https://www.adb.org/node/1166426 South Asia shows subsidy reform works best when support is better targeted, institutions are stronger, and vulnerable people are protected. Çiğdem Akın 1166426 2026-08-06 https://www.adb.org/node/1165771 Georgia's free industrial zones have not yet delivered the upgrading the economy needs. A new generation of integrated, circular special economic zones offers a better path to higher value growth. Maria Pia Ancora 1165771 2026-08-04 https://www.adb.org/node/1164886 Reaching remote schools with the internet takes more than cables and towers. Satellite technology, local ownership, reliable power, and training are key to making online learning work. Yoonee Jeong 1164886 2026-07-30 https://www.adb.org/node/1164371 Spending more wisely on basic tests, digital links, and life-time upkeep of equipment can make diagnostics an engine for primary health care, financial protection, and avoiding hospital stays. Eduardo Banzon 1164371 2026-07-28 https://www.adb.org/node/1162836 In Papua New Guinea (PNG), the majority of the population lives in rural areas. The health system has been decentralized to the provincial level to improve service access and quality. Inez Mikkelsen-Lopez 1162836 2026-07-23 https://www.adb.org/node/1162801 Better, faster, and more inclusive census data can turn old‑style population surveys into powerful engines for better policy. Stefan Schipper 1162801 2026-07-23 https://www.adb.org/node/1162396 Stronger health services, trained midwives, cash incentives, and support for traditional birth attendants are driving down maternal deaths in Asia and the Pacific. The challenge now is to reach every woman. Stefan Schipper 1162396 2026-07-21 https://www.adb.org/node/1162096 Reliable access to safe water is essential for health, economic activity, and climate resilience in small island states. In the Cook Islands, growing climate risks, infrastructure limitations, and uneven service coverage continue to challenge water security, particularly in the outer islands. Isoa Wainiqolo 1162096 2026-07-20 https://www.adb.org/node/1161731 Decentralization can expand access to schools, clinics, and clean water—but only if local governments have clear rules, funding, and skills. Well‑designed policy‑based lending can help close these gaps. Çiğdem Akın 1161731 2026-07-17 https://www.adb.org/node/1161576 From practical knowhow to trusted support and local insight, civil society organizations can be key allies in tackling the scourge of digital violence and helping women and girls stay safe, connected, and active online. Richeline Mascarinas 1161576 2026-07-16 https://www.adb.org/node/1160251 As Viet Nam's economy continues to grow, the expansion of the country's road network is essential to support the increasing movement of goods and services. Byung-Sik Ohm 1160251 2026-07-15 https://www.adb.org/node/1160261 The country’s latest economic plan sets ambitious goals. Success will depend on quickly matching priorities to budgets, focusing on people, and turning lofty aims into real projects. Kavita Iyengar 1160261 2026-07-15 https://www.adb.org/node/1160256 An aging population puts significant pressure on health care systems and affects key macroeconomic factors—savings, investment, fiscal stability, productivity, urban demand, and the pace of middle-income growth. Sofia Shakil 1160256 2026-07-15 https://www.adb.org/node/1159741 As higher fuel and freight costs drive broader inflation, more targeted support measures, clear central bank signals, and investment into clean power and farms are among steps that would increase the region’s ability to withstand future shocks. Madhavi Pundit 1159741 2026-07-13 https://www.adb.org/node/1158801 These charts show how energy markets are a risk for Asia and the Pacific due to the region’s dependence on oil and gas shipped through the Strait of Hormuz. John Beirne 1158801 2026-07-09 https://www.adb.org/node/1158806 Affordable housing is one of the clearest tests of whether cities can deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals. SDG 11 calls for access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and basic services, and for the upgrading of slums. But housing is not only about shelter. Norio Saito 1158806 2026-07-07 https://www.adb.org/node/1157931 Plastic pollution is often viewed as a marine problem, but much of it originates inland. Plastics discarded in cities, farms, roads, and communities are carried by rainfall, runoff, drainage systems, and rivers before eventually reaching coastal waters. Xueliang Cai 1157931 2026-07-06 https://www.adb.org/node/1158041 As technological change, population aging, and evolving employment patterns reshape labor markets, governments are seeking ways to help workers continuously develop new skills throughout their careers. Soorin Yoon 1158041 2026-07-06 https://www.adb.org/node/1156501 Kathryn Milliken, a senior climate change specialist at ADB, is one of the authors of Extreme Heat: The Emerging Science and Its Implications for Asia and the Pacific, which brings together research on heat risks, their economic and social consequences, and how governments and investors can better prepare. Kathryn Milliken 1156501 2026-07-01 https://www.adb.org/node/1156121 For people who lose homes, income, or access to basic services overnight, help that arrives late can miss the moment when it matters most. Susan Lim 1156121 2026-06-30