Tag: US

US to help PH fight drug war “in a manner that will respect human rights, rule of law”

  (Eagle News) – The recently appointed head of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs of the US State Department said he is prepared to continue to share information to the Philippine government to help in the war against drugs in a way that will respect human rights. United States Assistant Secretary David R. Stilwell said that both the US and the Philippines faced the challenge of illicit drug use, and that they […]

Strong US-PHL alliance “deters aggression and promotes regional stability,” says US State Dep’t official

  (Eagle News) – United States Assistant Secretary David R. Stilwell stressed the importance of a “strong U.S.-Philippines alliance” saying this “deters aggression and promotes regional stability.” Stilwell co-chaired the recent US-Philippines Bilateral Strategic Dialogue” held from July 15 to 16 in Manila. The US Department of State official said the Philippines is an important strategic partner and treaty ally, and promised to help “improve our combined defense posture.” “As a treaty ally, our partnership […]

US House votes to condemn Trump’s ‘racist comments’

    by Jerome Cartillier    WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The US House of Representatives formally condemned Donald Trump on Tuesday for xenophobic attacks on four minority Democratic lawmakers and hostile language targeting immigrants, as the president pushed back at accusations of racism. Top Republican leaders rallied around Trump, but four members of the president’s party voted with the 235 Democrats to condemn him for “racist comments that have legitimized and increased fear and […]

‘One giant leap’: US marks Apollo mission 50 years on

  by Leila Macor with Issam Ahmed in Washington   CAPE CANAVERAL, United States (AFP) — Fifty years after a mighty rocket set off from Florida carrying the first humans to the Moon, a veteran of the Apollo 11 crew returned to its fabled launch pad Tuesday to commemorate “one giant leap” that became a defining moment in human history. “We crew felt the weight of the world on our shoulders, we knew that everyone […]

US hopes N.Korea talks go ahead despite Pyongyang threat

    by Kang Jin-kyu WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States said Tuesday it hoped to hold denuclearization talks with North Korea, despite a warning from Pyongyang that US-South Korean military exercises could affect their planned resumption. The North had earlier Tuesday hinted that it could even reconsider its moratorium on nuclear testing over next month’s drills, which have been held for years but were scaled down to facilitate dialogue with Pyongyang. It […]

No charges against NY police in choking death of black man

    by Thomas Urbain    NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — A New York police officer accused of placing a 43-year-old black man in a banned choke hold just before his death in 2014 will not face federal charges, the government said, in a decision slammed by the victim’s family as an “insult.” The move effectively closed the five-year-old case that fueled national “Black Lives Matter” protests calling for police to be held accountable […]

El Chapo expected to get life sentence from US judge

by Laura BONILLA CAL NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — After a dramatic decades-long run as one of the world’s most notorious druglords, there is little suspense about what will happen in a New York courtroom on Wednesday: Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman is expected to be sentenced to life in prison. The hearing is more or less a formality: Guzman, the 62-year-old former leader of the Sinaloa cartel, was convicted in February of crimes spanning […]

Iran’s top diplomat warns US is ‘playing with fire’

by Philippe RATER UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif warned Monday that the United States is “playing with fire,” echoing remarks by President Donald Trump as the two sides are locked in a standoff over Tehran’s nuclear program. The United States quit an international deal aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program last year, hitting Tehran with crippling sanctions. Tensions have since soared, with the US calling off air strikes […]

At 82, NASA pioneer Sue Finley still reaching for the stars

by Issam AHMED WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Sue Finley began work at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory as the US prepared to launch its first satellite into orbit in 1958, racing to match the Soviet Union, which had accomplished the feat months earlier. Now 82, she is one of NASA’s longest-serving women, starting out as one of its “human computers,” whose critical yet long-hidden contributions to the space program, including the Apollo missions to the […]

Twitter revamps website in bid to mimic mobile app

SAN FRANCISCO (AFP) — Twitter on Monday began rolling out an overhauled version of its website, making it more similar to the mobile version of the one-to-many messaging platform. The revamp to the Twitter page accessible on computer web browsers comes as the San Francisco-based company seeks to ramp up engagement while managing abusive content. “We are starting to roll out a new  Twitter.com — a refreshed and updated website that is faster, easier to navigate […]

Mexico rejects new US asylum restrictions

  MEXICO CITY (AFP) — Mexico on Monday rejected new asylum restrictions sought by US President Donald Trump to stem the flow of undocumented migrants trying to cross the neighbors’ shared border. Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said Mexico would not become a dumping ground for asylum seekers rejected by the US, adding that his country would at the same time respect its obligation not to return refugees to danger zones. The move announced by the […]

White House moves to block asylum for migrants crossing Mexico

By Paul Handley Agence France-Presse WASHINGTON, D.C. (AFP) — The Trump administration moved Monday to declare most migrants who cross the US southern border after passing through Mexico ineligible for asylum. A new rule redefining asylum eligibility — to take effect on Tuesday — is the latest attempt to stem the flow of undocumented migrants into the country, and comes amid White House frustration at Congress’s failure to toughen immigration laws. “The United States is […]