Politics

The ‘four’ behind Vietnam: Can 2026 political reset deliver the growth it promises?

What investors should know as the country heads into its most consequential leadership transition in decades

On the surface, Trump and Xi appear to have found a new warmth – but it’s fragile, says the writer.

Buckle up for a volatile year of Trump-Xi, Taiwan and Kim

The region is heading into an increasingly precarious 2026

Far-right former congressman Jose Antonio Kast has promised to kick out migrants and cut taxes.

The irresistible temptation of Chile’s polarised politics

Why the country has swung from a far-left president to far-right Jose Antonio Kast

Thailand's political disruption is ill-timed for an economy already under strain, with foreign tourism set to fall sharply unless its border conflict with Cambodia is settled soon.
NEWS ANALYSIS

Thailand’s election gamble stalls US trade talks, reform push

PM Anutin Charnvirakul’s move to dissolve parliament comes as tariffs and border tensions pressure the country’s economy

South Korean Oceans Minister Chun Jae-soo (centre) is accused of having received 30 million won (S$26,515) and two luxury watches from the Unification Church between 2018 to 2020.

South Korea minister resigns over alleged Unification Church funds

A SOUTH Korean minister announced his resignation on Thursday after being accused of receiving illegal funds from the Unification Church, a cult-like movement linked to widespread influence-peddling.

US President Donald Trump (right) on Nov 20 announced that "certain agricultural imports from Brazil should no longer be subject to the additional (40% surcharge)", handing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva a win.
PERSPECTIVE

Brazil offers lesson in winning the ‘Taco’ trade

Global politicians need to understand that White House policy is driven by melodrama and instinct

Like its predecessor, the London Consensus holds that an economy with low inflation, prudent fiscal policies and openness to world trade offers the best hope for human flourishing.

A new economic playbook for policymakers

The London Consensus offers hope that a fresh policy approach can help push back against authoritarian populism

When asked what he planned to do against Venezuela, US President Donald Trump said his “war” was against the South American country's drug cartels.
THINKING ALOUD

Statecraft and diplomacy in the age of political candour

Not many people have the time, the patience or the inclination to decipher what their leaders are trying to say

Zohran Mamdani’s victory in the New York City mayoral race marked not merely a shift in political leadership, but the emergence of a new class coalition – one defined less by ideology and identity, than by a shared experience of economic squeeze. 

Why Zohran Mamdani won New York’s mayoral race: The revolt of the ‘struggling yuppies’

His triumph reflects a profound shift in New York City’s political economy