ASEAN and the world

An earthquake measuring 5.3 on the Richter scale hit Japan's Ibaraki prefecture, the weather agency said.

The Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum has issued a law to establish a library, worth USD270 million with two million e-books, making it the world's largest electronic collection, UAE state news agency WAM reports.

Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan on November 18th revealed a joint plan with Malaysia to build a fence wall along their borders.

(CPV) - ADB has approved a USD40 million loan and a USD600,000 technical assistance grant to help strengthen Cambodia’s financial sector and promote financial inclusion within the country’s unbanked population.

Japan's Prime Minister has become the first foreign leader to meet US President-elect Donald Trump after his stunning victory over Hillary Clinton.

On November 16th, Thai health officials announced 33 new Zika virus cases have been detected in the country as officials step up screening for groups at high risk from the disease such as pregnant women.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak affirmed their common stance on territorial disputes in the East Sea on November 16th.

Beijing Municipality has issued an orange alert for air pollution as a new round of smog looks set to linger, Xinhua said.

Former Economy Minister Emmanuel Macron on November 17th confirmed plans to run for the French presidency.

The ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) Retreat opened in Vientiane, Laos, on November 16th, seeking to boost defence cooperation for a dynamic ASEAN.

Philippine and US troops on November 16th began their joint training exercises, which will last through December 14th.

(CPV) - ADB Vice President Wencai Zhang met with Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, Prime Minister Artur Rasi-zade, and Samir Sharifov, Minister of Finance and ADB Governor, to reaffirm ADB’s continuous support for the country’s development and reform priorities.

Finance ministers from ASEAN member nations gathered at a seminar in Jakarta, Indonesia, on November 15th to discuss investment opportunities in the region.

(CPV) - ADB has approved a USD120 million loan to improve access to safe, reliable, sustainable, and affordable water supply services for over 260,000 inhabitants in the Kibray and Zangiota districts of Tashkent Province.

On November 15th, President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia and President-elect Donald J. Trump spoke by telephone for the first time, according to a statement from the Kremlin.

On November 15th, President Barack Obama arrived in Greece on his last foreign tour as president of the United States.

On November 15th, a senior politician in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party said that she will run for a fourth term as Germany’s chancellor in 2017.

President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee and a loyal campaign adviser, to be his White House chief of staff.

Mr. Igor Dodon has declared victory in Moldova's presidential election.

(CPV) - ADB has approved a USD49.65 million loan to upgrade 105 kilometers of road connecting the capital, Dili, and the second-largest town, Baucau, located on the north coast with cofinancing from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) conducted an exercise in Singapore on November 13th to enhance its ability to deliver air power from public roads.

A powerful earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale has hit part of New Zealand's South island.

French President Francois Hollande on November 13th joined a commemoration ceremony at the Bataclan concert hall to mark one year since the Paris terrorist attacks, in which 130 people were killed.

(CPV) - Pneumonia and diarrhoea together kill 1.4 million children each year, the overwhelming majority of whom live in lower and middle-income countries.

Malaysia's economy recorded a higher-than-expected growth in the third quarter of this year after the five consecutive quarters of slowing.

US President-elect Donald Trump and President Barack Obama hold talks in the Oval Office for more than an hour as the transition of power begins.

Chinese Vice Public Security Minister Meng Hongwei on November 10th as been elected President of the Interpol.

The Republican Party will keep control of the US Congress after nationwide elections.

Cambodia expects to welcome some 5 million tourists by this end of this year, as the number of visitors to the country has seen a sharp increase by approximately 2 million people during the last four months, according to the Cambodian News Agency (AKP).

(CPV) - ADB has approved a USD500 million loan to help Indonesia manage and improve its fiscal and public expenditure management in support of ongoing efforts to reduce poverty and income inequality.