ASEAN and the world

Myanmar has recorded its first Zika infection, reported Myanmar media on October 27th.

The World Bank (WB) has provided USD25.06 million to support the second phase of the Land Allocation for Social and Economic Development project (LASED II), from 2016 to 2021.

On October 27th, the 100-year-old uncle of Japanese Emperor Akihito, Prince Mikasa died at a Tokyo hospital, the Imperial Household Agency said.

On October 26th, two consecutive powerful earthquakes measuring 5.5 and 6.1 on the Richter scale struck central Italy, damaging buildings and cutting power lines across the area.

On October 25th, the White House announced President Barack Obama would make his final trip abroad as President to Greece, Germany and Peru in November.

An ASEAN regional business council (RBC) gathering 55 leaders of big enterprises is set to make debut at the World Economic Forum on the Mekong Region (WEF-Mekong) in Hanoi.

(CPV) - The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Asia-Pacific Development Effectiveness Facility (AP-DEF) opened a two-day meeting on aid ahead of the upcoming Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation.

American writer Paul Beatty has won the 2016 Man Booker prize for his novel titled “The Sellout”, making him the first American to win the prize.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has won two Lower House seats in by-election in Tokyo and Fukuoka.

The 6th plenum session of the 18th Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee has opened in Beijing on October 24th.

U.S. Republican candidate for the presidential election, Donald Trump has announced his plans for the first hundred days if elected as President of the United States.

Armed men believed to be members of the Abu Sayyaf group have hijacked a Republic of Korean (RoK) vessel off the island of Tawi-Tawi in the southern Philippines, seizing its two crew members.

Powerful typhoon Haima has hit the northeastern Philippine coast, destroying houses, displacing tens of thousands and threatening millions of residents.

At least four people died after super Typhoon Haima swept over northern Philippines on October 19th, said local authorities.

China and the Philippines signed 13 deals worth USD13.5 billion covering trade, culture, tourism, drug combat and maritime transport in Beijing on October 20th.

(CPV) - ADB is expanding its support for better public financial management in Cambodia through a USD30 million loan to support effective and efficient public service delivery and inclusive growth.

Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte has arrived in China for a high-profile visit.

197 nations has reached an historic agreement to reduce emissions of chemical refrigerants that contribute to global warming at a United Nations meeting in Kigali, Rwanda.

At least 23 patients were killed when a major fire broke out in Bhubaneshwar’s SUM hospital in Odisha on October 17th, reported The Times of India.

The Turkmen Parliament has scheduled the presidential election for February 12th next year, reported the Turkmen Dovlet Khabarlary State News Agency (TDH).

The Central Bank of Indonesia (BI) reported that the country’s foreign debts grew 6.3 percent on-year to USD323 billion in August, 2016, slower than the growth of 6.6 percent in July, according to the Indonesian News Agency Antara on October 18th.

Singapore launched the largest counter-terrorism drill from October 17th – 18th to test the country’s multi-agency response in terror attack events and raise public awareness of the present threat.

The Phnom Penh Court on October 17th postponed the interrogation of opposition leader Sam Rainsy to November 8th as recommended by the lawyer.

(CPV) - ADB has approved a USD45 million loan to improve access to quality upper secondary education in Cambodia. The Upper Secondary Education Sector Development Program (USESDP) will support the government’s efforts to improve the quality of its human resources to sustain Cambodia’s economic development and enhance its competitiveness.

The New Zealand government said on October 17th that it is to review its free trade agreement (FTA) with ASEAN, citing a rising number of non-tariff barriers that hinder bilateral trade.

(CPV) - Five in six children under two years old are not fed enough nutritious food for their age, depriving them of the energy and nutrients they need at the most critical time in their physical and cognitive development, according to a new UNICEF report.

Typhoon Sarika with wind speeds of 130km per hour swept into Luzon Island, the Philippines, on early October 16th, according to Philippine authorities.

(CPV) - With cholera spreading fast in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, and with a new outbreak in war-ravaged Yemen, UNICEF urges children, families and communities to make washing hands with soap a habit to help prevent the spread of diseases.

The body of Thailand ’s King Bhumibol Adulyadej was moved from Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital to the Grand Palace on October 14th where his funeral rites will be carried out.

Indonesia’s defence budget in 2017 is likely to be much lower than proposed by the government despite plans to establish military bases in Natuna, Riau Islands, Defence Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu said.