As of 25 October, over 800,000 cases of the coronavirus disease have been reported across ASEAN, inching closer towards the 900,000 mark. The deadly virus has also taken some 21,000 lives in the region.

The disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic have emphasised the need to transform our economies and to restart economic growth by making it inclusive, green and fair.

No event since World War II’s (WWII) end has had as profound a global impact as COVID-19. The pandemic has triggered a public health and economic crisis on a scale unseen in generations and has exacerbated systemic problems such as inequality and great-power posturing.The only acceptable response to such a crisis is to pursue a “Great Reset” of our economies, politics, and societies.

Every year, the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s Executive Opinion Survey polls business leaders from around the world on their perceptions of top global risks.

The alarming spread of microplastics has become a problem that can no longer be ignored. Microplastics are plastics measuring five millimetres or smaller and are formed when larger pieces of plastic such as shopping bags or bottles disintegrate into smaller pieces.Due to their small size, the issue of microplastics might be seen as secondary to the “bigger” problem of plastic bags and other plastic goods which pollute the environment – but there is no escaping it.From our drinking wa

While consumers across ASEAN are excited about 5G’s promise of faster home broadband speeds and mobile internet connections, it is the technology’s low network latency and power consumption that offers a variety of opportunities for businesses.About 20 times faster than 4G, everything from instant high-definition movie streaming to cloud gaming will be less than seconds away once 5G is commercially available across the region in the next few years.

There is a great global misalignment: at the very moment cooperation is more vital than ever to address urgent challenges, it is in decline. In late June, referencing the fractured response to the COVID-19 crisis, United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned “there is total lack of coordination among countries.” Some have gone further, drawing on examples from history and comparing the global quest for a COVID-19 vaccine to the space race between the United

COVID-19 lockdowns may be gradually easing, but anxiety about the world’s social and economic prospects is only intensifying. There is good reason to worry: a sharp economic downturn has already begun, and we could be facing the worst depression since the 1930s.

While ASEAN is increasingly coordinating its efforts to reinforce regional cybersecurity, more needs to be done to address the constantly evolving threats.According to a recent World Economic Forum (WEF) report, one of the biggest concerns in regards to the current COVID-19 crisis is the increase in cyberattacks and data fraud. The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of a digital culture worldwide.