ASEAN Activists Warn of Shrinking Freedoms, Urge Regional Action

Kuala Lumpur – Hundreds of Southeast Asian civil society groups on Wednesday called for stronger regional unity to defend democracy, human rights and freedoms, warning of rising authoritarianism across the region. More than 200 groups from across...

Intra-ASEAN Air Travel grew from 37% in 2019 to 45% in 2024

Travel within ASEAN countries accounts for the largest share of international arrivals into the region, growing from 37% in 2019 to 45% in 2024. With the ever-increasing uncertainty of geopolitics and the economic outlook, this dependence on...

ICJ Climate Change Advisory Opinion: Peoples and Individuals as Obligees

In July 2025, the International Court of Justice issued its landmark advisory opinion on climate change that is ground-breaking in many respects. Among them is the Court’s affirmation that environmental protection is a condition for the enjoyment...

Gen Z protests: Why are Asia's youth so angry?

Over the past two months, Gen Z-led demonstrations have convulsed parts of South and Southeast Asia — from Kathmandu to Jakarta, from Dili to Manila. While Nepalese demonstrations brought down the country's government, the most recent youth-led...

E. Timor hopes ASEAN membership leads to more Japanese investment

DILI - East Timor President Jose Ramos-Horta has expressed hope for more Japanese investment after his country's accession to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at a summit in Malaysia later this month. Ramos-Horta said in an interview...

Visa-free destinations for Pakistani nationals in 2025

Pakistani passport has fallen several places in latest Henley Passport Index, now ranking 103rd globally The Pakistani passport has slipped in global rankings, but citizens can still travel visa-free to more than 30 destinations across the world,...

Gen-Z unplugged: How the youngest generation's anger is changing the world

After weeks of violent Gen-Z protests over the government’s failure to provide basic needs, Madagascar on October 14 saw the fall of President Andry Rajoelina, who was first impeached and then ousted by the military. This marked the latest in a...

Sahrawi cause receives further strong support during UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee discussions

New York (United Nations), October 14, 2025 (SPS) – The Sahrawi cause received renewed and stronger support during the discussions of the United Nations General Assembly’s Special Political and Decolonization Committee (Fourth Committee), where...

Elizabeth Shackelford: Gen Z-led protests are spreading rapidly across the globe

Around the world, Gen Z is leading a wave of anti-government protests. It is the most significant spike in global dissent since the Arab Spring 15 years ago, with a geographic reach already to four continents. Though the proximate cause of...

Nickel mining threatens Raja Ampat ecosystems, communities & conservation: Report

A new environmental report warns that expanding nickel mining is placing Raja Ampat’s coral reefs, forests and Indigenous communities under intensifying threat. Using geospatial mapping and field evidence, researchers document how mining...

AACB 2025 Boosts Malaysia’s Craft Industry Global Reach

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- The ASEAN Arts & Crafts Bazaar 2025 (AACB 2025), currently taking place at Kompleks Kraf here, is a significant initiative to strengthen efforts to internationalise Malaysia’s craft industry on the global stage....

Mapped: Life Expectancy Around the World in 2025

See more visualizations like this on the Voronoi app. Use This Visualization Mapped: Life Expectancy Around the World (2025) This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible...

As pain and unanswered questions linger, a plea to ‘remember the Balibo Five forever’

Save Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text size Luis Pereira’s breath catches in his throat, and he blinks back tears as he sits on his front...

Vietnam vows to boost ASEAN sports cooperation at AMMS-8

Hanoi (VNA) - Vietnam pledges to work with other ASEAN member states and partners to realise shared goals, making sports a source of pride for the ASEAN Community and contributing to building a peaceful, prosperous and cohesive region, said Deputy...

PH drops to 79th place in global passport ranking

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine passport dropped to 79th place in the 2025 Henley Passport Index (HPI), six slots lower from last year's 73rd ranking The Philippines tied with Sierra Leone for the 79th place out of 199 passports reviewed for...

Colombo Declaration unites South-East Asia for healthy ageing

By Divya Thotawatte WHO South-East Asia Regional Office Officer-in-Charge Dr. Catharina Boehme Health and Mass Media Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa Health and Mass Media Ministry Secretary Dr. Anil Jasinghe Uniting around the goal of promoting...

Asean to have 11 members

SERI ISKANDAR: Timor-Leste will officially become a full member of Asean on Oct 26, says Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. He said Malaysia, through the Foreign Ministry, had been working actively to ensure Timor-Leste’s permanent inclusion...

‘One year it could be bushfires and another year flood’ – what drew architect James Davidson to “unsexy” resilience work

Architect James Davidson managed the restoration of the Lamb House, now known as Home, cited as nationally significant by the Australian Institute of Architects. It was part of his radical switch from doing high end work for rich clients to...

Flawed ASEAN Needs to Regain Its Footing

Nearly six decades after its founding, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) finds itself back where it began—divided, uncertain and vulnerable to the influence of major powers. Once hailed as a model for regional cooperation in the...

Top visa-free destinations for Pakistanis: Updated list

Barbados Burundi Cambodia Cape Verde Islands Comoro Islands Cook Islands Djibouti Dominica Guinea-Bissau Haiti Kenya Madagascar Maldives Micronesia Montserrat Mozambique Nepal Niue Palau Islands Qatar Rwanda Samoa Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone...