
Indonesia now provides roughly 40% of the world’s nickel, a critical component for electric‑vehicle batteries. A 2014 export ban and a 2020 full ban forced the country to build a domestic refining sector, which exploded from six plants in 2015 to 79 by the end of 2025, largely financed by Chinese investors. The rapid expansion relies on coal‑fired power, creating severe air and water pollution and reshaping fishing villages into industrial hubs. While the boom fuels global EV growth, it leaves local communities grappling with environmental degradation and social disruption.

Malaysia’s housing market remains “seriously unaffordable,” with median home prices in Kuala Lumpur climbing 7% to RM560,000 in 2025 and the house‑price‑to‑income ratio staying above the World Bank’s affordability threshold of three. First‑time buyers like Nur Syarah Alya, earning RM3,900 a...

The article highlights the ongoing exodus of Filipino nurses, driven by low domestic pay, heavy workloads, and better overseas opportunities. While the Philippines supplies 300‑350 k nurses abroad and earns a record $38 billion in remittances, the home health system faces severe...
The United States’ new war against Iran is diverting military assets and attention away from its long‑standing Asian pivot, leaving its key East Asian allies exposed. Japan and South Korea now confront a stark choice: deepen security cooperation to counter...