Other News

Dutch PM defends expulsion of ‘undesirable’ Turkish minister

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AFP) — Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte Sunday stood by his government’s decision to expel a Turkish minister, saying she had been an “undesirable” visitor to The Netherlands. “What happened yesterday is totally unacceptable,” Rutte told the public NOS broadcaster, after Turkey’s Family Minister Fatma Betul Sayan Kaya ignored repeated Dutch requests to Ankara not to travel to Rotterdam for a planned rally. “It was undesirable that she was here,” Rutte added, […]

S. Korea’s impeached Park leaves Blue House: Yonhap

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) — South Korea’s impeached ex-president Park Geun-Hye left the presidential Blue House on Sunday, two days after the Constitutional Court’s verdict removing her from office over a massive corruption scandal. South Korea’s Yonhap News Agency said Park departed from the presidential office at around 1000 GMT and returned to her private residence in southern Seoul, where hundreds of her supporters have been protesting her ouster. The Constitutional Court on Friday upheld […]

Merkel meets Trump amid tense ties

BERLIN, Germany (AFP) — Europe’s most powerful leader, Angela Merkel, meets for the first time next week America’s flamboyant President Donald Trump whose arrival in the White House has sent shockwaves across the Atlantic. While former United States president Barack Obama had labelled Merkel his “closest international partner,” there has been little known contact between the German leader and Trump since he took office. Trump’s criticism of Germany over issues ranging from its record-trade surplus […]

Gov’t panel members and communist leaders agree to resume peace talks in April

  (Eagle News) — The negotiating panels of both the Philippine government and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) agreed on Saturday (March 11) to resume peace talks in April and June this year, as both parties also agreed to “forge an interim bilateral ceasefire agreement” so that the talks could proceed. In a statement signed by the members of both parties’ negotiating panels in Utrecth, The Netherlands, the government and the NDF […]

ASEAN-EU free trade agreement back; better trade relations seen by EU trade envoy

  The European Union is seeing increased impetus around the world to move forward with Free Trade Agreements (FTA) with the bloc, which will make the most of uncertainty over future U.S. trade policy, the EU’s trade envoy said on Friday (March 10) “We are willing to do good trade agreements. There’s rising protectionism across the world today and those of us who believe in other solutions, so we feel a need to stand up,” […]

Japan recalls tsunami, nuclear tragedy six years on

  by Harumi Ozawa Agence France Presse TOKYO Japan |(AFP) — Japan paused Saturday to mark six years since a deadly earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster devastated its northeastern coast, as more than 100,000 people remain unable or unwilling to return home. The magnitude 9.0 quake, which struck under the Pacific Ocean on March 11, 2011, and the tsunami it spawned left about 18,500 people dead or missing. The massive flow of water overwhelmed cooling […]

BIR still determining Mighty’s tax deficiencies, says DOF’s Dominguez

  Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is still determining the correct amount that Mighty Corporation should pay in deficiency taxes as lawyers for the cigarette manufacturing firm have been “obstructing” government efforts to look into its business activities. “We have not received any written order from the President. [BIR Commissioner] Billy Dulay has not even finished quantifying how much (Mighty) should pay,” Dominguez said. Dominguez added that “we […]

Intruder arrested for breaching White House grounds

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — An intruder with a backpack was arrested for breaching the White House grounds while United States President Donald Trump was there, the US Secret Service said Saturday. After scaling an outer perimeter fence at the Washington executive residence just before midnight on Friday, the suspect was arrested by uniformed secret service officers, the agency said in a statement obtained by AFP. Authorities did not find dangerous materials inside the backpack […]

Metro council formed to help address traffic in metropolis

(Eagle News) — The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has announced the creation of a council that will study and suggest measures to improve vehicular congestion in the metropolis. In a statement, the MMDA said the  Metro Manila Transport Consultative Council (MMTCC) would make the suggestions straight to the Metro Manila Council (MMC) for approval. The MMC is composed of all 17 mayors of cities in Metro Manila. The MMDA said the MMTCC, which was agreed […]

China denies exploring Benham Rise, but confirms ships did pass through area

  The Chinese Embassy on Saturday denied it intentionally sailed to Benham Rise in Eastern part of Luzon off Aurora and Quezon province, saying they simply passed by international sea. In their website, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said their ships had the right of freedom of navigation in those waters, and its research ships did pass through seas northeast of Luzon Island last year. “After checking with relevant department, China’s relevant ocean research […]

South Korean acting president convenes security meeting after impeachment ruling

  (Reuters) — South Korea’s acting President and Prime Minister, Hwang Kyo-ahn, convened a National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Friday (March 10) after an impeachment ruling and said the country should be ready for possible provocations from North Korea. The Constitutional Court earlier in the day removed President Park Geun-hye from office over a graft scandal involving the country’s conglomerates at a time of rising tensions with North Korea and China. Park, 65, no […]