Southeast Asia Insights

The melting ice at the edge of Antarctica could reshape Southeast Asia far sooner than expected. New research shows that fast underwater turbulence is accelerating the loss of two of the world’s most fragile glaciers — and the consequences may hit the Philippines and its neighbors hard.   Underwater Storms Cutting Into Antarctica’s Ice Scientists have discovered that when warm and cold waters collide deep in the Southern...

Indonesia is preparing to operate its first aircraft carrier, accepting the decommissioned Italian vessel Giuseppe Garibaldi as a grant from Rome. The 180-meter warship, which served Italy from 1985 to 2024, is expected to arrive in Indonesia by October of this year.   If fully operational, Indonesia would become only the second Southeast Asian country after Thailand to field an aircraft carrier. In Asia, only China, India, and Japan curre...

Singapore is a small island with few natural resources and little room for mistakes. From the day it became independent, it learned that survival would depend not on size or power, but on discipline, flexibility, and a clear understanding of the world around it. This lesson from the uncertain 1960s still guides the country today as rivalry between the United States and China grows stronger, pushing Singapore to use the same approach to stay impor...

In November 2025, Grammy-winning Fugees member Pras Michel was sentenced to 14 years in US prison for using money stolen from Malaysia’s 1MDB fund to influence American politics and help financier Jho Low obstruct US investigations into the scandal. The court also ordered Michel to forfeit $64.9 million.   In January 2026, a federal judge denied Michel’s request to remain free on bail while he appeals his conviction and sentenc...

As the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) prepares another rate cut to support slowing growth, Malaysia is holding rates steady after posting its fastest expansion in three years. The divergence highlights two very different economic cycles unfolding in Southeast Asia.   BSP Eases as Domestic Momentum Fades The Philippine economy grew just 4.4% in 2025, well below the government’s 5.5-6.5% target and down from 5.7% in 2024. Growth sl...