World

US Court Strikes Down 75-Country Visa Pause, but Ruling Does Not Lift Laos Travel Ban

A US federal judge has struck down a Trump administration policy that paused immigrant visa processing for nationals of 75 countries, including Laos. The ruling, issued on 21 August by US District Judge Jeannette Vargas in Manhattan, found that the State Department had exceeded its legal authority by stopping consular...

Japanese Arrivals to Laos Jump 36 Percent Amid Renewed Tokyo Tourism Push

Laos welcomed 23,133 Japanese tourists in the first six months of 2026, a 36...

Prime Minister Calls for Tighter Oversight of Boten SEZ Amid Development Challenges

Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone has called for stronger management of the Boten Special Economic...

Laos-China Railway Trade Surges as Cross-Border Freight Hits New Highs

Trade along the Laos-China Railway continued to grow sharply in the first half of...

Van Crash in Thailand Kills Two Lao Nationals, Injuries 12

A passenger van carrying 14 Lao nationals crashed and caught fire in Thailand's Roi...

Lao Prime Minister Receives Japan’s Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun

The Japanese Emperor awarded Lao Prime Minister (PM) Sonexay Siphandone the Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun on 3 July, in...

Hong Kong Govt Proposes Limited Recognition of Same-Sex Couples’ Rights

By Holmes CHAN/AFP - The Hong Kong government said on 2 July it will propose legislation to recognize a limited set of rights for...

Hun Sen Calls for Halt to Thai Imports and Film Screenings Amid Renewed Tensions

Cambodia’s Senate President Hun Sen has called for an immediate suspension of the import of key strategic goods from Thailand and a complete halt...

‘Looking to the Next 70 Years’: US and Laos Celebrate Enduring Friendship

On 2 July, the United States Embassy in Laos hosted an Independence Day celebration at Crowne Plaza in Vientiane Capital. Held on the first...

Thailand Set for Another Acting PM After Cabinet Reshuffle

AFP - Thailand's king is scheduled on 3 July to swear in a new cabinet in a reshuffle that will see a third person...

Dalai Lama Says he Will Have Successor After his Death

By Tenzin WOEDEN/AFP - The exiled spiritual leader of Tibet confirmed on 2 July that he will have a successor when he dies, reassuring...