The United Nations (UN) rights chief said Tuesday Myanmar's junta has likely committed crimes against humanity and urged authorities to stop planned executions, including those of prominent democracy activists.Myanmar's military seized power on 1 February last year, ousting the civilian government and arresting its de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Weeks after the United States (US) president warned China over Taiwan, Beijing has delivered its sternest rebuttal yet, saying it would "resolutely crush any attempt" at Taiwan's independence.On Sunday, China's Defence Minister General Wei Fenghe essentially accused the US of supporting the island's independence, saying it was "violating its promise on Taiwan" and "interfering" in China's affairs."Let me make this clear: if anyone dares t

China will "fight to the very end" to stop Taiwanese independence, the country's defence minister vowed Sunday, stoking already soaring tensions with the United States (US) over the island.The superpowers are locked in a growing war of words over the self-ruled, democratic island, which Beijing views as part of its territory awaiting reunification.Frequent Chinese aircraft incursions near Taiwan have raised the diplomatic temperature, and on Saturday US Defense Secretary Lloyd

United States (US) Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday blasted China's "provocative, destabilising" military activity near Taiwan, as well as Beijing's growing aggression across the wider Asia-Pacific region.Tensions between Washington and Beijing are soaring over democratic, self-ruled Taiwan, which China views as its territory and has vowed to seize one day, by force if necessary.Beijing has conducted dozens of incursions into Taiwan's air defence zone this y

At a ceremony this week, Cambodian and Chinese officials proclaimed their friendship as they announced a new construction project. Holding spades decorated with red bows, they turned over soil to signal the start of building work at Cambodia’s biggest naval base, Ream.

Officially it is just a research vessel, but China's newly unveiled drone carrier is a clear sign Beijing is rushing to deploy an autonomous swarm of unmanned devices in its push for military supremacy in the Pacific Ocean.State media last month showed the launching of the Zhu Hai Yun – "Zhu Hai Cloud" – capable of transporting an unspecified number of flying drones as well as surface and submarine craft, and operating autonomously thanks to artificial intelligence.The 89-metre

President Joe Biden vowed Monday that United States (US) forces would defend Taiwan militarily if China attempted to take control of the island by force, prompting Beijing to warn that America was "playing with fire."Speaking in Tokyo, Biden compared China's threat to self-ruled Taiwan to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, delivering his strongest remarks to date on the issue amid rising tensions over Beijing's growing economic and military power.Asked if Washington was will

North Korean military medics ramped up the distribution of medicines to fight a growing coronavirus outbreak, state media said on Tuesday, with the number of reported cases of "fever" nearing 1.5 million.Leader Kim Jong-un has ordered nationwide lockdowns to try and slow the spread of the disease through the unvaccinated population, and deployed the military after what he has called a botched response to the outbreak.Hundreds of personnel in camouflage uniforms from the Korean Peopl

Myanmar has condemned as “irresponsible and reckless” a Malaysian proposal for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to engage with the National Unity Government (NUG) established by those the military removed from power in the February 2021 coup in an effort to resolve the country’s protracted political crisis.Foreign ministers from ASEAN are due to meet later this week with little progress on Myanmar where more than 1,800 people have been killed and thousands arrested in a mili

Russia’s war in Ukraine is not going according to plan. The sinking of the Moskva – the flagship of the Black Sea fleet – is the latest major military setback. In the course of almost two months, Russia has lost six major generals and between 15,000 - 20,000 troops, all the while failing to secure any appreciable gains.Reports of low morale and defection, coupled with sightings of mercenaries deployed by the Kremlin, hint at recruitment problems.