MADRID: Ukraine will receive an additional US$800 million in arms and military assistance, President Joe Biden announced on Thursday (Jun 30). He praised Ukrainians for their heroism since Russia’s invasion in February. Biden claimed that the United States and its NATO members were united in their opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin after a NATO summit in which the group …

PHILIPPINES: It was a dramatic comeback for one of Asia’s most renowned political dynasties after 36 years, when Ferdinand Marcos Jr. was sworn in as president of the Philippines on Thursday afternoon. Ferdinand Marcos’s son replaces Rodrigo Duterte, who garnered worldwide notoriety for his violent drug war and has vowed to kill suspected drug dealers when he leaves office. The …

INDONESIA: Russian President Vladimir Putin received a message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy through Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who was in Moscow on Thursday (Jun 30). Putin met with Indonesian President Joko Widodo more than four months after Moscow launched a military attack in Ukraine. Currently preparing to host the G20 summit in Bali in November, Indonesia is the rotating …

BANGKOK: As a result of an airspace violation during a combat operation, Thailand scrambled fighter jets near its border with Myanmar on Thursday and instructed its defense attache to convey a warning to the military administration, its air force said. Air Force spokesperson Air Vice Marshal Prapat Sonjaidee said two F-16 fighter planes were dispatched when a radar detected a …

US: The latest version of Apple’s CarPlay software will allow you to buy gas directly from your dashboard as early as this fall, advancing the company’s efforts to transform your car into a marketplace for products and services. CarPlay users will soon be able to pay petrol without having to insert or use a credit card thanks to a new …

MALAYSIA: Minister Tan Sri Annuar Musa said that the government’s Special Task Force on Jihad Against Inflation will work to keep Malaysia’s inflation rate low and manageable to protect the well-being of Malaysian families. Annuar, the chairman of the task team, said they will focus on all prices of goods and services that could contribute to a rise in the …

THAILAND: On Thursday, the Bank of Ayudhya Pcl (BAY) of Thailand stated that it has agreed to pay $155.3 million for Nomrua’s Thai securities subsidiary. Bank of Ayudhya, Thailand’s fifth-largest bank by assets, is 76.7 percent owned by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group in Japan. The Thai central bank must approve the deal, according to BAY. Krungsri Bank, Thailand’s fifth-largest bank …

HONG KONG: On Thursday, Chinese President Xi Jinping made his first visit since Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement was quashed, claiming that the city had been “reborn of fire.” Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Hong Kong is an opportunity for the Communist Party of China to demonstrate its power after massive protests in the city in 2019 prompted Beijing to …

MANILA: On Wednesday, Manny Pacquiao paid a visit to FC Barcelona’s home stadium, Camp Nou. President Joan Laporta and Vice President Rafa Yuste welcomed Filipino boxing legend Emmanuel “Manny” Dapidran Pacquiao to FC Barcelona on Wednesday. After spending some time at the Camp Nou, Pacquiao decided to explore the museum, dressing room and other facilities in the presence of Laporta, …

US: This comes after R. Kelly was convicted last year on federal charges of racketeering and sex trafficking stemming from his long-term efforts to exploit the fame of victims he sexually abused and was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Wednesday by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. Defense attorneys argued that prosecutors’ request …