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Yoon Suk-yeol speaks in Seoul on March 10, 2022, shortly after winning that month’s presidential election. Photo: Xinhua

Martial law plot was Yoon’s plan all along, South Korean prosecutors say

Announcing the results of a massive 180-day inquiry on Monday, special prosecutors said Yoon Suk-yeol aimed to form a military junta.

56 minutes agovideocam

Japan’s retreat from global health funding hands China diplomatic opening

3 hours agovideocam

The Philippines

Could a plunder probe weaken Philippine VP Sara Duterte’s 2028 prospects?

14 Dec 2025 - 5:36PMvideocam

US-Asean relations

Southeast Asia barely features in America’s new security strategy

The region appears just twice in the new 32-page US National Security Strategy, raising fears it is being relegated to a ‘bargaining chip’.

14 Dec 2025 - 12:00PM

US President Donald Trump is pictured next to Malaysian flags before departing Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Air Force One in October. Photo: AFP

Security or freedom? Japan’s proposed anti-spy laws raise human rights concerns

Prime Minister Takaichi’s plans to tighten spying and secrecy rules could be used to stifle free speech and media freedom, analysts say.

14 Dec 2025 - 10:01AMvideocam

Syria’s year of ‘epic’ transformation earns it Trump’s protection

Washington is lifting sanctions and has rebuked Israel for its attacks, as the US throws its weight behind Ahmed al-Sharaa’s administration.

13 Dec 2025 - 4:00PMvideocam

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The Philippines

Will Philippines favour Eurofighter Typhoon for its military upgrade?

The Eurofighter, which is estimated to cost US$117 million each, has drawn buying interest from Bangladesh and other countries.

13 Dec 2025 - 1:00PM

A German Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jet performs at an airshow in Qawra, Malta, in September. Photo: Reuters

Indonesia weighs costs of closer Russia engagement after Prabowo’s Moscow visit

Analysts said Putin’s offers may align with Jakarta’s ambitions but would carry diplomatic costs and the risk of sanctions from Washington.

12 Dec 2025 - 6:37PMvideocam

Why US review of Aukus submarine deal for Australia is kept secret

One reason is to maintain public support for the alliance by preventing any shortfalls of the deal from being made known, analysts say.

12 Dec 2025 - 6:17PMvideocam

Malaysian religious leaders urged to provide evidence of South Korean ‘cult’

Perlis state’s senior Islamic scholar alleged Muslim political elites were linked to the ‘deviant’ cult movement.

12 Dec 2025 - 2:40PMvideocam

Perlis mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin, the state’s most senior Islamic scholar, claimed a mysterious South Korean Christian “cult movement” has been attempting to spread its teachings among Malaysian Muslims. Photo: Facebook / Dr MAZA Channel

Thai PM says he will return ‘power to the people’, setting stage for election

Thailand’s military said the coming election would not affect its operations against Cambodia amid a renewed border conflict.

12 Dec 2025 - 5:44PMvideocam

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul speaks to the media in Bangkok on Friday. Photo: Reuters

Are India and Bangladesh sidestepping Hasina’s exile to improve frayed ties?

A national security bilateral meeting and Narendra Modi’s message of support for Khaleda Zia signal that ties are on the mend.

12 Dec 2025 - 6:03PMvideocam

Rupee slump ‘a little relief’ for Indian exporters amid US trade talks

The lower rupee is helping Indian industries that have been absorbing tariff losses in the hopes of a US-India trade deal, analysts say.

11 Dec 2025 - 6:24PMvideocam

‘Credible mediation’: Asean urged to help halt deadly Thailand-Cambodia clashes

Analysts urge Asean to take ‘urgent, coordinated action’ if it hopes to mediate an end to the Thailand-Cambodia conflict.

11 Dec 2025 - 5:50PMvideocam

A Thai villager inspects his house damaged during clashes between Thai and Cambodian troops, at a village in Surin province, Thailand, on Tuesday. Photo: EPA

South Korea’s threat to dissolve corrupt religious groups risks blowback

President Lee’s move comes as a widening Unification Church bribery scandal implicates lawmakers from both major parties.

11 Dec 2025 - 6:03PMvideocam

Members of the Unification Church protest in Seoul against the media coverage of their group after the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022. Photo: AFP

South Korea vows ‘stern response’ in Liancourt Rocks dispute with Japan

A senior South Korean official says the islets are an ‘integral part of Korean territory historically, geographically and under international law’.

10 Dec 2025 - 6:45PM

Prabowo’s push to end direct election for Indonesian regional heads stirs debate

The president says the move is to stop wasteful spending and vote buying, but critics warn that it risks a return to Suharto-era politics.

10 Dec 2025 - 6:30PMvideocam

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India-EU trade pact nears finish line despite carbon tax dispute and Russia

Brussels is looking past India’s ties with Moscow to secure a vital economic win, with analysts predicting a deal within months.

10 Dec 2025 - 5:00PM

European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic (left) shakes hands with Indian Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal in India on Monday. Photo: X/MarosSefcovic

Cambodia quits SEA Games in Thailand amid deadly border clashes

The national team had attended the opening ceremony in Bangkok on Tuesday, but was ordered home less than 24 hours later as fighting surged.

10 Dec 2025 - 4:15PMvideocam

Why South Korea is powerless to revive Trump-Kim nuclear talks

Pyongyang wants nuclear recognition and analysts say Kim Jong-un is waiting on a Ukraine peace deal to boost his leverage with Washington.

10 Dec 2025 - 11:42AMvideocam

Shaman rumours resurface as South Korea returns to Blue House

After Yoon Suk-yeol wasted millions on a move critics linked to fortune-tellers, the presidential office is returning to its historic home.

10 Dec 2025 - 8:22AMvideocam

People visit the Blue House in Seoul in 2022. Photo: AP

The Philippines

Philippines ‘flood control queen’ faces arrest over corruption scandal

Prosecutors accuse Cezarah ‘Sarah’ Discaya of pocketing millions for a government-funded flood control project that was never built.

9 Dec 2025 - 5:00PM

Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya (right) appears at a Senate committee hearing with her husband Pacifico in September. Photo: AP

Nepal charges Chinese contractor with corruption over airport deal

A watchdog alleges the company colluded with ex-ministers to inflate costs and siphon off US$74 million from the Pokhara airport project.

9 Dec 2025 - 4:00PMvideocam

Fighting rages across Thai-Cambodian border as US calls for calm

Tens of thousands have fled their homes for the second time this year as Thailand and Cambodia trade heavy fire, leaving at least 10 dead.

9 Dec 2025 - 10:40PMvideocam

Can Singapore’s cyber laws keep pace with speed of borderless online threats?

Long-term resilience will hinge on complementary measures such as deeper regional cooperation and improved digital literacy, analysts say.

9 Dec 2025 - 10:30AM

Singapore’s central business district. The city state has a tailored and multilayered system to deal with misinformation and inflammatory online material. Photo: Reuters

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