In a landmark move, the Indian government passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India (SHANTI) Bill on 18 December 2025. While the reform marks a ...

Beijing’s 15th Five-Year Plan elevates foundational science as central to China’s competitive survival. The country has had major successes in AI and semiconductors, as well as in electric vehicles ...

Japan’s deep-sea rare earth breakthrough in February 2026 marks a technical milestone and advances Japan’s broader science and technology agenda, but its contribution to supply chain security remains ...

As Cambodia’s microfinance sector comes under pressure from post-pandemic strain, global fragmentation and a rising number of non-performing loans, transitioning microfinance institutions into banks ...

Malaysia’s affirmative action framework remains organised around ethnic categories that no longer reflect the reality of inequality on the ground. Malaysia’s affirmative action policy, now in its ...

When former Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte appeared before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in February 2026, the question was not only whether he would face trial. It was whether ...

The war in the Middle East is driving both an acute humanitarian crisis and broader disruptions to global energy markets. Southeast Asia is particularly exposed as around two-thirds of the region’s ...

Indonesia's trade agreement with the United States, signed in February 2026, contains provisions that might significantly constrain Jakarta's economic and digital engagement with China, revealing the ...

Japan's energy transition is increasingly built around hydrogen and ammonia technologies, despite these fuels being forecast to play only a minor role in its energy mix. This commitment reflects the ...

The Middle East conflict is straining Indonesia’s economy through higher oil, gas and fertiliser prices, widening fiscal and external vulnerabilities. Limited policy space and heavy energy import ...

China’s 15th Five-Year Plan signals a gradual shift in Beijing’s maritime strategy from participation to pursuing leadership in global ocean governance. While earlier plans focused on developing the ...