Thailand has sentenced two more opposition figures to hefty prison terms for insulting the monarchy, though both were released on bail pending appeal, in an apparent break from recent practice. buff.ly/3Rqpc3t

China’s vision for the Asian security order has a strong emphasis on cooperative security, but despite new initiatives, Beijing is not quite sure how to make it happen. buff.ly/3wtncjG

How North Korea has infiltrated its IT workers into contractors and subcontractors serving the United States’ largest and most profitable companies. buff.ly/4dLtyLT

Locally made horror films have topped the box office in Indonesia. Can they conquer the international market? buff.ly/4dNsE1n

Bilateral contacts between Germany and the nations of Central Asia have intensified considerably since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but many challenges remain. buff.ly/4bzShRJ

The gas industry in Australia and across Asia needs to face the music being played by major economies and governments worldwide. buff.ly/3UVzhGj

Growing Chinese assertiveness in the East and South China seas has forced Japan and the Philippines to reorient their defense strategies. buff.ly/3QO6jqJ

Like much else, Myanmar’s normally raucous Thingyan new year festivities have become a political battleground since the 2021 coup. buff.ly/44Zu3Os

Vietnam's powerful public security minister has been boosted into the ranks of the country’s top leaders. Will the promotion come back to haunt him? buff.ly/3yy7xjz

The U.N.’s human rights office says that tens of thousands of Rohingya have been forcibly displaced in western #Myanmar , in what one expert described as a “hate-driven unnatural disaster.” buff.ly/3ViHR3a

As geopolitical tensions grow, Jakarta is seeking to insulate its military, and its economy, from possible Western pressure. buff.ly/3QOB3I4

The violent unrest in New Caledonia is alarming. Sadly, the island territory is no stranger to violence. buff.ly/4bve4u6

Kashmiris are voting in larger numbers than in the past, and seem determined to defeat the allegedly BJP-backed Apni Party and People’s Conference. buff.ly/3yFrPrf

Like it or not, the semiconductor industry is globalized. Washington’s strategy must reflect this reality by elevating coordination with democratic partners. buff.ly/3yB1quY

Chiang Min-yen, a non-resident fellow at the Taiwan Economic Democracy Union joins The Diplomat’s Shannon Tiezzi to discuss the protests against the proposed legislative reforms in Taiwan, the China factor, and what comes next. buff.ly/4bwYUo9

The arrest of four Sri Lankan ISIS operatives in India underscores the persisting threat posed by Islamist extremism in the country. buff.ly/4dZKoqn

The Philippine Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri has quit his post, reportedly for opposing a proposal to amend the Philippine Constitution. buff.ly/4dZKkXF

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will visit Cambodia early next month in a bid to engage the country’s new-look leadership, amid concerns about its heavy reliance on China. buff.ly/4bF2Z9W

Bilateral contacts between Berlin and the region have intensified considerably since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but many challenges remain. buff.ly/4bzShRJ

Poor legislation can have profound consequences in any country, but the stakes are even higher in Taiwan, in the light of the PRC’s attempts to undermine its democracy. buff.ly/3wH2cpJ