Region
Southeast Asia
Indonesia Shuts Down Bar Chain Following Blasphemy Controversy
By Sebastian Strangio
Blasphemy prosecutions have become more common over the past two decades, undermining Indonesia's reputation as a moderate Islamic state.
As Cyber Threats Grow, Indonesia’s Data Protection Efforts Are Falling Short
By Estey Chen
Bureaucratic rivalry and overlapping mandates have prevented the country from pushing ahead with a planned data protection bill.
ASEAN Special Envoy Begins Second Official Mission to Myanmar
By Sebastian Strangio
Prak Sokhonn's five-day visit will involve meetings with regime figures and members of select ethnic armed groups, but significant progress is unlikely.
Marcos Jr. is Steering the Philippines Towards a Foreign Policy Reset
By Richard Javad Heydarian
The president-elect has sent clear signals that he doesn’t want to be too dependent on the U.S. – nor wind up too cozy with China.
Philippine Authorities Order News Site Rappler to Shut Down
By Sebastian Strangio
The news site has published numerous exposes of the Duterte administration's "drug war" and other government abuses.
Garuda Indonesia Strikes Debt Restructuring Deal
By James Guild
The arrangement will help keep the partly state-owned airline airborne for the foreseeable future.
Report Reveals Inhumane Conditions in Malaysia’s Immigration Detention Centers
By Sebastian Strangio
The Indonesia-based Coalition of Sovereign Migrant Workers claims that 149 people have died in detention facilities over the past 18 months.
ASEAN Envoy Calls for Release of Aung San Suu Kyi from Solitary Confinement
By Sebastian Strangio
This week, Cambodian Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn will begin his second official mission to the country as the bloc's special envoy.
Arrests and Censorship Mark Rodrigo Duterte’s Final Month in Power
By Mong Palatino
The president has solidified his reputation as a leader who enabled the rapid deterioration of human rights in the Philippines.
Laos Is On the Brink of Sovereign Bankruptcy
By Luke Hunt
Debt, wealth inequality, and corruption will keep the country poor.
Australian FM Embarks on Trip to Vietnam, Malaysia
By Sebastian Strangio
Penny Wong's trip is her second to Southeast Asia in the month since she took up the foreign affairs portfolio.
Cambodia Confirms CPP’s Landslide Victory in Commune Election
By Sebastian Strangio
Prime Minister Hun Sen's party won nearly three-quarters of the vote in an election marred by claims of vote-buying and intimidation.