(31/05)Presidential candidates in Indonesia are gearing up for feisty campaigning ahead of the July Presidential election. Contesting the election will be incumbent President Megawati Sukarnoputri; former security chief Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and former armed forces chief General Wiranto from the Golkar party. >>>

(28/05)Malaysia is staying the course with the merit-based university admission system it implemented in 2002. How do Malaysians feel about this? Yvonne Gomez finds out in this report. >>>

(27/05)After Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi's first six months in office, many Malaysians are wondering when the new premier will start delivering on his oft-touted reform agenda. On March 21, the 64-year-old Abdullah won the biggest election victory in Malaysian history largely on the back of promises of a more open and efficient government. >>>

(27/05)Top US officials have warned that the Al-Qaeda terror network may launch a new attack on the country. Attorney General John Ashcroft, citing credible intelligence sources, said that Al Qaeda may be targeting the attacks on several high profile events, including the Democratic and Republican conventions in the US. >>>

(27/05)Malaysian Premier Abdullah Ahmad Badawi arrives in Beijing today on his first non-Asean diplomatic foray. Emboldened by a surging economy and a huge victory in the polls, he chose to visit China ahead of the United States and Japan. >>>

(26/05)Delegates and policy makers from developing countries have joined forces to demand more financial assistance from richer nations to help the poor. The Global Conference on Scaling up Poverty Reduction was held today in China. >>>

(25/05)Top Thai security officials have opposed the government's plans to begin talks with a Muslim separatist leader. Deputy Prime Minister, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, said the move would only legitimise the underground group blamed for much of the continuing violence in Thailand's Muslim South. >>>

(25/05)In the first in a series of confidence-building speeches on Monday, US President George W. Bush outlined broad plans for Iraq’s return to sovereignty on June 30th. >>>

(25/05)What ails Singapore's tourism? Even with the best of intentions, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) cannot be effective on its own. It not only needs the travel trade behind it but, more importantly, the support of other government agencies. Tourism is about creating "wow" experiences and it requires a national effort. >>>

(24/05)Indonesians will directly vote for a president for the first time in July, but analysts have already gone on record to say that its unlikely that any candidate will achieve a clear majority. And if that is the case, this could lead to a run-off between the two top candidates in another round of voting in September. >>>

(24/05)As Singapore's top trading partner in 2003, Malaysia is a significant market for the Singaporean business community. A business delegation from Singapore is now in Malaysia to learn more about the Malaysian market. >>>

(24/05)More women in Iraq are taking on new roles, as security enforcers. In a country where women abide by the role of traditional home-makers, many women in Iraq are recruited by the Iraqi Civil Defense Corps, or ICDC, where they undergo basic weaponry training and first aid. >>>

(22/05)In Singapore, we think we add value, but very often, it is just busy work. Sometimes we feel like the proverbial prisoner shifting dirt mindlessly from one part of the prison compound to another. >>>

(20/05)In his inauguration speech today, Taiwanese President Chen Shui Bian called for Cross-Strait dialogue to resume. Mr Chen, who is serving his second term as Taiwan's President, also defended his controversial plans for changes in the country's constitution. >>>

(20/05)Indonesia has downgraded its martial law in Aceh province to a state of civilian emergency. The change returns control over the province to a civilian governor. This comes a year after Jakarta declared martial law in the region and launched an offensive against Free Aceh Movement or GAM separatist rebels. >>>

(19/05)Emotional supporters have implored Sonia Gandhi to become India's prime minister to no avail. Meanwhile, leaders of her Congress party have resigned to protest her surprise decision to turn down the post. >>>

(19/05)Indonesian presidential candidate Dr Amien Rais says that with globalisation, Indonesia risks being left behind economically by other nations. He adds that he supported a global market economy and privatisation. However if he is elected as president, he will hold Indonesia's national interest above anything else. >>>

(18/05)The assassination of the head of Iraq's Governing Council, Ezzedine Salim comes just six weeks before the planned handover of power to an Iraqi transitional government on June 30th. Despite this and continued unrest, the Bush administration will proceed with the handover. But is Iraq ready for a power transfer? >>>

(18/05)After a very brief respite, violence erupted again in southern Thailand last Sunday, when three Buddhist temples were bombed. In a separate incident, a policeman was fatally wounded in a shooting incident on Monday. Can the relevant authorities put a stop to all this violence? >>>

(14/05)US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, said during his brief visit to Iraq that he was willing to release new pictures detailing the abuse at the Abu Ghraib prison. The new images were previously shown to US lawmakers who expressed disgust and anger at what they saw. >>>

(13/05)The new socialist government in Spain has caved to the terrorist threats and withdrawn its troops from Iraq. So have Honduras and the Dominican Republic. They are unlikely to be the last. With the security situation expected to worsen before it improves, we have to accept that a few more countries - who do not appreciate how much the world has at stake in building a free Iraq -- will also cut and run. >>>

(13/05)Indian Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP-led coalition has been ousted from power. It conceded defeat after vote tallies showed the opposition Congress party gained far more than predicted. >>>

(13/05)At least seven U.S. Army military police guards are to face court martial over abuse of Iraqi prisoners as more gruesome images of US troops torturing captives are released to American lawmakers. But will putting the alleged abusers on trial be enough to appease the Iraqis and and the general public? >>>

(13/05)The latest survey of people over 65 shows that nine out of 10 live with their families and yet almost 43 per cent said they feel lonely. The flip side of that is that 57 per cent are not lonely. But old age does have a bad press and a depressing image. There are fearful realities reflected - and imposed - by that image. >>>

(12/05)A vote count in the Philippines will take weeks to confirm, but exit polls already show that incumbent, Gloria Arroyo, will win the presidential election. A poll by the reputable Social Weather Stations or SWS, showed Mrs Arroyo getting about 41 percent of the vote with her closest rival, film star, Fernando Poe Junior getting 32 percent. >>>

(12/05)Oil prices have been rising sharply. Just last week, prices hit 40 US dollars a barrel, the highest level reached in more than 13 years. As a result, jet fuel prices have also been affected and several airline companies have already introduced surcharges on its fares. >>>

(12/05)Is the world running out of oil? Yes and no, and it depends. If the answer smacks of deliberate ambiguity, it is because the facts and data are fudged. The issue is just about entering serious debate, thanks in large part to Royal/ Dutch Shell's shocking announcement on Jan 9 that it had 20 per cent less proven oil and gas reserves than it had declared. >>>

(11/05)A United Nations-backed court probing human rights abuses in East Timor has issued an arrest warrant against former Indonesian general, Wiranto. The arrest warrant accuses Mr Wiranto of holding command responsibility over Indonesian forces while they allegedly committed murder and other crimes against humanity in East Timor after the territory voted for independence in 1999. >>>

(11/05)Philippines President Gloria Arroyo is running a tight race in this year's presidential elections. An exit survey by a major polling firm shows Mrs Arroyo leading her rival, movie star Fernando Poe Jr, by 8 points in the Manila region. Would such a result give Arroyo a strong mandate to lead the country over the next 6 years? >>>

(11/05)What if the unthinkable - a coordinated terrorist attack at sea on several tankers and container ships that bottles up the Malacca Straits - did happen?Considering that the straits is a lifeline to the three littoral states - Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia - and the global economy, the consequences of such an attack would be chilling. >>>

(10/05)In a bid to resolve political disputes that had triggered violent public protests, Taiwan began the recount of the presidential election ballots today. Incumbent Chen Shui-Bian defeated opposition leader, Lien Chan by less than 30,000 votes in the March 20 presidential elections this year. >>>

(07/05)The Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome or SARS virus has been found in sweat glands and the intestines.That s according to the latest study results released by pathologists from the First Military Medical University in Guangzhou, China. >>>

(06/05)US credibility in the war in Iraq has taken another beating amid growing outrage over the abuse of Iraqi prisoners. The International Committee of the Red Cross said today that it had repeatedly urged the US to take corrective action at the Abu Ghraib prison. >>>

(05/05)The United States Senate has officially recognized Singapore's strong relations with the US today. Singapore's Prime Minister is on a visit to Washington, and today, he met key members of the Bush administration there. >>>

(04/05)Thailand has defended its handling of violence in the Muslim south and has rejected growing international calls for an investigation into the deaths of more than 100 militants. Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in his weekly radio address, said Thai authorities had done everything to exercise maximum restraint. >>>

(03/05)Israel's Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has failed to get the support of the ruling Likud party for withdrawing from the Gaza strip. Now that his "disengagement" plan has been rejected by his own political party, what will the consequences be for Sharon? >>>