Headlines

Maritime divide: why the Philippines is failing its seas

The Philippines is a maritime nation surrounded by multiple bodies of water, yet its approach to governing them remains fragmented, reactive and increasingly strained. Public attention has understandably focused on the West Philippine Sea, where transparency efforts have helped

US-Bangladesh trade deal the lifeline Dhaka needs

The recent US-Bangladesh trade deal, finalized on February 9, 2026, represents an upper hand in economic preservation, securing Dhaka’s US$8 billion export corridor to the US amid an increasingly protectionist global landscape. While some analysts, including those at the

Growing cracks in the BRICS+ wall

The 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos highlighted a deepening divergence in how global stability is managed. While the formalization of President Trump’s “Board of Peace” (BoP) signaled a move toward a hyper-transactional, unilateralist approach to conflict resolution, it

China reminds Trump it holds the note on dollar debt

The moment that many a US Treasury secretary feared for decades may have arrived: when Washington’s top bankers turn against US government debt. Case in point: America’s No 2 financier in Asia — China — is reportedly advising banks to cut their exposure to US government