This Week in Asia /
Politics
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Asean
South China Sea
the Asian angle
Thailand
Thailand-Cambodia border war drives mass exodus as attacks mount
Fresh fighting came as Asean chair Malaysia urged both sides to halt violence that has left at least 15 Thais dead.
16 minutes ago
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South Korea
North Korea stops jamming radio signals from the South. Could talks be next?
44 minutes ago
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Asean
Thailand-Cambodia tensions a test for Asean’s peace mandate
25 Jul 2025 - 12:10AM
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Thailand
Thailand-Cambodia border war fears surge as rockets kill 12
Thai air strikes rained down on Cambodia as 40,000 Thais fled deadly Cambodian rocket attacks and Bangkok accused Phnom Penh of ‘war crimes’.
2 hours ago
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Smoke billows from the roof of a convenience store attached to a petrol station in Thailand’s Sisaket province after it was hit by a rocket strike from Cambodia on Thursday. Photo: Facebook/ Chatchak Ratsamikaeo / AFP
Malaysia
‘Rules for thee’: is Malaysia’s Anwar being hypocritical about rallies?
The chief secretary told state employees that attending the protest would go against the National Principles of loyalty to king and country.
24 Jul 2025 - 3:27PM
India
New Apaches for India: are US helicopters battle-ready for future threats?
While the Indian army has hailed a delivery of three Apache AH-64E, experts are divided over the helicopters’ long-term battle potential.
24 Jul 2025 - 3:20PM
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Japan
Japan’s ruling LDP tips into crisis mode with PM’s expected exit
As rumours swirl of Shigeru Ishiba’s resignation, a leadership contest now looms that risks tearing the ruling Liberal Democratic Party apart.
24 Jul 2025 - 3:08PM
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Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba reacts after meeting with LDP officials at the party’s headquarters in Tokyo on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines
Rating the Philippines’ new 19% tariff: ‘significant’ win or ‘worst insult’?
Critics warn the new rate, a modest shift from the previous 20 per cent, undermines fair trade and puts Philippine industries at a competitive disadvantage.
24 Jul 2025 - 12:43PM
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Indonesia
Indonesian ex-minister’s jail term: corruption or ‘politically’ motivated?
Analysts question basis of court ruling and whether former trade minister’s close ties to opposition politician Anies Baswedan was a factor in verdict.
23 Jul 2025 - 6:05PM
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South Korea
South Korean, Filipino officials rebuked for poor flood response and misjudgment
In South Korea, President Lee Jae-myung has slammed officials for ‘drinking and dancing’ amid deadly floods that claimed at least 19 lives.
23 Jul 2025 - 6:00PM
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The Philippines
Will more US missiles in Philippines deter or provoke South China Sea conflict?
With the placement of missile and drone systems, analysts debate if the Philippines will become a forward-operating platform or a flashpoint.
23 Jul 2025 - 4:24PM
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A US Marine Air Defence Integrated System fires at a drone during a joint Philippines-US military exercise in San Antonio, Zambales province, northern Philippines, on April 27. Photo: AP
Pacific nations
Australia, US push Pacific deterrence amid China’s security overtures
Analysts note the significance of Papua New Guinea and Fiji’s unprecedented involvement in this year’s ‘Olympics of war games’.
23 Jul 2025 - 2:52PM
Japan
Japan’s prime minister denies resignation reports after electoral drubbing
Shigeru Ishiba claims media reports of his impending resignation are ‘completely unfounded’, amid suggestions he will quit next month.
24 Jul 2025 - 3:40PM
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South Korea
Seoul shifts to pragmatic diplomacy, leaving ‘friend-or-foe’ mentality behind
Gone are the days of Yoon Suk-yeol’s ‘black-or-white world view’, as Seoul’s new administration seeks strategic flexibility.
23 Jul 2025 - 9:23AM
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The Philippines
Marcos’ ‘inexcusable’ snub of Filipino-American community widens disconnect
Protesters accuse Philippine leader of failing to meet community and ignoring urgent immigration issues concerning Filipino workers in the US.
23 Jul 2025 - 12:16AM
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An activist holds up a cardboard cutout depicting Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr’s face with the body of a dog during a demonstration in front of the US Department of State in Washington on Monday. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia
Malaysia a target for Israeli spies over Gaza stance, Anwar warns
Prime minister points to recent gun smuggling case as evidence of Israel’s Mossad among intelligence agencies operating in Malaysia.
22 Jul 2025 - 5:42PM
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Myanmar
Trump’s ‘huge diplomatic gift’ to Myanmar junta via letter sparks concerns
By addressing Myanmar’s leader Min Aung Hlaing over the tariff issue, Trump has ‘unintentionally legitimised’ the junta, analysts say.
22 Jul 2025 - 4:21PM
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South Korea
From ‘VIP No 1’ to suspect: how former South Korean first lady has fallen
Kim Keon-hee’s formal call-up shows that prosecutors are close to arresting her, observers say.
22 Jul 2025 - 2:42PM
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Kim Keon-hee accompanies her husband, Yoon Suk-yeol, to Washington on July 10 last year. Photo: AP
Japan
Japan’s long-dominant LDP in turmoil after far-right groups surge in polls
Internal rivals and a resurgent nationalist right are jeopardising Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s already precarious position.
22 Jul 2025 - 9:55AM
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Singapore
Why did Singapore name cyberthreat group UNC3886 and is it linked to China?
Minister K Shanmugam says Singapore is facing an advanced persistent threat from UNC3886, which is targeting its strategic targets.
22 Jul 2025 - 10:29AM
India
Defence diversification: India pivots to Europe for next-gen fighter tech
French company Safran is tipped to develop engines for India’s planned stealth fighter aircraft, with UK’s Rolls-Royce also in the running.
21 Jul 2025 - 6:38PM
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Malaysia
Malaysia’s top court to hear Anwar’s immunity bid in sexual harassment case
The prime minister faces a civil suit filed by a former research aide who has accused him of sexual assault at his private residence in 2018.
21 Jul 2025 - 4:45PM
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim is facing a civil sexual harassment suit from a former research aide. Photo: Reuters
Indonesia
Indonesia’s dream of a ‘smart forest’ capital becomes a vice-ridden nightmare
Sex work, cockfighting and illegal gambing are rife in Indonesia’s planned capital city, officials say, raising doubts about its future.
21 Jul 2025 - 8:00AM
India-Pakistan tensions
No India, no go? Why a new China-led South Asian bloc may falter
China and Pakistan are reportedly leading a push to replace the defunct Saarc with a new bloc without India’s involvement.
20 Jul 2025 - 3:00PM
Japan
Japan upper house election: Ishiba accepts ‘harsh result’, will stay on as PM
The ruling LDP-led coalition failed to secure a majority in the upper house, with exit polls projecting it had only won 46 seats.
21 Jul 2025 - 5:59PM
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