MANILA: The Philippines’ military chief hailed the United States as his nation’s “number one ally” and announced a return of regular war games, following President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for warmer ties.
Duterte last week vowed to be “friendly” with the United States, signalling an end to relentless criticism that included a vow to end all joint military exercises and branding then US president Barack Obama a “son of a whore.”
Military chief General Eduardo Ano, returning from Hawaii where he met US Pacific Command chief Admiral Harry Harris last week, said Thursday the allies had agreed to increase joint military exercises for 2018 after they were scaled down this year.
“The president said: ‘I want to be friendlier to the US’. So we have a closer relationship and more exercises,” Ano told reporters in Manila.
“He (Duterte) said to continue engagement with the United States. They are still our number one ally.”
Ano said the joint exercises next year would focus on counter-terrorism, disaster response and even territorial defense.
As he sought to loosen his nation’s alliance with the United States, Duterte also looked to build warmer relations with China and Russia.
During a visit to Beijing a year ago he announced his nation’s “separation” from the United States.
He later explained he was angry at Obama for criticizing his war on drugs, which has since seen thousands killed and led rights groups to warn Duterte may be orchestrating a crime against humanity.
Duterte said last week the dispute was “water under the bridge” as he thanked the United States for helping the Philippines fight Islamic militants who have occupied parts of the southern city of Marawi since May 23.
The US has provided intelligence, weapons and training to local forces trying to retake Marawi.
The fighting has claimed more than 900 lives and raised fears the Daesh group is trying to establish a Southeast Asian base in the Philippines.
Ano said on Thursday the Philippines would still pursue closer defense ties with China.
Ano was speaking at a ceremony at which China turned over 3,000 assault rifles and ammunition worth 168 million pesos ($3.2 million) to the Philippine military for use in fighting terrorism.
“The US is not our enemy. China is not our enemy. Our utmost priority is the interest of the country,” Ano said.
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Philippines hails US as top ally, welcomes war games
Philippines hails US as top ally, welcomes war games
Coffee regions hit by extra days of extreme heat: scientists
- The world’s main coffee-growing regions are roasting under additional days of climate change-driven heat every year, threatening harvests and contributing to higher prices, researchers said Wednesday
PARIS: The world’s main coffee-growing regions are roasting under additional days of climate change-driven heat every year, threatening harvests and contributing to higher prices, researchers said Wednesday.
An analysis found that there were 47 extra days of harmful heat per year on average in 25 countries representing nearly all global coffee production between 2021 and 2025, according to independent research group Climate Central.
Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Ethiopia and Indonesia — which supply 75 percent of the world’s coffee — experienced on average 57 additional days of temperatures exceeding the threshold of 30C.
“Climate change is coming for our coffee. Nearly every major coffee-producing country is now experiencing more days of extreme heat that can harm coffee plants, reduce yields, and affect quality,” said Kristina Dahl, Climate Central’s vice president for science.
“In time, these impacts may ripple outward from farms to consumers, right into the quality and cost of your daily brew,” Dahl said in a statement.
US tariffs on imports from Brazil, which supplies a third of coffee consumed in the United States, contributed to higher prices this past year, Climate Central said.
But extreme weather in the world’s coffee-growing regions is “at least partly to blame” for the recent surge in prices, it added.
Coffee cultivation needs optimal temperatures and rainfall to thrive.
Temperatures above 30C are “extremely harmful” to arabica coffee plants and “suboptimal” for the robusta variety, Climate Central said. Those two plant species produce the majority of the global coffee supply.
For its analysis, Climate Central estimated how many days each year would have stayed below 30C in a world without carbon pollution but instead exceeded that level in reality — revealing the number of hot days added by climate change.
The last three years have been the hottest on record, according to climate monitors.
An analysis found that there were 47 extra days of harmful heat per year on average in 25 countries representing nearly all global coffee production between 2021 and 2025, according to independent research group Climate Central.
Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Ethiopia and Indonesia — which supply 75 percent of the world’s coffee — experienced on average 57 additional days of temperatures exceeding the threshold of 30C.
“Climate change is coming for our coffee. Nearly every major coffee-producing country is now experiencing more days of extreme heat that can harm coffee plants, reduce yields, and affect quality,” said Kristina Dahl, Climate Central’s vice president for science.
“In time, these impacts may ripple outward from farms to consumers, right into the quality and cost of your daily brew,” Dahl said in a statement.
US tariffs on imports from Brazil, which supplies a third of coffee consumed in the United States, contributed to higher prices this past year, Climate Central said.
But extreme weather in the world’s coffee-growing regions is “at least partly to blame” for the recent surge in prices, it added.
Coffee cultivation needs optimal temperatures and rainfall to thrive.
Temperatures above 30C are “extremely harmful” to arabica coffee plants and “suboptimal” for the robusta variety, Climate Central said. Those two plant species produce the majority of the global coffee supply.
For its analysis, Climate Central estimated how many days each year would have stayed below 30C in a world without carbon pollution but instead exceeded that level in reality — revealing the number of hot days added by climate change.
The last three years have been the hottest on record, according to climate monitors.
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