The Ministry of Foreign Affairs held an ASEAN flag raising ceremony in Hanoi on December 31 to celebrate the official formation of the ASEAN Community.

The Middle East continued to be a world hotspot in 2015. It has become a fierce battlefield, creating the worst migrant crisis in world history and igniting a global extremist Jihadist movement.

As Chair of ASEAN in 2016, Laos is exerting every effort to turn challenges from the year-end establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) into opportunities.

Malaysia has been successful in turning a new chapter in regional integration in 2015, the year it served as the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Guinea President Alpha Conde recently named mining executive Mamady Youla as prime minister as part of a strategy to revive the West African nation's ailing economy, the government announced.

A new message purporting to come from the leader of Islamic State said air strikes by Russia and a U.S.-led coalition had failed to weaken the group.

Thailand, one of the ten countries with the strongest competitiveness in Southeast Asia, is ready for both opportunities and challenges from the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), a Thai official has said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called on major businesses in the country to give proposals to promoting economic collaboration

The UN has approved a resolution outlining a ceasefire and peace process in Syria. It was tough to reach a comprehensive agreement to end the 5-year conflict that has killed 250,000 people

The European Union on December 21 extended its economic sanctions against Russia over the conflict in Ukraine until the end of next July, drawing a swift rebuke from the Russian economy minister.

Switzerland and the European Union (EU) are looking into an escape clause in bilateral economic accords that could let Berne curb admissions of EU workers in cases of severe economic and social disruption.

Lao President Choummaly Sayasone has recently signed a decree announcing the issuance of a new Constitution after its draft amendment was approved at the 10th session of the seventh National Assembly.

Armed clashes persisted on December 20 across Turkey's southeast, where an operation by Turkish forces intensified on the sixth day of a campaign that security sources said had resulted in the death of 110 Kurdish militants.

The Philippine Government has announced a 12-day truce with the New People’s Army (NPA) to ensure peaceful Christmas and New Year holidays

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha and his visiting Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen discussed measures to strengthen all-around ties between the two countries