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This Week in Asia /

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Pakistan Air Force’s JF-17 fighter jets fly past during a multinational naval exercise near Karachi in February 2025. Photo: AFP
Pakistan

What Pakistani jets in Saudi Arabia mean for Gulf security in Iran war

Analysts say the Pakistani air force’s presence ‘will complicate Iran’s targeting calculus’ and force it to reconsider its attack strategy.

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Japan

‘Not a reliable ally’: Japan eyes Nato as Trump erodes faith in US guarantees

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Nepal

Nepal’s school fee crackdown upends South Asian private education norms

Pakistan

UAE pulls US$3.5 billion from Pakistan after Iran war mediation

As Abu Dhabi signals its displeasure with Islamabad, analysts say other indebted partners will be watching closely.

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A shopkeeper displays Iranian flags after the US-Iran ceasefire announcement in Karachi, Pakistan, on Thursday. Photo: EPA
A shopkeeper displays Iranian flags after the US-Iran ceasefire announcement in Karachi, Pakistan, on Thursday. Photo: EPA
Malaysia

Was Penang ‘robbed’ from Kedah? Malaysian states face off in sovereignty row

A grievance dating back hundreds of years resurfaces as Kedah state lays claim to the country’s richest island.

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Japan

Japan’s Middle East oil habit gets an Iran war reality check

Almost all of Japan’s oil comes from the Middle East. A closed strait turned that dependence into a trap.

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US, Israel war on Iran

US-Iran talks leave Gulf states on edge about the price of peace

The six GCC nations worry that the US will prioritise Tehran’s needs and leave the Gulf monarchies vulnerable to Iranian retaliation.

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Police officers walk towards the president’s official residence in Islamabad, as Pakistan prepares to host the US and Iran for peace talks on Friday. Photo: Reuters
Police officers walk towards the president’s official residence in Islamabad, as Pakistan prepares to host the US and Iran for peace talks on Friday. Photo: Reuters
The Philippines

Sara Duterte faces impeachment, but leads Philippine presidential survey. Why?

New polling shows the vice-president with a clear lead, even as impeachment proceedings against her are ongoing.

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Japan

Why Japanese firm’s tie-up with Ukrainian drone maker sparks concerns in Russia

The two firms plan to develop drones that can be ‘deployed quickly and at low cost in the real combat conditions of Ukraine’.

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South Korea

Trump lashed out at Seoul over Hormuz. Will it affect US-South Korea ties?

Strong security ties and other allies’ reluctance to support Washington’s ‘war of choice’ will help Seoul withstand the blow, analysts say.

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South Korean protesters attach stickers on a banner showing the Strait of Hormuz during a rally near the presidential office in Seoul on March 28. The letters read “Refuse sending troops to Hormuz!” Photo: AP
Japan

Japan seeks to take back control of the world’s shipbuilding sector. Here’s how

Analysts warn higher costs, labour shortages and lost capacity will affect Japan’s bid for control in a sector now dominated by China.

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A shipyard in Japan’s Mie prefecture. Concern over Tokyo’s declining role in the global shipbuilding sector has persisted for more than a decade. Photo: Shutterstock
A shipyard in Japan’s Mie prefecture. Concern over Tokyo’s declining role in the global shipbuilding sector has persisted for more than a decade. Photo: Shutterstock
Indonesia

Indonesian activists target Myanmar’s president in genocide case against him

The complaint seeks to hold Min Aung Hlaing accountable for international crimes in an Indonesian court, following recent legal changes.

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The Philippines

Will Philippine ex-president Duterte stand trial at the ICC, and for how long?

Judges are set to decide by late April whether to send Duterte’s case to trial, with any proceedings expected to move at a ‘glacial pace’.

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North Korea

‘No one loses’: why North Korea’s Kim may shake hands with Trump again

At the US-China summit, Beijing may act as a go-between to bring Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un to the negotiating table, analysts say.

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US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un talk before a meeting in the demilitarised zone in Panmunjom on June 30, 2019. Photo: AFP
Malaysia

Singapore’s refusal to negotiate over Hormuz creates waves in Malaysia

Singapore said it would not be appealing to Iran for access to the strait as transit through crucial trade waterways was a right.

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Oil tankers anchor off Muscat, Oman, on March 7. Photo: Reuters
Oil tankers anchor off Muscat, Oman, on March 7. Photo: Reuters
Malaysia

Malaysian corruption watchdog secures arrest warrant for tycoon Daim’s sons

The move marks the latest development in a years-long probe into the ex-finance minister’s wealth.

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Cambodia

Why Cambodia’s new law may do little to combat its scam centres

Analysts warn the lack of provisions addressing the role officials and networks play in enabling scams may limit the law’s effectiveness.

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Malaysia

Iran ‘does not forget its friends’ as Malaysia-linked ships pass through Hormuz

The move signals Tehran’s use of access to Hormuz as leverage, analysts say, while drawing scrutiny over Malaysia’s oil transfers.

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A tanker shown in an image posted by Iran’s embassy in Kuala Lumpur, which said it was the first Malaysian-linked vessel to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: x / iraninmalaysia
A tanker shown in an image posted by Iran’s embassy in Kuala Lumpur, which said it was the first Malaysian-linked vessel to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: x / iraninmalaysia
India

India kicks off crucial state elections for Modi’s BJP amid Iran war turmoil

The ruling BJP is looking to break into opposition strongholds, especially in West Bengal, and secure dominance across India.

Asean

Most in Asean prefer China over US in survey, Trump cited as biggest concern

Support for China was stronger in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, according to the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute survey.

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Malaysia

Daim’s daughter pleads not guilty as Malaysia’s ‘Op Godfather’ probe widens

The charge against the daughter of late former finance minister Daim Zainuddin centres on an allegedly incomplete asset declaration.

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The Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) building in Putrajaya. Photo: EPA-EFE
North Korea

Hidden meaning behind North Korea’s warm response to South’s drone apology

While North Korea praised the South’s actions as a ‘wise move’, it continues to rebuff any attempts at reconciliation dialogues.

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North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong (second right) plants a tree in Pyongyang on March 14. Photo by KCNA/AFP
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s sister, Kim Yo-jong (second right) plants a tree in Pyongyang on March 14. Photo by KCNA/AFP
Singapore

Singapore’s Shanmugam slams Bloomberg’s ‘venomous’ emails in defamation hearing

Cabinet ministers K. Shanmugam and Tan See Leng are suing Bloomberg over an article mentioning their personal property deals.

South Korea

‘Remorseless’ Yoon slammed for invoking Jesus in a note from South Korean prison

The ex-president may be a liability to his former People Power Party ahead of local elections on June 3 amid falling approval ratings.

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India

India turns to ‘trusted friend’ Russia for oil supply as Iran war energises ties

The two sides aim to keep their energy trade flowing despite sanctions while balancing against the US and China, analysts say.

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Russia’s President Vladimir Putin speaks with India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Hyderabad House in New Delhi in December. Photo: AFP
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