Author: Resham

China-Backed Troll Campaign Targeted Philippine Opinion and US Alliance, Documents Reveal China funded a coordinated online campaign in the Philippines aimed at weakening public support for Manila’s alliance with the US and promoting pro-Beijing narratives, according to internal documents reviewed by Reuters. Fake Profiles and Paid Influence In November 2021, as Chinese ships clashed with Philippine vessels in the South China Sea, the Chinese embassy in Manila ran social media posts inviting Filipinos to share what they liked about China. Among the many replies were comments from fake Facebook profiles, including one under the name “Vince Dimaano.” These accounts were…

New Study Explains Why the Moon Has “Two Faces” — Chang’e-6 Samples Reveal Thermal Asymmetry The moon’s long-observed “two-faced” nature runs far deeper than its contrasting appearance. New analysis of rock and soil collected by China’s Chang’e-6 lunar mission in 2024 has revealed significant chemical and thermal differences between the moon’s nearside and farside, offering fresh insight into its mysterious geological history. Cooler Origins Beneath the Moon’s Farside Scientists examining the Chang’e-6 samples—retrieved from the South Pole-Aitken Basin, the only material ever collected from the moon’s farside—found that the rocks crystallised from lava roughly 2.8 billion years ago at temperatures…

Bollywood Stars Challenge YouTube Over AI-Generated Content Bollywood icons Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have taken legal action to protect their voices, images and reputations from misuse in artificial intelligence-generated videos. Their case targets Google-owned YouTube, India’s most popular video platform. Bachchans Seek Protection from AI Misuse The celebrity couple filed lawsuits demanding the removal of AI videos that infringe on their personality and intellectual property rights. Beyond takedowns, they want YouTube to prevent such content from being used to train other AI platforms. Legal papers seen by Reuters show the actors’ concern that misleading deepfakes could spread widely…

Chang’e-6 Mission Wins Top Honour at International Astronautical Congress The 76th International Astronautical Congress (IAC), the world’s leading aerospace gathering, opened on Monday in Sydney, Australia. At the event, China’s Chang’e-6 mission received the prestigious 2025 International Astronautical Federation (IAF) World Space Award in the Team Category, marking a major recognition of its achievements. A Prestigious Global Recognition The IAF World Space Award is the highest honour awarded by the International Astronautical Federation. Often called the “Oscar in Space,” it celebrates individuals and teams that make exceptional contributions to global space science, engineering, technology, and management. At the opening ceremony,…

North Korea Nears Completion of Long-Range Nuclear Missile, Says South Korean President South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung has warned that North Korea is close to completing the development of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) capable of striking the United States with a nuclear weapon. However, he noted that Pyongyang has yet to perfect the critical re-entry technology required for such a weapon to function effectively. Lee Addresses Security Risks at New York Event During his visit to New York for the United Nations General Assembly, President Lee spoke at an investor relations session held at the New York Stock…

Huawei Unveils Safer AI Model DeepSeek-R1-Safe Chinese technology company Huawei has introduced a safety-focused version of the DeepSeek artificial intelligence model, claiming it is almost entirely effective in blocking politically sensitive discussions. Focus on Security and Compliance Chinese regulators require all domestic AI models to align with the country’s socialist values before public release. These rules ensure strict compliance with national speech regulations. Huawei announced on its WeChat account that it trained the model using 1,000 of its Ascend AI chips. The model, named DeepSeek-R1-Safe, is based on the open-source DeepSeek-R1 but adjusted for stronger safeguards. Huawei partnered with Zhejiang…

Barrier Lake Flood Kills 14 in Taiwan as Super Typhoon Ragasa Triggers Widespread Chaos At least 14 people have died and 129 remain missing after a barrier lake burst in eastern Taiwan, unleashing floodwaters that swept through a popular tourist area. The incident occurred in Hualien County’s Guangfu township on Tuesday afternoon, following heavy rainfall from Super Typhoon Ragasa. The typhoon, which has been lashing Taiwan since Monday, is now impacting southern China and Hong Kong. The overflowing lake, formed by landslides in the mountainous region, sent a powerful surge of water through the town, washing away a major bridge…

China Deploys Solar Panels in Long Battle Against Desert Expansion In northern China’s arid landscapes, solar panels are doing more than generating electricity—they’re helping to stop the spread of deserts. At a vast solar farm near Yinchuan in Ningxia, thousands of solar panels cast shade over goji berry bushes, shielding the dry land below from the harsh sun. The 1-gigawatt facility is part of a broader effort using solar power to fight desertification across China’s northern and western regions. The project is led by Ningxia Baofeng Energy Group, a major player in the coal chemical sector. According to Liu Yuanguan,…

Europe Steps into the Spotlight at Taiwan’s Largest Defence Exhibition For decades, the United States has dominated Taiwan’s arms market. However, at the recent Taipei Aerospace and Defence Technology Exhibition, European countries made a noticeable entrance. This shift signals a cautious but growing willingness in Europe to engage with Taiwan, despite concerns over provoking China. Taiwan, a self-governed democracy, has relied heavily on US weapons. Most European nations avoided major defence deals with Taiwan for over 30 years, fearing backlash from Beijing. China considers Taiwan part of its territory, a claim the island firmly rejects. Taiwan insists that only its…

Trump and Xi Aim to Strike TikTok Deal Amid Rising US-China Tensions US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to speak on Friday in their first known call in three months. A key topic on their agenda is an agreement to keep TikTok running in the US. The conversation also aims to ease tensions between the two global powers, which remain locked in a trade and technology standoff. While US officials confirmed the call, China has not publicly acknowledged it. The discussion comes amid preparations for a possible in-person meeting between the two leaders at the…