The Philippines said Tuesday it had protested to China at the "illegal" presence of a Chinese warship and other vessels at a shoal occupied by Filipino marines in the South China Sea. The stand-off is the latest in a growing dispute between the two countries over rival claims to parts of the sea. The Philippines said China occupied another Filipino-claimed shoal last year.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Monday that Myanmar's President Thein Sein planned to release more political prisoners and institutionalize democratic reforms in his country. Obama told reporters that he had expressed U.S. concern about violence against Muslims in Myanmar to Thein Sein during a meeting at the White House. Thein Sein said his country faced challenges in carrying out reforms but vowed to address them.

Myanmar President Thein Sein on Sunday told Burmese living in the United States that he will seek an easing of sanctions on his country. "Foreign investments will bring factories and production, but if our products are being banned, nobody will come and invest in our country," Thein Sein said in a town hall-style meeting at the Voice of America office ahead of his meeting Monday with U.S. President Barack Obama.

The operator of a Cambodian shoe factory where two workers were killed this week when a ceiling collapsed admitted Friday to neglecting staff safety and vowed to take full responsibility. Eleven other people were injured in Thursday's incident at the Taiwanese-owned Wing Star facility, which makes shoes for Japanese sports brand Asics. "For the neglect that led to this unintentional incident, the company will take full responsibility for the families of the dead and injured," Wing Star said in a statement Friday without specifying whether it would offer compensation.