Teodoro said the sanctions were aimed at those who speak out against what he described as China’s actions in the region.

“That is truly what they do to those who speak the truth against their deception,” Teodoro said in a statement.

“I will just keep doing my duty and uphold our nation in the face of the wickedness they are committing here and even in our seas,” he added.

China announced sanctions on Thursday against Teodoro and his close relatives, accusing him of repeatedly making remarks that harmed China’s interests and bilateral relations.

Relations between China and the Philippines have deteriorated in recent years, with frequent disputes as Manila has challenged Beijing’s activities in the South China Sea.

China has accused the Philippines of repeated encroachment in waters claimed by Beijing, while Manila has raised concerns over what it calls aggressive Chinese actions.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro said the government would seek discussions with Chinese authorities over the sanctions, adding that Manila preferred diplomacy and dialogue.

The Department of Foreign Affairs described the sanctions as an “unfriendly act” that further complicated bilateral relations.

The department said such measures would not help build trust, manage differences or create conditions for constructive engagement between the two countries.

Beijing has previously imposed similar sanctions on foreign officials, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio over criticism of China and European Union lawmakers who accused Beijing of human rights abuses in Xinjiang.

China last week criticised Teodoro after he described Beijing as a threat during remarks linked to regional security concerns. Manila also recently took diplomatic action against China over what it called the illegal presence of a floating structure in a disputed area.

Kim Yo Jong, the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, rejected Washington’s longstanding objective of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula and said North Korea’s status as a nuclear weapons state could not be altered by what she described as unilateral U.S. rhetoric.

Her comments came one day before Xi is scheduled to arrive in Pyongyang for talks with Kim Jong Un, marking the Chinese leader’s first visit to North Korea since 2019 and highlighting Beijing’s efforts to reinforce ties with its isolated neighbor amid shifting regional dynamics.

“The U.S. assertion to backbite the status of the DPRK as a nuclear weapons state has no legally binding force,” Kim Yo Jong said in a statement carried by state media, using the acronym for North Korea’s official name. She also dismissed as “false information” a recent U.S. announcement that President Donald Trump and Xi had reaffirmed a shared commitment to North Korea’s denuclearization during a summit in Beijing last month.

The remarks underscore Pyongyang’s increasingly entrenched position on nuclear weapons since negotiations between Kim Jong Un and Trump collapsed in 2019 without an agreement on sanctions relief and disarmament measures.

Since then, North Korea has accelerated efforts to strengthen its nuclear and missile capabilities. During a visit last week to a newly established nuclear materials production facility, Kim Jong Un said the country would expand its nuclear forces at an “exponential rate.” State media reported Sunday that he also visited a weapons factory a day earlier and ordered a 2.5-fold increase in missile production capacity under the current five-year development plan.

Kim Yo Jong accused the United States and South Korea of pursuing continuous military buildups, arguing that North Korea’s policy of strengthening its nuclear deterrent was a defensive necessity and an irreversible strategic decision.

Security analysts say Xi’s visit is expected to focus on restoring China’s influence over North Korea at a time when Pyongyang has deepened its political and military cooperation with Russia. Observers expect Beijing to prioritize economic cooperation and regional stability while avoiding direct pressure on North Korea over its nuclear weapons program.

North Korea has emerged as a significant supporter of Russia’s war effort in Ukraine, supplying troops and conventional weapons, according to U.S. and South Korean officials. In return, Pyongyang is believed to have received economic support and other forms of assistance from Moscow, further strengthening ties between the two countries.

The latest exchange highlights the growing gap between Washington’s denuclearization objectives and Pyongyang’s declared intention to expand its strategic weapons capabilities, a divide that continues to complicate diplomatic efforts on the Korean Peninsula.

State television footage broadcast on Saturday showed Castro, dressed in his trademark olive-green military uniform, receiving a standing ovation as he entered a packed auditorium at Cuba’s Ministry of Interior alongside his grandson and bodyguard, Raúl Guillermo Rodríguez, and President Miguel Díaz-Canel.

The appearance comes weeks after the U.S. Justice Department accused Castro of involvement in the 1996 downing of two civilian aircraft operated by Miami-based exile groups, allegations that Havana has rejected as part of a broader campaign of political pressure against the island’s socialist government.

Addressing the gathering, Díaz-Canel praised Castro’s decades-long role in Cuba’s revolutionary leadership and portrayed him as a symbol of national resilience. The Cuban president said Castro’s political career and military service had made him a target of hostile foreign intelligence services and external pressure.

In remarks that appeared directed at Washington, Díaz-Canel warned that Cuba would respond firmly to any threat against its sovereignty. He repeated the slogan “Raúl is Raúl,” a phrase that has appeared prominently on billboards and social media campaigns across the country since the indictment was announced.

The birthday event served as a rare public appearance for Castro, who has largely withdrawn from public life since formally stepping down from the leadership of the Communist Party in 2021. Although retired from official politics, he is widely regarded as retaining significant influence within Cuba’s ruling establishment and armed forces.

The indictment marked a major escalation in already strained relations between Havana and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Washington has increased economic and diplomatic pressure on Cuba in recent months, including measures that have sharply reduced fuel supplies reaching the island.

The tightening of sanctions has compounded Cuba’s long-running economic difficulties, including persistent electricity shortages, fuel scarcity and pressures on public services. Cuban officials have blamed the country’s economic challenges largely on U.S. restrictions, while Washington argues that structural reforms and political changes are necessary to address the crisis.

The Trump administration has called on Cuba to release political prisoners, undertake significant economic reforms and alter governance practices, arguing that the current system poses broader security concerns. Cuban authorities reject those assertions and maintain that the country does not threaten U.S. interests.

Friday’s celebration highlighted the continued prominence of revolutionary-era leaders in Cuba’s political narrative as the government seeks to reinforce domestic unity while confronting mounting economic strains and renewed pressure from the United States.

Iran’s state news agency IRNA said the action was taken in response to what Tehran described as U.S. maritime misconduct, including the seizure of commercial vessels and oil tankers linked to Iran.

U.S. Central Command denied the claim, saying no Iranian attack or missile launch targeted American warships and that U.S. naval forces continued to operate normally in regional waters.

” Iranian forces did NOT attack or fire at U.S. Navy warships,” Central Command said, adding that such an action would constitute a serious violation of the ceasefire that has largely held since April 8.

The exchange highlights continuing tensions despite the truce that halted major hostilities following the conflict that erupted after U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28.

Separately, the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said American forces boarded the sanctioned stateless oil tanker Davina in the Indian Ocean during a maritime interdiction operation. Washington said it would continue efforts to disrupt networks involved in Iranian oil shipments.

The Davina, also known as the Lenore, was sanctioned by the United States in 2024 for its alleged involvement in Iranian oil trading. Ship-tracking data showed the vessel near Sri Lanka’s southern coast on Friday carrying a near-full cargo of crude oil.

The incident underscores persistent friction between Tehran and Washington as diplomatic efforts to secure a lasting settlement to the conflict remain stalled.

China and North Korea announced on Friday that Xi will make a state visit from Monday to Tuesday, where he is expected to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

The visit comes as North Korea deepens military and political cooperation with Russia and a day after Pyongyang unveiled a new facility that South Korea’s military assessed as a uranium enrichment plant.Analysts say Beijing is seeking to reinforce its influence in North Korea as Kim expands ties with Moscow while continuing to advance his nuclear weapons program.

Xi and Kim last met in Beijing in September, where they pledged closer cooperation. China remains North Korea’s largest trading partner and key economic supporter despite international sanctions over Pyongyang’s nuclear and missile activities.

The trip will be Xi’s first visit to North Korea in nearly seven years and highlights the strategic importance both countries place on maintaining close ties amid shifting geopolitical dynamics in Northeast Asia.

Speaking at a London event on Tuesday, Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said recognition of a Palestinian state was only a first step and urged the government to take further measures to support a two-state solution.

She criticized what she described as Britain’s slow response to Israeli plans to expand control in Gaza and called for tougher action against Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including restrictions on settlement goods and sanctions on those involved.

Thornberry said the UK had fallen short in upholding international law on Palestine and urged countries that backed Palestinian statehood in 2025 to coordinate economic pressure against settlement expansion.

Her remarks add to growing debate within Britain’s ruling Labour Party over the government’s approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Tasnim said Iran and its regional allies were considering activating additional fronts, including the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, to pressure Israel and its supporters.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said any violation of the ceasefire in Lebanon would have consequences, holding the United States and Israel responsible.

The report said Tehran would not resume talks until Israeli military operations in Gaza and Lebanon cease and Israeli forces withdraw from occupied areas in Lebanon.

The reported agreement comes amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran following recent exchanges of air strikes and renewed concerns over regional stability and shipping security in the Gulf. According to the Axios report, the proposed understanding would temporarily preserve the ceasefire framework while opening a diplomatic channel focused on Iran’s nuclear activities.

Neither the White House nor Iranian authorities immediately issued public confirmation of the reported arrangement. The U.S. State Department also did not publicly comment on the Axios report.
The development follows remarks by Trump earlier this week indicating dissatisfaction with the pace and scope of negotiations involving Iran.

It also comes after reports of intensified military exchanges between the two countries, underscoring the fragile security environment surrounding any prospective diplomatic process.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was photographed alongside Trump during a cabinet meeting at the White House on Wednesday, as the administration continued deliberations over Middle East policy and Iran strategy.

Any agreement to reopen structured nuclear negotiations would mark the most significant diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran in years. Previous talks aimed at reviving limits on Iran’s nuclear program had stalled amid disputes over sanctions relief, uranium enrichment levels and regional security guarantees.

Financial markets and regional governments have closely monitored developments involving Iran because of their potential implications for global oil supply routes, particularly around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime corridor for energy exports.

The Axios report said Trump’s final decision remained pending as administration officials reviewed the terms of the proposed understanding.

Speaking to reporters in Limassol, Kallas said the debate over appointing a European envoy for potential peace talks with Russia risked distracting the bloc from maintaining pressure on Moscow and supporting Kyiv. Her remarks came as discussions within Europe intensified over whether and how to re-engage diplomatically with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“It’s a trap that Russia wants us to walk into, that we discuss who talks to them, and they are already picking who is suitable, who is not,” Kallas said. “Let’s not walk into that trap.”

The meeting of EU foreign ministers took place against a shifting geopolitical backdrop, with U.S. President Donald Trump increasingly focused on tensions involving Iran while European officials assessed signs that Putin’s position may be weakening after more than four years of war in Ukraine.

Speculation over possible European negotiators has grown in recent weeks after Putin suggested former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, a longtime ally of the Kremlin leader, could serve in such a role. The proposal was widely rejected across Europe.Several ministers attending the Cyprus talks argued that the European Union should nonetheless prepare for a future negotiating role.

Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger said Kyiv expected the bloc to organize itself politically and diplomatically for eventual talks with Moscow.“We should now get ready,” Meinl-Reisinger said, adding that she would push for the EU “to appoint a chief negotiator” capable of representing European interests and coordinating with Ukraine.

Other ministers cautioned against shifting focus away from sanctions, military assistance and diplomatic pressure on Russia. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys said the immediate priority should remain increasing costs for Moscow rather than debating representation.“This is not a time when we are discussing who is going to have the negotiations,” Budrys said.

“We have to discuss what we are doing to put additional pressure on Russia.”Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna warned that Europe risked undermining its own position if it moved too quickly toward the role of neutral intermediary. He said the bloc should continue pursuing what he described as “strategic patience” while supporting Ukraine’s objectives.

“Of course we can find, if the time is right, who’s going to represent Europe,” Tsahkna said. “But this is a trap now that Putin wants to bring Europe in.”He added that no immediate breakthrough in negotiations appeared likely.

“Whoever would like to go right now this guy is not going to have a Nobel Prize, because there won’t be any serious talks,” he said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla during talks in New York that Beijing would support Cuba’s sovereignty and economic development, according to Chinese state media. Wang said China opposed “all forms of power politics and bullying,” in remarks widely seen as directed at Washington.

The comments come as the Trump administration intensifies pressure on Cuba through sanctions, legal action and restrictions on Venezuelan oil shipments to the island. Washington last week indicted former Cuban president Raul Castro over the 1996 downing of two civilian U.S. aircraft, a move condemned by Beijing.

China has expanded economic support for Cuba in recent months, including rice shipments and agricultural cooperation agreements, as Havana struggles with fuel shortages and economic strain linked to U.S. sanctions.