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ASEAN Beat
‘One Vision, One Identity, One Community.’ That’s the ASEAN motto. But what’s the reality? Our bloggers based around this diverse and strategically key region give you an insider’s perspective on politics, security and society in South-east Asia.
Indonesia Opens Trial Into Malang Stadium Disaster
By Sebastian Strangio
Five individuals are accused of "criminal negligence" for their alleged roles in the crowd crush, which took the lives of 135 spectators.
Foreign Companies Enabling Myanmar’s Domestic Arms Industry: Report
By Sebastian Strangio
Since the late 1980s, the military has developed a "multi-faceted arms industrial complex" that has cushioned it from the impact of Western sanctions and arms embargoes.
‘What is Happening to Us is Coming For You’
By Sribala Subramanian
How the Philippines became “ground zero” for the corrosive effects of social media.
How the Onion Became the Symbol of Inflation in the Philippines
By Mong Palatino
In December, the staple vegetable was selling for more than the cost of chicken and beef.
In Indonesia, Thousands Rally Against Presidential Job Decree
By Sebastian Strangio
Critics accuse President Joko Widodo of using emergency powers to circumvent a Constitutional Court's ruling on a controversial jobs creation law.
Min Aung Hlaing Family Assets Recovered in Thai Drug Raid
By Sebastian Strangio
The discoveries, which include assets belonging to the Myanmar junta chief's adult son and daughter, suggest that military figures are using Thailand as a financial safe haven.
Malaysia Could Cut Palm Oil Exports to the European Union
By Sebastian Strangio
The move followed Brussels' passage of a law that could severely restrict palm oil imports to the European bloc.
Indonesia to Establish Special Office to Handle Myanmar Crisis
By Sebastian Strangio
Among the challenges facing Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi and her team will be how to respond to the junta's planned sham elections.
Indonesia’s Jokowi Admits to Serious Past Human Rights Abuses
By Sebastian Strangio
The leader acknowledged 12 episodes of gross human rights violations that occurred between the 1960s and the early 2000s.
Cambodian PM Threatens Opponents With Legal Action, Violence
By Sebastian Strangio
Despite his party's nearly unchallenged dominance, Hun Sen is bent on preventing the emergence of a political alternative.
Former Foreign Minister’s Dismissal Complicates Vietnam’s External Relations
By Hai Hong Nguyen
Pham Binh Minh's unusual mid-term departure leaves a vacuum in the country’s diplomatic leadership.
Philippine Court Voids 2005 Oil Exploration Agreement with China and Vietnam
By Sebastian Strangio
The Supreme Court ruled that the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking, which expired in 2008, was unconstitutional, casting a shadow over future joint oil development plans.