This Week in Asia /
Politics
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Asean
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the Asian angle
2025 Cambodia-Thailand conflict
Malaysia: Cambodia, Thailand set for Christmas Eve truce talks after Asean push
Sides agree to discuss truce on December 24, as Malaysia warns ‘security shock’ of border conflict threatens regional stability.
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Malaysia
Malaysian court blocks Najib’s bid for house arrest
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India
‘Pax Silica’: America’s new AI inner circle and Asia’s chosen few
22 Dec 2025 - 8:00AM
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Australia
Bondi Beach attack sparks global misinformation crisis, and AI-driven hate
A leading counterterrorism expert warns that ‘agentic AI’ and political point-scoring are fuelling a toxic symbiosis between extremists.
21 Dec 2025 - 3:30PM
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A memorial is seen on the footbridge used in the Bondi Beach attack in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday. Photo: EPA
The Philippines
‘Medical pork’ row exposes political grip over Philippine health assistance
Doctors and health groups say the system allows politicians to influence who receives state medical aid, undermining universal care.
20 Dec 2025 - 3:30PM
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US-ally trade wars
Mexico’s 50% tariff shock shuts Asia’s North American trade bypass
A tariff wall will soon separate protected partners like CPTPP members Singapore and Malaysia from exporters facing a shutout.
20 Dec 2025 - 1:30PM
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Thailand
Thailand’s tourism crown slips as troubles in paradise mount
Border clashes with Cambodia, fierce competition from Malaysia, deadly floods and a strong baht threaten the kingdom’s holiday appeal.
21 Dec 2025 - 12:33PM
Illustration: Huy Truong
Singapore
Anwar’s coalition revives Chinese school certification debate, sparking row
The sensitive issue in the Malay-Muslim majority country has caused a row between Umno and DAP, an insider says.
19 Dec 2025 - 9:08PM
2025 Cambodia-Thailand conflict
Russia denies citizens are fighting for Cambodia in border war with Thailand
The Russian embassy in Cambodia says the false assertions could jeopardise Moscow-Bangkok ties and its citizens’ safety in Thailand.
19 Dec 2025 - 3:15PM
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The Philippines
Is Philippines being unfairly named in Australia’s Bondi Beach shooting?
Australian police are looking into a trip the two suspects made to Davao City, but Philippine officials say it is not connected to the shooting.
19 Dec 2025 - 5:24PM
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Myanmar
Are Myanmar hospital air strikes a bid to ‘intimidate’ voters ahead of poll?
The junta has been emboldened to strike as China, Russia and the US are looking the other way to serve their own interests, analysts say.
19 Dec 2025 - 5:31PM
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People check a hospital that was hit by a military air strike in Mrauk-U in Myanmar earlier this month. Photo: AP
South Korea
South Korea’s top court seeks to restore trust after martial law controversy
The changes target high-stakes national security cases amid mounting criticism over delays and alleged bias.
19 Dec 2025 - 4:02PM
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The Philippines
Philippines to get up to US$3.5 billion defence aid to counter ‘serious threats’
A US senator says the support for Manila and other allies reflects the threats posed by China and its partners in the ‘axis of aggressors’.
18 Dec 2025 - 10:12PM
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Japan
Steppe in the right direction? ‘Japan is back’ in Central Asia with new summit
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and the leaders of five Central Asian nations are expected to establish a new framework for cooperation in AI.
18 Dec 2025 - 5:41PM
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Bangladesh
Bangladeshi politician’s threat targeting India’s northeast deepens row
His claim of Delhi’s election interference comes days after a leader of the 2024 uprising in Bangladesh was shot in Dhaka.
18 Dec 2025 - 5:52PM
Hasnat Abdullah (centre), a leader of the National Citizen Party, speaking at a rally in Dhaka on Saturday. Photo: EPA
The Philippines
Why the Philippine Army is turning to locally built remote weapons systems
The roll-out of the new Cobra weapon system is part of Manila’s push to build a self-reliant defence industry.
17 Dec 2025 - 4:00PM
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South Korea
South Korean court rules Yoon’s ‘self-coup’ illegal as walls close in
Judges are fast-tracking verdicts to beat statutory time limits, dashing the ex-president’s faint hopes of walking free early next year.
17 Dec 2025 - 3:02PM
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The Philippines
Can UN anti-corruption pact bring Zaldy Co back to Philippines?
The former lawmaker, who is facing charges linked to the Philippines’ flood control scandal, is suspected to have fled to Portugal.
16 Dec 2025 - 9:04PM
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Fugitive Philippine lawmaker Zaldy Co (left) and President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr. Photo: Handout, AFP
Malaysia
Malaysia’s Anwar reshuffles cabinet to focus on ‘stronger growth’
The changes come after months of pressure on his government, sparked by several key resignations and rising inflation.
16 Dec 2025 - 7:39PM
India
Kick-off in Kolkata: how Lionel Messi was dragged into an Indian election battle
The BJP has latched on to the crowd chaos during Messi’s visit to West Bengal to demand the resignation of the state’s chief minister.
16 Dec 2025 - 6:02PM
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Thailand
Will holiday high season survive Thai-Cambodian border conflict?
Curfews, increased airport screening and the bombing of the province housing Angkor Wat have rattled foreign travellers.
18 Dec 2025 - 4:40PM
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Japan
Japan and South Korea clash over islets as old grievances resurface
Analysts warn the squabble is a ‘step backwards’ that offers Beijing a chance to drive a wedge between the two US allies.
16 Dec 2025 - 1:39PM
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South Korean armed forces hold a defensive drill on the Liancourt Rocks, known as Dokdo or the Takeshima Islands, in 2019. Photo: South Korean Navy/EPA-EFE
Pakistan
India wary as US backs Pakistan with F-16 upgrades and mineral projects
Analysts say New Delhi faces an ‘uncomfortable truth’ as Washington and Beijing find rare common ground on stability in Pakistan.
16 Dec 2025 - 3:16PM
North Korea
What North Korea’s war dead tribute reveals about Kim’s endgame
In Kim Jong-un’s public grief for fallen mine-clearers, observers see a strategic play to lock in a role in Russia’s post-war rebuilding.
16 Dec 2025 - 8:00AM
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The Philippines
Anti-dynasty bill in Philippines slammed as ‘ridiculous’ and weak
A proposal co-filed by one of President Marcos Jnr’s sons could allow 10 family members to hold office at once, critics warn.
15 Dec 2025 - 5:38PM
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