Tag: Asia & Pacific

Nepali Sherpa Scales Everest for 28th Time as Death Toll Rises to 11

KATHMANDU—A Nepali sherpa reached the summit of Mount Everest for a record 28th time on Tuesday, an official said, completing his second ascent in just a week, as the toll in this year’s climbing season rose to 11. Kami Rita Sherpa, 53, reached the 8,849-metre (29,032-feet) summit by the traditional southeast ridge route, said Nepali…


US Secures Defense Pact With Papua New Guinea Amid China Concerns

The United States and Papua New Guinea (PNG) signed a defense cooperation agreement on Monday to solidify their bilateral ties as the U.S. attempts to push back China’s influence in the Pacific region. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with PNG Prime Minister James Marape in Port Moresby on behalf of President Joe Biden, whose…


Roof Collapses at School in Thailand, Killing 7 Sheltering From Rain

BANGKOK—Seven people, including four children, died Monday when strong winds from a rainstorm caused a metal roof on a school’s activity center to collapse in northern Thailand, officials said Tuesday. The latest casualty was a 6-year-old boy who died late Monday night in a hospital after the collapse at the Wat Nern Por primary school,…


Australia Providing Phillipines with Drones, Training, and Tech as China Belligerence Continues

Australia will provide the Philippines with drone equipment, training, and other technology to strengthen its Coast Guard maritime domain, awareness, and protection capabilities. The announcement follows a visit to the Philippines by Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on May 18 and comes as the Southeast Asian nation is engaged in an increasingly hostile maritime dispute…


China Has ‘an Edge’ Over US Naval Power: Expert

China has advantages over the United States in naval power in actual combat, according to former Navy Capt. Brent Sadler. “I think we’ve been spending years quietly building up our munitions production capability, but we’re not there yet for the type of fight that we would be in with China. Then … on shipyards, China’s…


Toyota Finds Improper Crash Test in Daihatsu Production

Toyota Motor Corp. found an instance of improper crash tests in one of its subsidiary companies and suspended shipments, the company said Friday. Toyota subsidiary Daihatsu copied the safety test results for a part of the vehicle, instead of performing new tests, according to the company. It is not clear how the deficiency was initially…


Philippines Mulls Retaking Control of China-Held Grid Operator Amid Security Concerns

The Philippines said on May 16 that it would retake control of a power grid company that is partly owned by China if deemed necessary amid security concerns over China’s alleged control of the nation’s power grid. Philippines Senator Raffy Tulfo, chair of the Senate Committee on Energy, discussed with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. recent power…


Fire Destroys Main Post Office in Philippine Capital, a Nearly 100-Year-Old Neoclassical Landmark

A massive fire tore through Manila’s historic post office building overnight, slightly injuring one person and razing the nearly 100-year-old landmark in the Philippine capital, police and postal officials said Monday. The fire started before midnight in the basement of the neoclassical, five-story building and was brought under control Monday morning more than seven hours…


Biden at G-7: Most US Allies Clear ‘There Would Be a Response’ If China Takes Action Against Taiwan

At the G-7 summit, President Joe Biden told a reporter that most U.S. allies are “clear” that if China were to try to invade Taiwan, “there would be a response.” Biden was asked by a reporter on Sunday how he would manage a diplomatic relationship with China, and how he would strengthen the U.S. alliance…


Japan, South Korea Leaders Pray at Memorial for Korean Atomic Bomb Victims in Hiroshima

HIROSHIMA, Japan—Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol prayed together Sunday at a memorial for Korean victims of the 1945 atomic bombing in Hiroshima on the sidelines of the Group of Seven (G-7) summit, as they continued efforts to mend ties repeatedly hurt by disputes stemming from Japan’s wartime brutality….