ASEAN and the world

The Government of Malaysia’s bonds owned by foreign investors, which shrank last September, may have another drop when withdrawals continue, Malaysia’s The Star newspaper reported on October 14th.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha on October 13th announced that Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn will become the new monarch after the death of his father, King Bhumibol Abdulyadej.

On October 13th, the Swedish Academy awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature to American singer songwriter Bob Dylan.

On October 14th, the Malaysian Conference of Rulers held held a special meeting to elect the country’s 15th King.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned there is a high risk of Zika virus spreading through Asia-Pacific as hundreds of cases have now been reported.

Filipino President Rodrigo Duterte will make a state visit to China from October 18th - 21st.

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has announced that 85 countries have submitted films for consideration in the Foreign Language 89th Oscar category.

A workshop to bolster cooperation between ASEAN countries and the port city of Madryn, Chubut province, Argentina was held in Buenos Aires on October 12th.

Thailand’s King Bhumibol Abdulyadej, the world’s longest-reigning monarch, passed away at 3.52 pm on October 13th, at the age of 88.

(CPV) - ADB and the Government of Viet Nam signed a USD231.3 million loan agreement to enhance the power transmission network in Southern Viet Nam. The loan is the third tranche of the 10-year Power Transmission Investment Program, which was approved by ADB in 2011.

The Thai Ministry of Commerce has held a meeting in Cambodia’s Battambang province to promote border trade between the two countries.

Twenty Vietnamese enterprises are attending the Trade Expo Indonesia 2016, which opened in Jakarta, on October 12th.

The 21st World Police Music Festival has opened in Tokyo, Japan on October 10th.

Senior officials from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said on October 10th that they are willing to work towards realising their aspiration to build a comprehensive partnership on the ASEAN Single Aviation Market, which is considered a pillar of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong began a three-day official visit to Australia on October 11th, the Prime Minister Office (PMO) announced the same day.

(CPV) - ADB and the Government of Cambodia today signed loan agreements and additional financing totaling USD125 million for four projects to foster improvements to public service delivery and enhance access to quality education.

On October 11th, Deputy Director for Multilateral Affairs and International Law of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, Pedro Luis Pedroso, announced that Cuba and the United States would hold the second round of talks on Human Rights.

Leader of Morocco's Islamist Justice and Development Party (PJD), Abdelilah Benkirane on October 10th was appointed as Prime Minister (PM) for a second term.

The Singapore Prime Minister (PM)’s Office has announced that PM Lee Hsien Loong would make a three-day official visit to Australia from October 11th.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said he would donate USD950,000 in Nobel Peace Prize money to the victims of Colombia’s half-century conflict.

Hurricane Matthew killed almost 900 people in Haiti and at least 16 in the United States before downgrading to a post-tropical cyclone on October 9th.

(CPV) - ADB has entered into an agreement with Citi to expand local currency lending to the microfinance sector under the Microfinance Risk Participation and Guarantee Program. Under the agreement, ADB and Citi will together facilitate up to USD100 million of local currency loans to microfinance institutions in developing Asia.

(CPV) - Girls between 5 and 14 years old spend 40 per cent more time, or 160 million more hours a day, on unpaid household chores and collecting water and firewood compared to boys their age, according to a report released by UNICEF ahead of International Day of the Girl on October 11th.

President Barack Obama on October 7th formally announced the lifting of US sanctions, which had been imposed on Myanmar for almost two decades.

The second sessions of the two Houses of Myanmar's Parliament will adjourn for one month to mid-November when the third sessions are scheduled to convene, Speaker of Myanmar's House of Representatives U Win Myint announced on October 7th.

Hurricane Matthew has strengthened as it moves slowly towards Florida, after hitting Haiti on its destructive march north through the Caribbean.

The U.S. Senate has approved the nomination of Sung Kim, currently special representative for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) policy, to be the next U.S. ambassador to the Philippines, according to a White House press statement.

On October 5th, there were two new cases of Zika in Singapore after three days with no new cases, according to data on the National Environment Agency website.

Myanmar's Upper House on October 5th approved the draft new Myanmar Investment Law after it was passed by the House of Representatives last month.

(CPV) - ADB reaffirmed its commitment to support infrastructure development in Afghanistan, and stressed the importance of improved project implementation to enhance development impact in the country.