LATEST PULSE

A Malaysian court has delivered a major new blow to former prime minister Najib Razak, reinforcing the message that even the most powerful figures are not beyond the law.   On December 26, 2025, Najib was found guilty on 25 charges of abuse of power and money laundering, marking his latest convictions for his role in the 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB) scandal. He was sentenced to 15 years in jail for each of the abuse of power charges...

On a map, India's Siliguri Corridor looks insignificant. In reality, the narrow land bridge in the north of the country is one of its most critical pieces of territory.   Often called the “Chicken’s Neck,” this strip of land is India’s only land link to its eight northeastern states. Without it, more than 40 million people would be cut off from the rest of the country.   At its narrowest point, the corridor i...

After the December 14 Bondi Beach shooting that killed 15 people during a Jewish celebration, Philippine officials moved quickly to counter claims that the attackers received terrorist training in Mindanao. The suspects, an Indian national and his Australian-born son, had spent nearly a month in the Philippines before the attack, prompting renewed international attention on the country’s southern region.   On December 22, the Philipp...

China just pulled off a headline-grabbing Arctic voyage — and experts say it could shake up the world’s shipping map.   A Chinese container ship, the Istanbul Bridge, reached England on October 10, finishing a 20-day dash across the Arctic Ocean. The trip was almost 7,000 kilometers shorter than the usual Suez Canal route. Even after facing a rough storm near Norway, the Arctic shortcut still came out cheaper and faster.  ...

On December 4, US President Donald Trump released the new United States National Security Strategy. While the Philippines is not named directly, Southeast Asia is now closer to the center of US security planning than at any point in recent decades. With this comes new risks.   More than a political choice, it appears geography is pulling the region toward the frontline of a global rivalry it does not control.   An "America First" St...