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China Coast Guard Says It Monitored Philippine Resupply Mission at Contested Shoal
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Saudis intercept more drones as conflict with Houthis spirals
• Coalition downs six drones launched towards cities, including Madina, as interception debris kills two • Rebels deny ‘deep operations’ in Saudi territory • Iran says Egypt entering Yemen war makes situation ‘more difficult’ • Macron arrives in Riyadh for ‘surprise solidarity visit’ RIYADH: As the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi movement continues to escalate, the Saudi-led coalition on Wednesday said it had intercepted six drones launched towards the kingdom, including in the
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2 Killed, Indian Injured By Houthi Drone Debris At Saudi Oil Facility
The ministry said the two people killed were Nepali and Filipino nationals, while the injured were Pakistani and Indian nationals.
NDTV WORLD ·
HIGHNaval
China says it allowed Philippines to resupply warship amid diplomatic tensions
China has allowed the Philippines to resupply a grounded warship on a disputed South China Sea reef, the coastguard said on Wednesday, as tension remains high over the Chinese ambassador’s controversial comment. The Philippines delivered necessities to its warship BRP Sierra Madre grounded at the Second Thomas Shoal on Wednesday, “with permission from the Chinese side”, the China Coast Guard said in a statement. “The China Coast Guard conducted confirmation checks and maintained full supervision
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHGeneral
Philippines probes illegal recruitment of nationals in Russia
MANILA: The Philippines is probing the possible illegal recruitment of its nationals in Russia, the Department of Migrant Workers said on Wednesday, after the Ukrainian military’s report on the killing of a Filipino mercenary. The Defence Intelligence of Ukraine, the military intelligence agency of the Ukrainian government, said in a statement on Oct. 15 that a Philippine national was killed during fighting in the Donetsk region. A 39-year-old from Labason, Zamboanga del Norte, was, according to
ARAB NEWS ·
CRITICAL
Albania’s revolt: How Rama’s Kushner resort deal became a threat to his leadership
Albania’s revolt: How Rama’s Kushner resort deal became a threat to his leadership Elis Gjevori on Wed, 10/21/2026 - 13:43 The prime minister's embrace of Kushner and Israel has collided with mounting anger over widespread corruption and inequality Protesters march during an anti-government demonstration in central Tirana on 20 October 2026, after a week of anti-government demonstrations (Adnan Beci/AFP) Off Shortly after Donald Trump’s election victory in 2024, Albania’s Prime Minister Edi
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HIGHNaval
China sends naval forces to monitor US warship near disputed shoal
China accused a US Navy warship of illegally entering disputed South China Sea waters, while Taiwan reported a separate confrontation with a Chinese Coast Guard vessel near the Pratas Islands.
JERUSALEM POST ·
HIGHAerial
Dire straits: why Filipino sailors continue to brave troubled Middle East waters
Filipino seafarer Jay was on lookout duty aboard a vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz one evening in August when drones swarmed overhead, darting past his ship and two others it was following. Within seconds, an explosion rang out from the tanker ahead. “That was traumatic for me when I saw that the tanker ahead of our vessel had been hit,” said Jay, whose real name has been withheld to protect him from possible employer retribution. The 29-year-old and his fellow crew members made it..
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHAerial
Dire straits: why Filipino sailors continue to brave troubled Middle East waters
Filipino seafarer Jay was on lookout duty aboard a vessel passing through the Strait of Hormuz one evening in August when drones swarmed overhead, darting past his ship and two others it was following. Within seconds, an explosion rang out from the tanker ahead. “That was traumatic for me when I saw that the tanker ahead of our vessel had been hit,” said Jay, whose real name has been withheld to protect him from possible employer retribution. The 29-year-old and his fellow crew members made it..
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHGeneral
Philippine Senator Files Resolution Seeking Chinese Ambassador’s Expulsion
Jing Quan prompted controversy last week when he told reporters that China could "easily win" a war against the Philippines.
THE DIPLOMAT ·
HIGHGeneral
Chinese ambassador denies threatening Philippines after saying a war may prove easy to win
Beijing’s ambassador to the Philippines Jing Quan has denied making threats after he was summoned over his recent comments that China could “easily win” a war between the two countries. Philippine Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro met Jing on Monday to express “serious concern and strong objections” over his “provocative and unacceptable” language. Lazaro added that he had aggravated an already sensitive situation and undermined efforts to build mutual understanding between the two countries,...
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHNaval
After War of Words, China Says Relations With Philippines at ‘Critical Juncture’
Growing political polarization has the potential to undermine Manila’s ability to handle its ongoing maritime disputes with Beijing.
THE DIPLOMAT ·
HIGHGeneral
Solar power booms in Philippines as war on Iran spikes energy costs
With Southeast Asia's largest electricity bills rising even higher, Filipinos invest in rooftop panels.
AL JAZEERA ·
HIGHNaval
Philippines’ ‘China-free’ manufacturing strategy is a high-risk bet
China and the Philippines recently traded accusations over the medical evacuation of a Philippine serviceman from a grounded naval vessel in the hotly disputed Second Thomas Shoal in the South China Sea. The incident has sparked renewed worries about potential armed skirmishes in a global artery of trade. But Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jnr was also quick to emphasise the economic dimensions of a major conflict. After a decade of rapid economic growth, the Philippines is facing...
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
CRITICAL
Envoy says China ‘could easily win’ conflict as Manila claims it is ‘thinly veiled threat’
The Chinese ambassador to the Philippines says Beijing could “easily win” should it use force in the region but instead chooses peace, remarks that have drawn sharp criticism from Manila and calls for diplomatic restraint. The war of words came as tension over the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea rises, with Beijing repeatedly driving away Philippine aircraft over the shoal in recent months, most recently about two weeks ago, while accusing Manila of violating Chinese...
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HIGHNuclear/Missile
Filipino migrants torn between safety and survival risks amid Middle East dangers
Lorelai Jacinto had worked as a domestic helper in Riyadh for two and a half years before she flew home to the Philippines on September 19, increasingly worried that the conflict in the Middle East was making it unsafe to stay. “When the conflict with Iran happened, I started feeling like it wasn’t safe there any more because I was right there in Riyadh myself, so the bombing, the missiles, were closer to us,” Jacinto told This Week in Asia. “I got worried, I got scared that maybe I wouldn’t be.
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHNaval
Will South China Sea’s code of conduct remain elusive as deadline looms?
A long-awaited code of conduct (COC) for the South China Sea risks becoming a toothless agreement, analysts have warned, as Beijing and Southeast Asian nations scramble to hammer out a deal by the end of 2026. More than three decades since it was mooted, the proposed pact has remained gridlocked over how to balance competing territorial claims among China and four rival claimant states – Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei and the Philippines. Maritime experts speaking at a conference in Kuala Lumpur this
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
CRITICAL
Philippines rejects China’s calls for direct contact amid ‘miscalculation’ warnings
The Philippine military has rejected calls to restore direct communication channels with its Chinese counterpart, despite warnings from Beijing that their absence risks “miscalculation” during confrontations and could further escalate tensions in the South China Sea. On Tuesday, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said it would not communicate with its Chinese counterpart in advance of its maritime operations, arguing that such channels were ineffective without mutual respect for international..
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CRITICAL
How China and America Can Move from Competition to Stability
The American team thought it was signaling restraint. The Chinese team saw preparations for combat. In a closed-door Sino-American crisis simulation I helped organize in the 2010s — which the U.S. military funded as part of a long-term project — the Americans repositioned an aircraft carrier away from a maritime dispute between China and the Philippines, expecting the move to reassure Beijing. Instead, the Chinese participants became deeply alarmed. They believed the carrier was now ideally posi
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HIGHNaval
China and Philippines blame each other over South China Sea medical mission
China and the Philippines have traded accusations over a medical evacuation near the disputed Second Thomas Shoal, as Manila reports a near-doubling of Chinese military and coastguard vessels around contested South China Sea features in September. The latest exchange centred on the evacuation on Thursday of an injured Filipino serviceman from the BRP Sierra Madre, a Philippine naval vessel grounded on Second Thomas Shoal decades ago. Known as Renai Jiao in China and Ayungin Shoal in the...
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
CRITICAL
USS Lincoln Aircraft Carrier Back In Home Port After Troubled Gulf Deployment
The massive nuclear-powered warship left California in November 2025 for duty in the South China Sea and was rerouted to the Middle East before US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began in late February.
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HIGHGeneral
National security must not kill Philippines-China academic ties
Educational and cultural exchanges have become a new casualty of rising tensions between the Philippines and China. About 150 Chinese teachers have left the Philippines months after Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jnr renewed warnings that such people-to-people ties could pose security concerns. Families of volunteer instructors have expressed safety concerns. Beyond disrupting classes and potentially harming tourism in the Philippines, this could further narrow interaction between the two...
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHNaval
Did a US warship lose power while chasing a Chinese destroyer in the South China Sea?
The Chinese navy says it had a rare South China Sea encounter involving a foreign warship that lost power, propulsion and radar while following a People’s Liberation Army destroyer, an account that resembles incidents this year involving US Navy destroyers in the region. The incident occurred when a foreign vessel conducted aggressive close shadowing of the PLA Navy Type 055 destroyer Zunyi during routine training by the Chinese vessel, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Wednesday. The CCTV...
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
CRITICAL
Pentagon chief visits carrier returning from tough Iran war deployment
WASHINGTON: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday hailed the USS Abraham Lincoln’s crew while visiting the ship as it returned from a lengthy, difficult Iran war deployment in which multiple service members in the carrier strike group attempted suicide. The massive nuclear-powered warship left California in November 2025 for duty in the South China Sea and was rerouted to the Middle East before US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began in late February, staying at sea until a Thailand port cal
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HIGHNaval
ASEAN energy chiefs meet on fuel security as Iran war widens
Southeast Asia’s energy ministers gathered in Manila on Wednesday for energy security talks, seeking to lessen the region’s dependence on supply chains upended by the fallout of the US-Israel war with Iran. Since February, US-Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran’s retaliatory strikes on American allies in the Gulf region have repeatedly disrupted maritime access, shipping security, and the cost of moving energy through the Strait of Hormuz. The strait is the single most consequential chokepoint fo
ARAB NEWS ·
HIGHNaval
The Strategic Implications of China’s Military Facility in Laos
Ban Keun poses only a limited direct threat to the South China Sea or Taiwan, but it will enhance China’s ability to place pressure on U.S. naval forces.
THE DIPLOMAT ·
HIGHGeneral
US and China must set rules before autonomous fighters cross paths
In December 2022, a Chinese J-11 fighter came within metres of a US RC-135 surveillance plane over the South China Sea, according to the US military, which criticised it as an unsafe manoeuvre. China, however, held the American crew responsible and claimed the RC-135 had suddenly veered towards the Chinese jet despite repeated warnings. Both sides released video footage, yet neither accepted the other’s account of the incident. This and other such close encounters involved human pilots. The next
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHAerial
How will new longer-range aircraft boost Manila’s South China Sea surveillance?
The Philippine Coast Guard will receive three longer-range aircraft from the US, two of them modified for improved surveillance, giving Manila greater reach and endurance to monitor Chinese coastguard, naval and research vessels across the South China Sea. Under a US$39.6 million contract awarded by the United States Navy on September 28, the three second-hand, extended-range King Air 350-series aircraft will be fitted with extended-range fuel systems, upgraded Garmin avionics and high-frequency
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHNaval
Middle East war sharpens focus on ASEAN energy security plans
MANILA: Southeast Asian energy ministers meeting in Manila this week face the prospect of a prolonged Middle East war that has exposed the region’s vulnerabilities to imported energy. As the US-Israeli war against Iran drags on, there is increased urgency for ASEAN to implement its proposed energy security plans and reduce its exposure to price shocks caused by attacks on infrastructure and shipping routes in the Middle East. ASEAN imports more than half of the crude for its refineries from the
ARAB NEWS ·
HIGHNaval
UK warships enter South China Sea despite China protests
HMS Spey and hms Tamar will enter the South China Sea for a ten-day allied exercise, continuing a UK naval presence Beijing has repeatedly criticised. UK warships enter South China Sea despite China protests first appeared on UK Defence Journal.
UK DEFENCE JOURNAL ·
HIGHAerial
Philippines accuses China of harassing patrols in disputed waters
The Philippines has charged China with harassment in the South China Sea, involving a Chinese fighter jet and a Filipino military aircraft. The incident took place near Scarborough Shoal during a routine patrol.
ARAB NEWS ·
HIGHAerial
Taiwan coastguard uses water cannons to warn off mainland Chinese fishing vessel
Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) used water cannons to expel a mainland Chinese fishing vessel near Dongsha Island, authorities said on Friday. The incident occurred on October 1, 27 nautical miles east of the Taiwanese-controlled Dongsha Island, also called Pratas Island, in the South China Sea, the agency revealed. The CGA’s patrol vessel Yunlin directed its water cannon towards the fishing boat Jin Sha’s wheelhouse for about 90 seconds after initially spraying water into the air for.
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHNaval
Why Sabah has Malaysia watching South China Sea tensions more closely
Malaysia’s long-standing strategy of non-alignment amid US-China rivalry in the South China Sea could soon be tested, with the eastern state of Sabah sitting near a potential flashpoint involving Philippine territory. Observers pointed to comments by Malaysian Defence Minister Khaled Nordin, who last week voiced concern that a conflict or “unexpected incident” in the maritime region could spill over into Malaysia. Khaled, who singled out Sabah, added that Malaysia was looking to strengthen its..
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHNaval
Chinese research ship near the Batanes sparks undersea cable concerns in Manila
A Chinese civilian research vessel has spent more than a week conducting operations in waters off the Philippines’ Batanes Islands, an area that has become a new geopolitical battleground as Beijing ramps up pressure against Manila-Tokyo delimitation efforts. Data recorded via the vessel’s Automatic Identification System (AIS) for September, tracked by MarineTraffic, revealed that the Jia Hai Ke 7 research ship departed from Xiamen on China’s southeastern coast on September 19, arrived near...
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHNuclear/Missile
Philippines’ uranium find a ‘vital’ boost for nuclear energy ambitions
Researchers have identified a potential source of uranium in a long-explored mining district in the southern Philippines, as Manila moves to establish nuclear power and expand its critical minerals industry. The discovery, which could provide uranium for the nuclear fuel cycle if further exploration confirms its viability, was made in the Larap-Paracale mining district in Camarines Norte province, where exploration began in the 1950s. Researchers from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute...
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHNuclear/Missile
Philippine scientists find potential source of uranium amid nuclear push
MANILA: Filipino scientists have identified potential uranium reserves in Camarines Norte that they expect to support the country’s nuclear energy ambitions.Scientists from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute, the University of the Philippines Diliman and Japan’s Akita University have been analyzing uranium-bearing minerals in surface samples at the Bessemer mine pit in Larap village, Jose Panganiban, about 350 km southeast of Manila.The study, announced over the weekend, confirmed that ur
ARAB NEWS ·
HIGHAerial
Philippines urged to adopt Malaysia’s lasting tourism strategy
Philippine senators have urged the Department of Tourism to stick with a single marketing campaign to build long-term international recognition, pointing to long-running successes such as Malaysia’s “Truly Asia” tagline. Newly appointed Tourism Secretary Dita Angara-Mathay was asked about her plans for the current slogan, “Love the Philippines”, during a departmental budget hearing on Monday, the Philippine Star reported. Senate finance subcommittee chairman Erwin Tulfo suggested keeping the...
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHAerial
Pakistan produce stunning comeback to secure 2-2 draw against Philippines in FIFA ASEAN Cup
Ali Akbar Khan scored his first international goal to spark a stirring fightback as Pakistan came from two goals down to hold the Philippines to a 2-2 draw in the FIFA ASEAN Cup on Tuesday, with Abdul Samad Arshad netting the equaliser. Nolberto Solano’s men had suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat in their Division I Group ‘B’ opener against Thailand, but they showed remarkable resilience and powers of recovery in a gritty performance. The draw delivered Pakistan their first goals and first point in the
DAWN ·
HIGHAerial
Philippine coastguard battles funding cuts amid bigger South China Sea role
The Philippines is preparing to give its coastguard more responsibilities in the contested South China Sea even as the agency faces a more basic problem: whether it has enough ships, aircraft and personnel to carry them out. The proposed overhaul comes as the coastguard is being stretched by increasingly demanding operations around Philippine-claimed waters, while funding constraints threaten to limit its ability to keep its existing assets at sea. That tension is evident in the 2027 budget. The
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
HIGHGeneral
Thousands of drivers strike in the Philippines over rising fuel prices
Transport workers blame US-Israel war on Iran for rising fuel prices as government offers free rides for commuters.
AL JAZEERA ·
CRITICAL
Pakistan volleyball captain criticises Asian Games logistics after another win; hockey side thrash Oman
Pakistan volleyball captain Murad Jehan criticised the organisers of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Monday after his team were taken to the wrong venue shortly before their Pool ‘A’ match against Uzbekistan, while Pakistan’s hockey side finished their pool campaign with a commanding 7-2 victory over Oman. The volleyball team were taken to the wrong gymnasium by their bus driver, leaving the players with little time to warm up before the match. In a video posted on Instagram, a visibly frustrate
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HIGHGeneral
Pakistan cruise past Oman to seal Asian Games hockey semi-final berth
Pakistan completed their Asian Games hockey pool campaign with a commanding 7-2 victory over Oman on Monday, recovering from their defeat by Malaysia to finish the group stage strongly and keep their medal hopes alive. Sufyan Khan scored twice from penalty corners, while Rana Waheed completed a hat-trick as Pakistan dominated Oman at the Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium. Ghazanfar Ali and Ammad Butt were also on target for Pakistan, who led 2-0 after the first quarter and extended their advantage
DAWN ·
HIGHGeneral
China Conducts Military Exercise in South China Sea After Confrontation at Disputed Shoal
The "provisional understanding" between Beijing and Manila over the Philippine resupply of Second Thomas Shoal appears to have broken down.
THE DIPLOMAT ·
HIGHPolitical
Israel revokes credentials of Dutch diplomats in Ramallah over West Bank trade ban
Israel revokes credentials of Dutch diplomats in Ramallah over West Bank trade ban Bilge Kotan on Sun, 09/27/2026 - 19:19 The move follows the Netherlands’ decision to ban goods from Israeli settlements to fulfil its 'international legal obligation' An Israeli soldier stands guard against the backdrop of a newly established Israeli settlement outpost in Beit Sahur, south of Bethlehem, in the occupied West Bank on 14 August 2026 (AFP) Off Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said on Sunday t
MIDDLE EAST EYE ·
HIGHGround
Pakistan open FIFA ASEAN Cup campaign with 4-0 defeat against Thailand
Pakistan opened their FIFA Asean Cup campaign with a 4-0 defeat to Thailand at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung, Indonesia, on Saturday, as Teerasak Poeiphimai struck twice and an own goal compounded the Green Shirts’ chastening introduction to the tournament. Pakistan, ranked 198th in the world and competing as a guest side, defended in numbers during a cagey opening half hour. Mohibullah produced a brilliant interception, and Ali Raza made a superb sliding tackle as Nolberto Solano’s men re
DAWN ·
HIGHGeneral
Pakistan look forward to ‘big test’ as Thailand loom in FIFA Asean Cup opener
Pakistan will begin their campaign in the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup against a vastly higher-ranked Thailand on Saturday, with head coach Nolberto Solano describing the tournament as an opportunity for his side to measure themselves against some of Asia’s stronger teams. The Group B Division One opener will kick off at 4:00pm local time (2:00pm PST) at the Si Jalak Harupat Stadium, with Pakistan then scheduled to face the Philippines on Sept 29 and Vietnam on Oct 2. “We want to use this opportunit
DAWN ·
HIGHGeneral
Philippines impeachment: is path now clear to convict Sara Duterte?
The Philippine Senate has made it mathematically easier to convict Vice-President Sara Duterte-Carpio, but observers said the ruling could intensify a battle over an impeachment trial already viewed by the public as deeply divisive. The Senate, sitting as an impeachment court, ruled on Wednesday that only senator-judges who are able to take part in the trial should be counted in determining the threshold for conviction. Under the Philippine constitution, a two-thirds vote of the Senate is...
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·
CRITICAL
Pakistan in uncharted waters as ‘super El Nino’ multiplies threats
• 2027 most likely to become hottest year ever • El Nino may impact monsoon, bring droughts to southern provinces; can cause 451,000 extra deaths ISLAMABAD: With 2027 likely to become the hottest year due to the cumulative effects of global warming and El Nino, Pakistan is in uncharted waters, as this weather pattern could push the country toward food insecurity and extreme temperatures. According to the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and climate scientists, a very strong El Nino increa
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HIGHNaval
El Nino could cause 451,000 extra heat deaths, estimates say
This year’s powerful El Nino weather pattern could lead to 451,000 additional heat-related deaths worldwide through February as it turbocharges global temperatures, according to projections published on Wednesday. The warming phenomenon, which was declared in June and is due to peak later this year, is on course to be the strongest on record, amplifying the effects of human-induced climate change. The estimates by the Climate Impact Lab at the University of Chicago found that developing countrie
DAWN ·
HIGHNaval
Why younger Filipinos are warming to China despite maritime tensions
Inside a car wash lounge in the southern Philippine city of Davao, Shenilane Formento scrolls through messages on her Chinese-made Oppo phone as she waits for a customer to pay. Formento, 29, has worked as a cashier for about a year. She follows developments in the South China Sea through news reports shared on her social media feeds, including frequent confrontations between Philippine and Chinese forces in the disputed waters. While she found such incidents “disappointing”, she ultimately...
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST ·