Chinese Ships Collide During Blockade Against Philippine Boat: Manila Says
A Chinese Coast Guard vessel 'performed a risky maneuver' in its 'high speed' chase of a Philippine boat, which ultimately led to the collision with a ship from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy, the Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson, Jay Tarriela, said on social media.
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NBC News
26 minutes ago
- NBC News
Trump's D.C. takeover met with confusion and 2 dead in steel factory explosion: Morning Rundown
Donald Trump said National Guard troops will be deployed to Washington, D.C., and Pam Bondi will "take command" of local police. Two people died in an explosion at a Pennsylvania steel factory. And how FEMA flood risk maps concerning Texas's Camp Mystic were edited over several years. Here's what to know today. Trump's Washington, D.C., takeover met with confusion National Guard troops are expected to be on the ground in Washington, D.C., starting today after President Donald Trump claimed the nation's capital was "one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the World" and announced a plan to deploy hundreds of troops to the city. One hundred to 200 troops out of the 800 activated "will be supporting law enforcement" at any given time, Army Public Affairs confirmed. In yesterday's announcement, Trump also declared a public safety emergency in D.C. and said Attorney General Pam Bondi will "take command of the Metropolitan Police Department as of this moment." Trump portrayed D.C. as a hellscape and ticked off recent violent incidents, including the fatal shooting of a congressional intern and the attempted carjacking of a DOGE staffer, as examples to back up his claim. This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day. Sign up here to get it in your inbox. According to the D.C. Home Rule Act, Trump has to notify certain members of Congress within 48 hours about the reason for his taking control of the police and the estimated timeline for federal control. He also can't take control of the D.C. police for more than 30 days, unless Congress authorizes an extension. Trump's unprecedented decision was met with skepticism by police and military experts who point out that crime is at its lowest level in decades and question how efficient it is for federal law enforcement to address local crime. "To just flood the streets of D.C. with law enforcement" and "taking over D.C. local police, it seems like a half-baked idea looking for a problem," said Donell Harvin, a former homeland security and intelligence chief for Washington, D.C. Already, as many as 120 FBI agents worked shifts with the Metropolitan Police Department last weekend, but a senior law enforcement official said the effort was chaotic and the agents were confused about their exact role on the streets and who they reported to at any given time. And the National Guard does not have arresting powers, so there will be a limit to how involved they can be in fighting crime. "It's a big photo op," said Daniel Hodges, one of the Metropolitan Police Department officers who were brutalized during the Jan. 6 riot. "It's not going to change anything." More politics news: As Trump carries out his plans in D.C., a federal judge in California heard arguments about whether the administration violated the law when it mobilized National Guard troops and Marines to L.A. this summer. The Trump administration has once again agreed to delay the tariffs deadline on Chinese imports to Nov. 10, as discussions between the two sides continue. Trump said he would try to return territory to Ukraine and lay the groundwork for a deal to end the war during his meeting this week with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Inflation report may show consumer prices rising The monthly Consumer Price Index report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is expected to show the rate of inflation increased last month, a potential indication of how Trump's tariffs are weighing on consumers. It is also important to watch how the president reacts to the key report, which comes after he fired former BLS commissioner Erika McEntarfer over a weaker-than-expected July jobs report that he claimed was "rigged." Trump announced yesterday that he plans to nominate E.J. Antoni, the chief economist at the conservative Heritage Foundation and a contributor to the Project 2025 rubric, to replace McEntarfer. If the report hints at Trump's tariffs strategy disrupting the economy, it would be at odds with his assertion that trade duties are making the U.S. "strong and rich." For now, debate is ongoing about who actually ends up footing the cost of import taxes. Analysts with Goldman Sachs estimate consumers paid approximately 22% of tariff costs through June, and that figure could rise to 67% by year's end. Read the full story here. Two killed in Pennsylvania steel factory explosion Investigators are working to determine the origin and cause of an explosion at a steel factory in the Pittsburgh area that killed two people and injured at least 10. The blast ignited yesterday just before 11 a.m. local time between two batteries at Clairton Coke Works, which produces commercial coke, a type of fuel used in steel production. The second victim, whose death was confirmed yesterday evening by Allegheny County officials, had previously been unaccounted for. Five people were in critical but stable condition as of last night, officials said, and five others were taken to the hospital and were treated and released. Here's what else we know about the incident. Read All About It Three people, including a child, were killed and a suspect was detained after a shooting outside a Target store in Austin, Texas. After a shooting last week near the CDC's Atlanta campus, staffers are voicing frustration over HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s past anti-vaccine comments. Are you ready for it? Taylor Swift announced her 12th studio album, "The Life of a Showgirl," at 12:12 a.m. ET. In the weeks since a devastating flood hit Central Texas, questions have swirled about local leadership, emergency notifications, and federal staffing. Science reporter Evan Bush's latest report delves into another factor in how the floods devastated properties along the Guadalupe River: flood maps. From 2013 to 2020, Camp Mystic asked FEMA to redesignate the flood risk for 65 of its buildings — more buildings than previously known — changing the risk designations of decades-old buildings and their new construction from "high" to "moderate" or "low" on paper. NBC News' review of documents revealed the ease with which Camp Mystic was able to make the changes and showed how widely flood maps can vary for a place like Camp Mystic, depending on who draws them. As the state and nation grapple with the floods' toll, this story spotlights an issue that's relevant beyond Texas. — Elizabeth Robinson, newsletter editor NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified The NBC Select team recently did a deep dive into shapewear for your face. They asked experts about Skims' $48 face wrap, and plastic surgeons and dermatologists had a lot to say. Plus, reporter Harry Rabinowitz tested over 30 pairs of running shoes and shares his top picks for beginners, shoes with the best arch support, and more.
NBC News
26 minutes ago
- NBC News
Chinese ships crash in chase with Filipino patrol boat in the South China Sea
A Chinese warship crashed into one of its own country's coast guard vessels as it chased a patrol boat belonging to the Philippines, officials in Manila said Monday, after the latest territorial dispute in the South China Sea. The dramatic collision near the Scarborough Shoal, a contested island, came as the Filipino vessel was delivering fuel and supplies to more than 30 fishing boats, the country's coast guard said in a statement Monday. Several videos posted on X by Jay Tarriela, a spokesperson for the Philippines Coast Guard, showed the Chinese ships on both sides of their coast guard vessel, traveling at quite a pace. In one of the videos, the warship bearing the number 164, came very close to the Filipino ship's port side. Another video showed the Chinese coast guard ship bearing the number 3104, appears to be bearing down on the back of the Filipino boat, when the warship appears from the left of shot in front. Although the Chinese coast guard attempts to turn, it appears to smash into port side of its own country's warship as the Filipino boat sails away. It is unclear from the footage how much damage was done or if anyone was injured on the Chinese ships. The Chinese Coast Guard acknowledged the confrontation with the Philippines in a statement Monday, but did not reference any collusion. Instead, it accused the Philippines of 'intruding into waters' under the 'pretext' of supplies, near the island which it called China's 'inherent territory.' It said it had acted in a 'professional, regulated and lawful' manner. The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs said in its statement that it was 'seriously concerned' by China's 'dangerous maneuvers.' The collision demonstrated the 'importance of adhering to international maritime rules,' it said, adding that the crew of the patrols ship had 'without hesitation offered medical aid and other relevant support to the Chinese side.' It is unclear whether this offer was accepted. Beijing claims sovereignty in over 80% of the South China Sea, energy-rich waters with estimated 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 11 billion barrels of oil below them. In the last decade, China has been been actively building artificial islands in the region and added military bases, ports, and airstrips, drawing criticism from the Philippines and Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan, who also lay claim to parts of the South China Sea. In 2016, an international court ruled overwhelmingly in favor of the Philippines, declaring that many of China's claims and actions in the South China Sea violated international law and rights of the Philippines. But there have been several maritime clashes since then, including an incident in December when Chinese ships fired water canons and rammed a Philippine patrol boat near Scarborough Shoal.
Epoch Times
an hour ago
- Epoch Times
Rights Activist Urges FBI to Act Against CCP's Transnational Repression of Falun Gong
U.S.-based Chinese human rights activist Chen Guangcheng is urging the FBI to take decisive action against what he calls the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) escalating campaign of far-reaching harassment and sabotage targeting Falun Gong practitioners and the Shen Yun Performing Arts troupe in the United States. Shen Yun, a New York-based dance company founded by Falun Gong practitioners, has faced bomb threats, life-threatening sabotage of their touring vehicles, and an ongoing smear campaign in the American and global press—incidents that Chen views as part of a coordinated, transnational repression effort directed by the CCP from Beijing. 'The CCP is using America's freedoms to destroy others' freedoms,' Chen told The Epoch Times. 'It uses free speech to harm other people's right to free speech. This must not be allowed.' Chen, a blind lawyer who escaped house arrest in China in 2012 and is now a research fellow at The Catholic University of America, said the U.S. authorities should investigate, prosecute offenders, and deport those involved in these illegal operations. Spirituality Seen as Threat Falun Gong, also known as Falun Dafa, is a spiritual discipline and meditation practice with moral teachings based on the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. The practice was first introduced to the public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi and quickly grew in popularity. In July 1999, then-CCP leader Jiang Zemin launched a brutal persecution campaign aimed at crushing the practice and its 100 million adherents within six months. That persecution has since expanded overseas through the CCP's United Front work and other infiltration efforts. Chen accused the CCP of 'weaponizing' parts of the American legal system, legacy media, and social media platforms in an attempt to discredit Falun Gong and Shen Yun. He cited The New York Times as an example, calling the paper's 2020 report labeling The Epoch Times 'anti-China' to be 'pure nonsense.' 'I've always read The Epoch Times, and it has always made the clearest distinction between the CCP and the Chinese people,' Chen said. 'I have never seen a single anti-China article from them.' Australian-based Chinese dissident and author Yuan Hongbing previously told The Epoch Times that CCP leader Xi Jinping had ordered an escalation in overseas persecution of Falun Gong practitioners, focusing on 'public opinion warfare' and 'lawfare.' Since March 2024, The New York Times has published 12 articles critical of Falun Gong and Shen Yun. The Falun Dafa Information Center noted that several of the paper's key sources—former Shen Yun dancers—had ties to the Beijing Dance Academy, a CCP state-funded organization. Alleged Links to Harassment The Falun Dafa Information Center also said it was aware that one CCP-aligned YouTuber—named by China's Ministry of Public Security as an influencer they support for attacks on Falun Gong and Shen Yun—has close ties with New York Times' interviewees. In August 2024, he publicly discussed collaborating with the paper's reporters, the center said. Chen warned that the CCP is recruiting Western influencers to push its narratives. In October 2024, U.S. political commentator Tim Pool revealed that he had received an email offering several hundred dollars to create a short video opposing Falun Gong. 'The CCP is buying Western YouTubers and social media influencers to attack dissidents, human rights defenders, and anyone supporting democratic change in China and may [negatively] influence their authoritarian rule—including Falun Gong,' Chen said. Threats and Sabotage In February, Shen Yun's opening performance at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., received a bomb threat via email, claiming an explosive had been planted in the theater. The venue was evacuated but after a U.S. Park Police investigation, the threat was deemed false and the performance went ahead as planned. The troupe has also reported incidents of physical sabotage. In March 2024, two of Shen Yun's touring buses in Costa Mesa, California, were found to have deep slashes through its tires—enough to risk blowouts at high speeds. Since then, Shen Yun has stationed guards to watch its vehicles around the clock. Chen, who has attended Shen Yun performances with his wife in Washington, praised the company for portraying Chinese history and culture through music. He said that if Shen Yun is able to perform in China one day, it would have 'a profound impact' on Chinese society. A Call for Firm Action Chen believes the FBI should treat the CCP's transnational repression of any groups like the Falun Gong spiritual group as a serious threat to U.S. sovereignty and civil liberties. 'If someone violates U.S. law—harassing others or undermining their freedoms—they can and should be removed from the country,' he said. 'There's no need to be polite about it.' He argued that offenders should either serve prison time or be deported to China, particularly if they are not U.S. citizens. 'We should not let them exploit America's legal system to evade punishment or even to sue others,' Chen said. 'They should be cleared out of the country immediately.'
