Tag: US

Irked by US diplomat’s comments, Duterte tells worried foreign businesses to go

  (Eagle News) — President Rodrigo Duterte took offense with the remark of a top United States diplomat in Asia that “his succession of controversial statements” and comments was creating a “climate of uncertainty” among businessmen, and dared these worried foreign businesses to “pack up and leave.” Duterte, in a speech before he departed for a three-day working visit in Japan, said the comments by US Assistant Secretary of State Daniel Russel was not proper. […]

US remains steady, strong ally of the Phl, says US top diplomat

  (Eagle News)  — The United States top diplomat for Asia said that it was a mistake to think that improved relations between the Philippines and China would come at the expense of the US. US State Department assistant secretary of state for East Asia and Pacific affairs Daniel Russel  said the US also supported “direct dialogue” and negotiations between the Philippines and China as long as these are consistent with international law “We support […]

Riding high in polls, Clinton barnstorms swing states

by Jerome CARTILLIER RALEIGH, United States (AFP) — With just over two weeks to go before Americans vote for a new president, a new poll released Sunday shows Hillary Clinton has widened her lead over Donald Trump, who is now in jeopardy in traditionally Republican states. The Democratic former secretary of state leads the Manhattan real estate mogul among likely voters by 50 percent to 38 percent in a four-way contest with two minor party […]

Philippines’ Duterte, in China, announces ‘separation’ from US

  BEIJING, China | AFP | — Philippines’ President Rodrigo Duterte declared his “separation” from longstanding ally the United States in Beijing on Thursday, as he rebalances his country’s diplomacy towards China. Duterte is in China for a four-day trip seen as confirming his tilt away from Washington and towards Beijing’s sphere of influence — and its deep pockets. “I announce my separation from the United States,” he said to applause at a meeting in […]

US, UN weigh in on Duterte’s Hitler remarks, call them “troubling”

  (Reuters) — The U.S. State Department on Friday (September 30) called “troubling” Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s comments likening himself to Adolf Hitler and saying he would be happy to exterminate 3 million drug users. “America’s … partnership with the Philippines is … based on a mutual foundation of shared values and that includes our shared belief in human rights and human dignity,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said. “President Duterte’s comments are a significant departure from […]

US-Philippines military alliance ‘ironclad’: Pentagon chief

SAN DIEGO, United States (AFP) — US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said Thursday that America’s alliance with the Philippines was “ironclad,” despite that country’s president vowing a day earlier to end joint military exercises. “As it has been for decades, our alliance with the Philippines is ironclad,” Carter said, addressing troops aboard the USS Carl Vinson aircraft carrier, docked in San Diego. On Wednesday, Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte said he would soon end joint military […]

OPEC shock markets with oil output cut deal

  by Martin Abbugao SINGAPORE, Singapore (AFP) — OPEC shocked markets with a deal to cut oil output after kingpin Saudi Arabia allowed bitter rival Iran to be exempted, but analysts warned Thursday the move would not likely have a lasting impact. The cartel’s announcement of the first reduction in eight years sent crude prices surging up to six percent Wednesday, while energy firms in the US and Asia followed suit with huge gains. At the […]

Yasay: Duterte’s tirades vs. US, EU won’t ruin foreign relations

(Eagle News)– President Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades against the European Union and United States would not ruin any relations with them, Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay said Tuesday (September 27). Yasay said Duterte’s statements were just ways of expressing his dismay following the criticisms launched by U.S. and E.U. on supposed human rights violations and summary killings. Yasay added that the President’s declaration to open the country’s doors to Russia and China did not mean he will […]

Global stocks falter as US presidential debate looms

by John BIERS NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Deutsche Bank’s woes and the looming first debate between battling US presidential candidates Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton helped send global markets broadly lower Monday. Banking shares in the US and Europe fell sharply following reports that Berlin has refused state aid to fortify Deutsche Bank as it faces a multibillion-dollar fine in the United States over its sale of mortgage-backed securities before the 2008 financial […]

US State Department takes seriously hitman’s charges vs Duterte

  by Ayee Macaraig Agence France Presse MANILA, Philippines  (AFP) — The Philippines faced calls Friday to investigate its firebrand president after a self-confessed hitman alleged Rodrigo Duterte ordered a thousand opponents and suspected criminals murdered when he was a city mayor. Edgar Matobato told a Senate inquiry on Thursday that he and a group of policemen killed some 1,000 people in Davao city on Duterte’s orders from 1988-2013, with the politician himself shooting dead one of […]

No directives yet on USSF pullout in Mindanao- AFP

(Eagle News)– The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday (September 13) noted that it has not yet received any instructions about the presence of United States Special Forces in Mindanao. “We have yet to receive any specific directive as to how this pronouncement will be effected. We understand that the implementation of the said pronouncement is the subject of deliberations by concerned departments like DND and DFA to mention some,” AFP Spokesperson Brig. […]

Duterte meets with Russian Prime Minister Medyedev before ASEAN closing rites

  (Eagle News) — Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met with Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev of the Russian Federation on the final day of the 28th and 29th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits and Related Summits in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic on September 8, 2016. This was after the gala dinner where Duterte and Medyedev sat beside each other, instead of the earlier announced seating arrangement where Duterte and US President Barack Obama were […]