Global Unrest: From South China Sea Tensions to Rising Violence

This summary highlights various global events including U.S. concerns over the South China Sea, an Arkansas supermarket shooting, Trump's campaign activities, a deadly liquor incident in India, an emergency landing in Japan, Thailand's PM defending his travel, U.S.-South Korea military drills, Hezbollah-Israel tensions, Israeli strikes in Gaza, and Argentina's decreasing beef consumption.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

U.S. East Asia envoy says South China Sea situation deeply concerning

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink on Saturday said the situation in the South China Sea is deeply concerning, and said China's recent actions in the disputed waterway were "deeply destabilising". Kritenbrink made the comments during a visit to Hanoi, amid rising tension between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea, where Vietnam is also a claimant.

Three people killed, 10 wounded in Arkansas supermarket shooting

A shooter opened fire at an Arkansas supermarket on Friday, killing three civilians and wounding 10 other people, including two police officers, Arkansas State Police said. The suspect was also wounded in a shootout with police, Arkansas State Police Director Mike Hagar told reporters.

Trump to speak to Christian group, then court Black vote in Philadelphia

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will speak on Saturday to an influential group of conservative Christian activists who advocate for restricting abortion, before heading to Philadelphia for a rally aimed at courting Black voters. The former president is scheduled to give the keynote speech at an event organized by the Faith & Freedom Coalition, a group overseen by longtime Trump ally Ralph Reed, at 1:30 p.m. ET (1730 GMT) in Washington.

Death toll rises to 54 in India liquor tragedy

The death toll has climbed to 54 from consumption of tainted liquor in India's southern state of Tamil Nadu, with more than 100 people still in hospital, a government official said on Saturday. Nearly 200 people have been treated since Wednesday for vomiting, stomach aches and diarrhoea, after drinking liquor spiked with methanol in the district of Kallakurichi, about 250 km (150 miles) from Chennai, the state capital.

JAL flight makes emergency landing in northern Japan

Engine trouble forced a Japan Airlines plane flying to the western region of Osaka from northern Aomori to turn back for an emergency landing on Saturday, a company spokesperson said, but there were no injuries among the 47 aboard. JAL Flight 2154, an Embraer 170, returned after take-off from Aomori airport to land just over half an hour later, the spokesperson said, adding that the company was investigating details of the engine trouble.

Thai PM Srettha defends frequent overseas travel

Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin defended his frequent globe-trotting during his first 10 months as leader of the Southeast Asian nation, in remarks aired in a television broadcast on Saturday. A real estate tycoon and political newcomer who became prime minister in August last year, Srettha made 15 overseas visits and pledged a two-month halt in March in response to public criticism.

US aircraft carrier arrives in South Korea for military drills

A nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier, the Theodore Roosevelt, arrived in the South Korean port city of Busan on Saturday to take part in joint military exercises later this month with the host nation and Japan, naval officials said. The leaders of the three countries agreed at a summit last August to hold annual military training drills as they sought to project unity in the face of China's growing power and nuclear threats from North Korea.

Analysis-Israel and Hezbollah faceoff raises risk of wider conflict

Regular puffs of smoke from missile intercepts over northern Israel and fires from air strikes in southern Lebanon are outward signs of a fear that the Gaza war may be expanding into a wider conflict, which analysts say poses risks for both sides. The stark threats on Wednesday from Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, that nowhere in Israel would be safe in the event of a war, and that even Cyprus and other parts of the Mediterranean would be in danger was the latest salvo in a rhetorical barrage from both sides.

Israeli strikes kill at least 42 in Gaza, enclave's government media office says

At least 42 people were killed in Israeli attacks on districts of Gaza City in the north of the Palestinian enclave on Saturday, the director of the Hamas-run government media office said. One Israeli strike on houses in Al-Shati, one of the Gaza Strip's eight historic refugee camps, killed 24 people, Ismail Al-Thawabta told Reuters. Another 18 Palestinians were killed in a strike on houses in the Al-Tuffah neighborhood.

Meat-loving Argentines eat less beef as inflation bites

Argentines, famed for steakhouses, sprawling cattle ranches and asado barbecues, are consuming less beef than ever, forced to tighten their belts by triple-digit inflation and a recession. Beef consumption is down almost 16% this year so far in the South American nation where beef has always been an essential part of the social fabric, along with soccer and mate tea.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)