Politics

In the latest confirmation that President Rodrigo Duterte's threat to diversify the country's military ties away from the United States and toward China and Russia was not hollow, AP reports that three Russian navy ships arrived in the Philippines on Friday and two others are coming, to deliver donated military equipment in the country's third naval visit under Duterte, who as discussed previously, has launched a historic pivot in the country's geopolitical posture away from the US and toward regional Superpowers.

Authored by Soeren Kern via The Gatestone Institute,

From the first moment chemical weapons were used on the Syrian battlefield, the American public was led to believe that only one side could possibly be responsible. The constant refrain in the echo chamber of US government officials and the mainstream media was that only the Assad government possessed chemical stockpiles and the technological capability of deploying such heinous weapons, therefore blame for each and every chemical attack from Ghouta to Khan Sheikhoun was laid at the feet of Assad and the Syrian military.

The unexpected decision by President Trump to amend an emergency Sept 11 order signed by George W Bush, allowing the Air Force to recall up to 1,000 retired air force pilots to address what the Pentagon has decribed as "an acute shortage of pilots" caught us by surprise. After all, this was the first time we have heard of this particular labor shortage - perhaps there was more to this executive order than meets the eye. Indeed, a just released report may help explain the reasoning behind this presidential decision.

In early trading, the Turkish Lira is slumping (having tagged pre-US-Visa highs) as President Tayyip Erdogan showed no retreat from a diplomatic row with the United States, castigating Washington for what he called an "undemocratic" indictment against his security detail.

As Reuters reports, his comments may further dash hopes of a quick resolution to an on-going diplomatic crisis between the NATO allies. Both Ankara and Washington have cut back issuing visas to each other's citizens as ties have worsened.