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This Week in Asia /

Politics

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Asean
South China Sea
the Asian angle
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr tosses the ceremonial ball during the opening of the 2025 FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in Pasay in September. Photo: AP
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

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North Korea

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

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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.

Negeri Sembilan ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir. Photo: YouTube
Negeri Sembilan ruler Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir. Photo: YouTube
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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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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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.

Submarine U-34 is docked in a shipyard of warship maker TKMS in Kiel, Germany, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
Submarine U-34 is docked in a shipyard of warship maker TKMS in Kiel, Germany, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters
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.

Japan

3 killed in Japanese Type 10 tank blast that has military baffled

A round detonating inside a tank turret is virtually unheard of. The last time it happened in Japan was in 1979.

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A Japanese Ground Self-Defence Force Type 10 tank (centre) is seen missing its turret after a shell exploded inside on Tuesday. Photo: Kyodo/Reuters
India

Chinese drone discovery sharpens focus on Asia’s undersea security race

Experts say India is playing ‘steady catch-up’ in boosting undersea surveillance, while Southeast Asian nations’ capabilities differ widely.

South and Southeast Asian nations are stepping up capabilities to boost undersea surveillance and defend deep-sea cables, analysts say. Photo: Shutterstock
South and Southeast Asian nations are stepping up capabilities to boost undersea surveillance and defend deep-sea cables, analysts say. Photo: Shutterstock
The Philippines

Robredo’s 2028 snub leaves Philippine opposition scrabbling for ‘saviour’

A March survey showed that the popularity gap between Leni Robredo and presidential front runner Sara Duterte-Carpio had narrowed.

Indonesia

Is Indonesia’s blasphemy law for religious protection or political purpose?

The law has come under the spotlight after complaints filed against a former vice-president over his comments on sectarian violence.

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Cambodia

US slaps sanctions on Cambodian senator suspected of controlling scam centres

The sanction freezes all US assets linked to Senator Kok An and his named associates, and bars any American national from dealing with them.

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Equipment used at a scam centre in Phnom Penh in March. This year Cambodia has conducted the largest crackdown on scam bases since the crisis emerged during the pandemic. Photo: AP
The Philippines

‘We owe it to the world’: Philippines pushes for South China Sea code this year

Talks between Asean and China to agree on setting rules for maritime behaviour and crisis management under the code have stalled.

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A Chinese coastguard vessel (right) fires its water cannon at the Philippine BRP Datu Pagbuaya near Philippines-occupied Thitu island, locally called Pag-asa island, at the South China Sea last October. Photo: Philippine coastguard via AP
A Chinese coastguard vessel (right) fires its water cannon at the Philippine BRP Datu Pagbuaya near Philippines-occupied Thitu island, locally called Pag-asa island, at the South China Sea last October. Photo: Philippine coastguard via AP
US, Israel war on Iran

Why US tanker blockades are raising risks for Southeast Asian strait controllers

The bigger risk is not of the Iran war spilling into their waters, but the strain of operating in more contested sea lanes, analysts say.

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India

A Delhi-Dhaka thaw? India opens door to Sheikh Hasina extradition talks

The former Bangladeshi leader and close Indian ally remains ‘a strategic asset for Delhi’, an analyst says.

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The Philippines

How fake job ads in Philippines led to alleged spy recruitment pipeline

The ads, some of which experts say were linked to China, aimed to get unsuspecting Filipino defence specialists to give up key information.

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The Janes ads appeared to be part of efforts linked to China to draw unsuspecting Filipino defence specialists into giving up key information. Photo: Handout
The Janes ads appeared to be part of efforts linked to China to draw unsuspecting Filipino defence specialists into giving up key information. Photo: Handout
Australia

Australia signs US$7 billion Japan warship deal to boost firepower against China

The formalised deal offers Canberra a strategic alternative to uncertain US defence ties, analysts say.

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The Philippines

How the Philippines became Japan’s closest security partner in Southeast Asia

Japan’s participation in the Balikatan drill and its new weapon export rules are set to further defence ties between the two countries.

Malaysia

Tussle over Malaysian Negeri Sembilan’s ruler highlights unique state monarchy

Four chiefs have declared that Tuanku Muhriz is no longer the ruler of Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia’s only state with an elected Malay ruler.

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Tuanku Muhriz Tuanku Munawir, the ruler of Negeri Sembilan, speaks during the opening of the Negeri Sembilan state assembly in Seremban, Malaysia, on Thursday. Photo: YouTube
The Philippines

‘Vindication’: ICC chamber rules case against Rodrigo Duterte to proceed

Duterte’s lawyers argue that the crimes against humanity case targeting him should not proceed as the Philippines is not an ICC member.

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Relatives of victims of ex-Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war campaign react after watching a broadcast of the International Criminal Court at a gathering in Quezon City on Wednesday. Photo: EPA
Relatives of victims of ex-Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s deadly drug war campaign react after watching a broadcast of the International Criminal Court at a gathering in Quezon City on Wednesday. Photo: EPA
The Philippines

Philippine lawmakers examine gap in VP Sara’s bank statements, declared wealth

A hearing into complaints about the financial position of the vice-president and her husband could potentially lead to her impeachment.

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Singapore

Singapore’s Balakrishnan warns Hormuz just a ‘dry run’ if US, China clash

Foreign minister also says Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia have a ‘strategic interest’ in keeping the Strait of Malacca open.

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Myanmar

Why Myanmar’s token amnesties are ‘no cause for celebration’

Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is now due for release in 2043 – provided she survives to the age of 97.

A protester from Myanmar living in Japan holds a placard showing detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi during a rally in December outside Myanmar’s embassy in Tokyo denouncing the junta’s election. Photo: Reuters
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