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'More to lose' for PH if Bato visa woes prompt VFA scrapping: ex-envoy

Christian V. Esguerra, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jan 24 10:57 PM

MANILA (UPDATED)—President Rodrigo Duterte’s outburst over a close ally’s cancelled US visa has put the spotlight back on a 2-decade-old military deal, which Philippine senators once sought to either renegotiate or terminate. Read more »

Taiwan president complains to Pope Francis about Chinese pressure

Reuters
Posted at Jan 21 06:37 PM

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen has written to Pope Francis to complain about Chinese pressure on the island Beijing claims as its own, saying China seeks to threaten its democracy and freedom. Read more »

Billionaires richer than 60 percent of the world's population: Oxfam

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Jan 20 09:05 AM

The world's billionaires have doubled in the past decade and are richer than 60 percent of the global population, the charity Oxfam said Monday.   Read more »

IT happens: Facebook sorry for Xi Jinping's name gaffe

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Jan 19 08:04 AM

Facebook apologized Saturday for a distasteful mistranslation of Chinese President Xi Jinping's name from Burmese language posts during his much-touted visit to Myanmar.  Read more »

China and Myanmar 'stand together' despite Rohingya backlash

Hla-Hla Htay and Dene-Hern Chen, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Jan 18 06:02 PM

The Chinese leader's two-day state visit to Myanmar's purpose-built capital comes as Western investors cast a wide berth around the country due to the Rohingya crisis. Read more »

Go Huawei: UK prime minister challenges US critics of China firm

Dmitry Zaks, Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Jan 15 08:21 AM

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday challenged US opponents of Britain's potential decision to let China's Huawei telecoms giant develop its 5G network to come up with a better choice.   Read more »

China carrying out 'intense' global attack on rights: HRW

Peter Hutchison, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Jan 15 05:43 AM

China is using its economic and diplomatic might to carry out the "most intense attack" ever on the global system for protecting human rights, a leading campaign group said Tuesday. Read more »

China defends barring Human Rights Watch head from Hong Kong

Jing Xuan Teng, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Jan 14 07:39 AM

China on Monday defended barring the head of Human Rights Watch from entering Hong Kong, saying non-governmental organizations were responsible for political unrest in the city and should "pay the proper price".   Read more »

OPINION: In the South China Sea, ASEAN needs to stand united

Karim Raslan - Ceritalah ASEAN
Posted at Jan 14 03:03 AM

Donald Trump and Xi Jinping are the 2 biggest threats to global peace today. Read more »

Iran agrees de-escalation 'only solution' to solve crisis with US

David Vujanovic, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Jan 13 02:22 PM

Iran has signaled it favors a de-escalation after 10 days of heightened tensions with the United States during which both sides fired missiles and Tehran accidentally shot down a passenger aircraft. Read more »

Japan hikes loan aid to fortify 2 PH bridges against earthquakes

Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jan 09 04:40 PM

Japan committed to an additional 4.4 billion yen (P2 billion) to the original 9.783 billion yen (P4.5 billion) fortification of the Lambingan and Guadalupe bridges. Read more »

Philippines sending 'biggest aircraft, ships' to bring home Filipinos in Middle East

Chiara Zambrano, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jan 09 02:23 AM

“We are ready to deploy within 72 hours,” said Empedrad, adding it would take around three weeks to sail from the Philippines to the Middle East. Read more »

Indonesia deploys fighter jets, warships to disputed waters in China spat

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Jan 08 02:42 PM

Indonesia has deployed fighter jets and warships to patrol islands near the disputed South China Sea, the military said Wednesday, escalating tensions with Beijing after a diplomatic spat over "trespassing" Chinese vessels.   Read more »

Philippines to deploy troops to Iraq for OFW evacuation

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Jan 08 02:29 PM

The Philippines will send soldiers to help repatriate Filipinos from Iraq, where the killing of an Iranian general in a US drone strike stoked fresh tensions, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said Wednesday.  Read more »

Indonesia mobilizes fishermen in stand-off with China

Stanley Widianto, Reuters
Posted at Jan 07 04:50 AM

Indonesia will mobilize fishermen to join warships in the South China Sea to help defend against Chinese vessels. Read more »

UN chief calls for restraint amid rise in global tensions

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Jan 07 03:59 AM

UN Secretary General expressed deep concern Monday over rising global discord and called for "maximum restraint" amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran after the United States killed an Iranian military commander. Read more »

Trump warns Iran against retaliation, threatens cultural sites

Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Jan 06 10:11 AM

US President Donald Trump on Monday vowed "major retaliation" if Iran tries to avenge the killing of its key military commander Qasem Soleimani and doubled down on a threat to bomb Iranian cultural sites.  Read more »

China overtakes US as country with most diplomatic posts

Kyodo News
Updated as of Jan 05 11:55 PM

China has a total of 276 embassies and other representative offices globally -- three more than the United States. Read more »

Washington urged to look at UN report to identify De Lima jailers

Christian V. Esguerra, ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Jan 03 04:26 PM

A provision in Washington’s new spending law tasks Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to apply penalties against these officials under the Global Magnitsky Act, which includes preventing them from entering and freezing their assets in the country. Read more »

OPINION: Just a question of coordination

Edmund Tayao
Posted at Jan 03 11:43 AM

If only government agencies really coordinate, perhaps we can avoid precipitous, even reckless reaction from our officials. Read more »