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This Week in Asia /

Politics

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Balendra Shah of the Rastriya Swatantra Party takes a selfie with children and supporters during a door-to-door election campaign on February 16. Photo: AFP
Nepal

Nepal voted for change. Can its rapper-engineer PM deliver?

Balendra Shah has promised to transform Nepal, but success hinges on him becoming the first elected leader to finish a full five-year term.

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Malaysia

Why US warships’ pit stop in Malaysia is raising eyebrows

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Singapore

Singapore’s Lawrence Wong seeks stronger ties with Japan amid global tensions

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US, Israel war on Iran

US military’s Iran war pivot forces security rethink in Asia-Pacific

As assets are diverted to the Gulf, the Iran war’s high ‘burn rate’ risks creating a ‘thin spot’ in the US security umbrella.

Smoke and flames rise from the site of airstrikes on an oil depot in Iran’s capital, Tehran, on March 7. Photo: Sasan/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images/TNS
Smoke and flames rise from the site of airstrikes on an oil depot in Iran’s capital, Tehran, on March 7. Photo: Sasan/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images/TNS
Malaysia

Malaysia charges 2 men and seeks extradition over religious posts

Two men have been hauled up in court and a third is being tracked amid a crackdown on inflammatory social media posts.

Malaysia

Fate of US-Malaysia trade pact rests on Washington’s next move

The US$240 billion deal isn’t ‘null and void’ yet, says the trade minister, as Malaysia waits for Washington to submit updated terms.

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Japan

Japan identifies 1,500 new missile shelters as ‘front line’ fears grow

Underground car parks and subways are being repurposed as Tokyo warns of the most severe security threat since the second world war.

Japan has confirmed 1,489 sites – including subway stations and underground car parks – as being suitable for providing short-term protection in the event of an attack. Photo: Shutterstock
Japan has confirmed 1,489 sites – including subway stations and underground car parks – as being suitable for providing short-term protection in the event of an attack. Photo: Shutterstock
South Korea

‘Catch-22 situation’: South Korea walks tightrope over Trump’s Hormuz call

Seoul is expected to seek national consensus and wait for the outcome of the Takaichi-Trump summit before deciding, observers say.

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Malaysia

Deal or no deal? Malaysia-US trade pact in turmoil after minister ‘misspeaks’

First, a minister called the deal dead. Then his ministry backtracked. Now the opposition is demanding answers.

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Myanmar

Myanmar’s junta-proxy parliament meets for first time since 2021 coup

Stacked with military allies and ex-generals, the new assembly aims to legitimise a regime the United Nations and EU have branded a sham.

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Military representatives (in green) and other members of Myanmar’s parliament attend a session in Naypyidaw on Monday. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

Malaysia’s government accused of using law to silence critics

Civil society groups say an investigation into an alleged plot to topple the government risks shrinking civic space.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks in parliament in October last year. Photo: Malaysia’s Department of Information/AFP
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks in parliament in October last year. Photo: Malaysia’s Department of Information/AFP
Japan

Trump wants Japanese warships in Hormuz. Can Takaichi ‘dodge the bullet’?

The Iran war complicates Trump-Takaichi talks, putting her in a bind between US demands and constitutional limits on military action.

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Iran

Why the Iran war marks a turning point for Gulf-Asia trade

The closure of the Middle East’s important straits – Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb – is forcing Gulf and Asian nations to explore other options.

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US, Israel war on Iran

No longer safe: Iran war puts 9 million Indian workers in the line of fire

As missiles fly, drone strikes from Dubai to Doha are shattering the illusion of safety for millions of Indian expats living in the Gulf.

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A worker assesses the damage after a drone strike on a building in Dubai’s Creek Harbour neighbourhood on Thursday. Photo: Getty Images/AFP
Malaysia

Graft and gridlock: in Anwar’s Malaysia, reformist cracks widen

Malaysia’s prime minister can’t pass his own reform bills. His coalition appears to be cracking – and time is running out.

Illustration: Huy Truong
Illustration: Huy Truong
Diplomacy

Beyond Pax Silica: Japan, France and Canada seek rare earth autonomy

Wary of both Beijing’s grip and Washington’s whims, three G7 allies are charting their own independent critical mineral course.

Australia

Australia walks ‘very fine line’ with Gulf deployment amid Iran war

Analysts say the defensive deployment reflects Canberra’s attempt to balance alliance pressure with fears of deeper involvement in the conflict.

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The Philippines

Philippines’ bid for UN Security Council seat sidesteps maritime row

As a potential council member, the Philippines is expected to address broader global security issues and be a ‘responsible middle power’.

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Members of the UN Security Council listen as Gholamhossein Darzi, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, speaks at the UN headquarters on January 15. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
Members of the UN Security Council listen as Gholamhossein Darzi, Iran’s ambassador to the UN, speaks at the UN headquarters on January 15. Photo: Getty Images via AFP
North Korea

Iran may team up again with North Korea to defy ‘gangster-like’ US. Here’s why

North Korea has long been suspected of supplying missile technology to Iran and providing technical help on uranium enrichment.

India

Why US policy on India aims to avoid repeat of China ‘mistake’

Despite official saying the US wants to work with India, it is likely to maintain a ‘transactional approach’ towards New Delhi, analysts say.

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The Philippines

As US missiles leave South Korea, the Philippines asks: are we next?

South Korea couldn’t stop the pull-out. Now, Manila must figure out if it is indeed a strategic partner or just another supply depot.

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Patriot missile launchers are seen deployed at a US military base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on Sunday. Photo: Yonhap/AFP
US, Israel war on Iran

Sowing the seeds of hunger: war on Iran puts Asia’s next harvest at risk

As Gulf gas plants go offline, missing fertiliser shipments today could mean empty shelves and record food prices by autumn.

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Farmers sow paddy saplings in a field on the outskirts of Guwahati, India, last month. Photo: AP
Farmers sow paddy saplings in a field on the outskirts of Guwahati, India, last month. Photo: AP
Nepal

Nepal just elected a rapper for PM. His foreign policy has a new beat

Newly elected Balendra Shah’s public messaging suggests a balanced approach rather than a tilt to either side, analysts say.

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Sri Lanka

What happens to the Iranian sailors stranded in Sri Lanka?

The sinking of an Iranian frigate and a leaked US cable have dragged the debt-burdened South Asian nation into a Middle Eastern conflict.

Thailand

Iran war fallout threatens ‘quick wins’ for Thailand’s economy

As drivers panic buy diesel and the public is urged to limit air con use, Thai civil servants are ordered home to preserve dwindling energy.

A petrol station attendant fills the tank of a car in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday. Some drivers have begun panic buying diesel amid fears of a fuel shortage. Photo: AP
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