Soldiers from the Philippine Army and the U.S. Army began three weeks of joint military drills on Monday, focused on territorial defense and large-scale force deployments, the Philippine Army announced.
The exercises, part of this year’s Exercise Salaknib, involve around 5,000 soldiers from both nations. The first phase of the drills will concentrate on warfighting and the exchange of military expertise, with a second phase set for later in the year.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is expected to travel to Manila this week to meet with Philippine officials and military leaders, the Pentagon confirmed.
The joint exercises will enhance combined operations, live-fire exercises, large-scale maneuvers, and territorial defense, according to the Philippine Army. The Salaknib exercises, which began in 2016, are part of the broader Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) training series between the two treaty allies.
Security ties between the U.S. and the Philippines have strengthened under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who has pivoted closer to the United States. Marcos has prioritized defending the Philippines’ sovereign rights in the South China Sea, where tensions with China have been escalating over Beijing's actions in the disputed region.
Hegseth’s visit is the first by a U.S. Cabinet official since President Donald Trump took office in January. The Philippines also secured an exemption from the 90-day funding freeze imposed by Trump earlier this year, allowing it to receive $336 million for the modernization of its security forces.
After weeks of escalating economic tensions and record-high tariffs, China’s Vice Premier He Lifeng and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met in Geneva on Saturday in a bid to stabilize relations between the world’s two largest economies.
The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has shared a warning about a possible air attack that could happen in the next few days.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyau is trying out of “utter desperation” to disrupt the current indirect nuclear negotiations process between Iran and the United States.
China has agreed to send its top economic official for rare trade talks with the U.S. in Geneva, as deepening economic troubles and geopolitical frictions force Beijing back to the negotiating table.
The United States, along with its European allies, is finalizing a proposal for a 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, with a strong warning that new sanctions will be imposed on Russia if the truce is not honored, according to a French diplomatic source on Friday.
In a televised address, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised his military for “making history” in its confrontation with India following a newly agreed ceasefire.
A senior Pakistani official has dismissed accusations from India that Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
Pope Leo XIV made a surprise visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano. AnewZ covered the event, with journalist Maria Rodriguez Abalde on-site. She witnessed the occasion firsthand and documented key moments. More images and footage will be available soon.
India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed neighbors, agreed to a sudden ceasefire on Saturday following diplomatic efforts led by the United States.
After a week of deadly cross-border strikes and rising fears of war, India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire — brokered by Washington. The agreement follows one of the most dangerous escalations in years between the two nuclear powers.
India has fired a series of missiles into Pakistani-controlled territory, in what it has described as “Operation Sindoor”
For the first time in history, an American has been chosen to lead the Catholic Church, as Cardinal Robert Prevost is named pope.
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A Rafale fighter jet operated by the Indian Air Force has reportedly been shot down for the first time in combat, according to sources cited by CNN, marking a significant and symbolic development in the ongoing escalation between India and Pakistan.
In a televised address, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised his military for “making history” in its confrontation with India following a newly agreed ceasefire.
A senior Pakistani official has dismissed accusations from India that Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
Pope Leo XIV made a surprise visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano. AnewZ covered the event, with journalist Maria Rodriguez Abalde on-site. She witnessed the occasion firsthand and documented key moments. More images and footage will be available soon.
India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed neighbors, agreed to a sudden ceasefire on Saturday following diplomatic efforts led by the United States.
After a week of deadly cross-border strikes and rising fears of war, India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire — brokered by Washington. The agreement follows one of the most dangerous escalations in years between the two nuclear powers.
In a televised address, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif praised his military for “making history” in its confrontation with India following a newly agreed ceasefire.
A senior Pakistani official has dismissed accusations from India that Pakistan violated the ceasefire agreement between the two countries.
Pope Leo XIV made a surprise visit to the Basilica of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano. AnewZ covered the event, with journalist Maria Rodriguez Abalde on-site. She witnessed the occasion firsthand and documented key moments. More images and footage will be available soon.
India and Pakistan, two nuclear-armed neighbors, agreed to a sudden ceasefire on Saturday following diplomatic efforts led by the United States.
After a week of deadly cross-border strikes and rising fears of war, India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire — brokered by Washington. The agreement follows one of the most dangerous escalations in years between the two nuclear powers.
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