AP, Manila
The new Philippine president blamed U.S. intervention for the bloody conflicts in Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries in his latest criticism of Manila’s closest security ally.
President Rodrigo Duterte suggested in a speech Friday that intrusive policy was to blame for attacks on U.S. soil, saying, “It is not that the Middle East is exporting terrorism to America, America imported terrorism.”
US House passes bill to block Iran aircraft sales
AFP, Washington
The House of Representatives has passed a measure that would block US aircraft sales to Iran, potentially undercutting a Boeing deal with Tehran worth up to $25 billion.
Two amendments approved to an appropriations bill from Representative Peter Roskam would ban sales from Boeing and from European rival Airbus, amid concerns the aircraft could be used for military purposes, the congressman said in a statement on Friday.
UK lifts ban on women in military combat roles
PTI, London
A ban on women serving in close combat roles in the British military was lifted on Friday, with Prime Minister David Cameron calling it a major step that would ensure the armed forces can make the most of all their talent.
Mr Cameron confirmed the move at a NATO summit in Warsaw, Poland.
Under current rules, women were able to serve on the frontline, but not where the primary aim was to “close with and kill the enemy” – ruling them out of serving in the infantry or armoured corps.
US expels two Russian officials
PTI, Washington
The United States has expelled two Russian officials in retaliation over an “unprovoked” attack on its diplomat by a Russian policeman outside the US embassy in Moscow last month.
“On June 17, we expelled two Russian officials from the United States to respond to this attack,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said.
John Kirby said that on June 6, a Russian police-guard attacked an accredited US diplomat entering the US embassy compound, after the official identified himself.
