Philippines reduces rice import tax to 15%

Myanmar exported more than 2.48 million tonnes of rice and broken rice in the 2024–2025 fiscal year.

The cable-stayed Laos – Thailand friendship bridge No.5 spans 1,350 metres over the Mekong River, connecting Thailand’s Beungkan province and Laos’ Bolikhamsai province.

Eid al-Adha (the festival of sacrifice) is one of the two biggest Islamic holidays, alongside Eid al-Fitr (the end of Ramadan).

As Vietnam and China celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties and the Year of China-Vietnam Humanistic Exchange in 2025, the international railway service has become a new conduit for cultural exchange and mutual understanding between the two peoples.

The agreement eases restrictions on the movement of personnel between the two nations' forces to facilitate joint drills and disaster relief operations, making the Philippines Japan's third RAA partner after Australia and the UK.

Priority should be given to capacity building, preparedness, risk mitigation, and improving the effectiveness of civil-military coordination in humanitarian assistance.

With the theme “Regional Cooperation for Joint Advancement”, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) 2025 Local Governments and Friendship Cities Cooperation (Huangshan) Forum is set to enhance understanding, substantive and effective cooperation in all areas, from economy and trade to cultural exchange among RCEP member countries.

Deputy DDC Director-General Dr. Anek Mungomklang added that 84% of motorcyclists hospitalised between 2020 and 2024 were not wearing helmets at the time of the accident. He emphasised that the number of motorcyclists not wearing helmets was eight times higher than those who did.

Police spokesperson Krishna Murti revealed that international drug syndicates have been recruiting drug couriers in Indonesia, particularly in large cities and vulnerable areas.

The programme aims to stabilise livelihoods and mitigate the effects of inflation, with an estimated 360 tonnes of rice to be distributed under the plan.

The OECD expected domestic demand in Indonesia to recover in the second half, supported by easier financial conditions, contained inflation, and investments from Danantara, Indonesia’s newly established sovereign wealth fund.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said that such a housing development concept will not only provide more strategic residences for low-income groups but also pave the way for a more sustainable and organised urban lifestyle.

As there are indications of a decline in genetic variety among Javan rhinos in the wild, the translocation is expected to help prevent inbreeding and strengthen the genetic resilience of the population.

Announcing at the annual major tourism trade fair, known as Thailand Travel Mart Plus or TTM+, TAT Deputy Governor for Marketing Communications Nithee Seeprae noted that the strategy will introduce a wide range of immersive tourism products to encourage longer stays and deeper cultural engagement.

On renewable energy, Singapore and the Philippines agreed to deepen both bilateral and regional cooperation, and to accelerate efforts towards realising the ASEAN power grid, a plan to connect the electricity networks of the group’s 10 member countries to enable cross-border power trading by 2045.

The stimulus package not only focuses on tourism projects but also includes improvements to infrastructure at tourist attractions.

The IM is a key document in the accession process, containing an independent assessment of the alignment between national regulations, standards, and practices with OECD norms and standards.

In early 2025, the Lao economy showed signs of recovery amid many challenges and fluctuations in the global economy. In the first quarter of this year, the Lao economy achieved a growth rate of 4.5%. According to the latest report of the Government in May, the country's inflation rate decreased significantly to 8.3% in the month.

Its goal is to upgrade hospitals in border provinces into specialised healthcare centres to improve access to medical treatment, reduce the need for patients to travel to major cities, and help lower mortality rates.

Singaporean Minister for Digital Development and Information Josephine Teo noted that Singapore and China will support their companies in seizing new opportunities in the emerging sectors of digitalisation and sustainability.