CHINA: Japan “crossed a red line” with comments by its new leader suggesting a potential military intervention over Taiwan, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said today.

Remarks earlier this month by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi that a Chinese naval blockade or other action against Taiwan could be grounds for a Japanese military response were “shocking,” Mr Wang said in a statement.

YEMEN: A court in Yemen’s capital convicted 17 people of spying for foreign governments and sentenced them to death.

The Specialised Criminal Court in Sanaa handed down the verdict on Saturday, according to the Houthi-run SABA news agency.

The people convicted were part of “espionage cells within a spy network affiliated with the American, Israeli and Saudi intelligence,” said the court, which handed down a death sentence by firing squad in public.

FRANCE: An estimated 6,000 people marched on Saturday in the French southern port city of Marseille to denounce drug trafficking after the killing last week of an activist’s brother shocked the country.

Mehdi Kessaci was killed in Marseille last week in a shooting officials have described as ordered by drug criminals to frighten or punish his older brother, Amine, a prominent anti-drugs activist.

Some politicians from across the political spectrum joined the demonstration.

VIETNAM: At least 90 people have died and another 12 are missing after days of heavy rain in Vietnam led to flooding and landslides, it was reported today.

The Vietnamese government says 186,000 homes have been damaged across the country.

There have reportedly been more than 60 deaths in the mountainous province of Dak Lak.