Philippines wants US troops out in two years
Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said Wednesday he wants US troops out of his country in the next two years and is willing to scrap defence pacts with longtime ally Washington if necessary.
The comments follow a series of anti-American tirades by the firebrand leader, who has repeatedly attacked the US while cosying up to Beijing, upending his nation’s foreign policy in comments that have sometimes been quickly retracted.
China to stage military drills in South China Sea
Reuters, Beijing
China will carry out military drills in the South China Sea all day on Thursday, the country’s maritime safety administration said on Wednesday, ordering all other shipping to stay away.
China routinely holds drills in the disputed waterway, and the latest exercises come less than a week after a U.S. navy destroyer sailed near the Paracel Islands, prompting a warning from Chinese warships to leave the area.
Police officer shot dead in Hungary attack
Reuters, Budapest
A police officer was killed in a shooting in northwest Hungary early on Wednesday, regional news website kisalfold.hu reported, adding that the suspected assailant has been detained.
Spokesmen for police and the TEK counter-terrorism unit declined comment. Andrea Nagy, a spokeswoman for Hungarian prosecutors, could not comment immediately.
Kisalfold.hu said the assailant was also injured and was taken to hospital.
Taliban abduct, kill 30 people
AP, Kabul
Taliban insurgents have killed at least 30 Afghan civilians after abducting them in the remote central province of Ghor the previous day, officials said Wednesday.
The slain civilians were from a group of 33 taken by the militants near the provincial capital of Ferozkoh, according to Ziauddin Saqib, the deputy provincial police chief.
UNESCO to vote on Jerusalem
AP, Paris
UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee is to approve or reject Wednesday a conservation report on the status of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls.
The text, sponsored by Palestinians and Jordanians, is likely to rile Israel for denying the Jewish state’s historic links to holy sites and referring to “aggressions by the Israeli Occupation Authorities.”
Gambia withdraws from Int’l Criminal Court
AP, The Hague
Gambia has announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, accusing the Hague-based tribunal of “persecution and humiliation of people of colour, especially Africans”.
Tuesday’s announcement comes after similar decisions earlier this month by South Africa and Burundi to abandon the institution, set up to try the world’s worst crimes.
