Naval exercises that may unite France, the UAE, the US, Japan and Australia could provide a major message of strategic partnering. Naval drills are defining new relationships from the Eastern Mediterranean to the Gulf of Oman and beyond.France is playing a leading role, according to new reports. A recent drill …

Israeli officials did not comment on Friday when asked if Israel was involved in the incident on Wednesday. Israel is highly likely to have been behind an attack in the Mediterranean this week that damaged an Iranian container ship, an Iranian investigator was quoted as saying on Saturday by Iran’s …

China has told Japan that Beijing is “exercising self-restraint” in operating its coast guard ships near the Senkaku Islands amid rising security concerns over its new law which allows such ships to use weapons against foreign vessels, Japanese government sources said Saturday.