China’s leader Xi Jinping will travel to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan starting Wednesday in his first trip abroad since the early days of the pandemic. China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs says Xi will attend a meeting of the heads of state of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Samarkand while on a state visit to Uzbekistan. He will also be making a state visit to Kazakhstan.
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte (File photo) MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte, as well as Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, still have high hopes that Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte will consider the public's clamor for her to join the 2022 presidential race. "Pareho kami ni Presidente (The President and I have the same sentiment, and) that [is] we are hoping that Sara Duterte will still run for president," Roque said in a virtual presser on Thursday. Roque issued the statement, a day after Sara asked for public understanding as she rejected anew the calls for her to run for president next year. In a Facebook post, Sara said it "pains" her not to heed her supporters' call for her to gun for presidency but stressed that she is decided to finish her final term as mayor before seeking a higher post. Roque, however, said he and Duterte hoped that Sara would make a "right decision" with regard to her final political plans in 2022. "So, all we c