How an impasse in the South China Sea drove the Philippines, US closer
Al Jazeera
American troops are returning to the Philippines, in a move that some fear may invite conflict with China.
Manila, Philippines – On February 2, 1995, just over two years after the last American soldiers had left the Philippines, a Filipino navy patrol boat found a newly built structure on stilts flying a Chinese flag on a submerged reef, some 240 kilometres (149 miles) off the Philippine island of Palawan.
The sailors had gone to Mischief Reef in the South China Sea after a Filipino fisherman reported being taken captive by Chinese soldiers in the area. Beijing, which claims nearly all of the South China Sea, dismissed the allegations and insisted that the octagonal structure on the reef – which was equipped with a satellite dish for communications with the Chinese mainland – was merely a shelter for its fishermen.
Today, Mischief Reef is a fully fledged Chinese military outpost, with a 3,000-metre airfield runway, radar systems and warehouses probably housing surface-to-air missile systems on land reclaimed from the sea.
Chinese navy and coastguard vessels patrol the area, harassing Filipino troops, including by using military-grade lasers and water cannon, and blocking Filipino fishermen from the rich fishing grounds in the waterway by ramming their boats and seizing their catches.
The reef, which is submerged at high tide and part of the Spratly Islands, is nearly 1,000km (620 miles) from China’s Hainan Island.
Five healthcare workers killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon, Ministry of Public Health says.
Vulnerable nations are seeking $1.3 trillion annually to deal with the damage caused by climate change and to adapt.
The city’s southern suburbs have been hit repeatedly in recent months
New York judge cancels a sentencing hearing previously scheduled for November 26 without setting a new date.
Many Haitian children face the stark choice of joining a gang or suffering from violence, poverty and hunger engulfing them.
Tapped to lead the Justice Department, Bondi is a former Florida attorney general and longtime Trump supporter.
The arrest warrants against Netanyahu and Gallant could lead to countries rethinking arms deals with Israel, experts say
Moscow says the Oreshnik, a nuclear-capable weapon, was used in an attack on Ukraine amid escalating tensions.
Police say a ‘suspected prohibited item’ was discovered in luggage in the facility’s south terminal.
The NGOs want the Netherlands to ban the export and transit of weapons, weapon parts, and dual-use items to Israel.
All the details about the biggest two weeks in chess as a young Indian grandmaster takes on the Chinese world champion.