LATEST PULSE

The Philippines believes it is winning its decades-long war against the New People’s Army (NPA). On paper, the numbers seem to support this. Rebel strength has declined, government operations have intensified, and officials increasingly speak of the insurgency as a fading threat.   Yet recent fighting in Negros Occidental tells a more complicated story. A wave of clashes in April and May 2026 demonstrated that while the communist mov...

On May 4, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced a $100 million plan to build a new paramilitary mining guard to protect some of the world’s most valuable mineral sites. The country holds major reserves of cobalt and rare earth minerals that power electric vehicles, smartphones, and advanced defense systems. As global demand rises, so does competition, particularly between the US and China.   Mining Guard Plan Signals a...

China has formally imposed sanctions on Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, barring him, his wife, and his children from entering mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau.   The measures appear to be a response to Teodoro's outspoken criticism of China's repeated incursions into the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone. Speaking at the Shangri La Dialogue in Singapore on May 31, 2026, Teodoro stressed that incursions in both the Eas...

Malaysia is pushing forward with a major regional energy project that could reshape how electricity moves across Southeast Asia. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced plans to connect Sarawak's growing energy sector with neighboring countries through a vast undersea cable network.   The project would allow electricity generated in Sarawak to flow to Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It highlights Malay...

The United States and Iran have signed a memorandum of understanding that the White House is portraying as a diplomatic success. Yet the agreement also grants Tehran substantial economic relief after months of war and could provide the Islamic Republic with an opportunity to rebuild.   The memorandum calls for an immediate ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, renewed nuclear negotiations, the gradual removal of sanctions, the ...