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Philippine Leader Travels to US to Bolster Ties amid China Tensions

A police officer of the Special Action Force (R) salutes as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is projected on an electronic screen during Philippine National Police change of command ceremonies at Camp Crame police camp in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, 24 April 2023. (EPA)
A police officer of the Special Action Force (R) salutes as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is projected on an electronic screen during Philippine National Police change of command ceremonies at Camp Crame police camp in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, 24 April 2023. (EPA)
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Philippine Leader Travels to US to Bolster Ties amid China Tensions

A police officer of the Special Action Force (R) salutes as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is projected on an electronic screen during Philippine National Police change of command ceremonies at Camp Crame police camp in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, 24 April 2023. (EPA)
A police officer of the Special Action Force (R) salutes as Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is projected on an electronic screen during Philippine National Police change of command ceremonies at Camp Crame police camp in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, 24 April 2023. (EPA)

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos left Manila on Sunday for a visit to the United States as he seeks to bolster ties with Washington amid growing tensions with China in the disputed South China Sea.

Marcos's visit comes as the United States had called on Beijing to stop "provocative and unsafe conduct" in the disputed waterway after a recent near-collision with a Philippine coast guard vessel.

Marcos begins his four-day trip with a meeting with US President Joe Biden on Monday at the White House, which the Philippine leader described as "essential to advancing our national interest and strengthening that very important alliance".

"We will reaffirm our commitment to fostering our long standing alliance as an instrument of peace and as a catalyst of development in the Asia Pacific region," Marcos said in a pre-departure statement. His plane took off at around 1:43 pm in Manila (0543 GMT), according to the Presidential Communications Office.

Ahead of Marcos's visit, US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller slammed China over the near collision of one of its coast guard ships with a Philippine patrol boat a week ago, saying it was a reminder of Beijing's "harassment and intimidation" in the contested waterway.

"We call upon Beijing to desist from its provocative and unsafe conduct," he said in a statement, adding that any attack on Philippine armed forces would trigger a US response.

Biden has been working to bolster relations with Asian allies as the US-Chinese relationship remains in a historically deep chill, and the Philippines' proximity to key sea lanes and Taiwan gives it particular strategic importance.

The near-miss on April 23 off the Spratly Islands was the latest in a long string of maritime incidents between China and the Philippines.

Beijing claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, ignoring an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

A near-miss

AFP was one of several media outlets that witnessed the incident after journalists were invited to join two Philippine Coast Guard boats on a six-day patrol of the waters, visiting a dozen islands and reefs.

The Philippine vessels approached Second Thomas Shoal, known in China as Ren'ai Jiao, in the Spratly archipelago.

As one boat, the BRP Malapascua, which was carrying Filipino journalists, neared the shoal, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel more than twice its size sailed into its path.

AFP journalists watched the incident from the other Philippine Coast Guard boat, which was less than a kilometer (0.6 miles) away.

The Malapascua's commanding officer said the Chinese ship came within 45 meters (50 yards) of his boat and only his quick actions avoided the steel-hulled vessels crashing into each other.

The Chinese foreign ministry said Friday that the Philippine boats had "intruded" without China's permission and called it a "premeditated and provocative action".

Manila pushes back

But Manila hit back, saying that "routine patrols in our own waters can be neither premeditated or provocative" and insisting they will continue to conduct the patrols.

The near-miss came just a day after Marcos hosted Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang for talks in Manila aimed at defusing tensions in the waterway.

Marcos has insisted he will not let China trample on the Philippines' rights in the sea, and has gravitated towards the United States as he seeks to strengthen defense ties.

Early this month, the Philippines identified four additional military bases -- in addition to five existing sites -- to which US forces will have access, including one near the Spratly Islands.

The two countries also carried out their biggest ever military maneuvers in recent weeks.

This shift has alarmed China, which has accused Washington of trying to drive a wedge between Beijing and Manila.

'Ironclad commitment'

US-Philippine ties were badly frayed under Marcos's predecessor, the authoritarian Rodrigo Duterte.

Marcos has sought to allay public fears that the reviving alliance with the United States could bring the Philippines into the conflict if China were to invade Taiwan.

He has said that with Biden he will discuss the "need to tone down the rhetoric" over the South China Sea, Taiwan and North Korea.

White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said this month that Biden intended, in the meeting with Marcos, to "reaffirm the United States' ironclad commitment to the defense of the Philippines".

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World

French Military Chief Says Possible War with Russia His 'Primary Concern'

General Chief of Staff of the French armed Forces Fabien Mandon delivers remarks during the Paris Defense Strategy Forum at the Ecole Militaire (military school) in Paris on March 24, 2026. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)
General Chief of Staff of the French armed Forces Fabien Mandon delivers remarks during the Paris Defense Strategy Forum at the Ecole Militaire (military school) in Paris on March 24, 2026. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)
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French Military Chief Says Possible War with Russia His 'Primary Concern'

General Chief of Staff of the French armed Forces Fabien Mandon delivers remarks during the Paris Defense Strategy Forum at the Ecole Militaire (military school) in Paris on March 24, 2026. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)
General Chief of Staff of the French armed Forces Fabien Mandon delivers remarks during the Paris Defense Strategy Forum at the Ecole Militaire (military school) in Paris on March 24, 2026. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)

France's top general on Thursday said the possibility of a war with Russia in the next few years remained his "primary concern" as he defended efforts to ramp up defense spending.

The chief of the defense staff General Fabien Mandon spoke in parliament as he presented France's draft legislation to boost defense spending between 2024 and 2030.

"The persistence of a Russian threat on our continent, with the possibility of an open war, remains my primary concern in terms of military preparedness," Mandon told the defense committee of parliament's lower house during a hearing devoted to the updated military programming draft law, said AFP.

According to the draft legislation unveiled by the government on Wednesday, 36 billion euros ($42 billion) were to be added to France's defense spending, on top of the 413 billion euros ($483 billion) allocated for the period of 2024 to 2030.

Russia and Ukraine have been at war since Moscow in 2022 launched the full-scale invasion of its neighbor.

European powers, including France, have backed Ukraine with increasing supplies of weapons but have always insisted they are not directly involved in the conflict.

Citing intelligence estimates, Mandon said Russia was expected to have a bigger army and more weapons by 2030.

Russia is projected to have 1.9 million-strong army by 2030, up from 1.3 million last year, he said.

The number of Russian heavy tanks was set to rise to 7,000 in 2030 from 4,000 in 2025, while the number of combat vessels in the Russian navy was expected to be between 230 and 240, Mandon added.

"This is... based on intelligence," Mandon said. "This military planning law is crucial for the defense of our fellow citizens".

"We are in a dangerous period. We must not cause alarm, but simply raise awareness because we need this defense investment," he added.

In November, Mandon warned France must be ready to "lose its children" against the background of the threat posed by Russia, sparking an outcry.

"An unrestricted use of force" and a "terrorist threat" in the Middle East, Asia and Africa also justified the ramping up of the defenses, Mandon said, pointing to Washington's wavering commitment to Europe.

"We can no longer have the same level of confidence in the Americans' commitment to our security", he said, adding however that dialogue with US military officials remained of "high quality."

World

Local Authorities: Migrant Dinghy Sinks Off French Coast, 4 Dead

A vessel from the Maritime Affairs Department is sailing off France's Pas-de-Calais northern coastal city of Equihen-Plage after an attempt to cross the English Channel illegally turned tragic with several migrants found in cardiac arrest, on April 9, 2026. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP)
A vessel from the Maritime Affairs Department is sailing off France's Pas-de-Calais northern coastal city of Equihen-Plage after an attempt to cross the English Channel illegally turned tragic with several migrants found in cardiac arrest, on April 9, 2026. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP)
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Local Authorities: Migrant Dinghy Sinks Off French Coast, 4 Dead

A vessel from the Maritime Affairs Department is sailing off France's Pas-de-Calais northern coastal city of Equihen-Plage after an attempt to cross the English Channel illegally turned tragic with several migrants found in cardiac arrest, on April 9, 2026. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP)
A vessel from the Maritime Affairs Department is sailing off France's Pas-de-Calais northern coastal city of Equihen-Plage after an attempt to cross the English Channel illegally turned tragic with several migrants found in cardiac arrest, on April 9, 2026. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP)

Four people died after a small boat carrying migrants seeking to reach Britain sank in the Channel and a search and rescue operation was underway, French local authorities said on Thursday.

"A taxi-boat ⁠sinking occurred today. ⁠The situation is still being assessed and remains subject to change," local French authorities in Calais said in a press ⁠statement.

In the past year, traffickers have taken to motoring dinghies along stretches of the northern French and Belgian coasts picking migrants up along the shore. Authorities refer to them as 'taxi-boats'.

Some 2,200 migrants have crossed the Channel, one ⁠of ⁠the world's busiest shipping lanes, to Britain in the first two months of 2026, according to data from the University of Oxford's Migration Observatory. About 41,500 people crossed the Channel last year.

World

Iran Publishes Chart Showing It May Have Put Sea Mines in Strait of Hormuz as Shaky Ceasefire Holds

TOPSHOT - First responders stand amid rubble at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's Corniche al-Mazraa neighborhood on April 8, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
TOPSHOT - First responders stand amid rubble at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's Corniche al-Mazraa neighborhood on April 8, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
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Iran Publishes Chart Showing It May Have Put Sea Mines in Strait of Hormuz as Shaky Ceasefire Holds

TOPSHOT - First responders stand amid rubble at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's Corniche al-Mazraa neighborhood on April 8, 2026. (Photo by AFP)
TOPSHOT - First responders stand amid rubble at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Beirut's Corniche al-Mazraa neighborhood on April 8, 2026. (Photo by AFP)

Semiofficial news agencies in Iran published a chart Thursday suggesting the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard put sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz during the war, in a message that may be intended to pressure the US as uncertainty hangs over a days-old two-week ceasefire and further negotiations are expected in Pakistan.

The shaky ceasefire has been largely holding between the US, Israel and Iran, although Tehran and Washington have offered vastly different explanations of the initial terms, The Associated Press said.

Israel insists the agreement does not apply to their war against Hezbollah militants in Lebanon and have escalated deadly strikes there, leading Iran to claim it is violating the deal. Meanwhile, Iran said it had won agreement that it would control the Strait of Hormuz, charge tolls and enrich uranium — while Trump said the deal called for the strait to be reopened and Iran to hand over its uranium stockpile.

The chart of the Strait of Hormuz was released by the ISNA news agency, as well as Tasnim, which is believed to be close to the Guard. They showed a large circle marked “danger zone” in Farsi over the Traffic Separation Scheme, which was the route ships take through the strait, the narrow mouth of the Arabian Gulf through which 20% of all oil and natural gas traded once passed.

The chart suggested ships travel further north through waters closer to Iran’s mainland near Larak Island, a route that some ships were observed taking during the war. It was dated from Feb. 28 until Thursday, April 9, and it was unclear if the Guard had cleared any mining on the route since then.

Oil rose again to above $97 a barrel and Asian stocks were trading lower Thursday on skepticism over the ceasefire. Brent crude, the international standard, was up 2.9% to $97.46 per barrel. It had fallen briefly to below $92 following the temporary ceasefire announcement. Benchmark US crude was 3.7% higher Thursday at $97.94 per barrel.

Ship-tracking data from Kpler showed only four vessels with their Automatic Identification System trackers on passed through the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, the first day of the ceasefire. However, that does not include so-called “dark fleet” vessels, which travel with their AIS trackers turned off. Many of those “dark fleet” ships carry sanctioned Iranian crude oil out to the open market.

Trump says US forces will remain in the area

US President Donald Trump posted a statement insisting that his surge of warships and troops will remain around Iran “until such time as the REAL AGREEMENT reached is fully complied with.”

Trump’s comments on his Truth Social platform appeared to be a way to pressure Iran.

“If for any reason it is not, which is highly unlikely, then the ‘Shootin’ Starts,’ bigger, and better, and stronger than anyone has ever seen before,” Trump wrote.

He also insisted Iran would not be able to build nuclear weapons and “the Strait of Hormuz WILL BE OPEN & SAFE.”

The US and Iran both claimed victory after reaching the ceasefire agreement, and world leaders expressed relief. But more drones and missiles hit Iran and Gulf Arab countries after the deal was announced.

Israel also intensified its attacks on the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon on Wednesday, hitting commercial and residential areas in Beirut. At least 182 people were killed in the deadliest day of fighting there. First responders searched overnight for missing people still under the rubble after the deadly Israeli strikes.

A fragile ceasefire

The violence threatened to scuttle what US Vice President JD Vance called a “fragile” deal.

Iran's parliament speaker said Wednesday that planned talks were “unreasonable” because Washington had broken three of Tehran’s 10 conditions for an end to the fighting. In a social media post, Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf objected to Israeli attacks on Hezbollah, an alleged drone incursion into Iranian airspace after the ceasefire took effect and US refusal to accept any Iranian enrichment capabilities in a final agreement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted that an end to the war in Lebanon was part of the ceasefire deal, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Trump said the truce did not cover Lebanon. When the deal was announced, the prime minister of Pakistan, which served as a mediator, said in a social media post that it applied to “everywhere including Lebanon and elsewhere.”

A New York-based think tank warned the ceasefire “hovers on the verge of collapse.”

The Soufan Center said Israel's strikes on Lebanon on Wednesday added to the risk the deal would fall apart.

“Even if Lebanon was formally outside the deal, the scale of Israel’s strikes was likely to be viewed as escalatory, nonetheless,” it wrote in an analysis published Thursday. “Israel’s strikes can be understood both as an effort to drive a wedge between Iran and its proxies and as a response to being allegedly sidelined in the original ceasefire discussions.”

Peace talks expected in Pakistan

The White House said that Vice President JD Vance would lead the US delegation to talks in Islamabad aimed at ending the war, which are set to start Saturday.

Iran’s negotiating team will arrive in Islamabad on Thursday night, the Iranian ambassador there said.

Reza Amiri Moghadam wrote on X that the “Iranian delegation arrives tonight in Islamabad for serious talks based on 10 points proposed by Iran,” without identifying who was on the Iranian team.

Those points include Iran enriching uranium, maintaining its control of the Strait of Hormuz and other issues that have been nonstarters in the past for Trump. The White House has repeatedly described the 10 points issued by Iran as false.

Moghadam wrote that the Iranians would come to Islamabad despite “skepticism of Iranian public opinion due to repeated ceasefire violations by Israeli regime to sabotage the diplomatic initiative,” likely referring to Israel’s strikes on Lebanon, which Israel and the US have said wasn’t included in the shaky ceasefire.