Headlines

US House approves measure to restrain Trump action in Iran

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House passed a resolution Wednesday to force President Donald Trump to withdraw from the war with Iran and require congressional approval for further military action in the country. The 215-208 vote, in which four Republicans voted with all Democrats to

Asia

The human security crisis emerging from the Strait of Hormuz

When discussions turn to the Strait of Hormuz, the language is almost always strategic. Analysts debate naval deployments, military deterrence, freedom of navigation and the balance of power between Iran and the United States. Markets track oil prices and shipping insurers

Asia

Trump will attend the NATO summit in Turkey in July, Rubio says

WASHINGTON, June 3 - U.S. President Donald Trump will attend the NATO meeting of heads of state that is taking place in Turkey in early July, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday, providing a confirmation that will likely lead to a sigh of relief across the

Asia

Why bringing down oil’s price is so hard

Between assurances from President Donald Trump that a peace agreement is all but wrapped up and renewed skirmishes, the price of oil rises and falls. Even at recent lows, crude’s price is 40% higher than in late February when the Iran war began. Someday – tomorrow? next week?

Asia

The Shangri-La shockwave and the death of automatic assurance

When US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth took the podium at the recent Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, his words signaled a profound structural shift in the global security landscape. Declaring that the era of America subsidizing the defense of wealthy nations is officially

Asia

Indonesia really can’t afford another air pollution crisis

In August 2023, Jakarta briefly became a symbol of what happens when governments ignore environmental warning signs for too long. The city ranked among the most polluted places in the world. Schools adjusted activities. Some offices asked employees to work from home. Parents

Asia

Australia is the victim of an AUKUS ‘bait and switch’

At a security conference in Singapore over the weekend, the three AUKUS partners – the United States, United Kingdom and Australia – announced a tweak to their partnership that has generated quite a lot of attention in Canberra. Australia will now receive three second-hand

Asia

All the reasons Cambodia should join the CPTPP

The natural instinct of any government facing a more fragmented global system is to guard its policy flexibility and keep its hands free to respond to whatever comes next. But the countries that consistently attract long-term investment tend to choose a different path. They

Asia

Xi closes the door after promising US CEOs to open wider

TOKYO — The billionaire CEOs who accompanied US President Donald Trump to Beijing last month are probably feeling some whiplash. Some of that disorientation comes from Trump himself — a president who built two campaigns on confronting China and has since recast himself as an

Asia