Maritime diplomacy

South China Sea: Dozens in danger as ship sinks in storm SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Australia has been tipped to stand alongside the US in its ongoing dispute with Beijing over Taiwan's sovereignty as its government hatches plans to cut costs on some defence projects, a professor told Express.co.uk . The nation's deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, spoke this week about how Australia "doesn't have limitless resources", and would be axing some defence projects in order to "maximise Australia's capability". He pinpointed the ongoing dispute over the hotly contested South China Sea, which is a main trading pathway for Australia to Asia, as one place where resources would continue to be channelled, describing the stretch … [Read more...] about Australia ‘increasingly likely to stand’ with US as South China Sea tensions brewing

Vladimir Putin 'doesn't really like Russians' claims Lord West SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Rishi Sunak has been warned Britain’s armed force must be “fully equipped for a possible war” in the face of escalating tensions with Vladimir Putin ’s Russia . Lord West of Spithead, who as former First Sea Lord headed up the Royal Navy from 2002 to 2006, said the Government was "sleep-walking into disaster" unless defence spending is urgently increased. Related articles Scholz makes major U-turn as Germany to send Ukraine Leopard 2 tanks Putin’s 'Wacky Races' style Wagner Wagon branded 'battlefield taxi' Lord West was among a number of ex-top brass at Westminster to argue the pressing need … [Read more...] about ‘Prepare for war’, says ex-military chief as he urges Sunak to boost defence spending

Ursula von der Leyen criticised for election ‘threat SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has come under fire for holding meetings with fossil fuel firms during the energy crisis, and it comes amid a corruption scandal that has rocked the European Parliament. As Europe struggled to cope with surging wholesale gas costs sparked by Russia 's war in Ukraine and Vladimir Putin's supply cuts to Europe, fossil fuel companies were raking in record profits while households across the continent saw their bills surge. Related articles Energy lifeline as firm offers 'lowest priced' heat pump at £499 Earth’s inner core may have started to spin in the … [Read more...] about VDL slammed for meeting fossil fuel CEOs amid energy crisis as EU corruption laid bare

Photo from the Philippine Coast Guard MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) rescued on Friday seven Chinese crew of a fishing vessel after it took on water and tilted to one side in the waters off Suluan Island, Guiuan town, Eastern Samar. This, after the PCG Command Center received a report on Thursday regarding a Chinese fishing vessel, FV KAI DA 899, “that had a damaged hull, causing it to be listed.” “Listed” is a nautical  term that describes a vessel which takes on water and tilts to one side, according to pearlharbor.org. After rescuing the crew and ensuring that they were in good physical condition, BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) proceeded to tow FV KAI DA 899 en route to Tacloban Port. “As the Coast Guard of a responsible member of the international community of civilized maritime nations, the PCG renders aid to all judicious users of the seas within our search and rescue region,” the PCG said in a statement. PCG spokesperson Armando Balilo said there … [Read more...] about PH Coast Guard rescues crew of Chinese fishing vessel in Eastern Samar

FILE PHOTO: Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III . INQUIRER FILES MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Friday said they would appeal the decision of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) regarding “true” members of Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) before the Supreme Court (SC). “We will appeal to the Supreme Court as we have left without any [c]hoice already,” he told reporters in a message after the Comelec released its ruling that upheld the decision of its second division, which pronounced that the PDP-Laban faction led by former energy chief Alfonso Cusi is the “true and official” members of the political party. READ: Comelec en banc upholds decision declaring Cusi wing as ‘true’ PDP-Laban The crack in PDP-Laban started when former Senator Manny Pacquiao contested former President Rodrigo Duterte for his record in eradicating corruption in the government and his stance on the Philippines’ … [Read more...] about Pimentel to take Comelec’s ruling on ‘true’ PDP-Laban members to SC

Some of the about 220 Chinese vessels reported by the Philippine Coast Guard, and believed to be manned by Chinese maritime militia personnel, are pictured at Whitsun Reef, South China Sea, March 7, 2021. (Picture taken March 7, 2021. Philippine Coast Guard/National Task Force-West Philippine Sea/Handout via REUTERS) MANILA, Philippines — China responded to 71 percent of  the Philippines’ diplomatic protests over Beijing’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said on Friday. “We were informed that for the period 2020, to end [December] 2022, about 71% of our NVs (note verbales)/protests were responded to by the Chinese Embassy,” DFA spokesperson Teresita Daza told members of the media. The Philippines has filed 461 diplomatic protests against China since 2016. Of the figure, 262 were lodged from 2016 to 2021, 195 in 2022, and four this year. In 2016, the Philippines won the arbitration case against China. The … [Read more...] about China responded to 71% of PH protests over sea dispute — DFA

Not long ago, Michelle Obama posted a black-and-white photo of herself on Instagram, cozy in an armchair, a nearby side table displaying an adorable baby pic of Malia and Sasha. She is barefoot, dressed in wide-legged jeans and a satin shirt, smiling widely as she looks down … at her knitting. “Every time I tell people how much I love to knit,” she writes in the caption, “They seem so surprised!” And I thought, why ? I suspect it’s because knitters, unlike Mrs. Obama , are presumed to be aging ungracefully: prim, elderly (probably white) ladies rocking away on the porch in cultural irrelevance. Before I refute that — yarn lovers come in all ages, genders, sexualities and races — I want to ask, even if it were true, so what? The dismissal, the reflexive derision of women from midlife onward — especially if we stop chasing social media standards of beauty — is a nasty form of ageist sexism. Besides, that imagined innocuousness can be a strength, even a superpower. Knitting is … [Read more...] about The Revolutionary Power of a Skein of Yarn

News Desk (The Jakarta Post) Jakarta   ● Fri, January 27, 2023 2023-01-27 17:40 0 5fceed71997e5776a1634d25dc051614 1 Politics Jokowi,surya-paloh,Indonesia,politics,anies-baswedan,NasDem-Party,coalition Free Surya Paloh, the chairman of the NasDem Party, met with President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo on Thursday as political parties in the ruling coalition expected the President to announce another Cabinet shake-up soon."Yes, the meeting took place yesterday [Thursday] afternoon,” Bey Machmudin, the State Secretariat's deputy for protocol, press and the media said on Friday, as quoted by Kompas.com. Earlier, a number of senior NasDem politicians also confirmed that their chairman had held an hour-long meeting with the President. Sugeng Suparwoto, a member of the party’s central board, said the meeting should be seen as an indication that Surya and Jokowi continued to maintain an amicable relationship. "There's no problem with Pak [Mr.] Surya. His position … [Read more...] about Surya Paloh meets with Jokowi amid reshuffle rumors

Quezon City 1st District Rep. Arjo Atayde speaks during the Chinese New Year celebrations held on Banawe Street together with Mayor Joy Belmonte, Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian, Vice Mayor Gian Sotto, and business chambers’ association leaders. Photo from Rep. Atayde’s office MANILA, Philippines — Business will further thrive along Banawe Street and its vicinity – collectively, Quezon City’s Chinatown – since it was declared as a Tourism District. This was the forecast of Quezon City 1st District Rep. Arjo Atayde, as he lauded city officials before him for making the “great initiative.” Quezon City’s Chinatown comprises parts of Barangays Manresa, Santo Domingo, Lourdes, Doña Josefa, Maharlika, N.S. Amoranto, Paang Bundok, St. Peter, Salvacion, San Isidro Labrador, Sta. Teresa, Siena, and Tatalon where Banawe Street traverses. In 2015, Mayor Joy Belmonte signed City Ordinance No. 2453 declaring the whole of Quezon City’s Chinatown as a Tourism District. “My city, … [Read more...] about Atayde: Tourism District declaration for QC’s Chinatown will spell more robust trade

Ukraine: Russian cruise missiles seen heading towards Kyiv SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Russia is expected to soon unleash a new Zircon hypersonic missile this year as the Kremlin continues to rage a war of Ukraine . Alexander Leonov, general director and general designer of the rocket design bureau Reutov NPO Mashinostroeniya, spoke about the missile and its range of more than 559 miles - or 900km. Related articles Ukrainian star fears 'aggressive Djokovic fans' after slamming protest Zelensky's troops capture Germans fighting for Russia's Wagner thugs Speaking to Russian state news outlet RIA Novosti, he said: “You know, I’m not talking about performance. I confirm what the military … [Read more...] about Russia’s new ‘invincible’ Zircon missile to be unleashed by desperate Vladimir Putin