Author: ANews

China and the Philippines hold crucial talks after chaotic confrontation in disputed South China Sea

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There was no mention of any major agreement to try to prevent a repeat of the chaotic June 17 clash at Second Thomas Shoal that caused injuries to Filipino navy personnel and damaged two military boats.

The shoal off the northwestern Philippines has emerged as the most dangerous flashpoint in the disputed waters, which China claims virtually in its entirety. Chinese naval and civilian vessels have surrounded the Philippine marines aboard a grounded ship, tried to prevent their resupply and demanded the Philippines pull out.

The Chinese and Philippine delegations “affirmed their commitment to de-escalate tensions without prejudice to their respective positions,” the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said in a statement late Tuesday. “There was substantial progress on developing measures to manage the situation at sea, but significant differences remain.”

Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro told her Chinese counterpart, Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong, “that the Philippines will be relentless in protecting its interests and upholding its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction” in the South China Sea, according to the Philippine side.

An agreement was signed to improve communications during emergencies at sea and both sides agreed to continue talks on enhancing ties between their coast guards but no details were provided. There was also another confidence-building plan to convene an academic forum among scientists and academics to improve marine scientific cooperation.

Ahead of the meeting, the Philippines planned to formally ask China’s delegation to return at least seven rifles that Chinese coast guard personnel seized during the June 17 faceoff at the shoal and pay for damage, a Philippine official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for lack of authority to discuss the sensitive matter publicly.

The Asian neighbors agreed to hold what they call the Bicameral Consultative Mechanism meetings, first held in 2017, to peacefully manage their conflicts. But the high-sea confrontations have persisted especially under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who, unlike his predecessor, has nurtured closer military and defense ties with the United States as a counterweight to China.

Apart from the Philippines and China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also lay overlapping claims to the strategic sea, which has rich fishing areas and potentially more deposits of gas than what has been found mostly in the fringes by a few coastal states so far.

Sporadic confrontations have flared between Chinese forces and those of Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia in the past but the Southeast Asian nations have resisted aggressively confronting China for fear of destabilizing their substantial economic ties.

Under Marcos, who took office in 2022, the Philippines launched a campaign to expose aggressive Chinese actions by making public videos and photographs and allowing journalists to join coast guard patrol ships, which have figured in dangerous faceoffs with Beijing’s forces.

The U.S. has no claims to the contested waters, but it has deployed warships and fighter jets for patrols that it says aim to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight and to reassure allies like the Philippines and Japan, which also has territorial disputes with China over islands in the East China Sea.

After last month’s confrontation in Second Thomas Shoal, where Chinese forces were caught on video brandishing machetes, an axe and improvised spears, Washington renewed a warning that it’s obligated to help defend the Philippines under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty if Filipino forces, including the coast guard, come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.

Marcos said the Chinese actions would not activate the treaty because no shots were fired.

China and the Philippines hold crucial talks after chaotic confrontation in disputed South China Sea

There was no mention of any major agreement to try to prevent a repeat of the chaotic June 17 clash at Second Thomas Shoal that caused injuries to Filipino navy personnel and damaged two military boats.

The shoal off the northwestern Philippines has emerged as the most dangerous flashpoint in the disputed waters, which China claims virtually in its entirety. Chinese naval and civilian vessels have surrounded the Philippine marines aboard a grounded ship, tried to prevent their resupply and demanded the Philippines pull out.

The Chinese and Philippine delegations “affirmed their commitment to de-escalate tensions without prejudice to their respective positions,” the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila said in a statement late Tuesday. “There was substantial progress on developing measures to manage the situation at sea, but significant differences remain.”

Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Theresa Lazaro told her Chinese counterpart, Vice Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong, “that the Philippines will be relentless in protecting its interests and upholding its sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction” in the South China Sea, according to the Philippine side.

An agreement was signed to improve communications during emergencies at sea and both sides agreed to continue talks on enhancing ties between their coast guards but no details were provided. There was also another confidence-building plan to convene an academic forum among scientists and academics to improve marine scientific cooperation.

Ahead of the meeting, the Philippines planned to formally ask China’s delegation to return at least seven rifles that Chinese coast guard personnel seized during the June 17 faceoff at the shoal and pay for damage, a Philippine official told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for lack of authority to discuss the sensitive matter publicly.

The Asian neighbors agreed to hold what they call the Bicameral Consultative Mechanism meetings, first held in 2017, to peacefully manage their conflicts. But the high-sea confrontations have persisted especially under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who, unlike his predecessor, has nurtured closer military and defense ties with the United States as a counterweight to China.

Apart from the Philippines and China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also lay overlapping claims to the strategic sea, which has rich fishing areas and potentially more deposits of gas than what has been found mostly in the fringes by a few coastal states so far.

Sporadic confrontations have flared between Chinese forces and those of Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia in the past but the Southeast Asian nations have resisted aggressively confronting China for fear of destabilizing their substantial economic ties.

Under Marcos, who took office in 2022, the Philippines launched a campaign to expose aggressive Chinese actions by making public videos and photographs and allowing journalists to join coast guard patrol ships, which have figured in dangerous faceoffs with Beijing’s forces.

The U.S. has no claims to the contested waters, but it has deployed warships and fighter jets for patrols that it says aim to ensure freedom of navigation and overflight and to reassure allies like the Philippines and Japan, which also has territorial disputes with China over islands in the East China Sea.

After last month’s confrontation in Second Thomas Shoal, where Chinese forces were caught on video brandishing machetes, an axe and improvised spears, Washington renewed a warning that it’s obligated to help defend the Philippines under the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty if Filipino forces, including the coast guard, come under an armed attack, including in the South China Sea.

Marcos said the Chinese actions would not activate the treaty because no shots were fired.

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Florida double murderer goes viral for ‘smug, soulless’ courtroom demeanor

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Wade Wilson was found guilty of strangling Kristine Melton to death as she slept the morning after he met her at a bar, and then he beat, strangled and ran over Diane Ruiz with his car after seeing her on a street that same day.

Ten out of the 12 jurors in the Lee County Courthouse in Fort Myers voted on Tuesday that Wilson, whose seemingly “smug” and “smirking” demeanor in court went viral, should be put to death for killing Ruiz, and nine out of 12 voted for death in Melton’s murder. State law requires eight jurors to vote for the death penalty.

BRYAN KOHBERGER TRIAL SET TO BEGIN JUNE 2025 IN IDAHO MURDERS CASE

The decision will be up to Judge Nicholas Thompson July 23.

Social media users following the trial called Wilson “soulless” and accused the murderer of looking “smug” and “smirking” while his crimes were relayed to the jurors.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

“He’s remorseless & says he’d do it again. I’m not ‘an eye for an eye’ person. I never have been. But smug aloofness as Wade Wilson displays, makes me think life in a cell with 3 meals a day, in genpop, isn’t okay,” a user wrote on X.

Another added, “Note the psychopathic smirk on the face of the serial strangler.”

A third said, “Wade Wilson was given the death penalty in Florida for murdering two women. His own father turned him cause the creature was a soulless monster.”

“You know, you’re asking someone to take another life, and so it’s always a difficult thing,” Assistant State Attorney Sara Miller said after the recommendation, according to FOX 4. “I think in this case it was a justified act given the horrific nature of this case.

“Both murders were especially heinous, atrocious and cruel. He inflicted pain, and he showed utter indifference to her [Melton’s] life.”

DEATH ROW INMATE SERVED LITTLE CEASARS PIZZA AS LAST MEAL BEFORE EXECUTION FOR KILLING FORMER STEPDAUGHTER

The defense tried to argue during the trial that Wade has a “diseased mind” and the “disease of drug addiction,” the station reported.

But Miller told jurors, “It’s not credible that mental illness caused the defendant to murder Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz. He was under the influence of power, of lust, of control, of hate.

“Many people suffer from drug addictions, but they don’t go out and commit murders.”

Original article source: Florida double murderer goes viral for ‘smug, soulless’ courtroom demeanor

Florida double murderer goes viral for ‘smug, soulless’ courtroom demeanor

Wade Wilson was found guilty of strangling Kristine Melton to death as she slept the morning after he met her at a bar, and then he beat, strangled and ran over Diane Ruiz with his car after seeing her on a street that same day.

Ten out of the 12 jurors in the Lee County Courthouse in Fort Myers voted on Tuesday that Wilson, whose seemingly “smug” and “smirking” demeanor in court went viral, should be put to death for killing Ruiz, and nine out of 12 voted for death in Melton’s murder. State law requires eight jurors to vote for the death penalty.

BRYAN KOHBERGER TRIAL SET TO BEGIN JUNE 2025 IN IDAHO MURDERS CASE

The decision will be up to Judge Nicholas Thompson July 23.

Social media users following the trial called Wilson “soulless” and accused the murderer of looking “smug” and “smirking” while his crimes were relayed to the jurors.

READ ON THE FOX NEWS APP

“He’s remorseless & says he’d do it again. I’m not ‘an eye for an eye’ person. I never have been. But smug aloofness as Wade Wilson displays, makes me think life in a cell with 3 meals a day, in genpop, isn’t okay,” a user wrote on X.

Another added, “Note the psychopathic smirk on the face of the serial strangler.”

A third said, “Wade Wilson was given the death penalty in Florida for murdering two women. His own father turned him cause the creature was a soulless monster.”

“You know, you’re asking someone to take another life, and so it’s always a difficult thing,” Assistant State Attorney Sara Miller said after the recommendation, according to FOX 4. “I think in this case it was a justified act given the horrific nature of this case.

“Both murders were especially heinous, atrocious and cruel. He inflicted pain, and he showed utter indifference to her [Melton’s] life.”

DEATH ROW INMATE SERVED LITTLE CEASARS PIZZA AS LAST MEAL BEFORE EXECUTION FOR KILLING FORMER STEPDAUGHTER

The defense tried to argue during the trial that Wade has a “diseased mind” and the “disease of drug addiction,” the station reported.

But Miller told jurors, “It’s not credible that mental illness caused the defendant to murder Kristine Melton and Diane Ruiz. He was under the influence of power, of lust, of control, of hate.

“Many people suffer from drug addictions, but they don’t go out and commit murders.”

Original article source: Florida double murderer goes viral for ‘smug, soulless’ courtroom demeanor

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