Philippines files UN claim to extended continental shelf in South China Sea
MANILA: On Saturday ( Jun 15 ), the Philippines submitted a claim to an extended continental shelf (ECS) in the South China Sea, a waterway where it has engaged in increasingly contentious maritime disputes with China. Marshall Louis Alferez, the unusual ministry’s assistant secretary for sea and sea politics, statedContinue Reading
North Korea building roads, walls inside Demilitarized Zone: Report
The North Vietnamese government responded to questions about the statement by saying it was” closely monitoring and monitoring the actions of the North Korean defense” and that “further analysis is required.” Without providing more details, it claimed it could not disclose the North Korean response to these activities” to ensureContinue Reading
NBT defends decision to hire Voice TV talent
State- owned journalist expects fresh eyes, known for Pheu Thai affiliations, will be a good pick
PUBLISHED: 15 Jun 2024 at 17: 53
The now-defunct Voice TV anchors ‘ hosts have hosted a weekday news program, according to the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand ( NBT), which needs a new viewer-stylist.
Rumors had been circulating that the political Voice TV, which was founded by the son of former leading Thaksin Shinawatra, was about to bring some programs to the open television network.
However, the Public Relations Department ( PRD ) quickly reaffirmed that it would continue to protect the public’s interest and not allow the tone of its programs to fall victim to too much of a political bent.
Sudruetai Lertkasem, director-general of PRD, stated that it was common for TV stations to switch producers and employ former anchors of rival channels to adjust to the industry and raise their ratings. NBT has also been making regular hiring decisions of expert producers.  ,  ,
She said on Saturday that NBT has hired former Voice TV news anchors and visitors as well as those who have previously worked for different programs.
Voice Television has long been known for its unwavering support of the Red-shirt United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship and the Pheu Thai Party.
Ms. Sudruetai claimed that the PRD had a good idea of the popularity and experience of the former Voice skill it was bringing on, and that it would contribute to making the stream more interesting by creating direct information that gets right to the point.
She reaffirmed that the PRD may continue to play a role in shaping the way and policy of NBT2HD because it is a state-owned station in the public interest.
Weeranan Kanhar, a former Voice outlet, announced on Instagram on Tuesday that he would sponsor a new news program called Khui Khlai Kao from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. starting this Monday. Additionally, his post also mentions former Voice employees like Lakkana Punwichai, also known as” Kam Phaka.”
Thanapol Eawsakul, a pal of Progressive Movement president Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, said on Twitter that he did not expect the original Voice staff would “take over” NBT in any blatant manner.
The editor-in-chief of Fah Diew Kan newspaper, Mr. Thanapol, even advised readers to keep an eye on Kham Dee Co Ltd, a previously registered company. Ms. Lakkana and Teerat Ratanasevi, a former government official under the Yingluck Shinawatra management, are the owners.
Voice Screen was established in 2008 by Panthongtae” Oak” Shinawatra, with an investment of 300 million baht.
After 15 times, it announced last month that it would stop broadcasting on all channels on May 31. About 100 employees and writers were fired.
When satellite TV equipment could n’t receive news channels, voice TV was established in 2008. It launched digital Television broadcasting in 2014, joining various operators in buying for licenses to broadcast on the free-to-air digital TV earth program.
According to the Department of Business Development, Voice Television faced accumulated loss of 800 million ringgit from 2018- 22.
‘More work, more stress, less privacy’: PM Wong on his first month in office
ENGAGING WITH Singapore
According to Mr. Wong, there are already numerous systems where the government can interact with its citizens.
” Of course, I do it on social media. I’ve said I will be engaging the internet more often. We will also be able to communicate with Singaporeans or at least handle their concerns directly through the press, he said.
He continued, adding that state programs and organizations also give him and his Cabinet ministries a new way to communicate with Singaporeans.
” I think we are now using more channels to participate than ever before, and programs to engage whether it’s just to listen and get feedback or not, but more and more frequently to collaborate and work together,” said Mr. Wong.
” And I certainly believe that these systems for stronger alliances are crucial because it is the only way for us to advance Singapore,” he said.
Despite existing systems, Mr. Wong said it is also important for him to be current and spend time on the ground, not just in Marsiling- Pine Tee GRC, but throughout the nation.
You have suggestions for improving your neighborhood’s plans and neighborhoods, and I want to hear them immediately. I would like to hear from you if you have any ground-breaking efforts or tasks to take forward,” he said.
” We want to help you, cooperate, collaborate and work up”.
TAMPINES THE FIRST STOP
Following his Saturday visit to the event, Mr. Wong revealed to reporters that he was going to have a speech with a group of Tampines ‘ community leaders, group volunteers, and members of various organizations.
On the plan would be a full range of issues, some linked to communities, parents and children, and others including pursuits such as natural problems.
” Those kinds of engagements did I expect to have across the various constituencies,” he said. We try as much as possible for it to be organic”, he said.
” I may go to a market, I may go to a hawker center, I may join with diverse groups, I may use existing events that are already being held in the district, such as this Tampines learning festival,” I said.
Although the plan for the constituency visits is still being determined, he claimed, the customized dialogue sessions will allow for deeper discussions.
On Saturday, Masagos Zulkifli, the minister for cultural and family development, Desmond Choo, the mayor of the North East district, and Baey Yam Keng, the older parliamentary director for sustainability and the environment, and Mr. Wong joined them.
Charlene Chen, a second-advisor to Tampines GRC community organizations, was also present.
Before becoming election candidates, Mr. Choo and Nee Quickly GRC MP Carrie Tan served as next advisers to local organizations.
Dozens test positive for drugs in Chon Buri pub raid
Eight folks, including cafe watch, arrested on charges of dealing
PUBLISHED: 15 Jun 2024 at 15: 55
After a attack on a well-known restaurant in the Muang city of Chon Buri early on Saturday, lots of clubgoers tested positive for drugs. Nine folks, including a restaurant guard, were arrested for selling drugs.
A 150-strong crew, made up of police officers and representatives from the Department of Provincial Administration, raided the Nasa Club in tambon Don Hualor at around 1:30 am.
Around 400 people were drinking beer and listening to music in the bar at the time. Some attempted to flee after being confronted by the authorities, throwing vials of illegal drugs onto the ground or entering the bathroom.
All buyers had to go through blood tests. Initial reports from officials indicated that 105 individuals — 61 men and 44 people — had tested positive for marijuana. All were arrested.
Anutin Charnvirakul, the interior minister, claimed medicines had been discovered in the techniques of 157 people, including 68 men and 89 women, at a later press conference later on Saturday. He added that eight pubgoers were under the age of 21 when they were allowed to drink alcohol.
According to Pol Capt Khetrat Charnsil, chairman of the Territorial Defence Volunteers Administration Bureau at the Department of Provincial Administration, eight people were detained on suspicion of selling medications, along with another man sought on an arrest warrant for pharmaceutical offenses.
Officials even found one girl under 18 on the grounds, he added.
The owner of the restaurant, identified only as Ek, may face charges of operating without authority, selling alcoholic drinks beyond lawful hours, allowing the purchase and use of drugs, and letting a student aged below 18 in, said Pol Capt Khetrat.
He claimed that the restaurant may be subject to five years in prison for breaking an order issued by the National Council for Peace and Order, which passed a number of laws relating to people order in the wake of the 2014 defense revolution. Some remain in effect.
Officials examine illegal drug sachets found in Chon Buri’s pub’s surface. ( Photo: Department of Provincial Administration )
A shield at Nasa Club, a common Chon Buri nightspot, was one of eight people arrested for selling drugs. ( Photo: Department of Provincial Administration )
Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, heart, attends a press briefing in Chon Buri following the cafe attack. ( Photo: Department of Provincial Administration )
Flydubai jet makes emergency landing at U-Tapao
No injury as the aircraft touches down after the landing products failed to install
PUBLISHED: 15 Jun 2024 at 14: 06
After its getting products failed, a flydubai aircraft from Dubai to the Philippines made an emergency landing at Rayong’s U-Tapao airport on Saturday morning. No injuries were reported.
After its wheels failed to descend, the Airbus A319-115 ( CJ) jet’s captain requested permission to land at the navy-owned airport in Ban Chang district shortly after midnight.
More than 30 vehicles, medical personnel, and rescue personnel from Rayong and near Chon Buri state were swiftly on high alert, and the aircraft regulators were on top of their game.
The aircraft made a secure landing at about 1.05am, according to FM91 Trafficpro. The helicopter left for its unique location in the Philippines at around 1.45am after all systems were checked.
Initial information that there were about 100 travellers onboard were wrong, said regulators, who clarified that the plane was carrying just two captains and seven team.
On Saturday, the Royal Thai Fleet and the Naval Aviation Division thanked all organizations for deploying team of staff and save products in response to the crisis.
Li visit underscores New Zealand’s rising China dilemma – Asia Times
WELLINGTON/AUCKLAND – This week, Premier Li Qiang became the first major Chinese president to visit New Zealand in nearly a decade to indicate the , 10th anniversary of the two factors ‘ Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.
Li, who was welcomed with entire pomp and circumstance, met both , Prime Minister Chris Luxon , in Wellington and , opposition Employment chief Chris Hipkins in Auckland, underscoring the depth of diplomatic relations.  ,
In his presentation of Taiwanese literature, the Chinese leader praised the breadth of diplomatic relations. He also exhibited no signs of social diplomacy.  ,
Even when they are far off,” good friends still feel close to one another,” he said. China and New Zealand have a lengthy history of polite relationships, and our people have developed a friendship based on common understanding, they say.
The Taiwanese premier pressed for an “in-depth discussion on diplomatic relations and issues of shared interest, develop exchanges and cooperation in different fields, and improve the China- New Zealand complete proper partnership,” underscoring diplomatic ties as the “relationship of firsts.
At the same time, “it is natural that we do n’t always see eye- to- eye with each other on everything”, Li told reporters after a closed- door meeting with Luxon. However, these differences should n’t turn into a gap that prevents exchanges and cooperation between us.
New Zealand was the first developed country to engage in free trade negotiations with China, a choice that has brought enormous prosperity to the Pacific region.
Two- way trade , was  , worth , NZ$ 40.31 billion  , ( US$ 24.8 billion ) in 2022, with China receiving close to a third of New Zealand’s total exports. The prosperous Pacific region is one of the few countries to have recently experienced trade surpluses with the Asian superpower.  ,
Li stated without coming home empty-handed that China “has extended unilateral visa-free treatment to his host country” and that New Zealand would be the” country of honor” at a Shanghai trade expo later this year. Additionally, the two parties discussed infrastructure investment agreements.  ,
Despite the largely cordial exchanges and messages, New Zealand-China ties have grown increasingly strained in recent years as a result of intensifying great power rivalry in the Indo-Pacific.
Human rights have been a contentious issue, with the , New Zealand parliament passing a motion expressing grave concern about , China’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims , in 2021.  ,
Rival protesters , clashed in both Wellington and Auckland during Li’s visit, underscoring growing tensions over China’s human rights record.  ,
Luxon claimed that the meeting brought attention to contentious topics like rising tensions in the South China Sea and foreign interference.
” I raised with Premier Li a number of issues that are important to New Zealanders and which speak to our core values, including human rights and , foreign , interference”, Luxon said.
Authorities in New Zealand have been concerned about Chinese , influence operations that target well-known figures and Chinese dissidents in the country. Earlier this year,  , Wellington also accused China of engaging , in a cyberattack campaign on New Zealand’s parliament years earlier.
The biggest sticking point in bilateral ties, however, is Wellington’s potential plan to join the Australia- UK- US ( AUKUS) security partnership. New Zealand, which has one of the largest coastlines in the world and exclusive economic zones ( EEZs ), has limited resources to stand alone in an increasingly uncertain geostrategic environment, according to AUKUS supporters.  ,
For them, New Zealand should stop “free- riding” on its more powerful partners, particularly Australia and America, and instead more proactively contribute to a US- led “integrated deterrence” strategy to check China’s ambitions in the region.
Critics, however, maintain that New Zealand could end up undermining its “independent” foreign policy and can ill- afford to engage in a massive defense buildup that could spark potential Chinese reprisals.
Earlier,  , China’s Ambassador to New Zealand , Wang Xiaolong , warned against any move that would be , akin to” taking sides”, which he suggested could torpedo otherwise robust bilateral ties.
The Chinese envoy has said that bilateral relations are at a ,” critical juncture” while insisting that” China is not a threat to New Zealand, rather, as has been pointed out by both the Prime Minister]Christopher Luxon ] and]Trade ] Minister]Todd ] McClay, China represents for New Zealand an opportunity and a mutually beneficial partner”.
Wellington policymakers and pundits frequently mention a “foreign policy reset,” referring to the previous Labour government’s more supposedly Beijing-friendly attitude under Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in contrast to Luxon’s conservative government’s more Sino-skeptic stance.  ,
In contrast to neighboring Australia, the Ardern administration signed up to China’s Belt and Road Initiative ( BRI), steered clear of AUKUS and other US- led security initiatives aimed at China and proudly touted New Zealand’s “independent” foreign policy.  ,
Nevertheless, even the Labour government took a , nuanced yet increasingly critical , stance on China. In a statement from the Ardern government in 2018, the government made a strategic defense policy statement that blatantly identified China as a” threat” to the international rules-based order.
In a thinly veiled response to growing concerns over Beijing’s influence operations, New Zealand passed legislation the following year that prohibits all foreign donations over NZ$ 50 to New Zealand political actors.  ,
China’s expanding strategic presence in the South Pacific has added to New Zealand’s concern for security, which publicly denounced a contentious security agreement signed by Beijing and the Solomon Islands in 2022.
Nanaia Mahuta, the former minister of foreign affairs, has also expressed concern about China’s use of economic coercion as a tool for foreign policy, particularly given that Beijing has imposed trade restrictions on neighboring Australia after Canberra demanded an international investigation into China’s possible role in Covid’s origin.
She praised New Zealand’s crucial role and robust security cooperation with Washington and Canberra, particularly in its and fellow Anglophone democracies ‘ Five Eyes intelligence-sharing relationship with fellow Anglophone democracies, but insisted on a more multilateralist approach that “includes dialogue, which ensures we build multilateral support for the things we advocate on that will protect our values and our interests.”
Under Luxon’s government, however, New Zealand has expressed growing openness to joining AUKUS, albeit on a more limited, calibrated basis than Australia. Due to its , non- nuclear security policy rules, Wellington ca n’t get involved in any direct participation in the AUKUS nuclear- powered submarine project.
But it can, under AUKUS Pillar II, engage in the sharing of state- of- the- art defense technologies, especially in areas of cyber- warfare, artificial intelligence and hypersonic missile development. The Biden administration welcomed New Zealand to Pillar II of AUKUS last year, which immediately sounded the alarm in China.  ,
China has expressed” strong concerns” about any potential New Zealand involvement in AUKUS, claiming that Wellington’s current non-nuclear policy would only serve and support nuclear-related military cooperation under the second pillar and that the initiative is an aggressive US-led alliance aimed at containing China.  ,
The current government may face a difficult sell, in terms of domestic politics, in attributing this largely to China, according to the New Zealand expert Robert Patman.
Critics point out that China’s assertiveness is just one of the many threats facing the multilateral system, which New Zealand and many other small and middle powers rely on, aside from the potential economic consequences of such a move, Patman said.
However, other security experts in New Zealand, like Sakura Gregory , think working with AUKUS is in line with the country’s foreign policy because it does n’t involve the development of nuclear weapons.
It’s” about recognizing and sharing the burden” that would have to be done to better deter Chinese military development and potential escalation, which has largely gone unchecked in the Pacific over the past few decades,” Gregory said.  ,
The Luxon government has tried to strike a balance by maintaining a degree of strategic ambiguity while focusing on purely bilateral concerns during Premier Li’s visit while facing criticism from the opposition for AUKUS-related criticism.  ,
” We canvassed AUKUS and they raised their concerns. And, as you know, we raised a number of issues and differing viewpoints, Luxon said, underscoring the need for firm economic relations with China and robust economic engagement.
Follow Richard Javad Heydarian on X at @Richeydarian
The Ghost of Richelieu laments the humbling of France – Asia Times
Full beneath the drains of Paris, the lamp I brought from Temu had eluded a few levels above the subterranean museum where I made my way to the underground ossuary of the Carthusian priests.
I clenched my telephone between my teeth while its light guided me along the niter-covered walls while holding a large of Chateau Margaux in one palm and a large copper trashcan in the other.
I stumbled with twisted languor until I felt the sticky dirt of the ossuary surface as the destroyed marble steps of the staircase began to sway under my feet. The long-dead Carthusians ‘ stacked heads grinned at me.
When suddenly, I kept tryst with the Spirit of Cardinal Richelieu, winner of the Thirty Years War and designer of France’s 200- time supremacy on the European continent.
I waited until what seemed like an eternity before the next finger on my see suddenly appeared at night and spittoon into the olfactory ooze below. I poured the Margaux into the spittoon, drank, and patiently waited.
The wine was sucked into the windows as the French dying escaped. I identified Marshal Ney and General Weygand, the defeated captain of the Battle of France, as eyes on him as they commanded the back watch during the Grand Armee’s disastrous retreat from Moscow.
I waved them aside until a gloomy haze appeared on the surface. It injected a spectral beak into the constricting opening, absorbed the Bordeaux, and therefore extracted its scalp with an audible roll before popping its head out.
” I warn you”, said the Spirit in his Maurice Chevalier voice. ” I am in a nasty feelings”.
” Eminence”, I ventured, “what will become of France? It seems uninhabitable. Less than 15 % of the votes cast for the European Parliament were cast by President Macron’s gathering next Sunday, and half of the votes were cast by the Rassemblement National. The polls put his party at only 19 % in next month’s snap elections for parliament. What will become of Macron’s promise to send European troops to Ukraine”?
” C’est plus qu’un violence, c’est une faut”, hissed the red Spirit. ” It’s more than a murder. It’s a wrongdoing, as I used to say”.
” Begging your pardon, Eminence, you did n’t say that. It was Introductory”.
” Eh bien”? Richelieu sneered. ” I did n’t have to say it, because I did n’t make that kind of blunder. Not every strategy I devised was successful but I was n’t stupid enough to fight Russia, like Talleyrand’s expert Napoleon. The Russians will just have more chance for target practice with a few thousand Legionaries and a dozen redundant Mirage fighters. It is a small movement made by a small person.
” But why is Ukraine but essential to Macron, Eminence? Why chance his reputation by “playing a poor hand”?
” Irrelevant”! thundered the Cardinal. ” France has become unimportant! It will become a distributor of expensive clutches for China’s new wealthy and a destination for Taiwanese tourists! Although its greatness has vanished, the aristocracy of France also harbors the self-importance of the past.
” But why meaningless”? I pressed.
The “elite of France” is aware that when Ukraine is unable to battle, they may find themselves in a world where their services are no longer needed. No one sector of the economy excels in France. It has less than half the level of business technology found in China, Japan, or Germany.
It exports a fifth of the German auto industry’s sales and produces poor cars.  , It may engage with the Chinese. Germany will swiggle to the west as the Eurasian landmass tilts toward China, leaving France as the priestly tail of a receding European Community.
” Eminence, I am profoundly confused. What does the giving of French troops to Ukraine have to do with this?
” You are as thick as often, Spengler. Do I have to spell it out for you? Germany may repurchase Russian oil once more and open the door to China, just as the Hungarians have done, if Ukraine is humiliated. It will take advantage of China’s great initiative to create a global South, automakers will continue to integrate with their Taiwanese counterparts, German investors will be able to buy from its factories in China, and Mittelstand will export its goods to markets prepared by Taiwanese infrastructure.
” Eminence, Macron said that a Soviet success in Ukraine ‘ may reduce Europe’s trust to zero,'” I offered.
No simply: It would render France’s credibility a zero, and one could say the same for Italy, but it has no trustworthiness at all. Charles DeGaulle was nevertheless persuaded two generations ago that the French had fill the gap between the Americans and the Soviets.
Macron now wants to ostensibly maintain the National attempt, so he at least has a seat at the table. In reality, Macron tried to resolve between Russia and Ukraine until the very last moment, hoping that the Minsk II sacrifice may stop the Ukraine conflict, like the Germans. But now he’s tied to it and terrified by the thought of being humiliated by the United States.
” Eminence”, I asked, “is that why the French voted against him”?
They chose Macron because his trust has already been eroded, according to the statement! thundered the Cardinal. ” The French do n’t want to fight in Ukraine. They may win a battle whose failure may be humiliating. In Ukraine, they lack the people and the tools to change things. It is an empty, helpless, foolish gesture. Macron is the film version of Napoleon, if Napoleon I was horror and Napoleon III was folly. The French may accept fraud, conscience, arrogance and perhaps fight but they cannot stomach Canard Donald as their leader”.
” You were the most brutal leader France always had, Eminence: Is there any chief who might raise France out of its lethargy”?
” Hélas”, sighed the ghost. ” The issue, it is the French themselves. They do not want to have kids but they do not like refugees, either. They do not need China to overshadow their business, but they also do not want to work. They oppose Russian bullying, but they also oppose fighting.
I made the claim that” The Rassemblement National of Marine le Pen is a patriotic group.”
The Cardinal responded,” Le Pen appeals to their sloth rather than the fading grandeur of the Flemish.” Her most common suggestion is to lower the retirement age, which would cause the French Treasury to fail.
” What will become of France, Eminence”?
” The same thing that has become of me: It will be a spirit of its original self”, the Cardinal sighed, as his shiny purple robes turned lustrous. Some of the bone stacks against the wall assembled themselves into remains, formed a circle and began to sing,” Dansons la carmagnole”!
The now-fading Spirit of Richelieu dismissed the corpses with a curt movement after a few rounds, and they were then threw into piles of vertebrae that twitched in the ossuary floor’s primordial seep. ” Get away”! I cried – I do not know why –” Boogie the Carmagnole”!
However, by this point, the chamber was spinning around me. A low Rabelais and an empty container of Cognac greeted me as I awoke.
Oil spill from ship reaches East Coast Park, sea activities on Sentosa beaches halted
Sentosa Cove people have even offered to assist with the clean-up tasks, according to SDC.  ,
Staff were seen cleaning up the flow when CNA went to Tanjong Beach at noon. A long, bright oil increase, covered in fuel, had been placed along the beach.
A , user walking her puppy earlier in the morning told CNA that the scent was “unbelievable”, a sentiment echoed by another beachgoer in the evening.
” The first thing that I noticed was the smell, it smells like a propane kiosk”, said Mr Nigel Kong, 25.
” On a regular weekend, ( one side of the beach ) may be filled with tennis courts and ball judges. Often, when we’re warm, we go down to the waterways. But with this oil spill, we ca n’t really do it”.
Coastlines AT EAST COAST, LABRADOR PARK AFFECTED
At East Coast Park, dark waste was apparent along the beach. Oil scent was present in the air.
” It did n’t really hit until we came to the beach area. The aroma is a bit disconcerting”, said Mr Sufian Ali, who was not conscious of the oil spill before arriving at the area.
Sentosa’s Tanjong Beach covered by oil slick
An oil flow occurred on Friday when a dredger struck a stationed basement vehicle off Pasir Panjang Terminal.  ,
The allision, which happened at 2.20pm, resulted in crude from the broken goods tank on board the vault vehicle, Marine Honour, spilling into the ocean.
A clean-up operation was underway, according to a media release from the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore ( MPA ) at 6 p.m., and the spill had been contained.  ,
Pasir Panjang Terminal is on the island of Singapore, several miles north of Sentosa.