It was a worrying sign for Japan when Pyongyang claimed the new hypersonic intermediate-range weapon is effective at “breaking at any dense effective barrier”. Kim’s claims that the latest missile test would help deter North Korea’s enemies in the region was a veiled reference to the US, Japan and South Korea. Kim claimed that the hypersoni

Preventative Register Police visited the prisoner of consciences’ families on 15 January 2025, Muslims who wished to remain unnamed for fear of state reprisals told Forum 18. The police threatened that, if the families appeal against the sentences or complain to the media, the jail sentences will be increased. Some of those convicted have already

Economist Doris Liew warned that this reallocation of resources would strain the government’s revenue streams. “The Malaysian government’s fiscal consolidation strategy is under threat as diminishing petroleum revenues coincide with increasing operating expenditures,” said Liew of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs. In 2024, P

The past year of conflict in West Asia has significantly changed the regional strategic landscape. Military strategies have evolved, with advanced technologies and hybrid warfare becoming central to the fighting. Diplomatic relations, especially within the Arab world and between global powers, have become strained. Additionally, social media has am

Most foreign fighters are unlikely to abandon the idea of jihad, and will probably relocate to other conflict zones, as happened following the defeat of IS. For Central Asian militants, the most probable destination is Afghanistan, where ideologically aligned IS factions are already active. However, other destinations such as Mali, cannot be ruled