The Philippines and China accused each other on 12 October of responsibility for a maritime confrontation near disputed islands in the South China Sea, further escalating tensions in the resource-rich waterway.
The Philippine Maritime Council, an inter-agency government body, blamed Chinese maritime forces for deploying water cannon and ramming a Filipino vessel near the Philippine-occupied Thitu Island, locally known as Pag-asa, "strongly condemning" the incident and vowing to pursue "appropriate diplomatic action".
According to Manila's coast guard, three vessels were anchored near the island early on Sunday as part of a government program to protect local fishermen when Chinese ships reportedly approached and used water cannon to intimidate them.
An hour later, a Chinese coast guard ship allegedly fired its water cannon directly at a Philippine vessel before ramming its stern, causing minor damage but no injuries, the coast guard said.
China's coast guard said two Philippine government vessels "illegally entered" waters near Sandy Cay, a coral reef in the northern Thitu Reefs within the Spratly Islands, leading to a collision.
Beijing said a Philippine vessel "dangerously approached" a Chinese coast guard ship, for which it held Manila responsible.
Manila's authorities vowed to continue operations in the area, emphasizing the need to protect Filipino fishermen's livelihood.
U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson condemned what she described as China's "dangerous ramming" of a Filipino vessel, calling the incident "aggressive actions" in the South China Sea, in a post on social media platform X.
The disputed area, part of the Spratly Islands, has been the site of repeated confrontations between the two nations over the years.
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The combined death toll from Typhoon Fung-wong and Typhoon Kalmaegi in the Philippines has reached 259, with 114 people still reported missing, state media says.
At least two people have died in the Philippines as Super Typhoon Fung-wong battered central and eastern regions, bringing torrential rain and powerful winds that knocked out electricity across much of the Bicol region ahead of its anticipated landfall in northern Luzon.
The Philippines' weather bureau warned of life-threatening storm surges of up to five metres and destructive winds as Typhoon Fung-wong churns toward the country's eastern coast, where it is forecast to intensify into a super typhoon before making landfall on Sunday night.
Typhoon Kalmaegi tore through Southeast Asia this week, killing at least 188 people in the Philippines before striking Vietnam’s central coast, where powerful gusts ripped roofs from homes, toppled trees, and left streets flooded and thousands without power.
At least 47 people have died and another 21 are reported missing following ten days of heavy rainfall, floods, and landslides across Sri Lanka, local media reported on Thursday (27 November).
Hong Kong fire authorities said they expected to wrap up search and rescue operations on Friday after the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years tore through a massive apartment complex, killing at least 128 people, injuring 79 and leaving around 200 still missing.
Netflix crashed on Wednesday for about an hour in the U.S. as it launched season five of "Stranger Things", with the service becoming inaccessible to many subscribers within minutes of the episodes going live at 8 p.m. local time.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth visited sailors aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier in the Latin American region on Thursday, amid a military buildup by President Donald Trump’s administration that has heightened tensions with Venezuela.
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The famed Nuremberg Christmas Market opened on Friday (28 November) with its traditional ceremony featuring the Nuremberg Christkind, an angel-like child figure said to deliver Christmas gifts in some European countries.
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