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This Week in Asia /

Politics

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Asean
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the Asian angle
Smoke and flames rise from the site of US-Israeli airstrikes on an oil depot in Tehran on March 7. Photo: Sasan/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images/TNS
US, Israel war on Iran

Iran survived 3 months of war. Can it survive the aftermath?

US$270 billion in damage and 4 million citizens plunged into poverty may have broken Iran’s economy.

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Defence

US and allies flex military muscle on China’s doorstep with multi-front drills

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Malaysia

Malaysia demands US$257 million from Norwegian firm over axed missile deal

Malaysia

Malaysia’s Umno pulled into royal row ahead of Johor vote

Supreme council member Mohd Puad Zarkashi has quit Umno, saying that the party ‘is controlled by the palace in making decisions’.

Mohd Puad Zarkashi gives a speech on June 19. Photo: Facebook/DrPuad Zarkashi
Mohd Puad Zarkashi gives a speech on June 19. Photo: Facebook/DrPuad Zarkashi
South Korea

North Korea’s border build-up opens a Seoul-UN Command rift

South Korea views its the North’s border fortifications as an armistice violation. The UN body disagrees.

Malaysia

‘No DAP’: could Johor state election disrupt Malaysia’s unity coalition?

The refusal to work with DAP could be a defensive move to shore up BN’s Malay base in Johor ahead of the July 11 polls, analysts say.

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Thailand

Thai officials caught altering exam scores for bribes of up to US$24,000

Thousands of applicants allegedly paid bribes to secure civil service positions in the multimillion-dollar fraud.

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A view of downtown Bangkok. A corruption investigation in Thailand into civil service exam scores for bribes has prompted questions over competence at local government offices across the country. Photo: Shutterstock
A view of downtown Bangkok. A corruption investigation in Thailand into civil service exam scores for bribes has prompted questions over competence at local government offices across the country. Photo: Shutterstock
India

‘Senseless’: US military command rebrand risks damaging India ties

Eight years after ‘Indo’ was added to signal India’s importance, analysts say its removal points to a shift in Washington’s priorities.

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India

India wants a self-reliant military, but can its private defence firms deliver?

Private firms now drive nearly a quarter of domestic production, but analysts warn a lack of R&D leaves New Delhi tethered to foreign tech.

South Korea

Why North Korea prefers a ‘hostile’ neighbour to Seoul’s peace efforts

One way to break the deadlock is to revive talks between the two Koreas, China and the US to end the Korean war, an analyst suggests.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un observes a new multipurpose missile launching system and tactical cruise missile weapon system at an unspecified location in May. Photo: KCNA/YNA/dpa
Malaysia

Royal succession crisis strains Malaysia’s governing alliance ahead of polls

Analysts say the dispute has become harder to contain, with Umno and Pakatan Harapan taking different stances amid other political grievances.

Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir during Negeri Sembilan’s state assembly in Seremban, Malaysia. Photo: YouTube
Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir during Negeri Sembilan’s state assembly in Seremban, Malaysia. Photo: YouTube
Japan

How Japan seeks to win over allies by refuting China’s claims of militarism

Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi questions the accuracy of China’s military spending data, contrasting it with Japan’s transparent approach.

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The Philippines

Will Philippines’ new bill entrench the political dynasties it aims to curb?

Critics say the bill does not address political power concentration in government or the conditions that allow dynasties to flourish.

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Singapore

Why Wong-Putin meeting doesn’t mean Singapore’s going soft on Russia

Singapore needs to balance its tough stance on the Ukraine war with its responsibilities towards other Asean nations, experts say.

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Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong (left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin shake hands during their meeting on the sidelines of the Russia-Asean Summit in Kazan on Thursday. Photo: Sputnik/AP
Myanmar

Did Myanmar-China talks spawn a more emboldened junta?

China and India have been jostling for influence in Myanmar as the Asean member remains embroiled in civil war.

Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 16. Photo: Xinhua
Chinese President Xi Jinping holds talks with Myanmar President Min Aung Hlaing at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on June 16. Photo: Xinhua
Canada

Trump called Canada a freerider. This Pacific naval push is Ottawa’s reply

Ottawa is fielding its largest military contingent in years at the Rimpac drills. Whether it can sustain the commitment is another matter.

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Asean

Can Russia secure ‘third power’ status in Southeast Asia with energy push?

While energy may be ‘a good opening’ for Russia to boost Asean ties, analysts say its relevance in the region is unlikely to grow.

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The Philippines

Inside Germany’s plan to transform a Philippine Cold War relic

A multimillion-dollar aviation deal at Clark highlights European economic investment as a tool of strategic power.

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A Philippine soldier guards an American F-18 fighter jets on a refuelling stop at Clark Airbase in 2001. Photo: AFP
A Philippine soldier guards an American F-18 fighter jets on a refuelling stop at Clark Airbase in 2001. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

Philippines taps ‘smarter, cheaper’ Australian drones to deter China

The underwater drones could enhance Manila’s capability to record Beijing’s intrusion in its waters, analysts say.

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US, Israel war on Iran

2 wars later, US-Iran nuclear diplomacy returns to square one

Analysts say the new agreement returns to a familiar trade-off: nuclear curbs in exchange for sanctions relief and oil waivers.

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The Philippines

Filipinos don’t trust the news. Are they sick of divisive politics?

Only 28 per cent of Filipinos said they trusted news most of the time, according to a global survey.

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Philippine police personnel block supporters of Vice-President Sara Duterte protesting outside the Senate of the Philippines, in Manila in May. Photo: AP
South Korea

Will Lee Jae Myung’s G7 gamble preserve future diplomacy with North Korea?

Analysts say Lee’s outreach could help preserve prospects for future diplomacy, but Pyongyang has ‘little incentive’ to pursue dialogue.

South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung (right) with US leader Donald Trump and CEO of Google DeepMind Demis Hassabis (centre) during the G7 summit on Wednesday in Evian-les-Bains, France. Photo: Pool AP via AP
South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung (right) with US leader Donald Trump and CEO of Google DeepMind Demis Hassabis (centre) during the G7 summit on Wednesday in Evian-les-Bains, France. Photo: Pool AP via AP
Malaysia

Malaysia deports 2 suspected Indian separatists over rail explosion in Punjab

The two were allegedly involved in the detonation of an improvised explosive device on a railway line in April, which killed another suspect.

Asean

Aid and diplomacy: US Navy’s renewed bid for Southeast Asian influence

Pacific Partnership 2026 aims to counter China’s rising influence in the region, amid growing doubts about US leadership, analysts say.

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India

3 killed, no apology: the strike straining India-US relations

Instead of showing remorse, Washington ordered New Delhi to obey its blockade, stoking public outrage.

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a meeting with India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar during his visit to New Delhi on May 26. Photo: AP
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