Philippine President eyes martial law-like COVID-19 crackdown
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on April 17 warned about a martial law-like crackdown to stop people flouting a virus lockdown in the nation's capital.
Hanoi (VNA)🦂 – Philippine President RodrigoDuterte on April 17 warned about a martial law-like crackdown tostop people flouting a virus lockdown in the nation's capital.
In a televised speech, Duterte said the armyand police will take over if discipline is not taken. Hespoke a day after authorities reported an upsurge of cars on Manila's roads which have been nearly deserted since a sweeping lockdown was imposed a monthago. Asreported cases of the SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 started to climb in March, the leader ordered a quarantine of the main northern island of Luzon, which includes thecapital's 12 million people. Onlyessential workers and people buying food or medicine are officially allowedoutside their homes, yet many others have flouted the rules. ThePhilippines has detected some 5,660 infection cases and recorded 362 deaths,but those figures are expected to climb as the nation ramps up testing./.
The Ministry of Health of Malaysia announced on April 3 that the country recorded an additional 217 cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing its total number of confirmed cases to 3,333.
The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on April 8 issued a statement expressing its deep concern over a China coast guard ship’s hitting and sinking of a Vietnamese fishing vessel in the East Sea.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has slashed its growth outlook for the Philippines for 2020 from 6.3 percent to 0.6 percent due to the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The Philippine central bank on April 16 lowered its interest rates by 50 basis points to 2.75 percent, the lowest on record, to keep the economy afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The forum, which involves global experts and creative leaders from across 14 cultural sectors, aims to expand Thailand’s presence on the world stage through innovation and cultural exchange.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
Illustrative image (Photo: AFP) 
