Introduction At the 20th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) last October, General Secretary Xi Jinping lauded the achievements of his anti-corruption campaign, reminding the audience that a total of 207,000 “top leaders” (一把手) at all levels had been investigated by the discipline... MORE

In March, Islamic State (IS)’s centralized media apparatus announced the selection of a new caliph, Abu al-Hassan al-Hashimi al-Quraysh, and IS provinces began disseminating photos and short videos to show pledges of allegiance to him (al-Furqan Media, March 10). The Islamic State in East Asia... MORE

Over the past two months, as the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has rapidly rolled back its strict zero-COVID epidemic prevention policy, COVID-19 has spread rapidly throughout the country. The combination of the PRC reopening its borders to outbound travel on January 8 and the... MORE

On July 19, 2022, the National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russian gas company Gazprom worth close to $40 billion. The deal was signed by the CEOs of both companies during a virtual ceremony on the same day that... MORE

As Rohingya refugee camps near the Naf river (which partially separates Bangladesh and Myanmar) become hubs for organized crime and militants, Bangladeshi authorities fear spillover effects for Bangladesh and for the region more broadly. Refugee camps have mushroomed along Bangladesh's southeastern border since August 2017... MORE

The End of an Era: Has JNIM Finally Superseded AQIM? On December 23, the Group for Supporters of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) released a video showing speeches about jihad by Abu Iyad al-Tunisi and Yahya Abu al-Humam when they were together in a hideout (Twitter... MORE

Introduction On the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo watched over a video livestream as the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway (HSR) sped through its first trial run between Tegalluar Station and Casting Yard No.... MORE

Ka Maria Malaya, whose real name is Myrna Sulatre, is one of the world’s most important female militant leaders and propagandists, but outside of the Philippines she is hardly known. She is often referred to as “Ka Oris’ wife,” as she is a recent widow... MORE

The Myanmar junta and the Rakhine nationalist Arakan Army (AA) have agreed on an informal ceasefire in Rakhine State (Mizzima, November 29). This truce, which came into effect at the end of November, occurred despite a sharp escalation in fighting in the months following the... MORE

Philippines Security Forces Halt Islamic State Attacks after Mindanao Bus Bombing On November 27, Philippine police conducted an operation at an Islamic State in Southeast Asia Province (ISEAP) hideout in Maguindanao, Mindanao and killed two ISEAP members (akhbaralaan.com, November 28). The operation served as a... MORE