Reuters
Asia Rice: Vietnam rates gain on fears Mekong water woes may hurt crops
Rice export prices in Vietnam rose for the first time in six weeks as domestic buying picked up and fears of water scarcity in the country’s rice bowl grew, while weaker local currencies weighed on rates in other top Asian exporting hubs. In Vietnam, rates for ...
U.S. criticizes Vietnam ban of glyphosate herbicide imports
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue on Thursday criticized Vietnam’s move to ban imports of glyphosate-based herbicides, saying the decision would have “devastating impacts on global agricultural production.” Vietnam’s government said in a statement that the toxic level of herbicides containing glyphosate had long been of ...
Tom Polansek, Khanh Vu
Thailand ramps up fight against forced labor with stricter law
Thailand will use a newly amended law to crack down on forced labor with hefty fines and prison time, a move analysts said could help curb exploitative practices against migrant workers. The Southeast Asian nation, which has come under scrutiny for slavery and trafficking in ...
Rina Chandran
UNICEF boss urges Myanmar to enact Kofi Annan’s recommendations on Rohingya crisis
The head of the U.N. children’s fund urged Myanmar on Monday to implement the recommendations of a panel on the Rohingya crisis led by former U.N. head Kofi Annan, saying it had yet to create conditions right for the return of refugees from Bangladesh. Keep reading ...
Focus on Thai fishing distracts from worker abuse in other sectors: researchers
Millions of migrant workers in Thailand’s construction, agriculture and livestock industries suffer from exploitative practices, but a focus on the fishing sector has distracted attention from them, researchers said on Thursday. Migrant workers in several industries get few protections, including a minimum wage and overtime ...
In Asia's space-starved cities, urban planners bring 'dead' land to life
Urban planners and authorities in fast expanding Asian cities are increasingly turning to unused land underneath bridges, flyovers and viaducts to create much-needed public spaces. With rapid urbanization, a construction boom in South and Southeast Asian cities is resulting in more offices, houses and apartments, ...
From Tibet to the 'Nine Dragons', Vietnam's Mekong Delta is losing sand
In the dead of night, the entire front half of shopkeeper Ta Thi Kim Anh’s house collapsed. Perched on the sandy banks of the Mekong River, it took just a few minutes for one half of everything she owned to plunge into its murky depths. “Our ...
Cambodia eases pressure on opposition, media after EU sanctions threat
Cambodia’s parliament is reviewing a five-year ban on more than 100 members of the main opposition party, which could allow them to return to politics, following threats by the European Union to deny duty-free trading access to the Southeast Asian nation. Keep reading ...
Hi-tech mapping threatens land rights across the 'digital divide': experts
Countries are increasingly embracing drones and satellites to map land and minimize conflict rising from ownership disputes, but unequal access to these technologies can further endanger the rights of vulnerable people, analysts say. Keep reading ...
Myanmar's neighbors to call for 'accountability' in Rakhine crisis: draft statement
Southeast Asian nations will call for those responsible for atrocities in Myanmar’s Rakhine state to be held “fully accountable”, according to a statement prepared for a regional summit, reflecting a stronger line being taken within the group. The draft of the chairman’s statement, which was reviewed ...
