Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1000 GMT, Dec. 16

MANILA — Typhoon Rai, one of the strongest battering the Philippines this year, made landfall in Siargao Island in the southern Philippines on Thursday afternoon, the Philippines' weather bureau said. Thousands of residents along its path were forced to be evacuated to safety. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration said Rai intensified further as it approached Siargao in Surigao del Norte province, blowing maximum winds of 195 km per hour and with gusts of up to 240 km per hour when it slammed into the island at 1:30 p.m. local time (0530 GMT). (Philippines-Typhoon-Landfall) NEW DELHI — India's federal government has cleared a proposal to increase the minimum age of marriage for women from 18 to 21 years, local media reports said Thursday. The decision to increase the marriageable age among women was reportedly made during a cabinet meeting on Wednesday. Currently, the minimum age of marriage for men is 21 and for women, it is 18. With the move, the legal age of marriage for women now will be the same as men. (India-Women Marriage Ages) MAZAR-I-SHARIF — A local trading company the Bashir Nawed Shirkat has provided humanitarian assistance to more than 7,000 teachers in the northern Balkh province, head of the company in the province Mujtaba Usmani said Thursday. The package assistance includes a bag of flour and a can of cooking oil, Usmani said, adding that the distribution began Wednesday and would last to cover the needy teachers elsewhere in the province. (Afghanistan-Humanitarian Aid-Teachers) MACAO — China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) on Thursday released its second five-year plan, setting economic and social development goals for the next stage. According to the plan, by 2025, Macao will have enriched its position as a global tourism and recreational center, expanded its function as a service platform for business and trade cooperation between the Chinese mainland and Portuguese-speaking countries, steadily advanced the construction of an exchange and cooperation base with Chinese culture as the mainstream and the co-existence of multiple cultures. (Macao-Five Year Plan) Enditem Follow China.org.cn on Twitter and Facebook to join the conversation.