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This Week in Asia /
Politics
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Asean
South China Sea
the Asian angle
Nepal
Nepal’s school fee crackdown upends South Asian private education norms
Nepal wants private schools to charge less and be more transparent. It could backfire, industry insiders say.
11 Apr 2026 - 5:00PM
Pakistan
UAE pulls US$3.5 billion from Pakistan after Iran war mediation
11 Apr 2026 - 12:18PM
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Malaysia
Was Penang ‘robbed’ from Kedah? Malaysian states face off in sovereignty row
11 Apr 2026 - 10:00AM
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Japan
Japan’s Middle East oil habit gets an Iran war reality check
Almost all of Japan’s oil comes from the Middle East. A closed strait turned that dependence into a trap.
11 Apr 2026 - 8:00AM
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Storage tanks are seen at an oil refinery in Yokohama, Japan’s Kanagawa prefecture, as Mount Fuji looms in the background. Photo: AFP
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.
10 Apr 2026 - 7:01PM
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The Philippines
Sara Duterte faces impeachment, but leads Philippine presidential survey. Why?
New polling shows the vice-president with a clear lead, even as impeachment proceedings against her are ongoing.
10 Apr 2026 - 5:27PM
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Japan
Why Japanese firm’s tie-up with Ukrainian drone maker sparks concerns in Russia
The two firms plan to develop drones that can be ‘deployed quickly and at low cost in the real combat conditions of Ukraine’.
10 Apr 2026 - 9:12PM
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A drone of a Ukrainian regiment flies with an attached air bomb over a training ground in Zaporizhzhia last month, amid Russia’s attack on Ukraine. Photo: Reuters
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.
10 Apr 2026 - 10:37AM
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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.
10 Apr 2026 - 8:45AM
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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.
9 Apr 2026 - 7:00PM
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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’.
9 Apr 2026 - 5:42PM
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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
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.
9 Apr 2026 - 6:55PM
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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.
9 Apr 2026 - 7:11PM
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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.
8 Apr 2026 - 12:16PM
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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.
10 Apr 2026 - 7:19PM
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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
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.
7 Apr 2026 - 7:52PM
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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.
7 Apr 2026 - 7:20PM
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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.
7 Apr 2026 - 6:08PM
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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.
7 Apr 2026 - 6:13PM
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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.
7 Apr 2026 - 6:08PM
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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.
7 Apr 2026 - 6:12PM
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.
6 Apr 2026 - 5:57PM
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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
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.
5 Apr 2026 - 2:32PM
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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.
4 Apr 2026 - 10:00AM
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.
4 Apr 2026 - 9:00AM
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