Many parts of Metro Manila have been flooded since Tuesday due to the heavy rains brought by Typhoon Gaemi, local name Carina, and the southwest monsoon. The Metro Manila Council (MMC) on Wednesday approved a resolution declaring a state of calamity in the capital region due to the onslaught of Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon. It enables the release of calamity funds for 16 cities and one municipality in Metro Manila and allows the implementation of price control in the region. The resolution was approved during the MMC meeting at the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) headquarters in Pasig…
Author: Asia News Network
Defence Minister Minoru Kihara said the ministers agreed to make preparations “by the end of this year” to establish an international entity named the GCAP International Government Organization to manage the joint development program. Defence Minister Minoru Kihara confirmed with British Defence Secretary John Healey and Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto that their three countries will continue a program to jointly develop and deploy next-generation fighters in 2035, at a meeting of the three ministers in London on Tuesday. There had been media reports that the British government might review its participation in the program, known as the Global Combat…
Hopes are not high that the talks in Vientiane will result in significant progress on the South China Sea issue, such as a code of conduct for nations operating in the body of water, but analysts warn that ASEAN must at least refrain from backpedaling on its existing position. Pressure is mounting on Southeast Asia’s top diplomats to ensure regional unity at this week’s ASEAN talks in Laos, as analysts say ongoing disputes over rights to the South China Sea require a clear regional approach even as claimants increasingly opt to resolve issues in the troubled waters bilaterally. Hopes are…
Experts view VP Harris likely to uphold President Biden’s foreign policy objectives if she becomes Democratic nominee. US President Joe Biden’s seismic decision to drop out of the presidential race and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic nominee on Sunday has rattled South Korea. The tectonic political shift raises critical questions about whether the steadfast South Korea-US alliance, exemplified by the Washington Declaration and the crucial trilateral cooperation with Japan highlighted at the Camp David summit, will endure despite Biden’s withdrawal. Hours after Biden withdrew from the presidential race, the South Korean presidential office struck a cautious tone…
The inaugural direct international passenger train is expected to enhance connectivity between Thailand and Laos, as well as bolster ties with China and other ASEAN countries. The inaugural direct international passenger train between Bangkok and Vientiane was launched on Friday and is expected to enhance connectivity between Thailand and Laos, as well as bolster ties with China and other ASEAN countries. Departing Bangkok’s Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station at 9:25 pm, train No 133 carried about 400 passengers, arriving in Laos’ capital Vientiane the following Saturday. The journey went smoothly with efficient cross-border customs checks and passengers reboarding at Nong…
The country’s first versatile artificial intelligence model is capable of examining medical images of more than 20 human organs, including the lungs, breasts, and liver. A Chinese team has developed the country’s first versatile artificial intelligence model capable of examining medical images of more than 20 human organs, including the lungs, breasts and liver. The large language model, known as PathOrchestra, represents a breakthrough in AI-assisted disease diagnosis, heralding a transformative shift from a singular model dedicated to a specific cancer to a versatile one capable of addressing a multitude of them. Researchers from Air Force Medical University, Tsinghua University…
In-depth talks on the Myanmar crisis, the Code of Conduct on the disputed South China Sea, and keeping the region free from nuclear weapons are expected during the 57th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting. The Indonesian diplomatic corps is readying itself for a week of ministerial-level meetings on ASEAN in Vientiane next week, amid simmering tensions in the region and several unresolved negotiations critical to Southeast Asia’s security. In-depth talks on the Myanmar crisis, the Code of Conduct (COC) on the disputed South China Sea, and keeping the region free from nuclear weapons are expected during the 57th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM).…
The National Development and Reform Commission said on Sunday that it had allocated 350 million yuan ($48.15 million) from the central budget to aid disaster relief and restoration efforts in flood-stricken Henan, Shaanxi and Sichuan provinces. Severe casualties were reported over the weekend as torrential rain hit many parts of China, with search and rescue efforts ongoing to locate dozens of people missing in accidents caused by flash floods. The National Development and Reform Commission said on Sunday that it had allocated 350 million yuan ($48.15 million) from the central budget to aid disaster relief and restoration efforts in flood-stricken…
Shanghai will launch a public testing program for its driverless taxi services as soon as next week, marking a step forward in the city’s pursuit of intelligent and connected autonomous vehicle applications. Shanghai officially issued the first permits for demonstration applications of the driverless vehicles to four companies on July 4. Over the past two weeks, autonomous driving companies have been preparing and fine-tuning their systems before initiating the public testing, which will be free of charge to citizens. The designated testing area for the driverless taxi pilot program spans 68 square kilometers in Shanghai’s Lin-gang Special Area in Pudong.…
The Philippines on Thursday said it was willing to discuss its overlapping extended continental shelf (ECS) with Vietnam after Hanoi filed its own ECS claim before a United Nations body a day earlier. Vietnam filed its claim a month after regional neighbor the Philippines made a similar move, Vietnam’s foreign ministry said on Thursday. The submission of the continental shelf beyond the current 370 kilometers (200 nautical miles) is to exercise the rights and obligations of state parties in accordance to the maritime framework, the foreign ministry said in a statement. This is Vietnam’s third submission of an ECS, the…