World

Asia was the world's most disaster-hit region by climate related hazards last year, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said, with floods and storms causing the highest number of casualties.

Ecuadorians went to the polls to vote on President Daniel Noboa's proposed constitutional referendum and other reforms on issues of security, justice, employment and international arbitration, with voting going smoothly, electoral officials said Sunday.

The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024), which will take place in Hanoi on April 23, is expected to create a platform for stakeholders to contribute ideas and initiatives on the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)’s future vision, Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet has said.

Voting in the Maldives' parliamentary election began on Sunday morning after the opening of polling stations across the country and overseas. A total of 368 candidates are vying for 93 seats in the parliament, with 42 candidates marking female representations.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for an end to "stop the dangerous cycle of retaliation in the Middle East," said his spokesman.

On April 17-18, European Union (EU) leaders attended an extraordinary summit in Brussels, Belgium, to seek consensus to deal with many challenges. A series of issues were discussed, from escalating violence in the Middle East and global security challenges to promoting economic growth and new cooperation opportunities to increase Europe's competitiveness in the global market.

Cambodia recorded almost 22 million domestic and international visitors travelling to different tourist destinations nationwide during the four-day traditional New Year holiday, from April 13 to 16.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) claims that the “Maha Songkran World Water Festival 2024”, held at Sanam Luang and Ratchadamnoen Avenue from April 11-15 is a great success with more than 784,000 participants.

Elaborate arrangements and adequate security measures were put in place for the first phase of India's general elections scheduled on Friday, Election Commission of India (ECI) officials said Thursday. Voting for the first phase will be held in 102 parliamentary constituencies spread over 21 states.

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said on Wednesday talks on a Gaza ceasefire and a release of hostages are at a "delicate phase".

Having achieved positive accomplishments in socio-economic development and strengthening its position in the international arena, India is still facing many challenges. The upcoming general elections in India are considered to play a role in shaping the development of the world’s most populous country, at least in the next five years.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will take on the role of senior minister in the new cabinet, Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong told local media Tuesday.

Copernicus, the European Union’s (EU) Earth Observation Programme, said that as of March 2024, the world had experienced the 10th consecutive month with record high temperatures, with both air and ocean temperatures reported at an all-time high. 

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will formally advise the country's president to appoint Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong to succeed him on May 15, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister's Office Monday.

Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong will step down and hand over leadership to Deputy PM Lawrence Wong on May 15, the Singaporean PM's Office announced on April 15.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN General Assembly President Dennis Francis on Saturday called on all parties concerned to exercise utmost restraint amid rising tensions between Iran and Israel.

The European Parliament today adopted ten legislative texts to reform European migration and asylum policy as agreed with EU member states. This is considered a historical event, marking an important turning point to strengthen the solidarity and responsibility of EU member countries in finding the “key” to the migration issue, one of the major challenges of the EU.

Israel Defense Forces Spokesman Daniel Hagari on Saturday warned Iran that it "will bear the consequences for choosing to escalate the situation any further."

The United Nations expressed concern about the risk of financial shortages in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as crises are increasing. Experts believe that “there is no use in preaching to a hungry man” in the implementation of SDGs.

An economic cooperation forum on fostering ties between ASEAN and emerging economies, and Russia convened in Hanoi on April 12.

Laos' economy is expected to expand moderately in 2024 and 2025, driven by external demand linked with tourism and trade, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Malaysia's labour market is projected to remain stable in 2024, with the average unemployment rate at 3.2%, according to Kenanga Investment Bank Bhd (Kenanga IB).

South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and almost all senior presidential secretaries on Thursday offered to resign over the ruling People Power Party's crushing defeat in parliamentary elections, local media reported citing the presidential office.

Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has commenced a state visit to the US. This is an opportunity for the two sides to promote their cooperation in a series of fields, including politics, economics, and security, as well as affirm the importance of the maintenance and consolidation of their alliance, which is considered the foundation for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific in the context that both the US and Japan are dealing with the challenges in the region and the world.

South Koreans on Wednesday went to the polls for parliamentary elections to vote for 300 members of the National Assembly. The elections, which began from 6:00 a.m. local time, were scheduled to last for 12 hours at 14,259 polling stations across the Asian country, according to the National Election. Commission.

Russia and Kazakhstan ordered more than 100,000 people to evacuate after swiftly melting snow swelled mighty rivers beyond bursting point in the worst flooding in the area for at least 70 years.

The Presidents of the Solidarity Front for the Development of Cambodian Motherland (SFDCM), the Lao Front for National Construction (LFNC), and the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) gathered at their 5th conference in Vientiane on April 9.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.0 hit Indonesia's eastern province of West Papua on April 9, but did not trigger a tsunami warning, according to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency.

Cambodia's economic growth is forecast to strengthen in 2024 with continued moderating inflation, said an ASEAN+3 Macroeconomic Research Office (AMRO)'s regional economic outlook released on Monday.

The Israeli military has withdrawn more ground troops from the southern Gaza Strip, leaving just one brigade there six months after the start of its offensive , a spokesperson for the force said on Sunday.