Health workers in Indonesia wear protective clothes to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Indonesia reported 4,850 new cases of COVID-19on October 8, a record daily number so far, raising the total to 320,564.
The same day, 108 people in the country died due to the coronavirusdisease, raising the death toll to 11,580, the highest in Southeast Asia.
To help Indonesia curb the spread of the epidemic and mitigate itsimpact, the Korea InternationalCooperation Agency (KOICA) and the International Committee of the RedCross (ICRC) on October 7 signed an MoU on support to Indonesia.
Underthe document, KOICA will grant 200,000 USD for the ICRC regional delegation to Indonesia and Timor Leste so that ICRC can expandits technical assistance for 67 prisons in six provinces and cities ofIndonesia, benefiting more than 57,600 inmates.
Earliers,the ICRC delegation in Jakarta distributed hygiene material to 73 prisons inseven provinces and cities in Indonesia.
Also onOctober 8, the Philippines recorded 2,363 new COVID-19 cases and 144 deaths.The country so far counted 331,869 cases, the highest in Southeast Asia, and6,069 fatalities./.
Indonesia will continue to encourage improvement of the investment environment despite the COVID-19 pandemic to revive its economy that is on the brink of recession, said deputy head of Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Nurul Ichwan said on October 6.
The number of COVID-19 cases in six major provinces of Indonesia has dropped in the past week, said an expert team member of the country's COVID-19 task force on October 7.
Indonesia’s Youth and Sports Minister Zainudin Amali has revealed the ministry’s plan to build a national laboratory to test for doping in sports next year.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
Health workers in Indonesia wear protective clothes to prevent the spread of COVID-19 (Photo: VNA) 
