Section: Philippines
With Cold War words, Trump launches into nuclear debate
WASHINGTON: President-elect Donald Trump indicated Friday he did not fear a new arms race and warned the United States would match any move by another country to boost its nuclear arsenal, in a spectacular new foray into foreign policy. His stunning — and initially unexplained — use of language reminiscent of the Cold War rocked the Washington...
US plays down Russian reports of chill in ties
WASHINGTON: The United States played down Russian reports Wednesday that already tense ties between the old foes have plunged to chilly new lows. The State Department denied a Kremlin claim that communications are frozen, noting that Secretary of State John Kerry had called his Russian counterpart as recently as Tuesday. The Pentagon also noted...
US reaffirms Russia sanctions with new restrictions
WASHINGTON: The Obama administration reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining sanctions on Russia over Crimea with new financial restrictions announced Tuesday on Russian businessmen and companies. While the sanctions are not unusual, the timing is, as Donald Trump’s US election victory has created doubts about the future of US policy...
U.S. government loses to Russia’s disinformation campaign: advisers
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during his annual state of the nation address at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, December 1, 2016. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo The U.S. government spent more than a decade preparing responses to malicious hacking by a foreign power but had no clear strategy when Russia launched a...
IMF’s Lagarde down, not out, despite conviction
WASHINGTON: Despite her conviction by a French court for negligence, Christine Lagarde is likely to continue to lead the International Monetary Fund even at the risk of weakening the fund’s image. The fate of the former French finance minister — who replaced another former French official caught up in a sex scandal — now is in the hands of...
EU extends sanctions against Russia for 6 months
BRUSSELS, Belgium – The European Union on Monday, December 19, extended for another 6 months damaging economic sanctions against Russia over its intervention in Ukraine. EU leaders decided at a summit last week to roll over the sanctions first imposed in 2014 and the European Council, which groups the 28 … …read more Source:...
5 troops killed in new Ukraine clash
DONETSK, Ukraine: Ukraine said five of its troops were killed on Sunday by pro-Russian insurgents in the bloodiest clash in the war-scarred ex-Soviet republic in months. Kiev military spokesman Leonid Matyukhin told Agence France-Presse that another six soldiers were wounded in the battle for control of the strategic city of Debaltseve. The...
EU presses Russia on Syria and Ukraine
BRUSSELS: European Union leaders piled pressure on Russia on Thursday, urging the Kremlin to protect civilians in Syria while taking steps to save a historic cooperation pact with Ukraine and extending sanctions against Moscow. At the final summit of one of the most turbulent years in the EU’s six-decade history, the bloc’s 28 leaders...
Japan, Russia wrap up peace treaty summit
TOKYO: Japan and Russia on Friday struck economic deals to build confidence towards a peace treaty to formally end World War II that has been prevented by a spat over Russian-occupied islands claimed by Tokyo. The second and final day of talks in Tokyo comes after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and President Vladimir Putin met Thursday in Abe’s...
Abe, Putin agree to revive Japan-Russia security talks, discuss Syria
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Russian President Vladimir Putin smile during their meeting at a hot springs resort in Nagato, Japan, December 15, 2016. REUTERS/Alexander Zemlianichenko/Pool Japan and Russia agreed at a leaders’ summit on Thursday to revive security talks and start discussing economic cooperation on disputed islands...
