LATEST PULSE

While global attention is on the war involving the United States, Israel and Iran, another confrontation is unfolding further east. Pakistan and Afghanistan are edging toward escalation along one of Asia’s most volatile borders.   Fighting began to intensify in late February and continued into early March, forcing more than 115,000 people to flee their homes. The clashes are happening along the Durand Line, the 2,600-kilometer border...

Corruption in the Philippines does not begin with billion-peso scandals. It often starts with small, routine exchanges.   A nationwide survey conducted in late 2025 found that 73% of adult Filipinos identify bribery as the most common form of corruption, ranking it above misuse of public funds, vote buying, and delays in the justice system. That number reflects something deeper than perception. It reflects daily experience.   A perm...

Since joining the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, China has rewritten the rules of global trade. When the United States and European nations welcomed Beijing into the WTO, they hoped that integration into global markets would open China politically and economically. Instead, China leveraged the WTO to grow its economy, tighten state control, and gain influence in international trade, reshaping global markets in the process.   Why C...

Malaysia is ramping up its fight against forced labor aiming to completely eliminate it by 2030. In January, the government unveiled a new National Action Plan on Forced Labor for 2026–2030, designed to strengthen policies and practices to protect workers, especially migrants. Stronger Actions to Protect Workers and Stop Forced Labor A workshop held in November 2025 brought together experts, government officials, and workers’ groups...

The war against Iran could ultimately leave the United States in a worse strategic position than the one that existed before the conflict began.   Since February 28, when the United States launched its air campaign against Iran, analysts, governments, and media outlets worldwide have been asking the same question: what exactly is Washington trying to achieve?   Even inside Washington, the answer appears unclear. Nobody, not even Pre...