This Week in Asia /
Politics
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the Asian angle
Thailand
Fighting rages across Thai-Cambodian border as US calls for calm
Tens of thousands have fled their homes for the second time this year as Thailand and Cambodia trade heavy fire, leaving at least eight dead.
3 hours ago
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Singapore
Can Singapore’s cyber laws keep pace with speed of borderless online threats?
5 hours ago
South Korea
South Korea torn as crime-fighting actor quits over criminal past
6 hours ago
The Philippines
Could ICC warrants against Duterte allies alter Philippines’ balance of power?
A former Duterte spokesman claims more of the ex-president’s allies will soon be arrested as part of a plot to ‘destroy the opposition’.
9 Dec 2025 - 8:04AM
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Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte during a senate inquiry on the so-called war on drugs during his administration at the Philippine Senate in Manila in October 2024. Duterte is currently detained in the Netherlands. Photo: AP
Bangladesh
Why a leading party in Bangladesh is facing uncertainty as election looms
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party’s leadership crisis threatens to undermine its advantage ahead of the February election, analysts say.
8 Dec 2025 - 9:01PM
The Philippines
In Philippines, Marcos’ ratings sink as anti-corruption drive ‘backfires’
A new survey shows Marcos’ satisfaction ratings at only 21 per cent – his lowest since taking office in 2022.
8 Dec 2025 - 6:56PM
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Malaysia
Malaysian ex-minister Rafizi challenges PM Anwar’s anti-corruption credentials
He alleged that anti-corruption officers targeted PKR candidates who challenged the prime minister’s daughter in party polls.
8 Dec 2025 - 5:09PM
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Left: Former Malaysian economy minister Rafizi Ramli on his Yang Berhenti Menteri (The Minister Who Quit) podcast. Right: Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Photos: Facebook / Rafizi Ramli and AFP
Thailand
Thailand launches air strikes on Cambodia after soldier killed
Thailand says the F-16 strikes were ‘executed with caution’ against military targets to neutralise a threat to national security.
8 Dec 2025 - 8:23PM
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Thailand
‘Everyone gets a cut’: why Southeast Asia’s scam industry refuses to die
Authorities are seizing assets and raiding compounds, but analysts warn the clumsy crackdown is merely scattering syndicates to new hideouts.
8 Dec 2025 - 9:51AM
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Singapore
Lee Kuan Yew’s pain and his deputy’s resolve in Singapore-Malaysia separation
A new book unveiled by ex-PM Lee Hsien Loong reveals how Goh Keng Swee shaped Singapore’s 1965 split from Malaysia.
7 Dec 2025 - 5:18PM
Singapore
Singapore launches book on Malaysia separation with declassified files
‘The Albatross File: Inside Separation’ sheds light on the negotiations leading up to Singapore’s break from Malaysia.
7 Dec 2025 - 4:11PM
Lee Kuan Yew meeting the press on the morning of Singapore’s separation from Malaysia on August 9, 1965. Photo: Straits Times
Japan
Japan’s Takaichi resurrects frozen dispute over islands lost to Russia
Analysts warn there’s ‘no chance’ of visits to the islands resuming while Tokyo continues to back Kyiv in the Russia-Ukraine war.
7 Dec 2025 - 12:13PM
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Japan
Can Japan find space for Muslim burials? Not if right-wing rhetoric prevails
A viral video showing a Sanseito MP telling foreign residents to cremate their dead or ship them home spotlights discomfort with diversity.
7 Dec 2025 - 8:00AM
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Indonesia
Jakarta vs the internet: Indonesia’s gamble with digital freedom
As the government demands global tech firms like Cloudflare bend to its will, critics say it’s ‘burning the rice barn to kill the rats’.
8 Dec 2025 - 10:17AM
The Philippines
6 cyclones, 5 weeks: Philippines can’t escape its endless cycle of disaster
Corruption, complacency and climate chaos conspire to turn the Philippines’ natural hazards into man-made tragedies.
6 Dec 2025 - 8:17AM
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Satellite imagery shows Super Typhoon Fung-wong as it approaches the Philippines on November 9. Photo: NOAA/EPA
India
Can India still rely on Russia as a ‘time-tested’ defence partner?
India has to balance meeting its defence needs from Russia and managing its trade ties with the US as tariffs continue to loom.
5 Dec 2025 - 8:31PM
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The Philippines
Is the Philippines vulnerable to another military-triggered political crisis?
Analysts said an alleged plot by retired generals to oust President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr appears inspired by 2001’s EDSA Dos uprising.
5 Dec 2025 - 6:00PM
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Myanmar
Myanmar’s criticism of Takaichi signals ‘loyalty’ to China ahead of election
A junta spokesman slammed the Japanese prime minister’s comments on Taiwan, saying Tokyo had not shown remorse for its ‘crimes’ in Asia.
5 Dec 2025 - 6:44PM
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Chinese President Xi Jinping meets Myanmar leader Min Aung Hlaing on the sidelines of celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in Moscow on May 9. Photo: Xinhua
South Korea
‘I truly repent’: 15-year jail term sought for South Korean ex-first lady
The former first lady, who faces a raft of corruption allegations, will receive the court’s ruling on January 28.
4 Dec 2025 - 11:50AM
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Singapore
Singapore’s Pritam Singh loses appeal against conviction for lying
The Workers’ Party chief was in February found guilty of two counts of giving false testimony to a parliamentary committee and fined.
4 Dec 2025 - 7:39PM
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Japan
In Japan, public opinion turns against Trump’s ‘terrible, stupid’ US
A new survey reveals approval for US ties has hit near-record lows amid political turmoil, punitive tariffs and shock at Trump’s agenda.
6 Dec 2025 - 10:22AM
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Indonesia
‘We side with Indonesia’: ex-minister rejects claims of China bias
Luhut Pandjaitan says China’s technological prowess and deep pockets made it an ideal partner for propelling Indonesia’s economy.
3 Dec 2025 - 7:29PM
The Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park, one of the biggest nickel producers in Konawe Utara. Photo: AFP
South Korea
Can Seoul count on Beijing’s commitment to Korean reunification?
South Korean analyst Sung Ki-young says major powers are more likely to support incremental steps for peace rather than a sudden shift.
3 Dec 2025 - 7:11PM
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The Philippines
Philippines’ first family says financial scrutiny welcome amid graft allegations
A spokesperson for the president said his family was open to lifestyle checks after questions emerged over funds sent to his son’s district.
3 Dec 2025 - 6:19PM
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Asean
Thailand, Cambodia clash at UN mine ban talks as ‘fragile’ border truce teeters
Analysts warn relations are in a ‘fragile place’ as the neighbours trade barbs and leverage international law at a UN meeting in Geneva.
3 Dec 2025 - 5:07PM
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