US says interim trade deal with India is almost complete after Manila meeting
The United States and India said an interim trade deal is close to completion after a meeting between Secretary of State Marco Rubio and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Manila. The talks took place on the sidelines of ASEAN and East Asia meetings, bringing the two ministers together as both sides continue work on a broader strategic agenda.Officials said the discussion also covered defence, energy, critical minerals and artificial intelligence. US officials said the interim trade deal is "almost complete", while the State Department said the ministers discussed recent developments in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific. A spokesperson... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 23 Jul 2026 00:30 LONDON
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Rubio and Wang Yi meet in Manila as US and China seek to manage tensions
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Manila. The talks took place as Washington and Beijing try to manage a period of strained relations ahead of a planned summit between President Donald Trump and President Xi Jinping. The meeting was held in the Philippine capital during a gathering of Southeast Asian diplomats.According to the supplied material, the discussion focused on how to handle bilateral differences and prepare for the next stage of high-level exchanges. Rubio said the two countries have "great differences" that... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 23 Jul 2026 00:05 LONDON
Rubio says India did not raise concerns over proposed US generic drug tariffs in Manila talks
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said India did not raise concerns about proposed US tariffs on generic drugs during his meeting with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in Manila. The two officials met on the sidelines of ASEAN-related diplomacy on Wednesday and discussed trade, tariffs, energy, defence, critical minerals and artificial intelligence.Rubio said the United States remains "very close" to India and described the relationship as vitally important. Rubio told reporters that the discussion did not go into depth on pharmaceuticals, although he said he would expect India to be concerned about the issue. He added that New Delhi... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 22 Jul 2026 19:33 LONDON
China and Philippines trade blame after South China Sea confrontation, as Australia criticises Beijing
Australia has criticised Beijing after China and the Philippines traded blame over a physical confrontation between their maritime forces in the South China Sea. The dispute centres on an incident on Monday involving the China Coast Guard and the Philippine Navy, which has now drawn in other major powers with interests in the region. China's foreign ministry responded by accusing Australia of exaggerating tensions and inciting confrontation.Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said on Wednesday that Canberra was concerned about aggression and destabilising conduct in the region, and warned that countries had a choice to make in response. Chinese foreign ministry... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 22 Jul 2026 12:02 LONDON
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China defends routine missile test and cyber governance position at press briefing
China used its July 22 Foreign Ministry briefing to defend a recent missile test in the Pacific and to restate its position on South China Sea tensions. Spokesperson Lin Jian said the launch was a routine training activity by China's military, not directed at any specific country or target. He said China had notified relevant countries, including Australia, beforehand, in line with international law and customary international practice. The comments came after Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said in comments on the sidelines of the ASEAN meeting that Australia regards China's recent missile test as destabilizing and is seriously concerned... [Continue Reading]
Breaking-360LiveNews | 22 Jul 2026 12:00 LONDON
India presses Russia over seafarer deaths after missile strike on merchant vessel
India has pressed Russia over the deaths of four Indian seafarers after a missile strike on a merchant vessel off the coast of Ukraine. The diplomatic response came after New Delhi summoned the Russian charge d'affaires and later raised the issue directly with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Manila. India said the attack on commercial shipping and the loss of civilian lives were unacceptable.Foreign Minister S Jaishankar said he met Lavrov on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting in the Philippines. He said he reiterated India's strong concern about the safety of... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 22 Jul 2026 11:02 LONDON
Quad foreign ministers meet in Manila to back free and open Indo-Pacific
The foreign ministers of India, the United States, Australia and Japan met in Manila on Wednesday and reaffirmed support for a free and open Indo-Pacific. The meeting brought together External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi. The talks took place in the Philippines and were framed around regional stability and cooperation with Southeast Asian states.In statements after the meeting, the ministers said they would work together to keep the Indo-Pacific stable and to support the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN. Jaishankar said the... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 22 Jul 2026 10:34 LONDON
Jaishankar meets Quad counterparts in Manila as India raises China border and trade concerns
India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Manila on Wednesday and raised concerns over supply chain predictability, fair market access, trade imbalances, and the need to facilitate official and people-to-people exchanges. He said peace along the border remains a prerequisite for normalising bilateral relations, placing the talks against the backdrop of the long-running India-China military standoff that began in May 2020. Jaishankar also said the meeting gave both sides a chance to review bilateral ties and discuss regional and global developments.The meeting took place on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit and ASEAN... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 22 Jul 2026 09:59 LONDON
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Breakfast News Recap: US Iran strikes deepen as floods, trade tensions and Gaza violence mount
The biggest escalation remains the US campaign against Iran, with American strikes continuing for an 11th straight night, Iranian air defences activated in Tehran and explosions reported near Natanz, while Donald Trump warned the United States was “not finished” and could hit the Pickaxe Mountain area soon. 🔗 🔗Washington is also facing the financial and political cost of the conflict, after Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told senators the war has cost about $37.5bn so far and pressed Congress for urgent extra funding. A US soldier has also been identified after dying in northern Iraq in a controlled detonation of a... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Recap | 22 Jul 2026 08:45 LONDON
Australia raises concerns with China over submarine-launched missile test in Manila meeting
Australia's foreign affairs minister, Penny Wong, has raised concerns with China over a test of a nuclear-capable submarine-launched missile earlier this month. She did so during a face-to-face meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the ASEAN foreign ministers' meeting in Manila. The discussion took place as both sides also addressed wider questions of peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific.According to a statement from Wong's department, the meeting was their 12th. The ministers discussed ASEAN priorities and the importance of regional stability, while Wong also raised a range of consular issues. Those included the case of... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 21 Jul 2026 22:30 LONDON
Day News Recap: US Iran conflict widens as oil spikes, wildfires rage and protests spread
US President Donald Trump said the United States would attack the Pickaxe mountain near Natanz in central Iran very soon, while also warning that Iran would pay after American service members were killed, marking a sharp new escalation in the confrontation. đź”— đź”—The conflict is already rippling through energy markets, with Brent crude up 23% over the period and average petrol prices in the United States rising to $4.00 a gallon as traffic through the Strait of Hormuz thins. ASEAN foreign ministers in Manila voiced serious concern about spillover from the war and the risk to regional energy supplies, while... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews Recap | 21 Jul 2026 18:21 LONDON
ASEAN voices serious concern over Iran war spillover and energy shortages
Southeast Asian foreign ministers have voiced serious concern over the impact of the Iran war on energy supplies, as they met in Manila on Tuesday. The talks come amid disruption to key maritime routes, including the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which has added pressure to oil imports across the region. ASEAN members are also discussing an oil-sharing mechanism as they seek to limit the effects of the crisis.In a statement, the ministers said they were deeply concerned that the developments were undermining efforts by key mediators and reducing the prospects for a peaceful resolution through dialogue and diplomacy.... [Continue Reading]
360LiveNews | 21 Jul 2026 15:30 LONDON
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