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
On July 28, US and Japan will hold security talks, the first time they will address "extended deterrence," which refers to the United States' resolve to deploy nuclear weapons to deter attacks against allies. While this difficult matter has been debated at lower levels, it is essential for Japan, the only country to have experienced atomic bomb assaults. In April, Washington and Tokyo declared an upgrade to their alliance, which was founded in 1951, in response to mounting threats from China, Russia, and North Korea. US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Kritenbrink stated, "In the face o
According to Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro, the Philippines intends to enter into reciprocal troop access arrangements with Canada, France, New Zealand, and other nations. The recent Reciprocal Access Agreement (RAA) inked with Japan on July 8 marks the start of these efforts, with plans to engage countries that assist the Philippines in combating Chinese maritime aggression in the West Philippine Sea. RAAs are security pacts that allow troops to train and operate across borders. The pact with Japan, the first involving a Southeast Asian country, is pending ratification in Congress. T
Vice President Kamala Harris raised more than $50 million in less than 24 hours after launching her candidature for president in 2024, according to her campaign. Following President Biden's endorsement of Harris, there was a tremendous fundraising boom, one of the largest in political history. The Democratic Party's online donation platform, ActBlue, was instrumental in the influx of contributions. ActBlue received more than $80 million in donations shortly after Biden announced that he would not run for re-election, with a peak of $11.5 million in a single hour on Sunday evening. As of ea
Taiwanese businesses are shifting their supply chains from China to India as Taipei and New Delhi improve commercial ties amid escalating global trade concerns. According to James Huang, chairman of the Taiwan External Trade Development Council, Taiwan's foreign direct investment (FDI) in India totalled $665 million between 2018 and 2023. This contrasts with $277 million in FDI from 2006 to 2017. "It is evident that more Taiwanese companies are moving supply chains out of China and are establishing them in India," Huang told reporters. Despite the lack of formal links with Taiwan, India ha