Singapore (VNA) – Singaporeans still hold the world’s most powerful pass💖port, with visa-free or 🐲visa-on-arrival access to 193 destinations out of 227 globally, according to the latest Henley Passport Index released on July 22.
The country retained its first-place ranking despite a slight dip from 195 destinations in the January edition of the index.
Singapore lost visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to Pakistan and Mauritania in West Africa after both switched from visa-on-arrival to e-visa systems.
E-visas, unlike visa-on-arrival arrangements, require travelers to obtain approval before departure and are not counted as visa-free access in the index.
This reduced Singapore’s tally by two points, but it retained its lead, as other top-ranked passports were similarly affected.
Japan and the Republic of Korea are in the second position in the ranking, with access to 190 destinations. Seven European Union countries – Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy and Spain – share third place with access to 189 destinations.
Meanwhile, the UK and the US slipped down the index. Once the world’s most powerful passports – the UK in 2015, and the US in 2014, they now rank sixth and 10th, respectively.
The UK offers visa-free access to 186 destinations, while the US 182. According to the Henley & Partners, the US is on the verge of falling out of the top 10 for the first time in the index’s 20-year history.
At the bottom is Afghanistan, at 99th position, with its citizens able to access just 25 destinations without a prior visa. Syria is in 98th place with 27 destinations, followed by Iraq at 97th with 30.
Henley & Partners, a global citizenship and residence advisory firm, compiles the ranking using exclusive data from the International Air Transport Association.
It is published twice a year – in January and July – and tracks the number of destinations passport holders can enter without needing a prior visa./.
A cyberattack on Singapore’s power system could disrupt its electricity supply, which could have a knock-on effect on other essential services such as healthcare or transport, said the official.
Researchers validated the system using tissue samples from 231 patients across five hospitals. Further validation studies are scheduled to begin later this year.
The Vietnam Fruit and Vegetable Festival 2025 was held in Singapore on July 18 as a meaningful trade promotion event that strengthens bilateral economic, trade, and investment ties and helps realise the economic cooperation contents of the Vietnam–Singapore Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Addressing the ceremony, Indonesian Ambassador Simon D.I. Soekamo, the rotating Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Cuba, highlighted the bloc's spirit of friendship and solidarity, and reaffirmed ASEAN's core values of peace, stability, and prosperity through cooperation and dialogue.
Vietnam’s pavilion notably displayed traditional crafts from the centuries-old lacquerware village of Ha Thai and Chu Dau ceramics. The atmosphere was further enriched by delegations wearing their countries’ traditional costumes, including the elegant ao dai and the graceful ao tu than of Vietnamese women.
The handover ceremony was held at the Malaysian Embassy headquarters in Mexico City on August 8, with the presence of heads of diplomatic missions from ASEAN member states in Mexico.
Total trade between Indonesia and New Zealand in the first half of 2025 reached 963.23 million USD, an increase of 21.56% compared to 792.39 million USD in the same period last year. Of this amount, Indonesia's exports to New Zealand totaled 374.89 million USD, while imports 588.35 million USD
Malaysia, as ASEAN 2025 Chair, marked the bloc’s 58th founding anniversary on August 8 with a vibrant celebration in Cyberjaya, blending an official ceremony with a colorful cultural festival.
Vietnam plays an important role in Southeast Asia’s economic growth and is a key partner of her country in realising the shared vision of a peaceful, stable, and prosperous region, said Robyn Mudie, First Assistant Secretary of Office of Southeast Asia (OSA) – Southeast Asia Regional and Mainland Division at Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).
The 2025 ASEAN Business Community Development (ABCD) Forum, themed “Empowering ASEAN's Next Leap: Digital, Sustainable & Entrepreneurial Transformation” brought together ministers, CEOs, and top industry experts to discuss key regional economic priorities.
The DES Ministry will seek cooperation from social media platforms to prevent the spread of fake news and monitor accounts related to such activities, he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the newly established Anti-Fake News Centre (AFNC).
The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking identified the US tariff reduction as a significant driver behind the improved economic outlook for Thailand.
Financial institutions and financial technology (fintech) players are intensifying their focus on expanding across the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), adopting tailored strategies to strengthen their presence in the region’s digital financial services landscape.
Featuring a permanent exhibition area, the ASEAN Hall will function both as a cultural showcase and as a dynamic venue for ASEAN-related events and programmes. Its inauguration on ASEAN Day added symbolic weight, marking a fresh milestone in ASEAN–RoK relations.
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce and rice exporters are devising strategic plans to boost rice exports amid global market fluctuations, focusing on key markets and adjusting output.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
