The four-day gathering is a largely technical waypoint on the road to final negotiations in late November in South Korea's Busan.

China has built seven artificial islands in the South China Sea, and equipped some with radar, runways and surface-to-air missiles, including Subi Reef just 24 kilometers away and visible from Thitu, the most strategically important of nine features the Philippines occupies in the Spratlys.

The rising demand of power due to the massive expansions of data centers in Singapore has forced the city-state to import power sourced from renewable power plants in the neighboring countries.    

People arrested in the crackdown were mostly from Laos, Myanmar and China, although included people from India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

After his visit to Australia, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto flew to Papua New Guinea to meet with Prime Minister James Marape on Wednesday, when he affirmed Indonesia’s commitment to cooperation in various sectors such as defense and education.

China claims democratic Taiwan as part of its territory, and has in recent years upped military pressures by sending in increasing numbers of fighter jets, drones and naval vessels around the island.

Yunus and USAID Administrator Samantha Power discussed ways in which the US agency "might best support the interim government" on human rights, governance and economic issues, USAID spokesperson Shejal Pulivarti said in a statement. 

The patient landed in Bangkok on August 14 and was sent to hospital with mpox symptoms the following morning, said Thongchai Keeratihattayakorn, head of the kingdom's Department of Disease Control.

Indonesia and Papua New Guinea share an 800-kilometre (500-mile) land border that has been the source of myriad disputes over the years.

The murdered doctor -- who has not been formally named but is being called "Abhaya", or "fearless" by protesters -- was found in the teaching hospital's seminar hall, suggesting she had gone there for a break during a long shift.

Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto has finalized the much-anticipated Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) with Australia as he prepares to take office as Indonesia’s next president in October. 

China and the Philippines have had repeated confrontations in the waters over the past year, including around a warship, grounded in 1999 by Manila on the contested Second Thomas Shoal, which hosts a garrison.

The pact -- which includes provisions for joint drills and deployments to each country -- was unveiled during defence minister and president-elect Prabowo Subianto's visit to Canberra.

The pact  -- which includes provisions for joint drills and each military operating in the other country -- was unveiled as Indonesian defence minister and president-elect Prabowo Subianto visited Canberra.  

Statistics New Zealand reported that population growth was a modest 0.1 percent in the second quarter, with the population of 5.3 million growing by a meagre 7,000. 

The patient was a 33-year-old Filipino male who had no travel history outside the Philippines, the Department of Health (DOH) said. 

"Despite multiple warnings from the Chinese side, the Philippine vessel 4410 deliberately collided with China's 21551 vessel," state broadcaster CCTV said, citing China Coast Guard spokesperson Geng Yu.

Plantations and Commodities Minister Johari Abdul Ghani also pledged to halt deforestation in Malaysia, saying 54 percent of the country was forested and that the level would not fall below 50 percent.

Japan is expected to present its policy recommendations as well as a list of project areas for decarbonization efforts under the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC) umbrella in the upcoming ministerial meeting in Jakarta on Aug. 20 to 21.

The discovery of the 31-year-old doctor's bloodied body at a state-run hospital in the eastern city of Kolkata on August 9 sparked furious protests in several cities across the country.

The 37-year-old accepted King Maha Vajiralongkorn's command to form a government on Sunday, barely two years after she entered politics.

India's government introduced sweeping changes to the criminal justice system, including tougher sentences, after the Delhi gang-rape, but campaigners say little has changed.

Hindu-majority India has strong cultural and business ties with its neighbor and Modi's government has expressed concern over the spate of attacks on Hindus.

Two senior US officials met virtually with the shadow National Unity Government, which consists mostly of lawmakers ousted in a 2021 coup, as well as key ethnic rebel groups including the Karen National Union.

"I take a cold shower before bed and tie freezer packs around my electric fan to cool the air," Lee Ji-soo told AFP Friday.

Paetongtarn Shinawatra, whose father and aunt have served as premier, would become the youngest leader in Thailand's history as a constitutional monarchy if elected.

The deal follows a flurry of behind-the-scenes talks in the 24 hours since a court dismissed Srettha Thavisin as premier, as his Pheu Thai Party rushed to secure backing from its 11-party alliance in a bid to form the next government.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met junta leader Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday during a visit to the capital Naypyitaw where they held discussions to conduct an "all-inclusive election", Global New Light Of Myanmar newspaper said.

China is a major ally and arms supplier to the junta, but analysts say it also maintains ties with ethnic groups fighting the military in Myanmar's northern Shan state.

The AIM-174B, developed from the readily available Raytheon SM-6 air defence missile, is the longest-range such missile the United States has ever fielded and was officially acknowledged in July.