US condemns China's Scarborough Reef 'nature reserve' move amid South China Sea tensions
The United States has criticised China over a new move at Scarborough Reef in the disputed South China Sea, saying Beijing is using environmental language to strengthen its territorial claims. In a statement issued on Saturday, the US State Department said China was attempting to deny Filipino fishermen access to the waters around the reef, which lies near the Philippine island of Luzon. The statement rejected China's description of the area as a "national nature reserve" and said the move was part of a broader effort to advance sweeping maritime claims.The US said China's approach relied on "dubious environmental and... [Continue Reading]
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North Korea fires ballistic missile as Kim Yo-jong threatens Japan
North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Thursday toward the sea off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula, according to the supplied report, in a move that came after Kim Yo-jong issued fresh threats against Japan. The launch was detected from the Wonsan area and tracked toward the East Sea, also known as the Sea of Japan. It adds to already elevated tensions between Pyongyang, Tokyo, Seoul and Washington.The report says Kim Yo-jong warned two days earlier that North Korea could make "new military choices" and accused Japan of trying to conceal an ambition to become a military power.... [Continue Reading]
Myanmar leader visits Thailand as he seeks ASEAN re-engagement
Min Aung Hlaing has met Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul in Bangkok in his first official visit to Thailand since the 2021 coup. The meeting comes as Myanmar's military-backed leader seeks broader regional acceptance and a return to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. It also underlines Thailand's willingness to keep high-level contact with Myanmar despite the country's continuing civil war.During the talks, Min Aung Hlaing said his government was focused on ending the conflict and restoring peace. He told the Thai side that Myanmar had "reestablished itself on the path to democracy" and was moving toward a better future.... [Continue Reading]
Miliband urges US to reopen Strait of Hormuz ahead of first one-to-one talks with Rubio
UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband has called on the United States to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz as he travels to Washington for his first official one-to-one meeting with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. He said free passage through the Gulf waterway was essential to ease cost-of-living pressures on British families. The talks are also expected to cover the war in Ukraine and what Miliband described as the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza.Miliband said he was looking forward to his second meeting with Rubio, after the pair first met on the sidelines of a foreign ministers' summit in... [Continue Reading]
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North Korea warns of military options over Japan's defence buildup, citing Tomahawk test
Kim Yo Jong has issued a fresh warning that North Korea will consider additional military options in response to Japan's expanding defence posture. In a statement carried by state media, she accused Tokyo of moving toward a "war state" and said Pyongyang would not remain a passive observer. The comments were made on Wednesday and were tied directly to Japan's recent military steps in the Pacific.Kim cited Japan's first test-firing of a Tomahawk long-range cruise missile and its participation in US-led drills in the Philippines in May. Japan's defence ministry confirmed that the Tomahawk experiment last week was its first,... [Continue Reading]

