News

The Election Commission is expected to debate on September 13 a draft organic law seeking to grant itself more powers to ensure efficiency in guarding against poll fraud and cheats. A source at the EC said the draft law involves the elections of MPs and the mechanisms ...

The government is set to introduce measures to curb the adverse impact of falling tapioca prices in light of lower imports from China and price-cutting competition. Wiboonlasana Ruamraksa, director-general of the Internal Trade Department, said the measures include schemes to cut farmers’ existing loan interest, ...

Joint efforts in building the 21st century maritime Silk Road are very important for friendly cooperation and development between China and ASEAN. As a step along this road, the 13th China-ASEAN Expo and the China-ASEAN Business and Investment Summit are taking place from September 11-14 in ...

The Indonesian environment ministry has denied the Aceh provincial government’s proposal to rezone part of Mount Leuser National Park for geothermal development, reacting to opposition from conservationists who argued the project would threaten key orangutan and rhino populations. The ministry’s director for protected areas told Mongabay ...

For decades, coal-fired power dominated the U.S. energy supply—and was a leading source of greenhouse gas emissions. But a combination of factors including cheap natural gas, stronger pollution controls, increasing investment in renewable power and improved energy efficiency have pushed coal’s share of the energy market ...

Health and city officials in Thailand downplayed risks from rising infections from the mosquito-borne Zika virus, which is linked to serious birth defects, and expressed concern that disclosing information would damage its tourism industry. On September 9, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control warned ...

The $100 million Da Phuoc solid waste treatment complex in Da Phuoc Commune, Binh Chanh District, HCM City is considered the most modern of its kind in Vietnam but it is also a source of pollution for the surrounding area. Put into operation in 2007 by ...

When the US government relaxed sanctions on Myanmar’s state-run companies and banks but stopped short of lifting all sanctions in May this year, the US Chamber of Commerce was not pleased. The American business lobby called for the US to “normalize” relations fully and introduce preferable trade ...

The divisional government launched an investigation into a resort and culture park under construction on the eastern bank of the famous Thaungthaman Lake outside the city of Mandalay, after local residents complained about the impact of the project. Some of the initial construction near the famous ...

The blooming of algae, resulting in the red tide phenomenon, is the main cause behind mass fish deaths reported last week in central Thanh Hóa Province, the provincial People’s Committee said on September 11. Earlier last week, locals found about 300kg of dead fish washed ashore ...