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US and Philippine top officials discussed the delivery of “priority defence platforms” at a so-called 2+2 meeting in Washington.
PHOTO: AFP
US, Philippines agree on security assistance road map
The top defence and diplomatic officials from the US and Philippines agreed on Tuesday to complete a road map on US security assistance to the Philippines in the next five to 10 years, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said on Tuesday.
Mr Austin said the long-time allies discussed the delivery of “priority defence platforms” including radars, drones, military transport aircraft and coastal and air defence systems at a so-called 2+2 meeting in Washington, which also involved US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their Philippine counterparts.
Philippines Foreign Minister Enrique Manalo told the same news conference the two sides “redoubled” their commitment to modernising the Philippines-US alliance in recognition that “our partnership will need to play a stronger role in preserving an international law-based international order.”
Experts, including former US defence officials, say the United States sees the Philippines as a potential location for rockets, missiles and artillery systems to counter a Chinese amphibious invasion of Taiwan, which China claims as its own.
First death from H3N8 bird flu recorded in China
A woman has died from H3N8 bird flu in China, the World Health Organisation reported on Tuesday – the first known human fatality from the avian influenza strain.
H3N8 is known to have been circulating since 2002 after first emerging in North American waterfowl. It is known to infect horses, dogs and seals.
The woman who died was a 56-year-old from Guangdong province in south-east China. She fell ill on Feb 22, was hospitalised for severe pneumonia on March 3, and died on March 16, the WHO said.
Protesters shout down Macron on visit to the Netherlands
Anger against an unpopular pension reform in France followed President Emmanuel Macron to the Netherlands where protesters interrupted a speech he was giving on Tuesday at the start of a two-day state visit.
“I think we lost something. Where is French democracy?“ one man shouted at the start of the event at the Nexus Institute. Other protesters in the audience targeted the pension law and climate change, while one displayed a banner that read: “President of violence and hypocrisy”.
Mr Macron, who was due to give a speech on European sovereignty, has faced weeks of tense protests at home against the pension law, which will delay the age at which French workers can retire.
Russians hack cameras in Ukraine coffee shops for intel
Russians hackers have logged into private security cameras in Ukraine coffee shops to collect intelligence on aid convoys passing by, a top US security official said on Tuesday.
Mr Rob Joyce, director of cybersecurity at the National Security Agency, said Russian government and government-backed hackers persist in attacking Ukrainian information technology systems as part of their invasion of the country.
One focus is closed circuit TV cameras used by local authorities and private businesses to monitor their surroundings, he said.
Haaland milestone, as City thrash Bayern in Champions League
Rodri struck a wonder goal and Erling Haaland set another scoring record as Manchester City beat Bayern Munich 3-0 on Tuesday to continue their quest for a first-ever Champions League title in their quarter-final first leg.
Haaland, who scored City’s third goal of the night in the 76th minute, has 45 goals in all competitions, a single-season record for a Premier League player, moving ahead of Mo Salah and Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Rodri put Pep Guardiola’s team ahead in the 27th minute, cutting the ball back to beat midfielder Jamal Musiala and curling a blistering long-range shot into the top left corner beyond the outstretched hand of Yann Sommer.