PHUKETWAN recognises the importance of Asean with the Economic Community approaching and marks what's happening around the region with a column, Asean Today, that will cease when Phuketwan closes on December 31.



reuters Myanmar's military released 53 children and young people from service as part of an effort to rid its ranks of underage soldiers, the United Nations said.



marieclaire.co.uk As part of Thailand's LGBTQ subculture of 'tomboys,' Jump, 46, identifies as female, but consciously expresses herself as a heterosexual man - dating an ultra-feminine woman known as a 'dee' (derived from 'lady'), and adopting stereotypically alpha-male behaviors. In this case, that means dressing 'like a man,' standing 'like a man,' talking 'like a man' and even protecting her girlfriend, Kelly, like one too.



reuters The Philippines wrapped up a week of arguments before judges in its case against China over the hotly disputed South China Sea, at a hearing boycotted by Beijing. The Philippines has asked the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to affirm its right to areas within 200 nautical miles of its coastline, under the terms of a UN convention.



khmertimeskh.com Chinese Investors from Sichuan Province in Western China are seeking out investment opportunities in Cambodia, a senior official from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Sichuan Council said. Investment would be focused on infrastructure to deal with urbanisation, agro-industry and light industry.



huffingtonpost.com Vietnam cuisine is diverse, abundant and attractive to international tourists, however there are some dishes that frighten tourists such as Trung Vit Lon (Duck embryos), Duong Dua (Coconut worms), snake wine and crispy fried insects.



reuters Almost 100 people were rescued when a ferry sailing toward Singapore from the Indonesian island of Batam hit a floating object and reportedly started to sink, authorities in the city-state said.



straitstimes.com Michelin is collaborating with the Singapore Tourism Board and Robert Parker Wine Advocate to put out the Singapore edition of the Michelin Guide in the second half of 2016.



spacenews.com The November 21 launch of LaoSat-1 highlights three trends changing the global satellite telecommunications market: China's response to US technology-transfer restrictions, the multiplication of emerging-market satellite programs, and the willingness of international regulators to facilitate new satellite systems by relaxing the rules for poor nations.



bbc.com A former Malaysian diplomat in New Zealand has pleaded guilty to indecently assaulting a woman in Wellington last year. Prosecutors said Muhammad Rizalman bin Ismail entered a woman's flat, removed his trousers and underwear, and went into her bedroom.



usatoday.com The United States will begin screening passengers entering under a visa waiver based on any past travel to a country known as a terrorist safe haven, the Obama administration announced. The new policy was one of several changes announced to the visa waiver program in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris.