News

Duterte asserted sovereignty in APEC trade ties - aide

Vivienne Gulla, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Nov 18 10:37 AM

President Rodrigo Duterte stressed that sovereignty should be respected as members of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) pushed for deeper regional economic integration, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Sunday.   Read more »

LOOK: Duterte, APEC leaders pose for 'family photo'

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Nov 18 09:24 AM

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea - President Rodrigo Duterte and leaders of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies posed Sunday for an official "family photo" here.   Read more »

Trump's summit no-show draws Asian nations closer together

John Chalmers, Reuters
Posted at Nov 16 11:53 AM

One prime minister warned that the trade war between Washington and Beijing could trigger a "domino effect" of protectionist steps by other countries. Another fretted that the international order could splinter into rival blocs. Read more »

Xi woos Pacific islands to curb Taiwan's influence

Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Nov 16 11:39 AM

Chinese leader Xi Jinping will sit down with seven Pacific island allies Friday, doling out attention and perhaps some largesse in the hope of convincing more nations to drop recognition of Taiwan. Read more »

'Allies owe each other respect,' Macron says of Trump tweets

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 15 10:57 AM

President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that "allies owe each other respect", after he was assailed on Twitter by US President Donald Trump after his visit to France for World War I commemorations. Read more »

Trump lashes Macron as Europe moves on defense without US

Shaun Tandon and Maggy Donaldson, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 14 07:28 AM

On the heels of a rocky trip to Paris to mark the World War I centenary, Trump fired off a caustic series of early-morning tweets against Macron and renewed his frequent charge that America's European allies in NATO spend too little on defense. Read more »

Singapore calls for closer Southeast Asia, says multilateralism under threat

Reuters
Posted at Nov 12 12:21 PM

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called on Monday for greater integration between Southeast Asian countries at a time when multilateralism is under threat. Read more »

US tells Saudi prince Khashoggi killers to be held accountable

W.G. Dunlop, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 12 07:46 AM

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday the US will hold accountable all those involved in the killing of a dissident Saudi journalist, in a telephone call that also took in the conflict in Yemen. Read more »

Putin says had good conversation with Trump in Paris: media

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 12 07:44 AM

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Sunday he had a brief but good conversation with US leader Donald Trump at World War I centenary events in Paris, Russian media reported.  Read more »

With Trump sitting nearby, Macron calls nationalism a betrayal

Luke Baker, Reuters
Posted at Nov 12 06:55 AM

French President Emmanuel Macron used an address to world leaders gathered in Paris for Armistice commemorations on Sunday to send a stern message about the dangers of nationalism, calling it a betrayal of moral values.  Read more »

World leaders mark 100 years since WWI Armistice in Paris

Adam Plowright, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 11 10:30 AM

World leaders gathered in Paris will lead global commemorations on Sunday to mark 100 years since the end of World War I at a time of growing nationalism and diplomatic tensions.  Read more »

Trump under fire after cancelling WWI cemetery visit

Francis Curta and Clare Byrne, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 11 09:14 AM

US President Donald Trump came under fire on Saturday after cancelling a visit to an American World War I military cemetery in France because of rainy weather. Read more »

Trump expects Kim summit early next year despite Pompeo postponement

Jeff Mason and David Brunnstrom, Reuters
Posted at Nov 08 03:32 PM

President Donald Trump said on Wednesday he expects to meet again with North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un early next year and that a meeting between US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and North Korean officials supposed to have taken place this week would be rescheduled. Read more »

Alibaba's Ma calls trade war 'stupidest thing in the world'

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 05 09:56 PM

The US-China trade war is the "stupidest thing in the world," Alibaba e-commerce tycoon Jack Ma declared at an import fair that China opened Monday partly to counter foreign criticism of its trade policies. Read more »

Oil market on alert as Iran sanctions hit

Joseph Sotinel, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 04 03:04 PM

US sanctions against importers of Iranian oil threaten the crude oil market's precarious balance and risk surging prices, all under Saudi Arabia's watchful gaze, according to experts. Read more »

N. Korea warns of returning to nuclear policy

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 04 02:28 PM

North Korea has warned the United States it will "seriously" consider returning to a state policy aimed at building nuclear weapons if Washington does not end tough economic sanctions against the impoverished regime.  Read more »

Saudi billionaire prince Al-Waleed's brother freed from detention

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Nov 04 09:56 AM

Saudi authorities have released the brother of billionaire Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal after nearly a year in detention, family members said Saturday, as the kingdom faces international pressure over journalist Jamal Khashoggi's murder.  Read more »

Trump, Xi upbeat on US-China trade; US targets more Chinese firms

Susan Heavey and Joseph Campbell, Reuters
Posted at Nov 02 07:41 AM

Within hours of the upbeat assessments, the US Justice Department took aim at another Chinese firm it accused of unfair practices, part of an across-the-board pressure campaign by the Trump administration targeting Beijing. Read more »

South Korea president says North's Kim to visit Seoul 'soon'

Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Nov 01 09:03 PM

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will visit Seoul "soon", the South's President Moon Jae-in said Thursday, amid a rapid diplomatic thaw on the peninsula despite stalled nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington. Read more »

After tragedies, Hyundai looks to reverse North Korea fortunes

Ju-min Park and Heekyong Yang, Reuters
Posted at Oct 31 08:22 AM

Emboldened by a thawing of relations on the Korean peninsula and attracted by its promise of cheap labor and untapped growth, Hyundai is again preparing to return to North Korea. Read more »