Members of the Philippine National Police walk outside the Villamor air base where former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is being held after being arrested, in Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on March 11, 2025.

Breaking impunity: Duterte’s arrest and new chapter in Southeast Asian Justice

More than a symbolic act, Duterte’s arrest signals the beginning of a new era in which no leader, regardless of domestic popularity or political influence, can evade accountability.

6 months ago

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Will the United Nations survive Trump 2.0?

Actions by the US show that the Trump administration is not merely unhappy with certain international institutions. Rather, it is fundamentally opposed to any multilateral framework that even suggests equality among countries. ...

6 months ago

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Education first, prosperity follows: A thoughtful reflection on priorities

While the free nutritious meal program can alleviate hunger and malnutrition, it does not equip individuals with the skills necessary to escape poverty in the long run.. ...

6 months ago

The Latest

South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul (left) and Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya leave after a joint press conference following their meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul on Jan. 13, 2025.

Academia

Asian allies on edge: Japan and South Korea brace for uncertainty

Trump’s administration hesitates to mediate between Japan and South Korea, but sustained diplomacy is crucial to maintaining trilateral unity.

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A man unloads kernels of oil palm fruit from a pickup truck to sell at a market on July 10, 2024, in Sepaku, East Kalimantan.

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International businesses can empower Indonesia's smallholder farmers

The international businesses and investors that profit from the commodities trade have a role to play in upskilling and strengthening Indonesia’s farmers.

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United States President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 28, 2025.

Academia

The banality of the Ukrainian peace conference: A lesson for ASEAN

ASEAN should internalize the US acts of betrayal as a cautionary tale: Great powers will never uphold alliances beyond their utility.

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Students hold a rally titled Indonesia Gelap (Dark Indonesia) to oppose budget-cutting policies by President Prabowo Subianto on Feb. 17 in Jakarta.

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Discourse: A thin-skinned government is a danger to all

This is a government that is very thin-skinned, and does not understand the limitation of executive power. The government is on a path that is really alarming.

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Afghan women stage a protest for their rights at a beauty salon in the Shahr-e-Naw area of Kabul on July 19, 2023.

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Let Afghan women lead

Rather than simply admire their courage or sympathize with their plight, the international community must offer them support, safety and a seat at the table.

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This handout picture taken and released by the Presidential Palace on March 8, 2025 shows President Prabowo Subianto (center) visiting a flood-affected area in Bekasi, West Java.

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Govern-fluencers: How Prabowo's government shapes public opinion

While social media narratives continue to be carefully orchestrated, real-life priorities raise serious concerns.

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United States President Donald Trump speaks during an address to a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on March 4, 2025.

Academia

Trump’s policies leave oil executives second-guessing

CERAWeek conference is set to be dominated by talk of Trump's tariffs, sanctions and aggressive drive to end the war in Ukraine, which have together created turmoil in financial markets and clouded the outlook for the global economy and energy prices.

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President Prabowo Subianto (left) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping during a signing ceremony at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Nov. 9, 2024.

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China’s Two Sessions: What I’ve learned and why it matters for Indonesia

China is charting a course toward deeper global integration, innovation and sustainable growth, a path where Indonesia stands as a natural partner.

6 months ago

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati prepares to present the state budget on Jan. 2, 2024 at the ministry in Jakarta.

Academia

Budget efficiency contrast in ASEAN: Tales from Indonesia and Vietnam

The Indonesian government is carrying out massive budget efficiencies. At almost the same time, Vietnam is also doing the same thing. What is the difference between the two?

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US President Donald Trump and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky meet in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on Feb. 28, 2025.

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Critical minerals diplomacy: Zelensky vs. Trump and lessons for Indonesia

Critical minerals have become a focal point in global geopolitics, shaping energy strategy and national security policies.

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Free to decide: More Indonesian millennials are choosing to delay their marriage. (Unsplash/Adita Saxena)

Academia

Technology predictions for 2025 and beyond

By embracing a community-centric, data-forward model, we’re building a future where technology augments human resilience, enabling communities to navigate an increasingly unpredictable world with confidence and autonomy.

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Defending their rights: Rohingya refugee women look to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) delegations on April 22, 2024, during a meeting at a temporary shelter at a government building in Banda Aceh, Aceh.

Academia

Rohingya women: The grassroots advocates behind genocide arrest warrants

Shanti Mohila, a group of Rohingya women who bravely fight for justice, should be celebrated this International Women’s Day.

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Students belonging to the Association of University Student Executive Bodies (BEM SI) rally on Feb. 17 in Jakarta. In the protest, titled Indonesia Gelap (Dark Indonesia), the students called for the revocation of budget cuts in the education sector, which they said would heavily impact tuition fees and scholarship funds.

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Indonesia Gelap: A public fear over a seized country

Democracy, which should serve as a tool to channel the aspirations of the people, is instead being hijacked by an oligarchy seeking to preserve its power.

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Punk band Sukatani take to the stage in this undated photo from their performance in Subang, West Java.

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Sukatani controversy: Music and resistance to hegemony

Social media has transformed power dynamics by providing a platform for voices that were previously marginalized.

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Blame game: United States President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky meet on Feb. 28 in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC.

Academia

Zelensky-Trump clash sparks global rethink by US allies

As they watched Zelensky evicted from the White House last month after an unprecedented live televised quarrel with Trump and Vance, some of the United States' closest allies began to swiftly reappraise decades of foreign and defense policy.

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Muslims buy food to break their fast on March 13, 2024, during the holy month of Ramadan .

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Understanding economic challenges in the first quarter of 2025

Various indicators suggest that the economy remains in a difficult state.

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She means business: Lismukrindun, one of the women taking part in the Wonder Women program, prepares her emping waluh (pumpkin crackers) on Aug. 12, 2020, in Bojonegoro, East Java. The program aims to promote female micro-entrepreneurs in the country.

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Savvy and financially literate: A pathway to women's empowerment

In Indonesia, women make up 54 percent of borrowers from high-interest online loan providers, making them more susceptible to loan sharks and debt collectors, which may often pursue intimidation tactics.

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United States President Donald Trump raises his fist on Tuesday as he addresses a joint session of Congress at the US Capitol in Washington, DC.

Academia

Climate Trump and future of NetZero

The geopolitics of climate change are ultimately about which governance model will pay and manage the transition to net zero.

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People watch carbon trading activity on a digital screen on Jan. 20 at the Indonesian Stock Exchange building in Jakarta.

Academia

Innovation in MRV technology for enhancing carbon trading governance

MRV technologies are vital not only for tracking emissions, but also for ensuring transparency and credibility in carbon markets.

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Weaving resilience: Local women weave handbags during an exhibition of micro, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) products at Cenderawasih Sports Hall in Papua on Aug. 23, 2022. To support the Love Indonesian Products movement, Bank Indonesia invited 60 MSME players to the event, which lasted until Aug. 27.

Academia

Empowering women entrepreneurs, MSMEs can drive inclusive growth in ASEAN region

Although women across ASEAN have access to basic digital tools, many lack the skills or confidence to scale their businesses, protect and use their intellectual property, enter global supply chains, and access networking opportunities that could enable them to grow their ventures.

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Pressing the patriarchy: Activists hold signs during a peaceful demonstration against gender-based violence on Nov. 25, 2024, in Jakarta. The protesters urged the government to push for resolution in cases of gender-based violence and to increase legal protections for women.

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Femicide: The final stage of violence in patriarchal society

Judges often treat femicide cases as ordinary homicides without delving deeper into the patriarchal structures that enable femicide as a systemic crime.

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Ready to go: Rows of newly produced Honda cars are seen in this undated photo. Over 2,000 Honda cars from Thailand, which are the first batches of cars to enjoy zero percent import duty under the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (AFTA), have been imported to Vietnam.

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American recidivism must prompt ASEAN to future-proof itself

Trump’s Make America Great Again (MAGA) attempt to "restore" American dominance through economic protectionism and geopolitical confrontation mirrors Odysseus’ futile attempt to reclaim an old order that no longer exists.

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Fueling mistrust: Attendants of a gas station owned by state-owned energy holding company Pertamina serve customers on Feb. 27 in Semarang, Central Java. The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has raised a plan to establish a team to verify the octane number of gasoline amid concerns from the public of fuel adulteration, following a graft investigation by the Attorney General's Office (AGO) pertaining to fuel imports and exports by a Pertamina subsidiary.

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Pertamina’s governance crisis and the lingering ghost of corruption

The continued involvement of brokers and middlemen in fuel procurement, coupled with the lack of transparency in tender processes, underscores the ongoing vulnerabilities in Pertamina’s governance structure.

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Visitors are silhouetted on July 6, 2023, behind a sign for artificial intelligence at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China.

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Indonesia's AI journey: Innovation or overreach?

AI development isn't just about writing code; it demands powerful computing infrastructure, massive datasets and continuous investment. Can Indonesia, with its underdeveloped cloud and hardware ecosystem, sustain such costs?

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Women’s reps: A group of people takes part in a rally supporting women's rights and gender equality in Jakarta to mark International Women's Day on March 8, 2024.

Academia

No turning back: A pivotal moment for women and girls in Asia-Pacific

Closing gender gaps in employment would boost gross domestic product (GDP) by up to 20 percent globally.

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Workers wave at the camera on Feb. 28, 2025, as they leave a factory of textile giant PT Sri Rejeki Isman (Sritex) in Sukoharjo, Central Java.

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Beyond Sritex bankruptcy: The deeper troubles of our textile sector

The sector has been grappling with a mix of internal and external challenges, including regulatory hurdles.

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Tributes are placed beneath the covered seal of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) on Feb. 7, 2025, at its headquarters in Washington, DC.

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Making a better case for foreign aid

Advocates of official development assistance rightly argue that it saves lives and serves national interests. But that does not change the fact that the system has been hemorrhaging credibility and resources for years and lacks a convincing narrative.

6 months ago

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