Dutch King Willem-Alexander has undergone a remarkable transformation from his image as a boozing Casanova, ill-equipped for the throne, to a serious family man well-loved by his people.

Prime Minister Najib Razak has walked a tightrope between voters demanding change and hardliners resisting reform in Malaysia's decades-old regime, a balancing act that will be tested in elections Sunday.

The young woman pours a pack of brown powder into a glass of hot water, stirs it well and drinks the murky mixture down, hoping the traditional Chinese medicine will cure her feverish cold.

Cast into the political wilderness 15 years ago by Malaysia's regime, Anwar Ibrahim faces his best and possibly last shot at vengeance in climactic elections on Sunday.

When Malaysian voters cast ballots in Sunday's general election it will be the first time in the country's history that they do so without knowing the eventual winner.

With its gay bars and same-sex couples publicly displaying affection, the Tanjong Pagar district offers a glimpse of a Singapore whose outlook contrasts with its more conservative image.

His frail body is ravaged by cancer and age, his wife and son are in a Chinese prison and Yao Baohua is awaiting trial himself, but he is still determined to fight for his house and land.

It seems nothing is too big for Switzerland's watch industry, whose vast annual Baselworld trade fair is a touchstone for the health of a sector which has bucked the downbeat global economy.

Six months ago, Jane Adhiambo Achieng walked into a local Kenyan bank with the hope of getting a loan for her small grocery business.

As potentially game-changing as the steam engine or telegraph were in their day, 3D printing could herald a new industrial revolution, experts say.