South
Australia's prime minister voices concerns over South China Sea disputes at Southeast Asian summit
- Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he is concerned by “unsafe and destabilizing behavior” in the South China Sea.
- Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels collided on Tuesday near a disputed shoal, leaving four crew members injured.
- Albanese’s remarks came as his country wrapped up a three-day summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Australia’s prime minister expressed concerns Wednesday over “unsafe and destabilizing behavior” in the South China Sea, citing the collision between Chinese and Philippine ships the previous day.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s remarks came as his country wrapped up a three-day summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that failed to explicitly call China out over a series of incidents in the disputed waters.
Instead, ASEAN leaders urged for disputes to be resolved through dialogue rather than threats, a day after Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels collided near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea and four Filipino crew members were injured in the confrontations.
AUSTRALIA AND LAOS ELEVATE BILATERAL RELATIONS AT SOUTHEAST ASIAN SUMMIT
Chinese and Philippines officials traded blame for the incident. The disputed area has been site of several tense skirmishes between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships last year.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Lao, Sonexay Siphandone, at the conclusion of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit on March 6, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)
Albanese, who co-chaired the summit with Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, said Tuesday’s clash was concerning for Australia.
“It is dangerous and it creates risks of miscalculation, which can then lead to escalation,” he said.
Australia had backed the Philippines’ push to have the ASEAN declaration adopted at the end of summit cite a 2016 arbitration ruling in The Hague, Netherlands, that invalidated Beijing’s vast territorial claims in the South China Sea, which conflict with the claims of several ASEAN states. China did not accept the ruling.
The Melbourne Declaration, released late Wednesday, did not mention the 2016 ruling. The summit was held in the Australian city to mark 50 years since Australia became the first external ASEAN partner.
The declaration called for peaceful resolution of disputes through legal and diplomatic processes “without resorting to the threat or use of force” in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“We encourage all countries to avoid any unilateral actions that endanger peace, security and stability in the region,” it said.
Albanese said compromises had to made to find words that ASEAN leaders at the summit could agree on.
“There is a general recognition that we need to make sure that activity in the South China Sea alleviates any tension and doesn’t add to it,” Albanese said.
Deakin University Southeast Asia expert Damien Kingsbury said the declaration’s failure to explicitly mention China was a nod to countries that are close to Beijing — Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar — and also to Malaysia’s more conciliatory approach to the Chinese.
It’s “a veiled criticism of China, which is about as strong as consensus would allow,” Kingsbury said.
Leaders agreed at an ASEAN summit in Indonesia last September to accelerate a negotiation process with China with a goal of finalizing a South China Sea code of conduct within three years. Such a code would aim to prevent risky and provocative behavior.
That summit was joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the longest serving ASEAN leader after Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, said on Tuesday that finalizing that code would take some time with difficult issues relating yet to be resolved.
PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT AFFIRMS DEFENSE AGAINST CHINA IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA TERRITORY
The ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Burma, an ASEAN state where a military junta seized control in 2021, have also loomed over the summit, with the declaration saying the leaders “strongly condemn the continued acts of violence.”
Burma was officially excluded from the Melbourne gathering. However, neither the Australian government nor the Burma Embassy in Australia would comment on reports that Burma was still represented at the summit by Australia-based diplomat Thet Tun.
Around 200 protesters had demonstrated outside the summit on Monday against any Burma representative being present.
East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão also attended the summit as an official observer after ASEAN agreed in principle to admit Asia’s newest country.
There are just two days remaining before the 2026 NBA Draft. While the Dallas Mavericks still don’t have a head coach in place, rumors are starting to heat up about their draft plans. They have new management, led by team president Masai Ujiri and general manager Mike Schmitz, which could send the team in an entirely new direction.
As of Sunday, they enter the draft with the 9th, 30th, and 48th overall picks. According to reports, the Mavericks are willing to move up or down the board if the right players are available. There have been a lot of talks of them moving down, in particular, as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Charlotte Hornets each have two picks between 12 and 18.
If they are to trade down, NBA insider Jake Fischer has identified a possible prospect they would target: Washington’s Hannes Steinbach.
“Sources say that Steinbach, whose father, Burkhard, played alongside Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki on the German League team in their shared hometown of Wurzburg some 30 years ago, is among the prospects to have worked out for the Mavericks under consideration for the No. 9 pick,” Stein wrote on Saturday night.
Steinbach averaged 18.5 PPG while leading the country in rebounding at 11.8 RPG. At 6’10”, 248 pounds, and a 7’2″ wingspan, he also has the ability to stretch to three, hitting 18 of his 53 attempts in his lone year in college.
The Mavericks love the natives of Wurzburg, Germany. Obviously, the greatest player in franchise history is from there, but so was Maxi Kleber. An easy way to get the fans back on the team’s side is to get another German.
Drafting Hannes Steinbach Could Trigger Another Trade
If the Mavericks do end up leaving the 2026 NBA Draft with Hannes Steinbach, they would likely need to trade Daniel Gafford to make the roster work. Gafford is entering the first season of a three-year, $54 million contract extension, and with Dereck Lively II entering the final year of his rookie deal, they may extend him soon, even with the injuries.
Gafford drew trade interest at last season’s deadline, but they ended up hanging on to him once they traded Anthony Davis, believing they could get a first-round pick for him if they held out. Depending on how the draft shakes out Tuesday night, they might get that chance.
The Mavericks need to upgrade their backcourt, but if they’re able to trade back and add a player like Labaron Philon and a frontcourt player like Hannes Steinbach, it would be hard to complain.
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It was only a year ago that Duncan Robinson was traded to Detroit in a sign-and-trade for Simone Fontecchio. Now, in the present, the Miami Heat are in the mix for Giannis Antetokounmpo, a trade that would likely include multiple teams, one of which is the Detroit Pistons.
The Pistons are rumored to have interest in the Miami Heat’s star guard Tyler Herro, and they would have to match the salary they take in to be eligible to make a deal. Some combination of Ducnan Robinson, Isaiah Stewart, Caris LeVert, and Paul Reed, would make the deal legal.
Said on Off the Floor a bit ago…. do not rule out the return of Duncan Robinson to Miami.
— Five Reasons Sports 🏀🏈⚾️🏒⚽️ (@5ReasonsSports) June 20, 2026
Why Miami Should Bring Him Back
The all-time Miami Heat leader in three-pointers made would be a perfect fit for a team led by Giannis and Bam Adebayo. The talks about Miami acquiring Giannis have gone straight to, who will score? Bring Duncan back, who had a career year in Detroit and that problem is solved, at least partially (the roster would still need more pieces).
The dribble hand offs, Duncan’s cutting ability, his three-point prowess, it would instantly make Miami’s offense more dangerous and would give them the opportunity to decide on retaining Norman Powell, or using the money tied up to him for other players.
Duncan Robinson had a Net on/off of +10.4 and was huge to Detroit’s success this past season. When Robinson was on the floor, the Pistons were better, simply put.
Tyler Herro to Pistons as part of 3-team trade that would send Giannis Antetokounmpo to Heat “picking up steam,” per @KuKhahil.
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) June 20, 2026
What This Means for a Deal
Because Detroit originally acquired Duncan Robinson via sign-and-trade, he is legally barred from returning to Miami during the current league year. For a multi-team blockbuster to bring both Robinson and Giannis Antetokounmpo to South Beach, the trade must be agreed to in principle now, but held until the new league year opens on July 1st.
This timing works perfectly for draft assets, allowing Miami to select at No. 13 on Milwaukee’s behalf. Furthermore, a July 1st execution date becomes mandatory if Nikola Jovic is involved due to his poison-pill restriction, and it opens the door to an even larger framework if Andrew Wiggins opts into his player option or Norman Powell enters the mix as a sign-and-trade candidate.
Getting Duncan Robinson back would be HUGE for the Miami Heat
— Austin Dobbins (@AustinDobbins13) June 20, 2026
Duncan Robinson averaged 18 points per game in the second round of this year’s playoffs and shot an incredible 58.8% from three.
Acquiring Giannis is step one for the Miami Heat, but filling out the roster is equally as important as depth wins, especially late in the year.
Bringing back Duncan Robinson is a real possibility, and it would be a huge win for the Miami Heat.
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The Atlanta Falcons are looking to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2017, and they’ll be relying on a new coaching staff to help them get there. But Kevin Stefanski is no rookie; he’s a two-time NFL Coach of the Year, only now he’ll be working with an entirely different group of personnel after coaching in Cleveland since 2020.
In addition to a new coach, the Falcons may have a different starting quarterback as Michael Penix Jr. continues to rehab last season’s torn ACL. He’ll also be competing with Tua Tagovailoa. Together, the Falcons believe they can compete for a playoff spot in the NFC South, but to do so, they’ll need all the help they can get. Unfortunately, the Falcons may not have everyone on hand to start the season.
According to The Athletic‘s Falcons insider Josh Kendall, the NFL is “likely” to suspend edge rusher James Pearce Jr.
Pearce faces three felony charges after an incident with his former girlfriend, WNBA player Rickea Jackson. Pearce’s charges are for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, fleeing the police, and resisting arrest with violence.
“Atlanta now appears to be waiting on the NFL to decide on Pearce. Under the league’s personal conduct policy, commissioner Roger Goodell has wide latitude to impose discipline regardless of the outcome of the criminal case. The league is likely to suspend Pearce. Steelers defensive back Cam Sutton was suspended eight games in 2024 after a domestic violence incident that began as a felony charge but was eventually reduced to a misdemeanor. Goodell could also place Pearce on the commissioner’s exempt list, which serves as an indefinite suspension while the league gathers more information.”
The Athletic’s Josh Kendall on James Pearce
Pearce is coming off an excellent rookie season that saw him record a team-high 10.5 sacks while starting three of his 17 appearances. The 26th overall pick in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft looks like he’s poised to be a star. Yet, now the 22-year-old may have to wait to start his second NFL season. The question is how long?
If Pearce is forced to miss time, the Falcons will be counting on others, such as fellow 2025 first-round pick Jalon Walker, to make a bigger impact. The 22-year-old Walker recorded 5.5 sacks, making nine sacks in 15 appearances.
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