Indonesia
Indonesia's Batam raises COVID-19 alert level as virus surges in Singapore, elsewhere
The Batam municipal government in Indonesia’s Riau Islands has heightened its COVID-19 alert status following a notable rise in cases in neighbouring Singapore, a key regional transit hub just across the strait.
Thousands of Indonesian pilgrims denied Hajj as Saudi Arabia suspends special visa issuance
Thousands of Indonesian pilgrims hoping to perform Hajj using the furoda visa have been left stranded after Saudi Arabia halted the issuance of these special visas for the 2025 pilgrimage season.
CITIES IN PERIL: Cities confront the rising tide of climate change
Fast and chaotic urban population growth combined with climate challenges on multiple fronts are putting cities at risk around the world.
COVID is back - a new "NB.1.8.1" strain is spreading across continents
The coronavirus (COVID-19) is back. Reports from health authorities around the world have detected a new highly contagious strain of the virus that has been spreading through Asia and has now reached Russia.
China launches international mediation organisation in Hong Kong
China has launched a new international mediation organisation in Hong Kong on May 30, signed by 31 countries
Harvard ban fallout: international students face a new era of uncertainty
While framed as a matter of national security, the decision has left over 7,000 international students scrambling for clarity, stability, and their futures.
BERTRAND: ASEAN, GCC countries and China come together, forming the world’s largest economic bloc
China, the countries of South-East Asia (ASEAN) and the Arab states (GCC) just held a summit in Kuala Lumpur to forge what could become the world's largest economic bloc, covering everything from free trade agreements to de-dollarisation.
Combined effort to tackle Asian climate change gaining momentum
Over the past five years Asia has witnessed unprecedented heatwaves, with countries like Bangladesh recording temperatures up to 43.8°C in 2024, leading to nationwide school closures affecting tens of millions of children
Gulf States, China dominate ASEAN Summit with a pledge to strengthen ties
Meeting in the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, the GCC, China and the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations issued a joint declaration committing to “chart a unified and collective path towards a peaceful, prosperous and just future.
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China shifts from global banker to leading debt collector
Once the primary provider of capital across much of the world, Beijing now finds itself at the receiving end of record repayments, particularly from some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable nations.
US tariffs: threat or opportunity for ASEAN’s clean energy ambitions?
In April, when US President Donald Trump announced steep import tariffs targeting a swathe of sectors, reigniting concerns among many ASEAN countries that have flourished under the China+1 strategy.
BERTRAND: China, leading Asian countries, set up rival to International Court of Justice
China and a group of about 20 other countries (including Indonesia, Pakistan, Algeria and Serbia) are launching this week the "International Organization for Mediation" to rival the International Court of Justice.
BERTRAND: Indonesian President Prabowo hails China as the new moral leader of geopolitics
President Prabowo Subianto has hailed Indonesia’s deepening ties with China, calling it a “pillar of peace and prosperity” in the Southeast Asia region, in an implicit rebuke of Western “imperialism and colonialism.”
COMMENT: Vying for influence in Southeast Asia – Russia VS America
Although both nations have engaged with the region historically and continue to do so in the present day, their roles, influence, and staying power differ markedly.
Thailand: Southeast Asia’s sleeping tiger
While countries like Indonesia and Vietnam stride forward, Thailand seems to be treading water, encumbered by internal strife, inconsistent foreign policy, and economic inertia.
Indonesia's energy future: The structural hurdles to achieving independence
As Indonesia accelerates its march toward energy independence, President Prabowo Subianto's administration has made ambitious declarations: achieving full energy sovereignty within five years
Could BRICS redefine Asia’s power balance?
For Asian countries outside the current BRICS framework, the stakes are high. Membership could mean enhanced access to financial resources, a larger voice in global institutions, and strengthened ties with emerging powers.
Borsa Istanbul leads world markets in dollar-basis losses
Turkey’s exchange-traded fund down 9.5% in year-to-date. Thai performance second worst at 6.5%.
South Korea, ASEAN launch first joint economic think-tank talks
ASEAN, comprising Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, has become an increasingly vital partner for Korea in recent years.
