Tag: philippines

Olympics: Surprise in Philippines at first medal in 20 years

MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — Hidilyn Diaz sprung a major surprise in the Philippines by winning a weightlifting silver medal in Rio — the country’s first Olympic medal for 20 years, officials said Monday. Sports analysts in the Philippines had not expected the 1.54-metre (5ft 1/2in) tall Diaz to bag a medal at the 2016 Games after coming up empty in 2008 and 2012 games. “We had high hopes with other sports. So (Cruz’s medal) is […]

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar on US Presidential Candidate Donald Trump lumping Philippines among ‘terrorist nations’

MANILA, Aug. 8(PIA) — Communications Secretary Martin Andanar issued the following statement on US presidential candidate Donald Trump’s lumping the Philippines among terrorist nations. “Considering his major real estate ‘brand’ investment in the Philippines’ financial capital called Trump Tower, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump unfortunately mentioned the Philippines in an anti-immigration speech in a political rally in Portland, Maine. In fact, Mr. Trump has even professed his love for the Philippines during the launch of […]

President Duterte sends “ultimatum” on landmines to CPP-NDF panel; honors soldiers killed in Compostela Valley

MANILA, Aug. 8 (PIA) — President Rodrigo Roa Duterte issued early Sunday morning an ultimatum against communist rebels’ use of landmines and demanded inclusion of the battlefield issue in the peace talks or else the negotiations are off. “Either you stop it or we stop talking,” the President said in a news conference held at the wake of four Philippine Army infantry troops killed in two separate encounters in Compostela Valley on Friday against alleged […]

Olympics: Taiwanese lifter Hsu demands London gold after Rio win

by Peter HUTCHISON RIO DE JANIERO, Brazil (AFP) — Taiwanese weightlifter Hsu Shu-ching sensationally grabbed gold at Rio Sunday and then immediately called on Olympic chiefs to hurry up and upgrade her silver medal from the London 2012 Games. Hsu pipped Chinese favourite Li Yajun to first place in the women’s 53kg class, four years after she was undone by Kazakh lifter Zulfiya Chinshanlo who later failed a doping test. Chinshanlo was provisionally suspended by […]

President Duterte pushes on with Marcos ‘hero’ burial

MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday vowed to push through with the burial of deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the national “Heroes’ Cemetery” despite threats of protests. Even though the Marcos years were marked by widespread corruption and rights abuses, Duterte said that as a former president and soldier, the late dictator was qualified to be buried in the special cemetery. “I will allow him to be buried there. He is […]

Trump, in fierce new broadside, says immigrants pose hidden threat

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump launched new attacks on immigrants Thursday, telling supporters that Somalis and other refugees from “terrorist nations” should be barred entry to the United States. “We are letting people come in from terrorist nations that shouldn’t be allowed because you can’t vet them,” Trump, who has built his campaign around an anti-immigration platform, said at a rally in Portland, Maine. “You have no idea who they […]

Philippines, rebels want peace talks despite feud over truce

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Monday his government would pursue peace talks with communist guerrillas despite an initial setback when he withdrew a ceasefire order after the rebels killed a militiaman in an attack. Duterte also announced he would release a top rebel couple, Benito and Wilma Tiamzon, from detention in another move to bolster the resumption of peace negotiations scheduled for Aug. 20-27 in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. “It’s […]

Nestle to invest $43 million for plant in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — Swiss food giant Nestle said Tuesday it would spend two billion pesos ($43 million) in the Philippines on a plant to produce a key ingredient for its Milo beverage. Nestle Philippines chairman Jacques Reber said the plant, due to be completed in October 2017, would produce a malt extract currently imported from Singapore. Eventually the new plant will provide the local supply, possibly using Philippine-grown cassava which in turn will help […]

British MP in China propaganda video ‘deeply concerned’

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — A British MP has complained about appearing in a video promoting Beijing’s claims in the disputed South China Sea, saying she was “deeply concerned” that her words had been misrepresented. Catherine West, a foreign affairs spokeswoman from the main opposition Labour Party specializing in the Asia-Pacific region, is briefly quoted in the video. The video shows white-sand beaches and crystal-blue waters, but conveniently omits images of the artificial islands Beijing […]

Kerry: US avoiding ‘confrontation’ in sea row

MANILA, Philippines (AFP) — US Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday said Washington wanted to avoid “confrontation” in the South China Sea, after an international tribunal rejected Beijing’s claims to most of the waters. Kerry made the remarks after meeting with Philippine Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay in Manila where they discussed the Southeast Asian nation’s sweeping victory in the arbitration case against China. America’s top diplomat said the United States wanted China and the […]

US partners with the Philippines on wildland fire preparedness

SUBIC, Zambales, (PIA) July 27 — On 18-22 July 2016, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through its partnership with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), trained 50 officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and Bureau of Fire Protection in forest fire management. The Basic Fire Training on forest fire prevention and management focused on wildland fire preparedness, including planning for forest fire management, responding to forest fires, and recovering of damaged areas. Training […]

Philippine Abu Sayyaf kidnapped 5 sailors, Malaysia says

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AFP) — Malaysia’s police chief said Tuesday that five tugboat crew missing since last week were abducted by the Philippine militant group Abu Sayyaf, which is notorious for repeated kidnappings in waters between the two nations. The five Malaysians were kidnapped from their vessel on July 18 off the coast of the Malaysian state of Sabah on Borneo island, Inspector-General of Police Khalid Abu Bakar told reporters. “The five tugboat crew have […]