US, Philippines militaries conduct drills in waters adjacent to the China-claimed South China Sea
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The militaries of the U.S. and Philippines have carried out joint drills in waters adjacent to the South China Sea claimed by Beijing, amid a rising number of incidents between China and the Philippines in the vital Southeast Asian waterway.
Participating in the maneuvers in the Sulu Sea this week were ships and aircraft from navies and coast guards, along with the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. 7th Fleet responsible for the Asia-Pacific said in a statement.
It said the drills included 'exercises in maritime domain awareness, division tactics, maneuvering" and search and seizure.
There was no immediate comment from Beijing on the drills.
In a new national map released in 2003, the Chinese government demarcated its claim to virtually the entire South China Sea, with vague dash lines that drew protests and rejections from rival coastal governments, including Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan, Indonesia and the Philippines.
China has transformed seven disputed reefs into what are now missile-protected island bases, including Mischief Reef, which lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. The Sulu Sea lies inside that zone.
China has ignored a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated China's extensive territorial claims based on historical grounds, and objects to activities by the U.S. military in the region — specifically those that challenge its island claims and threat to invade Taiwan, just north of the Sulu Sea.
The U.S. lays no claims in the waters, but has declared that freedom of navigation and overflight and the peaceful resolution of the conflicts are in its core national interests.
The U.S. also has a treaty obligating it to defend the Philippines if attacked and has been dispatching additional troops and weaponry to upgrade the island nation's ability to defend itself.
China routinely harasses Philippine fishing boats in parts of the South China Sea, also within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 nautical miles (about 370 kilometers) from its coastline.
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Business Upturn
7 minutes ago
- Business Upturn
Global Times: A new era of shared development and cultural exchange with China: Colombian Ambassador to China
Beijing, China, June 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — In an era marked by unprecedented global transformations, the world stands at a critical crossroads, grappling with deepening deficits in peace, development, security, and governance. As humanity faces unparalleled challenges during this tumultuous period, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, has put forth a solemn call to action through the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). The three pivotal initiatives address the pressing issues of our time, offering viable pathways and robust support for the building of a global community with a shared future. Rooted in the rich historical experiences of the CPC's century-long struggle and infused with the wisdom of China's traditional culture, these initiatives are expected to unite the world in the pursuit of common progress and stability. To offer a deep understanding of the three global initiatives, and elaborate on their significance on a global scale, the Global Times is launching a series of articles. China and Colombia signed a cooperation plan on jointly building the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road on May 14. The year 2025 marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Colombia. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 45 years ago, the two countries have witnessed the steady growth of economic and trade ties with tangible results. China is now Colombia's second-largest trading partner, while Colombia ranks as China's fifth-largest trading partner in Latin America. Colombia's agricultural products, ranging from coffee to cut flowers, are becoming increasingly popular in the Chinese market. In this issue, Global Times reporters Xu Liuliu and Liu Yang (GT) spoke with Colombian Ambassador to China, Sergio Cabrera Cardenas (Cabrera), about bilateral cooperation and exchanges, as well as his insights on the GDI, the GCI, and the GSI. GT: Colombian President Gustavo Petro was in Beijing for the fourth ministerial meeting of the China-CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) Forum in May. On May 14, Colombia officially joined the building of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, a milestone decision in Colombia's diplomatic history. Why did Colombia make such a decision? How will the two sides expand trade through mechanisms such as cross-border e-commerce and free trade agreements? Cabrera: Colombia's accession to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has been a long process that began around six years ago during the previous government. Although the previous government initiated some studies, it decided not to join. When President Gustavo Francisco Petro took office, he quickly sent copies of the memorandum to the different ministries and institutions that were somehow related to the commitments that were going to be made. It has been a two-year study process, as it is natural, in any case, that there were many people interested in strengthening the bilateral relationship with China through the BRI decision. Colombia is a country strongly influenced by the US, a country that has been its natural ally, as the US is the country with which Colombia has the most trade, so both the influence of the North and that of the business sector was a brake on the possibility of signing this agreement, but fortunately, thanks to the relationship between the Colombian Foreign Ministry and the Chinese Foreign Ministry, all the adjustments were made and the agreement was signed, and we are very satisfied to say that we were able to sign this agreement. [Signing the agreement] was a challenge for me. That is, since I arrived at the embassy, I was resolved that, whatever it took, we had to find the way to sign it, and at this moment I believe that the people who are better versed with what has been signed, are very satisfied, as this cooperation is crystallizing in projects, with the plan to start studying different initiatives and projects to move forward little by little. We are acting on taking the first step of a great march, and I think that it will strengthen e-commerce, physical commerce, education, culture, industry, and agriculture. Everything will benefit greatly from the signing of this memorandum. GT: Since being proposed in 2021, the GDI has been continuously substantialized, its implementation mechanisms increasingly refined, and practical cooperation under its framework has gradually taken shape, thereby offering China's solution to bridging the development gap in Global South countries as well as building a better world together. May I ask, what is your view on the content of the GDI? Cabrera: As for the GDI, I think this is a very important step that China has taken through President Xi Jinping, as it is an important initiative that considers the future in many aspects. China has a lot to teach the world. China is a country that has managed to strengthen, enrich, and build itself in the last 50 years. It has taken many people out of poverty, while developing industry and its technology. It is a great example for the rest of the world and especially for us Latin Americans and Colombians. The GDI , as I understand, it is the opportunity to exchange experiences and seek to walk toward the same objective, a global objective through which we can live together in peace and help each other to develop. GT: How do you view the role of the GCI in promoting cultural and people-to-people exchanges, cultural integration, and mutual understanding between China and Colombia? Cabrera: I have always thought that art, literature, and culture are not only tools but vehicles for development to get to know each other. In recent years, the cultural exchanges between Colombia and China have grown and in the future, we hope there will be many more exchanges because we have many things in common. Although we are two very different countries, we have the same love for the same literature, music, dance, and art. We like the same things and each one civilization approaches each passion uniquely. I believe that the arrival of cultural samples from another country enriches the country that receives it. Culture is important, but art is more important, as art generates emotions and feelings in any of its manifestations, such as in painting, in poetry, and in music. It makes people want to look for goodness and peace, so I think it is very important to strengthen the mechanisms of cultural and artistic cooperation between Colombia and China. GT: Security is a prerequisite for development, and humanity is an indivisible security community. The GSI aims to eradicate the root causes of international conflicts, improve global security governance, and urge the international community to join hands in injecting more stability and certainty into an unstable and changing era, so as to achieve lasting world peace and development. Under the current challenges and issues faced by the international community, how do you view the important significance of the GSI for today's world? Cabrera: I have grew up in a bipolar world in my youth, and not so long ago, we lived through the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the US. Today the world is more open, and there are many more possibilities. China, as such an important power, has entered the scene. It seems very important to me that in the search for world security, the US is not the world's policeman; the one who is going to fix the world's problems. The world is full of US military bases, which I don't think are of much use, because the world is still very imbalanced, so I think that the entry of China as a factor that contributes to reach a consensus on the interests of the peoples of the world in the search for world peace will be very important. I think it [GSI] is one of the most important initiatives that China has at this moment and toward the future. GT: How would you evaluate the China-CELAC Forum as an important platform for equal dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Latin America? In an external environment where unilateralism is on the rise, how can China and Latin America strengthen multilateral cooperation to uphold free trade? Cabrera: The forum is an important organization for our Latin American and Caribbean region, and the union of these countries in CELAC has led to important advances and developments, and of course, the relationship between CELAC and China is very important because China is the country that is currently most interested in developing our region. It is the country that is most willing to invest in our region and that is why this forum, which just concluded, was so important, and that is why the conclusions of the forum are aligned with seeking to implement projects to help the development of the region and of each one of our countries. GT: As you say, this year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Colombia. Ambassador, how do you evaluate the achievements of both countries in the last 45 years and the current development of bilateral relations? Cabrera: Cooperation between Colombia and China has been, and continues to be very important, and will be very important in the future. China has participated in the construction of many large Colombian projects, perhaps even the largest, such as the construction of the subway, the regional trans, and some highways. China is also somehow involved in the construction of the largest hydroelectric dam in Colombia. There are many Chinese projects related to the fight against global warming. It also provides technology transfer, with projects of communications, such as Chinese tech company Huawei. There are around 120 Chinese companies that are working in Colombia and they are helping greatly in the construction of infrastructure communications, health, and education. Aside from the signing of the adhesion to the BRI opens new possibilities, because China is generously offering opportunities for infrastructure construction and this is a moment in which our country needs to develop, needs to make big investments. There are not many interested in helping us, but China is interested in helping us. The BRI is helping countries develop big form of infrastructure with projects that benefit the people. GT: How do you see the prospects for cooperation between the two countries in cultural fields such as literature and tourism? How do you plan to promote cultural exchanges between the two countries in these sectors? Cabrera: We have talked about the importance of strengthening cultural exchanges, and we have immediate and long-term plans. This year is the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Colombia and China, so we have already carried out some activities. Books by Colombian authors have been published and translated into Chinese, as we have great writers like García Márquez and Álvaro Mutis. In addition, we also have many singers such as Shakira, which was known among the Chinese youth. I know that Shakira is interested in coming to China, and the embassy has a plan to take advantage of this year. We are also going to bring poets for meetings in China. Other projects include the film festival and every time the directors will come. We are also in talks to make a large sample of our art photography, contemporary, art and also ancient heritage. We are planning for the symphony orchestra of Colombia to return again at the end of the year, in order to celebrate the 45th years of the establishment of diplomatic relations with a great concert by the symphony orchestra of Colombia. This story first appeared in Global Times: Company: Global TimesContact Person: Anna Li Email: [email protected] Website: City: Beijing Disclaimer: This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies (including product offerings, regulatory plans and business plans) and may change without notice. You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash
Hamilton Spectator
12 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Protesters crowd into streets, parks and plazas at anti-Trump ‘No Kings' demonstrations across US
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Demonstrators crowded into streets, parks and plazas across the U.S. on Saturday to protest President Donald Trump before a Washington military parade marking the Army's 250th anniversary that coincides with the president's birthday. Atlanta's 5,000-capacity 'No Kings' rally quickly reached its limit, with thousands more demonstrators gathered outside barriers to hear speakers in front of the state Capitol. In Minnesota, organizers canceled demonstrations as police worked to track down a suspect in the shootings of two Democratic legislators and their spouses. Intermittent light rain fell as sign-carrying marchers gathered for the flagship rally in Philadelphia's Love Park. They shouted 'Whose streets? Our streets!' as they marched to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where they listened to speakers on the steps made famous in the movie 'Rocky.' 'So what do you say, Philly?' Democratic U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland shouted to the crowd. 'Are you ready to fight back? Do you want a gangster state or do you want free speech in America?' In some places, organizers handed out little American flags while other demonstrators brought larger versions to wave amid signs that ranged from pro-democracy and immigrant-rights messages to a variety of anti-Trump sentiments. In Los Angeles, thousands gathered in front of City Hall, hundreds gathered on the lawn in front of Mississippi's state Capitol and marchers in downtown Little Rock walked across a bridge over the Arkansas River. Protests were planned in nearly 2,000 locations across the country, from city blocks and small towns to courthouse steps and community parks, organizers said, but no events are scheduled in Washington, D.C., where the military parade will take place in the evening. The 50501 Movement orchestrating the protests says it picked the 'No Kings' name to support democracy and speak out against what they call the authoritarian actions of the Trump name 50501 stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one movement. The demonstrations come on the heels of protests that flared up across the country over federal immigration enforcement raids that began last week and Trump ordering the National Guard and Marines to Los Angeles, where protesters blocked a freeway and set cars on fire. Philadelphia Thousands gathered in downtown Love Park, with organizers handing out small American flags and many people carrying protest signs saying things like 'fight oligarchy' and 'deport the mini-Mussolinis.' Karen Van Trieste, a 61-year-old nurse who drove up from Maryland, said she grew up in Philadelphia and wanted to be with a large group of people showing her support. 'I just feel like we need to defend our democracy,' she said. She is concerned about the Trump administration's layoffs of staff at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the fate of immigrant communities and the Trump administration trying to rule by executive order, she said. A woman wearing a foam Statue of Liberty crown brought a speaker system and led an anti-Trump sing-along, changing the words 'young man' in the song 'Y.M.C.A.' to 'con man.' One man in Revolutionary War era garb and a tricorn hat held a sign with a quote often attributed to Thomas Jefferson: 'All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent.' Los Angeles Thousands gathered in front of City Hall in a boisterous crowd, waving signs and listening to a Native American drum circle and dance performances. Signs included 'Protesting is not a crime,' 'We carry dreams not danger' and 'ICE out of LA.' One demonstrator carried a 2-foot-tall (60-centimeter) Trump pinata on a stick, with a crown on his head and sombrero hanging off his back. North Carolina Crowds cheered anti-Trump speakers in Charlotte's First Ward Park and chanted 'we have no kings' before marching behind a 'No Kings' banner through the city, chanting 'No kings, no crowns, we will not bow down' and 'Hey, hey, ho, ho, Donald Trump has got to go.' Marchers stretched for blocks, led by a group of people holding a giant Mexican flag and bystanders cheering and clapping for protesters along the way. Jocelyn Abarca, a 21-year-old college student, said the protest was a chance to 'speak for what's right' after mass deportations and the deployment of the National Guard to deal with protesters in Los Angeles last week. 'If we don't stop it now, it's just going to keep getting worse,' she said of the Trump administration's actions. Minnesota Before organizers canceled demonstrations in the state, Gov. Tim Walz took to social media to issue a warning after the shootings . 'Out of an abundance of caution my Department of Public Safety is recommending that people do not attend any political rallies today in Minnesota until the suspect is apprehended,' he wrote. Florida About a thousand people gathered on the grounds of Florida's old Capitol in Tallahassee, where protesters chanted, 'This is what community looks like,' and carried signs with messages like 'one nation under distress' and 'dissent is patriotic.' Organizers of the rally explicitly told the crowd to avoid any conflicts with counterprotesters and to take care not to jaywalk or disrupt traffic. Organizers say that one march will go to the gates of Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis warned demonstrators that the 'line is very clear' between peaceful demonstration and violence, and not to cross it. Urging calm and calling out the National Guard Governors and city officials vowed to protect the right to protest and to show no tolerance for violence. Some urged calm, while Republican governors in Virginia, Texas, Nebraska and Missouri were mobilizing National Guard troops to help law enforcement manage demonstrations. There will be 'zero tolerance' for violence, destruction or disrupting traffic, and 'if you violate the law, you're going to be arrested,' Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin told reporters Friday. In Missouri, Gov. Mike Kehoe issued a similar message, vowing to take a proactive approach and not to 'wait for chaos to ensue.' Some law enforcement agencies announced they were ramping up efforts for the weekend. On social media, Washington state Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, called for peaceful protests over the weekend, to ensure Trump doesn't send military to the state. 'Donald Trump wants to be able to say that we cannot handle our own public safety in Washington state,' Ferguson said. ___ Associated Press journalists across the country contributed to this report. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
33 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Nicaragua's former President Violeta Chamorro dies at 95, family says
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) — Violeta Chamorro, an unassuming homemaker who was thrust into politics by her husband's assassination and stunned the world by ousting the ruling Sandinista party in presidential elections and ending Nicaragua 's civil war, has died, her family said in a statement on Saturday. She was 95. The country's first female president, known as Doña Violeta to both supporters and detractors, she presided over the Central American nation's uneasy transition to peace after nearly a decade of conflict between the Sandinista government of Daniel Ortega and U.S.-backed Contra rebels. At nearly seven years, Chamorro's was the longest single term ever served by a democratically elected Nicaraguan leader, and when it was over she handed over the presidential sash to an elected civilian successor — a relative rarity for a country with a long history of strongman rule, revolution and deep political polarization. Chamorro died in San Jose, Costa Rica, according to the family's statement shared by her son, Carlos Fernando Chamorro, on X. 'Doña Violeta died peacefully, surrounded by the affection and love of her children and those who had provided her with extraordinary care, and now she finds herself in the peace of the Lord,' the statement said. A religious ceremony was being planned in San Jose. Her remains will be held in Costa Rica 'until Nicaragua returns to being a Republic,' the statement said. In more recent years, the family had been driven into exile in Costa Rica like hundreds of thousands of other Nicaraguans fleeing the repression of Ortega. Violeta Chamorro's daughter, Cristiana Chamorro, was held under house arrest for months in Nicaragua and then convicted of money laundering and other charges as Ortega moved to clear the field of challengers as he sought reelection. The Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation closed its operations in Nicaragua in January 2021, as thousands of nongovernmental organizations have been forced to do since because Ortega has worked to silence any critical voices. It had provided training for journalists, helped finance journalistic outlets and defended freedom of expression. Husband's assassination Born Violeta Barrios Torres on Oct. 18, 1929, in the southwestern city of Rivas, Chamorro had little by way of preparation for the public eye. The eldest daughter of a landowning family, she was sent to U.S. finishing schools. After her father's death in 1948, she returned to the family home and married Pedro Joaquin Chamorro, who soon became editor and publisher of the family newspaper, La Prensa, following his own father's death. He penned editorials denouncing the abuses of the regime of Gen. Anastasio Somoza, whose family had ruled Nicaragua for four decades, and was gunned down on a Managua street in January 1978. The killing, widely believed to have been ordered by Somoza, galvanized the opposition and fueled the popular revolt led by Ortega's Sandinista National Liberation Front that toppled the dictator in July 1979. Chamorro herself acknowledged that she had little ambition beyond raising her four children before her husband's assassination. She said she was in Miami shopping for a wedding dress for one of her daughters when she heard the news. Still, Chamorro took over publishing La Prensa and also became a member of the junta that replaced Somoza. She quit just nine months later as the Sandinistas exerted their dominance and built a socialist government aligned with Cuba and the Soviet Union and at odds with the United States amid the Cold War. La Prensa became a leading voice of opposition to the Sandinistas and the focus of regular harassment by government supporters who accused the paper of being part of Washington's efforts — along with U.S.-financed rebels, dubbed 'Contras' by the Sandinistas for their counterrevolutionary fight — to undermine the leftist regime. Chamorro later recounted bitter memories of what she considered the Sandinistas' betrayal of her husband's democratic goals and her own faith in the anti-Somoza revolution. 'I'm not praising Somoza's government. It was horrible. But the threats that I've had from the Sandinistas — I never thought they would repay me in that way,' she said. 'Peace and progress' Chamorro saw her own family divided by the country's politics. Son Pedro Joaquin became a leader of the Contras, and daughter Cristiana worked as an editor at La Prensa. But another son, Carlos Fernando, and Chamorro's eldest daughter, Claudia, were militant Sandinistas. By 1990 Nicaragua was in tatters. The economy was in shambles thanks to a U.S. trade embargo, Sandinista mismanagement and war. Some 30,000 people had died in the fighting between the Contras and Sandinistas. When a coalition of 14 opposition parties nominated an initially reluctant Chamorro as their candidate in the presidential election called for February that year, few gave her much chance against the Sandinista incumbent, Ortega. Even after months of campaigning, she stumbled over speeches and made baffling blunders. Suffering from osteoporosis, a disease that weakens the bones, she broke her knee in a household fall and spent much of the campaign in a wheelchair. But elegant, silver-haired and dressed almost exclusively in white, she connected with many Nicaraguans tired of war and hardship. Her maternal image, coupled with promises of reconciliation and an end to the military draft, contrasted with Ortega's swagger and revolutionary rhetoric. 'I bring the flag of love,' she told a rally shortly before the vote. 'Hatred has only brought us war and hunger. With love will come peace and progress.' She shocked the Sandinistas and the world by handily winning the election, hailing her victory as the fulfillment of her late husband's vision. 'We knew that in a free election we would achieve a democratic republic of the kind Pedro Joaquin always dreamed,' Chamorro said. Washington lifted trade sanctions and promised aid to rebuild the nation's ravaged economy, and by June the 19,000-strong Contra army had been disbanded, formally ending an eight-year war. Forced into negotiations Chamorro had little else to celebrate during her first months in office. In the two months between the election and her inauguration, the Sandinistas looted the government, signing over government vehicles and houses to militants in a giveaway that became popularly known as 'the pinata.' Her plans to stabilize the hyperinflation-wracked economy with free-market reforms were met with stiff opposition from the Sandinistas, who had the loyalty of most of the country's organized labor. Chamorro's first 100 days in power were marred by two general strikes, the second of which led to street battles between protesters and government supporters. To restore order Chamorro called on the Sandinista-dominated army, testing the loyalty of the force led by Gen. Humberto Ortega, Daniel Ortega's older brother. The army took to the streets but did not act against the strikers. Chamorro was forced into negotiations, broadening the growing rift between moderates and hardliners in her government. Eventually her vice president, Virgilio Godoy, became one over her most vocal critics. Nicaraguans hoping that Chamorro's election would quickly bring stability and economic progress were disappointed. Within a year some former Contras had taken up arms again, saying they were being persecuted by security forces still largely controlled by the Sandinistas. Few investors were willing to gamble on a destitute country with a volatile workforce, while foreign volunteers who had been willing to pick coffee and cotton in support of the Sandinistas had long departed. 'What more do you want than to have the war ended?' Chamorro said after a year in office. Vision of forgiveness Chamorro was unable to undo Nicaragua's dire poverty. By the end of her administration in early 1997, unemployment was measured at over 50 percent, while crime, drug abuse and prostitution — practically unheard of during the Sandinista years — soared. That year she handed the presidential sash to another elected civilian: conservative Arnoldo Aleman, who also defeated Ortega at the ballot. In her final months in office, Chamorro published an autobiography, 'Dreams of the Heart,' in which she emphasized her vision of forgiveness and reconciliation. 'After six years as president, she has broadened her definition of 'my children' to include all Nicaraguans,' wrote a reviewer for the Los Angeles Times. 'So even political opponents like Ortega are briefly criticized in one sentence, only to be generously forgiven in the next.' After leaving office, Chamorro retired to her Managua home and her grandchildren. She generally steered clear of politics and created the Violeta Barrios de Chamorro Foundation. In 2011 it was revealed that she suffered from a brain tumor. In October 2018, she was hospitalized and said by family members to be in 'delicate condition' after suffering a cerebral embolism, a kind of stroke.
