HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary Paul Chan tested positive for COVID-19 during a visit to Saudi Arabia and will stay there for a “short while” to observe health requirements, the city’s government said on Thursday. Chan is due to deliver a keynote speech at an international banking conference in Hong Kong on …
Hong Kong finance chief stuck in Saudi Arabia after catching COVID Read More »
By Josh Smith and Hyonhee Shin SEOUL (Reuters) – A 2018 military agreement between North Korea and South Korea designed to prevent inadvertent clashes along their shared border may be at risk after the South accused the North of violating the deal by firing artillery into buffer zones. The so-called Comprehensive Military Agreement (CMA) was …
By Kiyoshi Takenaka TOKYO (Reuters) -South Korea said on in Wednesday it had agreed with the United States and Japan that a resumption of nuclear testing by North Korea would have to be met with an “unparalleled” response. Washington and its allies believe North Korea could be about to resume nuclear bomb testing for the …
Seoul says allies agree ‘unparalleled’ response needed to a N. Korea nuclear test Read More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – President Joe Biden, meeting his top military advisers, said on Wednesday that the United States does not seek conflict with China and that Chinese President Xi Jinping knows this. Biden said the United States would continue to lead ona number of issues, from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine to climate change to the …
Biden: China’s Xi knows we are not seeking conflict Read More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -China has decided the status quo of Taiwan’s situation is no longer acceptable and has begun to ratchet up pressure on the self-governing island, including holding out the possibility of using force, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday. Speaking at an event organized by Bloomberg, Blinken said China had altered …
Blinken says China rejects status quo of Taiwan situation Read More »
(Reuters) – The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is gravely concerned about escalating violence in Myanmar, the bloc’s chair Cambodia said ahead of a special meeting of its foreign ministers on the crisis. The top U.S. diplomat for East Asia, Daniel Kritenbrink called the situation in Myanmar “tragic” and said finding away to deal …
ASEAN chair warns over Myanmar violence; U.S. urges more pressure Read More »
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States condemns the verdict against Hong Kong democracy advocate Jimmy Lai on “spurious fraud charges,” State Department spokesperson Ned Price said on Wednesday. Lai, founder of the Apple Daily newspaper, was found guilty Tuesday on fraud charges, according to media reports. He was already serving an earlier prison sentence for …
U.S. blasts verdict against Hong Kong democracy advocate Jimmy Lai Read More »
By Ruma Paul DHAKA (Reuters) -A cyclone roared into the Bangladesh coast on Tuesday, killing at least 15 people, destroying houses, uprooting trees and disrupting road, power and communication links, officials said. Mass evacuations before Cyclone Sitrang made landfall on the west coast helped save lives, but the full extent of the casualties and damage …
Cyclone lashes Bangladesh, killing 15, causing power cuts Read More »
TOKYO (Reuters) -Japan and Lithuania have decided to upgrade bilateral ties and start up security dialogue, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said on Wednesday, as the Baltic country faces diplomatic row with China over Taiwan. Lithuania has come under sustained Chinese pressure to reverse a decision last year to allow Taiwan to open a de …
Japan, Lithuania upgrade ties, to start security dialogue Read More »
MANILA (Reuters) – A lawmaker in the Philippines has reintroduced legislation to prevent maritime and airspace encroachment by Chinese vessels, by restricting them to designated sea lanes and air routes and prescribing jail time for captains or vessel owners. The Philippines has complained repeatedly about Chinese activities in its 200 mile (322 km) exclusive economic …
Philippine legislator proposes law to keep Chinese boats, planes in check Read More »
