In a rare admonishment of a close ally, the United States urged the European Union on July 29 to speak out more forcefully to support Washington in its dispute with China over building and militarization of man-made outposts in the East Vietnam Sea.

Ministers responsible for the environment from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand gathered at the 17th Meeting of the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee (MSC) on Trans-boundary Haze Pollution in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 28.

Afghanistan said on July 29 that Mullah Omar, the elusive leader of the Taliban movement fighting to topple the government, died more than two years ago.

Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung joined senior officials from other ASEAN countries and China at the 9th meeting on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conducts of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) that took place in China’s Tianjin city on July 29.

Singapore and the United Kingdom will further cooperation in cyber space security as signed in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s visit to the country on July 28. 

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on July 28 the nuclear deal reached between Tehran and major world powers this month will help fight terrorism and bloodshed in the Middle East, Iran's state TV reported.

UK Prime Minister David Cameron visited the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, Indonesia on July 27, becoming the first acting British PM to visit the bloc’s headquarters to cement the economic relationship between the UK and the dynamic region.

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak announced the first cabinet reshuffle since the general election in 2013 on July 28.

Forty-six candidates had registered to run in Myanmar’s upcoming general elections by July 26, according to the country’s Union Election Commission (UEC).

Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said on July 27 that his cabinet may be reshuffled in September as the Government has come under pressure to deal with its weak economy.