Philippines’ No 1 Asean chair priority? A South China Sea code, then a visit by Xi
By Raissa Roblesin Manila It was a fleeting handshake, but one that Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr made sure was caught on camera. On November 1, Marcos approached Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Apec handover ceremony in Gyeongju, South Korea, to offer his congratulations as Beijing assumed the trade bloc’s 2026 chairmanship. A Filipino […]
Read MoreIn the Middle East’s diplomatic drama, Turkey takes centre stage
By Tom Hussain Turkey is closing out 2025 as a pivotal Middle Eastern power broker, its influence resurgent amid shifting alliances that have pushed Ankara to the centre of diplomacy spanning from Syria to Gaza. Twelve months ago, few could have predicted the speed – and irony – with which the tides would turn in […]
Read MoreDespite protests, Indonesians satisfied with Prabowo but economy remains a challenge
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto waves at the Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 26. Photo: Reuters Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s public approval rating is steady at 78 per cent a year after he took office, a survey showed on Saturday, despite a challenging first year in office marked by deadly student protests. Prabowo’s approval […]
Read MoreICC issues arrest warrant for ally of Philippine ex-President Duterte over drug war, ombudsman says
MANILA, Nov 8 : The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Philippine Senator Ronald Dela Rosa, who oversaw then-President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, the nation’s ombudsman said on Saturday, although the ICC denied the assertion. Duterte, in office from 2016 to 2022, was arrested and taken to The Hague in March […]
Read MoreTurkey issues genocide arrest warrant against Netanyahu
Turkey announced Friday that it had issued arrest warrants for genocide against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior officials in his government over the war in Gaza. The announcement was met with a firm rebuttal from Israel. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said Israel “firmly rejects, with contempt” the charges, calling them “the latest PR […]
Read MoreSouth China Sea: does new US-Philippine task force mark turning point in allies’ ties?
By Sam Beltran The United States and the Philippines have launched a new military task force designed to expand joint operational planning and coordination – a move analysts say underscores both countries’ determination to strengthen deterrence against Beijing’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea. While the initiative formalises years of expanding defence ties, observers […]
Read MoreNorth Korea sends 5,000 construction troops to Russia: Seoul
SEOUL: North Korea has sent about 5,000 construction troops to Russia since September to help with “infrastructure reconstruction,” a South Korean lawmaker said Tuesday after a briefing by Seoul’s spy agency. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has been emboldened by the war in Ukraine, securing critical support from Moscow after sending thousands of troops […]
Read MoreTrump tries old tactic with China on fentanyl – a new ‘working group’
US President Donald Trump began his second term by signaling that talks with China to stop a deadly flow of fentanyl were fruitless and instead slapped 20% tariffs on Chinese goods to try to push Beijing to tackle trafficking of the synthetic opioid. But last week, after meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, […]
Read MoreChina’s Xi seeks to boost investment, expand economic ties with Russia
China’s President Xi Jinping on Tuesday sought to expand mutual investment with Russia and affirmed Beijing’s commitment to advance ties despite “turbulent” external conditions, Chinese state media reported. Xi met Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin in Beijing at the Great Hall of the People, a day after Chinese Premier Li Qiang held a meeting with […]
Read MoreTaiwan’s new opposition leader takes over, warning against risk of China war
TAIPEI: Taiwan’s new opposition leader took office on Saturday, warning of the risk of war with China and pledging to open a new era of peace with Beijing. Former lawmaker Cheng Li-wun takes the reins of the largest opposition party, the Kuomintang (KMT), at a time of rising military and political tension with Beijing, which […]
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