Three ministers have been replaced by Laos’ National Assembly with officials closely connected to new Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, with the removed ministers appointed as provincial governors instead. 

Santiphab Phonvihane, the son of a for…

Myanmar’s top military leaders dropped hints on Tuesday, the eve of the second anniversary of their overthrow of the civilian government, that they may extend emergency rule, declaring an “extraordinary situation” in light of ongoing resistance to junt…

Russia’s Justice Ministry has included the spiritual head of Russia’s Kalmyk Buddhists and envoy of the Dalai Lama to Russia on a list of foreign agents after he criticized Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The move comes as Moscow cracks down on dissent o…

Myanmar has fallen 17 places in Transparency International’s latest Corruption Perceptions Index, supplanting Cambodia as Southeast Asia’s worst country for graft for the first time in a decade.
The junta-led nation is now ahead of only North Korea in …

In Brief
Chinese netizens and state media claim that low savings rates and rising credit card debt indicate the U.S. is on the brink of a major financial crisis. 
On Jan. 20, Guyan Muchan（孤烟暮蝉), an ardent Chinese nationalist and influential intern…

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that China’s COVID-19 death figures are likely to be “much higher” than its government is saying, a view that is backed up by anecdotal evidence and sources on the ground.

“The mome…