As an informal coalition against terrorism in Syria began to build, a single act suddenly transforms the situation to benefit regime change and more chaos.

Far from Myanmar’s election last weekend being the end of a long struggle for democracy and development, it is only the beginning for all concerned.

Despite Britain’s role as the closest US ally, its leaders have surprised the world by surging forward in relations with a rising China.

Even in fighting a universal war against terrorism, major powers can still find occasion to compete at great cost to those caught between them.

President Xi Jinping’s first state visit to the United States may mean vastly improved China-US relations, with key agreements signed ahead to mark the occasion.

Many Western officials cannot fully understand a humanitarian crisis like today’s refugee exodus when they have lost sight of their own humanity.

NOVEMBER 2015 was supposed to be the promising near future for Myanmar. It would have been the month for the freest election since 1990.

After all the claims and recriminations over the Iran nuclear deal, it boils down to whether a country really wants to have a deal or not.

While the West is distracted in the Gulf region and Ukraine, moves are afoot in parts of Asia and Europe to empower emerging regions in the future.

The European Union remains the world’s most successful regional organisation, for now, even when Europe is experiencing possibly its worst twin crises.

SOUTH-EAST Asia still holds the promise of peace, stability and prosperity, but this familiar condition now requires an unfamiliar caution.

The litmus test of how governments and populations treat refugees and how Myanmar treats minority groups, is the pathetic plight of the Rohingya.