Hanoi (VNA) – The COVID-19 pandemic continuesspreading in Southeast Asian nations with thousands of new infection casesreported each day.
On August 12, the Philippine Health Ministry said thecountry recorded 4,444 new infections and 93 deaths in the past 24 hours,raising the total number of infections and fatalities to 143,749 and 2,404 cases,respectively.
The country currently records the highest number ofinfections in the region.
The same day, Indonesia announced 1,942 additional newcases, bringing the total to 130,718. Meanwhile, the number of deaths rose to5,903, or 79 cases higher than a day earlier, a record in Southeast Asia.
In Singapore, there were 42 new infection cases, the lowestin the past nearly five months, most of them are workers under quarantine.
Last week, the island state announced that itsuccessfully wiped out COVID-19 hotbeds at dormitories where about 300,000workers are living./.
Some 15.7 million smartphone users had downloaded Bluezone, a locally-developed contact-tracing app to identify and alert people who have interacted with COVID-19 patients, as of 11am on August 11, according to the Ministry of Information and Communications (MIC).
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc requested ministries and localities to build effective strategies to cope with COVID-19 in terms of economy and health, while chairing a virtual meeting with permanent members of the Government in Hanoi on August 12.
Fourteen new COVID-19 infection cases were confirmed on August 12 evening, including one in Hanoi and 13 others related to Da Nang city, reported the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.
An Indonesian official emphasised that energy security is extremely essential amid global geopolitical and economic fragmentation, highlighting the need for the energy industry to strengthen resilience and responsiveness in the face of fluctuating oil prices and the shift to clean energy.
ASEAN must deepen collaboration through platforms such as the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Transnational Crime (SOMTC) to ensure regional responses keep pace with the rapidly evolving cyber threat landscape.
Speaking at the launch of the Indonesia Economic Prospects June 2025 edition on June 23 in Jakarta, Turk noted that Indonesia’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 4.9% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year.
Anti-dumping duties will continue to be imposed on producers from China and Japan while those on relevant exporters from the RoK and Vietnam will be terminated, starting from June 23.
A specialist police unit has acquired a fleet of off-road vehicles to help officers navigate rough, unpaved terrain – and flood waters – to respond more quickly to public security incidents.
The pact covers goods, services, investments, intellectual property rights, customs facilitation, competition policy, sanitary and phytosanitary, trade and sustainable development, government procurement and economic cooperation.
The talent programmes mark another milestone in the technical partnership between PETRONAS and the Energy Institute, which focuses on three pillars: promoting decarbonisation and operational excellence through innovative solutions, enabling informed decision-making with expert advice, and nurturing the next generation of energy professionals.
The firefighters found an active blaze at the lorry depot located in the city of Pasir Gudang near the state capital of Johor Bahru, with flames spreading quickly due to strong winds and igniting a neighboring disused oil storage area.
Investigators believe the operation is part of a broader scam network involving romance scams, where victims are lured into fake relationships and persuaded to transfer money.
Ambassadors, Consuls General, along with staff and their families, joined traditional sports and cultural activities of Southeast Asia and performances bearing regional identity, thus contributing to strengthening unity and the ASEAN community spirit in New York.
In his post on social media the same day, Hun Manet said energy companies would be able to import sufficiently from other sources to meet domestic fuel and gas demands in the country.
The forum, which involves global experts and creative leaders from across 14 cultural sectors, aims to expand Thailand’s presence on the world stage through innovation and cultural exchange.
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
In Manila, Philippines (Photo: Xinhua) 
