South Korea ​and Japan discussed the possibility of a military-logistics ‌support agreement on Sunday, Seoul's defense chief said, adding that Seoul remains cautious about the politically sensitive pact. "It requires ​the understanding and persuasion of the citizens of ​both nations, and I believe we should still ⁠proceed with caution," Defence Minister Ahn Gyu-back told ​reporters after meeting his counterpart Shinjiro Koizumi at the ​Shangri-La Dialogue of regional defence

The International Labour Organization has rescinded the appointment of a top U.S. official to be deputy head of ​the UN agency because of delays in payments from the United States, it ‌said on Monday. "Sheng Li (United States of America) will therefore not assume the position of Deputy Director-General in July as previously foreseen," it said in a statement to Reuters. Learn More

U.S. manufacturing activity increased more than expected in May, hitting the highest level in four years, likely driven by businesses front-loading orders amid rising prices and shortages because of the war with Iran. The Institute for Supply Management survey ​on Monday showed the three-month-old U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which has virtually closed the Strait of Hormuz, was fracturing supply chains and threatening to undermine the manufacturing recovery. Learn More