THE Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has a term for operations that backfire: blowback.

AS if on schedule, US missiles backed by British and French forces attacked Syria yesterday, one year and a week after similar Cruise missiles hit targets in Syria.

When even Asean leaders fail to understand its history, purpose and character, something must be seriously wrong.

Suddenly, and most unexpectedly, Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un have agreed to sit down to talk with each other, sending everyone else speculating over everything.

From the colonial era to the Cold War period to the present, some old, outdated attitudes that are divisive, harmful and regressive still linger.

Many countries can do a lot better than look to the rich and powerful among them which observe only the law of the jungle.

After more than four decades, the World Economic Forum has been established as an institution and like an entrenched institution it has begun to creak uncomfortably.

The world looks more confusing today because of growing democracy among nations, with power shared more widely instead of being concentrated in one or two hyper-powerful countries.

Asean will continue to be important for South-East Asia, at least for as long as countries in this region remain beset with old challenges – as new ones emerge.

Despite early speculation over China’s new leadership lineup, the reasonable result still surprised many.

ROBERT Mugabe’s dramatic fall from grace as Zimbabwe’s strongman is only part of a vast, unfolding tapestry.

ROBERT Mugabe’s dramatic fall from grace as Zimbabwe’s strongman is only part of a vast, unfolding tapestry.