Politics
Is India’s billion-dollar aid to Bhutan aimed at curbing China’s influence?
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made his recent visit to Bhutan a priority despite the possibility of violating pre-election rules.
Smelling a rat: conspiracies as Philippine airport fights vermin woes
The timing of the vermin outbreak led to speculation it could have been engineered in response to news of the airport’s privatisation, or an attempt to discredit the current government.
Is South Korea’s Yoon Suk-yeol at risk of becoming a lame duck president?
Yoon risks being unable to carry out labour, pension, and education reforms if he were to lose next month’s parliamentary elections.
US should not ‘oppress and contain’ China: top Beijing official
Asia should guard against being ‘testing grounds for parallel systems’, says Liu Jianchao, who is tipped to be China’s next foreign minister.
King warns Malaysians against exploiting ‘Allah’ socks scandal after attacks
Sultan Ibrahim urges Malaysians, especially community leaders, to ‘act with maturity’ and learn from the incident to strengthen unity.
Dog-killing case in Philippines sparks anger, Senate debate for tougher laws
#JusticeforKillua went viral after a golden retriever named Killua was found dead by its owner after a neighbour allegedly bludgeoned it to death.
5 Chinese engineers killed in suicide bomb attack in Pakistan, probe under way
The attack came less than three years after nine Chinese nationals working on the same project were also killed in a vehicular suicide bombing.
High-altitude tunnel becomes new flashpoint in rising India-China tensions
The opening of the world’s longest twin-lane tunnel sparked a war of words between Beijing and New Delhi, both of which claim the Arunachal Pradesh region where it was built.
Singapore’s Israeli post takedown order reflects ‘heightened sensitivity’
The issue is sensitive for Singapore’s Malay-Muslims, with many wanting the state to be assertive against Israel over the Gaza war, an analyst says.
Reporters witness Beijing’s clash against Philippine ships in South China Sea
The Philippine flotilla was outnumbered and “surrounded by Chinese ships” during the supply mission, a reporter says.
Indonesian indigenous villagers face eviction threat over new capital project
The Balik and Paser tribes living in the Sepaku district of East Kalimantan fear their land will be taken to make way for Nusantara’s core government area.
Malaysian supermarket chain and supplier to be charged over ‘Allah’ socks
Malaysian politicians such as Umno youth chief Akmal Salleh have been exploiting the issue and are treading on dangerous grounds, analysts say.
Will South Korea’s Yoon ignore calls to say ‘xie xie’ and forget Taiwan?
Conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol looks set to maintain a hardline stance on Beijing despite the expected victory of ‘submissive’ liberals in next month’s parliamentary elections.
Singapore ex-minister S. Iswaran slapped with fresh corruption charges
The new counts involve about US$14,200 worth of valuable items the ex-politician allegedly obtained, including bottles of whisky, golf clubs and a bicycle.
Funding squeeze for Japan’s North Korean schools over propaganda concerns
A lack of funds has forced some schools operated by Chongryon – the association of North Korean residents in Japan – to amalgamate their operations, while others have closed.
As Vietnam’s Russian arms supplies dry up, who will it turn to for weapons?
South Korea is one option, observers say. But the Vietnamese military is stuck in its ways, which may make continued covert purchases from Russia more attractive – despite the risks.
Analysis | Moscow attack: more than 1 Isis branch involved, Russia in its ‘crosshairs’
Isis-C is the “main perpetrator” and received “some help” from Isis-K with the latter present in Moscow before the attack, analysts say.
Philippines debates mandatory military training to boost its readiness for war
Critics say the costs of implementing the Reserve Officers Training Corps bill and doubts over its strategic impact mean efforts are better redirected towards modernising the military
Nepal’s political shift changes regional dynamics amid China-India rivalry
China’s influence in Nepal’s economy and defence has grown significantly in recent years, marking a shift in traditional ties between Nepal and India.
Malaysia eyes censorship powers over streaming content amid rising conservatism
Malaysia’s home ministry says it wants to prevent the streaming of LGBTQ, communist and Islamophobic content on platforms such as Netflix.