Kalinga Seneviratne

Despite being rich, common issues linger. The average citizen complains that housing, cars and education are all too expensive.

The cancellation of Lady Gaga’s Jakarta concert reignites the debate between the hardcore Islamic groups and the moderates.

Access to the Internet allowed urban voters to obtain information, and spawned text-messages as well as dissemination of news via email and DVDs.

They share the same Malay cultural roots and the Islamic religion, but the shoddy treatment of Indonesian workers in Malaysia has soured relations between the neighbours.

NAM Kuala Lumpur has ended and o­ne big worry for many of its presidents and prime ministers was how to fight what they see as a new form of colonialism in the age of globalisation.

The 13 ^th NAM summit draws to an end with leaders calling for a multilateral approach to the Iraq crisis and a stop to the human rights violations in Palestine.

Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee re-ignites the campaign for a 'Tobin Tax' o­n international capital flows, after calling o­n NAM countries to lead in reforming the international financial architecture.

In Singapore's competitive and high-cost environment, who wants to produce more children. Any wonder why so few are taking note of government programmes to curb the nation's low birth rates.

It is an anti-war movie. This first Vietnamese-Singaporean co-production gives a refreshing new, human perspective on the Vietnam War told through the real-life stories of the Vietcongs who survived.

Australia's self-designated role as America's regional sheriff in the fight against terrorism has widened the gulf between Canberra and Southeast Asian countries wary of a 'white enclave' in their backyard.

Muslims in the US faced the backlash of Sept 11. After the Bali bombing, their brethren in Australia find themselves in a similar predicament of mourning and being blamed simultaneously for the attacks.

Tobacco giant Philip Morris's offer to fund an anti-smoking kit for Aboriginal students in Australia is being ridiculed by anti-smoking groups as akin to the Mafia putting a wad of cash in the church donation box on Sundays.