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At least two killed, eight wounded in shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island

EDGARDO HERNAL
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At least two killed, eight wounded in shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — At least two people were killed and eight others were wounded after a shooting erupted at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island on Saturday, as police launched a massive search for the suspect.

Authorities said the gunman, described as a male dressed in dark clothing, opened fire inside the Barus and Holley building, which houses the university’s School of Engineering and physics department. Engineering design final exams were underway at the time of the attack.

More than three hours after the shooting, officers continued searching campus buildings and surrounding areas. The suspect was last seen leaving the engineering building, according to Providence Police Deputy Chief Timothy O’Hara.

Providence Mayor Brett Smiley said a shelter in place order was issued for areas surrounding the campus, urging residents to remain indoors and avoid returning home until authorities lift the advisory.

The eight wounded victims were reported to be in critical but stable condition. Officials did not immediately confirm whether the victims were students.

University officials initially told students and staff that a suspect had been taken into custody but later clarified that police were still searching for a suspect. The mayor said a person briefly detained was later determined to have no involvement.

Providence City Councilmember John Goncalves, whose district includes the Brown campus, expressed shock and grief over the incident, urging residents to lock their doors and remain vigilant.

Students across campus described scenes of fear and confusion. Some hid under desks and turned off lights in nearby laboratories after receiving alerts about an active shooter. Others sought shelter in nearby businesses as heavily armed officers secured the area.

Brown University senior Alex Bruce said he was working in his dorm across the street when he heard sirens and received an emergency alert shortly after 4 p.m., adding that he feared for friends who may have been inside the building during the attack.

President Donald Trump said he had been briefed on the incident and offered prayers for the victims, calling the shooting a tragedy.

Providence police said the investigation remains ongoing and that authorities are still gathering information from the scene. The FBI is assisting local law enforcement.

Brown University is a private Ivy League institution with about 7,300 undergraduate students and more than 3,000 graduate students.

Two U.S. soldiers, interpreter killed in suspected Islamic State attack in Syria

Venus L Peñaflor
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Two U.S. soldiers, interpreter killed in suspected Islamic State attack in Syria

Two U.S. Army soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in Syria on Saturday in an attack suspected to have been carried out by Islamic State, the U.S. military said.

The assault targeted a convoy of American and Syrian forces in the central Syrian town of Palmyra. The attacker, described as a lone gunman, was later shot dead by partner forces, according to U.S. Central Command.

Three additional U.S. soldiers were wounded in the incident, Central Command said. The names of the fatalities are being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

A senior U.S. official said initial assessments indicate Islamic State was likely responsible, although the militant group did not immediately claim responsibility. The attack occurred in an area not controlled by the Syrian government.

Three local officials told Reuters the attacker was a member of the Syrian security forces. However, Syrian Interior Ministry spokesperson Noureddine el-Baba said the man did not hold a leadership position and was under evaluation for possible extremist views.

“Elaborations were issued on December 10 indicating that this attacker might hold extremist ideas, and a decision regarding him was due to be issued on Sunday,” el-Baba said in an interview with state-run Al-Ikhbariya television.

El-Baba added that Syrian authorities had warned of a possible Islamic State attack in the region but said coalition forces did not take the warnings into account. He said Syria would determine whether the attacker had direct links to Islamic State or merely adhered to its ideology.

U.S. President Donald Trump condemned the attack, calling it “terrible,” and vowed “very serious retaliation” in a post on his Truth Social platform, while mourning the loss of what he described as “three great patriots.”

Syrian state news agency SANA reported that two Syrian service personnel were also wounded. According to a security source, American helicopters evacuated the injured to a U.S. base in Syria’s Al-Tanf region near the Iraqi border.

U.S. Ambassador to Turkey and special envoy to Syria Tom Barrack condemned the attack and expressed condolences. He said the United States remains committed to defeating terrorism alongside its Syrian partners.

The attack came weeks after Syria announced a political cooperation agreement with the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State, coinciding with a visit by Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa to the White House.

The U.S.-led coalition has continued air strikes and ground operations against Islamic State in Syria in recent months, often in coordination with Syrian security forces. Last month, Syrian authorities said more than 70 people suspected of links to the group were arrested nationwide.

The United States has maintained troops in northeastern Syria for nearly a decade as part of efforts to support a Kurdish-led force and counter Islamic State.

Nadakip ng CIDG ang No. 1 Most Wanted Person sa CALABARZON dahil sa tatlong pagpatay sa Quezon

Arman B. Cambe
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Nadakip ng CIDG ang No. 1 Most Wanted Person sa CALABARZON dahil sa tatlong pagpatay sa Quezon

Candelaria, Quezon – Nadakip ng Criminal Investigation and Detection Group ang No. 1 Regional Most Wanted Person sa CALABARZON na hinihinalang sangkot sa tatlong magkakahiwalay na pagpatay sa lalawigan ng Quezon.

Isinagawa ang manhunt operation noong Disyembre 9, 2025 mula alas-5:30 ng umaga ng umaga sa Brgy. Masalukot II, Candelaria, Quezon ng CIDG Quezon Provincial Field Unit, katulong ang 82nd Special Action Company ng PNP SAF at mga territorial police units.

Ang suspek ay inaresto sa bisa ng mga Warrants of Arrest para sa dalawang kaso ng Murder at isang kaso ng Homicide na inisyu ng mga korte sa Lucena City, Quezon noong Hulyo 15, 2022, Enero 5, 2024, at Mayo 7, 2024.

Ayon sa ulat na ipinarating kay PMGEN Robert AA Morico II, Acting Director ng CIDG, ang inaresto na kinilalang si “Vic”, 64 anyos, may asawa, at residente ng Brgy. Masalukot II, Candelaria, Quezon, ay itinuturing na Number 1 Regional Most Wanted Person sa rehiyon kaugnay ng umano’y pagkakasangkot sa tatlong pagpatay.

Batay sa imbestigasyon, ang suspek ay pinaniniwalaang isang gun-for-hire na umano’y nag-ooperate sa lalawigan ng Quezon. Siya ay inakusahan sa tatlong hiwalay na pamamaril na naganap noong Setyembre 17, 2021 sa gabi, Nobyembre 3, 2022, kapwa sa Brgy. Masalukot II, Candelaria, at Hulyo 19, 2023 sa Brgy. Poblacion, Candelaria, na ikinasawi ng tatlong lalaking biktima.

Pinuri ng pamunuan ng CIDG si PLTCOL Ganaban C Ali, Regional Chief ng CIDG Regional Field Unit 4A, at ang CIDG Quezon Provincial Field Unit sa pamumuno ni PLTCOL Rix S Villareal sa matagumpay na pagdakip sa itinuturing na mapanganib na pugante.

Binigyang-diin ng CIDG ang patuloy at walang humpay nitong pagsisikap laban sa kriminalidad, kabilang ang pagtugis sa mga wanted person at paghahatid ng hustisya sa mga biktima.

Inaprubahan ni Marcos ang P7,000 gratuity pay para sa COS at JO workers sa gobyerno

Venus L Peñaflor
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Inaprubahan ni Marcos ang P7,000 gratuity pay para sa COS at JO workers sa gobyerno

MAYNILA – Inaprubahan ni Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ang pagbibigay ng one time gratuity pay na P7,000 para sa mga contract of service at job order workers sa pamahalaan.

Ayon sa Administrative Order No. 39 na nilagdaan noong Disyembre 11, 2025, ang gratuity pay ay para sa mga COS at JO workers na nakapagsilbi ng kabuuang hindi bababa sa apat na buwan hanggang Disyembre 15 at may umiiral pang kontrata hanggang sa nasabing petsa.

Ayon sa kautusan, ang pagbibigay ng year end gratuity pay ay pagkilala sa mahalagang ambag ng mga COS at JO workers sa pagpapatupad ng mga programa, aktibidad at proyekto ng gobyerno at sa paghahatid ng serbisyo publiko sa gitna ng kasalukuyang socio economic challenges.

Bagaman at tumatanggap ang COS at JO workers ng sahod na katumbas ng mga kawani sa pareho ding posisyon sa gobyerno, hindi sila saklaw ng mga benepisyong tinatamasa ng mga regular na empleyado gaya ng mid year at year end bonuses, performance based bonus at personnel economic relief allowance.

Maaari pa ring makatanggap ng gratuity pay ang mga empleyadong nakapagsilbi ng mas mababa sa apat na buwan, batay sa pro rata na batayan.

Ang mga may tatlo hanggang mas mababa sa apat na buwang serbisyo ay maaaring makatanggap ng hanggang P6,000. Ang mga may dalawang hanggang mas mababa sa tatlong buwan ay hanggang P5,000, habang ang mga may mas mababa sa dalawang buwang serbisyo ay hanggang P4,000.

Saklaw ng kautusan ang mga COS at JO workers sa national government agencies, state universities and colleges, government owned or controlled corporations at local water districts.

Ang gratuity pay ay dapat ilabas mula sa Disyembre 15.

Skydiver dangles at 15,000 feet after parachute catches on plane’s tail in Australia

Paraluman P. Funtanilla
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Skydiver dangles at 15,000 feet after parachute catches on plane’s tail in Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia, Dramatic images released by Australian accident investigators show a skydiver’s parachute becoming entangled on an airplane’s tail, leaving him dangling at 4,500 meters (15,000 feet).

The skydiver, Adrian Ferguson, used a hook knife to cut himself free and sustained minor leg injuries during the incident on September 20 at Tully Airport in Queensland. The pilot and 16 other parachutists on board the Cessna Caravan were unharmed.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau released the video along with its report on the investigation. The plane had reached the desired altitude for a 16-way formation jump, with a 17th parachutist at an open door ready to film the jump.

Ferguson’s reserve chute ripcord snagged on a wing flap as he exited the plane. The chute deployed and jerked Ferguson backward, knocking the camera operator from the plane and into free fall. Ferguson’s legs struck the tail’s horizontal stabilizer, leaving him suspended as the chute became tangled.

Using a knife, Ferguson cut 11 lines to free himself and fall from the plane with part of the torn chute. He then deployed his main parachute, which fully inflated despite being partially entangled, and landed safely.

Most of the other skydivers had already jumped. The pilot was left with two skydivers aboard while controlling the plane with part of the chute still caught on the tail. The pilot made a mayday call and prepared to bail out using an emergency chute, but Brisbane air traffic authorities determined the plane could be safely landed at Tully, which it did without incident.

“Carrying a hook knife, although not a regulatory requirement, could be lifesaving in the event of a premature reserve parachute deployment,” said bureau chief commissioner Angus Mitchell.

SRI na hanggang P20,000 para sa mga kawani ng gobyerno, inaprubahan ni PBBM

Carlo Juancho Funtanilla
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SRI na hanggang P20,000 para sa mga kawani ng gobyerno, inaprubahan ni PBBM

MAYNILA – Inaprubahan ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang pagbibigay ng Service Recognition Incentive o SRI sa mga empleyado ng gobyerno para sa 2025 bilang pagkilala sa kanilang patuloy na pagsisikap, katapatan, at ambag sa pagtamo ng mga layunin ng pambansang kaunlaran at sa socio-economic agenda ng administrasyon.

Sa ilalim ng Administrative Order No. 40 na may petsang Disyembre 11, inaprubahan ng Pangulo ang isang beses na SRI na hanggang P20,000 para sa mga kawani ng executive branch, kabilang ang mga sibilyang empleyado ng mga ahensya ng national government, state universities and colleges (SUCs), at government-owned or -controlled corporations (GOCCs), maging regular, kontraktuwal, o casual ang kanilang posisyon.

Kasama rin sa benepisyo ang mga personnel ng Armed Forces of the Philippines sa ilalim ng Department of National Defense, pati ang mga uniformed personnel ng Philippine National Police, Philippine Public Safety College, Bureau of Fire Protection, at Bureau of Jail Management and Penology sa ilalim ng Department of the Interior and Local Government. Kabilang din ang mga uniformed personnel ng Bureau of Corrections sa ilalim ng Department of Justice, Philippine Coast Guard sa ilalim ng Department of Transportation, at mga kawani ng National Mapping and Resource Information Authority sa ilalim ng Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Magsisimula ang pagpapalabas ng SRI sa lahat ng kwalipikadong kawani simula Disyembre 15. Ayon sa AO No. 40, kinikilala ng administrasyon ang kolektibo at napakahalagang kontribusyon ng mga empleyado sa pagtamo ng mga layunin, target, at deliverables ng Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 at ng 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda ng Pangulo.

Para sa mga ahensya ng national government, SUCs, at uniformed personnel, manggagaling ang pondo para sa SRI sa kanilang available na 2025 Personnel Services budget. Kung kulang ang pondo, maaaring gamitin ang Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses alinsunod sa patakaran sa badyet. Para sa GOCCs, kukunin ang SRI mula sa kanilang approved 2025 corporate operating budgets.

Ang mga empleyado ng Senado, Mababang Kapulungan, Hudikatura, Office of the Ombudsman, at iba pang constitutional offices na may fiscal autonomy ay maaari ring makatanggap ng SRI na hanggang P20,000 depende sa kanilang available na PS budget. Para sa mga lokal na pamahalaan, kabilang ang barangay, ang halaga at pagpapalabas ng SRI ay ibabatay sa kakayahang pinansyal at PS limits ng LGU. Ang mga empleyado ng Local Water Districts ay maaari ring makatanggap ng SRI na hanggang P20,000, na kukunin mula sa kanilang corporate operating budgets para sa 2025.

Kung kulang ang pondo ng isang ahensya, matatanggap pa rin ng mga kwalipikadong empleyado ang SRI ngunit sa mas mababa at pantay-pantay na halaga. Karapat-dapat makatanggap ang mga kawani na nasa regular, kontraktuwal, o casual na posisyon, nananatili sa serbisyo ng gobyerno hanggang Nobyembre 30, 2025, at nakaglipangkod nang hindi bababa sa apat na buwan. Ang mga nakapaglingkod nang mas mababa sa apat na buwan ay makatatanggap ng pro-rated SRI.

Hindi dapat makatanggap ang mga empleyado ng anumang karagdagang year-end benefit sa Fiscal Year 2025 bukod sa mga benepisyong pinahihintulutan sa ilalim ng Republic Act 6686, na inamyendahan ng RA 8441, upang maging karapat-dapat sa SRI.

Thai and Cambodian leaders agree to revive ceasefire after days of deadly clashes, Trump says

EDGARDO HERNAL
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Thai and Cambodian leaders agree to revive ceasefire after days of deadly clashes, Trump says

WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump said Thai and Cambodian leaders have agreed to renew a ceasefire after days of deadly clashes threatened to unravel a truce earlier brokered with support from the United States.

Trump announced the agreement in a social media post after separate calls with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet. He said both sides agreed to halt all shooting effective that evening and return to the original peace accord reached with his involvement and with the help of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.

There was no immediate official comment from Thailand or Cambodia following the announcement. Earlier, Anutin said that during his conversation with Trump he reiterated Thailand’s position that fighting would continue until Cambodia no longer poses a threat to Thai sovereignty.

Trump credited Ibrahim with playing a key role in persuading both sides to again commit to a ceasefire, calling the effort an important step in preventing a wider conflict.

The original ceasefire reached in July was mediated by Malaysia and reinforced by pressure from Trump, who warned of possible trade consequences if the two countries failed to agree. The arrangement was later formalized in October during a regional meeting in Malaysia attended by Trump.

Despite the agreement, tensions persisted, marked by a propaganda battle and intermittent cross border violence. The dispute stems from long standing territorial claims linked to a 1907 map produced during Cambodia’s period under French colonial rule, which Thailand disputes. Friction intensified after a 1962 International Court of Justice ruling awarded sovereignty over the contested area to Cambodia.

Thailand has deployed jet fighters to carry out airstrikes on what it says are military targets, while Cambodia has used BM-21 rocket launchers with a reported range of 30 to 40 kilometers. Data from public broadcaster ThaiPBS showed that at least six Thai soldiers killed in the clashes were struck by rocket shrapnel.

The Thai army said residential areas near the border were damaged by rocket fire from Cambodian forces. It also reported destroying a tall crane on a hilltop at the site of the Preah Vihear temple, alleging it was used for military command and control.

Trump has repeatedly claimed credit for helping resolve several international conflicts since returning to office in January, including the Thailand Cambodia dispute. He has said he remains confident in his ability to restore ceasefires when violence flares.

Other ceasefires Trump has cited as successes remain under strain, including an agreement between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. Meanwhile, his proposed framework to end the Israel Hamas war in Gaza has yet to be finalized, with sporadic fighting continuing as negotiations remain ongoing.

VP Sara iimbestigahan sa alegasyon sa POGO at droga

Venus L Peñaflor
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VP Sara iimbestigahan sa alegasyon sa POGO at droga

MAYNILA – Pinaiimbestigahan sa Kamara de Representantes at sa Office of the Ombudsman ang mga alegasyon laban kay Vice President Sara Duterte na umano’y pinondohan ng Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators o POGO at drug money ang kanyang kampanya noong 2022 elections.

Ang panawagan ay bunsod ng sinumpaang salaysay ng dating aide ni Duterte na si Ramil Lagunoy Madriaga. Ayon kay Manila Rep. Benny Abante, seryoso ang mga paratang kaya kinakailangang masusing siyasatin upang matukoy kung may katotohanan ang mga ito.

Sinabi ni Abante na ang pagtanggap ng campaign contributions mula sa POGO at drug dealers ay iligal kung mapapatunayan. Aniya, may implikasyon din ito sa pambansang seguridad dahil iniuugnay ang POGO sa China. Kailangang malinawan kung tumanggap ng pera si VP Duterte mula sa mga POGO at drug syndicate.

Batay sa affidavit ni Madriaga, siya ang nag-organisa ng Inday Sara Duterte Is My President o ISIP movement kasama ang ilang kaklase sa San Sebastian College of Law kung saan siya nagtapos. Si Duterte ay alkalde pa ng Davao City nang buuin ang naturang grupo.

Ayon pa kay Madriaga, ang pondo para sa ISIP Pilipinas national campaign mula 2021 hanggang 2022, pati na ang iba pang kaugnay na grupo, ay nagmula umano sa mga POGO operator at drug dealers.

Matapos manalo si Duterte bilang Vice President, inatasan umano si Madriaga na tumulong sa pagtatatag ng Vice Presidential Security and Protection Group o VPSPG.

Ikinuwento rin ni Madriaga na personal niyang dinadala ang pera sa isang comedy bar sa Timog area. Aniya, nakita niya roon ang dating Office of the Vice President spokesman na si Reynold Munsayac, na kaklase rin umano ni Duterte, at inutusang dalhin ang bag sa itaas at iwan sa opisina. May mga pagkakataon din umano na nag-iwan siya ng duffle bag na may pera sa parking area ng Ombudsman, sa isang mall, at sa isang bahay sa Novaliches.

Giit ni Abante, mahalagang makakuha ng mga dokumento ang magsasagawa ng imbestigasyon at ihambing ang mga ito sa timelines at lugar na binanggit sa affidavit sa isang bukas na pagdinig upang masuri ng publiko at matimbang ang mga pagtanggi ng mga nabanggit na indibidwal.

Dagdag pa niya, may mandato ang Ombudsman na magsagawa ng parallel fact-finding kaugnay ng posibleng misuse of public office at korapsyon. Samantala, ang mga pagdinig sa Kongreso ay maaaring maglantad ng mga kakulangan sa polisiya sa campaign finance, anti-money laundering coverage, at security protocols na kailangang higpitan.

Itinanggi ni Munsayac ang mga alegasyon. Sa ngayon, wala pang pahayag si Vice President Duterte kaugnay ng sinumpaang salaysay ni Madriaga.

Ipinagbawal ng PH ang Taiwan pork imports dahil sa ASF

Venus L Peñaflor
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Ipinagbawal ng PH ang Taiwan pork imports dahil sa ASF

MAYNILA – Pansamantalang ipinagbawal ang importasyon ng live pigs, pork meat, pig skin, at iba pang pork-based products mula Taiwan matapos kumpirmahin ang outbreak ng African swine fever (ASF) sa naturang bansa.

Ayon kay Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., mahalaga ang hakbang na ito upang protektahan ang multibillion-peso hog industry sa bansa mula sa nakahahawang sakit.

Iniutos ni Tiu Laurel ang agarang suspensyon ng lahat ng imports mula Taiwan, kabilang ang semen para sa artificial insemination. Ang utos ay epektibo kaagad at mananatiling ipinatutupad hanggang sa opisyal na itaas ito.

“Kailangan tayong maging maingat sa pagpigil sa pagpasok ng ASF upang maprotektahan ang trabaho at investments sa swine industry, at matiyak ang food security at kalusugan ng mga consumer,” ani Tiu Laurel, binigyang-diin ang posibleng epekto sa ekonomiya kung muling makapasok at kumalat ang ASF sa lokal na mga farm.

Iniulat ng Taiwan’s veterinary authorities sa World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) noong Oktubre 25 ang ASF outbreak sa domesticated pigs sa Taichung City. Pinatunayan ng laboratory tests ng Veterinary Research Institute ang impeksyon.

Ayon sa DA, ang aksyon ng bansa ay sumusunod sa WOAH Terrestrial Animal Health Code, na naglalatag ng international guidelines sa ASF prevention at control.

Sa ilalim ng kautusan, awtomatikong nirevoke ang lahat ng dating ibinigay na sanitary at phytosanitary import clearances para sa mga apektadong commodities mula Taiwan. Pansamantalang ipinagbabawal din ang aplikasyon para sa bagong clearances. Inutusan din ang mga veterinary quarantine officers sa lahat ng ports na i-intercept at kumpiskahin ang anumang ipinagbabawal na padala.

Ang mabilis na hakbang ay isinagawa habang patuloy na minamanage ng gobyerno ang mga localized ASF outbreaks sa bansa, na nagdulot ng malalaking pagkalugi sa mga hog raisers at nag-ambag sa mas mataas na presyo ng pork.

Binigyang-diin ng mga opisyal ng agrikultura na ang pagpigil sa pagpasok ng bagong ASF strains ang susi sa pagpapanatili ng stable na hog production at muling pagpapatibay ng kumpiyansa ng mga investor.

Inaasahan na susuportahan ng mga industry groups ang pansamantalang ban, na itinuturing nilang kinakailangang hakbang para maprotektahan ang mga producer at consumer. Kasabay nito, pinapalakas ng mga DA field offices ang biosecurity measures at mino-monitor ang developments sa animal health sa rehiyon upang matiyak ang seguridad ng lokal na pork supply.

U.S. bombers join Japanese jets in show of force after China-Russia drills

EDGARDO HERNAL
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U.S. bombers join Japanese jets in show of force after China-Russia drills

TOKYO/WASHINGTON – U.S. nuclear-capable bombers flew over the Sea of Japan on Wednesday alongside Japanese fighter jets, Tokyo said, in a demonstration of military readiness following Chinese and Russian exercises near Japan and South Korea.

Japan’s Defense Ministry said the joint flight “reaffirmed their strong resolve to prevent any unilateral attempt to change the status quo by force” and confirmed the readiness posture of both Japanese Self-Defense Forces and U.S. forces.

The operation involved two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers, three Japanese F-35 stealth fighters, and three F-15 air-superiority jets. It marked the first public display of U.S. military presence in the region since China began large-scale drills last week, amid heightened tensions between Tokyo and Beijing.

A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the bomber flights were pre-planned before the Chinese-Russian drills, noting that similar joint sorties, including U.S. B-1B bombers, occurred last month.

At the White House, spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt emphasized that President Donald Trump maintains both a “good working relationship” with China and a “very strong alliance” with Japan. “Japan is a great ally of the United States, as evidenced by our trade relations and personal ties. President Xi and the U.S. also maintain a good working relationship, which benefits our country,” she said.

The U.S. flights follow a joint mission of Chinese and Russian strategic bombers over the East China Sea and western Pacific on Tuesday, as well as separate Chinese aircraft carrier exercises that prompted Japan to scramble jets after radar targeting, according to Tokyo. The State Department criticized China’s actions as “not conducive to regional peace and stability,” while reaffirming U.S. support for Japan.

Tensions escalated last month when Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi warned that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a military response from Tokyo. Taiwan lies just over 100 kilometers from Japanese territory and is surrounded by crucial sea lanes. China denied targeting Japanese jets and called Tokyo’s reaction unnecessary.

Japan’s Chief of Staff, Joint Staff General Hiroaki Uchikura, said the Chinese-Russian bomber flight was “a grave concern from the standpoint of Japan’s security.” Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi also discussed the situation with NATO Chief Mark Rutte by phone.

The Pentagon confirmed that U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke with Koizumi on Thursday, reviewing China’s military activity, Japan’s defense spending, and upcoming training exercises across the country, including the Southwest Islands.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said the drills were part of an annual cooperation plan to demonstrate determination to “safeguard regional peace and stability” and criticized Japan for overreacting.

South Korea’s military also scrambled jets after Chinese and Russian aircraft entered its air defense identification zone on Tuesday, which extends beyond national airspace for early warning purposes.

Meanwhile, Taiwan reported a continued increase in Chinese military presence for a second consecutive day, detecting 27 aircraft, including nuclear-capable H-6K bombers, conducting “joint combat readiness patrols,” alongside warships near the island.

The developments underscore rising military tensions in East Asia, with U.S., Japanese, and South Korean forces monitoring Chinese and Russian activities closely.

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