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This Week in Asia /
Politics
Related Topics:
Asean
South China Sea
the Asian angle
The Philippines
‘Deliberate signal’: Philippines elevates officer amid South China Sea tensions
Analysts say Marcos is doubling down on the country’s ‘transparency initiative’ while engaging Beijing diplomatically behind closed doors.
2 Mar 2026 - 9:17PM
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Singapore
Singapore strives to stay non-aligned amid US-China rivalry, new conflicts
2 Mar 2026 - 7:00PM
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India
Friend to all, foe to none: Iran war tests India’s Middle East balancing act
2 Mar 2026 - 5:26PM
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Iran
Why US strikes on Iran just made North Korea less likely to play ball
Iran’s nuclear programme was aspirational. North Korea’s is not. That distinction explains everything, analysts say.
2 Mar 2026 - 12:14PM
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Smoke rises over Tehran following missile strikes on Sunday. The US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on Saturday, killing the country’s supreme leader and top military leaders. Photo: AFP
Iran
Will Iran collapse without Khamenei or can its regime endure?
Experts see short-term stability, but warn that deeper structural strains could emerge once the immediate shock subsides.
1 Mar 2026 - 8:40PM
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Iran
Death of Iran’s Khamenei sparks outrage and calls for restraint in Asia
Protesters stormed the US consulate in Karachi as leaders, including Malaysia’s Anwar Ibrahim, condemned the killing and appealed for dialogue.
1 Mar 2026 - 4:51PM
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The Philippines
Indonesia is getting an aircraft carrier. The Philippines isn’t. Does it matter?
Indonesia wants to project power. The Philippines wants to deny it. In the South China Sea, one approach may matter more than the other.
1 Mar 2026 - 10:00AM
The Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi pictured in 2016. Photo: AFP
Vietnam
Build fast, grow rich: To Lam’s blueprint for a rising Vietnam
Vietnam’s Communist Party chief is staking his legacy on 10 per cent growth, domestic megaprojects and an overseas charm offensive.
1 Mar 2026 - 8:00AM
Pakistan
‘Managed escalation’: Pakistan-Taliban stand-off enters dangerous new phase
With positions entrenched, mediation efforts by regional powers are unlikely to deliver a swift breakthrough, observers say.
28 Feb 2026 - 4:03PM
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Central Asia
Trains through the Taliban: Central Asia’s plan to bypass Russia and Iran
The Soviet Union severed Central Asia’s ancient trade routes to the Indian subcontinent. The region’s modern-day leaders want them back.
2 Mar 2026 - 11:21AM
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North Korea
Dress for succession? Why ‘twin look’ of Kim Jong-un, daughter is sparking talk
The appearance of the Kims in near-identical leather coats at a military parade is seen by some that Pyongyang’s succession plan is in place.
1 Mar 2026 - 10:09AM
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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his daughter, Ju-ae, attend a military parade at Kim Il-sung Square in Pyongyang, to mark the ninth congress of the ruling Workers’ Party. Photo: KCNA/YNA/dpa
Malaysia
Malaysia considers royal commission to probe anti-corruption agency allegations
The cabinet said it would decide after reviewing a taskforce report, as pressure mounts for MACC chief Azam Baki to step down.
27 Feb 2026 - 7:24PM
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Malaysia
Anti-corruption agency seeks Malaysians’ help to find Daim’s 4 children
A source from the agency says the late ex-finance minister’s children are under investigation for failing to declare their assets.
27 Feb 2026 - 4:52PM
Malaysia
Malaysia’s ‘ridiculous’ push to curb LGBTQ apps tests limits of digital control
Officials are examining legislative steps to curb apps like Grindr, though removal from global stores is beyond direct state control.
27 Feb 2026 - 8:30AM
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Japan
‘Hostage diplomacy’ fears mount over arrest of Japanese journalist in Iran
The incident comes amid rising tensions between Washington and Tehran, with a large American military force positioned near Iran.
26 Feb 2026 - 4:23PM
The aftermath of an Israeli strike on Evin Prison, Iran, in June. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters
North Korea
North Korea’s Kim warns of ‘eternal confrontation’ without US dialogue
As long as Washington acknowledges Pyongyang as a nuclear power, there is ‘no reason not to get along’, the North Korean leader says.
27 Feb 2026 - 8:07PM
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Japan
Japan’s PM revives push to criminalise defacing national flag
It is already a crime to damage a foreign flag in Japan. Now, emboldened by a massive election win, the PM wants to protect her own.
26 Feb 2026 - 9:30AM
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South Korea
Why Yoon’s life sentence and ‘sympathetic’ ruling divide South Korea
As the ex-president appeals his life sentence for a martial law plot, judicial reform is back on the agenda for a deeply divided nation.
26 Feb 2026 - 9:04AM
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A supporter of former South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol reacts following a guilty verdict during the sentencing trial in his insurrection case on February 19. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia
Malaysia’s Anwar faces pressure as allies demand new probe into MACC allegations
Democratic Action Party leaders said a task force does not go far enough to examine the alleged misconduct at the anti-corruption agency.
25 Feb 2026 - 7:10PM
India
Trade and diplomatic reset top the agenda for Canadian PM’s India visit
Both sides are set to boost trade links and repair ties further following a fallout over the 2023 killing of a Sikh separatist, analysts say.
25 Feb 2026 - 5:45PM
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South Korea
South Korea’s Lee uses AI to honour shared factory worker past with Brazil’s Lula
The gesture accompanied Lula’s state visit to Seoul, where the two leaders agreed to strengthen bilateral ties.
25 Feb 2026 - 3:12PM
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South Korea
Shaman’s bribery conviction spells trouble for South Korea’s former first lady
A judge has ruled luxury gifts passed to Kim Keon-hee were ‘grease payments’, contradicting an earlier verdict and threatening her appeal.
25 Feb 2026 - 2:38PM
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South Korea’s former first lady Kim Keon-hee, wife of impeached ex-president Yoon Suk-yeol, arrives for a court hearing in August last year. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia
‘They do listen sometimes’: Malaysians cheer US U-turn on controversial envoy
He boasted about eating rare steaks and reading the Bible daily, but the combative US envoy pick proved too tough for Malaysia to swallow.
25 Feb 2026 - 12:15PM
The Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling adds momentum to same-sex marriage debate
Advocates hailed the ruling as a breakthrough, though observers said its reach remains limited without congressional action.
25 Feb 2026 - 10:41AM
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Indonesia
Why Indonesia’s lead role in Gaza peacekeeping force carries high political risk
Jakarta has reiterated that it ‘will not conduct military operations’ after it agreed to assume the role of deputy commander of the force.
24 Feb 2026 - 6:56PM
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