Author: Clayton Richardson

MANILA, Philippines — China’s foreign ministry said the Philippines’ Mutual Defense Pact with the United States had no bearing on Beijing’s resolve to protect its rights in the South China Sea after a Feb. 6 laser “attack” by a Chinese coast guard ship on a Philippine patrol vessel ignited a diplomatic furor. In Beijing, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin reiterated his government’s stance that the 2016 arbitral ruling which invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea was “illegal, null and void.” “We would also like to point out that the South China Sea arbitration case brought…

Over 4,400 flights have been cancelled over a two-day period as a powerful winter storm hits the United States, coinciding with the start of a holiday season that some predict could be the busiest ever. More than 2,350 US flights had been cancelled on Thursday (Dec 22) and another 2,120 flights for Friday were scrapped, according to flight tracking website FlightAware, while passenger railroad Amtrak cancelled dozens of trains through Christmas, disrupting holiday travel for tens of thousands. Another 8,450 flights were delayed on Thursday – including more than one-third of those operated by American Airlines, United Airlines, and Southwest…