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Anti-Chinese riots in May 1998 in Jakarta. Source: Wikimedia The tiny community of ethnic Chinese-Indonesians in Jakarta has vast influence and could be key to Indonesia's long-term relations with China itself.  Indonesia is largely impartial in the South China Sea dispute but as Asean's largest economy...

Manila could make more of its charms. Source: Pixabay The Philippines remains a relatively unattractive prospect for foreign investors, meaning it lags behind its Asean neighbours, according to the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) president Perry Pe. “We are so good at enticing foreign investors....

The authorities have been patrolling the internet. Source: Wikimedia The Thai junta is pushing ahead with several bills to tighten cybersecurity with activists fearing deeper online surveillance. The amendment of the Computer Crime Act raised concern over the vague definition of what constitutes "falsifying data", which...

Numerous Rohingya are fleeing to Bangladesh. Source: YouTube Myanmar's military has stepped up persecution of the Rohingya community in Rakhine State, with murders and extensive burning of villages being reported, a United Nations representative claims. Bangladesh's foreign ministry said it discouraged illegal border crossing but 32,000...

A Bersih protest last year. Source: Wikimedia Malaysia’s police have pledged to break up ongoing candlelit vigils demanding the release of Bersih movement’s Maria Chin Abdullah, who was demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Najib Razak. Inspector General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar said officers were...

Sea salt harvesting in Pak Thale, Phetchaburi, Thailand. The bulk of rural Thailand survives on a meagre income. Source: Wikimedia Thailand's junta has approved a one-time payout for low-income people in a desperate attempt to stimulate the kingdom's feeble growth.  Thais who make less than 30,000...

News coming from Rakhine State is tightly controlled. Source: YouTube More satellite pictures from Myanmar's troubled Rakhine State reveal mass destruction in ethnic Rohingya villages, according to Human Rights Watch, which is calling for a UN probe. The pictures show that between November 10 and 18,...

Coherent Donald Trump policies are yet to materialise. Source: Wikimedia Making predictions about the next few years became more challenging this month, especially as many of those tasked with doing it wrote off Donald Trump's chances of winning the US election.  But one likely winner from...

The size on the rally was disputed. Source: YouTube In Malaysia, thousands of protesters taken to the streets of Kuala Lumpur against the government of Prime Minister Najib Razak, who is fighting corruption allegations linked to the troubled state 1MDB fund. Spokesperson Wong Chin Huat for...

The Battle of the Java Sea. HMS Exeter under attack. Source: Wikimedia Three Dutch Second World War ships considered war graves have disappeared from the bottom of the Java Sea, the Netherlands' defence ministry has announced. The Guardian said three British vessels had also disappeared. It...