Vietnam has confirmed its support for Cambodia's ambitious plan to build a canal connecting the Mekong River basin and the Cambodian coast. On the other hand, Vietnam is eager to work with others to mitigate potential negative consequences, according to the Vietnamese foreign ministry on Thursday, August 8. On Monday, the Cambodian government broke ground on the Funan Techo Canal project worth US$1.7 billion. This canal proposes to divert a considerable amount of Cambodian cargo away from Vietnam, representing a significant improvement in regional infrastructure. Despite this, Vietnam rema
The Philippines and Germany have agreed to sign a defence cooperation deal this year, strengthening the Indo-Pacific region's international rules-based system. During the first visit of a German defence minister to Manila, Boris Pistorius and his Philippine counterpart, Gilberto Teodoro, agreed to create long-term military relations to enhance training and bilateral exchanges, investigate armament cooperation, and pursue cooperative projects. As the two countries mark 70 years of diplomatic relations, Teodoro emphasised the Philippines' aim to modernise its military and sees Germany as a p
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar set a goal of Yen 5 trillion (about $42 billion) in investments between India and Japan by 2027. Speaking in Tokyo, Jaishankar emphasised the developing economic connection and cited substantial progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership. Over the last decade, India has built eight new airports per year, 1.5 to 2 new metro lines in various cities, and 28 kilometres of highways per day. Furthermore, 8 km of railway tracks are laid daily, and the number of educational institutions has doubled, supporting 1,600 global capacity centres wort
Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh at Hyderabad House in Delhi to discuss the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between India and Vietnam. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, the meeting's goal was to strengthen bilateral relations. Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said on X, "Taking India-Vietnam collaboration to new heights! PM @narendramodi welcomed PM Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam to Hyderabad House. Substantial discussions to revitalise the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership are on
UAE-based artificial intelligence company G42 is collaborating with U.S. partners and the Emirati government to meet global AI development and deployment standards. This decision comes amid questions about the company's possible ties to China. A G42 spokeswoman confirmed that the company is committed to adhering to "the highest global standards" in AI. This is G42's first official comment since discussions between the business and US Congressional officials were cancelled by the UAE in July. Following Microsoft's $1.5 billion investment in G42, politicians in the United States voiced co
The United States offered $500 million to strengthen the Philippines' military and coast guard, demonstrating its support amid tensions with China in the South China Sea. This announcement was made during a meeting in Manila between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin, and their Philippine counterparts, reiterating Washington's commitment to its oldest treaty ally in Asia. "This unprecedented funding sends a clear message of support for the Philippines from the Biden-Harris administration, the US Congress, and the American people," Austin said during a join
Grenadian Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell has taken over as CARICOM's next rotating chairman, promising to fight for climate justice, reduce gun violence, and improve digital technologies. Mitchell took over leadership from Guyana's President Irfaan Ali during a summit in Grenada that had been delayed by Hurricane Beryl, the Atlantic season's first reported Category 4 storm. He emphasised the importance of climate action, urging rich nations to honour agreements to reduce emissions and provide financial assistance to offset the effects of climate change. The cost of reconstructing follow
In a spectacular display of support, Vice President Kamala Harris' election campaign raised $200 million and recruited 170,000 new volunteers in only one week. This surge comes after President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign and endorsed Harris in the November 5 election against Republican Donald Trump. According to Harris' deputy campaign manager, Rob Flaherty, new donors contributed 66% of the funds, demonstrating the campaign's strong momentum. Earlier, Trump's campaign revealed that it raised $331 million in the second quarter, outpacing Biden's campaign and its Democratic a
S Jaishankar, the External Affairs Minister, met with his Australian counterpart Penny Wong in Tokyo on Monday to discuss ways to boost bilateral cooperation in security, trade, and education. They are attending a meeting of the Quad Foreign Ministers, which includes Australia, India, Japan, and the United States. Jaishankar emphasised the significance of strengthening practical cooperation throughout the Indo-Pacific region. During their conversation, Jaishankar and Wong discussed tightening engagement and expanding their partnership within the Quad framework. Jaishankar said on X, "We di
The European Union (EU) and Singapore have signed a new Digital Trade Agreement to boost online trade, assist small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) with digital transformation, and streamline data flows. The deal, announced on July 25 in Brussels by EU Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis and Singapore's Minister for Trade Relations Grace Fu, enhances the current EU-Singapore Free Trade deal from 2019. The agreement, reached after five rounds of negotiations, seeks to decrease administrative and financial burdens on SMEs, enable interoperable systems for e-payments and electronic co