ASEAN

Bear Paws, Pangolin Meat Seized in Vientiane Restaurant Raid Amid Laos’ Wider Crackdown

Lao authorities have stepped up their crackdown on illegal wildlife trade after raiding a Chinese-owned restaurant in central Vientiane, one of several wildlife enforcement operations carried out this year. On 18 May, officers from the Law Enforcement Network for Aquatic Animals, Wildlife and Forestry (LAO-WEN) inspected a restaurant in Chommany...

Bangkok Bar Fire Kills 27, Leaves Dozens Critically Injured

A fire late on Sunday night at a packed pub in Bangkok has killed...

Vietnam, Philippines Reach Upper-Middle-Income Status as Laos Eyes 2035 Target

Vietnam and the Philippines have been reclassified as upper-middle-income economies by the World Bank,...

Lao Deputy PM Holds Talks in Myanmar to Deepen Bilateral Ties

Laos and Myanmar are moving to expand bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors following an...

At Least 19 Dead After 7.8-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Southern Philippines

A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Mindanao in the southern Philippines...

Trial of Vehicle Segregation Proves Chaotic in Hanoi

Three days in, the trial of vehicle segregation on Hanoi streets has failed to calm traffic.  VN Express reports that the pilot program, which restricts...

ASEAN Bans Myanmar Military Leadership from Meetings for Inaction On Peace Plan

Myanmar’s junta Generals will be barred from ASEAN meetings until progress is made on the agreed-upon “Five-Point Consensus” for peace. Al Jazeera reports that the...

Russian Orthodox Church to be Opened in Yangon, Myanmar 

On Wednesday, the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry announced plans to “create a parish of the Russian Orthodox Church of Exarchate of Southeast...

ASEAN Ministers Urge Restraint Amid Taiwan Tensions

Foreign ministers from Southeast Asia have urged restraint as China conducted large military exercises off Taiwan, expressing concern that the situation could escalate into...

Police Officer in Vietnam Steals Gold, Gives It Away

A uniformed police officer in central Vietnam allegedly robbed a gold shop, then threw the expensive stolen items into the street, saying they were...

Lack of Birthplace Makes New Vietnamese Passport Ineligible for Visas in Germany, Spain

Vietnam’s new passports lack information regarding holders’ birthplaces, causing Germany and Spain to deny them visas, although embassies are working to find solutions to...