Opinion

Southeast Asia was regarded as a strategic battleground in which bigger powers waged an influence struggle. ASEAN is also one of the most significant strategic resources in the Indo-Pacific region, and the big boys cannot afford to look the other way. ASEAN has a population of over 680 million and an economy of over $3.8-trillion, therefore they have the scale …

After the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, a challenging question for democratic governments is how to relate to the regime in power without inadvertently providing them with acceptability politically. But this is not about complete isolation and that some individuals require unconditional recognition, this is more about a well implemented policy of principled pragmatism. While avoiding recognition of the …

The continent of Asia is encountering a challenging irony. At present rates, tourism is adding jobs, infrastructure and foreign cash, while overexploited beaches, forests, reefs, and cultural sites are undermining tourism’s benefits. Sustainable tourism might be a solution, but only if destinations are no longer in the promotional way. To help overcome this, there are an increasing number of measures …

Pakistan’s new trilateral defence partnership is bound to change the security calculations in the South Asian and Middle Eastern regions. Signed on August 7, 2026, the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement involves Saudi financial assistance, Saudi Uhud bank loan, Turkish defence industry and Pakistan military forces under a collective security pact. The deal provides benefits to the city of Rawalpindi not …

The Strait of Hormuz for years has taken the center of discussion when it comes to energy security in the Middle East. But the increased tension in the Persian Gulf over shipping is creating another very significant shipping route of the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The 18-mile wide Red Sea-to-Gulf of Aden strait is at the crossroads of global shipping, regional …

The global AI competition typically appears in the form of a battle between Washington and Beijing. But there’s a third narrative playing out in Southeast Asia. To become a key destination for sovereign computing, ASEAN countries are completing the physical and regulatory aspects of making the region a home for AI. The appeal of it’s not only because the land …

The Ceuta immigration crisis 2026 must not be viewed merely as another stage of the huge migration pressure that has always been a feature of migration in the South. The countries that are overwhelmed by the migration of tens of thousands of migrants is not only crippling their system, but increasing geopolitical pressure. The small Spanish enclave, Ceuta, is an …

Bebas-aktif (“free and active”) foreign policy is a concept that Indonesia has been promoting for a long time and is not a policy of affiliating with major powers, but at the same time helping to ensure regional stability. But this doctrine is taking a turn for President Prabowo Subianto. Jakarta is working on closer economic ties with China and at …

The world of work has changed, and working remotely and flexibly with people across time zones and borders has become much easier. Teleworking has become commonplace, as platforms like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom, Google Meet and Workplace messaging have helped workers stay connected throughout the pandemic. The benefits of these tools to jobs and job processes have definitely brought …

The original concept of social media was to bring people together, to entertain, to inspire digital creativity. However, with time they have evolved into something much more sophisticated. Apps like TikTok are supposed to come across and acknowledge crises in real-time, in situations that match more closely to those of public safety than standard content moderation. But as technology becomes …