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This Week in Asia /

Politics

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Military representatives (in green) and other members of Myanmar’s parliament attend a session in Naypyidaw on Monday. Photo: AFP
Myanmar

Myanmar’s junta-proxy parliament meets for first time since 2021 coup

Stacked with military allies and ex-generals, the new assembly aims to legitimise a regime the United Nations and EU have branded a sham.

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Malaysia

Malaysia’s government accused of using law to silence critics

Japan

Trump wants Japanese warships in Hormuz. Can Takaichi ‘dodge the bullet’?

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Iran

Why the Iran war marks a turning point for Gulf-Asia trade

The closure of the Middle East’s important straits – Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb – is forcing Gulf and Asian nations to explore other options.

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Oil tanker trucks stand parked near an oil storage terminal in Karachi on Thursday as global energy markets face disruptions amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Photo: AFP
Oil tanker trucks stand parked near an oil storage terminal in Karachi on Thursday as global energy markets face disruptions amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Photo: AFP
US, Israel war on Iran

No longer safe: Iran war puts 9 million Indian workers in the line of fire

As missiles fly, drone strikes from Dubai to Doha are shattering the illusion of safety for millions of Indian expats living in the Gulf.

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Malaysia

Graft and gridlock: in Anwar’s Malaysia, reformist cracks widen

Malaysia’s prime minister can’t pass his own reform bills. His coalition appears to be cracking – and time is running out.

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Diplomacy

Beyond Pax Silica: Japan, France and Canada seek rare earth autonomy

Wary of both Beijing’s grip and Washington’s whims, three G7 allies are charting their own independent critical mineral course.

French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hand with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Paris, France, last year. Photo: EPA-EFE
French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hand with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Paris, France, last year. Photo: EPA-EFE
Australia

Australia walks ‘very fine line’ with Gulf deployment amid Iran war

Analysts say the defensive deployment reflects Canberra’s attempt to balance alliance pressure with fears of deeper involvement in the conflict.

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The Philippines

Philippines’ bid for UN Security Council seat sidesteps maritime row

As a potential council member, the Philippines is expected to address broader global security issues and be a ‘responsible middle power’.

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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.

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

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

Despite official saying the US wants to work with India, it is likely to maintain a ‘transactional approach’ towards New Delhi, analysts say.

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US President Donald Trump meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House in Washington in February last year. Photo: AFP
US President Donald Trump meets with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the White House in Washington in February last year. Photo: AFP
The Philippines

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

South Korea couldn’t stop the pull-out. Now, Manila must figure out if it is indeed a strategic partner or just another supply depot.

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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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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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Balendra Shah greets supporters in Damak, Jhapa district, on March 7 after winning the election. Photo: Reuters
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.

Medical personnel and Sri Lanka Navy sailors provide emergency treatment to an injured Iranian rescued from the IRIS Dena on March 4. Photo: Sri Lanka Navy/Reuters
Medical personnel and Sri Lanka Navy sailors provide emergency treatment to an injured Iranian rescued from the IRIS Dena on March 4. Photo: Sri Lanka Navy/Reuters
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.

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.

An activist holds a poster of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi during a rally in Dhaka in December 2025. Hadi died after he was shot in the head during an election campaign. Photo: AFP
An activist holds a poster of student leader Sharif Osman Hadi during a rally in Dhaka in December 2025. Hadi died after he was shot in the head during an election campaign. Photo: AFP
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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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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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.

A plume of black smoke rises from the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates on Wednesday last week following a suspected Iranian strike. Photo: AFP
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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India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) meets Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi, India, on December 5, 2025. Photo: Sputnik/Reuters
India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi (right) meets Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in New Delhi, India, on December 5, 2025. Photo: Sputnik/Reuters
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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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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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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Migrant workers ride in the back of an open lorry in Singapore on Dec 6, 2025. The government is moving to ban the use of caged lorries to transport workers as part of efforts to improve transport safety. Photo: Kyodo
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