Latest news with #Asian-Pacific
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
US Ally Sends Strong Warning to China
China's efforts to expand its sphere of influence in its own region and beyond are part of its "political DNA" and a growing number of countries are coalescing against it, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told Newsweek in an interview. Following a tense exchange with Chinese officials at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia's premier defense summit, Teodoro called Beijing "the cause of instability". Newsweek contacted the Chinese Foreign Ministry by email with a request for comment. Teodoro's comments reflect the toughening stance by the Philippines, a U.S. treaty ally, under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. over China's claims in its exclusive economic zone. China claims up to 90 percent of the South China Sea as its territory, citing what it calls historical rights within its self-declared nine-dash line-a boundary that overlaps with the maritime claims of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and self-ruling Taiwan. Footage released by the Philippines has shown the Chinese coast guard using ramming maneuvers and water cannon attacks that Manila said left Philippine servicemen injured. A Hague-based arbitral tribunal dismissed China's dashed-line claims in a 2016 decision Beijing rejected as invalid. Beijing's agenda is rooted in its leadership structure, Teodoro told Newsweek on Sunday. "That is to extend the sphere of influence of dynastic politics of whatever nature, and it is within their DNA to be that-their political DNA." "The impression of other countries is that of weariness, caution, and not comfort. Even those who engage with them fully do not fully trust China." Still, China remains a major trade partner for some 150 countries, according to Beijing's customs administration-and for most of Southeast Asia-a fact Teodoro acknowledged has likely muted some nations' responses. "But this has got to stop somewhere. And the countries that are standing up are coalescing against China," he said. "And if they [China] do not notice this [...] and spin the narrative as it being to contain their rightful place, then they're just fooling themselves." He expects "more of the same" from Beijing. The Philippines is therefore working to form an international coalition to increase deterrence, he added, likening this to erecting "a strong fence." China's actions in the South China Sea have also been met with strong protests from Washington and several Asian-Pacific and European nations. Adding to tensions are alleged espionage operations near military installations, mass cyberattack campaigns, and unsafe military encounters reported by U.S. allies in international waters. Deterrence of China would take two forms, Teodoro said: "building up capability resilience" and fostering "international resonance that will condemn their activities." During his remarks in a Shangri-La panel on Sunday, Teodoro was challenged by two senior Chinese colonels, who asked whether the Philippines would engage with China on friendly terms or choose to play the part of a U.S. proxy. Teodoro thanked the officials for "propaganda spiels disguised as questions," a barb that drew applause from attendees. He said the "deficit of trust" in China remains the largest obstacle to a solution in the South China Sea, adding that a nation that "represses its own people" is not to be trusted. A breakthrough in the South China Sea dispute remains unlikely, with both China and the Philippines firmly entrenched. The fact that the Philippines is a U.S. treaty ally makes it a potential flashpoint for global conflict at a time of tension between Washington and Beijing on numerous fronts. Related Articles Map Tracks Chinese Aircraft Carrier Near US AlliesChina Says US Violated Trade Truce With Three MovesUS Announces 'Game Changer' Missile Upgrade to Rival ChinaMap Shows China's Arms Sales Footprint Around the World 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Business Wire
3 days ago
- Business
- Business Wire
Intelsat Inflight Connectivity Coming to Royal Brunei Airlines
MCLEAN, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Intelsat, operator of the world's largest integrated satellite and terrestrial network, was selected by Royal Brunei Airlines (RB), the country's flag carrier, to provide multi-orbit inflight connectivity service to the airline's Airbus A320neo fleet, solidifying Intelsat's position as one of the top providers of broadband service among Asian-Pacific airlines. 'Royal Brunei's passengers will soon benefit from reliable, multi-orbit connectivity that will provide the same fast and dependable internet access they enjoy at home no matter where or when they fly,' said Mike DeMarco, Intelsat Chief Commercial Officer. 'The Intelsat team is proud to have been selected by RB to deliver a product that will keep the airline on the cutting edge.' RB provides scheduled services across Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Intelsat in the fourth quarter of 2025 will start installing the new multi-orbit system on the A320s, including the new electronically steered array (ESA) antenna, which is less than seven centimeters tall and delivers unmatched reliability connecting to both Intelsat's geostationary (GEO) satellites and low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. Captain Sabirin Haji Abdul Hamid, RB Chief Executive Officer said, 'We're excited to bring this next generation of connectivity to our Airbus A320neo fleet, ensuring our guests stay seamlessly connected wherever their journeys take them. This technology not only sets a new standard for in-flight internet, but also reflects our commitment to innovation and delivering an exceptional experience for travelers across the region. We believe that staying connected in the air is a necessity, and we're proud to partner with Intelsat in delivering this next-level experience to our travelers across the Asia-Pacific region.' About Intelsat Intelsat's global team of professionals is focused on providing seamless and secure, satellite-based communications to government, NGO and commercial customers through the company's next-generation worldwide network and managed services. Bridging the digital divide by operating one of the world's largest and most advanced satellite fleet and connectivity infrastructures, Intelsat enables people and their tools to speak over oceans, see across continents and listen through the skies to communicate, cooperate and coexist. Since its founding six decades ago, the company has been synonymous with satellite-industry 'firsts' in service to its customers and the planet. Leaning on a legacy of innovation and focusing on addressing a new generation of challenges, Intelsat team members now have their sights on the 'next firsts' in space as they disrupt the field and lead in the digital transformation of the industry. About Royal Brunei Airlines Established in 1974, Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) is the national carrier of Brunei Darussalam. RB operates a fleet of five Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners and seven Airbus A320NEOs. From 2018 to 2020 TripAdvisor recognised RB in the Travellers' Choice Regional Airlines (Asia) for three consecutive years. In 2019, RB received a Five-Star rating from APEX and won Four Stars at the SKYTRAX Awards. RB's commitment to safety and service was reaffirmed in 2021 with a seven-star COVID-19 safety rating from In 2021, RB also won Asia's and the World's Leading Cabin Crew titles from the World Travel Awards (WTA), honours it held through 2022. In 2024, Crescent Rating named RB the Muslim-Friendly Airline of the Year and was named the World's Leading Cabin Crew by WTA for the fifth consecutive year. RB was awarded 2025 APEX Best in Cabin Service & Food and Beverage Award in East Asia and recognised as a 2025 APEX Four-Star Major Airline. As it celebrates 50 years of connecting Brunei to the world, RB continues to deliver exceptional service, grounded in the principles of care, community, and ikhlas – sincerely from the heart. For more information, visit:
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Intelsat Inflight Connectivity Coming to Royal Brunei Airlines
Passengers to benefit from reliable multi-orbit connectivity MCLEAN, Va., June 03, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Intelsat, operator of the world's largest integrated satellite and terrestrial network, was selected by Royal Brunei Airlines (RB), the country's flag carrier, to provide multi-orbit inflight connectivity service to the airline's Airbus A320neo fleet, solidifying Intelsat's position as one of the top providers of broadband service among Asian-Pacific airlines. "Royal Brunei's passengers will soon benefit from reliable, multi-orbit connectivity that will provide the same fast and dependable internet access they enjoy at home no matter where or when they fly," said Mike DeMarco, Intelsat Chief Commercial Officer. "The Intelsat team is proud to have been selected by RB to deliver a product that will keep the airline on the cutting edge." RB provides scheduled services across Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Intelsat in the fourth quarter of 2025 will start installing the new multi-orbit system on the A320s, including the new electronically steered array (ESA) antenna, which is less than seven centimeters tall and delivers unmatched reliability connecting to both Intelsat's geostationary (GEO) satellites and low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites. Captain Sabirin Haji Abdul Hamid, RB Chief Executive Officer said, "We're excited to bring this next generation of connectivity to our Airbus A320neo fleet, ensuring our guests stay seamlessly connected wherever their journeys take them. This technology not only sets a new standard for in-flight internet, but also reflects our commitment to innovation and delivering an exceptional experience for travelers across the region. We believe that staying connected in the air is a necessity, and we're proud to partner with Intelsat in delivering this next-level experience to our travelers across the Asia-Pacific region." About Intelsat Intelsat's global team of professionals is focused on providing seamless and secure, satellite-based communications to government, NGO and commercial customers through the company's next-generation worldwide network and managed services. Bridging the digital divide by operating one of the world's largest and most advanced satellite fleet and connectivity infrastructures, Intelsat enables people and their tools to speak over oceans, see across continents and listen through the skies to communicate, cooperate and coexist. Since its founding six decades ago, the company has been synonymous with satellite-industry "firsts" in service to its customers and the planet. Leaning on a legacy of innovation and focusing on addressing a new generation of challenges, Intelsat team members now have their sights on the "next firsts" in space as they disrupt the field and lead in the digital transformation of the industry. About Royal Brunei Airlines Established in 1974, Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) is the national carrier of Brunei Darussalam. RB operates a fleet of five Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners and seven Airbus A320NEOs. From 2018 to 2020 TripAdvisor recognised RB in the Travellers' Choice Regional Airlines (Asia) for three consecutive years. In 2019, RB received a Five-Star rating from APEX and won Four Stars at the SKYTRAX Awards. RB's commitment to safety and service was reaffirmed in 2021 with a seven-star COVID-19 safety rating from In 2021, RB also won Asia's and the World's Leading Cabin Crew titles from the World Travel Awards (WTA), honours it held through 2022. In 2024, Crescent Rating named RB the Muslim-Friendly Airline of the Year and was named the World's Leading Cabin Crew by WTA for the fifth consecutive year. RB was awarded 2025 APEX Best in Cabin Service & Food and Beverage Award in East Asia and recognised as a 2025 APEX Four-Star Major Airline. As it celebrates 50 years of connecting Brunei to the world, RB continues to deliver exceptional service, grounded in the principles of care, community, and ikhlas – sincerely from the heart. For more information, visit: Follow Us on Social Media:LinkedIn Instagram YouTube View source version on Contacts Media Contacts: Melissa Longo - +1 240-308-1881 Royal Brunei Airlines Corporate CommunicationsEmail: media@ Website:
Miami Herald
06-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Gold House and Garnier Announce Recipients of Gold Green Grant, Doubling the Fund Committed to Sustainability in Asian Pacific Impact
Press Releases Gold House and Garnier Announce Recipients of Gold Green Grant, Doubling the Fund Committed to Sustainability in Asian Pacific Impact Three changemakers from diverse fields receive a combined $60,000 to further their sustainability efforts Gold House, the leading Asian Pacific cultural ecosystem, and Garnier USA, a global leader in beauty and haircare, are thrilled to announce the recipients of the second annual Gold Green Grant - winners Climate Cardinals, Global Coralition, and Protect & Preserve Hawaiʻi. The grant will provide a combined $60,000 in funding, annual National Park passes, mentorship from Garnier's executive leadership, and invaluable amplification opportunities from Gold House to empower changemakers dedicated to sustainability and the Asian Pacific community. In today's increasingly complex global landscape, sustainability has become one of the most pressing challenges of our time. From environmental activists to creatives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, the critical need for all industries to advance sustainability has never been greater. In its second year, the Gold Green Grant expands its funding amount and eligible recipients to emphasize the importance of an all-encompassing approach to sustainability-one that integrates environmental stewardship, cultural inclusivity, and social responsibility. This year's three grant recipients represent leaders dedicated to preserving ecological biodiversity and mobilizing communities to take climate action. They receive a total of $60,000 in funding, mentorship from Garnier's executive leadership, and invaluable amplification opportunities to advance their work. The three recipients are: Climate Cardinals , focused on educating and empowering youth-led, grassroots climate action Global Coralition , focused on uniting art, science and communities to regenerate marine ecosystems across 50 reef sites Protect and Preserve Hawaiʻi, focused on protecting Hawaiʻi's native ecosystems and cultural heritage "We began as a small group of high school students - many of us Asian American children of immigrants - translating climate information for our families and communities. It's incredible that what started with $500, a Squarespace site, and Google Classroom accounts is now being recognized by Gold House and Garnier USA," said Sophia Kianni, Founder of Climate Cardinals. "We are so grateful for the support in our mission to revive marine ecosystems, build climate resilience for coastal communities and steward a globally sustainable future. This grant will allow us to document and scale our project in the Dominican Republic, where we have launched our sculpture Atabey, built a land-based coral farm, marine protected the area and planted 1.2 million mangroves across the island. This grant will also support us to seed this project in our next site, which we aim to be in the Asian-Pacific region of the world," said Angeline Chen, Founder of Global Coralition. "[T]his grant … reaffirms the power of community-driven solutions during uncertain times. This support not only fuels our efforts to restore Hawaiʻi's ecosystems through hands-on education and native species revitalization but also amplifies our work to empower the API community by instilling aloha ʻāina-a love for the land that bridges cultural heritage and environmental action. These funds will [also] help us expand youth mentorship programs and community partnerships, ensuring sustainability is rooted in both tradition and innovation," said Tyrone Montayre, founder of Protect and Preserve Hawai'i. "We're incredibly proud to partner with Gold House for the second year of the Gold Green Grant, furthering our commitment to supporting the AANHPI community," said Amy Whang, President of Garnier, Maybelline, and essie U.S. "At Garnier, sustainability and inclusivity are at the heart of everything we do, and this continued partnership allows us to make a tangible difference while championing both these vital values." "Climate Cardinals, Global Coralition, and Protect & Preserve Hawaiʻi represent the innovative spirit and deep commitment to collective impact that drives the Asian Pacific diaspora. We're grateful to partner with Garnier USA to nurture a future where cultural heritage and environmental stewardship go hand in hand," said Rose Yan, Head of Marketing for Gold House. An open call for applications was whittled down to ten finalists. A selection committee consisting of five cross-industry leaders in sustainability and a public voting process that garnered thousands of votes contributed to the final selection process. The other seven finalists include: For more information about the Gold Green Grant, visit SOURCE: Gold House press release
Mint
05-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Dollar slides against peers weighed down by fresh tariff worries
(This story has been refiled to say 'unwinding,' instead of 'winding,' in paragraph 4) NEW YORK (Reuters) -The U.S. dollar weakened against major currencies, including the yen and the euro, on Monday as markets weighed continued uncertainty from President Donald Trump's tariff policies and their impact on the economy. The greenback slid to a fresh record low against the Taiwan dollar to 28.8150 amid speculation that Taiwan was letting its currency appreciate as part of a trade deal with the U.S., or at least was unwilling to intervene to stop it rising alongside sharp inflows in capital. Other Asian-Pacific currencies, including the Australian dollar, gained against the U.S. dollar. The Aussie reached as high as $0.64935, its highest since December last year. The selloff of the dollar against Asian currencies is partly driven by the unwinding of large, un-hedged positions taken by some investors such as life insurance in Taiwan amid talk of more U.S. tariffs, said Marc Chandler, chief market strategist at Bannockburn Global Forex. "The dollar sold off in Asia partly because some people are worried there'd be semiconductor tariffs by the U.S. to be announced as early as Wednesday and talk that in these bilateral trade talks the U.S. could transfer currency appreciation in East Asia," Chandler said. Trump doubled down on tariff-driven policies during an interview on Sunday, reiterating that the duties on U.S. imports would eventually make Americans rich. He announced on Sunday a new 100% tariff on films made outside the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Monday defended Trump's tariffs, emphasizing that his broader agenda including tax cuts would eventually lead to long-term economic growth. Markets have been affected by the fact that Trump is not leaving his stance that tariffs are important, said Juan Perez, director of trading at Monex USA in Washington. The dollar was down 0.73% against the Japanese yen at 143.885. Against the Swiss franc, the dollar weakened 0.50% to 0.82255. Trump said he would not attempt to remove Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, but repeated calls for lower interest rates and called Powell a "stiff". The Fed meets on Wednesday and is widely expected to leave rates steady following a solid March payrolls report. Perez said the U.S. dollar was being hurt the most by chaos in the markets. "I think we're returning today very sour mood and descent and this idea that overall you may not necessarily rely on American markets the way you used to. And that's been seen across Treasuries." Markets now imply only a 37% chance of a Fed rate cut in June, down from 64% a month ago. Goldman Sachs and Barclays both shifted their cut calls to July from June. The dollar trimmed its losses briefly against the yen after the Institute for Supply Management report for April showed a larger-than-expected pickup in growth in the U.S. services sector, which accounts for two-thirds of the American economy. Chinese onshore markets were closed but the yuan traded offshore hit its highest in almost six months at 7.1831 per dollar as investors wagered Beijing might let its currency strengthen as part of trade talks with Washington. The yuan was last up 0.12% to 7.2014 per dollar. In Europe, the euro was up 0.15% at $1.131600 and the pound was up 0.21% at $1.32950. The Bank of England will meet on Thursday and is widely expected to cut rates by a further 25 basis points to 4.25%. Central banks in Norway and Sweden also meet this week and are expected to keep rates steady. (Reporting by Chibuike Oguh in New York, Wayne Cole and Alun John. Editing by Sonali Paul, Mark Potter, Tomasz Janowski, Nia Williams and Marguerita Choy) First Published: 6 May 2025, 03:13 AM IST
