Nation & Identity

Southeast Asia has taken a major step toward becoming one of the world's biggest digital economies. ASEAN member states have completed negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), a landmark deal designed to make digital trade easier across the region.   The agreement was finalized during senior economic meetings in Manila in late May and is expected to be signed at the ASEAN Summit in November 2026. Supporters say...

The controversial documentary Pesta Babi (“Pig Feast”), which focuses on West Papua, has ignited debate across Papua New Guinea (PNG) and Indonesia. Humanitarian organizations argue the film sheds light on long-standing issues in the region, while critics say it promotes narratives that undermine Indonesia’s sovereignty and national unity.   The dispute has now moved far beyond film criticism. It has become a broader cont...

Indonesia’s anti corruption campaign has entered a new phase after authorities arrested several senior officials in early June, including Deputy Immigration Minister Silmy Karim and former leaders connected to the country’s flagship free meals program.   The arrests serve as a test of President Prabowo Subianto’s pledge to strengthen government institutions, raising questions over whether his campaign reflects a genuine e...

A strange new political symbol is making headlines across India. Young protesters have embraced the label "cockroach" and turned it into a badge of pride, defiance, and survival. What began as a satirical online project has quickly grown into a youth-led movement that is attracting national attention.   At the center of the story is Abhijeet Dipke, founder of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a digital-first protest movement that mixes humo...

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...