South East Asia

Min Aung Hlaing’s government says ASEAN special envoy is no longer needed. Thailand, which recently welcomed the general, is pushing for a calibrated re-engagement, a diplomatic approach that risks legitimising the regime without achieving any progress on the peace front.

Satellite images by LICADHO show the destruction of hundreds of homes in three villages held by the Thai army. More than 20,000 displaced people are languishing in refugee camps. Phnom Penh is intensifying its diplomatic efforts with Bangkok, calling for the Joint Border Commission to resume inspections.

The blaze in Tengger Semeru National Park is among the largest wildfires reported over the past week, with a burnt area of ​​more than 120 hectares. The prolonged dry season, exacerbated by strong winds, has increased risks across the country. Hundreds of firefighters have been mobilised, with state-of-the-art firefighting equipment. Tourist access is limited.

Defence Minister Chan calls for data sharing, energy networks, and free movement to unlock a regional economy larger than its parts, a crucial step towards a truly integrated economic community. Singapore is set to chair the organisation in 2027.

The National Assembly will meet in an extraordinary session starting today until 24 August 2026. Final approval is expected in October. The amendments will allow land confiscation without compensation. The legislative process will take just four months, one of the fastest in Vietnam's history.

A young trainee died in the collapse of the factory where he worked, while five other Vietnamese workers saved their 90-year-old neighbour. More than 630,000 Vietnamese now live in Japan, employed primarily in sectors with the worst labour shortages.

The bishop of Kalookan has doubts about the major semiconductor and artificial intelligence project announced by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. Calling for an assessment of the impact on the environment, workers, and the county’s development, he urges decision-makers to subordinate economic interests to the common good.

One of the thirteen states of the Malaysian Federation is headed to early elections on 1 August amid a successional dispute involving local political groups. The backdrop is economic interests, but also the delicate relationship between centuries-old traditions and relations with Kuala Lumpur.

Formerly an assistant to the ambassador to the United Kingdom, with a promising career ahead of him, he chose to follow his vocation to the priesthood. Ordained recently in Yogyakarta, he continues to meet with his former colleagues. He is convinced that serving Indonesia and its people remains his life’s work.

A new law approved by the military regime (likely under Chinese pressure) introduces the death penalty for those who force victims to work at online fraud centres. But, for the United Nations, criminal repression alone is not enough.

There's a rush to snap up the last jars made after its British maker halted deliveries due to mounting supply chain difficulties. Multinational business decisions are reshaping consumer choice in the city-state.

The government is calling for a review of the role of the UN refugee agency, accusing it of a lack of cooperation with the authorities. A group of asylum seekers fled Penang following incidents of hostility from local residents. Human rights organisations are denouncing a growing climate of hatred.