US & Philippines Kick Off Largest Ever Joint Drills On 'China's Doorstep' Tensions are soaring in waters off China as the US and its close regional ally the Philippines launched expansive joint war drills Monday, not far from hotly disputed maritime areas. At over 16,000 troops, the exercises called the "Balikatan" drills (or "shoulder to shoulder") mark the largest ever conducted between the two allies. "The 2024 iteration is not only the largest but the most complex," Newsweek... Read this story
