Thai army threatens “high-level operation” against Phnom Penh

Today's news: two weeks after the first failed attempt, Pyongyang has launched its warship. At least five people, including three journalists, have been killed in Israeli raids on an Anglican hospital in Gaza. During the night, Russian drones and missiles rained down on several Ukrainian cities, including Kiev. Xi and Trump spoke on the phone for 90 minutes, with the “trade war” at the centre of the talks. In Kerala, healthcare workers have been on strike for over 100 days for better pay and working conditions.

THAILAND - CAMBODIA

The Thai army is ready to launch a “high-level operation” to counter any violation of its sovereignty, amid escalating tensions with Cambodia over border disputes. A military statement said that Phnom Penh had increased its troop presence at the border, describing it as “worrying”, while diplomatic efforts appear to be yielding no results. The crisis was triggered by a skirmish on 28 May in an undemarcated area, in which a Cambodian soldier was killed.

NORTH KOREA

Pyongyang has launched a warship two weeks after the failed attempt, which the North Korean regime made public - an unusual decision for a country obsessed with secrecy - and which sparked the wrath of Kim Jong-un. The 5,000-tonne destroyer, which was brought back into balance at the beginning of the week, has been at sea since yesterday and is moored at a pier. The leader described the incident as a “criminal act” that “seriously damaged dignity and pride”. At least four senior officials have been arrested.

ISRAEL - GAZA

At least five people were killed in an Israeli raid on al-Ahli Hospital yesterday in Gaza, one of the few still functioning in the Strip and already the target of bloody attacks in the past. At least three of the victims were journalists, as well as a father accompanying his son for surgery, according to the Anglican Church, which runs the facility. The Anglican Diocese of Jerusalem condemns the attack “in the strongest terms”. The Israeli army reports that it “precisely targeted” an Islamic Jihad militant.

RUSSIA - UKRAINE

Since last night, Russia has been carrying out an intense attack against several Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kiev, with drones and ballistic missiles striking the city centre. The provisional death toll stands at four, with dozens injured. Meanwhile, according to polls by the Levada Centre and other Russian sociological institutes, the percentage of Russian citizens in favour of ending military action through peace negotiations is growing steadily. Currently, it stands at 64%, six points higher than last March (77% among young people), while only 28% would like the war to continue (48% a year ago).

CHINA - UNITED STATES

Yesterday's telephone call between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump lasted about 90 minutes and focused mainly on tariffs. The White House leader commented on the talks on social media, speaking of a “positive outcome” against a backdrop of strong trade and diplomatic tensions between Beijing and Washington. The tycoon specified that the conversation was “almost entirely devoted to trade” and that there was no mention of Iran or the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. Finally, the two leaders exchanged invitations to visit each other's countries.

INDIA

Paid less than unskilled workers, doctors and nurses in Kerala have been on strike for over 110 days. Their demands, which have so far gone unheeded, include better pay, a reduction in their workload, greater social security and dignity. The protest contrasts with the southern state's public health system, which is among the best in disease control, vaccination and maternal mortality.

MALAYSIA

Malaysian oil giant Petronas will cut about 10% of its workforce as part of a company-wide restructuring process in an effort to reduce costs and minimise the impact on profits of falling oil prices and market volatility. A reduction of 5,000 jobs is planned, in addition to a freeze on promotions and hiring until December 2026.

ARMENIA - AZERBAIJAN

The guardian of the cultural heritage of the historic Armenian regions, Ovik Avanesov, has announced that procedures have begun in Azerbaijan to demolish the Cathedral of the Protection of the Mother of God and the Church of St. Akop in Stepanakert, Nagorno-Karabakh. The alternative proposal, as has been the case in the past for other churches that were subsequently destroyed, would be to convert them into mosques.

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