Between needs and interests: Indonesia’s partnerships in the age of uncertainty
The shifting geopolitical landscape and great power rivalries pose a new challenge for Indonesia's policy stance of nonalignment and “neutrality."
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One month into USAID funding freeze: How the NGO world is coping
The impact of the funding suspension has been catastrophic. The hardest-hit regions include Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, where thousands of humanitarian…
Everything everywhere all at once
In a world where everything is connected, everything affects each other, which in turn means that, under conventional norms, sovereignty over the same matter can be exercised by…
‘Con King’: Duterte, ICC, and the ‘Solid South’
This is about coming to terms with Mr. Duterte's “budol” or "con/scam" legacy. More importantly, this is about justice for thousands of Filipinos, including at least 122…
Not even a president is above the law
This past week, the Filipino people witnessed a historic moment: the arrest of a former president—one feared and influential—by Philippine authorities for trial before an…
The last hurrah
In the end, Mr. Duterte decided not to flee or publicly seek asylum. It would have dissolved his political persona. Returning home and defiance behind bars allows what remains of…
Coordinated laws vital to combating cross-border crimes
The persistence of cross-border crimes such as telecom scams has significant implications for regional stability and China's border security. Telecom scams not only violate the…
Malaysia’s leadership on trial: Why corruption keeps winning
When news breaks of yet another corruption scandal, the reaction is often a resigned sigh rather than outrage, the writer says. It's a grim reality. A troubling number of…
The Trumpian worldview
Leaders like US President Donald Trump, the writer says, "do not just sell a worldview; they also present themselves as the only ones who can fix what is wrong."
United in misogyny?
There is one shared, unshakable truth that unites Bangladeshis: their misogynistic attitude towards women. It is so normalised that it moves seamlessly across political parties,…