 With SRN News, I'm Michael Harrington in Washington. The Philippines government says it has reached a deal with China that will try to end confrontations at the most fiercely disputed shoal in the South China Sea. The Philippines occupies the second Thomas Shoal, but China claims it, and increasingly hostile flare-ups between them have sparked fears of larger conflict that could eventually involve the U.S. The deal was reached after a series of meetings between Philippine and Chinese diplomats in Manila.