Asia – Page 1750 – Sure A Not

Struggling state-run shipbuilder to get more support, navy contracts

On: June 28, 2024

PUBLISHED: 29 Jun 2024 at 05: 00

The Defense Ministry wants to make the Bangkok Dock Company, a express corporation, a leader in the construction of boats for the military.

Minister Sutin Klungsang addressed the business yesterday, stating that it has a long history of manufacturing and deliver repair, which have been demonstrated by its dedication to the navy, additional security agencies, as well as the private field.

He added that this company supports the military’s goal of upholding maritime security and national independence.

The maritime shipbuilding division of the company is important to the defense sector, Mr. Sutin said, and it supports government initiatives that promote the defense sector as one of its specific target industries.

The plan is even in line with the government’s 20- time national plan on national surveillance and enhancing competitiveness, he said.

Mr. Sutin urged the business to carry on its capabilities and establish a business plan that is compliant with the world’s current circumstances and conflicts to ensure it does remain independent and responsible.

He advised the business to be prepared for more work because the army is anticipated to demand more of its services in the near future.

However, company representatives told him that they have been dealing with a number of difficulties, particularly in terms of a lack of competition and economic issues, and that the company’s expenses have outweighed its revenues.

They demanded that the government take supervision actions to improve its position in the private sector.

The chancellor argued that bolstering the business was crucial in a number of ways.

Despite the agency’s cash issues, he said he believed this would not affect the military industry’s policy.

The government will also help the private sector, he added, while more work will be made to make sure the company may compete with private companies.

EC petitioned over Senate vote

By: Barkar Nash

On: June 28, 2024

In: South-East Asia

PUBLISHED: 29 Jun 2024 at 05: 00

Several individuals who lost on Wednesday’s last vote in the Senate vote officially requested an investigation into what they thought was electoral fraud.

Surachai Pornjindachote, who is among the 100 potential competitors held in reserve in the event any of those who were prosperous in the vote are eventually disqualified, led a group of losing prospects in petitioning the EC against Wednesday’s results.

He claimed that it was strange for more than 20 members of the same professional organization he was a member of to cast their ballots for the same group of individuals.

On Wednesday, Mr. Surachai claimed a person who looked and acted like a tour guide led a number of individuals wearing related yellow shirts and black coats into the ballot location.

All of these abnormalities were undoubtedly captured on surveillance cameras at Muang Thong Thani, he claimed, so the EC was urged to investigate the video.

Additionally, he noted that some successful candidates have disclosed their educational backgrounds and labor histories, adding that the EC may have once more carefully considered these claims.

” From what I’ve observed, the EC must have missed some crucial details ]in the past qualification check on these candidates ]”, he said.

According to Mr. Surachai, some of his other losing individuals also filed a petition with the Supreme Court yesterday regarding the alleged election-rigging allegations.

You claimed to be aware of what was happening. But if in the conclusion no one is really caught]and punished for manipulating the election], that would mean you have failed to complete your task properly”, said Saharat Malasri, another losing candidate, referring to the EC.

More than 10 candidates in the same expert team of his, according to Mr. Saharat, were given no chance of receiving any votes even though they were only allowed to cast one ballot in the intra-group election.

He was prompted by this to believe that these individuals may have had a plan to support other individuals for reasons that merit the EC’s consideration.

Another class of losing candidates, who were all female, filed a separate petition asking for an EC investigation into some winning candidates, who, according to this team, had not met or introduced different candidates before voting in a semblance to what they saw at Wednesday’s vote.

IDF admits it can’t win; Netanyahu isn’t listening – Asia Times

By: Bolen C

On: June 28, 2024

In: Asia

Israel’s government made the decision to acknowledge the loss of its eight and a half-month war in Gaza, and it was also the failure of the objective set out by the prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, who declared he would kill the militant group following the Hamas attack on October 7.

On June 19 the spokesperson for the Israel Defense Forces ( IDF), Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, told Channel 13 News that the aim of eradicating Gaza’s leadership was unattainable.

This is just another example of Hamas being destroyed and making people vanish. Hamas is an plan, Hamas is a celebration. People who believes we can end Hamas is bad because it is rooted in the people’s hearts.

At one level, the IDF director was only restating what experts had cautioned only after Hamas’s dying of 1, 143 individuals, including 767 citizens, and its violence of about 250 others. An all- out defense assault, from the air and on the ground, would permit Hamas to manifest itself as the protector of Gaza’s civilians, yet as Israel killed several thousands of them.

But, at another level, this entrance was the Jewish government’s concern to Netanyahu.

Netanyahu had snapped three days earlier at a cabinet meeting that” to achieve the goal of destroying Hamas’s capabilities I’ve had to make decisions that were n’t always accepted by the military leadership.”

The IDF was essentially telling the excellent minister that Hamas ‘ program A of annihilation was ineffective. What is strategy B, then?

In Hagari’s words:” If the government does n’t find an alternative” Hamas” will remain in Gaza”.

Netanyahu’s eternal combat

The prime minister’s office refused to give way to the martial, responding to Hagari’s meeting by doubling down on having “defined as one of the war objectives the death of Hamas’s defense and governance skills”.

In a military surrender, the IDF issued another speech – that it was committed to stated war targets, including destroying Hamas’s controlling and military capabilities. Hagari, according to this speech, had only spoken about “eradicating Hamas as an ideology and an idea”.

But the leaders, and Netanyahu, knew that the warning bell could not be unrung – especially as, just ten days before, past IDF chief Benny Gantz had fired his personal photo at the prime minister.

One of the three members of the war cabinet, Gantz, gave Netanyahu a three-week ultimatum on May 18. He claimed in a televised address that the prime minister had put his personal and political goals before the state of Israel’s existential needs, allowing “hard-right zealots” to put the nation in danger.

Instead of focusing on Hamas ‘ “destruction,” Gantz made six strategic demands: placing a priority on the release of hostages and appointing a new political leadership in Gaza.

Netanyahu rejected all the demands, including a timeline for a course toward a state of Palestine and Israel’s return to normal contact with Arab nations. On June 9, Gantz left the war cabinet. A week later, the prime minister dissolved the body.

No strategy ( A or B)

This has only prolonged Netanyahu’s dilemma. He will be in political and legal jeopardy unless Hamas ceases to exist on the day a ceasefire is announced for Gaza.

In Israel, early elections are likely to follow, and he is far behind Gantz and the National Unity Party in terms of polling. He might be facing bribery charges, which the war has effectively suspended.

The state of the war in Gaza according to the Institute for the Study of War — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that the military operation’s “intensive” phase is almost over. Graphic: Institute for the Study of War

But there is prospect neither of his promised destruction of Hamas nor that Gaza’s civilians, – facing death, starvation and deprivation each day – will rise up against the leadership.

In a rare enforcement of a “red line,” the US examined any plans for an extensive ground assault on Rafah. Netanyahu has made ambiguous statements about a redeployment of the army in an effort to deter pressure, while still using bombs against Hamas and civilians.

What does Netanyahu do to ward off the pressure from both inside and outside of Israel, with no plan B? He plays for time. In the past week, Netanyahu has said he supports only a “partial” hostage deal with Hamas, so Israel could resume fighting after women, the elderly, and sick were released.

He has chosen to engage in a discussion with the US regarding the supply of American weapons for Israel’s conflict. Additionally, he has threatened to intensify the fighting with Hezbollah along the northern Lebanese border.

None of these is a plan B for Gaza. They are Netanyahu’s personal plan A. Use a daily distraction or diversion to divert attention away from the media’s attention on the ceasefire talks, the carnage in Gaza, or the failure to “destroy” Hamas.

The IDF’s warning and Gantz’s departure from the war cabinet serve as a signal that the military is weary of an open-ended assault with no political vision.

But when will that weariness lead to a decisive rejection of Netanyahu’s approach? For now, given that the defense minister, Yoav Gallant, has not indicated he will make a break – and given the pressure from hard- right ministers to ethnically cleanse Gaza in a long- term occupation – that question, like Netanyahu’s options, has no answer.

Scott Lucas is a professor of international politics at University College Dublin’s Clinton Institute.

This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Yaowarat shines in “Rockstar” video

By: Barkar Nash

On: June 28, 2024

In: South-East Asia

After the launch of a music videos featuring the area, known as Bangkok’s Chinatown, the government intends to promote Yaowarat and its surrounding area to draw international visitors.

The Rockstar song’s latest film, which was just released on Friday, had 19.2 million sights as of push time, or only 11 hours after it had been posted on YouTube.

The majority of the single’s recording was done on Bangkok’s Yaowarat Road, making the picture the talk of the town in Thailand. The K-pop party Blackpink singer is seen dancing and singing on a street in Chinatown, the capital.

Rockstar made its international debut at the same time as it was released on YouTube in Thailand at 7am. A trailer was out on Wednesday.

The singer continues to pursue her solo career while continuing to work with Blackpink as the second was released by RCA Records.

Tourism Authority of Thailand ( TAT ) governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said that apart from Yaowarat, which is already well- known among foreign tourists, the TAT will promote other nearby neighbourhoods, such as Sampheng market, Talat Noi, Song Wat Road and Wang Burapha on social media platforms.

She said the TAT will promote monthly celebrations and festivals in the region, such as the Vegetarian Festival and the Chinese New Year.

“]The audio video ] is equivalent to commerce advertising through the entertainment business. It helps improve the country’s photo, increase knowledge and achieve a wider audience”, she said.

She said that the TAT will use this opportunity to create new tourist attractions in order to draw more travellers. She added that local companies are expected to improve the caliber of their goods and services in order to meet the needs of foreign visitors.

Rudklao Intawong Suwankiri, a lieutenant state spokesperson, said tourism will be boosted by Lisa’s most recent music video because of her fan base there.

” After the song movie’s release, Yaowarat has now become a new assess- in site”, Ms Rudklao said, adding that Lisa’s audio video also helps promote Thailand’s soft power, which aligns with government policy.

Tourism Council of Thailand (TCT) leader Chamnan Srisawat said he hoped Lisa’s fresh videos will encourage tourism in Bangkok because her fans are expected to travel to these locations in her footsteps.

Originally, when Lisa promoted any company or used any Thai item, their revenue skyrocketed, he said.

He said that Yaowarat Road, which is already a nicely- known commerce destination, will become more common as a result of Lisa’s new video, although there has been concern over its poor cleanliness.

According to him, regional government must address this issue as well as ensure the safety of visitors.

He claimed that promoting Thai film productions is essential to boosting tourism revenue, as evidenced by Lisa’s music video and the subsequent Krabi-based Jurassic Park franchise filming that also received a lot of media attention.

FFXIV: Dawntrail a ‘starting point for the next 10 years’

By: Marcus Ching

On: June 28, 2024

In: Asia

22 hours ago

By Tom Richardson, BBC Newsbeat

Square Enix A computer-generated character in a leather jacket, long hair tied back, holds a large spear near his head, as if about to throw it. He looks focused on a foe in the distance. In the background a fiery swirl of orange clouds fills the rocky, canyon-esque landscape.

It’s a June Friday evening in Tokyo, and Naoki Yoshida has trip ideas.

” Take it easy, sleep up”.

Very regular, you might think. But Yoshida- san, the director of Final Fantasy 14 ( FF14 ), knows that it’ll probably be his last chance to relax for a while.

When he speaks to BBC Newsbeat it’s a week until Dawntrail, the latest rise to the massively multiplayer online part- playing game ( MMORPG), is released.

Following a “disastrous” start in 2010, FF14 has gone on to become the most successful name in the show’s history, according to publication Square Enix.

The show’s turned issues around so much that machines struggled to keep up with need when the previous growth, Endwalker, launched in December 2021.

It’s not the only change since FF14 second came out. The economy, and Japan’s place in it, has even shifted over the last century.

Square Enix has stated that it wants to concentrate more on the “global business” and its fans around the world because Final Fantasy is a significant cultural trade for the nation.

Dawntrail, a considerable time for Yoshida santa and his team, provides proof of this strategy, which he calls” the starting point for the next ten times of Final Fantasy 14.”

A decade-long history episode came to an end with Endwalker, and Dawntrail introduced a new saga. Additionally, the game’s design is altered, as are fresh figure classes and other features.

It’s billed as a” summertime vacation”, with the action taking place in the sunshine, Latin America- inspired Tural area of FF14’s earth.

Yoshida- San claims that his team wanted to try something unique because Final Fantasy games have recently taken motivation from Europe and East Asia.

He says Central and South America provide a “huge place” with” a lot of past” to pick from.

Over the past, Square Enix has been criticized for its artificial picture of various cultures, and its subsequent games have made efforts to address this.

Yoshida- san claims to have always viewed FF14 as a “global game,” but that social media’s impact has grown and that “it’s become easier for people to gather up and make their accents heard.”

He admits” there are dangers involved” in depicting different nations, but his team has made it a point” to learn about the lifestyle, read the writings that are available”.

” The universe is diverse”, he says.

” There are people who have many different set of beliefs, many different sects, many different emotions of connections.

” And so it’s definitely important, I feel, that we understand those details.”

Square Enix A still from Final Fantasy showing colourful trees, a waterfall and blue water, with high rocks and hills.

Final Fantasy video games have often incorporated Western forces with Chinese sensibilities, but some have suggested that the line has recently experienced identity crisis.

Yoshida- san tells Newsbeat Square Enix makes” 50 % to 80 %” of its income from” outside enthusiasts”, who are” truly important to factor in when we are creating the game”.

But he believes there’s a compromise to be found.

” We were born in Japan, we were brought up in Japan. But what we were brought up with was pieces of Chinese traditions, “he says.

” So if we put too much of a focus ourselves on overseas audiences, we do n’t have that background and that context.

” If we focus so much on the overseas audiences, then whatever we make would n’t be successful”.

Yet, Yoshida- san says the builders the n’t live in a balloon.

” I think knowing the world is very important for us in our development moving ahead,” he says.

Square Enix A man dressed in costume poses on a stage, smiling. He has a replica sword resting on the shoulder of his long leather jacket, which is fastened by several interlocking belts. The belts have ornate buckles that complement the intricate metal shoulder pads of the garment.

There’s just been another important change for Last Fantasy.

Square Enix has a story of striking special offers to ensure some titles just appear on particular consoles despite producing games for a number of platforms.

Sales of two recent PlayStation 5- only games, Final Fantasy 16 ( FF16 ) and Final Fantasy 7: Rebirth, have reportedly disappointed in Japan.

Following their release CEO Takashi Kiryu told investors the company would “aggressively pursue a multiplatform strategy” to get its games on more machines.

Yoshida- santa is familiar with arguments about distinctiveness, having released the longer- awaited Xbox edition of FF14 this yr.

It’s a mark of a wider market shift, with more and more businesses limiting their game’s placement.

In Japan, figures suggest gamers are opting to play on mobiles or the Nintendo Switch – which recently became the country’s all-time bestselling console.

Regardless of the device they’re playing on, Yoshida- san says,” We want to own people.”

We want them to join us in playing our game, and they should all interact and enjoy together in the same world.

Yoshida- san says Xbox CEO Phil Spencer “devoted a lot of his time” to getting FF14 on to Xbox.

” Owing to his hard work, I’m super, extremely- glad we were able to see it to through to fruition”, he says.

” But of course, there are programs which remain”.

When he’s asked which those may be, Yoshida- san does n’t dare.

” Of training”, he says. ” It goes without saying that would be Nintendo’s system.

” I’m certain people are waiting for the answer to that question.”

Square Enix Dozens of people form a circle around a giant, glowing replica of a teal-coloured crystal. Everyone in the crowd has one arm outstretched towards the crystal, palm open and fingers splayed wide.

For today, though, there’s a more pressing concern on Yoshida- san’s brain- giving Dawntrail” the best possible launch”.

After his trip sleep, he anticipates being active.

” I’m convinced that it’s going to be lonely nights, we’re going to be really eye focused on the service position, “he says.

Endwalker’s tough roots will be on person’s thoughts, but Yoshida- san says he’s not one for dwelling too much on the history.

” It’s what’s already happened, “he says”. And that’s not really going to take us forward.

” Our job is to look forward to the future.”

Despite this, Yoshida- san says there is one thing important to remember.

” The players who stuck with us, ]who] put their trust in the Final Fantasy 14 team.

” They really served as a source of motivation, “he says.

They truly inspired us to get where we are, and we would not be here without them.

” So keeping them in mind, we really just want to do our best for the Final Fantasy 14 community”.

Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 weekdays – or listen back here.

Diljit Dosanjh: From Coachella to Fallon, decoding his stardom

By: Marcus Ching

On: June 28, 2024

In: Asia

6 hours ago

By Zoya Mateen, BBC News

Getty Images Diljit Dosanjh kicks off his Dil-Luminati Tour at BC Place on April 27, 2024 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Who is Diljit Dosanjh?

Who you ask may determine the response to that query.

To the uninitiated, Dosanjh is an incredibly popular Punjabi singer who last week made his debut on Jimmy Fallon’s The Tonight Show. The 40-year-old proudly sits atop what is known as the “Punjabi wave”, a new generation of artists melding homegrown Punjabi music with rap and hip-hop.

Dosanjh performed his visits Born to Shine and G. O. while wearing traditional dress and was described by Fallon as” the biggest Indian artist on the planet.” A. T in front of a packed visitors.

” Some seconds into it and all was dancing”, says Sucharita Tyagi, a film critic who was present at the present. You ought to have seen the property band’s heads because they were “mind blowing.”

Getty Images Diljit Dosanjh performs at The Tonight Show

Back in India, Dosanjh is also recognised as versatile actor who sings in all his films, as well as an accomplished producer. And to others who may never have seen his films or followed his music, he is a social media star who routinely creates a stir with funny videos on Instagram – a video of him having a hilariously frustrating conversation in Punjabi with voice assistant Alexa is a particular favourite for many.

Dosanjh is particularly intriguing because he portrays a musician who avoids the harsh sound and vocabulary of Punjabi hip-hop for something more conventional and organic.

He is a soulful singer, his rich baritone soaring and quivering with emotion at the right places. At shows, he brings the house down with his energy (and gets Ed Sheeran to sing in Punjabi). And his performances on screen can move people to tears or laughter.

For his followers, he is all a “beeba munda”, or a” great boy”, whose authenticity, natural beauty and realistic image make him one of the most appealing stars of his day.

” Ask three people in a place why they like the person and they’ll provide various factors: his acting, singing or just the Instagram glad he makes”, Tyagi says. ” But they’ll all have one thing in common, which is their passion for the people he is”.

Getty Images Diljit Singh Dosanjh during an exclusive interview with HT City-Hindustan Times for upcoming Punjabi movie Sardaar Ji at HT Media Office on June 19, 2015,

Born as Diljit Singh in the Dosanjh Kalan village in Punjab, Dosanjh started his career by singing devotional songs at a local gurdwara. Those who knew him at the time say he was a “bashful boy” who “barely had any beard, but had the rhythm, did bhangra well, and tied a very good turban”.

“He was a very god-fearing beeba boy, who was hungry to learn,” Rajinder Singh, a song producer who gave Dosanjh his first break, once told The Indian Express.

At 16, he released his first album. His wide-eyed innocence and soulful voice instantly made him popular, making the songs less of a hit at night clubs and more popular at wedding parties. Soon, he was getting shows almost every day.

A few years later, his parents sent him to the city of Ludhiana to live and train with his uncle, a local musician. Local artists like Daler Mehndi and Panjabi MC of” Mundian to bach ke” fame were influential in the development of Punjabi music. In 2006, Dosanjh did his first international tour in Canada and a year later, he released his second album, this time under his new name: Diljit Dosanjh.

By 2010, Dosanjh had also established himself as a well-known actor in Punjab’s vibrant film industry. One thing led to another. Six years later, he made his Bollywood debut. Now, he’s a global star.

Getty Images Diljit Dosanjh performs at Coachella

Last year, he made history by becoming the first Punjabi language singer to perform at the Coachella festival. He also collaborated with pop singer Sia, and joined Sheeran while he was touring in India.

Dosanjh has stated in his interviews that his success was not attributable to his diligent work day and night to getting here, even when he was not getting any opportunities.

But the modesty with which he carries himself makes him appear to be a frightened bystander on his own path to fame.

” When a star grows to a certain stature, they usually want to reinvent themselves. However, Dosanjh continues to grow popular as he does not give in to personal excesses, according to communication consultant Dilip Cherian.

” By staying this modest good boy, he presses a whole bunch of right buttons with the audience”, he adds.

Yet, Cherian believes there is more than meets the eye- and that some of Dosanjh’s authentic persona could perhaps be performative.

In fact, Dosanjh himself has said that contrary to his image as a “pure soul” who does not care about the hustle, he’s constantly trying to overtake competition: “This is my job and I don’t make bones about it.”

According to Cherian, Dosanjh has consciously avoided labeling himself as” an edgy bad boy,” which is the standard practice among his peers.

Dosanjh has mostly avoided contentious topics, ditching the typical tropes of revenge and violence in Punjabi pop for themes like faith, love, and tradition, aside from an early phase of his career where his songs featured guns and talked about male pride. Some of his most well-known songs, like G. O. Born to Shine and A. T discuss how he’s trying to establish himself and his hometown by making a name for himself.

Getty Images Diljit Dosanjh during the unveiling of his wax statue at Madame Tussauds Museum, on March 28, 2019 in New Delhi, India

He declares,” Panjabi aagaye hai ( Punjab has arrived ),” and begins each concert with the phrase” Punjabi aagaye hai ( Punjab has arrived ). He claims he could not care less about speaking English well. He once said in an interview,” When you come from a really small place like mine, you want the world to know about it.”

Although Dosanjh is aware of his roots and uses each song to represent a particular aspect of his Punjabi identity, he is not constrained by it. He heavily relies on tradition but also experimentes with it, blending blustering bhangra beats and pop to create songs that make cliched-old tropes sound fresh and relevant.

When it comes to acting, he straddles comedy and serious roles, appearing in films about the drug problem in Punjab like Udta Punjab, as well as light-hearted satires and love stories like Jatt &amp, Juliet.

Getty Images Jimmy Fallon with Diljit Dosanjh

People who have met Tyagi describe him as a” shy and quiet but incredibly observant man.” But that does not prevent him from performing numerous social media stunts and jokes, many of which are performed at his own expense.

Dosanjh has people in place who assist him in managing this image, which is about staying true to himself while carefully balancing the needs of domestic and international audiences,” Cherian claims.

Whatever the verdict on his authenticity, what’s undeniable is that Dosanjh is a man of singular talents.

Even Dosanjh’s self- deprecating humour feels purposeful sometimes. He yells obsessively about himself, including about not speaking English well, before someone else can. However, a serious performer lives beneath the surface and is constantly considering his place in the world and how his art can challenge that. He is a small-district boy from Punjab.

His career may be based on his music. Yet, Dosanjh offers much more: he’s a whole package, a mix of old and new, simple and stylish all which make him utterly relatable.

” And even if some of the authenticity is manufactured, who is it hurting? He’s not lying about his achievements or talents”, Tyagi says.

” There are more frontiers to cover- and Dosanjh just wants to do everything”.

MIRV: Did North Korea succeed in firing a new missile?

By: Marcus Ching

On: June 28, 2024

In: Asia

9 days ago

By Tessa Wong, BBC News, Asia Digital Reporter

Reuters A view of an individual mobile combat separation and guidance control test conducted by the the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's Missile General Directorate at unknown location according to KCNA (Korean Central News Agency), in this image released by the Korean Central News Agency on June 26, 2024.

North and South Korea have gotten into a this week’s weapons test has turned into the latest source of conflict between North and South Korea, with Pyongyang saying they fired a multiple-head weapon and Seoul accusing them of lying. Both Korea claim Pyongyang and Seoul have fired an innovative many weapon weapon, and Pyongyang claims they did so.

Days after North Korean state media lauded the” achievement” of their check and ran photos as evidence on Thursday, the South called it “deception and overreaction” and released their own data pointing towards loss.

Researchers are still unsure about the accuracy of the North’s assertions.

The conflict highlights the difficulty of tracking down North Korea’s weapons growth, which is progressing despite significant international sanctions.

If North Korea’s latest claims are true, it may signify important development in their missile program.

The development of several weapon missiles is challenging, as is the technology. Now only the US- which initially developed it in the 1960s- as well as the UK, France, Russia and China are known to have these skills.

Pyongyang is then claiming that they are also one step closer to achieving it.

For some time now, experts have floated the possibility of North Korea eventually developing MIRV capabilities.

Many freely targetable re-entry vehicles are MIRV. The systems involves tying a number of warheads together to individual missiles after release. The warheads may finally launch their own rockets into a variety of targets using their own fuel.

They can travel at various speeds and in various directions, allowing them to strike targets hundreds of kilometers apart. This is what makes these arms so powerful.

Pyongyang claimed on Thursday that it had “effectively conducted the parting and guidance control test of personal smart warheads” the previous day. The tool, it said, used the first- level website of an transitional- range strong- fuel nuclear missile, and deployed three warheads plus a decoy.

The missile travelled a” shortened range” of 170 to 200km ( 105 to 124 miles ) to ensure safety and measure the flights of the warheads, said state media. The missiles were each “guided properly” to their targets, and anti-air radar revealed that the decoy had also successfully deployed.

The test was of “great value in bolstering” their missile forces and was aimed at” securing the MIRV capability”, which has been set as a top priority.

South Korea’s defense but was quick to debunk these claims, saying the “flight was no standard” and that the weapon had exploded middle- flight.

It made a picture of the test that it had captured, claiming that the first stage showed an unstable flight that triggered a mid-air explosion. More particles than what should have been the effect of a successful test, according to military officials who were present.

Additionally, they claimed that the images of North Korea that apparently show the warheads and deception separating from the weapon were really those of a March intercontinental ballistic missile test.

The selection of the check was more frequently seen in international ballistic missile tests, according to economists cited by South Korean media company Yonhap. They even argued that the weapon might have had insufficient guidance and control measures.

Various researchers think the test was successful, but much more is unknown.

While Yang Uk, a scientist at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies, said he thought the warheads ‘ aircraft and separation had worked,” North Korea has not provided any proof that the missiles reached their targets,” he said.

According to the Japanese defense ministry, the missile had a 100-kilometer greatest altitude. This meant that it stayed in the Earth’s environment rather than ventured into place. Dr. Yang claimed that this also meant that” we may determine the capabilities of the weapons because they were never tested for the high heat and pressure that follow their re-entry into the environment.”

The weapons test was spotted by South Koreans living by the border, and a video carried by South Korean media taken by a civilian observer showed a visible contrail in the sky.

Reuters The contrail of North Korean missile is pictured from Yeonpyeong Island, South Korea, June 26, 2024

Vann Van Diepen, a former US State Department standard and expert on North Korean weapons, claimed the video “does not seem to show a huge explosion or severe failure” and that the contrail appeared to be in line with photos from North Korean state media.

He continued, noting that there was no reliable evidence that warheads were released and successfully flew on their own.” But that does not exclude a more subtle failure,” he continued.

Whatever the truth is about the success of the test, it is more obvious that North Korea would still have benefited from some benefits.

Observers claim that Pyongyang would have gotten useful technical information from the launch, making them one step closer to achieving the government of North Korea’s stated goal for public in 2021.

MIRV missiles would be highly valued, according to Mr. Van Diepen, especially in a situation where North Korea might have a depleted missile arsenal following a first strike from the enemy.

This week’s test, even if successful, would not be enough to complete the development of such a weapon, but he estimated the North Koreans were “at least a few years away” from that goal.

The test’s location, which is days before an anticipated plenary meeting where North Korean officials will meet to review their work in the first half of the year, may not coincidentally. It could be aimed at showcasing the military’s achievements, say other experts.

Additionally, it would have signaled to its adversaries that they are still in defiance and that their countries are developing.

Washington has not released a brief joint statement condemning the most recent test, aside from releasing a quick joint statement with Japan and South Korea. But Mr Van Diepen said the US government, which would have the best resources to analyse North Korea’s weapons tests, could and should shed more light.

” Otherwise, the North gets a free propaganda win”.

Jake Kwon and Rachel Lee provided additional reporting.

America’s priority should be chip design leadership – Asia Times

By: Bolen C

On: June 28, 2024

In: Asia

Chips&nbsp, are the&nbsp, important economic and military drivers of the technological planet. Yoon Suk Yeol, president of South Korea, recently stated that command in the field of microprocessor technology is crucial to a nation’s economic life ( Wall Street Journal, June 5, 2024 ). The effect on defense things is enormous. As David Goldman and I wrote in the the&nbsp, Wall Street Journal&nbsp, on December 23, 2018:” Silicon, never Steel, will get the Next War”.

In accordance with that philosophy, hundreds of billions of dollars are being used from federal money to grow the sector in nations like China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, and the US. In the US, the CHIPS Act allocated$ 50 billion to help manufacturing opportunities. These substantial commitments must be taken into account when considering the cost of a state-of-the-art, full-scale factory, which costs between$ 20 billion and$ 30 billion. And these flowers end up being outdated in a few years. A significant national endeavor requires keeping up with the cutting-edge of device manufacturing technology.

As the&nbsp, original&nbsp, creator of the market, the US is facing significant new competition. The first goal in the US should be to retain management in innovative product style because that authority impacts economic&nbsp, growth&nbsp, and the US&nbsp, still&nbsp, leads the world in this regard.

While the US-based economy expanded, much of the production and packaging of cards has moved elsewhere. But, the key to the value creation process, or complex high-end product development, is still largely in the US. Over 50 % of the top-tier bits are developed in the US and supported by US-based companies for marketing. This is possible because of the big design technology center in the US, which includes numerous design-focused companies, a sizable educational group of designers, continued DARPA and other federal agencies support, and the availability of venture capital funding for new modern design companies.

Fresh businesses with encouraging products are acquired by larger businesses with effective acquisition programs, giving them the resources to grow quickly. Thus, US- designed large- performance chips continue to lead the world industry the Americans ‘&nbsp, diversity and ability to quickly proceed concepts into big business products.

On the basis of its special AI-enabling systems, Nvidia’s recent history as a fresh US chip design business is a prime example of how revolutionary chip design helped it become one of the three most important companies in the world ( at about three trillion dollars ). The use of “neural networks” ( massive parallel data processing ) computing chips, which mimic the way the human brain manages data, is the new technological concept behind AI. The concept was also known for many years in medical circles, but because it required a lot of chip processing power, applying it to genuine problems was unprofitable.

Researchers in image research demonstrated the value of the technology by applying Moore’s law as financial chip concentrations increased over time. Quick programs were found in video game equipment used in computer games. But the discovery to large applications in AI came when the CEO of Nvidia, Jensen Huang, &nbsp, saw the AI programs of the Nvidia items and decided the company’s coming by concentrating all of its efforts on AI applications&nbsp, while exiting different applications. With annual sales that surpass$ 100 billion, the company currently holds the position of effective monopoly in processing chips for AI.

A key underlying factor drove this success. Not the US government’s recommendations, but the work of thousands of talented technologists who work together to develop innovative ideas into valuable products. To continue maintaining essential leadership in the chip technology sector, this underlying success factor needs to be supported and encouraged.

Henry Kressel Ph. D is a technology expert with numerous ground-breaking achievements in electronic devices, an author, a trial executive, and a long-term investor in private equity.

Low yield for SMIC-Huawei Nvidia knockoff? So what? – Asia Times

By: Bolen C

On: June 28, 2024

In: Asia

Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp ( SMIC ), the world’s third largest chip- foundry after Taiwan’s TSMC and South Korea’s Samsung, is reportedly struggling to increase the production yield of an artificial intelligence ( AI ) chip for Huawei Technologies. &nbsp,

Since last year, SMIC has been making Huawei’s Ascend 910B, a 7 nm device which is said to be equal to 80 % of Nvidia’s A100 in terms of AI- training performance. Chinese media accounts said earlier this year that Huawei could make about 400, 000 to 500, 000 models of Ascend 910B in 2024.

Since the United States Department of Commerce urged chip-making products manufacturers and suppliers to stop shipping products to SMIC, Huawei has faced obstacles in the production of the Ascend 910B device, according to The Information, a San Francisco-based technology information website. &nbsp,

It stated that Huawei will have to halt Huawei’s sale of the AI device to Taiwanese businesses like Tencent, Baidu, ByteDance, and Alibaba. &nbsp,

According to a follow-up article from the Chosun Daily in South Korea on June 27, the production of Ascend 910B is estimated to be around 20 %. &nbsp,

SMIC claimed to have been mass-producing the device for more than six weeks, but four out of five of the chips are also inoperable. On June 28, tech platforms and Chinese media widely quoted the two studies. &nbsp,

But, a calculation made by Asia Times with open statistics showed another picture: Despite a 20 % offer, Huawei can still accomplish its goal of making 400, 000 to 500, 000 Ascend 910B cards with comfortable this year. &nbsp,

Since 2019, SMIC has relied on Semiconductor Manufacturing South China Corp ( SMSC), its 38.52 %- owned, to produce 14nm or below chips.

SMSC has two fabs in Shanghai, known as SN1 and SN2, each with maximum monthly production capacity of 35, 000 12- inch wafers. &nbsp,

According to public information, SN1 focuses primarily on producing 14nm chips, while SN2 produces 10nm and 7nm chips. &nbsp,

It’s unclear whether SN2 reached its maximum capacity by the end of 2023 as scheduled. SMIC has n’t released SMSC’s financial and operational data since 2021, which is why. &nbsp,

A technology columnist at Taiwan’s Anue news website said SN2 can produce 20, 000 12- inch wafers per month for 7nm chips. &nbsp,

If SMSC only sets aside a 2, 000- wafer capacity for Ascend, it can already make 262, 000 chips per month or 3.14 million chips per year, given that each wafer can be split into 131 units of 910B chips. &nbsp,

The actual yield of SMSC’s 7nm process is also unknown. Last September, Reuters estimated the figure at below 50 %. It may be around 30 %, according to a research note published by a Chinese website in March 2023.

But even if the yield is more like the Chosun Daily’s estimation, which is only 20 %, SMSC can still make 628, 800 Ascend 910B chips annually, meeting the target of 500, 000 units. &nbsp,

In case there is any hiccup, Huawei can reduce the production of its HiSilicon Kirin 9010 chips to ensure the stable supply of Ascend 910B, which is priced at 120, 000 yuan ( US$ 16, 512 ) each in China. &nbsp,

Because they are larger than typical processors, each wafer can only yield dozens of Ascend 910- series chips. In an article published on June 21, a Guangdong-based columnist with the pen name” Realistic Idealist” states that because AI chips have much higher social and market values, they should always be given more attention when there is a conflict between smartphone processors and them. &nbsp,

He claims that while US sanctions will undoubtedly shorten China’s chip industry, they will also help it develop Chinese substitute goods over time. Once Ascend chips are widely available in China, he says, Nvidia’s downgraded products will have no market in the country. &nbsp,

In March, Nvidia’s H20 chip, a downgrade model that fulfills US export rules, was ready for pre- ordering in China for about 100, 000 yuan each. Alibaba reportedly ordered over 30, 000 H20 chips. &nbsp,

Sanctions against SMSC

SMIC currently holds four of the board‘s seats. The Big Fund’s National Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund Phase II and the Shanghai Integrated Circuit Industry Investment Fund Phase II, which both have a 23.08 % stake, are the other shareholders of SMSC.

Due to” China’s military-civil fusion (MCF ) doctrine and evidence of activities between SMIC and entities of concern in the Chinese military industrial complex,” the US Department of Commerce added SMIC, SMSC, and nine other units, to its Entity List in December 2020.

According to the US Commerce Department, US products that are specifically required to produce semiconductors at advanced nodes 10 nanometers or below are subject to a presumption of denial to stop China’s military modernization efforts. &nbsp,

SMIC and SMSC could continue to expand their production by purchasing ASML’s most advanced deep ultraviolet ( DUV) lithography equipment until 2023, including the 2050i and 2100i. They can still currently find used DUV lithography equipment in China while ASML must still offer them maintenance services. &nbsp,

Reuters reported that the US Commerce Department sent dozens of letters to US suppliers to SMIC in February of this year, suspending the sale to SMSC, in February of that year. Entegris was forced to stop millions of dollars worth of shipments of its chipmaking materials and parts to China from US suppliers.

Nazak Nikakhtar, a former assistant secretary for industry and analysis at the US Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration ( ITA ), stated in a recent interview that the US government’s analysis of China’s technological capabilities is a little superficial, leading to ineffective sanctions and chip export controls.

Read: Yield and cost in doubt if Huawei revives 5G chips

Follow Jeff Pao on X at&nbsp, @jeffpao3

Supremes, 6-3, make Trump obstruction charge harder – Asia Times

By: Bolen C

On: June 28, 2024

In: Asia

Due to a decision from the US Supreme Court on June 28, 2024, hundreds of people charged with participating in the mob at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, will have to be re-indicted and perhaps dropped. Former US President Donald Trump is one of the defendants who allegedly violated the obstruction law in a broad sense, according to the higher court.

The Supreme Court ruled in Fischer v. United States that three plaintiffs who were accused of participating in the mob at the US Capitol could not be subject to a federal law prohibiting obstructing an official proceeding. Trump is hardly a plaintiff in the case; however, Jack Smith has charged him with violating the same act differently.

I’ll reveal what the judge’s decision means for the plaintiffs on January 6 and for Smith’s case against Trump as a law professor who teaches and writes in the areas of legal rules and federal authorities.

Costs against Capitol rioters

According to their prosecutions, Joseph Fischer, Edward Lang and Garret Miller were present at the Capitol on January 6, 2021. During the mob, police allege that all three people allegedly assaulted police officers inside the Capitol building. One of the people, Lang, brandished a pitcher and a stolen police weapon, and another, Miller, afterwards, on social media, called for the death of US Representative Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez.

The three gentlemen were accused of a number of acts, including assault on a federal officer, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds, and obstructing a legislative hearing by federal prosecutors. The Supreme Court charm is addressing that next command.

The accused argued before the trial that the barrier charge against them was solely based on the tampering with the proof, not the violent disturbance of a congressional hearing. The DC Circuit US Court of Appeals overturned the district court’s decision and ordered the situation to go back to test.

The Supreme Court finally consented to hear the case, putting the test on hold while it considered the barrier law’s range.

Defining a get- all expression

The Supreme Court agreed with the plaintiffs and held that the legislation just forbids data tampering in a 6 to 3 judgment from Chief Justice John Roberts. The defendants then appealed the case to the appeals court to determine whether the plaintiffs had broken the law in accordance with that narrower reading by attempting to stop Congress from confirming the state ‘ true electoral votes.

The jury began with the blockage law’s text. The law penalizes people who “alters, damages, mutilates, or conceals a history, file, or other thing” or who “otherwise obstructs, influences, or impedes any formal proceeding”. The defendants ‘ lawsuits in Congress to formally announce the election results would have otherwise obstruct (ed ) by the government.

But the judge rejected that argument, holding that the word “otherwise obstructs” refers only to restriction that – like changing, destroying, mutilating or concealing a report, document or image – impairs the availability or integrity of evidence for use in an official proceeding. The government’s catch- both for “otherwise obstructing” an established proceeding may be read in popular with the list of actions that precedes it, the court explained. Otherwise, the list would be redundant.

The court also pointed to the law’s historical background. Congress, the court explained, enacted this specific obstruction law in 2002 in the wake of the Enron accounting fraud scandal. Its goal was to fill a void in the country’s existing obstruction laws, which at the time prohibited ordering a third party to destroy incriminating evidence but did not do so by destroying the evidence oneself.

The government’s reading of the law, the court explained, would stretch it far beyond that purpose, prohibiting forms of obstruction that had nothing to do with evidence and that Congress never intended to criminalize.

What this means for Jan. 6 defendants– and for Trump

The Fischer defendants ‘ case is still ongoing despite the Supreme Court’s decision, who are likely to go on trial for assault and disorderly conduct charges.

But it may lead to the dismissal of obstruction charges, or reversal of obstruction convictions, for other January 6 defendants. According to an NPR database, federal prosecutors have charged at least 250 other defendants with obstruction of an official proceeding, and 128 have been convicted.

The decision may also undermine former president Donald Trump’s case against him, who Smith has charged with obstructing the same statute. The former president is likely to ask for dismissal of that charge if that case survives a separate pending Supreme Court appeal.

Trump may not be successful, though, as the obstruction charge against him is largely motivated by the claim that he organized slates of electors to report false election results to Congress. That could result in compromising the validity of the evidence presented in the certification hearing.

The former president is also facing charges of obstruction on numerous other counts. However, the decision may narrow the case and make it more difficult for the special counsel to give evidence to the jury regarding the January 6 incident. Under this new ruling, that violence alone may not count as obstruction.

The Fischer case also demonstrates how occasionally, especially in high-stakes cases, justices can use legal reasoning strategies that they are quick to criticize in other contexts. Members of the Supreme Court’s conservative majority cited the obstruction law’s legislative history in the opinion, which conservative jurists like the late Justice Antonin Scalia frequently called unreliable.

The Supreme Court’s decision in the Fischer case may have a significant impact on the special counsel’s long-awaited prosecution of former president Trump.

But even if it does not, it still sheds important light on the court’s inner workings and the federal government’s power to safeguard the integrity of its proceedings.

The University of Richmond’s assistant professor of law is Riley T. Keenan.

This article was republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Asia (Page 1,750)

Netanyahu’s eternal combat

No strategy ( A or B)

Sanctions against SMSC

Costs against Capitol rioters

Defining a get- all expression

What this means for Jan. 6 defendants– and for Trump