Oman Proposes Strait of Hormuz Plan as U.S., Iran Remain Divided Over Shipping Fees 
Trump Administration to Ban Chinese Robots, Power Inverters Over AI Security Concerns 
New Jewish-Arab Party Seeks Young Voters Ahead of Israel Election Amid Debate Over Arab Vote 
UN Warns of Rising Israeli Settler Violence in West Bank as Palestinian Death Toll Grows 
US Customs Inspects China-Linked Factories in Vietnam Amid Trade Compliance Review 
China Vows Retaliation Over U.S. Ban on Chinese Robots, Power Inverters 
Taiwan to Test Wartime Weapons Production in Han Kuang Military Drills 
West Bank Tensions Escalate as Palestinian Village Faces Settler Violence and Military Raids 
US Walks Out of UN Security Council as France Criticizes Washington 
AI Avatar of Jair Bolsonaro Sparks Legal Battle Ahead of Brazil’s 2026 Presidential Election 
U.S. Launches Air Strikes on Iran After Alleged Missile Attack on American Forces 
Lebanon Lawyers Seek Probe Into Banker Over Alleged Netanyahu Dinner in Washington 
Ukraine Drones Strike Russian Oil Refineries, Wildberries Warehouses as Cross-Border Attacks Escalate 
Oman Proposes Strait of Hormuz Plan as U.S. Rejects Iran Shipping Fee Idea 
Russian Officials Say Ukrainian Drone Attacks Kill 3 in Belgorod, Injure 19 on Bus 
Zelenskiy Urges Trump for More Anti-Ballistic Missile Systems to Strengthen Ukraine Defense 
The Philippines this week announced the four additional military bases that the United States would be given access to. The additional military bases are in line with a defense agreement between Manila and Washington that advances the alliance between the two countries.
On Monday, the Philippines identified the four additional military bases in line with the expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which grants US access to military bases for joint training, pre-positioning of equipment, and the building of facilities. The sites announced on Monday are the Carillo Osias navy base in Sta. Ana and Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan province, Camp Melchor Dela Crus in Gamu, Isabela, and the island of Balabac off of Palawan.
The locations of the sites are significant as Cagayan faces north towards the island nation of Taiwan, and Palawan is close to the disputed Spratly Islands in the widely contested South China Sea, which China claims control over the majority of the waterway and built artificial islands with runways and missile systems. Neighboring countries, including the Philippines, have overlapping claims to the body of water.
Philippine defense chief Carlito Galvez said the sites are “very strategic” and stressed the responsibility the Philippines has to the international community in the South China Sea.
“That’s a trade route…where more or less $3 trillion trade passes,” said Galvez. “Our responsibility to collectively secure that is huge.”
The office of Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the four sites should “boost the disaster response” and help in humanitarian and relief operations, with the defense of the east coast also taken into consideration. Marcos Jr. announced the decision to expand US access under the agreement back in February.
Washington has committed over $80 million worth of infrastructure in the existing five bases it has access to – the Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan, Basa Air Base in Pampanga, Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija, Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu, and Lumbia Air Base in Mindanao.
On Tuesday, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said China has expressed concerns about the energy activities of Malaysian energy firm Petronas in the disputed waters and stressed that the projects are within its territory. This follows Anwar’s comments that leave the door open for negotiations with Beijing this week amidst pressure on the country’s energy operations in the South China Sea.
