All will lose in any South China Sea war: Vietnam
AFP, Hanoi
Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang warned on Tuesday there would be no winners in any armed conflict sparked by territorial disputes in the South China Sea.
Quang, who is on a state visit to Singapore, told a forum that recent developments there were threatening regional security.
The Vietnamese leader did not mention any country but there is growing unease over China’s actions.
12 Filipino soldiers killed in clash
with ISIS
AP, Manila
Twelve soldiers, including a young lieutenant, were killed in a clash with Islamic State-linked rebels on a remote southern island in the Philippines, an army spokesman said today as the army offensive entered its fifth day.
Major Filemon Tan said five soldiers were also wounded in an 1-1/2 hour firefight in the jungles of Patikul town on Jolo island as troops pursued a large formation of the small but brutal Abu Sayyaf group.
Typhoon lashes northern Japan
AP, Tokyo
A typhoon slammed into northern Japan on Tuesday evening, threatening to bring floods to an area still recovering from the 2011 tsunami.
Typhoon Lionrock made landfall near the city of Ofunato, about 500 kilometers (310 miles) northeast of Tokyo. It’s the first time a typhoon has made landfall in the northern region since 1951, when the Japan Meteorological Agency started keeping records.
Even before it made landfall, the storm had already paralyzed traffic, caused blackouts and prompted officials to urge residents to evacuate.
Taliban appoints new military chief
AP, Islamabad
Taliban officials say the extremist group has appointed a new military chief as the insurgents try to gain ground rather than talk peace under a new leadership. The officials said in telephone interviews over the weekend that the appointment of Maulvi Ibrahim Sadar, once a close ally of Taliban founder Mullah Mohammed Omar, heralds a commitment to confrontation at a time when multiple governments are trying to coax the Taliban to the negotiating table.
