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This Week in Asia /

Politics

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Damaged buildings following air strikes at the Khorgu missile base on Monday in Khorgu, Iran. Photo: Vantor via AP
North Korea

Iran may team up again with North Korea to defy ‘gangster-like’ US. Here’s why

North Korea has long been suspected of supplying missile technology to Iran and providing technical help on uranium enrichment.

India

Why US policy on India aims to avoid repeat of China ‘mistake’

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The Philippines

As US missiles leave South Korea, the Philippines asks: are we next?

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US, Israel war on Iran

Sowing the seeds of hunger: war on Iran puts Asia’s next harvest at risk

As Gulf gas plants go offline, missing fertiliser shipments today could mean empty shelves and record food prices by autumn.

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Farmers sow paddy saplings in a field on the outskirts of Guwahati, India, last month. Photo: AP
Farmers sow paddy saplings in a field on the outskirts of Guwahati, India, last month. Photo: AP
Nepal

Nepal just elected a rapper for PM. His foreign policy has a new beat

Newly elected Balendra Shah’s public messaging suggests a balanced approach rather than a tilt to either side, analysts say.

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Sri Lanka

What happens to the Iranian sailors stranded in Sri Lanka?

The sinking of an Iranian frigate and a leaked US cable have dragged the debt-burdened South Asian nation into a Middle Eastern conflict.

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Thailand

Iran war fallout threatens ‘quick wins’ for Thailand’s economy

As drivers panic buy diesel and the public is urged to limit air con use, Thai civil servants are ordered home to preserve dwindling energy.

A petrol station attendant fills the tank of a car in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday. Some drivers have begun panic buying diesel amid fears of a fuel shortage. Photo: AP
A petrol station attendant fills the tank of a car in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday. Some drivers have begun panic buying diesel amid fears of a fuel shortage. Photo: AP
South Korea

South Korea gets wake-up call as US diverts military assets to Middle East

President Lee Jae Myung urges South Korea to boost its own defence amid reports of US military assets being redeployed to the Middle East.

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India

Hope for India-Bangladesh reset after arrests in student leader’s killing

The development may provide an early test of bilateral cooperation following Bangladesh’s recent political transition, analysts say.

Indonesia

Will Iran war push Indonesia to quit Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’?

Critics have urged Jakarta to leave the board and reconsider related policies, amid concerns the country may be losing ‘strategic autonomy’.

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Boys in solidarity with Palestinians hold signs as they take part in a protest, outside the US embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, on February 13. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

In Malaysia, Muhyiddin’s corruption trial opens with a fight over TikTok

A former PM, a landmark corruption case – and the prosecution’s opening evidence is a pair of TikTok videos the defence says cannot stand.

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A screengrab from a TikTok video uploaded by user “puterishantek”, in which purported audio of Muhyiddin was overlaid on a graphic alleging PAS was distancing itself from Perikatan Nasional. Photo: TikTok/Puterishantek
A screengrab from a TikTok video uploaded by user “puterishantek”, in which purported audio of Muhyiddin was overlaid on a graphic alleging PAS was distancing itself from Perikatan Nasional. Photo: TikTok/Puterishantek
US, Israel war on Iran

Why has the US-Israeli war on Iran left Brics speechless?

As Tehran retaliates against its Gulf neighbours, the newly expanded bloc built for trade is discovering the limits of its own unity.

India

India’s 30-day Russian oil waiver comes with a steep US price tag

Washington has granted New Delhi a brief waiver for stranded Russian crude – but expects it to ramp up American oil purchases in return.

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s Anwar risks reformist image as Daim family sues over ‘Zionist’ claims

The prime minister said that a group of Malaysians were working with foreign media and a ‘prominent Zionist group’ to topple the government.

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Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks to members of the media on December 17, 2025. Photo: EPA
The Philippines

Asia’s longest communist revolt is dying, Manila says. The rebels disagree

The Philippine military claims the 56-year insurgency is near the finish line. But veteran rebels say the roots of rebellion remain.

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New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas stand in formation at a base in the Sierra Madre mountain range, east of Manila, in 2017. Photo: AFP
New People’s Army (NPA) guerrillas stand in formation at a base in the Sierra Madre mountain range, east of Manila, in 2017. Photo: AFP
Singapore

Singapore’s ban on caged lorries revives debate over migrant worker transport

The government says the move improves workers’ safety, but advocacy groups say the wider transport risks remain.

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Nepal

Nepal election: rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah beats former prime minister

The 35-year-old former Kathmandu mayor’s defeat of K.P. Sharma Oli means he is on track to head the next government.

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Pakistan

Pakistan imperils its IMF rescue as Afghanistan border violence rages

Without an IMF bailout, ‘Pakistan won’t survive’, one economist says. But financial collapse wouldn’t just be Islamabad’s problem.

A Taliban security guard rides an armed vehicle on the outskirts of Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on February 28. Photo: AFP
A Taliban security guard rides an armed vehicle on the outskirts of Jalalabad, Afghanistan, on February 28. Photo: AFP
Indonesia

Indonesia’s US trade deal faces a sovereignty reckoning at home

Nearly 80 civil groups and 65 academics have signed a petition urging parliament to block ratification of the ‘shameful’ deal.

Indonesia

Indonesia to ban under-16s from ‘high-risk’ social media platforms

Minister Meutya Hafid said the restrictions would protect children from online harms, but experts warned enforcement might prove difficult.

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Iran

How far could the war with Iran spread beyond the Middle East?

From Turkey and the Caucasus to South Asia, analysts warn the war could ignite new flashpoints along regional fault lines.

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The sun sets behind a plume of smoke from a US-Israeli military strike in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday. Photo: AP
South Korea

South Korea uneasy as US weighs moving air defences to Middle East

Fears are growing in Seoul that shifting US Patriot and THAAD missiles to fight Iran could leave it vulnerable to North Korea.

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US and South Korean soldiers take part in a joint river-crossing exercise as part of the Freedom Shield military drills in March 2025. Photo: Getty Images
US and South Korean soldiers take part in a joint river-crossing exercise as part of the Freedom Shield military drills in March 2025. Photo: Getty Images
Japan

Japan weighs military upgrade on Iwo Jima as China deepens Pacific activity

Tokyo is reportedly planning to enhance facilities and station aircraft on the island, and establish a Pacific defence initiative office.

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Japan

Can Japan build a ‘China-free’ military? The high price of defying a rival

Tokyo’s bid to boost ‘self-reliance’ may be costly and could take years given China’s dominance in critical materials, analysts say.

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The Philippines

Philippines advances Sara Duterte impeachment case, but ‘this is not a cakewalk’

A failed Senate conviction could ultimately strengthen Duterte-Carpio ahead of the presidential 2028 race, observers warn.

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Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio has said she will run for president in the 2028 national election. Photo: EPA
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