LONODN (Reuters) - The U.S. cancelled a meeting with Taiwan’s defense minister in June, highlighting concern that President Donald Trump is wary of supporting the island in ways that could harm U.S. relations with China, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. Taiwan’s Wellington Koo had planned to visit the Washington area for defense talks with Elbridge Colby, U.S. under-secretary of defense for policy, but the U.S. called off the meeting at the last minute, the FT reported, citing sources. The White House, Pentagon and Taiwan’s embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

 

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LONDON (AFP) - Australia’s first Muslim MP and government minister has said his country should recognize a Palestinian state, following in the footsteps of the UK as part of a tide of “moral momentum.” The appeal by Labor’s Ed Husic, who was elected in 2010, came as Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is to hold further talks with his British counterpart Keir Starmer in the coming days. Starmer pledged this week to recognize a Palestinian state in September if Israel fails to reach a ceasefire with Hamas, among other conditions.

 

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BANGKOK (AFP) - At least nine people died and two others were injured in a fireworks factory explosion in central Thailand on Wednesday, police told AFP, as officers continued to search for casualties. The factory ignited around 11:00 am (0400 GMT) in Mueang district of Suphan Buri province, north of Bangkok, where images shared by a rescue group showed a charred building reduced to rubble. Thai police said nine people were confirmed dead — up from an earlier toll of four — and two others were being treated at a nearby hospital. Last year, an explosion at another firework factory in the same province killed at least 23 people.

 

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SHANGHAI (Reuters) - Shanghai has evacuated almost 283,000 people as Typhoon Co-May approaches the city, bringing lashing rains and high winds, state media reported Wednesday.  “From last night to 10:00 am today, 282,800 people have been evacuated and relocated, basically achieving the goal of evacuating all those who needed to be evacuated,” state broadcaster CCTV reported. 

 

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TUNIS (Reuters) - A strike halted transport services across Tunisia on Wednesday, as workers demanded higher wages, improved working conditions and urgent reforms, adding to pressure on President Kais Saied to deal with a deepening economic crisis. Tunisians have for years endured poor public services, especially in the health, transportation, and education sectors, due to weak funding and public investment, along with frequent interruptions in drinking water and electricity supply. Saied, who has tightened his grip on power since 2021, blames what he calls conspirators seeking to undermine the state and fuel social tensions.