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This Week in Asia /

Politics

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The port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates on April 17. Photo: EPA/The UAE Presidential Court
Middle East

‘Structural shift’: new routes for Middle East freight to bypass Hormuz

Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the UAE lead a push for a new trade architecture with multiple nodes linking the Indian Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

Saudi Arabia

UAE’s Opec exit signals aim to accelerate foreign policy diversification

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Japan

Common threats help Japan, South Korea overlook historical rows

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India

Why India’s logistics pact with Russia signals its Arctic ‘footprint’ ambition

The pact allows up to ‘five warships, 10 aircraft and 3,000 troops’ to be stationed in each other’s territory for five years.

Melting ice on the North Pole in the Arctic. Photo: Getty Images
Melting ice on the North Pole in the Arctic. Photo: Getty Images
Malaysia

From Malaysia’s book bans to Iran war, Anwar’s reform agenda faces sternest test

Anwar’s government has tilted to the right in recent years in a move to win the support of Malay voters, analysts say.

Malaysia

‘Moral harm’: Malaysia’s culture war brigade tries to hose down water festival

Kuala Lumpur’s Rain Rave Water Music Festival faces backlash from critics who argue that such vulgar imports hurt conservative values.

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Brics

Iran war tests India’s Brics leadership as ‘political relevance’ questions mount

With Brics members Iran and the UAE as belligerents, the bloc has failed to reach a common position on the Middle East conflict.

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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi chats with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during the 2025 Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro last July. Photo: AP
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi chats with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during the 2025 Brics summit in Rio de Janeiro last July. Photo: AP
Japan

What’s behind Japan’s novel move to share Mogami warship design with India?

Tokyo has offered to give Delhi the plans to its US$500-million Mogami-class ship so that it can be built in India using Japanese materials.

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The Philippines

Can Philippines’ new anti-Pogo playbook rein in fast-moving scam hubs?

The new inter-agency rules aim to give investigators a framework tailored to Pogo-linked crime and support a coordinated response.

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South Korea

South Korea’s Yoon has jail term raised to 7 years in obstruction case

A court increased the ex-president’s sentence from five to seven years on charges related to his botched martial law bid.

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Supporters of South Korea’s former president Yoon Suk-yeol wave flags near the Seoul High Court in Seoul on Tuesday. Photo: AFP
Singapore

Solidarity or showmanship? Singapore politicians’ train rides split opinion

Public transport posts by ministers and MPs have drawn praise from some Singaporeans and accusations of ‘wayang’ from others.

Screenshots from recent social media posts by Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim about riding public transportation. Photo: Instagram/@gankimyong /@muhammadfaishalibrahim
Screenshots from recent social media posts by Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Minister-in-charge of Muslim Affairs Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim about riding public transportation. Photo: Instagram/@gankimyong /@muhammadfaishalibrahim
South Korea

Why South Korea’s Lee is urging ‘mutual respect’ diplomacy amid US tensions

The president’s remarks and emphasis on a self-reliant defence posture may signal Seoul’s efforts to diversify its global partners, analysts say.

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Asean

Why Malacca Strait tolls are unlikely despite Indonesia’s maritime push

Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are united in upholding the principle of free passage but this must be ‘actively maintained’, analysts say.

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The Philippines

Damage control? Philippines’ Sara Duterte hits back against wealth allegations

The vice-president’s husband has also filed a complaint against senior officials and lawmakers for ‘leaking’ the couple’s bank information.

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Philippine Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio’s seat is left vacant after she does not attend a congressional hearing on an impeachment bid against her on Wednesday. Photo: AP
Malaysia

State-level rebellion in Malaysia’s Negeri Sembilan tests Anwar’s coalition

Umno-led Barisan Nasional claims to have a simple majority after teaming up with opposition lawmakers amid an attempt to overthrow the ruler.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at a press conference at Perdana Putra Complex. Photo: AAP/dpa
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim speaks at a press conference at Perdana Putra Complex. Photo: AAP/dpa
Asean

Will Asean’s oil scramble mean Russia builds lasting stronghold in region?

Southeast Asia’s pivot may be for economic reasons, but some analysts warn Moscow could seek to build lasting influence in the region.

The Philippines

Philippine court order over Marcos’ health raises constitutional question

The order for Marcos to comment on a petition comes as Duterte’s supporters continue to cast doubts about the president’s fitness.

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s Najib ends house-arrest appeal over 1MDB-linked prison sentence

The withdrawal ends the former prime minister’s attempt to serve out his SRC sentence at home after his jail term was halved in 2024.

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Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, center, is escorted by prison officers on his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Complex, in Kuala Lumpur on December 22, 2025. Photo: AP
Former Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, center, is escorted by prison officers on his arrival at the Kuala Lumpur High Court Complex, in Kuala Lumpur on December 22, 2025. Photo: AP
North Korea

North Korea, Russia boost anti-West ‘powerful bulwark’ as Ukraine war drags on

At a memorial for fallen North Korean soldiers who fought in Ukraine, Moscow offers to renew a military pact with Pyongyang.

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Malaysia

Malaysian state in political crisis after Umno pulls support for chief minister

The Negeri Sembilan spat has shone the spotlight on increasingly fragile ties within Prime Minister Anwar’s coalition government.

Malaysia

At Malaysia’s arms bazaar, drone dealers chase Southeast Asian market share

‘Drone warfare is the future,’ say arms dealers in Kuala Lumpur – and the region’s militaries are buying in.

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Malaysian army officers visit the booth of Special Technology Control, a Russian developer of unmanned systems, at the Defence Services Asia exhibition in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Tuesday. Photo: EPA
South Korea

Will South Korea or Japan develop a nuclear deterrent of their own?

Seven in 10 South Koreans tell pollsters they want the bomb. Japan’s PM refuses to rule it out. Is ‘friendly proliferation’ next?

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An nuclear-capable Minuteman III ICBM sits inside a silo at an air force base in the US last year. Photo: US Air Force/Handout
An nuclear-capable Minuteman III ICBM sits inside a silo at an air force base in the US last year. Photo: US Air Force/Handout
India

India-Germany defence road map ‘good template’ for wider EU cooperation

Deeper defence ties are expected to boost India’s maritime modernisation efforts and Europe’s security role in the Indo-Pacific, experts say.

Malaysia

Malaysia gets new anti-corruption chief as protests mount against outgoing head

Former High Court judge Abdul Halim Aman takes the reins of MACC from Azam Baki amid scandals.

US, Israel war on Iran

Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt: the Middle East’s new power brokers?

‘Fear of US abandonment’ is helping forge a new Middle East – but don’t expect an Islamic Nato just yet.

(From left) Foreign Ministers Badr Abdelatty of Egypt, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, Ishaq Dar of Pakistan and Hakan Fidan of Turkey meet to discuss regional de-escalation in Islamabad, Pakistan, on March 29. Photo: Turkish Foreign Ministry/Reuters
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