[OPINION] Expanding armies, shrinking peace: Militarization in Southeast Asia

• DeepSeek released Logic 2 in January 2025, causing U.S. tech stocks to lose approximately one trillion dollars in value. • China is leveraging open-weighting, or sharing the internal parameters of AI models, through the 29-country World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization and 5,000 training slots for developing nations.

• The United Nations appointed Kenya’s Martin Kimani as the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, replacing Ghana’s Martha Pobee. • Kimani will lead political and peace operations across the continent, focusing on preventive diplomacy and mediation to resolve conflicts before they escalate.

• The conflict between the US and Iran is colliding with Yemen's long-term civil war, forcing more residents to flee their homes. • Economic collapse is compounding the hardship for millions of people already affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis.

• A new UN Global Risk Report identifies the threat of a large-scale war as the top global fear among experts. • The report notes that this risk has shifted from a distant hypothetical to the primary concern in just two years.

• The UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Tuesday to address rising violence in Yemen and threats to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait shipping route. • UN agencies reported that nearly 100,000 people have been displaced since fighting intensified earlier this month, with thousands fleeing to Djibouti.

• The UN Secretary-General and the UN Mission in Libya welcomed the House of Representatives' endorsement of the Smaller Convening Agreement signed on August 30. • This endorsement serves as a formal step toward resolving the current political deadlock within the country.

• Saudi Arabia is struggling to balance military deterrence and diplomacy as conflict escalates with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. • The kingdom faces increasing security and economic pressures resulting from the ongoing instability in its neighboring country.

• The United Nations appointed diplomat Martin Kimani as the Assistant Secretary-General for Africa to oversee political and peace operations across the continent. • Kimani will lead efforts to resolve conflicts through preventive diplomacy, mediation, and early warning analysis to address crises before they escalate.

• Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned an alleged drone attack attempt on Mecca and praised Saudi armed forces for stopping the strike. • The Prime Minister described the attempted attack by Yemen's Houthis as "dastardly and heinous."

• A Saudi-led coalition promised to respond firmly to recent Houthi strikes targeting urban areas within Saudi Arabia. • The coalition issued this warning following attacks launched by Houthi forces against populated centers.

Ivan Jennings, 46, sentenced to five years after pleading guilty to encouraging terrorism on social mediaA rightwing extremist who discussed poisoning Jews and Muslims and called for the killing of migrants and minority communities has been jailed.Ivan Jennings, 46, called for the murder of hundreds of people he labelled “subhumans”, saying it was “justified and actually needed”, in extreme far-right groups over a period of three months in 2024. Continue reading...