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☆ Japan court rules that not allowing same-sex marriage is 'in a state of unconstitutionality'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( Elaine Lies | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TOKYO, June 8 (Reuters) - Japan's Fukuoka District Court ruled on Thursday that not allowing same-sex marriage was "in a state of unconstitutionality" in a complicated ruling that fell short of marriage-equality activists' expectations. The ruling came a week after another district court said it was unconstitutional to not allow same-sex marriage, bolstering hopes of the LGBTQ community in Japan, the only Group of Seven nation without legal protection for same-sex unions. Five rulings on same-sex marriage have now been handed down around Japan - two saying bans on it are unconstitutional and one saying they were not. A Tokyo ruling upheld the ban on same-sex marriage but said a lack of legal protection for same-sex families violated their human rights. Opinion polls show about 70% of the public supports same-sex marriage, but the conservative ruling party of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida opposes it.

Persons: Fumio Kishida, Kishida, Elaine Lies, Chang, Ran Kim, GErry Doyle Organizations: Japan's, Partners, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Japan's Fukuoka, Japan, Tokyo, United States

☆ Japan's Isuzu says it is not planning to relocate factory from Thailand to Indonesia
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

TOKYO, June 8 (Reuters) - Japanese truck maker Isuzu Motors (7202.T) on Thursday said it was not planning to move a factory from Thailand to Indonesia, a day after the Indonesian industry minister said the company would do so. "While our company continues to focus on Indonesia as a major market, there are no plans to relocate a Thai factory to Indonesia," an Isuzu spokesperson said. Indonesian Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita had said on Wednesday that Isuzu planned to move the factory and could start production as early as next year. A ministry spokesperson on Thursday did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the denial from Isuzu, which already has a factory in Karawang, Indonesia. Shares of some Thai auto parts companies sold off on Thursday after reports of the comment from the Indonesian industry minister.

Persons: Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, Daniel Leussink, Stefanno Sulaiman, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Isuzu Motors, Isuzu, Indonesian Industry, Thomson Locations: TOKYO, Thailand, Indonesia, Thai, Karawang, Tokyo, Jakarta

MEXICO CITY/WASHINGTON, June 8 (Reuters) - The U.S. and Mexico still have "differences" of opinion regarding Mexico's recovery of a coveted air safety rating, Mexico's president said on Thursday. The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgraded Mexico to the Category 2 air safety rating more than two years ago, citing safety concerns. The U.S. wants to make clear any decision to restore Mexico's safety rating would be based on technical merits, not politics, the sources added. A joint statement from the U.S. and Mexican transportation agencies released by USDOT late Thursday did not address Mexico's air safety rating but said both governments are committed to the successful development of AIFA "in ways that will bolster the U.S.-Mexico air transportation relationship." Mexican Transportation Minister Jorge Nuno said the audit was Mexico's "last" in a statement Wednesday, implying a positive resolution.

Persons: Pete Buttigieg, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Lopez, Felipe Angeles, Lopez Obrador, USDOT, Jorge Nuno, Lopez Obrador's, Kylie Madry, David Shepardson, Rosalba O'Brien, Gerry Doyle Organizations: MEXICO CITY, U.S . Federal Aviation Administration, FAA, U.S . Transportation, Transportation, Thomson Locations: MEXICO, WASHINGTON, U.S, Mexico, United States, Mexican, Mexico City, Benito Juarez, AIFA, Washington

☆ Australia security pact 'stigma' must be removed -Vanuatu PM
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SYDNEY, June 7 (Reuters) - Vanuatu Prime Minister Ishmael Kalsakau said his government "must remove the stigma" from a security agreement with Australia and work toward having it ratified by parliament, local media reported on Wednesday. The Pacific Islands nation signed a security treaty covering disaster relief, defence, policing and cyber security with Australia in December, but during a visit by Australia Defence Minister Richard Marles on Tuesday, Vanuatu officials said the document was still being examined. Some Vanuatu politicians who favour ties with China, a major infrastructure lender, have expressed concern over the deal. "We must remove the stigma that the agreement is one-sided and does not reflect Vanuatu’s sovereignty," Kalsakau said in a speech, the Vanuatu Daily Post reported on Wednesday. China's navy sent a ship with humanitarian supplies to Vanuatu in April after two cyclones hit in March.

Persons: Ishmael Kalsakau, Richard Marles, Kalsakau, Kirsty Needham, Editng, Gerry Doyle Organizations: SYDNEY, Vanuatu, Australia, Australia Defence, Vanuatu Daily Post, Australian Defence Force, HMAS Canberra, Thomson Locations: Australia, China, Vanuatu, Washington, United States, Papua New Guinea

☆ Air India to send replacement plane for passengers stranded in Russia
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

NEW DELHI, June 7 (Reuters) - Air India said on Wednesday a reserve plane would take off from Mumbai on Wednesday for passengers whose flight on Tuesday was forced to land at an airport in Russia's Far East because of engine trouble. The airline said its ferry flight would leave Mumbai at 0730 GMT and head to Magadan in Russia, carrying food and other essentials for the passengers stranded there. Russian aviation authority Rosaviatsia had said that a reserve Air India plane was scheduled to land at 0300 GMT. Air India did not immediately respond to a request to share the nationalities of the passengers. The airline said it had moved passengers to makeshift accommodations, citing infrastructure limitations around the airport.

Persons: Rosaviatsia, Vedant Patel, Patel, Tanvi Mehta, Lidia Kelly, Krishna N, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Air, Boeing, Air India, NDTV, U.S . State Department, Thomson Locations: DELHI, Air India, Mumbai, Russia's Far, Delhi, San Francisco, Magadan, Russia, Air, Indian, U.S, United States, New Delhi, Melbourne

☆ Mexico foreign minister quits in bid to clinch presidential nomination
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Dave Graham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/4] Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard raises his fist while announcing he will resign next week to focus on winning the nomination of the leftist National Regeneration Movement (MORENA) ruling party for next year's presidential election, at a hotel in Mexico City, Mexico, June 6, 2023. Mexico's U.N. ambassador Juan Ramon de la Fuente and ambassador to the U.S. Esteban Moctezuma are seen by many analysts as the favorites to replace Ebrard as foreign minister. As foreign minister, it is harder for Ebrard to address domestic issues than for Sheinbaum and Interior Minister Adan Augusto Lopez, another leading contender, Buendia said. Following Ebrard's announcement, MORENA party chairman Mario Delgado told Mexican radio the party's contenders would ultimately have to resign to ensure a fair contest. During Monday's meeting, Lopez Obrador said he had urged the party to remain united, and pledged not to influence the outcome of MORENA's internal contest.

Persons: Marcelo Ebrard, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, Ebrard, Mexico's U.N, Juan Ramon de la Fuente, Esteban Moctezuma, Lopez Obrador, MORENA, Jorge Buendia, Marquez, Buendia, Adan Augusto Lopez, Lopez, Mario Delgado, Dave Graham, Anthony Esposito, Gerry Doyle, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Foreign, Regeneration, Read, MEXICO CITY, Mayor, U.S, Thomson Locations: Mexico City, Mexico, MEXICO, U.S, Mexican, State of Mexico

☆ Hollywood actors authorize strike as writers still out
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, June 5 (Reuters) - Hollywood's actors union voted to authorize a strike if contract talks break down, turning up the heat on major film and television studios already grappling with a monthlong work stoppage by writers. No new negotiations are scheduled with the striking Writers Guild of America (WGA), which represents 11,500 film and TV writers. A strike by actors would lead to a broader shutdown across Hollywood and increase pressure on studios that need programming to feed their streaming services and the fall TV broadcast schedule. In the negotiations, actors are seeking higher pay and safeguards against unauthorized use of their images through artificial intelligence. SAG-AFTRA leaders said the industry had changed dramatically with the rise of streaming television and the emergence of new technology such as generative AI.

Persons: AFTRA, Bravo, Fran Drescher, Duncan Crabtree, Lisa Richwine, David Gregorio, Lisa Shumaker, Kim Coghill, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Bravo SAG, Guild of America, Warner Bros, HBO, SAG, Alliance, Television Producers, Walt Disney Co, Netflix Inc, Thomson Locations: ANGELES, Hollywood, Ireland

☆ Bank of Korea: less desirable to increase gold holdings at this point
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

SEOUL, June 6 (Reuters) - The Bank of Korea (BOK) assesses it is more desirable to maintain its dollar liquidity than to increase gold holdings for foreign exchange reserves at this point, the central bank said. "A cautious approach is necessary for determining whether to increase the ratio of gold in the foreign exchange reserves," the BOK's Reserve Management Group said on Tuesday. The BOK released the gold management policy along with the results of its first inspection of gold holdings on May 23. It said the inspection at the Bank of England, where all of its gold holdings are stored, concluded without any major concerns other than some simple errors in refiner marks on three gold bars, which it said are frequent. The Bank of Korea holds 104.4 tonnes of gold in its foreign exchange reserves, or $4.8 billion, which account for 1.14% of its total $421 billion in reserves as of the end of May.

Persons: BOK, Jihoon Lee, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Bank of Korea, BOK's Reserve Management, Bank of England, Thomson Locations: SEOUL, London

☆ Hong Kong government seeks court injunction to ban protest anthem
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Jessie Pang | Thomson Reuters | Jessie Pang Joined Reuters In After An Internship. She Covers Hong Kong With A Focus On Politics | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

HONG KONG, June 6 (Reuters) - The Hong Kong government said on Tuesday that it asked a court to ban a protest song in a bid to prevent people from inciting secession or insulting China's national anthem. "Recently, the song has also been mistakenly presented as the 'national anthem of Hong Kong' repeatedly," the government said in a statement. "This has not only insulted the national anthem but also caused serious damage to the country and the HKSAR." The protest anthem was played mistakenly instead of the Chinese national anthem "March of the Volunteers", after the Hong Kong ice hockey team beat Iran at an international competition. Google has said it would not change its search results to display China's national anthem, rather than a protest song, when users search for Hong Kong's national anthem.

Persons: Hong, Kong's, Jessie Pang, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Hong, Reuters, Department of Justice, YouTube, Google, Volunteers, Iran, Hong Kong Ice Hockey Association, Thomson Locations: HONG KONG, Hong Kong, China, Beijing

☆ Retailers battle for uncertain back-to-school demand after ‘volatile’ quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-06 | by ( Katherine Masters | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

[1/2] Shopping trolley is seen in front of Walmart logo in this illustration, July 24, 2022. U.S. shoppers' spending in the summer ahead of the college and K-12 school year has grown steadily since 2015, according to the National Retail Federation, a trade group. The chain is stocking Adidas' Samba and Gazelle sneakers ahead of the new school year, it said. The challenge for retailers is predicting whether parents will buy less clothing and sneakers when the cost of necessities - such as pencils, notebooks and laptops - strains many households. Retailers face a "volatile time," said Jessica Ramirez, a senior research analyst at Jane Hali & Associates.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Locker, Spencer, hasn't, Ralph Lauren, Nordstrom, Doug McMillon, John David Rainey, Jessica Ramirez, Jane Hali, Moody’s, Moody's, Maxx, Martin Waters, Fran Horowitz, Jennifer Foyle, Abercrombie’s Hollister, URBN, Katherine Masters, Siddharth Cavale, James Davey, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Walmart, REUTERS, National Retail Federation, Ulta, Adidas, U.S . Commerce Department, Associates, Target, Moody's Victoria’s, Abercrombie & Fitch, Urban Outfitters, Abercrombie, Fitch, Free People, Thomson Locations: Britain, U.S, North America, New York, Bentonville , Arkansas, London

HANOI/BEIJING, June 6 (Reuters) - A Chinese research ship and its escort, which operated for nearly a month in Vietnam's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea, left those waters on Monday night, vessel-tracking experts said, just after high-level U.S.-China talks. "The Chinese scientific research vessel carrying out normal research activities in maritime waters under China's jurisdiction is legitimate and proper. At 0300 GMT on Tuesday the Chinese research ship was seen approaching Hainan, said Ray Powell, who leads Stanford University's Project Myoushu on the South China Sea. Vietnam's fisheries surveillance ships turned back after the Chinese vessel and its escort left Vietnam's EEZ around midnight Vietnam time, Powell added. Vietnam's foreign ministry did not reply to requests for comment.

Persons: Xiang Yang Hong, Dmitry Medvedev, Ray Powell, Powell, Van Pham, Francesco Guarascio, Laurie Chen, Khanh Vu, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Stanford, China, Chronicle Initiative, Thomson Locations: HANOI, BEIJING, South China, China, Vietnam's, Beijing, Hainan, Hanoi, Vietnam

Late last month a Chinese fighter jet flew in front of a U.S. warplane over the South China Sea, drawing a rebuke from the United States. China regards the United States as an outsider interfering in a region in which it sees itself as a force for peace and stability. The United States says such patrols defend the right of all countries to sail in international waters. Some analysts say Chinese military commanders have been encouraged to act more assertively against foreign military ships and planes. And that's when the United States would eventually take the necessary measures to reduce the risk."

Persons: Xi Jinping, ”, Jennifer Parker, Derek Grossman, China's, Tong Zhao, Nancy Pelosi's, Michael Martina, Martin Pollard, Yew Lun Tian, Laurie Chen, Don Durfee, Gerry Doyle Organizations: U.S, People's Liberation Army Navy, PLAN, PLA, Australian Strategic Policy Institute, RAND Corporation, Communist Party, Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs, Pentagon, ., Reuters, Washington, Thomson Locations: WASHINGTON, BEIJING, Chinese, U.S, Taiwan Strait, South China, United States, China, CHINA, Beijing, Asia, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Hainan

BEIJING, June 6 (Reuters) - Chinese universities are drastically increasing tuition fees this year, with some making their first rises in two decades, hurt by a reduced national budget for tertiary education and tight local government finances. The higher fees come amid a financial crunch among local governments after three years of disruptive COVID-19 policies, a property crisis and a sluggish economy. Chinese universities, almost all public, rely heavily on state funding. The study suggested increasing tuition fees for international students to as much as 110,000 yuan per year from about 20,000 yuan. ($1 = 7.1165 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Ella Cao and Ryan Woo.

Persons: Liu Jin, Ella Cao, Ryan Woo, Gerry Doyle Organizations: East China University of Science, Technology, Shanghai Dianji University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Thomson Locations: BEIJING, Shanghai, Sichuan, Jilin

☆ Republican White House hopeful Nikki Haley attacks Trump, DeSantis over Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Tim Reid | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

June 4 (Reuters) - Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley, U.N. ambassador under former President Donald Trump, went after her ex-boss and 2024 rival Ron DeSantis on Sunday over their refusal to say whether they want Ukraine to win its war against Russia. In recent town hall events, Trump, the favorite for the Republican presidential nomination, said that he wanted the war to end, but that he would help Ukraine and Russia negotiate a settlement. Haley, the only woman in the race for the Republican nomination, lambasted DeSantis for saying this year that Ukraine was a "territorial dispute", a comment that drew widespread criticism and that he has since walked back. Ukraine is an issue that divides Republicans, because of an isolationist streak among many of the party's primary voters. Trump dominates the field among potential Republican primary voters with 49% support.

Persons: Nikki Haley, U.N, Donald Trump, Ron DeSantis, Trump, Florida Governor DeSantis, Haley, DeSantis, Mike Pence, Kim Jong, Pence, Kim, Tim Reid, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Republican, Florida Governor, CNN, White, Trump, North, World Health Organization, Korean, Thomson Locations: Ukraine, Russia, Florida, Trump's, Iowa, South Carolina, DeSantis, Los Angeles

☆ Computer outage cripples train traffic in the Netherlands
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

AMSTERDAM, June 5 (Reuters) - A computer outage disrupted train travel to and from Amsterdam and in other parts of the Netherlands for hours on Sunday and Monday, Dutch railway company NS said. The outage hit traffic control around 6 p.m. local time (1600GMT) on Sunday afternoon and crippled train services until Monday morning. NS said on Monday it had resolved the problem and that trains would begin to operate slowly again from 0700 GMT. The outage made it impossible for domestic and international trains to reach Amsterdam Central Station and cut off all rail traffic to and from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport, one of Europe's busiest hubs. It left hundreds of passengers stranded overnight in Amsterdam and at the country's largest train station in Utrecht, Dutch news agency ANP said.

Persons: Harry Styles, Bart Meijer, Gerry Doyle, Ed Osmond Organizations: NS, Amsterdam Central Station, ANP, Thomson Locations: AMSTERDAM, Amsterdam, Netherlands, Amsterdam's Schiphol, Utrecht, Dutch, British

☆ Mexico's rulers scoop up opposition bastion ahead of presidency vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( Dave Graham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

The victory adds Mexico's most populous region to the 21 other states MORENA already controls, now more than two-thirds of the total. The centrist PRI has governed the State of Mexico since 1929, the date from which it began its long domination of Mexico. Defeated for the presidency in 2000, it bounced back in 2012 but was drubbed by Lopez Obrador six years later. "We defeated corruption and neglect," MORENA's triumphant candidate Delfina Gomez told cheering supporters after the vote, hailing the PRI's ousting. Gomez, who narrowly lost the previous state election, will be the State of Mexico's first female governor.

Persons: Delfina Gomez, Henry Romero MEXICO, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's, Lopez, MORENA, Lopez Obrador, MORENA's, Gomez, Alejandra del, Claudia Sheinbaum, Marcelo Ebrard, Sheinbaum, Dave Graham, Gerry Doyle Organizations: National Regeneration, REUTERS, Henry Romero MEXICO CITY, Sunday, Regeneration, Institutional Revolutionary Party, PRI, Mexico City's, Foreign, MORENA, Thomson Locations: State, Mexico, Toluca, MORENA, Mexico's, Coahuila

☆ US Navy releases video of Chinese warship's 'unsafe interaction' near Taiwan
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

TAIPEI, June 5 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy has released a video of what it called an "unsafe interaction" in the Taiwan Strait, in which a Chinese warship crossed in front of a U.S. destroyer in the sensitive waterway that separates democratically governed Taiwan from China. In the video, released by the U.S. Navy late Sunday, a Chinese warship can clearly be seen sailing across the path of the Chung-Hoon in calm waters. On Saturday night, China's military rebuked the United States and Canada for "deliberately provoking risk" with the rare joint sailing. [1/2] Chinese warship Luyang III sails near the U.S. destroyer USS Chung-Hoon, as seen from the deck of U.S. destroyer, in the Taiwan Strait, June 3, 2023, in this screen grab from a handout video. Beijing has been stepping up military and political pressure to try to force Taiwan to accept its sovereignty, including staging regular manoeuvres near the island.

Persons: Chung, Hoon, Luyang, Ben Blanchard, Martin Pollard, Gerry Doyle Organizations: U.S . Navy, Information, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: TAIPEI, Taiwan Strait, U.S, Taiwan, China, The U.S, Montreal, United States, Canada, Taipei, Beijing, Chinese, South

SINGAPORE, June 4 (Reuters) - Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu told Asia's top security summit on Sunday that conflict with the United States would be an "unbearable disaster" but that his country sought dialogue over confrontation. "It is undeniable that a severe conflict or confrontation between China and the U.S. will be an unbearable disaster for the world." China's military criticised the United States and Canada for "deliberately provoking risk" after their warships staged a rare joint sailing through the sensitive strait. Canadian defence minister Anita Anand said that Canada would continue to sail where international law allows, including the Strait, and that "actors in this region must engage responsibly”. In his speech, Li said China would not allow such freedom-of-navigation patrols by the United States and its allies to be "a pretext to exercise hegemony of navigation."

Persons: Li Shangfu, Li, Joe Biden's, Anita Anand, Richard Marles, Defense Lloyd Austin, Austin, Cui Tiankai, Chong Ja Ian, ”, Chen Lin, Greg Torode, Xinghui, Ben Blanchard, Kanupriya Kapoor, Gerry Doyle, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Chinese Defence, U.S, National Defence, People's Liberation Army, U.S . Navy, Pacific Command, Defense, Reuters, National University of Singapore, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, United States, Singapore, China, U.S, Washington, Beijing, Taiwan, South, Chinese, Taiwan Straits, Canada, Britain ., Russia, Xinghui Kok, Taipei

☆ Japan, South Korea to speed up talks over pending military issues
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, June 4 (Reuters) - Japan and South Korea agreed on Sunday to quickly resolve disputes over past military encounters that stand in the way of closer security cooperation, Japan's defence minister said at the Shangri-La Dialogue security conference in Singapore. Yasukazu Hamada held talks with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jong-sup, as part of Asia's top security conference. "We discussed pending issues" and agreed "to accelerate talks, including steps to prevent a recurrence" of a 2018 radar incident, Hamada told reporters after the meeting. "We will continue to keep close communication with South Korea," he said. Hamada said he and Lee agreed on the importance of promoting defence cooperation among Japan, South Korea and the United States.

Persons: Yasukazu Hamada, Lee Jong, Hamada, Lee, Kaori Kaneko, Tim Kelly, Hyonhee Shin, Hyun Young Yi, Gerry Doyle, William Mallard Organizations: South Korean, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Seoul, Korean, North Korea, U.S, United States

SINGAPORE, June 4 (Reuters) - Senior officials from about two dozen of the world's major intelligence agencies held a secret meeting on the fringes of the Shangri-La Dialogue security meeting in Singapore this weekend, five people told Reuters. "Participants have found such meetings held on the sidelines of the (dialogue) beneficial." The United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand operate what is called the Five Eyes network to gather and share a broad range of intelligence, and their intelligence officials meet frequently. Ukraine's deputy defence minister, Volodymr V. Havrylov, was at the Shangri-La Dialogue but said he did not attend the intelligence meeting. Haines was among the official U.S. delegates to the Shangri-La Dialogue.

Persons: National Intelligence Avril Haines, Samant Goel, Volodymr, Anthony Albanese, Defense Lloyd Austin, Li Shangfu, Haines, William Burns, Biden, Xinghui Kok, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Greg Torode, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Reuters, National Intelligence, Research, Singapore Ministry of Defence, U.S, Embassy, New Zealand, Australian, Defense, Chinese Defence, CIA, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Singapore, U.S, China, United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, New, Ukraine, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Beijing

☆ China seeks dialogue, says clash with U.S. would be 'unbearable disaster'
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, June 4 (Reuters) - Chinese Defence Minister Li Shangfu said on Sunday that conflict with the United States would be an "unbearable disaster" but that his country seeks dialogue over confrontation. "It is undeniable that a severe conflict or confrontation between China and the U.S. will be an unbearable disaster for the world." In their latest row, China's military criticised the United States and Canada for "deliberately provoking risk" after the countries' navies staged a rare joint sailing through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Saturday. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin rebuked China in a speech at the security meeting in Singapore on Saturday for refusing to hold military talks, leaving the superpowers deadlocked over their differences. Reporting by Chen Lin, Greg Torode; Editing by Gerry Doyle and Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Li Shangfu, Li, Joe Biden's, Defense Lloyd Austin, Austin, Chen Lin, Greg Torode, Gerry Doyle, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Chinese Defence, People's Liberation Army, U.S, National Defence, . U.S, Defense, Saturday, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, United States, China, U.S, Washington, Beijing, Taiwan, South, Canada, ., Singapore, Russia, Asia

SINGAPORE, June 4 (Reuters) - The United States should ease off military deployments close to China in an act of "good faith" if high-level defence talks between the two superpowers are to resume, a retired veteran Chinese diplomat said in Singapore on Sunday. Cui said of U.S. naval and air force deployments close to China. Those risks were highlighted during the weekend as China's military criticised the United States and Canada for "deliberately provoking risk" after the countries' navies staged a rare joint sailing through the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Saturday. U.S. deployments near China, Cui said, were "certainly disrespect of other countries' sovereignty and territorial integrity and to be more specific, they always prefer unilateral sanctions." "As a matter of principle, we are always ready for more dialogue with others, including with the United States."

Persons: Cui Tiankai, Cui, They're, Cui's, of National Defence Li Shangfu, Li, Lloyd Austin, Austin, Chen Lin, Greg Torode, Gerry Doyle Organizations: Reuters, of National Defence, U.S . Defence, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, United States, China, Singapore, U.S, Taiwan, East, South China, Canada, Russia

☆ Indonesia proposes demilitarised zone, UN referendum for Ukraine peace plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Kanupriya Kapoor | Thomson Reuters | Edits Breaking News Across Southeast Asia Covers Longform Stories On Politics | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

SINGAPORE, June 3 (Reuters) - Indonesia's defence minister on Saturday proposed a peace plan for the war in Ukraine, calling for a demilitarised zone and a United Nations referendum in what he called disputed territory. He proposed a multi-point plan including a ceasefire "in place at present positions of both conflicting parties" and establishing a demilitarised zone by withdrawing 15 kilometres (nearly 10 miles) from each party's forward position. "We cannot stop supporting militarily Ukraine because we don't want the peace which is ... the peace of the surrender. Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskiy has proposed a 10-point peace plan, which calls on Russia to withdraw all its troops from Ukraine. Chief diplomatic adviser Ihor Zhovkva said Ukraine had no interest in a ceasefire that locks in Russian territorial gains.

Persons: Subianto, Prabowo, Joko Widodo's, Josep Borrell Fontelles, Borrell, Volodymr Zelenskiy, Ihor Zhovkva, Kanupriya Kapoor, Gerry Doyle Organizations: United, United Nations, UN, Union's European Commission, Ukraine, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Ukraine, United Nations, Singapore, Russia, Moscow, Kyiv

☆ Defence officials say wide cooperation key to Indo-Pacific stability
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-03 | by ( Gerry Doyle | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/3] Japan's Minister of Defence Yasukazu Hamada, Cambodia's Minister of National Defence General Tea Banh and Germany's Minister of Defence Boris Pistorius attend the First Plenary Session of the 20th IISS Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore June 3, 2023. REUTERS/Caroline ChiaSINGAPORE, June 3 (Reuters) - Cooperation, including among countries outside the region, is crucial to peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, defence officials from the Philippines, Britain and Canada said on Saturday at the Shangri-La Dialogue security summit. "Canada has a keen interest in building a region that is stable, that is balanced," said Anita Anand, Canada's defence minister. China's Minister of National Defence Li Shangfu had this week declined an invitation to meet Austin at the security summit. "A cordial handshake over dinner is no substitute for a substantive engagement," Austin said in his remarks earlier on Saturday.

Persons: Defence Yasukazu Hamada, Tea Banh, Defence Boris Pistorius, Caroline Chia SINGAPORE, Defense Lloyd Austin, Anita Anand, Carlito Galvez Jr, Galvez, Anand, Ben Wallace, National Defence Li Shangfu, Austin, Gerry Doyle, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Japan's, Defence, Cambodia's, National Defence, Germany's, REUTERS, Defense, China's, Austin, Pentagon, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Philippines, Britain, Canada, Philippine, Asia, Russia, U.S

SINGAPORE, June 3 (Reuters) - Ukraine's plans for a counteroffensive against Russian occupation remain on track, its deputy defence minister told Reuters on Saturday, despite an "unprecedented" wave of missile and drone attacks across the country in recent weeks. Havrylov called Russia's heavy use of ballistic missiles in May a "last strategic resort" and noted that his country's air defence systems had been "more than 90 percent effective" against the attacks. For Russia "it was a huge surprise to find that the effectiveness of (their ballistic missiles) was almost zero against modern air defence systems, which we received from our partners," he said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Saturday his country was ready to launch a much-awaited counter-offensive. The addition of modern fighter aircraft such as F-16s would improve the country's air defence capabilities, Havrylov said.

Persons: Volodymyr V, Havrylov, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Ben Wallace, Kanupriya Kapoor, Gerry Doyle, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Reuters, Patriot, IRIS, NATO, British Storm, Thomson Locations: SINGAPORE, Ukraine, Kyiv, Singapore, Russia, United States, Germany, Moscow, Vilnius, Lithuania, Crimea

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