World briefs

PHLIPPINES President Rodrigo Duterte said yesterday he has ordered the military to occupy and fortify all Philippine-held islands in the disputed South China Sea to assert the country’s claims amid what he says is a race to control territory in the area. Duterte said he has ordered the armed forces to occupy and place flags on all islands, reefs and shoals controlled by the Philippines.

THAILAND’s king signed the country’s new military-backed constitution on Thursday, approving a charter that could see the ruling junta allow fresh elections but limit the authority of the politicians who eventually take office.

US-NORTH KOREA A U.S. Air Force general says she is extremely confident the United States could intercept a ballistic missile fired by North Korea. Many weapons experts say the North could have a functioning nuclear-tipped missile capable of reaching the continental U.S. within a few years.

AUSTRALIA-NAURU Nauru’s president said yesterday that Australia’s controversial policy of sending asylum seekers to his Pacific island nation was “working well,” as he met with the Australian prime minister amid questions over the fate of hundreds of refugees languishing at Nauru’s Australian-run detention camp.

AFGHANISTAN The Afghan government is trying to grab the attention of President Donald Trump by dangling its massive and untouched wealth of minerals, including lithium, the silvery metal used in mobile phone and computer batteries that is considered essential to modern life. But tapping into that wealth, that estimates say could be worth from $1 trillion to $3 trillion, is likely a long way off.

IRAN A powerful magnitude 6.1 earthquake has struck northeastern Iran near the holy city of Mashhad, killing at least two people as residents fled onto the streets and aftershocks shook the region.

MOROCCO King Mohammed VI has appointed a new coalition government, ending six months of deadlock that had stalled the economy. Key defense, security and religious affairs posts were given to people with no party affiliation but who are close to the king.

ITALY-SWITZERLAND Switzerland and Italy are in a diplomatic dispute over Switzerland’s decision to close three secondary border crossings at night in a bid to fight crime.

BRITAIN Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says Britain’s prime minister is doing nothing to break an impasse over Scotland’s future after Brexit, but she ruled out holding a referendum on independence without the British government’s support.