South
Australia's prime minister voices concerns over South China Sea disputes at Southeast Asian summit
- Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he is concerned by “unsafe and destabilizing behavior” in the South China Sea.
- Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels collided on Tuesday near a disputed shoal, leaving four crew members injured.
- Albanese’s remarks came as his country wrapped up a three-day summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Australia’s prime minister expressed concerns Wednesday over “unsafe and destabilizing behavior” in the South China Sea, citing the collision between Chinese and Philippine ships the previous day.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s remarks came as his country wrapped up a three-day summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that failed to explicitly call China out over a series of incidents in the disputed waters.
Instead, ASEAN leaders urged for disputes to be resolved through dialogue rather than threats, a day after Chinese and Philippine coast guard vessels collided near a disputed shoal in the South China Sea and four Filipino crew members were injured in the confrontations.
AUSTRALIA AND LAOS ELEVATE BILATERAL RELATIONS AT SOUTHEAST ASIAN SUMMIT
Chinese and Philippines officials traded blame for the incident. The disputed area has been site of several tense skirmishes between Chinese and Philippine coast guard ships last year.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at a joint press conference with the Prime Minister of Lao, Sonexay Siphandone, at the conclusion of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit on March 6, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)
Albanese, who co-chaired the summit with Laos Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, said Tuesday’s clash was concerning for Australia.
“It is dangerous and it creates risks of miscalculation, which can then lead to escalation,” he said.
Australia had backed the Philippines’ push to have the ASEAN declaration adopted at the end of summit cite a 2016 arbitration ruling in The Hague, Netherlands, that invalidated Beijing’s vast territorial claims in the South China Sea, which conflict with the claims of several ASEAN states. China did not accept the ruling.
The Melbourne Declaration, released late Wednesday, did not mention the 2016 ruling. The summit was held in the Australian city to mark 50 years since Australia became the first external ASEAN partner.
The declaration called for peaceful resolution of disputes through legal and diplomatic processes “without resorting to the threat or use of force” in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“We encourage all countries to avoid any unilateral actions that endanger peace, security and stability in the region,” it said.
Albanese said compromises had to made to find words that ASEAN leaders at the summit could agree on.
“There is a general recognition that we need to make sure that activity in the South China Sea alleviates any tension and doesn’t add to it,” Albanese said.
Deakin University Southeast Asia expert Damien Kingsbury said the declaration’s failure to explicitly mention China was a nod to countries that are close to Beijing — Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar — and also to Malaysia’s more conciliatory approach to the Chinese.
It’s “a veiled criticism of China, which is about as strong as consensus would allow,” Kingsbury said.
Leaders agreed at an ASEAN summit in Indonesia last September to accelerate a negotiation process with China with a goal of finalizing a South China Sea code of conduct within three years. Such a code would aim to prevent risky and provocative behavior.
That summit was joined by Vice President Kamala Harris, Chinese Prime Minister Li Qiang and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, the longest serving ASEAN leader after Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, said on Tuesday that finalizing that code would take some time with difficult issues relating yet to be resolved.
PHILIPPINES PRESIDENT AFFIRMS DEFENSE AGAINST CHINA IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA TERRITORY
The ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Burma, an ASEAN state where a military junta seized control in 2021, have also loomed over the summit, with the declaration saying the leaders “strongly condemn the continued acts of violence.”
Burma was officially excluded from the Melbourne gathering. However, neither the Australian government nor the Burma Embassy in Australia would comment on reports that Burma was still represented at the summit by Australia-based diplomat Thet Tun.
Around 200 protesters had demonstrated outside the summit on Monday against any Burma representative being present.
East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão also attended the summit as an official observer after ASEAN agreed in principle to admit Asia’s newest country.
Switchman Hall has opened in Peoplestown, a neighborhood that could be the next frontier of development.
Terminal South, a mixed-use development in Peoplestown that opened earlier this year, includes retail businesses and a food hall called Switchman Hall. Switchman Hall was supposed to open in 2024 but kept getting pushed back as vendors struggled with delays with permitting and the time it takes to build restaurant infrastructure from scratch, an official with the developer said. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
When Olga Alvarez’s 70-year-old uncle came to visit her new food stall, Staxx, at the Terminal South development in Peoplestown, he recognized the building. Or at least, he recognized what it had been.
The collection of buildings at 1161 Ridge Ave. SW have been around for more than 80 years, according to property records. When developer Stafford closed on the property around 2023, it was being used for warehouse storage, said Melissa Ahrendt, executive director of real estate at Stafford.
dluow nrut ot eht taht was liater laitnetop esu-dexim tol otni esuoh ,llah doof tnempoleved sessenisub dna a a lanimreT namhctiwS ,htuoS .llaH tdnerhA
raey tahw tisnart ot hguorht siht siht eht eht eht eht taht ,remmus pots tes dipar denepo eno no no fo fo ,doohrobhgien doohrobhgien elim rojam enil s’ti ti si ni morf gnimochtrof tsrif reilrae detubed psuc sessorc dluoc detelpmoc .egnahc eb eb dna dna tuoba a a .liarT liarT lanimreT edishtuoS edishtuoS htuoS tnemgeS nwotselpoeP s’ATRAM s’tI s’eniltleB s’eniltleB atnaltA atnaltA lirpA 2 .81
ot eht eht desiop denepo fo fo .doohrobhgien erom sti ti sah egde srood detcennoc retnec eb ta ta ,lla a lanimreT htuoS ,nwotselpoeP dimA
Mixed-use development Terminal South opened in Peoplestown this year with a food hall, Switchman Hall. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
A long road to opening
htiw ohw saw sesuoheraw ot ot meht eht eht eht eht taht gnihtemos tnediser denwo revo .tuo no gnikool denrael rof evord od elpuoc kcehc ,sgnidliub nehW egdiR kraP tnarG eunevA tdnerhA
dluow htiw t’nsaw ot ot eht taht ,egarots dekcats tsaehtuos ehs ehs was dias modnar tcejorp ylralucitrap ytinutroppo erom evisserpmi rof roolf ,tsrif gniliec gnidliub gnirb ta na seitinema a .atnaltA hguohtlA
tahW“ ew ew ew ,saw ”,nwot ot eht edis ehs secivres evres tnemges was dias ,liater yllaer ruo ruo fo fo weivretni ni evah evah evah ,llah doof hguone hguone t’nod t’nod t’nod ta na a namhctiwS I .llaH ,eniltleB
,sraey dekrow eht derohcna-erots gnippohs ,dias seitreporp tcejorp no fo reven ti nwotni ni ni .llah t’ndah dah yrecorg doof s’ynapmoc .sretnec tliub erofeb era dna dna na a lanimreT droffatS ,htuoS htuoS tsoM aigroeG ,adirolF aniloraC erofeB atnaltA tdnerhA
,sraey erew saw ,snoisrev rieht eht eht eht sseccus lareves tcejorp secalp nwo denepo fo ortem ekil tsal deripsni ni evah sllah doof ytic sretnec yb .gnimoob dnuora decnuonna dna nehW namhctiwS teertS ecnoP .tekraM tekraM gorK nI llaH ytiC atnaltA ,3202
sraey htiw saw eerht eht eht seihtooms .sehciwdnas tnaruatser ylteiuq denepo gnireffo fo ni llah doof tubed ,slwob ,decnuonna dna retfa iaca a namhctiwS ,xxatS ylraeN llaH rebmeceD
htiw rodnev ot esoht eht eht taht llits sllats sllats sllats s’ehs nees dias ,tnaruatser evitatneserper ,ylraluger sulp tuo nepo fo enin tfel .desael ,desael gnidulcni reh sah llah morf rof doof evif ,dellif demrifnoc eb ,rab era a lanimreT .xxatS htuoS fO zeravlA A 81 31 31
Atlanta native Olga Alvarez has opened Staxx in Switchman Hall with smoothies and toasts. (Courtesy)
sraey nehw saw eht naht was .dezingocer ytinutroppo ytinutroppo fo doohrobhgien erom ni ni emoh eh eh llah rednuof doof tsrif ,tcaf thguob na osla ,oga a nwoT ehT .nwotselpoeP selpoeP nI ,eeffoC ,zciwoilbiB ydnA 01
saw detnaw ot siht yeht yeht ocat os tcejorp snalp ,rentrap etapicitrap atiragram wenk ,ni sih draeh eh rof depoleved .tpecnoc ssenisub dna dna tuoba a a nehW eT ,socaT namhctiwS s’droffatS oreiuQ ,zereP siuL ,llaH zciwoilbiB
htiw ot ot eht eht dengis dengis dnoces ,tnaruatser snalp nepo no esael ni ni ni ni rof .tnempoleved gnidliub dna dna dna na tnecajda dda a lanimreT eT htuoS oreiuQ azziP azziP zereP yluJ eH sdooG sdooG netulG ,eerF leeF leeF zciwoilbiB 4202 ,3202
hcihw t’nerew t’nsaw saw saw rednu ,emit eht eht eht stnanet llits ecnis emas dias gninepo fo ynam desael ti weivretni gnidulcni ni eh llah ylluf doof gnileef .noitcurtsnoc denrecnoc emoc ta dna na tuoba eT ,socaT oreiuQ ,yraunaJ tuB zciwoilbiB
In this photo from February, Andy Bibliowicz’s concept Te Quiero Tacos is on the left, but it will no longer open in the food hall. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
dekrow htiw htiw hcihw srodnev koot ot ,emit yeht rieht eht eht stnanet emos gnittimrep nwo rof decneirepxe syaled srotcartnoc noitcurtsnoc .seinapmoc detubirtta sa dna dna lla tuo-dliuB tdnerhA
,raey lliw erew owt ot siht tes tnaruatser nepo nepo on regnol ni ni ni demrifnoc stpecnoc tub dna dna lanimreT eT socaT namhctiwS .htuoS oreiuQ azziP ,hcraM llaH sdooG leeF s’zciwoilbiB zciwoilbiB tdnerhA
,sraey hcihw eciwt ot .semit eerht esoht meht eht eht eht detanimret lareves dias gnisael-er ssecorp gnicalp tsap revo elpitlum del sesael desael ni ni ,llah dah ylluf doof dnapxe ylrae ,noitcurtsnoc tub sessenisub nageb erofeb neeb kcab namhctiwS namhctiwS llaH llaH tdnerhA ,5202
htiw hcihw llew ot ot eseht eht tnanet ,secaps ecnis noitareneg-dnoces gnisir stnaruatser gnitsixeerp fo fo evom tsom ynam robal si otni .dellatsni morf rof doof doof snoitautculf tnempiuqe tnemnorivne ytluciffid ,stsoc gnitepmoc repaehc gnignellahc egareveb detubirtta sa sa era dna dna ydaerla a ehS
eht maet sllats tnaruatser gninepo erom gnidulcni ni evah morf rof yretae tpecnoc ,ssenisub dniheb neeb dna a ,semiT .akdaT namhctiwS ecniS gninosaeS tcefreP alasaM naciamaJ naidnI llaH iseD ,rebmeceD
Ali Lemma (right, standing), owner and chef at Ruki’s Kitchen, serves food at Terminal South on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Atlanta. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
dluow saw detnaw ot ot eht eht ehs ralupop secalp rehto gninepo no fo fo fo wen .ybraen kcal detseretni ni depoh tae ward tnempoleved cihpargomed .sremotsuc gniredisnoc renwo-oc esuaceb eb ta osla a a ,smailliW namhctiwS ehS ,gninosaeS tcefreP llaH ahsilaD
sraey saw gnitiaw dlot ot eerht eht eht eht taht emos ecnis ehs ehs ,nepo fo ,deipucco ti t’nsi llah dah ylluf rof doof .deid denrecnoc zzub dna retfa tuB CJA
s’erehT“ ot ,ereht eht s’taht llits secaps os ehs .dias fo ton tol ti ni llah doof ytpme dluoc gnisuac ”,eb eb sa sa evitca a
htiw rediw tuonrut ot eht eht eht taht naht ecnis ehs ehs ehs ehs nees gniees dias ,tluser yltnecer denepo eno hcum doof-orcim gnitekram rewol noitacol si ni ni reh t’nsah sah ,llah dah ecneirepxe .detcepxe ytinummoc ,desolc ta sa sa dnuora ,dna dna a a ,skroW skroW namhctiwS gninosaeS tcefreP .eirehcaeP s’nwotdiM llaH dooF dooF derapmoC eehcoohattahC eehcoohattahC
emoS“ gniklaw ot ot hguorht yeht ”,ereht ereht eht eht os ehs .dias yap srotarepo eno fo on tsuj tsuj si evah evah gnitteg sdnuf doof seeyolpme t’nod degaruocsid seidob esuaceb era
lliw ohw sdnekeew pu ciffart hguorht skniht s’ereht eht taht taht laicos ecnis egangis ehs ehs ,dias dias detsop gnikcip ,gninepo ecno fo erom ,aidem s’ti ti reh reh reh evah sah ,llah rof toof doof dnif sremotsuc emoc tub .reisub .reisub neeb neeb emoceb dnuora dna a ynaM zeravlA
lanimreT“ fI“ htiw siht neht eht eht syats ees .dias llarevo ecin ”,dedeen detekram si llah rof doof ,gnihtyreve ydobyreve yltcerroc tnetsisnoc ”.ytinummoc nac gnieb tessa dna dna a htuoS I zeravlA
Will a rising tide raise all ships?
htiw ot eht ksat .doohrobhgien dah gnipoleved gnitcennoc rehtona :hsilpmocca lanimreT ,htuoS nwotselpoeP sediseB tdnerhA
dluow saw detnaw egaw eht eht eht eht eht taht dias stnediser tnediserp yap fo fo ton doohrobhgien erom emitgnol emitgnol elbavil sboj detaroprocni ni ni ni .llah doof ,tsrif enoyreve citatsce ytinummoc eettimmoc ,aera aera dna .tsivitca tuoba a a a ,draW ehT noitazilativeR nwotselpoeP nwotselpoeP ,.proC submuloC tA ,1991
dluow htiw eht dnuos dias enohp ynam ekil ,sboj ti ni eh llah doof t’ndid llac gnirb a .CJA A
t’nsaw saw dlot ot ot yeht meht eht eht eht taht taht ehs ehs dias nruter .citsilaer on sgniteem regnol sboj lairtsudni depoh reh puorg rof denialpxe ,ytinummoc ytinummoc .esac dednetta derussa dna nehW tdnerhA
dluow dluow dluow gnikrow htiw ot ot ot neht rieht eht eht taht tnanet stneduts llits ehs pihsralohcs selas ,dias gniriuqer noitrop fo desab-sdeen .hctam ,sboj ni etaidemmi llah rof doof hcae etubirtnoc ytinummoc ytinummoc dettimmoc yb gnirb eb dna a a droffatS droffatS A
lliw ot ot eht taht troppus ,stneduts spihsralohcs .dias gnimmargorp tiforpnon doohrobhgien lacol sdik sboj otni ni ,erutuf gnidnif gnidliub gnirb eb kcab dna dna smia gniretsinimda a a nwotselpoeP maerD ,sredliuB tdnerhA
”,srodassabma“ elihw ot ot eht eht eht ytiruces ytiruces citobor ytreporp snalp dellortap lortap edistuo fo fo si edisni erih sah ,sdraug yllaitnesse .sgod yb osla lanimreT droffatS htuoS
Terminal South has said it will staff its security and janitorial crew with employees from the neighborhood. (Hyosub Shin/AJC)
gnikrow htiw htiw .pu ciffart ot ot ev’yeht eht eht ffats dias snalp skcip elpoep erom lairotinaj si derih toof evif .werc ta sa dna srodassabma dda tuoba lanimreT droffatS htuoS maerD sredliuB tdnerhA
os“ gnikrow htiw htiw tahw tahw saw pu siht siht eht eht eht eht ecaps ecaps .dias dias pihsrentrap fo fo wenk wenk sti ni esuoh lufepoh eh eh eh dah werg rednuof dne dluoc .ytinummoc tub ,kcolb nageb ,neeb ”,eb ta dna osla tuoba a nehW lanimreT htuoS ,nosnhoJ yaJ I I eH maerD llerraD ,sredliuB tdnerhA
esu ot ot thguoht eht eht eht .snur stnaruatser ,tcejorp ecudorp elbissop ,seitinutroppo etunim thgim sboj yletaidemmi woh draeh eh eh nedrag morf neve pihsruenerpertne nwod ytinummoc eb dna tuoba tuoba elba ehT nosnhoJ
tI“ tuB“ dluow tahw tahw t’nsaw saw ”,detnaw su gniyrt ot kniht eht eht eht eht ehs .dias reffo ”.doohrobhgien doohrobhgien doohrobhgien aedi ylluf rof deredisnoc ytinummoc stifeneb esuaceb eb detpecca draW I
elihw ,setadpu ereht eht taht emos laicos dias stnediser deviecer mroftalp ,nepo .no no ,redlo fo swen doohrobhgien ,aidem ynam ycagel s’ti s’ti sih t’nsah sah puorg neeb t’nera dna a draW woN
dluow nehw ,keew tnaw pirt deirt .ot ot ot ot skniht yeht ereht eht eht eht troppus emos sroines gniludehcs stnediser gninnalp ecno srobhgien erom erom sgniteem wenk ti ni fi flesmih s’eh pleh ,llah rof doof dleif neve gnitae nac yb sessenisub gnirb ssenerawa ta .aera dna droffa tuoba tuoba a a draW lanimreT ,htuoS s’eH
eht eht eht eht detrats ecaps ralimis deusrup sesahp ,shtap rehto gninepo sdoohrobhgien esu-dexim ekil ni ni ni ni ni evah llah rof doof evisnapxe tnempoleved dna dna deriuqca etihW tseW srentraP HDM eeL .dnE stnempoleveD .oC atnaltA namrekcA .3202 ,9102 + ;pma&
eW“ sihT‘ htiw tahw tahw er’ew detnaw koot ot ot ot ot yeht meht meht llet dias liater tnediserp ralucitrap fo ton doohrobhgien teem netsil si spuorg gniog ”’,od tnereffid erac ta sa dna dna ,reneiW oeL .oC namrekcA ;pma&
parw htiw hcihw tahw erew srodnev gnisu ot ot yeht .sevlesmeht meht eht eht eht emos emos dias sksir tnaruatser detseuqer elbissop ylgnimlehwrevo tuo ,snoitpo srotarepo srotarepo fo srobhgien tinuitlum .xim ynam lacol del si edulcni ni yhtlaeh dah laog rof emit-tsrif gnidliub lwob ecnalab sa sa dna dna osla a reneiW ,etihW nehW eeL otsuG .oC namrekcA + ;pma&
s’tI“ dooF“ ”.sraey nrut ot rieht dnet llits sllats .dias ”,ksir revo fo eguh eh sllah yreve elpuoc a %02-01
,raey hcihw srotisiv ot eht eht eht ,setis was ,dias liater tnaruatser ,ytreporp rehto seciffo noillim sedulcni eh .tnempoleved stpecnoc yrewerb ta dna dna tuoba etihW eeL tsaL 1 +
sdnekeew .detnaw yteirav .ciffart ot ot yeht meht eht eht eht taht sseccus os ytnelp no sgnireffo ffo fo fo fo detacol gninetsil ni ni depleh gnivah sah toof doof raf ,sgnineve sdworc ytinummoc lartnec sgnirb gnignirb gnieb rab setubirtta tcartta dna dna dna a a etihW eeL eH eniltleB ,oslA +
— htlaew gniklaw .segaw nrut ot rieht eht eht taht sseccus dias stnediser yap snoitpo seitinutroppo no fo srobhgien doohrobhgien detacol elbavil detsevni otni gnimocni ni ni ni woh ,semoh sih s’eh eh morf doof desucof tnemyolpme ecnatsid tnempoleved ylpeed noitaerc era etaicerppa dna lla evoba elihW draW .nwotselpoeP
eW“ dnA“ krow ohw tnaw tnaw ot ot siht yeht yeht eht gnihtemos gnihtemos ees .dias elpoep fo evol tol ekil ni tog rof degagne ”,od od ytinummoc ytinummoc erac ”.retteb retteb dna dna osla a draW I
ot emit eht eht eht taht tnanet ekat emos dias ,stnediser desimorp tuo xim yam swonk sboj sti eh llah steg rof doof .reisub sdliub sa dna nwotselpoeP nosnhoJ sA
doog“ ohw ot eht eht eht eht ”drawets laicos dias sesimorp dnuoforp rehto seitinutroppo ylno eno no sevom naem ti si otni ni ni mih reh evah sah cimonoce ssucsid srepoleved dereviled .ytinummoc .segnahc nac tub neeb ,aera ,aera dehcaorppa dna dna na a nehW nosnhoJ eniltleB tdnerhA
stnaw ot eht eht eht erus dias stnediser fo doohrobhgien ekam ,sevol ycagel lufepoh s’eh eh eh eh erutuf .nettogrof t’nera tuoba elihW
eW“ yllufepoH“ siht‘ taht‘ htiw ew su ”,euqinu eht eht eht ’teerts ’.teerts edis edis .dias esir ssap ,revo ro fo fo on doohrobhgien ”.ti si t’nod tnempoleved era dna lla yllautca sihT s’erehT .nwotselpoeP nosnhoJ
Olivia Wakim is a digital content producer on the food and dining team. She joined the AJC as an intern in 2023 after graduating from the University of Georgia with a journalism degree. While in school, she reported for The Red & Black, Grady Newsource and the Marietta Daily Journal.
Two Augusta-area Walmarts are among 13 Georgia locations that the retail giant plans to remodel and modernize in 2026.
In the past five years, the company said it has spent $961.5 million to upgrade its stores statewide.
Now, the company plans to change store layouts and services in its Augusta and Grovetown locations to make shopping faster and more convenient.
The locations are the Augusta Walmart Supercenter at 3338 Wrightsboro Road, near Augusta Mall, and the Grovetown Walmart Neighborhood Market at 5303-A Wrightsboro Road, where Wrightsboro and Harlem-Grovetown roads meet.
The Augusta location has been undergoing renovations since last fall.
The stores, when completely renovated, will include updated pharmacies offering vaccines, free delivery and clinical services such as basic health screenings and same-day testing for strep, the flu and COVID-19. Vision Centers also will be redesigned for improved privacy.
Also, computer apps will help customers better navigate stores, scan products’ prices and find exclusive app-only shopping deals.
WASHINGTON (7News) — An early Wednesday morning incident at D.C.’s Metro Center left multiple riders injured after a work vehicle made contact with a Silver Line train just before the end of service.
According to Metro officials, the train was holding at the station when the work vehicle struck the rear car shortly after midnight. Officials said there were 27 customers on board at the time.
Officials say 11 people reported non-life-threatening injuries and that Metro personnel were not seriously injured.
SEE ALSO | Metro’s board to vote on budget that calls for fully automated trains on the Red Line
Passengers who did not report injuries were transferred to another train and continued toward Downtown Largo.
The train involved was the final Silver Line run of the night.
Metro said the incident remains under investigation as crews work to determine the cause.
As of 3:30 a.m., it’s not clear what the potential impacts to the morning service may be.
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