Update May, 22 2012 16:29:04
May, 11 2012 09:00:00
European voters are pushing back on the prescription of austerity as the solution to the debt crisis. With the election this week in France of Socialist Francois Hollande, set to become the nation's first left-wing president since Francois Mitterand left office in 1995, is the latest sign that voters are rejecting the rigors of austerity.
April, 13 2012 10:45:32
US-Afghan long-term co-operation vital
As American troops prepare to scale down operations in Afghanistan, the signing of a deal on nighttime military raids by the US and its allies has helped restore a modicum of trust between Washington and Kabul, but much more needs to be done to ensure lasting peace and security in the war-wracked central Asian country.
March, 30 2012 10:26:34
Left wing aims for comeback at Elysee
Next month, French voters will cast ballots for the nation's next president, in a close battle between incumbent centre-right candidate Nicholas Sarkozy and the Socialist standard bearer, Francois Hollande.
March, 16 2012 08:45:57
War no answer to Iranian nuke programme
Prospects remain gloomy for a diplomatic solution to the tense standoff between Iran and the West over Iran's nuclear energy programme, even as Israel continues to threaten to strike Iran's nuclear facilities.
March, 02 2012 09:48:00
Putin likely to have last laugh on Sunday
Nearly 109 million voters across Russia will head to the polls on Sunday to elect a president who will lead the country for the next six years, with most opinion polls predicting a strong victory for Prime Minister and former President Vladimir Putin.
February, 17 2012 09:26:26
Talks key to ending bloody Syrian conflict
Just three months after the death of Libyan leader Muamar Gadhafi, Syria, another Middle East country, is enduring political turmoil that has dragged on for months. According to Colonel Le The' Mau, a senior commentator with the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence's Military Strategy Institute, the situation in Syria is more perilous than civil war.
January, 13 2012 09:22:32
We all pay for Middle-East posturing
A series of showdowns between the West and Iran over its nuclear programme is darkening the already-gloomy picture in the Middle East. Pessimists predict a more stormy time ahead, with the worst scenario being war. If this happens, make no mistake, it will be a disaster not only for the countries involved, but also for the region and the whole world.
December, 30 2011 11:07:45
Iraqis left to puzzle over their future
The last US soldiers have left Iraq to return home for Christmas, marking an end to the nine-year war led by the United States.
December, 16 2011 10:01:48
Decade of free trade with US a success
This month marks the tenth anniversary of an event which intensely changed nation’s economy: the signing of a bilateral trade agreement between Viet Nam and the US.
November, 18 2011 09:25:43
SE Asia chases solar-power investment
Southeast Asian nations are looking to attract foreign investment in solar power to exploit the region's huge renewable energy potential.
November, 04 2011 10:25:10
Rising population poses global challenges
On October 31, the world's population reached 7 billion. This milestone gives rise to opportunities as well as great challenges.