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Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
‘Don't deny us what Abraham Lincoln promised us': Veterans testify to Congress on Norfolk State campus
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — Hosted by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va., 3rd), Democratic members of the Steering and Policy Committee listened to testimony of the struggles of veterans during the first four months of the Trump administration. Scott was joined by committee members Nanette Barragan (D-Calif., 44th), Mike Thompson (D-Calif., 4th) and Robin Kelly (D-Ill., 2nd) in the Brothers Auditorium on the campus of Norfolk State University. The members heard testimony from four witnesses who represent veterans and their concerns. 'Don't deny us what we were promised by Abraham Lincoln,' said Susan Hippen, a retired Navy Master Chief who represents the Veterans of Military Families Caucus. She was invoking Lincoln's pledge to care for American veterans and their families in his second inaugural address in March 1865. Hippen said she has visited the new veterans' clinic in Chesapeake several times, and it has about a third of the necessary patient treatment teams. 'You walk in, there's one person,' she said. 'You look at the pharmacy, there's one window open. There's no one in radiology. There's no optometry open.' Scott said he's not surprised, given how the new clinic has been hiring. 'Some were offered jobs and then those jobs were rescinded,' he said. 'They've got pending layoffs, so nobody wants to come into a group as a provisional employee.' The cause, according to congressional Democrats, is the Trump administration's cutbacks and layoffs at the Department of Veterans Affairs. 'It means longer lines at VA medical centers and hospitals, and crowded waiting rooms,' said Robin Kelly. Del. Jackie Glass (D-Norfolk) served as a cryptographer aboard USS Nimitz and said access to health care is getting tougher, especially for those who are in crisis. 'I see it my own family,' Glass said. 'Trying to find a provider, specifically a mental health provider that takes TRICARE, it's getting non-existent.' Hippen said veterans now face more obstacles to get disability benefits. She wants the Trump's Department of Veterans Affairs to 'stop using contract doctors to re-examine veterans who are submitting disability claims. Military doctors already diagnosed us.' Scott said he'll gather all the information from Tuesday's testimony and work it through the budget process, because in order to make improvements to service and access a reality, the money will have to come from Capitol Hill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
2 days ago
- General
- Newsweek
Map Tracks Chinese Aircraft Carrier Near US Allies
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Newsweek map shows that the Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning continues to operate in the western Pacific Ocean during its deployment near Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. The Liaoning was conducting routine training not aimed at any specific country, said Senior Colonel Zhang Xiaogang, spokesperson for the Chinese Defense Ministry, on May 29. Newsweek has reached out to the Chinese Defense Ministry for further comment by email. Why It Matters China has the world's largest navy by hull count, with more than 370 vessels—including two aircraft carriers in service. Beijing has been expanding its military reach and presence beyond the First Island Chain, a U.S. containment strategy formed by Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. The Liaoning has been tracked underway since late May, operating in the East China Sea and transiting the Miyako Strait—a key waterway in the First Island Chain—toward the Philippine Sea. It was later captured in satellite imagery while sailing near the Philippines. The deployment of the Liaoning comes as two U.S. aircraft carriers—USS Nimitz and USS George Washington—operate simultaneously in the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea, respectively, maintaining a U.S. naval presence and projecting power across both seas. What To Know The Joint Staff of the Japanese Defense Ministry issued an update on Monday, revealing that as of May 30, the Chinese aircraft carrier and at least three other vessels were tracked in waters east of the Philippines, continuing their southward transit through the Philippine Sea. The accompanying Chinese vessels were identified by their hull numbers as the destroyers CNS Qiqihar and CNS Tangshan, as well as the supply ship CNS Hulunhu. One of the photos released by the Japan Joint Staff shows the Liaoning and the Hulunhu conducting underway replenishment at an undisclosed location in the western Pacific Ocean. With regard to the Liaoning's flight operations with fighter jets and helicopters, the Japan Joint Staff reported that between May 25 and 29, the Chinese aircraft carrier conducted a total of 260 takeoffs and landings while operating near Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. Japan deployed its navy to monitor and gather intelligence on the Chinese naval task group, while Japanese fighter jets were scrambled in response to the Liaoning's flight operations. The U.S. Naval Institute News reported that the Chinese aircraft carrier's latest position "marks one of the furthest recorded points it has sailed to on its deployments from China." Of the American aircraft carriers operating in the western Pacific Ocean, officially released photos show the Nimitz continuing its scheduled South China Sea deployment as of May 30. Meanwhile, the George Washington is scheduled to arrive at its home port at Yokosuka naval base in Japan on Wednesday morning, local time, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said. The Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning sails into Hong Kong on July 7, 2017. The Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning sails into Hong Kong on July 7, 2017. Hong Kong Government Information Service via AP What People Are Saying Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said on May 28: "What I can tell you is that China's military vessels' activities in relevant waters are fully consistent with international law and international practice. We hope Japan will view this from an objective and reasonable perspective." Japan's defense white paper 2024 said: "China has been intensifying its activities across the entire region surrounding Japan, including in the East China Sea, particularly in the area around the Senkaku Islands, the Sea of Japan, and the western Pacific Ocean, extending beyond the so-called first island chain to the second island chain." The Senkaku Islands are an islet group in the East China Sea, ruled by Japan but claimed by China as the Diaoyu Islands. The Sea of Japan is also known as the East Sea in South Korea. What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the Liaoning will sail east toward Guam—the westernmost U.S. territory in the Pacific and a strategic hub at the center of the Second Island Chain.
Newsweek
7 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Chinese Bombers Seen in South China Sea Amid US Aircraft Carrier Patrol
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. China has reportedly deployed bombers to an island outpost in the South China Sea as a United States nuclear-powered aircraft carrier returns to the contested region. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese defense and foreign ministries for comment by email. Why It Matters China has asserted sovereignty over most of the South China Sea, with territorial claims that overlap those of neighboring countries. Beijing has strengthened its presence in the region by building military facilities—including runways and hangars—on islands under its control. The U.S. military and its allies have been operating in the South China Sea to uphold what they call "freedom of navigation and overflight." USS Nimitz—the oldest American aircraft carrier in service—returned to the South China Sea on Monday after transiting the Strait of Malacca. What To Know Citing satellite imagery provided by Maxar Technologies, Reuters reported on Wednesday that two Chinese H-6 bombers were spotted at an airfield on Woody Island on May 19. The island forms part of the Paracel Islands, located southeast of China's southern Hainan Island. A Chinese H-6K bomber is seen during the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai in China's Guangdong province on November 14, 2024. A Chinese H-6K bomber is seen during the 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai in China's Guangdong province on November 14, 2024. HECTOR RETAMAL/AFP via Getty Images Ben Lewis, founder of the open-source data platform PLATracker, told the news agency that the Chinese bombers were likely sent to the remote South China Sea island on a rotational basis, providing a "force protection mechanism" for the Chinese military in the region. It remains unclear which variant of the H-6 was deployed. In its report on Chinese military power last year, the Pentagon stated that China has fielded greater numbers of H-6K bombers, a modernized H-6 variant capable of launching supersonic missiles at warships. The ability to cycle forces through the bases, especially higher level assets like the H-6, provides the PLA with a force protection mechanism - my views in this piece with @GregTorode as we explore the PLA's recent deployment of bombers to the SCShttps:// — Ben Lewis 🇺🇦 (@OfficialBen_L) May 28, 2025 Woody Island has undergone land reclamation to expand its size and allow the construction of military facilities, including an air base with 20 hangars for combat aircraft, according to the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank. Meanwhile, officially released photos show that the Nimitz was underway at an undisclosed location in the South China Sea on Tuesday, with a photo caption stating that the aircraft carrier was demonstrating the U.S. Navy's commitment to "a free and open Indo-Pacific." United States Navy pilots walk across the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South China Sea on May 27, 2025. United States Navy pilots walk across the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz in the South China Sea on May 27, 2025. Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Hannah Kantner/U.S. Navy Further east, the U.S. Air Force deployed an unspecified number of B-52H bombers to Andersen Air Force Base in Guam on May 19, where they are supporting what the Pacific Air Forces called "strategic deterrence missions" in the Indo-Pacific region. What People Are Saying The Pentagon's Chinese military power report reads: "[People's Republic of China]'s outposts in the [South China Sea] extend the operating reach of [People's Liberation Army] aviation forces. In 2023, [People's Republic of China] media released videos of J-11 fighters operating from Woody Island carrying out surveillance and response missions." Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said on May 8: "The current situation in the South China Sea is generally stable…China firmly safeguards its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests, and works with other countries in the region to uphold peace and stability in the South China Sea." What Happens Next It remains to be seen whether the Chinese military will conduct bomber exercises in the South China Sea while the Nimitz is deployed in the contested region.
Miami Herald
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Chinese Aircraft Carrier Challenges US's Pacific War Strategy
China continues to challenge the United States' maritime containment strategy in the Pacific Ocean by sending an aircraft carrier to contested waters near Japan, a key Washington ally. Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a news conference on Wednesday that China's naval activities "are entirely in accordance with international law and international practice" and also urged Japan to view the matter "objectively and rationally." Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Under the U.S.'s island chain strategy, three defensive lines are established by leveraging U.S.-aligned territories to restrict China's access to the Pacific Ocean. The closest one to the East Asian power is the first island chain, consisting of Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. China has the world's largest navy by hull count, according to a Pentagon report, with more than 370 ships and submarines, including two aircraft carriers in active service. This naval fleet enables China to expand its military presence and reach within and beyond the island chains. The recent deployment of the Chinese aircraft carrier comes as the U.S. Navy has sent a pair of aircraft carriers to different waters in the western Pacific Ocean this week: the USS Nimitz, operating in the South China Sea, and the USS George Washington, operating near Japan. The Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning, previously spotted in the East China Sea north of Japan's southwestern Senkaku Islands, passed through the Miyako Strait southeast toward the Philippine Sea on Tuesday, the Joint Staff of the Japanese Defense Ministry announced. The Liaoning was operating in waters southeast of Japan's southwestern Miyako Island eight hours after sailing through the strait. It was joined by the Chinese Type 055 destroyer CNS Nanchang and the Type 052D destroyer CNS Qiqihar, both identified by their hull numbers. Prior to its strait transit, the Chinese aircraft carrier was observed conducting flight missions while underway in the East China Sea from Sunday to Monday, the Japan Joint Staff added. Its fighter jets and helicopters carried out 90 and 30 takeoffs and landings, respectively. According to a map provided by the Japan Joint Staff, the Chinese naval ships were tracked outside Japan's territorial waters—which extend up to 13.8 miles from the coastline—but have remained within Japan's 230-mile-wide exclusive economic zone since Monday. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force dispatched ships and aircraft to surveil and gather intelligence on the Chinese naval task group, while Japanese fighter aircraft were scrambled in response to the flight operations of the Liaoning's fighter jets, the Japan Joint Staff said. Earlier this month, a group of five Chinese naval vessels was detected transiting the Miyako Strait toward the Philippine Sea. This waterway is one of the key gateways along the first island chain that the Chinese navy uses to access the broader western Pacific Ocean. The Joint Staff of the Japanese Defense Ministry said on Wednesday: "Yesterday, there was a risk of airspace violation in the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, so fighter jets from the Western Air Defense Force of the Air Self-Defense Force were scrambled to respond." The Chinese Defense Ministry previously commented: "Japan has been closely tracking, monitoring, and interfering with Chinese vessels and aircraft for a long time, jeopardizing the safety of Chinese vessels and aircraft and easily causing maritime and air security problems." It was not immediately clear whether the Liaoning would carry out any military drills while operating in waters east of Taiwan, a self-governed island claimed by China. Related Articles Trump's Greenland Bid Poses Global Dangers, Says the Woman Facing Him DownChina Responds to Trump Freeze on Student Visa InterviewsChina Reveals Laser Tech to Read Text From a Mile AwayPhotos Show Chinese Ship Detected in Waters Claimed by US Ally 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Chinese Aircraft Carrier Challenges US's Pacific War Strategy
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. China continues to challenge the United States' maritime containment strategy in the Pacific Ocean by sending an aircraft carrier to contested waters near Japan, a key Washington ally. Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a news conference on Wednesday that China's naval activities "are entirely in accordance with international law and international practice" and also urged Japan to view the matter "objectively and rationally." Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment by email. Why It Matters Under the U.S.'s island chain strategy, three defensive lines are established by leveraging U.S.-aligned territories to restrict China's access to the Pacific Ocean. The closest one to the East Asian power is the first island chain, consisting of Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines. China has the world's largest navy by hull count, according to a Pentagon report, with more than 370 ships and submarines, including two aircraft carriers in active service. This naval fleet enables China to expand its military presence and reach within and beyond the island chains. The recent deployment of the Chinese aircraft carrier comes as the U.S. Navy has sent a pair of aircraft carriers to different waters in the western Pacific Ocean this week: the USS Nimitz, operating in the South China Sea, and the USS George Washington, operating near Japan. What To Know The Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning, previously spotted in the East China Sea north of Japan's southwestern Senkaku Islands, passed through the Miyako Strait southeast toward the Philippine Sea on Tuesday, the Joint Staff of the Japanese Defense Ministry announced. The Liaoning was operating in waters southeast of Japan's southwestern Miyako Island eight hours after sailing through the strait. It was joined by the Chinese Type 055 destroyer CNS Nanchang and the Type 052D destroyer CNS Qiqihar, both identified by their hull numbers. Prior to its strait transit, the Chinese aircraft carrier was observed conducting flight missions while underway in the East China Sea from Sunday to Monday, the Japan Joint Staff added. Its fighter jets and helicopters carried out 90 and 30 takeoffs and landings, respectively. According to a map provided by the Japan Joint Staff, the Chinese naval ships were tracked outside Japan's territorial waters—which extend up to 13.8 miles from the coastline—but have remained within Japan's 230-mile-wide exclusive economic zone since Monday. The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force dispatched ships and aircraft to surveil and gather intelligence on the Chinese naval task group, while Japanese fighter aircraft were scrambled in response to the flight operations of the Liaoning's fighter jets, the Japan Joint Staff said. A J-15 fighter jet landing on the flight deck of the Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning during a drill in the South China Sea on April 8, 2021. A J-15 fighter jet landing on the flight deck of the Chinese aircraft carrier CNS Liaoning during a drill in the South China Sea on April 8, 2021. VCG/VCG via AP Earlier this month, a group of five Chinese naval vessels was detected transiting the Miyako Strait toward the Philippine Sea. This waterway is one of the key gateways along the first island chain that the Chinese navy uses to access the broader western Pacific Ocean. What People Are Saying The Joint Staff of the Japanese Defense Ministry said on Wednesday: "Yesterday, there was a risk of airspace violation in the East China Sea and the Pacific Ocean, so fighter jets from the Western Air Defense Force of the Air Self-Defense Force were scrambled to respond." The Chinese Defense Ministry previously commented: "Japan has been closely tracking, monitoring, and interfering with Chinese vessels and aircraft for a long time, jeopardizing the safety of Chinese vessels and aircraft and easily causing maritime and air security problems." What Happens Next It was not immediately clear whether the Liaoning would carry out any military drills while operating in waters east of Taiwan, a self-governed island claimed by China.
