Oceans play an essential role for life on earth by generating most of the oxygen we breathe, providing us with food, regulating our climate, cleaning the water we drink and delivering a variety of valuable ingredients for medicinal uses.However, humans are continuously threatening the oceans by carrying out destructive fishing practices, overfishing, creating pollution which in turn leads to coral bleaching and other impacts from climate change.

A deadly race to find hidden treasure, car chases and slick fight scenes drive the breakneck narrative of one of Myanmar's latest blockbusters, as a new generation of directors aim to revive the country's golden era of film.The Southeast Asian nation used to be a regional cinematic hub before the 1962-installed military junta suppressed creativity, imposed censorship and cut the country off from outside influences.Myanmar's opening up since 2011 has so far done little to propel

The World Bank estimates the global population to reach 8.5 billion by 2030 with two-thirds of this number living in cities.

Singapore has been ranked as the best country in the world for a child to live in for the second year in a row, by Save the Children.

Western countries must increasingly deal with hard to dispose of plastics because China and many Southeast Asian countries no longer want them.Incinerators or landfills are two quick fixes since Beijing shut the door in January 2018 to some types of foreign refuse, but specialists say longer term solutions should involve better recycling or better yet, less junk to start with.So far, the global recycling network has not managed to adapt as countries in Asia have given up trying to replace Chi

Dozens of steel cannons are fired by the villagers of a sleepy Malaysian hamlet for several hours into the night, carrying on a decades-old tradition celebrating the beginning of the Muslim holiday of Eid.The festival marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, with devotees in Malaysia celebrating with solemn prayer, music and feasting.For decades, the Malay-Muslim villagers of Kampung Talang, some 40 kilometres (25 miles) northwest of Ipoh in the northern state of Perak, have gree

Eco-conscious consumers are giving up meat and driving electric cars to do their part for the environment, but what about that plate of rice?Global rice farming, it turns out, could have the same detrimental effect on global warming in the short term as 1,200 average-sized coal power plants, according to the New York-based Environmental Defense Fund advocacy group.

Children in colourful outfits sing in a creole of Portuguese and Malay during a class in the historic Malaysian city of Malacca, part of efforts to stem the decline of the centuries-old language.The youngsters chant "bong atardi mestri" (good evening teacher) and work their way through songs including "Bunitu siara siorus" (Beautiful ladies and gentlemen) and "Gato do matu" (The jungle cat). Sara Santa Maria runs the weekly classes at her home to ensure

Over the click-clack of the teak loom, Niphon's family laments the lack of apprentice weavers at his Bangkok silk shop, as modernity lures young Muslims away from a trade their community has dominated for generations.They say they are the last of the Muslim weavers of Baan Krua, a storied neighbourhood of dilapidated wooden houses and a mosque in downtown Bangkok, nearly engulfed by the city creep of condos and skyscrapers."This is Muslim heritage...

The mounting plastic crisis is being met with the reactive waves of worldwide bans on single-use plastic bags and straws in many countries especially at supermarkets and food establishments. Every year there are eight million tons of plastic dumped into the ocean, with straws making up four percent of plastic trash.