Region
Southeast Asia
The China-brokered Iran-Saudi Peace Deal: Implications For Indonesia
By Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat and Yeta Purnama
The prospects of China acting as a peace mediator are much less likely closer to home.
German Chancellor Pledges Progress on EU-Indonesia FTA
By Sebastian Strangio
Olaf Scholz said that the domestic processing of vital minerals, a key goal of the Indonesian government, be included under any future trade pact.
In Malaysia, Conservative Forces and Police Crackdowns Are Putting LGBTQ Lives at Risk
By Robin Vochelet
Police investigations into the involvement of LGBTQ protesters in last month’s Women’s March reflect growing prejudicial attitudes in Parliament, activists warn.
Papuan Separatists Ambush Indonesian Forces Searching for Kidnapped Pilot
By Sebastian Strangio
In addition to one confirmed death, nine soldiers have reportedly been taken hostage by separatist rebels.
NUG Warns ASEAN Not to Negotiate with Myanmar Junta
By Luke Hunt
The call came as the death toll from last week's airstrike on Kanbalu township rose to 168.
Indonesia Has Another Shaman Serial Killer – and the Phenomenon Is More Common Than You Think
By Aisyah Llewellyn
The frequent occurrence of such crimes speaks to Indonesians' widespread belief in the occult and the lure of get-rich-quick schemes in a country with widespread poverty.
Blinken Bound for Vietnam as US Pushes for Upgrade in Relations
By Sebastian Strangio
Washington wants to raise relations to the level of a "strategic relationship," but Vietnamese leaders are moving cautiously, in light of the likely reaction from China.
2 Years of Turmoil: Myanmar’s Grinding Stalemate
By Naw Theresa
The military says things are under control, while the resistance insists total victory is just around the corner. But the state of the battlefield suggests otherwise.
Vietnam Sentences Dissident Journalist to 6 Years in Prison
By Thoi Nguyen
Nguyen Lan Thang's imprisonment is the latest sign of a severe tightening of the political space by the ruling Communist Party of Vietnam.
Defections, Rather Than Sanctions, Are What Is Needed For Myanmar
By David Hutt
The current Western approach may be pushing tycoons and senior officials into the military's arms. Better to entice them in the other direction.
ASEAN Chair Indonesia Condemns Deadly Myanmar Air Strike
By Sebastian Strangio
It remains to be seen whether Indonesia, the bloc's current chair, can lead a tougher and more effective regional response to the country's conflict.
The Battle for Democracy: A Look at Thailand and Cambodia’s 2023 Elections
By Lee Chung Lun
Will the two elections result in the further erosion of democratic and human rights norms, or will they produce a glimmer of hope?