https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-01-21/rockets-are-failing-in-asia-from-japan-to-china-to-india?embedded-checkout=true In what space analysts are calling a disappointing run of launch setbacks, key Asian nations that aim to challenge Western dominance in orbital access have experienced a string of rocket failures in late 2025 and early 2026. These setbacks come at a moment when national space ambitions are tightly woven with global geopolitical competition. Japan’s relatively new H3 rocket,… Read more »
https://apnews.com/article/japan-trump-trade-economy-tariffs-takaichi-a26b35639a1a25fb144e73995bbe4bdf Japan recorded its fifth consecutive annual trade deficit in 2025, posting a shortfall of 2.65 trillion yen ($17 billion), according to preliminary government figures. While this deficit was smaller than the previous year’s, it underscores persistent strains in Japan’s export‑led economy, particularly in the face of recent U.S. trade measures. This development is significant not only for Japan’s economic… Read more »
https://apnews.com/article/south-north-korea-drone-border-7cbf347a65a5ef3d8240b07f46533afd North Korea’s military claimed that South Korean drones crossed into its airspace, capturing images of locations inside the North before being intercepted. Pyongyang said it destroyed at least one of the drones and threatened consequences for the alleged incursions. South Korea strongly denied that its military sent any drones and said it had no drones of the type North… Read more »
https://apnews.com/article/thailand-us-cambodia-aid-border-fighting-e36d1e936b4b66f9416a7beed88a8de4 Recent fighting between Thailand and Cambodia over long‑standing territorial disputes triggered international concern and a new diplomatic push, and now the United States is stepping in with $45 million in aid to support peace and stability in the region. The United States’ involvement signals a strategic interest in Southeast Asia’s stability. Thailand is a long‑time U.S. ally, and Washington… Read more »
https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-deal-us-china-eccb46c3bfee4cf3d362a01fe4968a4f TikTok has finalized a deal to create a new U.S. version of the app so it can keep operating in the United States instead of being banned. The new company, called TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, will be mostly owned by American investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake, and MGX, who together hold more than 80% of the ownership. TikTok’s… Read more »
https://apnews.com/article/japan-abe-assassination-trial-unification-church-925d6cc24e58c50d530736af15fe8c35 A Japanese court has sentenced Tetsuya Yamagami to life in prison for killing former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022. Yamagami admitted that he shot Abe during a campaign speech in Nara, using a homemade gun. The trial has been closely watched in Japan and around the world because the assassination shocked a country where gun violence is… Read more »
https://www.mfat.govt.nz/en/trade/free-trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements-concluded-but-not-in-force/new-zealand-india-free-trade-agreement/overview#:~:text=Overview%20%7C%20New%20Zealand%20Ministry%20of,to%20expand%20two%2Dway%20trade This article explains that New Zealand and India have negotiated on a Free Trade Agreement late December of 2025. This agreement was aimed at strengthening economic ties and expanding regional trade. Additionally, this deal is set to diversify both New Zealand’s and India’s trade partners and markets as both nations are experiencing rapid economic growth and a growing middle… Read more »
https://apnews.com/article/bangladesh-election-campaign-hasina-yunus-tarique-b71a45ce5046ceb3577dad8854f7f176 Bangladesh has officially started campaigning for its national election, which is scheduled for February 12, 2026. This election is a big deal because it’s the first one since mass protests in 2024 forced longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina out of power. An interim government, led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, is in charge now and says it… Read more »
Finn Brooks – https://apnews.com/article/southeast-climate-fossil-coal-energy-renewable-3dceea3bfa849edd9ccb78ff1e2f9b52 Southeast Asia’s coal consumption is growing faster than anywhere else in the world, making the region’s transition to renewable energy far more difficult than planned. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), coal demand in Southeast Asia is expected to rise more than 4% per year through 2030, with Indonesia and Vietnam leading the increase. This… Read more »
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/13/russia-working-to-circumvent-sanctions-to-ensure-india-oil-imports-continue This article discusses Russia’s efforts to actively bypass sanctions made by the west so that India can continue importing oil. This is a push back from Russia as international efforts try to isolate Moscow economically. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, India became one of the biggest buyers. Recently, however, U.S. sanctions on major exporters such as Rosneft and Lukoil… Read more »
