Philippines

  • BusinessAFP News

    Bank of Japan hikes rates for first time since 2007

    Japan's central bank pulled the plug Tuesday on its ultra-aggressive monetary stimulus programme, hiking rates for the first time since the global financial crisis. The US Federal Reserve and other central banks yanked up rates to rein in inflation after Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

    3-min read
  • NewsAFP News

    Entire Gaza population at 'severe levels of acute food insecurity': Blinken

    The entire population of Gaza is experiencing "severe levels of acute food insecurity", US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, underscoring the urgency for increasing the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian territory."According to the most respected measure of these things, 100 percent of the population in Gaza is at severe levels of acute food insecurity.

    2-min read
  • NewsAFP News

    Australia scraps Afghanistan T20s, citing worsening women's rights

    Australia on Tuesday scrapped a T20 men's cricket series against Afghanistan later this year, saying the situation for women in the Taliban-ruled country was deteriorating.The Taliban took control of the country in August 2021, renaming it the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and installing an interim government they said would rule according to sharia.

    2-min read
  • NewsAFP News

    Ancient city that could bridge Turkey and Armenia's bitter divide

    Look at this stone bridge," said writer Vedat Akcayoz pointing to the crumbling stumps of a 10th-century span over the Arpacay river that marks the closed border between Turkey and Armenia."The fish under the bridge, are they Turkish or Armenian?"

    3-min read
  • NewsAFP News

    Blinken says US stands by 'ironclad' commitments to defend Philippines

    US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday that the United States stands by its "ironclad" commitments to defend longtime ally the Philippines against armed attack in the South China Sea.Blinken's visit to Manila -- his second since Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos took office in 2022 -- is part of a brief Asia tour to reinforce US support for regional allies against China.Beijing claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing aside competing claims from several Southeast Asian n

  • NewsAFP News

    Ukraine 'hacktivists' fighting Russia on digital front

    When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, Artem knew that he would not "sit idly by". He said he was employed by Ukraine's SBU security service before Russia invaded. 

    4-min read
  • SportAFP News

    Messi fans to get 50 percent refund for Hong Kong fiasco

    Fans who snapped up tickets to watch Lionel Messi in Hong Kong, only for him to sit out the friendly, will get a 50-percent refund -- as long as they don't launch legal action.Organiser Tatler Asia on Monday offered a 50-percent refund for "those who purchased tickets through official channels for the match". 

    1-min read