Philippines 3D-prints drones for future warfare, boosts security alliances

The Philippine military is now 3D-printing drones in preparation for future warfare and strengthening foreign partnerships, with Manila recently being recognised by Indo-Pacific defence ministers as a “frontliner” in keeping the region “free and open”.
Armed Forces Chief-of-Staff General Romeo Brawner Jnr told the Foreign Correspondents Association on Friday that the 3D initiative had been in place since last year, acknowledging it was still not on a large or sophisticated scale as the objective…

Australian writer accuses Malaysia of using Thai police to silence him

An Australian scholar and writer, arrested in Thailand on a defamation charge he said originated with the Malaysian government, claimed on Thursday that he was a victim of broader collaboration among Southeast Asian countries to silence critics.
Independent scholar and writer Murray Hunter, 66, said that he believes he was improperly arrested by Thai police on Monday for articles he had written about Malaysia in 2024 on his online Substack newsletter, and questioned how his case falls under Thai…

US takes driver’s seat in crypto sector amid Trump policy, stablecoin frenzy

The United States is expanding its influence over the US$4 trillion global cryptocurrency industry amid favourable regulation under the Trump administration and the growing use of US dollar-backed stablecoins, according to participants at this year’s Token2049 event in Singapore.
The US is on a path to becoming the world’s “crypto capital”, said Bo Hines, the former executive director of the White House’s Council of Advisers on Digital Assets, at a fireside chat on Thursday to conclude the…

Trump’s 100% tariff threat alarms India’s film industry over diaspora market

US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a 100 per cent tariff on foreign films has raised alarm in India’s industry from Bollywood to Tollywood, even as it is struggling to lure audiences back to cinemas and facing shrinking revenues from online platforms, according to analysts.
In a social media post on Tuesday, echoing a similar threat in May, Trump alleged that Hollywood had been “stolen’’ from the US and declared: “I will be imposing a 100 per cent tariff on any and all movies that are…

Trump-led venture lauds USD1 stablecoin’s potential for ‘dollarising the world’

World Liberty Financial, a venture backed by the family of US President Donald Trump, took centre stage on Wednesday at the world’s largest cryptocurrency event in Singapore, as Trump’s eldest son and his business partner promoted the firm’s USD1 stablecoin and its potential for “dollarising the world”.
At Token2049, World Liberty Financial co-founders Donald Trump Jnr and Zach Witkoff, who serves as CEO, received rock star treatment from a cheering audience, as they touted the success of USD1,…

Unrest in Philippine military? Ire of old guard could spell trouble for Marcos

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr is facing growing unrest from retired generals, with some veterans even urging active commanders to withdraw support for the president, according to multiple senior military sources.
At the centre of the discontent are two flashpoints: allegations that billions of Philippine pesos have been lost to fictitious flood-control projects and proposed pension changes that former officers say would leave them worse off than their civilian counterparts.
The…