MANILA -- Philippine exports reached 70.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 from 69.3 billion U.S. dollars last year despite external headwinds from the global trade policy uncertainties, Philippine Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said on Tuesday.

"The relatively strong export performance of the Philippines transpired amid the Department of Trade and Industry's strong efforts in attracting investments, spurring micro-, small-, and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) development, and promoting the ease of doing business," Lopez said. (The Philippines-Export 2019)

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COLOMBO -- Sri Lanka's Health Ministry said Tuesday that 10,607 dengue cases were recorded from across the country in January, an increase of 90 percent compared to the same period last year.

The Epidemiology Unit of the Health Ministry, quoted in local media reports, said the highest number of dengue patients were reported from capital Colombo at 1,693, followed by Trincomalee in the east with 1,278, Jaffna in the north with 1,061, Batticaloa in the east with 1,044, Gampaha on the outskirts of the capital with 74, and Kandy, in the Central Highlands with 662 patients. (Sri Lanka-Dengue fever)

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DHAKA -- At least 15 people died after a boat packed with Rohingya refugees capsized in the Bay of Bengal close to Bangladesh's southeastern border with Myanmar, said an official here on Tuesday.

Hayat Ibna Siddique, Bangladesh Coast Guard spokesman, told journalists that the boat sank in the Bay of Bengal near St Martin's Island on Tuesday morning while trying to go to Malaysia illegally with some 122 people on board. (Bangladesh-Rohingya refugees-Boat accident)

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SUVA -- The Fijian economy is anticipated to grow by 1.7 percent in 2020, following an estimated 1 percent expansion in 2019.

According to the Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF)'s January 2020 Economic Review on Tuesday, sectoral performances in Fiji remained generally mixed in 2019. (Fiji-Economy) Enditem

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