Sihanoukville used to be a sleepy coastal town in south Cambodia. Its beaches were known for their quiet, cosy – albeit a little seedy – atmosphere that attracted mostly families, individual travellers, and backpackers. Aside from the on-goings of tourists and those connected with the country’s sole deep-water port, nothing much changed.

As Malaysia continues along an unfamiliar path – having only tasted rule under one party for over six decades – the new Alliance of Hope (Pakatan Harapan) government headed by Prime Minister, Dr Mahathir Mohamed must be careful to not repeat the mistakes of the previous administration.Since assuming office, Malaysia’s new government has wasted no time in admonishing its predecessor for incompetence whilst it held the reins of executive power in the country.

Two journalists were freed from jail in Cambodia on Tuesday, a day after a prominent land rights activist was pardoned, as the government loosens its grip on dissenters in the wake of a flawed election victory last month.Cambodia's king pardoned land campaigner Tep Vanny late Monday at the request of strongman prime minister Hun Sen, days after he officially extended his 33-year grip on power.And on Tuesday, two journalists who had worked for the US-backed broadcaster Radio Free Asia (RF

China’s economic credentials paint a picture of a flourishing capitalist state – but the world is well aware that it is a socialist republic with a command economy governed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Its success story thus far has depended on who helms the CCP – Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping and Hu Jintao - are among the few who have led the nation to where it is today. In 2012, the country saw the rise of another leader – Xi Jinping.

China on Saturday called Donald Trump "irresponsible" after the United States (US) president cancelled his top diplomat's trip to North Korea and suggested Beijing was stalling efforts to disarm Pyongyang.US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was due to make his fourth visit to the reclusive state next week for what he described as the next step towards the "final, fully verified denuclearisation of North Korea".But Trump - facing a slew of domestic problems and independe

With a repatriation plan in tatters and funding evaporating for a million refugees with ever-growing needs, Rohingya Muslims who fled Myanmar to Bangladesh face a grim future one year after the latest eruption of a decades-old conflict.Raids by Rohingya militants on 25 August last year across Myanmar's Rakhine state spurred an army crackdown which the United Nations (UN) has likened to "ethnic cleansing".Around 700,000 of the Muslim minority fled by foot or boat to Bangladesh,

The Gandhi Memorial ASEAN Debate Competition 2018, organised by Kuala Lumpur based Gandhi Memorial Trust (GMT) is slated to kick off on 1 October in conjunction with the 148th birthday of international historical icon, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi – more commonly known as Mahatma Gandhi.The two-day competition will begin on 1 October at the Asian International Arbitration Centre in Kuala Lumpur with the Grand Finals taking place on 2 October 2018.

Last week, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte once again made headlines after claiming that he is willing to quit if the son of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos succeeds in becoming vice president and his constitutional successor.According to Duterte’s spokesperson, Harry Roque, the president has expressed a “real, genuine wish to step down” if a qualified leader like Ferdinand Marcos Jr was able to replace him. This is not the first time Duterte has spoken about quitting.

Is Rodrigo Duterte’s love affair with China coming to end?The Philippine president has twice lashed out at his nation’s largest trading partner in the past week, urging China to “rethink” and “temper its behaviour” in the disputed South China Sea.

Last week, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released data showing that over 41,000 children and adults in Europe have been infected with measles in the first six months of 2018, resulting in 37 deaths. Ukraine, plagued by conflict between the eastern secessionist territories and the Kiev government, has been the hardest hit with over 23,000 people affected.