to militarly domineer and intimidate their neighbours. For Russia it is their actions in Ukraine and for the CCP Party Regime it is thier agression against the Phillpines in the [South] China Sea." The President announced that Kahzakstan does not seek any form of NATO membership, emphizing his commitment to balancing the interests of global powers. It remains to be seen how Russia and the PRC will react to this radical shift in the steppes.

JUL

Kahzakstan greatest country in world. Kahzakstan is land-locked nation rich in natural resources such as potassium and uranium. The modern Kahzakstan state is a young nation, only formed in the aftermath of the Soviet collapse in 1991, the people of the steppe look towards the future, with public trust in the government shaken by recent crisis and the Russo-Ukraine war, a new direction is needed to preserve the young nation. The sun may soon rise on the steppes, bringing a new era of liberity with it. I have expierence playing RP games like Max Berry's Nation States, Politics and War, and on the Roblox game Rise of Nations.

Only [CLAIM], [META], [MILESTONE], [R&D], and [SUMMARY] posts are allowed!

##Japan MoF Releases Guidance on Financial Crisis

The Japan Times, April 2026

###Deposit Insurance Protects Your Money

Japanese citizens, and customers of Japanese financial institutions, in-light of the recent developments in South Korea, we are releasing this statement to remind citizens and customers of the protections afforded to them by placing their trust in the Japanese financial markets. The Deposit Insurance Corporation, which is the national deposit insurance authority, protects your money in the event of unexpected disturbances in the financial market. How do you know if your money is protected? Just read the following reminders:

• Interest-bearing bank accounts are insured up to 10 million Japanese yen per depositor, per institution.

That means if you have an interest-bearing accounts at multiple institutions, your money is protected up to 10 million yen at each bank! Check with your bank if you have difficulty determining whether your account is interest-bearing or not.

• All settlement accounts are insured for the full amount, but interest is not insured.

Check with your bank to determine the type of account you hold.

• Deposits and accounts not holding Japanese yen are not protected!

The MoF recommends to protect your finances, make all deposits in Japanese yen. However, many customers in Japan are free to choose their own desired currency, but understand that this is risky- and not protected by deposit insurance!

• Some mutual funds and bonds are protected by deposit insurance!

Check with your bank to determine your account type and eligibility.

I'm scared, should I withdraw my money?

That is your own personal decision. But please remember, that once you withdraw your money, it is no longer protected by deposit insurance! Because the Ministry of Finance cannot protect your money if you withdraw, we strongly advise all customers not to withdraw their insured money unless they need it. If your money is stolen, or lost after you withdraw it, it may be difficult for authorities to recover.

Is my bank collapsing?

Unlikely, sometimes business goes up and down, but most importantly, your money is insured. If the banks have problems and collapse, the deposit insurance program was made to protect you from losing your money. Also, it may be possible to receive more than the amount insured. In the extremely unlikely event your bank collapses, the Ministry of Finance will work with your bank to sell it to another bidder to keep your accounts active. If this does not happen, the government may be able to provide further insurance beyond the limits of deposit insurance!

Someone called me and is trying to sell me deposit insurance, or someone called me and told me to withdraw my money, what should I do?

Please remember to not share your personal information over the phone with an individual you do not know. Any attempt to sell you deposit insurance is a scam, and should be reported to the authorities right away! Do not listen to them, your money is protected by law! You do not buy deposit insurance, you are given it at no cost! If someone tells you to withdraw your money, always be sure you know exactly who the individual is. If you are unsure, report the incident to the authorities. With uncertainty in the market, scams are on the rise, and it is up to you to protect yourself from scams! If someone claims to be from your bank, go visit the bank in person to resolve the problem, some times scammers will pretend to be your bank to gain your trust. Remember, your bank will never call you and ask you for your personal information.

I own some bitcoin or other cryptocurrency, am I protected?

No! Only deposits made in specific types of accounts are insured, in Japanese yen! Cryptocurrency is highly volatile and speculative, we advise extreme caution when considering it as an investment.

###Research Your Investments

With the exception of the above assets protected by law, all investments are risks! There is no guarantee you will make or lose money, therefore you must assess your own risk and make your own decision. If you are not sure what to do, we recommend you consult with your financial advisor or financial institution. While from time to time, the government may take measures to protect the entire market, these cannot be relied on to stop your own financial loss. Only you can decide whether to invest or withdraw funds at any given time.

##Japan Establishes Jurisdiction over U.S. Soldiers

The Japan Times; June 2026

Transcripts from the National Diet show that Japan and the United States have been in negotiation over the status of the U.S. Armed Forces in Japan, basing rights, and several other topics for the past several months. On June 1, 2026, Prime Minister Kenta Izumi made a short statement regarding the rumors circulating about the backroom discussions between Japan and the United States. Document in-hand, President Izumi appeared on national television stating that "Japan has reached an agreement with the United States!" His office published the amended document live on their website shortly after which shows an amended U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement. The published amendment online, signed by both President Donald J. Trump and Prime Minister Kenta Izumi shows the following changes:

Article XVII

Pending the coming into force with respect to the United States of the North Atlantic Treaty Agreement referred to in paragraph 1, the United States service courts and authorities shall have the right to exercise within Japan exclusive limited jurisdiction. Such jurisdiction may in any case be waived by the United States. over All offenses which may be committed in Japan by members of the United States armed forces, the civilian component, and their dependents, excluding their dependents who have only Japanese nationality will be subject to exclusive Japanese jurisdiction to the extent such offenses may be committed outside of bases under the sole control and operation of the United States, pursuant to arrests conducted in accordance with Part 3(A), however in the event an arrest has not yet been made but Japan still indents to do so. Such jurisdiction may in any case be waived by the United States. The United States will be informed of Japanese intent to arrest pursuant to part 3(A).

In a victory for Prime Minister Izumi, Japan has been able to renegotiate its jurisdiction over the United States for crimes committed off of U.S. military bases in Japan. U.S. judicial jurisdiction has long been a point of contention in Japan, as has the presence of US bases in the country. From the transcripts at the National Diet, we have gleaned that Prime Minister Izumi had requested the U.S. Armed Forces leave the island of Okinawa, in light of the recent anti-basing protests in response to criminal activities of its soldiers. However, with pushback from the United States, both parties were able to agree on increasing Japanese judicial and prosecutorial jurisdiction over members of the U.S. armed forces in exchange for Japan to drop the request. Prime Minister Izumi has stated that "although this may not be the result our compatriots in Okinawa wanted, this is a firm and solid step in the correct direction. There will be justice for Okinawa, and now it is firmly Japan's responsibility to ensure criminals are brought to justice in our courts."

JUN

Canada is the second largest nation in the world. Rich in deposits of iron, chromium, and uranium, these deposits have Canada poised at the edge of a prosprous economy and international infulence. Under my leadership Canada will become a force to be reckoned with. Using Canada's resources to develop a thriving export economy and using the income to not only aid our peoples but assist the world. Using our newfound income, we will strengthen our NATO commitments to safeguard democracy in a world consumed by tyrants and despots. Our involvement as the True North, will make not just us, but the whole world Strong and Free. I have expierence in international roleplaying in games like Nationstates and Politics and War, as well as on the Roblox game Rise of Nations. At the moment my laptop is broken, and as such I am unable to join the Discord Server. When my laptop is repaired I will then be able to join.

###President of the Republic of Korea

April 10th

Blue House, Seoul

11:46

In the presidential office, a sense of determination prevailed. President Yoon Suk Yeol, dressed in a dark suit and white shirt, was in the final stages of preparation. The room was abuzz with activity, a team of advisors, speech-writers and aides rushing around, each busily attending some task they had been given, each understanding the gravity of the situation. There had been an issue with the teleprompter, however thankfully an intern had discovered the issue, and it had been fixed immediately. The room was meticulously arranged, with the backdrop of the South Korean flag and the presidential seal.

11:55

As the clock on the wall ticked closer to the hour, President Yoon’s advisors moved around him with focused efficiency. A technician adjusted the camera angles while another checked the audio levels, ensuring that every detail was perfect. There was a low murmur of voices, punctuated by the occasional clack of keyboards and the soft shuffle of papers.

11:58

President Yoon Suk Yeol took a moment to close his eyes, inhaling deeply as he rehearsed his opening lines in his head. The weight of the nation’s concerns seemed to hang in the air, but he exuded a quiet resolve. His chief of staff, standing just a meter or so away, offered a reassuring nod, their eyes meeting for a short moment.

11:59

The live feed was now in the final stages of preparation. The room, which only 15 minutes ago had been the site of hurried movement, was now silent. President Yoon Suk Yeol adjusted his posture, straightened his jacket and prepared to go live. He looked at the technician. The technician looked at him.

‘Five’

‘Four’

‘Three’

‘Two’

‘One’

12:00

All across Korea, televisions and screens flickered to life. The President’s image appeared in living rooms and offices, schools and subways. As the camera slowly panned in on him, his composed face was framed by the setting of his office. His gaze was steady, his expression resolute - but not without empathy. He opened his mouth:

“Fellow citizens of Korea,

I address you today in a moment of challenge. We are facing a financial situation that has tested the resilience of our banking system and the confidence of our people. Yet, I stand before you with unwavering confidence that we will not only overcome this challenge, but emerge from it stronger, more united. Korea has always been a nation that rises to the occasion, no matter the odds. We have faced crises before - economic, political, and social - and each time, we have come through by working together, by standing firm, and by believing in the strength of our nation. This time will be no different.

The recent turbulence surrounding KB Kookmin Bank has understandably caused concern among many of you, with countless of you now fearing for your livelihoods. Let me assure you: our government, our financial institutions, and our people - you - are capable of tackling this challenge head-on. We have already taken swift and decisive action to safeguard your deposits, stabilize our financial system, and ensure that our economy continues to move forward.

We have mobilized all necessary resources to protect the savings of every citizen. Our financial system is strong, and we have fortified it further by increasing deposit insurance coverage and ensuring that our banks have the liquidity they need to continue serving you. We are working around the clock with experts, regulators, and international partners to restore stability and confidence in our markets.

But this is not just about managing a crisis. It is about learning from it, about emerging from it with a stronger, more resilient economy. We are establishing a dedicated entity to manage and resolve the troubled assets that have weighed down our banks. This will allow our financial institutions to refocus on what they do best -supporting our businesses, our families, and our nation’s growth. In these times, it is easy to feel uncertain. But remember, we have faced far greater challenges before. From the financial crisis of 1997 to the Covid-19 Pandemic, Korea has always emerged stronger, more resilient, and more united. We did it then, and we will do it now.

This moment calls for unity. It calls for each of us to play our part, to support our communities, to trust in our institutions, and to believe in our collective strength. Our economy is not just a collection of numbers; it is the product of the hard work, creativity, and dedication of every Korean. Together, we will navigate these turbulent waters and steer our nation towards a brighter future.

As your President, I am confident that our actions today will lay the foundation for a stronger tomorrow. This crisis will not define us - our response to it will. We will emerge from this with a financial system that is more robust, an economy that is more dynamic, and a nation that is more united than ever before. Let us remember that the strength of Korea lies not just in our resources or our institutions, but in our people - in your resilience, your determination, and your commitment to our shared future. Together, we will face this challenge, and together, we will overcome it.

Thank you, and may our great nation continue to thrive in unity and strength.”

Ministry of Economy and Finance

Bank of Korea

April 10th, 2025

Seoul, Republic of Korea

Following an emergency meeting held by the South Government on April 9th, the Republic of Korea has finally agreed on a path forward. A special crisis team, composed of experts from the Bank of Korea, the Financial Services Commission and the Ministry of Economy and Finances, will immediately begin work on stabilizing the financial system, restoring depositor and investor confidence and preventing the spread of the crisis across the banking sector and financial markets. The ‘Financial Response Team’ (FRT) will provide daily briefings, updating the public on government actions, market conditions, and the safety of deposits, all the while attempting to counter misinformation and prevent panic from taking hold in South Korea. 

Immediate Liquidity Injection and Support

• The Bank of Korea, South Korea’s central bank, will immediately inject ₩40 trillion ($30 billion) into KB Kookmin Bank and other at-risk banks via a special lending facility, called the ‘Korean Emergency Liquidity Assistance’ (KELA). The ‘Korean Emergency Liquidity Assistance’ is designed to offer short-term loans at favorable interest rates of 0.1%, with the loans having a maturity period of up to 360 days, giving KB Kookmin Bank and other at-risk banks sufficient time to stabilize and restructure their finances without the pressure of immediate repayment. Through the KELA, the Bank of Korea hopes to prevent the immediate collapse of KB Kookmin Bank and other critical banking institutions, by enabling them to meet withdrawal demands by the Korean public and investors. 

• The Korea Deposit Insurance Corporation (KDIC) will temporarily raise the insurance coverage to ₩1 billion ($750,000) per depositor per bank. This policy change will be accompanied by a coherent public communications campaign, designed to reassure depositors of their funds’ safety, this in turn hopefully reducing the incentives for depositors to withdraw their funds. In case of the failure of large parts of the Korean banking system, the South Korean government will raise the coverage to all deposits, regardless of size, and will ensure that the KDIC has the necessary financial support to aid South Korean citizens. 

• The withdrawal of sums above ₩10 billion ($7,500,000) from accounts linked to private individuals (companies are not included) will be suspended until 00:01 on April 13th, when they may resume as normal [Should the situation continue to be volatile, the suspension may be extended until 12:00 on April 16th]. 

Market Stabilization Measures

• The Financial Services Commission (FSC), in coordination with the Bank of Korea (BOK), will begin to purchase shares totalling ₩5 trillion of Korean financial institutions through the Korea Investment Corporation (KIC), stabilizing stock prices and preventing any crashes of the stocks of critical Korean financial institutions. Once this banking crisis has subsided, the KIC will slowly sell off the stocks. Korea Exchange (KRX), the sole securities exchange operator in South Korea, will implement a 90-day ban on the short-selling of financial stocks, in an attempt to reduce market volatility, while also discouraging speculative attacks on vulnerable financial institutions. 

Capital and Solvency Interventions

• The Ministry of Economy and Finance will purchase ₩7.5 trillion worth of newly issued preferred shares of KB Kookmin Bank, this immediately boosting the bank’s capital ratios. This partial government ownership of the KB Kookmin Bank will be temporary in nature, with the Ministry having made clear it does not intend to hold these stocks indefinitely. 

• The South Korean government will establish a new, government-backed financial vehicle, which will allow South Korean banks to ‘get rid’ of their ‘junk’, thereby letting them focus on their core operations, while simultaneously raising investor confidence in the quality of the remaining assets on the banks’ balance sheets. The ‘Korean Non-Performing Loans and High-Risk Equity-Linked Security Financial Vehicle’ will take over roughly ₩16 trillion in non-performing loans and high-risk equity-linked securities from KB Kookmin Bank, Shinhan, Hana Bank, as well as other major players in Korea’s banking sector. This vehicle will be managed by a board of directors, composed of experts in asset management, banking and finance. The ‘Korean Non-Performing Loans and High-Risk Equity-Linked Security Financial Vehicle’ is a temporary entity, with a mandate to manage and liquidate its assets over a 10 year period. The goal is to recover as much value as possible from the ‘junk’ assets, through restructuring, selling, etc…

Regulatory Actions

• Within sixty days, all ‘systemically’ important banks operating within the Republic of Korea will be legally required to increase their Liquidity Coverage Ratio from 100% to 120%, this being ordered by the Financial Services Commission (FSC). Should banks be unable to reach this level on their own, they are to make use of the ‘Korean Emergency Liquidity Assistance’ (KELA). These enhanced capital requirements, designed to ensure sufficient liquidity buffers, will be reviewed once the crisis has come to an end. 

• The Financial Services Commission will begin to immediately deploy ‘inspection teams’ to major South Korean banks, allowing for rapid, on-site audits of these important financial institutions. The focus of these audits will be placed on loan portfolios, capital adequacy and risk management practices. It is hoped that these audits will help the FSC to better understand the extent of issues, while also pressuring banks to strengthen their internal controls and risk management. 

Judicial Actions

• A special investigative task force, comprised of members of the Seoul High Prosecutors' Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Financial Services Commission and numerous other governmental agencies, will begin a criminal investigation into KB Kookmin Bank and its board of directors, seeking to determine whether violations of any laws or Financial Services Commission guidelines took place. Already, South Korean police has raided multiple bank offices of KB Kookmin, seeking to secure evidence.

###SCOTUS Strikes Down Foreign Military Financing

Chen v. United States

Chief Justice Roberts delivered the opinion of the Court.

The case before us challenges the constitutionality of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) of 1976, which regulates the export of defense articles and services. The central issue is whether this Act, in its current form, infringes upon the powers allocated to Congress by the War Powers Clause of the Constitution. After careful consideration, we conclude that the AECA, as it stands, is unconstitutional because it impermissibly encroaches upon Congress's exclusive authority to declare war, control the conduct of war, and has been utilized, unduly, by Presidents of the United States to allocate taxpayer revenue directly to the financing, preparation, and maintenance of unconstitutional conflict abroad.

The AECA establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for the export of defense-related items, vesting significant authority in the executive branch to control these exports. Petitioners argue that this delegation of authority infringes upon Congress’s constitutional powers under the War Powers Clause, which grants Congress the exclusive power to declare war and regulate military engagements. War Powers Clause and Delegation of Authority The Constitution provides that “Congress shall have Power... To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water” (Article I, Section 8, Clause 11). This clause embodies a critical component of the separation of powers, ensuring that decisions involving military engagements and war-making are confined to Congress, the representative body of the people.

The AECA, while ostensibly designed to regulate arms exports for national security and international peace, effectively transfers significant war-related and foreign financing authority to the President. By giving the executive branch broad discretion to determine which countries receive defense articles and under what conditions, by directly using taxpayer allocations, the AECA intersects with Congress's war powers, particularly when such exports could influence or engage in military conflicts.

Infringement on Congressional War Powers

The question before us is whether the AECA’s delegation of authority to the President conflicts with Congress's exclusive role in war-making. The Act grants the President considerable latitude in determining, managing, and financing arms exports without requiring explicit congressional approval for all instances. This broad delegation potentially allows the executive branch to influence or directly participate in military activities without the constitutionally mandated oversight of Congress.

In Campbell v. Clinton (2000), the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has previously acknowledged that Congress may delegate certain regulatory powers to the executive, provided it establishes an intelligible principle to guide the exercise of that authority. But, in this case, we contend that the AECA's framework allows the President to make decisions that could impact the conduct of military operations, balance of national defense funds, and influence in international conflicts without Congressional approval for limited periods, and for such conflicts involving directly the United States of America. However, it is the position of this court that tax revenue should not, without the consent of the governed, be used to finance, arm, maintain, or prepare foreign military organizations, or foreign militaries for armed conflict to which the President has not been authorized by a declaration of war by Congress. The core concern is that the AECA's delegation of power effectively undermines Congress’s authority to control, fund, and declare war. The President’s discretion to manage arms exports with tax revenue, intersects with and potentially alters the scope of military engagements, thereby infringing upon Congress's exclusive constitutional prerogatives.

The End of Foreign Military Financing

The Arms Export Control Act, as currently constructed, improperly encroaches upon the War Powers Clause by allowing the executive branch to exercise broad regulatory authority that affects funding, maintaining, and preparing for military engagements and international conflicts. This delegation of authority undermines Congress’s exclusive power to declare and control war. We hold that the AECA is unconstitutional in its present form because it infringes upon Congress’s war powers and disrupts the constitutional balance of powers. We encourage Congress to revisit and amend the Act to ensure that it aligns with constitutional requirements and preserves the separation of powers established by the Constitution.

It is so ordered.

TLDR: the Supreme Court has declared the Arms Export Control Act of 1976 as unconstitutional on the grounds that it grants the president authority to allocate taxpayer funding set aside for the DoD to directly fund, and arm foreign militaries and military organizations, not subject to the same limitations as a temporary force deployment and which may implicate the United States in war without an act of Congress. THEREFORE: this kills Foreign Military Financing.

Excerpts from PM Anwar Ibrahim's speech at UNGA made in April 2026:

Eighty years ago, when the United Nations was established, Asia was grappling with the ravages of war, colonization, and overall devastatton. For the past few years, Asia have once again been battling the crisis in Myanmar, in Palestine and the rising tensions in international waters. Already battling the triple threat we are once again hit by yet another Asian Financial Crisis. Unfortunately, these pressing issues have been met with indifference from much of the global community, with one leader going to the extent of saying “This is not our problem, and I won’t spend a dime to cover for someone else’s bad investment!”

A few years ago I discussed the idea of an Asian Monetary Fund with President Xi Jinping which he had supported. Last year we charted a Group of Experts, with ASEAN representation in it, to study feasibility of such an endeavour. They have clearly found that there is no Economic basis to have just one Internation Fund, not least when such a fund has discriminated against Asian Economies in the past.

We in Malaysia have experienced this firsthand. In the late 1900s IMF kept pressurizing Malaysia to undertake so called reforms which would have been decremental to our economic development. It was Japan with its New Miyazawa Initiative, that provided the required liquity to us with terms that suit Asian economies. It is no wonder that the idea of AMF is originally Japanese, but external pressure have led to it backing down, along with any similar proposals later.

In today’s multilateral world, where Asia has re-emerged as a significant global player, we have the opportunity to create a more equitable, self-reliant, and empathetic economic order in the continent. We have seen that in recent economic crises whether it was India and Japan helping Sri Lanka during the forex crisis or the Saduis and the Chinese helping Pakistan, it have been Asian countries coming to aid of fellow Asian countries. But this crisis won't be mitigated by such bilateral or minilateral action, nor are such suitable to prevent future ones. We call upon all Asian states to convene a summit in Malaysia. This summit should focus on crafting a collective response to the current crisis and laying the groundwork for the establishment of the AMF. It is time for Asia to take decisive action and build a stronger, more unified economic framework for the future.

MAY

April 9th, 2025

Seoul, South Korea

KB Kookmin Bank’s collapse could best be described as nothing less than a train wreck, resulting in the largest run on a South Korean bank in history. The South Korean banking behemoth has found itself in nothing short of a catastrophe. After posting a 27% decrease in its year-over-year revenues, paired with the announcement of the permanent closure of its Indonesian subsidiary, South Korea’s largest bank has left investors shaken by its dramatic downturn.

To the relief of company leadership, the struggles of KB Kookmin remained relatively unknown to the general public, with only those interested in financial news occasionally stumbling upon more bad news for the company online. However, this would soon change when the president of KB Kookmin sent out a series of invites to an emergency session at the bank's headquarters.

Citing a dramatic increase in defaults within its loan business, paired with high losses in a series of high-risk trades with equity-linked securities, KB Kookmin President Hur Yin spoke in a closed meeting to investors and members of the South Korean Financial Services Commission early Monday morning, in which he briefly summarized the troubles facing the bank.

Throughout 2024, analysts pointed out that KB Kookmin had begun pursuing a high volume of subprime loans in both the commercial and personal credit markets. Loans from KB Kookmin were provided in the thousands to struggling businesses, and an even larger number of loans were issued to South Korean consumers seeking to fulfill an increased appetite for luxury goods while not having the necessary capital to obtain them. By September 2024, internal analysis found that 26% of consumer loans were already at risk of becoming delinquent.

Similarly, in September 2024, the company sought to re-enter the equity-linked securities market, aiming to prevent its past troubles by notifying potential investors of the risks associated with this form of investment. Previously, the company had been ordered to pay 900 billion won in restitution for underplaying the potential risks of such investments and believed that a restructuring of the trading could lead to potential success. The bank initially saw major success by shifting its strategy from investing in the Hang Seng Index to the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index and the Shenzhen Stock Exchange Component Index. However, waves of market volatility throughout Asia have severely dented initial successes in the strategy and led to severe losses in a few poorly timed cases.

Leaked transcripts just hours after the meeting have shown that KB Kookmin Bank is at severe risk of defaulting on several short-term obligations, dipping far below the Liquidity Coverage Ratio mandate of 30 days' worth of cash outflows. KB Kookmin projects that it only has enough liquidity to cover 65% of its expected cash outflow over the next month, far below the government-mandated 100% set by the FSC.

The leaks have spread like wildfire, with a run on South Korean banks rapidly spreading from KB Kookmin to other South Korean banks such as Shinhan and Hana Bank. The panic has spread to financial markets, sending stocks in the Korean, Shanghai, and Tokyo stock exchanges crashing, triggering circuit breaker halts multiple times throughout the following days across Asian financial markets.

International Reactions:

Asia: The South Korean run on banks has spread to Japan, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand, with several banks reporting severe liquidity crunches. Notably, many international observers have dubbed April 2025 “the worst month in financial history,” with the Japanese Mizuho Financial Group, Bank Mandiri (Indonesia), and the Thai-based Kasikorn Bank all reporting themselves as “at risk of defaulting on short-term obligations” within days of the crisis.

Russia: President Vladimir Putin expressed grave concern over the Asian financial crises, citing Russia's strong trade ties to the region. Markets on the Moscow stock exchange have suffered from the contagion, though on a much smaller scale.

The United States: President Donald Trump has drawn international ire and condemnation after making several remarks referring to the current crisis as “inevitable,” noting in a press conference, “I foresaw this years ago, folks! Investing in Asia is never a good idea long term!” When asked what role the United States would play in helping resolve the crisis, the President stated, “This is not our problem, and I won’t spend a dime to cover for someone else’s bad investment!”

APR

MAR

Reports of social unrest in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Chengdu

^(23 February 2026)

^(Building 3, 366 Jincheng Avenue, Chengdu, Sichuan)

^(Shi Xiaolin, Governor of Chengdu, Deputy Communist Party Secretary of Sichuan)

Summary

This message was prepared in cooperation with the Governor of Shanghai. Claudia Mo, Helena Wong, Kwok ka-ki, Joshua Wong and Benny Tai have all been sentenced to death by the Supreme People’s Court. Social unrest caused by the announcement of the death penalty being applied to several disturbance leaders has been greatly exaggerated by foreign media. These criminals were detained over the past 10 years for activities related to sedition and treason, some from Hong Kong for protesting China-Hong Kong unification. After an investigation, the accused had been detained awaiting sentencing, however, the Supreme People's Procuratorate determined that harsher sentencing needed to apply. All the accused were brought before the court facing the death penalty. Protesting by locals in Shanghai and Chengdu was swift, and they called for the unconditional release of the detainees. Security forces were called in to assist in the removal of the protestors, however violence occurred and the security forces were required to respond. The past week we have seen reports that protests have swept across some 500 cities, Shanghai and Chengdu foremost amongst them. Subversive elements have been calling it the ‘Final Call for Freedom’.

In the last few years the Communist Party has been at war. It has been a war against deception, defection, and deceit. It has been a national struggle against forces who would prevent China’s rise to being a global superpower. This war has demanded the strongest action, that includes the 2024 legal rework to impose the death penalty on separatists and anti-state actors. Claudia Mo, Helena Wong, Kwok ka-ki, Joshua Wong and Benny Tai were being held in prison on charges of crimes against the state, separatism, treason, and sedition. Following their court cases, each of them has been sentenced to death. In anticipation of these ruling, several large protests have cropped up around the country. In the imperative push to control these protests and prevent violence, security forces were called in following dangerous and destructive actions. Shanghai, and Chengdu have been the heart of these protests however other cities have been affected. 

2. The provincial governments are united in emphasising that these actions are necessary to safeguard national security and maintain social stability. Beijing has commenced a diplomatic offensive against foreign entities fueling unrest and spreading misinformation to undermine China's sovereignty. State media outlets have repeatedly broadcast the message that the punishments are just and that the government will not tolerate any attempts to destabilise the country. While the situation remains tense, we are resolved in the face of this social unrest. This is a test of its resolve to maintain order in the face of subversion.

3. We anticipate that international reactions will be swift but divided. Western governments, particularly those in Europe and North America, will condemn the death sentences and call for clemency, they will label the proceedings as a violation of human rights. As the West is want to hypocritically do they will raise false concerns about the erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong following its handover to China. On the other hand, some nations will remain neutral, wary of jeopardising their economic ties with China. Others will rightly understand our approach and appreciate our efforts to maintain state cohesion. We will maintain maximum vigilance for actions of sanctions and potential economic pressure against Chinese officials.

4. As China moves forward, the coming weeks will be critical in determining the trajectory of these events. The government will likely have to continue its crackdown on dissent, while opposition groups may persist in their efforts to organise protests despite the risks. What remains clear is that this conflict represents a pivotal moment in modern Chinese history, where the struggle between state authority and individual freedoms has reached a new and dangerous peak. The decisions made now will echo for years to come, shaping not only China's domestic policies but also its position on the global stage.

Comment

I cannot stress the instability we face at this moment. It appears that over 500 cities are in open protests, the largest protests since the 1989 incident. The scale of unrest is unprecedented, and the government's response will determine whether this moment solidifies state control or ignites a broader movement for change. The nation is at a crossroads, and the choices made by both the authorities and the protesters will shape China's future. If tensions continue to escalate, the consequences could be far-reaching, not only within China but also in the broader geopolitical landscape. The world is watching closely as this crisis unfolds, and its resolution—or lack thereof—will have a lasting impact on China's social, political, and economic fabric.

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