SYDNEY – Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will on Tuesday hail the role of international law in settling regional conflicts, comments apparently aimed at bolstering Australian efforts to build a coalition against Chinese assertiveness. Bishop, in a speech ahead of a special meeting of the Association of South East Asian ... Read More »
Japan has reportedly offered to pay more than £2m to fund any international inspection of North Korea’s nuclear facilities in a bid to encourage the rogue country to ends its weapons programme. Tokyo made the gesture after Pyongyang pledged to scrap its weapons and asked for direct talks with Donald ... Read More »
Russia’s Defense Ministry says it has successfully tested one of the “invincible” missiles that President Vladimir Putin said earlier this month could deliver a warhead at hypersonic speed and pierce US defenses. “A MiG-31 fighter crew of the Russian Aerospace Forces conducted a combat training launch of a hypersonic missile ... Read More »
BUCHAREST, Romania: Serbia’s president said Thursday that his country won’t recognize Kosovo as an independent nation, but is open to discussing solutions to the contentious issue. “If we recognize Kosovo … Albanians will gain everything, and my question is — what will Serbs get?” said President Aleksandar Vucic, who was ... Read More »
Top South Korean negotiators left for the United States Thursday to brief their American counterparts on the outcome of their historic meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un earlier this week. South Korean National Security Office Head Chung Eui-yong revealed few details of the trip as he boarded a ... Read More »
International Women’s Day is a time to reflect on progress made, to call for change and to celebrate acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who have played an extraordinary role in the history of their countries and communities. It is also an opportunity to consider how to accelerate ... Read More »
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Iran has increased its missile production three-fold, a senior Revolutionary Guards commander said Wednesday, according to the Fars news service. The commander did not explain during what time period the production increase had taken place. “In the past we had to do a lot of explaining to ... Read More »
Sri Lanka has declared a state of emergency after a sudden spike in violence against Muslims in a central town, and amid fears the unrest could spread to other parts of the country. President Maithripala Sirisena said the declaration would “empower” the country’s armed forces and police to respond to ... Read More »
Lebanese Army chief Gen. Joseph Aoun said that the Army is determined to defend Lebanon’s rights “with all means and options available, no matter how much the provocative enemy escalates its threats.” An Army statement detailed Aoun’s address to the leaders of the Third Intervention Regiment and to other Army ... Read More »
BEIJING/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – China expressed anger on Thursday after the U.S. Senate passed a bill promoting closer U.S. ties with Taiwan, but the step drew praise from the self-ruled island which pledged to deepen cooperation. The move adds to tensions between China and the United States, already at loggerheads ... Read More »
Lebanese Ministry of Information