Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

US immigration policy echoes approaches tried before in Australia, Britain and elsewhere
They included countries where officials have not provided “diplomatic assurances” that migrants will be safe, and with as little as six hours’ notice. A Supreme Court ruling this month cleared the way for the policy. What is a ‘third country’?...

Reports of SA man arrested in US as eSwatini welcomes immigrants deported from US
The man is accused of using a weapon to commit a felony, among other crimes. A South African man is reportedly among those arrested during a raid by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. On Monday, a verified X account of ICE Denver...

Trump Admin Deports Migrants from Laos, 4 Other Nations to Eswatini
AFP – The Trump administration on 16 July announced the third-country deportation from the United States of five “criminal illegal aliens” to the small African kingdom of Eswatini. “These criminal illegal aliens are so uniquely barbaric that their...

Vietnamese university eyes closer cooperation in higher education with Laos
KPL (KPL/VNA) A delegation from Hanoi Financial and Banking University (FBU) is paying a working visit to Laos from July 15-18 in order to promote cooperation in higher education. (KPL/VNA) A delegation from Hanoi Financial and Banking University...
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus M.Ryzhenkov is visiting China, Thailand and Laos
14 July 2025 On July 15–18, 2025 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Maxim Ryzhenkov, is paying working visits to the People's Republic of China, the Kingdom of Thailand and the Lao People's Democratic Republic. In China,...

Is Christianity really the world’s biggest religion? Experts question global data bias
Every few years, the media boldly announces the state of world religions. However, the final messages remain the same: that the first position is held by Christianity, followed by Islam. The organisation that gathers these statistics is the...

For Samoans in Anchorage, cricket means connection to culture and each other
Jirleen Nyel and her friends hollered encouragement from their chairs nestled in a stand of trees at the edge of the cricket field in Anchorage’s Dave Rose Park. “We are loud when we cheer, so that's why we're out here,” she said. She was worried...

‘Learning crisis’ in PH education
OVER again, a month after the country shifted gear for academic year 2025-2026 we have our eyes on the bulletin board shouting with bold, if embossed, letters on the Philippines’ educational system. We are once more jabbed by the audacious writing...

President Thongloun Receives Belarusian Foreign Minister
KPL On July 17, 2025, President Thongloun Sisoulith of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic received a courtesy call from Mr. Maxim Rusenko, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, during his official visit to Laos from July 16–18....

ICE Plans to Ramp Up Deporting Immigrants to Countries Other Than Their Own
Immigration officials may deport people with as little as six hours' notice to places where the government has secured no assurances that they will be safe from persecution or torture A memo reveals the federal government is planning to deport...

US Deportees: Eswatini now a ‘Third Country’ destination after South Sudan
The United States sent five immigrants it describes as “barbaric” criminals to the African nation of Eswatini in an expansion of the Trump administration’s largely secretive third-country deportation program, the U.S. Department of Homeland...

Thailand defrocks 6 monks as sex and blackmail scandal engulfs Buddhist clergy
Six senior monks in Thailand have been defrocked and two others are missing after authorities uncovered tens of thousands of pornographic images and videos allegedly featuring a woman in sexual acts with high-ranking clergy – a scandal that has...

Illegal immigrants can be deported to third-party countries with as little as 6 hour notice: ICE memo
Following the decision, the US deported eight individuals to South Sudan from a variety of countries including Cuba, Laos, Mexico, Myanmar, Sudan, and Vietnam. A new policy memo issued by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director...

Devotional practices are core to world religions – and fan culture – but they are no longer for me | Jackie Bailey
When I was a high schooler, it was the done thing to write the name of your favourite band on your school backpack, broadcasting your allegiances and through them assert your identity. Canvas bags were festooned with the lightning font of AC/DC...

89 Singapore Eateries Make the Michelin Bib Gourmand List 2025, Including 11 New Local Gems
Singapore’s rich food culture continues to earn international recognition as the Michelin Guide unveiled its 2025 Bib Gourmand list on 17 July. The selection includes 89 eateries known for delivering high-quality dishes at wallet-friendly prices,...

Lao, Russian Foreign Ministers Hold Bilateral Talks on Sidelines of ASEAN Meeting
KPL Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane held bilateral talks with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov on July 10, 2025, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on the sidelines of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), taking...

Lao Ambassador to Japan Welcomes Former JICA Volunteers in Celebration of Bilateral Milestones
KPL Lao Ambassador to Japan, Mr. Amphay Kindavong, recently welcomed Mr. ONISHI Norio, one of the first JICA volunteers to serve in Laos in 1965, along with Mr. TAKAHATA Tsuneo, former head of the first JICA Representative Office in Laos, and Mr....
Laos hosts exhibition highlighting contributions of women from all ethnic groups
VIENTIANE, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Lao Women's Union is hosting an exhibition marking its 70th founding anniversary, honoring the union's legacy and celebrating the cultural traditions of Lao women from all ethnic groups. An official opening...

Prime Minister establishes working groups to speed up public investment disbursement
HÀ NỘI — Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính has established eight working groups to remove difficulties related to production, business, infrastructure construction, and imports and exports, as well as promote growth and accelerate disbursement of...
Laos prepares youth with workforce skills to boost employment
VIENTIANE, July 10 (Xinhua) -- Laos is actively working to develop workforce skills and prepare its labor force for both domestic and international markets, aiming to improve job opportunities, income, and overall welfare for young people. The Lao...