Laos: UPR Recommendations on Civic Space Not Fully Implemented

Geneva 29 September 2025 Statement at the 60th regular session of the UN Human Rights Council Adoption of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) report of Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) Delivered by Olimjon Bakhtaliev Mr. President, CIVICUS,...

Lao Cai sets sights on northern growth pole

Lao Cai (VNA) - The first congress of the Party Organisation of Lao Cai province for the 2025–2030 tenure wrapped up on September 30, agreeing on five key tasks, three breakthrough steps, and ten specific measures to transform the province into a...

Editor and contributor picks: Queer media favourites for LGBTQ+ History Month

October marks LGBTQ+ History Month, a time to recognize the role models, civil rights movements and contributions of queer and transgender folks to our collective communities. As the month opens and National Coming Out Day approaches on Oct. 11,...

Some US troops reportedly saw Bigfoot in Vietnam

Get We Are The Mighty’s Weekly Newsletter Military culture and entertainment direct to your inbox with zero chance of a ‘Reply All’ incident In the Kontum Province of Vietnam, near the borders with Laos and Cambodia, there were a surprisingly...

The Gender Dimension in ASEAN–Canada Relations: A Beacon of Hope

ASEAN and Canada should seize the present opportunity to champion democracy and gender equity — and to follow through with meaningful action. Authoritarian and exclusionary leadership is gaining global momentum, including in the US. ASEAN and...

Laos Economy Inches Forward as Inflation Eases in September, Exports Keep Rolling

The cost of living in Laos is still rising, but not as fast as before. New data from the Lao Statistics Bureau shows that prices across the country grew by 4.5 percent in September compared to the same month last year. This is a small improvement...

Activist Trịnh Bá Phương, Already Behind Bars, Sentenced to 11 More Years

Key Events Việt Nam Intensifies Crackdown, Extends Trịnh Bá Phương’s Prison Term to 21 Years; Fifth Pillar Added to Việt Nam’s Communist Party Leadership Structure; Proposed Cybersecurity Amendments Spark Fears of Increased State Surveillance;...

Indonesia to Launch Digital Immigration System on 1 October

Indonesia will launch a new official digital immigration platform, “All Indonesia”, on 1 October, aiming to streamline international arrival procedures for travelers. The All Indonesia App is a digital entry platform for foreign travelers to the...

U.S. to deport hundreds of Iranians held on immigration charges, Tehran says

The United States was set to deport hundreds of Iranian nationals, a senior official in Tehran said Tuesday, as the Trump administration takes new steps in its immigration crackdown. U.S. authorities had “planned to deport about 400 Iranians...

Supporting Lao MSMEs and Young Entrepreneurs to Build a Sustainable Tourism Value Chain

KPL The Ministry of Industry and Commerce (MoIC) and Plan International Laos have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the Lasting Laos Project – Supporting Young Entrepreneurs and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Lao...

LAO TOURISM EXPECTS A RECORD-BREAKING YEAR

The Mekong lazily meanders through Laos, and the country is proving it’s shaking off its image as Southeast Asia’s wallflower in the tourism game. A pretty significant bounce-back has seen Lao tourism jump 15% in the year's first eight months of...

Shen Yun Show 2026: Experience 5,000 Years of Chinese Culture Live in South Florida

The curtain rises, the gong sounds, and the stage transforms into a journey through 5,000 years of Chinese civilization. Shen Yun will return to South Florida in 2026 with an all-new production, appearing at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach on...

Filipino, Laotian, Cambodian, and Indonesian Medical Student Gap

The landscape of medical education in the United States has long faced challenges concerning diversity and representation. Recent findings highlight a significant gap in the enrollment of students from certain Asian backgrounds. A study titled...

We owe it to victims of fatal poisoning to do better in warning UK travellers of the dangers they face

(robertharding / Alamy) 4 min read4 hr Last November, Simone White was backpacking in Laos with her friend Bethany – following the same path thousands of young travellers from the UK take every year. In a hostel bar they accepted free shots. The...

India Sets the Pace in Global Conservation via Archaeological Diplomacy

TEMPO.CO, New Delhi - The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), one of the world’s oldest cultural preservation institutions, has highlighted its expanding role in heritage conservation both within and beyond India’s borders. During a briefing...

Singapore bans Nathan Law, pro-democracy activist in Hong Kong, from entering the country

Today's headlines: in Moldova, the pro-European party wins the parliamentary elections with twice as many votes as the pro-Moscow bloc. At least 40 people are dead and over 50 injured in Tamil Nadu at a rally held by Vijay, a film star who heads a...

Laos: Implement UPR Recommendations, End Attacks on Critics

Human Rights Watch welcomes Laos’s support of 189 recommendations of the 257 received during its fourth UPR Cycle, including recommendations to ratify the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Laos...

Laos Targets Over 43 Million Tourists By 2030

Laos aims to attract more than 43 million tourists between 2026 and 2030, Minister of Culture and Tourism Suansavanh Viyaket announced at the Party Congress on 25 September. The target includes 21 million domestic and 22 million international...

Vietnamese enterprises support Lao children’s schooling

Vientiane (VNA) – The Nghe An entrepreneurs’ club in Naxaithong district in the Lao capital of Vientiane on September 27 presented 100 bicycles and 100 sets of school supplies to disadvantaged students in the district. The gifts, including bags...

Vietnam, Laos strengthen cooperation in STEM and Robotics education

Hanoi (VNA) – A workshop and hands-on training on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Robotics education was held in Kaysone Phomvihane city in Savannakhet province of Laos from September 26-27, attracting a large number of...