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☆ Floods, Landslides Kill at Least 20 People in Southern Philippines
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - At least 20 people have died after days of torrential rains in parts of the southern Philippines, provincial disaster agencies said on Monday. Thirteen people died in Davao de Oro province while two were missing, and seven people were killed in neighbouring Davao del Norte, disaster agency officials said. A northeast monsoon and trough of a low pressure area brought rains in southern Mindanao region from Jan. 28 to Feb. 2, resulting in deadly floods and landslides, data from the national disaster agency show. In mid-January, 18 people died due to floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains in southern Philippines. Landslides and floods are frequent in the Southeast Asian nation, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands that is hit by about 20 tropical storms annually.

Persons: Neil Jerome Morales, Bernadette Baum Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Mindanao, Jan

☆ Philippines Ready to Use 'Forces' to Quell Any Secession Attempt Official
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Duterte has called for the independence of his hometown Mindanao from the Philippines as his alliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr disintegrated this week over disagreements around efforts to amend the constitution. National security adviser Eduardo Ano said in a statement any attempt to secede "will be met by the government with resolute force", citing "recent calls to separate Mindanao" but without specifically naming Duterte. "The national government will not hesitate to use its authority and forces to quell and stop any and all attempts to dismember the Republic," Ano said. Ano said calls for secession could reverse the gains of government's peace deal with former separatist groups. Philippine armed forces chief Romeo Brawner told soldiers on Saturday "to remain united and loyal to the constitution and the chain of command".

Persons: Rodrigo Duterte, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos, Duterte, Eduardo Ano, Ano, Ahod Ebrahim, Carlito Galvez Jr, Romeo Brawner, Mikhail Flores, Miral Fahmy Organizations: Moro Islamic Liberation Locations: MANILA, Philippine, Mindanao, Philippines, Moro Islamic

☆ U.N. Expert Tells Philippines to Act on Media Killings, Abolish Anti-Communist Task Force
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Irene Khan, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression and opinion, spent almost two weeks in the Philippines to assess the state of free speech and media rights. "The Philippines remains a dangerous country for journalists," Khan said, adding "much more needs to be done to attack impunity". A U.N. special rapporteur who visited Manila last year had a similar recommendation. The task force has been accused of "red-tagging", the practice of accusing government critics of being rebel sympathisers as a pre-text to silence, arrest or even kill them. The task force will "transition to a different body", given the weakening communist insurgency, Malaya said.

Persons: Irene Khan, Khan, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Jonathan Malaya, Mikhail Flores, Timothy Heritage Organizations: United, United Nations Educational, Cultural Organization, UNESCO, World Press Locations: MANILA, United Nations, Philippines, Manila, Malaya

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The government of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has taken steps to to address human rights abuses in the country, including the killings of journalists and rights activists, a U.N. expert said Friday. Khan said she underscored the need for the Marcos administration to seek justice for rights victims under his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte. She cited U.N. figures saying that at least 81 past killings of journalists in the Philippines have not been investigated and remain unresolved. He insisted that the task force Khan wants disbanded had helped weaken the communist insurgency in recent years, with just 1,500 guerrillas remaining. Once remaining guerrilla fronts have been dismantled, the task force would turn to promoting peace and national unity, Malaya said.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Irene Khan, Khan, Marcos, Rodrigo Duterte, ” Khan, ” Jonathan Malaya, Joeal Calupitan, Aaron Favila Organizations: United Nations, —, Communist Party of, New People’s Army, National Security Council, Associated Press Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Philippine, Manila, Malaya

☆ Analysis-'Open Warfare': Philippines' Marcos-Duterte Alliance Crumbles
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +5 min

"The opportunistic political alliance was not meant to last," said Temario Rivera, chairman of the Center for People Empowerment in Governance think-tank. "It is still working," he said, adding he was keeping Sara Duterte as education minister. 'OPEN WARFARE'The alliance publicly disintegrated on Sunday when Duterte called Marcos a "drug addict" during a rally against moves to change the charter. Analysts said the public bust-up could be linked to the 2028 presidential race, which Sara Duterte is expected to contest and stands a strong chance. "It will be an open warfare this year," said Ronald Llamas, a veteran political analyst and former presidential adviser.

Persons: Karen Lema MANILA, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos, Duterte's, Sara, Jean Encinas, Sebastian Duterte, Temario Rivera, Sara Duterte, Rivera, Duterte, Ferdinand Marcos Sr, Marcos Sr, Imelda, Ronald Llamas, Karen Lema, Michael Perry Organizations: University of the, Center for People Empowerment, International Criminal, Hague Locations: Philippine, Philippines, University of the Philippines, Davao, China, United States, Washington, South, Taiwan, South China

☆ Philippines' Marcos Says No Rift With the Vice President
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said there was no rift between him and his Vice President Sara Duterte after both her brother and father strongly criticised him. On Sunday, Duterte's brother, who is the mayor of Davao city, urged Marcos to resign over his supposed failings to address crime and a foreign policy that "endangers the lives of innocent Filipinos", while her father, former president Rodrigo Duterte, called the incumbent president a "drug addict". Speaking to reporters while on a state visit to Vietnam, Marcos said his relationship with the vice president is "exactly the same", adding his "Uniteam" with Duterte was intact. Marcos and Duterte ran under the "Uniteam" ticket in the 2022 election, both winning a landslide victory. It's the unification of all political, hopefully all political forces in the Philippines to come together for the good country," Marcos said late on Tuesday.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Sara Duterte, Duterte's, Marcos, Rodrigo Duterte, Duterte, Karen Lema, Neil Jerome Morales, Miral Fahmy Locations: MANILA, Philippine, Davao, Vietnam, Philippines

Duterte also accused Marcos of being a drug addict. He has not commented on Duterte’s claim about lifting term limits, under which the president can serve only a single six-year term. The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said Monday that Marcos was never on such a list, contrary to Duterte’s claim. Early last year, Marcos allowed an expansion of the U.S. military presence in the Philippines under a 2014 defense pact. Marcos led his own rally Sunday at a seaside park in Manila, which police said drew about 400,000 people after nightfall.

Persons: —, Rodrigo Duterte, Fernando Marcos Jr, Marcos, Ferdinand Marcos, Duterte, Martin Romualdez, Duterte’s, Sara, Marcos ’, who’s, ” Duterte, Xi Jinping, Vladimir Putin, ” Marcos, “ Organizations: Criminal, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, U.S Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Philippine, Davao city, Washington, China, South China, Manila

☆ 'I Think It's the Fentanyl': Philippines' Marcos Hits Back at Predecessor Duterte
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. struck back on Monday at his firebrand predecessor Rodrigo Duterte who called him a "drug addict", saying the former leader's fentanyl use could have affected his judgment. "I think it's the fentanyl," Marcos told reporters shortly before leaving for Vietnam in response to claims made by Duterte on Sunday while speaking at a rally in his hometown Davao against moves to amend the country's constitution. In 2016, Duterte admitted he used to take the highly addictive synthetic opioid fentanyl for pain relief after a motorcyle accident. Former president Duterte has earned international rebuke for unleashing a brutal campaign against illegal drugs when he assumed power in 2016, killing more 6,000 dealers whom police said resisted arrest during anti-drug operations. The International Criminal Court has allowed an investigation into the killings to resume, but Marcos said his government will not cooperate.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Rodrigo Duterte, Marcos, Duterte, Mikhail Flores, Michael Perry Organizations: Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Locations: MANILA, Philippine, Vietnam, Davao

☆ Philippines and US Intend to Hold '2-Plus-2' Meeting in March, Envoy Says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines and the United States intend to hold a "2-plus-2 meeting" of top diplomatic and defence officials in Manila in March, the Philippine ambassador to Washington said on Monday. He said there is an "intention" to hold a meeting, and the plan is "still a work in progress." Romualdez did not respond to a question on what will be the agenda of the planned meeting, which comes at a time of simmering tensions between the Philippines and China over the South China Sea. The Philippines is a treaty ally of the United States. There was no immediate comment from the Philippines' defense secretary, the Philippine foreign ministry, and the U.S. embassy in Manila.

Persons: Jose Manuel Romualdez, Antony Blinken, Defense Lloyd Austin, Enrique Manalo, Gilberto Teodoro, Romualdez, Karen Lema, Lisa Shumaker, Diane Craft Organizations: Defense, Nikkei, U.S Locations: MANILA, Philippines, United States, Manila, Philippine, Washington, China, South China

☆ Former Philippine Leader's Son Calls President Marcos 'Lazy', Urges Him to Quit
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-28 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Karen LemaMANILA (Reuters) - Former Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte's son urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to resign on Sunday, calling him lazy and uncompassionate in a deepening rift between the two politically powerful families. Marcos teamed up with Duterte's daughter Sara to make her vice-president in their 2022 election win. Sebastian Duterte, who is mayor of Philippines' third most populous city Davao, said there had been a resurgence in crime after his father's hardline campaign had been relaxed. "He is putting politics first, their self-preservation ... rather than focusing on the job," Sebastian Duterte said. There was no immediate comment from Marcos' office or from the vice president on Sebastian Duterte's remarks.

Persons: Karen Lema MANILA, Rodrigo Duterte's, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos, Duterte's, Sara, Sebastian Duterte, Sara Duterte, Mr, Sebastian Duterte's, Karen Lema, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Bagong Pilipinas Locations: Philippine, Philippines, Davao, Taiwan, China

☆ China Slams US 'Provocation' in Taiwan Strait, Pledges Further Drills
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +3 min

BEIJING (Reuters) - China criticised the United States on Thursday for causing "trouble and provocation" after the U.S. Navy sailed its first warship through the sensitive Taiwan Strait since presidential and parliamentary elections on the island. China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own and has never renounced the use of force to bring the island under its control. The U.S. Navy said the destroyer USS John Finn transited through a corridor in the Taiwan Strait that was "beyond the territorial sea of any coastal state". Wu said China's response in driving away the ship was "justified, reasonable, professional and restrained". Wu added that China's military will "continue to organise relevant military operations" around the Taiwan Strait on a regular basis as part of its training, as analysts predict frequent drills in the run-up to Taiwan President-elect William Lai's inauguration in May.

Persons: Wu Qian, John Finn, Wu, William Lai's, Dong Jun, Liz Lee, Laurie Chen, Greg Torode, Nick Macfie Organizations: U.S . Navy, Defence Ministry, Chinese Defence, U.S ., Pentagon, Indian, Reuters Locations: BEIJING, China, United States, Taiwan, U.S, Washington, Philippines, Spratly, Manila, South, India, New Delhi, Gaza, Beijing, Hong Kong

☆ A helicopter trip to a Coldplay concert lands a world leader in trouble
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Larissa Gao | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - NOVEMBER 18: Chris Martin of Coldplay performs on stage at Optus Stadium on November 18, 2023 in Perth, Australia. Villavecer said he left home seven hours before the concert in a carpool with other fans in order to avoid anticipated traffic jams. The leader of the Philippines has landed himself in trouble after using a presidential helicopter to bypass heavy traffic and make it to a Coldplay concert. MANILA, PHILIPPINES - JANUARY 10: Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Malacanang Palace on January 10, 2024 in Manila, Philippines. "We've seen some traffic, but I think you have the number one in the world," he said.

Persons: Chris Martin, Coldplay, Paul Kane, Villavecer, Nick Villavecer, Marcos, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Ezra Acayan, Major General Nelson Morales, Morales, Renato Reyes Jr, Reyes, We've, Martin, concertgoers, it's, Mikaela Lopez Organizations: Optus, NBC, Philippine, Coldplay, Presidential Security Command, Manila, Philippine Department of Transportation Locations: PERTH, AUSTRALIA, Perth, Australia, Manila, Philippines, MANILA, PHILIPPINES, Malacanang, New York City, U.S

☆ Philippines' Marcos Says Constitution Should Be Changed to Fit 'Globalised World'
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said the country's constitution needs to be amended because it was "not written for the globalised world". Marcos, in an interview with GMA News TV aired on Tuesday, said the economic provisions of the 1987 constitution, which was introduced a year after the overthrow of his father and namesake after two decades in power, must be changed to attract more foreign investors.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos Organizations: GMA News Locations: MANILA, Philippines

The fishermen, led by Saligan, reported to the Philippine coast guard that Chinese coast guard personnel drove them away from the disputed Scarborough Shoal off the northwestern Philippines on Jan. 12 and ordered them to dump their catch of fish and seashells back to the sea. However, five Chinese coast guard personnel, three of them armed with steel batons, followed by boat, alighted on the islet and ordered the fishermen to leave. Go away,” Saligan said he told the Chinese coast guard personnel, who he said insisted that they leave the shoal immediately. They wanted us to return our catch to the sea,” Saligan told a small group of journalists, including from The Associated Press, in Manila. Philippine coast guard spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said the written statements and video submitted by Saligan and his men have been validated as accurate by the coast guard.

Persons: Joely Saligan, Manila’s, Saligan, ” Saligan, “, Commodore Jay Tarriela, ” Tarriela, Tarriela, Thomas Shoal, Joeal Calupitan, Aaron Favila Organizations: Scarborough, The Associated Press, China, United, Associated Press Locations: MANILA, Philippines, China, Shanghai, Beijing, Manila, Washington, Philippine, Scarborough Shoal, South China, United States, Asia, U.S

☆ Philippine Says Armed Forces to Ensure 'Unimpeded and Peaceful' Exploration in South China Sea
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

Manila calls the portion of the South China Sea that is within its EEZ as the West Philippine Sea, where it has had a series of confrontations with China with both trading accusations of provoking conflict. In addition to the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei claim parts of the South China Sea disputed by China, which claims almost all of the sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual ship-borne commerce. Plans by a Philippine firm to drill for oil and natural gas on the Reed Bank in the South China Sea have been hampered for years by the territorial dispute. The encroacher has a vast area of sea," Teodoro said. China and the Philippines agreed last week to improve maritime communication and to properly manage conflicts and differences in the South China Sea through friendly talks.

Persons: Gilberto Teodoro, Teodoro, China's, Neil Jerome Morales, Karen Lema, Michael Perry Organizations: Manila Overseas Press Club, South China, West, Reed Bank Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Manila, West Philippines, South, West Philippine, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Brunei, Beijing, Philippine, South China

☆ Manila’s traffic is so bad Coldplay sang about it
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Online critics questioned why Marcos was spending public funds to attend a concert and criticized his lack of action in fixing mass transport. Liza Marcos/FacebookThe next night, Martin dedicated an impromptu song about it, singing, “There is only really one thing that remains. The traffic here in Manila is completely insane.”Manila topped the 2023 TomTom Traffic Index list of metro areas with the slowest travel time of almost 400 cities in 55 countries worldwide. The transport-focused tech company estimates that Manila’s average speed during rush hour is 19 kilometers per hour (11 miles per hour), and about 52% of its roads are congested. A 2-mile drive will take a week or two,” Martin added to the tune, as fans cheered in agreement.

Persons: CNN —, Chris Martin, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos, –, Marcos ’, Coldplay, concertgoers, “ We’ve, Liza Araneta, Liza Marcos, Martin, ” Martin, Jaime Bautista Organizations: CNN, Philippine, Department of Transport, Philippine News Agency Locations: Philippines, Philippine, Bulacan, Manila

☆ Philippines Will Not Cooperate With ICC Probe Into Drugs War - President
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday said the country will not cooperate with the International Criminal Court's (ICC) investigation into a brutal anti-narcotics campaign carried out under his predecessor, reiterating the international body has no jurisdiction.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr Organizations: ICC Locations: MANILA, Philippines

☆ Philippines' Marcos Draws Ire for Helicopter Use for Coldplay Concert
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-20 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos Jr drew flak on social media for his use of a presidential helicopter to attend a concert by British rock band Coldplay in a province north of the capital, Manila. The Philippine Arena, the world's largest indoor arena, saw an influx of 40,000 concert-goers resulting in "unforeseen traffic complications along the route," the Presidential Security Group said in a statement. The traffic situation posed a security threat to Marcos who attended the Friday night concert with his wife, prompting the use of the presidential chopper, it added. "Using official resources, like the presidential chopper, for personal and non-official activities is generally considered an abuse of power or misuse of government resources," Facebook user James Patrick Aristorenas said in a post on Saturday. "We paid for the use of the chopper, fuel and security, who knows even for the tickets for everyone," Facebook user Arvine Concepcion said.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Marcos, James Patrick Aristorenas, Arvine Concepcion, Neil Jerome Morales, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: Coldplay, Philippine, Presidential Security Group Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Manila

☆ Philippines jeepneys: Will the loud, colorful vehicles soon disappear from the roads?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

For years, jeepney drivers have argued that the cost to transition to cleaner vehicles is out of their reach. Groups representing jeepney drivers have held protests in recent months, with the latest gathering set for Tuesday in the capital Manila. But Mar Valbuena, chairman of transport group Manibela, said police attempted to stall jeepney drivers from joining that protest. Jeepney drivers protesting the modernization plan on December 29, 2023 near Mendiola, Manila. The important thing is that the consolidation is done,” Andy Ortega, head of the Office of Transport Cooperatives, told CNN Philippines.

Persons: Virgin Mary, Mar Valbuena, ” Valbuena, Josefiel Rivera, Valbuena, jeepneys, we’d, ”, Joseph Sabado, Russet Tamayo, Teofilo Guadiz III, Jose Santos, ” Guadiz, “, ” Andy Ortega Organizations: CNN, Department of Transportation, CNN Philippines, Russet, Transportation, Transport Cooperatives Locations: Philippines, Manila, Mendiola

☆ Pacific Nations Meet in China to Discuss Naval Issues
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The three-day talks among 70 representatives from 30 countries come amid heightened tension in the South China Sea, particularly sea encounters between China and the Philippines. This week's working group meeting lays the groundwork for a biennial Western Pacific Naval Symposium set for the eastern city of Qingdao in April. Since 2002, China and Southeast Asian nations have tried to establish a framework to negotiate a code of conduct for the South China Sea, but progress has been glacial. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration said China's South China Sea claims had no legal basis, in a ruling rejected by Beijing. The concerns of members of the Pacific naval symposium go beyond the South China Sea, however.

Persons: Ryan Woo, Albee Zhang, Jacqueline Wong, Clarence Fernandez Organizations: Naval, South China, U.S ., Pacific, South Locations: BEIJING, Japan, Russia, United States, China's, Nanjing, South China, China, Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Manila, South, U.S, Qingdao, Southeast, Beijing, South Korea, North Korea

☆ Philippines Reaffirms 'One China Policy' After President Marcos Congratulates Taiwan's Lai
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-15 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines' foreign ministry on Tuesday reaffirmed the country's "One China policy" after its president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., congratulated Taiwan's new leader Lai Ching-te. Marcos on Monday congratulated Lai for winning Taiwan's election, referring to him as its next president. The message was Marcos' way of recognising the Philippines and Taiwan's "mutual interests", including the 200,000 overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the democratically governed island, the foreign ministry said in a statement. "The message of President Marcos congratulating the new president was his way of thanking them for hosting our OFWs and holding a successful democratic process. Nevertheless, the Philippines reaffirms its One China Policy," the statement said.

Persons: Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Taiwan's, Lai Ching, Marcos, Lai, Antony Blinken, Yoko Kamikawa, Mikhail Flores, Kanupriya Kapoor, Michael Perry Organizations: U.S, Office Locations: MANILA, Philippines, Beijing, Taiwan, Taiwan Strait, Taipei, Manila

☆ Black Nazarene procession in Philippines draws millions of Catholic devotees to Philippine capital
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Kathleen Magramo | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

The Black Nazarene statue is paraded through downtown Manila. It is also called the Traslacion, or “transfer,” referring to the relocation of the Black Nazarene to Quiapo Church. In 1620, the first confraternity dedicated to the Black Nazarene was established. People watch the procession from their homes as the Black Nazarene statue passes by in Manila. About 3 million devotees took part in the last pre-pandemic Traslacion procession in 2020, which lasted some 16 hours, according to police.

Persons: Jesus Christ, Aaron Favila, “, Rizza, Jesus, Ezra Acayan, Sta Rosa, Emilio Edgardo Quilatan, ” Quilatan Organizations: CNN, Black Nazarene, Quirino, Quiapo, Catholic, CNN Philippines, Nazarene, Getty, Cross Locations: Philippine, Manila, Philippines, Quiapo, Mexico, AFP, Mesquite

☆ Top China, U.S. military leaders hold first meeting in more than a year
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-22 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Other Southeast Asian countries such as Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Vietnam also claim parts of the South China Sea. "The key to developing a healthy, stable, and sustainable military-to-military relationship is ... a correct understanding of China," China's Defense Ministry said in a readout of the Brown-Liu virtual call. China has consistently maintained its claim over self-governed Taiwan and the majority of the South China Sea. The U.S. has documented more than 180 coercive and risky air intercepts against its aircraft in the region between 2021 and 2023, according to its latest China Military Power Report. This includes their bilateral Defense Policy Coordination Talks, Military Maritime Consultative Agreement talks, and opening lines of communication between the leaders of the respective military commands in the South China Sea and the broader Pacific.

Persons: Cope, Charles Brown, Liu Zhenli, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, General Brown, General Liu, Nancy Pelosi, Brown, Liu, — CNBC's Evelyn Cheng Organizations: Air Force, Clark Air Base, U.S, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Economic Cooperation, Biden, Beijing, U.S ., Defense Ministry, U.S . Defense Department, People's Liberation Army, Maritime, Eurasia Group Locations: Philippines, Mabalacat, Pampanga, Asia, San Francisco, Eurasia, China, Taiwan, Beijing, Singapore, Manila, South China, Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, United States, The Hague, U.S, South

☆ Buildings evacuated as quake rattles Philippine capital
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Lisa Marie David Acquire Licensing RightsMANILA, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Workers, residents, and students evacuated buildings in the Philippine capital Manila on Tuesday after an earthquake of magnitude 5.9 struck off the main Luzon island, according to the state seismology agency and images carried by media. It recorded the offshore earthquake at magnitude 5.9, with a depth of 79 kilometres (49.09 miles). Images shared by media on X showed government workers leaving congress, senate, presidential palace, justice ministry buildings. Three people died from a magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck the southern Philippines on Saturday night. A separate magnitude 6.8 earthquake struck Mindanao early Monday morning.

Persons: Lisa Marie David Acquire, Michael Orayani, Neil Jerome Morales, Mikhail Flores, Kanupriya Kapoor Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Manila, Philippines, Rights MANILA, Philippine, Luzon, Lubang, Occidental Mindoro, Mindanao

☆ An airline passenger was escorted away by police after sparking a fight in the aisle and 'demanding drinks' from flight attendants
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Pete Syme | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

A Scoot passenger was "demanding drinks" and ranting for "hours," per The West Australian. AdvertisementA man was escorted by police from a Scoot flight on Friday after fighting with another passenger in the aisle, The West Australian first reported. The man who's filming says he's going to record an "ass whooping" before the man challenges him to a "one-on-one, right now" and slaps him. The incident took place when the Scoot flight from Singapore landed in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, per The West Australian. The West Australian reported that the man had "demanded drinks" from flight attendants and had been ranting for "hours" before the fight.

Persons: —, Scoot Organizations: West Australian, Service, West, The West Australian Locations: Perth, Australia, Singapore, Manila, Philippines

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