UN urges parliamentary role in nuclear disarmament

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has described nuclear weapons as a mental deadlock and called on parliamentarians of member countries to uphold their key role in nuclear disarmament through policy-making.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon has describednuclear weapons as a mental deadlock and called on parliamentarians ofmember countries to uphold their key role in nuclear disarmament throughpolicy-making.

The UN General Secretary addressed MPs from over 100 member countriesat a meeting held at the UN Headquarters on May 6 under the theme“Advancing nuclear disarmament: the power of parliaments”.

Ban Ki-moon said nuclear weapons did not enhance peace andsecurity otherwise making adverse impact for putting the world intorisks.

Multi-decade long experiences have shown that change only came understrong public pressures on the global scale, he emphasised.

He called on parliaments and parliamentarians as law makers to make adecisive role and be in the centre of any efforts for nucleardisarmament in order to put an end to the wastes of natural resourcesand tax payers’ money in the world.

The UN leader advocated the US for publicising over 5,000nuclear warheads in its arsenal during the 2010 NuclearNon-Proliferation (NPT) Review Conference as a signal of transparency,thus contributing to increasing the global confidence.

He expressed expectation that negotiators at the meeting would graspthis opportunity to reach the target for nuclear disarmament towards anon-nuclear world.

The meeting was co-sponsored by the Parliamentarians for NuclearNon-Proliferation and Disarmament (PNND) and the Inter-ParliamentaryUnion (IPU) in response to the 2010 UN conference to review theimplementation of the treaty.

IPU was established in 1889, drawing 155 national parliaments andnine regional parliaments. The PNND, founded in 2003, is aninternational parliamentary network, comprised of 800 members ofparliament from 75 countries./.

See more

US President Donald Trump announces new reciprocal tariffs at the White House on April 2. (Photo: Reuters/VNA)

US tariffs putting pressure on both US and ASEAN

The most immediate impact of Trump’s tariffs will be inflation, both in the US and worldwide. As import costs rise, businesses will pass these costs onto consumers, driving up prices, said Professor Phar Kim Beng of ASEAN Studies at the International Islamic University of Malaysia (IIUM).

Two foreign tourists buy curry puffs at the popular Khun Phu shop in the Talat Noi community in Bangkok on Monday. (Photo: bangkokpost.com)

Thailand revises tourism strategy after earthquake

Minister of Tourism and Sports Sorawong Thienthong said that a tourism risk and crisis management team will be established to support the industry, with representatives from organisations in the tourism supply chain, such as the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Roads Authority.

General Khamtay Siphandone, former President of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, former President of Laos and senior revolutionary of the LPRP. (Source: VNA)

Former Lao President Khamtay Siphanone passes away

General Khamtay Siphandone, former President of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee, former President of Laos and senior revolutionary of the LPRP, passed away at 10:30am on April 2 at the age of 102.

Rescue teams search for victims after the earthquake in Mandalay, Myanmar, on March 31, 2025. (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)

Myanmar earthquake: Relief efforts face major challenges

The 7.7-magnitude earthquake has caused widespread destruction in central Myanmar, displacing tens of thousands. The situation has been further complicated by ongoing conflicts, particularly in the Sagaing region, making it extremely difficult to deliver aid to affected areas.

At the explosion site (Photo: Facebook/Anwar Ibrahim)

Malaysia investigates gas pipeline explosion

The incident destroyed 78 houses and 10 shop lots, while also damaging 237 other houses and numerous vehicles. An estimated 364 people were affected, including 63 injured.

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra listens to a briefing by a team of Israeli rescuers who are part of an international contingent working at the collapsed building site in Bangkok. (Photo: Bangkok Post)

Thailand works to restore global trust after Myanmar quake

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra underscored Thailand's commitment to restoring its image and ensuring public confidence, noting that a thorough investigation into the project's approval, design and construction materials is underway.

Thailand speeds up investigation into Bangkok building collapse

Thailand speeds up investigation into Bangkok building collapse

The SAO building, valued at 2.1 billion THB (61.4 million USD), had been under construction for approximately five years and was nearing completion. It was the only building in Bangkok to collapse as a result of the powerful earthquake in Myanmar.

Delegates at the event (Photo: kpl.gov.la)

Laos aims for sustainable infrastructure development

Laos' Enabling Environment Roadmap for Infrastructure Asset Management (IAM EE) outlines strategies for the effective management of public infrastructure, including roads, schools, and hospitals, with a focus on resilience, inclusivity, and sustainability.

Strong earthquake strikes eastern Indonesia (Photo: scienceexchange.caltech.edu)

Strong earthquake strikes eastern Indonesia

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake occurred at 5:15 pm, with its epicenter located 93 km northeast of Indonesia's Maluku Barat Daya district and a hypocenter at a depth of 157 km beneath the seabed. No tsunami warning has been issued.