Archive
2025

Pakistan’s Cyber Crimes Law Amendments Strike a Blow Against Free Speech
By Osama Ahmad
Journalists, activists, and lawyers warn of a significant chilling effect from a new law to combat “fake news.”

The Next Phase of the China-US Trade War Has Begun
By Shannon Tiezzi
As Trump's new 10 percent tariffs on all Chinese imports took effect, China hit back with tariffs and sanctions of its own.

British Environmental Journalist Blocked From Re-entering Cambodia
By Sebastian Strangio
The government's decision to void the visa of Gerry Flynn, 33, reflects the increasingly straitened circumstances of the Cambodian media.

Trump’s Sudden Impact and Implications For Southeast Asia
By Luke Hunt
The administration's aid cuts, tariffs, and new China strategy are all set to further test ASEAN.

Should the Philippines Replicate Indonesia’s Nickel-based Industrialization?
By Alvin Camba
In recent years, Jakarta has supercharged the mining and processing of the mineral, but the progress has come at a heavy cost.

Philippines Declares Food Security Emergency to Bring Down Rice Prices
By Sebastian Strangio
Despite slashing a tariff on imported rice last year, retail prices of the staple remain stubbornly high.

Just a Little Tax Spat? Russia Asks Kyrgyzstan to Stop Pressure on Companies
By Catherine Putz
The Russian prime minister recently complained about "unfounded claims and illegal statements by high-level representatives of Kyrgyz government bodies against honest, bona fide Russian companies..."

Beyond the Canal: The Real Risk of China’s Engagement in Panama
By R. Evan Ellis
China’s combination of presence, influence, and compromising relationships within Panama’s elite gives it numerous opportunities to exploit. The solution is transparency and good governance.

What Is Iran Doing With 1000 Tons of Sodium Perchlorate From China?
By Daniel Allen, Katherine Michaelson, and Marco Volpitta
The shipment of Chinese sodium perchlorate indicates a rapid rebuilding of Iran’s missile industry since Israeli strikes in October – with Beijing’s help.

Chess, Culture, and Controversy: Uzbek Grandmaster’s Handshake Refusal Sparks Debate
By Niginakhon Saida
Islamic practices in Uzbekistan, after enduring seven decades of Soviet-imposed atheism, are now being increasingly adopted by the younger generation.

In Bangladesh, Islamists Are Stepping up Actions Against Women
By Subir Bhaumik
A series of troubling incidents have seen Islamic groups threaten violence to force the cancellation of women's football matches and store openings featuring Bangladeshi actresses.

Ali Riaz on Recommendations of Bangladesh’s Constitutional Reform Commission
By Sudha Ramachandran
“The Bangladeshi state’s relationship with religion under the revised Constitution as recommended by the CRC would not be different from past decades.”