Tag: US

PHL-US Balikatan ends: focus on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, counter-terrorism

  (Eagle News) – The annual joint US-Philippines military exercises ended on Friday, May 19, with the closing ceremonies participated in by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the U.S. Forces in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. The Balikatan exercises this year lasted for about 10 days. The opening was marked by ceremonies on May 8 in Manila. The exercises mostly focused on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, and counterterrorism (HADR/CT) events, as well […]

Chinese military planes intercept US aircraft: reports

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Two Chinese fighter jets intercepted an American military plane over the East China Sea, media in the United States reported Thursday, citing US officials. NBC News reported that the US aircraft, a WC-135 Constant Phoenix, was conducting a routine mission in international airspace Wednesday when it was intercepted over the East China Sea by two Chinese Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft. The WC-135 is a so-called “sniffer plane” designed to scan […]

Trump takes perilous first steps on world stage

by Jerome Cartillier Agence France-Presse From Riyadh to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Rome, Brussels and Sicily, Donald Trump leaves a swirl of domestic woes behind Friday to embark on a first foreign trip that will be closely watched in capitals the world over. Trump’s first trip — six stops in eight days, and countless face-to-face meetings from Saudi King Salman to Catholic Pope Francis via France’s new leader, Emmanuel Macron — is fraught with perils for the […]

US launches investigation into Canadian aircraft imports

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – The Trump administration Thursday launched an investigation into planned imports of Canadian aircraft, following a complaint last month by United States aviation giant Boeing that the planes receive unfair subsidies. The anti-dumping investigation will look into charges that Canada’s Bombardier receives subsidies of nearly 80 percent, and could lead the US Commerce Department to impose equivalent punitive import duties. The preliminary ruling on the 100- to 150-seat planes is […]

US-led warplanes hit Syria forces

by Rouba El Husseini Agence France Presse BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — United States-led warplanes hit a pro-regime convoy in Syria that ignored warning shots, weeks after President Donald Trump’s administration launched America’s first strikes against Damascus forces in the war-torn country. The strike by the coalition fighting the Islamic State group happened on the same day IS jihadists killed more than 50 people in attacks on two government-held villages elsewhere in the country. It came […]

Trump, Erdogan vow friendship despite anger at US arming Kurds

by Dave Clark Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Presidents Donald Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdogan stood side by side at the White House on Tuesday and promised to strengthen strained ties despite the Turkish leader’s stern warning about Washington’s arming of a Kurdish militia. Fresh from securing his grip on Turkey with a referendum to enhance his powers, Erdogan came to the Oval Office with complaints about US support for Kurdish fighters […]

South Korea, US to hold Washington summit in June

SEOUL, South Korea (AFP) – South Korea’s left-leaning new leader Moon Jae-In will travel to the United States for a summit with President Donald Trump next month, Moon’s spokesperson said Tuesday, amid high tensions over the North’s nuclear ambitions. The summit will be held in Washington in late June, Yoon Young-Chan said, adding that details of the precise date and agenda would be decided later. Moon backs engagement with nuclear-armed North Korea to try to […]

US teen suicide series triggers alarm among educators, experts

by Laura BONILLA Agence France-Presse NEW YORK, United States (AFP) – “13 Reasons Why,” a hit Netflix show in which a teenager slits her wrists and leaves behind 13 tapes as clues to what made her do it, has alarmed US mental health experts who fear it glorifies suicide. While the show’s creators insist they are performing a public service, they tread a very fine line between casting light on the number two cause of death […]

EU demands talks with US over possible airline laptop ban

  BRUSSELS, Belgium (AFP) – The European Union is seeking urgent talks with Washington over a possible United States ban on carry-on computers on European flights to the US, an EU source said Friday. The EU has not yet received a response from Washington to its request, the source said. The US Department of Homeland Security said on Tuesday it was close to a decision to extend to Europe an existing ban imposed on eight countries, […]

US intel chiefs express doubts about Kaspersky security software

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – Top United States intelligence chiefs on Thursday publicly expressed doubts about the global cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Labs because of its roots in Russia. Six leading intelligence officials told a Senate hearing on external threats to the UUS of their concerns over the firm’s broad presence, without specifying any particular threat. Asked if he was aware of a security threat tied to Kaspersky software, Federal Bureau of Investigation acting director Andrew McCabe replied: “We […]

Security in Afghanistan likely to ‘deteriorate’: US intelligence

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – The heads of United States intelligence agencies offered a pessimistic assessment Thursday of the security situation in Afghanistan, where the US government is planning to send more troops to combat resurgent Islamic extremists. “The political and security situation in Afghanistan will also almost certainly deteriorate through 2018, even with a modest increase in the military assistance by the US and its partners,” Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats said at […]

Tillerson hosts Arctic forum in shadow of Russia spat

by Dave Clark Agence France-Presse FAIRBANKS, United States (AFP) – Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was in Alaska to play host to the eight nations of the Arctic Council on Thursday, trailed by burning questions about Russia and climate change. The policy forum for the countries of the great white north got underway in the former gold prospecting town of Fairbanks, far away from the political frenzy gripping Washington DC. But two of the questions […]