As the Islamic State continues to spread its message and ideology across the world, world leaders obviously missed the point where they could’ve stopped it when still small. However, on a regional basis, some areas, such as Southeast Asia, have not been heavily penetrated by ISIS activity and therefore are in a crucial time crunch to contain the activity before… Read more »
Indonesia has been hit by a spate of ISIS-inspired attacks mounted by different domestic militant groups since the start of the year. But the worrying trend is of more lone-wolf terrorists striking random targets in the name of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militant group, said police chief Tito Karnavian. Speaking to reporters after a meeting at… Read more »
SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea said on Thursday that it would restart talks with Japan about a military intelligence-sharing pact, four years after a similar agreement was canceled in the face of a domestic furor. Officials at the Defense Ministry said in a news briefing on Thursday that such an agreement would allow South Korea to better address the… Read more »
DAVID GREENE, HOST: The death of Thailand’s beloved king this month left many Thais in mourning. It also created uncertainty for some in that country’s tourism industry, which accounts for at least 10 percent of the country’s GDP. Michael Sullivan has more. MICHAEL SULLIVAN, BYLINE: It doesn’t happen very often, but Bangkok’s infamous red light district, Soi Cowboy, went dark… Read more »
Islamic State supporters from Indonesia are traveling to join forces with their counterparts in the Philippines, raising concerns about cross-border violence, Indonesian anti-terrorism officials said on Tuesday. Authorities in Southeast Asia have been on heightened alert since a gun-and-bomb attack rocked the Indonesian capital Jakarta in January and stamped Islamic State’s presence in the region for the first time. “Some… Read more »
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is on a diplomacy roll and maybe a bank roll too. During his trip last week to China, the source of a tense maritime sovereignty dispute, the 71-year-old newcomer to his country’s national politics agreed to economic deals worth $24 billion and some expect that stack to grow. The sum covers $9 billion in soft loans and… Read more »
Due to the wariness China and North Korea has caused in the East Asia region in recent months, it’s no surprise that other countries have begun seeking alliances within the region. However, what is surprising is that the new potential dynamic duo would consist of Japan and Russia. After never achieving a peace treaty agreement following the end of the… Read more »
The world’s two largest economies – United States and China – are considering imposing further restrictions on North Korea’s trade in coal, iron ore and crude oil, according to diplomats from UN Security Council countries. The move comes in the wake of a fifth nuclear test conducted by Pyongyang last month and is aimed at forcing the North Korean leader… Read more »
Despite the harsh words thrown at them by President Duterte, the European Union (EU) remains willing to continue the economic bloc’s deep ties with the Philippines, the EU’s envoy to the country said. “We are with you on the EU side and we work very closely with you,” EU Ambassador to the Philippines Franz Jessen said during EU-Philippines Business Summit… Read more »
For decades, the dispute over ownership of four islands in the Kuril archipelago has prevented Russia and Japan from developing closer economic ties and ending tensions dating to World War Two. Japan views the Russian occupation of the islands as illegitimate. Russia considers the matter settled because Japan launched and then lost a war of aggression, and therefore must accept… Read more »