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This Week in Asia /

Politics

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the Asian angle
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
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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The Philippines

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

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Japan

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

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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
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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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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Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte takes oath during a senate inquiry on the so-called war on drugs during his administration at the Philippine Senate on October 28, 2024, in Manila. Photo: AP
Former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte takes oath during a senate inquiry on the so-called war on drugs during his administration at the Philippine Senate on October 28, 2024, in Manila. Photo: AP
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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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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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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Malaysia’s then-finance minister Daim Zainuddin is surrounded by reporters after delivering a speech to the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering in Kuala Lumpur on May 22, 2001. Photo: AP
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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Computers and workstations seized by police during an online scam crackdown at a hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in March. Photo: Reuters
Computers and workstations seized by police during an online scam crackdown at a hotel in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in March. Photo: Reuters
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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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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US President Donald Trump greets Chinese President Xi Jinping before a bilateral meeting at the Gimhae International Airport terminal in South Korea in October. Photo: Daniel Torok/White House/dpa
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
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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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.

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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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A news report on the sentencing trial of South Korean former president Yoon Suk-yeol’s insurrection case in February, stemming from his short-lived December 2024 declaration of martial law. Photo: Reuters
A news report on the sentencing trial of South Korean former president Yoon Suk-yeol’s insurrection case in February, stemming from his short-lived December 2024 declaration of martial law. Photo: Reuters
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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South Korea

South Korea and Indonesia’s fighter jet is ready. But will it sell?

Only a handful of nations have ever built a supersonic fighter jet from the ground up.

South Korea

Softly, softly: why South Korea, France prefer diplomacy over force in Hormuz

Presidents Lee and Macron have agreed to cooperate on safety in the strait but they are likely to wade in only after the war, analysts say.

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South Korean President Lee Jae Myung (right) toasts with Emmanuel Macron during a luncheon for the French leader at the presidential office in Seoul on Friday. Photo: Yonhap/dpa
Indonesia

Indonesia and Malaysia require geo-tracking for civil servants working from home

As governments roll out work-from-home policies to cut fuel use, civil servants face location tracking and other productivity measures.

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Indonesia and Malaysia have implemented work-from-home schemes for government workers that require strict location monitoring. Photo: Shutterstock
Indonesia and Malaysia have implemented work-from-home schemes for government workers that require strict location monitoring. Photo: Shutterstock
Myanmar

From general to Myanmar president: Min Aung Hlaing’s ‘cosmetic’ rebrand

His transition from top general to president is a ‘veneer’ that poses a challenge for Asean, which has long shunned him, critics say.

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The Philippines

‘Defining truth’? Worry in Philippines over controversial anti-fake news bills

Critics warn the proposals risk turning legitimate reporting, public-interest speech and fast-moving online discussion into criminal exposure.

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Japan

Why Japan’s advanced fighter project may get Canadian tailwinds

With Ottawa’s interest in the stealth fighter, Tokyo hopes the multinational project for its air force’s modernisation can regain momentum.

A concept design of the Global Combat Air Programme sixth-generation fighter jet displayed at the 2024 Farnborough International Air Show. Photo: AFP
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