Blast rocks J.W. Marriott Hotel in Jakarta Indonesia

Jakarta's J.W. Marriott hotel was the scene of an explosion today, just as Indonesia and the Indonesian economy was recovering from the Bali incident and leaders receiving praise for their fight against terrorism.

Strange Sunday in Makati

There’s an eerie parallel with today's military rebellion in the Philippines with the Cory years - a female leader swept into office by People Power swears to clean up corruption, but somehow never quite delivers and things just get more and more crooked. Bottom line - nobody's delivering pizza in Makati, Manila's financial district, tonight...

Iraq: The view from Washington - Washington Square that is - Bangkok Thailand

The view on the Iraq war from Washington - Washington Square that is - Bangkok Thailand - is at once predictable and surprising. There is much agreement on the 'need' or 'justification' for the US triggering a war with Iraq that many thought unnecessary for example. After all many regulars here have suffered from risking their lives and seeing mates lost in the cause of 'freedom' and 'democracy'.

Bali Blasted: Terrorism Goes Local

The political, economic, and business implications of last night's terrorist bombings in Bali are significant enough. But what we have been warned many times has come true. South East Asian targets have finally been hit, and in a way shocking enough to get worldwide attention. The terrorists have come home...

Clarence Henderson on Yanks and Beauty in Manila

If you are in the Philippines Sunday night, catch Pearl of the Orient Seas columnist Clarence Henderson on the idiot box on the impact of American colonialism on the Filipino psyche, and how to beautify Manila... Now there's a hoary issue and an impossible dream if ever there were....

Google disappears from Chinese screens

The predominant search engine on the web today - Google - has disappeared from the screens of many Chinese users. First noticed by discussion board participants on the leading Webmaster site - Webmasterworld.com, the phenomena has been picked up by Reuters and other mainstream newsagencies.

The Electronic Intifada - human stories direct from Palestine

Looking for human first person accounts from the tragedy that is the Middle East conflict between Israel and Palestine? One place to start is the Electronic Intifada.

Tommy Soeharto Trial to test Indonesian Justice System

The significance of the Tommy Suharto (Soeharto) murder case which started on Tuesday goes far beyond the fate of one Indonesian, but is a major test of the Indonesian justice system. Follow developments in the Tommy Soeharto trial here...

Dow Jones apologises to Thailand - but attacks Thaksin

We're so sorry says the FEER - and the article Thailand's political elite do not want you to read...

Recovery revisited: Asian stock markets surge through records

Following the substantial US market up-tick on Friday, together with optimism on tech industries and manufacturing, Asian stocks surged through critical levels today.

Malaysia blocks distribution of international news magazines

Malaysia is taking some of the heat off Thailand as it competes for column space by banning several news magazines for their 'war on terrorism' focus

FEER scribes given the boot outta Thailand

Late last week, the rumour circulated around the Bangkok journalists club that four Far East Economic Review journo's were on the immigration coppers 'undesirable foreigners' list. Today two got booted out...

US ISPs cut off Asian email

Email originating from Asia is being blocked by some US ISPs in a scattergun attempt to reduce spam. If the trend continues, the credibility of the Internet as a medium of business communication is at risk.

Enron and China

Some interesting reaction to Enron news from a Chinese population moving fast to embrace private ownership and all the implications of it.

Like Tommy and Duangchalerm, Ken Lay goes AWOL

First there was Tommy in Indonesia, then there was Duangchalerm in Thailand. Fugitives disappearing from sight on the run from a world closing around them.

Ken Lay sends his apologies to the World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum (WEF), forum for global capitalists, politicians and the well-connected has held it's annual gabfest at Davos, Switzerland for the past 30 years. This year, due to security concerns, it is being held, paradoxically, in New York.

South East Asia confronts Islam militancy

Malaysia has been arresting suspected Islam extremists, holding many under the ISA, for several years. While many were suspicious that another political agenda to keep the ruling Barisan Nasional UMNO dominated regime in power was in the forefront, the attack on the US has quickly made this an international issue.