Jakarta (VNA)💦 – The Indonesian government has sealed the factory of PT Peter Metal Technology (PMT) in the Cikande industrial area of Banten province, after the site was suspected of being the source of a Cesium-137 (Cs-137) radiation leak linked to a shipment of frozen shrimp exported by PT Bahari Makmur Sejati.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Environment/Environmental Control Agency said in a recent statement that a radiation handling acceleration task force was established to ensure food safety, protect the public, and safeguard the environment. Immediate decontamination was conducted to restore the area and minimise environmental impact.
A joint team from relevant departments carried out a scientific investigation in line with international standards. Findings showed that shrimp raw materials were safe while low concentrations of Cs-137 were detected only in factory blowers and ventilators, below the threshold and promptly decontaminated.
The radiation acceleration task force is a concrete manifestation of the government's commitment to protecting the people while maintaining ecosystem sustainability, said Deputy Minister of Environment Diaz Hendropriyono in the statement./.
The satellite Nusantara 5 (N5), launched by Indonesia, is expected to strengthen connectivity in Indonesia's eastern region, supporting distance learning, digital health care, and providing access to information and entertainment for remote communities.
Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) is preparing 17 locations to be designated as specific national strategic areas (KSNT) for blue carbon reserves.
Senior defence officials of the Republic of Korea (RoK) and the Philippines discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in defence and weapon industry at their meeting in Seoul on September 15.
From September 16, residents and visitors can enjoy a safer, cleaner, and higher-quality travel option aboard the company’s signature cyan taxis, with special promotions available for new users.
The declaration, endorsed at the ASEAN Prosecutors/Attorneys General Meeting (APAGM) in Bali, commits regional prosecutors to closer coordination in addressing transnational offenses such as online gambling, scams, corruption, money laundering, and cross-border asset smuggling.
CAMEX features 17 themed pavilions, including 10 dedicated to ASEAN member states – Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam – as well as a regional pavilion from Guangxi, China. It also hosts a special World Halal Trade Centre and themed areas for other Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) members such as Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia and New Zealand.
The Indonesian government has confirmed that it will stop providing incentives for imported completely built-up (CBU) battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from 2026.
The ministry warned that the RSV can easily spread through mucus, saliva and toys around children. Currently, there is no specific treatment or RSV vaccine for children, so families were urged to take preventive measures.
Thailand has emerged as one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing markets for artificial intelligence (AI), with OpenAI reporting that weekly active users of ChatGPT in the country have quadrupled over the past year.
Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is driving forward the Land Bridge mega-project, valued at nearly 1 trillion THB (31.5 billion USD), to stimulate the economy and attract long-term investment.
A discussion on Vietnamese cuisine, culture and tourism was held in Tel Aviv on September 14, aiming to deepen the understanding of Vietnamese culture and promote people-to-people exchanges between Vietnam and Israel, especially as the two countries expand cooperation across multiple fields.
Confirmed initiatives include the revival of the popular "Half-Half" co-payment scheme. Other proposals under discussion - though not yet finalised - include the "We Travel Together" tourism stimulus programme, decentralisation efforts and disaster mitigation strategies.
Fidel’s words to the gathered soldiers: “For Vietnam, Cuba is willing to shed its own blood!” captured the very essence of the friendship forged between the two nations, a relationship nurtured through resilience, dignity, and internationalist spirit.
The ASEAN task force is not identical to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) but is intended to serve as a platform for collective discussions and joint actions when ASEAN countries face shared threats.
The 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC) on September 11 agreed to present three ASEAN Leaders’ Declarations at the 47th ASEAN Summit in this October.
With clashes arising from time to time worldwide, Asia should continue to keep dialogue channels open, exercise restraint when conflicts emerge, and strengthen regional mechanisms that can help manage differences.
In addition to rice, Indonesia is resolute in prohibiting imports of corn and table sugar in 2025, and is determined to optimise domestic production through pro-farmer policies in pursuit of food self-sufficiency.
Thailand, now ranked first in the world for weather modification, continues to expand its royal rainmaking programme to combat drought and support agriculture nationwide.
The 10 initiatives include restoring the ecosystems and the availability of food-producing land, intensification and assistance for farmers, developing community-based food systems, increasing local food diversification, and increasing animal protein consumption, among others.
