News

Former FBI chief Comey lashes out at Trump, Republicans

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Dec 18 01:23 PM

Former FBI director James Comey lashed out at Donald Trump on Monday for telling "lies" and undermining the rule of law, and urged Republicans to stand up to the president. Read more »

Bees, brothels and monkey selfies: 2018 abuzz with odd US stories

Barbara Goldberg, Reuters
Posted at Dec 18 09:38 AM

A hive of honeybees in the heart of New York City, a monkey with a photographer's eye, a brothel full featuring robotic sex dolls and a political candidate who carried the day from his grave were among the characters featured in the strangest stories of 2018. Read more »

Jeff Bridges to receive lifetime achievement honor at Golden Globes

Reuters
Posted at Dec 18 06:39 AM

LOS ANGELES - Oscar-winning actor Jeff Bridges will receive a lifetime achievement award at January's Golden Globes ceremony for his wide range of work, from Western "True Grit" to comedy "The Big Lebowski," the Hollywood Foreign Press Association said on Monday. Read more »

Told to leave Balangiga bells rites? Priest wants issue to end

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Dec 17 09:40 AM

BALANGIGA, Eastern Samar - A parish priest in this town on Monday expressed hope for an end to the issue that Malacañang staff allegedly asked Catholic leaders to leave the ceremonial turnover of 3 church bells looted by US troops over a century ago.   Read more »

Qatar to invest $20-billion in US energy sector: minister

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Dec 17 09:28 AM

Saad al-Kaabi, minister of state for energy affairs and CEO of Qatar Petroleum, told a conference in Doha the Gulf state is looking to invest in US oil and gas sectors as well as unconventional resources. Read more »

Saudi Arabia slams US Senate vote as 'interference'

Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Dec 17 10:23 AM

Saudi Arabia on Sunday rejected as "interference" a US Senate resolution to end American military support for a Riyadh-led war in Yemen, and another holding its crown prince responsible for the murder of critic Jamal Khashoggi. Read more »

US Fed to hike again but hints at pause in 2019

Douglas Gillison, Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Dec 16 02:26 PM

The US Federal Reserve is likely to raise interest rates in the coming week but policymakers have begun to signal they may take it a bit slower in 2019.  Read more »

Trade war: Signs of progress in US-China talks

Heather Scott, Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Dec 16 12:39 PM

Though markets are on edge and the arrest of a top Chinese executive threatened to spark a crisis, there are signs the US-China trade war can be resolved without further collateral damage to the global economy. Read more »

Balangiga bell tolls in first Simbang Gabi after a century

ABS-CBN News
Posted at Dec 16 10:37 AM

BALANGIGA, Eastern Samar - Hundreds of Catholics flocked to this central town's parish before dawn on Sunday as one of the 3 historic Balangiga bells tolled in its first Simbang Gabi in 117 years.   Read more »

Trump says interior secretary to leave in latest high-profile departure

Agence France-Presse
Updated as of Dec 17 10:22 AM

Donald Trump said Saturday that his interior secretary will be leaving at the end of the year, the latest in a series of high-profile departures from the US president's turnover-plagued administration. Read more »

US Navy vessel, submarine dumaong sa Puerto Princesa

Arlie Cabrastante, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Dec 15 05:09 PM

Dumaong ang isang United States Navy vessel at submarine sa pantalan dito noong Disyembre 5 at 7, ayon sa Philippine Coast Guard-Palawan. Read more »

US federal judge rules Obamacare unconstitutional

Reuters
Posted at Dec 15 04:15 PM

About 11.8 million consumers nationwide enrolled in 2018 Obamacare exchange plans, according to the US government's Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Read more »

Trump knew hush-money payments were wrong: ex-lawyer Cohen

Daniel Woolls, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Dec 14 10:38 PM

Trump knew it was wrong to order election-eve hush money paid to two women who claimed to have had affairs with him, his former lawyer Michael Cohen said in an interview to be broadcast Friday. Read more »

They are home!

Gigie Cruz, ABS-CBN News
Posted at Dec 14 07:06 PM

Locals cheer as members of the AFP and the municipal government of Balangiga unload 2 boxes containing the three Balangiga bells. Read more »

FACT CHECK: No, this US diplomat did not credit Duterte with Balangiga bells return

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Dec 14 06:42 PM

The claim is false, the diplomat mentioned has retired from the US foreign service and was not involved in the December 11 return of the bells. Read more »

Historic Balangiga bells back home after 117 years

ABS-CBN News
Updated as of Dec 14 06:58 PM

Excited locals of Balangiga welcomed the return of the church bells, seen by historians as a symbol of Filipino resistance to foreign invaders. Read more »

With tech exec arrest, Canada squeezed between China, US

Jacques Lemieux, Agence France-Presse
Posted at Dec 14 01:22 PM

The resulting crisis is to blame on "a trade war between China and the United States," Fred Bild, a former Canadian diplomat and Asian studies professor at the University of Montreal, told AFP.   Read more »

White House trade adviser vows 'tough' talks with China

Agence France-Presse
Posted at Dec 14 09:31 AM

The whole world is watching the trade talks between Washington and Beijing, hoping the 90-day tariff truce will hold and the sides can end a dispute that could disrupt the global economy.   Read more »

US Republicans introduce resolution blaming Saudi prince in Khashoggi death

Patricia Zengerle, Reuters
Posted at Dec 14 04:54 AM

Despite Trump's desire to maintain close relations with Saudi Arabia, the joint resolution is backed by at least 10 of his fellow Republicans in the Senate. Read more »

Accused Russian agent Maria Butina pleads guilty in US to conspiracy

Sarah N. Lynch, Reuters
Posted at Dec 14 03:47 AM

A woman accused of acting as a Russian agent to infiltrate a powerful gun lobby group and influence U.S. policy toward Moscow pleaded guilty to a single count of conspiracy. Read more »