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Smoke and fire rise near the South Pars gas field following an attack amid the US-Israeli war on Iran, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
US, Israel war on Iran

Iran war nears 3-front tipping point as Gulf energy hubs burn

Israeli strikes on the world’s largest gas field and Iranian attacks on Saudi and Qatari hubs threaten a global energy crisis.

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South Korea

South Korea’s cut-price interceptor outshines US Patriot in Iran war debut

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Japan

Trump’s Pearl Harbour joke falls flat in Japan over his ‘disrespectful remarks’

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Pakistan

Is Pakistan building ICBMs? Non-proliferation experts dispute US warning

US fears of Pakistani ICBMs targeting America are overstated as Islamabad’s missile programme remains regional, observers say.

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Pakistan’s Shaheen-3 missile on display during a military parade in Islamabad in 2018. Photo: AP
Pakistan’s Shaheen-3 missile on display during a military parade in Islamabad in 2018. Photo: AP
The Philippines

Support for Duterte’s ICC trial has halved in a year. Here’s why

Only 30 per cent of Gen Z Filipinos now back the ICC drugs war case, as AI-generated disinformation floods TikTok.

The Philippines

Beyond ‘lip service’: Philippines urged to act on air defence gaps

The Iran war has underscored the need for robust air systems and Manila should look to build a layered defence architecture, experts say.

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Thailand

Anutin takes charge in Thailand as Mideast chaos pressures economy

Facing economic challenges and border tensions with Cambodia, the prime minister has pledged swift responses to public needs.

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Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reacts at parliament in Bangkok on Thursday. Photo: AFP
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reacts at parliament in Bangkok on Thursday. Photo: AFP
North Korea

Nuclear or nothing: why North Korea’s Kim expects the US to come ‘cap in hand’

With Washington tied up in Iran, Kim Jong-un’s message is clear: if the US wants a summit, it must pay his nuclear price.

Japan

Russian hypersonic jets buzz Japan’s coast in ‘thinly veiled threat’

The exercises send a message that Tokyo should avoid antagonising Moscow or risk ‘repercussions’, observers say.

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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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
Malaysia

Why US warships’ pit stop in Malaysia is raising eyebrows

The USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara were seen in Penang on Sunday, despite Malaysia’s criticism of Washington over the Iran war.

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The United States Navy’s USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara are seen docked at the North Butterworth Container Terminal in Penang, Malaysia, on Sunday. Photo: Facebook / Sherwynd Kessler
The United States Navy’s USS Tulsa and USS Santa Barbara are seen docked at the North Butterworth Container Terminal in Penang, Malaysia, on Sunday. Photo: Facebook / Sherwynd Kessler
Singapore

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

Wong and Takaichi are expected to discuss economic stability and AI, and tread cautiously amid superpower rivalries, analysts say.

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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.

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.

Malaysian activist Arun Dorasamy. Photo: Facebook/arundorasamy
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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Malaysia’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Johari Abdul Ghani. Photo: Facebook/joharighaniofficial
Malaysia’s Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Johari Abdul Ghani. Photo: Facebook/joharighaniofficial
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.

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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US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pictured in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last October. Photo: AP
US President Donald Trump and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pictured in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, last October. Photo: AP
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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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.

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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A naval vessel sails in the Strait of Hormuz on March 1. Photo: AFP/Getty Images/TNS
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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Oil tanker trucks stand parked near an oil storage terminal in Karachi on Thursday as global energy markets face disruptions amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Photo: AFP
Oil tanker trucks stand parked near an oil storage terminal in Karachi on Thursday as global energy markets face disruptions amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Photo: AFP
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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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.

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.

French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hand with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Paris, France, last year. Photo: EPA-EFE
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