Agent641

A Vietnamese fishing boat was attacked by unnamed aggressors in the Paracel Islands, according to state-owned media, and all 10 crewmembers aboard were injured.

The Vietnamese border guard station in the village of Binh Chau reported that a fishing vessel was "obstructed and attacked" while operating in a Vietnamese-claimed area of the Paracel Islands. China has occupied the archipelago since a brief naval battle with U.S.-backed South Vietnamese forces in 1974, but Vietnam has never abandoned its sovereignty claim.

The fishing vessel - named only with a numeral, QNg 95739 TS - departed port on September 13, bound for the Paracels (known as the Hoang Sa archipelago to the Vietnamese).

According to state outlet TPO, the crew were approached by two foreign vessels, which destroyed their fishing gear and beat the crew severely. On returning to port in Quang Ngai province, four were taken immediately to a hospital for treatment for a range of injuries.

Captain Nguyen Thanh Bien, 40, said that the 95739 was approached by a vessel with the pennant number 301 visible on the hull at about 0600 hours on September 29. At 1000, the vessel closed in from astern and lowered away two launches. A second ship, numbered 101, followed suit and lowered another.

"About 40 people climbed onto the ship, each holding an iron rod, and then attacked," said Bien. "At this time, I tried to run towards the bow of the ship, however, two people held me and attacked me so hard that I lost consciousness. About one hour later I woke up."

Fisherman Huynh Tien Cong, 47, told TPO that the two foreign vessels approached from astern and boarded the 95739. They used iron pipes or bars to beat the fishermen severely. "We didn't dare to resist, we just lay there and endured the beating," said Cong, who sustained two broken legs.

Crewmember Nguyen Thuong, 34, told the outlet that the attackers departed at about 1300 hours, and that they took the boat's cargo of fish, its equipment and its fishing gear - everything of value except for a GPS unit. The boarding party's interpreter told the injured crewmembers to go back to Vietnam.

Phung Ba Vuong, party chairman for the village of Binh Chau, told media that local agencies are working to verify the claim. According to TPO, many other boats from Quang Ngai province have encountered the same violent treatment at the hands of unnamed attackers in the Paracel Islands.

These are my Mizuno Enerzy. They are only a few years old, but they survived my 110kg to 75kg, 5km in 50 mins to 10km in 55 mins fitness journey. Its getting a bit embarrasing at the gym when people see the duct tape. Ive already stitched the holes up three times.

How long are running shoes supposed to last you? They are expensive! Are they expected to do this, or should they last much longer?

Are westerners being robbed of TP when we get the hollow rolls? Is communism the right path after all?

Perth city skyline illuminated by a stormy sunset, photo taken from a place to the east

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TIL that a Chinese barge spent much of 2022-2023 illegally pillaging scrap metal from WW2 war graves in Malaysian waters.

A full report of the barges actions was compiled in this (pdf warning) maritime observatory report