http://www.voanews.com Voice of America is an international news and broadcast organization serving Central and Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Russia, the Middle East and Balkan countries http://www.voanews.com/img/voa/rssLogo_VOA.gif http://www.voanews.com en-US 2012 - VOA 60 Sat, 25 May 2013 21:05:29 -0400 Pangea CMS – VOA Philippine and U.S. officials are working for closer diplomatic and defense ties between their countries. Simone Orendain reports from the Philippine capital the officials were meeting in Manila as North Korea launched a long-range rocket. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs said the meeting Wednesday came up with “work plans” that will result in “stronger and closer cooperation between the two countries.”  The officials said they are looking for closer maritime, defense and ... http://www.voanews.com/content/philippines-readies-for-increased-us-presence/1563463.html http://www.voanews.com/content/philippines-readies-for-increased-us-presence/1563463.html Wed, 12 Dec 2012 10:38:57 -0500 Asia Simone Orendain (Manila) Officials in the Philippines said help from the military, humanitarian agencies and local government is in full force in the southern island of Mindanao where a powerful typhoon killed at least 500 people and left millions reeling.  The Civil Defense office said at least 5.4 million people have been affected by Typhoon Bopha, which tore through the south blowing houses to bits, covering entire towns in mud and destroying thousands of hectares of crops.The office said the typhoon has so ... http://www.voanews.com/content/search-recovery-continue-after-philippines-typhoon/1561394.html http://www.voanews.com/content/search-recovery-continue-after-philippines-typhoon/1561394.html Sun, 09 Dec 2012 08:40:19 -0500 Asia Simone Orendain (Manila) The Philippine government has reached a preliminary peace agreement with the country’s largest Muslim rebel group, in hopes of putting to rest a 40-year insurgency that has left more than 120,000 dead. Under the agreement, a new political entity will be created in the southwestern corner of the Philippines, where there is a Muslim majority.  The rebel groups believe this part of Mindanao to be their ancestral domain, but in the recent rounds of peace negotiations they backed away from ... http://www.voanews.com/content/philippines-muslims/1521901.html http://www.voanews.com/content/philippines-muslims/1521901.html Sun, 07 Oct 2012 02:19:14 -0400 Asia Simone Orendain (Manila)