One lost life and dozens injured when a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck the southern Philippines late on Wednesday.

Massive earthquake jolts Philippines

President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a five-day visit to the Philippines on Thursday, followed by a visit to Japan from October 21 to 23 for the Enthronement Ceremony of the Emperor of Japan, Naruhito. Naruhito acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1 2019, beginning the Reiwa era after the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito.

Kovind's visit to the Philippines coincides with the 70th anniversary of ties between both the countries and New Delhi's thrust to the Act East Policy and growing engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members. Counter-terror will be the focus during the visit, as the island nation is facing the threat of Islamic State.

Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs said, "we are looking to work together in areas like combating urban terrorism as well as working with them in areas like the exchange of information".

India has a working group with the country on counterterrorism that last met in 2017 and had given $500,000 to Marawi city after terrorist linked to Islamic State had tried to take over the city. Prime Minister Modi went to the Philippines in 2017, followed by the visit of President Duterte to India in 2018.

The president will also pay homage to José Rizal, a Filipino nationalist who was executed by the Spanish colonial government after the Philippine Revolution. He will also unveil a sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi and will interact with the beneficiaries of the Jaipur Foot prosthetic in the Philippines.

On October 21, the president will visit Japan for the Enthronement Ceremony of the Emperor of Japan, Naruhito.

"His participation in the ceremony relating to the Enthronement of emperor signifies the very high importance that we attach to Japan and it is a country with which we have a very special strategic and global partnership", Vijay Thakur Singh said.

To highlight the Buddhist link between India and Japan, the president will gift a sapling from the sacred Bodhi Tree in Gaya to the emperor. Additionally, he will visit the Meiji Shrine dedicated to the Japanese Emperor Meiji and his wife, responsible for the transition of Japan to an industrialised world power in the late 1800s. He will then visit Kakegawa city, which will soon host an event to highlight Indian culture.

The last presidential visit from India to Japan took place in 1990 when former President Venkataraman participated in the Enthronement Ceremony of former Japanese Emperor Akihito.

President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a five-day visit to the Philippines on Thursday, followed by a visit to Japan from October 21 to 23 for the Enthronement Ceremony of the Emperor of Japan, Naruhito.

President Ram Nath Kovind will embark on a five-day visit to the Philippines on Thursday, followed by a visit to Japan from October 21 to 23 for the Enthronement Ceremony of the Emperor of Japan, Naruhito. Naruhito acceded to the Chrysanthemum Throne on May 1 2019, beginning the Reiwa era after the abdication of his father, Emperor Akihito. Kovind's visit to the Philippines coincides with the 70th anniversary of ties between both the countries and New Delhi's thrust to the Act East Policy and growing engagement with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members. Counter-terror will be the focus during the visit, as the island nation is facing the threat of Islamic State. Vijay Thakur Singh, Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs said, "we are looking to work together in areas like combating urban terrorism as well as working with them in areas like the exchange of information". India has a working group with the country on counterterrorism that last met in 2017 and had given $500,000 to Marawi city after terrorist linked to Islamic State had tried to take over the city. Prime Minister Modi went to the Philippines in 2017, followed by the visit of President Duterte to India in 2018. The president will also pay homage to José Rizal, a Filipino nationalist who was executed by the Spanish colonial government after the Philippine Revolution. He will also unveil a sculpture of Mahatma Gandhi and will interact with the beneficiaries of the Jaipur Foot prosthetic in the Philippines. On October 21, the president will visit Japan for the Enthronement Ceremony of the Emperor of Japan, Naruhito. "His participation in the ceremony relating to the Enthronement of emperor signifies the very high importance that we attach to Japan and it is a country with which we have a very special strategic and global partnership", Vijay Thakur Singh said. To highlight the Buddhist link between India and Japan, the president will gift a sapling from the sacred Bodhi Tree in Gaya to the emperor. Additionally, he will visit the Meiji Shrine dedicated to the Japanese Emperor Meiji and his wife, responsible for the transition of Japan to an industrialised world power in the late 1800s. He will then visit Kakegawa city, which will soon host an event to highlight Indian culture. The last presidential visit from India to Japan took place in 1990 when former President Venkataraman participated in the Enthronement Ceremony of former Japanese Emperor Akihito.

President to visit Philippines and Japan, will also represent India at Enthronement Ceremony of new Japanese Emperor

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck central Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Wednesday, opening cracks in some buildings, sending residents running from shops and offices and knocking out power.

There were no immediate reports of casualties from the earthquake, which also shook Davao City, the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte and among the most populous cities in the country.

The United States Geological Survey said the quake struck 69 km&nbsp;north-northwest of General Santos, Mindanao at 1137 GMT. The epicentre was about 80 km southwest of central Davao.

"We felt a very strong jolt and there was a blackout. I saw people rushing down. We were panicking, heading to the exit," said Naru Guarda Cabaddu, a hotel consultant visiting Kidapawan City, between the epicentre of the quake and Davao.

The quake struck at a depth of 14 km.

"So far, we are on rapid assessment mode. There's no major damage based on initial report," Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista told CNN Philippines channel. "No reports have come in that we have casualties."

Renato Solidum, head of the Philippines seismic agency told ANC news channel there was a chance of aftershocks after the quake, considered strong and capable of causing severe damage.

"Aftershocks can happen. Some can be felt most likely in low intensities. But we cannot remove the possibility of similar intensities that can be felt in the epicentral area," he said.

The Philippines is on the geologically active Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences frequent earthquakes.

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck central Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Wednesday, opening cracks in some buildings, sending residents running from shops and offices and knocking out power.

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck central Mindanao in the southern Philippines on Wednesday, opening cracks in some buildings, sending residents running from shops and offices and knocking out power. There were no immediate reports of casualties from the earthquake, which also shook Davao City, the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte and among the most populous cities in the country. The United States Geological Survey said the quake struck 69 km north-northwest of General Santos, Mindanao at 1137 GMT. The epicentre was about 80 km southwest of central Davao. "We felt a very strong jolt and there was a blackout. I saw people rushing down. We were panicking, heading to the exit," said Naru Guarda Cabaddu, a hotel consultant visiting Kidapawan City, between the epicentre of the quake and Davao. The quake struck at a depth of 14 km. "So far, we are on rapid assessment mode. There's no major damage based on initial report," Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista told CNN Philippines channel. "No reports have come in that we have casualties." Renato Solidum, head of the Philippines seismic agency told ANC news channel there was a chance of aftershocks after the quake, considered strong and capable of causing severe damage. "Aftershocks can happen. Some can be felt most likely in low intensities. But we cannot remove the possibility of similar intensities that can be felt in the epicentral area," he said. The Philippines is on the geologically active Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences frequent earthquakes.

Strong magnitude-6.4 earthquake hits Philippines' Mindanao

The Philippines' police chief stepped down on Monday less than a month before his retirement after he was accused of involvement in "recycling" confiscated drugs, an allegation that could undermine the government's anti-narcotics campaign.

President Rodrigo Duterte has made a<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-war-on-drugs-and-crime-intensifies-at-least-58-killed-this-week-19125"> bloody war on drugs</a> his signature campaign, to the approval of most voters, despite international outrage about the bloodshed amid fears many suspected dealers have been killed by police in staged encounters and by death squads.

Duterte has rejected the accusations.

In testimony that has raised questions about the government's campaign, witnesses in Senate inquiries have accused police chief Oscar Albayalde of protecting officers who sold confiscated narcotics back onto the black market.

Albayalde denied the accusations and had ruled out resigning.

On Monday, he referred to the hearing and the fact he was being implicated in the scandal and said he was stepping down to make way for a new police chief.

"After careful thought and deliberation, I have come to the decision to relinquish my post as chief of the Philippine National Police," Albayalde said in the speech to police officers.

Albayalde, the second chief of the 191,000-strong force under Duterte, was the head of the Pampanga provincial police when 13 of its officers were accused of stealing about 160 kg&nbsp;of narcotics seized in a 2013 raid.

Albayalde had sought to prevent the dismissal of the 13, Senate witnesses said.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told ANC news channel that perhaps Albayalde was stepping down because he had had enough of the "the accusations, the innuendos".

"He wants to spare the entire organisation from whatever speculations, bad or false about him and the organisation," Panelo said.

Albayalde was set to retire on Nov. 8.

The police are spearheading the anti-drugs campaign. They say they have killed more than 6,700 suspected drug dealers who resisted arrest, and deny involvement in the mysterious killing of thousands more suspected drug users.

But Duterte has at times criticised the force, once deriding it as "rotten to the core" and twice suspending anti-narcotics operations until the police cleaned up the force.

The thousands of killings, mostly of poor urban people, have alarmed rights groups. The 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council in July approved a resolution to investigate the crackdown.

Duterte condemned the proposed investigation.

The Philippines' police chief stepped down on Monday less than a month before his retirement after he was accused of involvement in "recycling" confiscated drugs, an allegation that could undermine the government's anti-narcotics campaign.

The Philippines' police chief stepped down on Monday less than a month before his retirement after he was accused of involvement in "recycling" confiscated drugs, an allegation that could undermine the government's anti-narcotics campaign. President Rodrigo Duterte has made a bloody war on drugs his signature campaign, to the approval of most voters, despite international outrage about the bloodshed amid fears many suspected dealers have been killed by police in staged encounters and by death squads. Duterte has rejected the accusations. In testimony that has raised questions about the government's campaign, witnesses in Senate inquiries have accused police chief Oscar Albayalde of protecting officers who sold confiscated narcotics back onto the black market. Albayalde denied the accusations and had ruled out resigning. On Monday, he referred to the hearing and the fact he was being implicated in the scandal and said he was stepping down to make way for a new police chief. "After careful thought and deliberation, I have come to the decision to relinquish my post as chief of the Philippine National Police," Albayalde said in the speech to police officers. Albayalde, the second chief of the 191,000-strong force under Duterte, was the head of the Pampanga provincial police when 13 of its officers were accused of stealing about 160 kg of narcotics seized in a 2013 raid. Albayalde had sought to prevent the dismissal of the 13, Senate witnesses said. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told ANC news channel that perhaps Albayalde was stepping down because he had had enough of the "the accusations, the innuendos". "He wants to spare the entire organisation from whatever speculations, bad or false about him and the organisation," Panelo said. Albayalde was set to retire on Nov. 8. The police are spearheading the anti-drugs campaign. They say they have killed more than 6,700 suspected drug dealers who resisted arrest, and deny involvement in the mysterious killing of thousands more suspected drug users. But Duterte has at times criticised the force, once deriding it as "rotten to the core" and twice suspending anti-narcotics operations until the police cleaned up the force. The thousands of killings, mostly of poor urban people, have alarmed rights groups. The 47-member U.N. Human Rights Council in July approved a resolution to investigate the crackdown. Duterte condemned the proposed investigation.

Top Philippine cop resigns after accusation of link to drug scandal

The Philippines recorded its second case of polio on Friday, as it prepared to vaccinate millions of children against a disease believed to have been eradicated two decades ago.

A five-year-old boy in Laguna, south of the capital Manila, tested positive for the polio virus, the Health Department said, the second case this week after a three-year-old girl was confirmed to be infected on Monday in a province about 1,400 km away.

Health officials appealed to parents and caregivers of children to take part in the government's Polio Vaccination Programme, which comes as the Philippines grapples to tackle twin outbreaks of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-suspends-worlds-first-dengue-vaccine-25587">dengue</a> and measles that have killed more than 1,000 people since January, most of them children.

"The polio vaccinations happen all year round, but our coverage dropped for the past five years", Rolando Enrique Domingo, an undersecretary of the Department of Health, told Reuters.

"We've learned our lesson. It is time to move on and really start vaccinating all kids and make sure we sustain this every year", he added.

The polio virus was detected in the sewage systems of Davao in a nearby province two months ago, and in Tondo, a rundown area of Metro Manila notorious for slum communities, Domingo said.

Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan are the last three countries where the disease is endemic. The last known case in the Philippines had been in 1993, the World Health Organization says.

Immunisation coverage in the Philippines is at 70%, below the recommended rate of 95%, Domingo said, as trust in vaccines declines.

The boy who tested positive in Laguna has been discharged from hospital already, officials said on Friday. The other case was confirmed on Monday and reported on Thursday in Lanao del Sur, one of the country's poorest provinces.

Vaccination teams will aim to administer polio drops to every child younger than five, he added.

There is no cure for polio, which invades the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours, but it can be prevented with vaccines.

The virus spreads rapidly among children, especially in unsanitary conditions in underdeveloped or war-torn regions where healthcare access is limited.

Children nationwide are at risk as long as a single child remains infected, the United Nations agency for children, UNICEF, has said.

The Philippines has faced a challenge recently in convincing parents to vaccinate children after it scrapped a dengue immunisation programme using Sanofi's Dengvaxia in late 2017, following its linkage to child deaths.

More than 800,000 children received the vaccine. The records of 119 dead children are being examined to determine if Dengvaxia was to blame, a panel of medical experts said in March.

The inquiry continues and Sanofi has repeatedly said that its vaccine is safe.

A vaccine campaign that started in August in the historic heart of Manila will be expanded to cover more than 5 million children and will go nationwide next year, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a speech on Friday.

The Philippines recorded its second case of polio on Friday, as it prepared to vaccinate millions of children against a disease believed to have been eradicated two decades ago.

The Philippines recorded its second case of polio on Friday, as it prepared to vaccinate millions of children against a disease believed to have been eradicated two decades ago. A five-year-old boy in Laguna, south of the capital Manila, tested positive for the polio virus, the Health Department said, the second case this week after a three-year-old girl was confirmed to be infected on Monday in a province about 1,400 km away. Health officials appealed to parents and caregivers of children to take part in the government's Polio Vaccination Programme, which comes as the Philippines grapples to tackle twin outbreaks of dengue and measles that have killed more than 1,000 people since January, most of them children. "The polio vaccinations happen all year round, but our coverage dropped for the past five years", Rolando Enrique Domingo, an undersecretary of the Department of Health, told Reuters. "We've learned our lesson. It is time to move on and really start vaccinating all kids and make sure we sustain this every year", he added. The polio virus was detected in the sewage systems of Davao in a nearby province two months ago, and in Tondo, a rundown area of Metro Manila notorious for slum communities, Domingo said. Afghanistan, Nigeria, and Pakistan are the last three countries where the disease is endemic. The last known case in the Philippines had been in 1993, the World Health Organization says. Immunisation coverage in the Philippines is at 70%, below the recommended rate of 95%, Domingo said, as trust in vaccines declines. The boy who tested positive in Laguna has been discharged from hospital already, officials said on Friday. The other case was confirmed on Monday and reported on Thursday in Lanao del Sur, one of the country's poorest provinces. Vaccination teams will aim to administer polio drops to every child younger than five, he added. There is no cure for polio, which invades the nervous system and can cause irreversible paralysis within hours, but it can be prevented with vaccines. The virus spreads rapidly among children, especially in unsanitary conditions in underdeveloped or war-torn regions where healthcare access is limited. Children nationwide are at risk as long as a single child remains infected, the United Nations agency for children, UNICEF, has said. The Philippines has faced a challenge recently in convincing parents to vaccinate children after it scrapped a dengue immunisation programme using Sanofi's Dengvaxia in late 2017, following its linkage to child deaths. More than 800,000 children received the vaccine. The records of 119 dead children are being examined to determine if Dengvaxia was to blame, a panel of medical experts said in March. The inquiry continues and Sanofi has repeatedly said that its vaccine is safe. A vaccine campaign that started in August in the historic heart of Manila will be expanded to cover more than 5 million children and will go nationwide next year, Health Secretary Francisco Duque said in a speech on Friday.

Philippines to vaccinate millions as Polio virus resurfaces in two children

One person's trash can be another person's meal for some villagers in the Philippines with a rice-for-plastics programme launched to help the environment and feed the public. Since June, officials from Bayanan village on the outskirts of Manila started exchanging a kilogram of rice for every two kilos of plastic waste they can accumulate. The waste collected are then given to the national government for proper disposal or recycling.

A kilo of rice for plastic waste feeds hungry villagers in the Philippines

Taiwan braced for Typhoon Bailu on Friday, prompting cancellations of domestic flights amid warnings of floods and high season the island.

Typhoon Bailu, categorised at the weakest typhoon level by Taiwan's weather bureau, was expected to approach off the island's southeastern coast early on Saturday.&nbsp;

It was moving across the ocean in a northwesterly direction at 24 km per hour (15 mph), weather officials said.

Bailu was carrying maximum winds of 126 km per hour (78 mph) as it approaches <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-state-department-approves-sale-of-66-f-16-fighters-to-taiwan-244591">Taiwan</a>, the weather bureau said, adding that the storm could gain in strength and become the first typhoon to make landfall on the island in more than two years.

Thousands of people were moved to safety, most of them tourists on islands off the east coast, while dozens of domestic flights and ferry services were cancelled.

Some 34,000 soldiers were deployed in the south amid fears of floods.

The bureau issued wind and rain warnings for southeastern Taiwan, and other southern counties were expected to be included in the warnings later in the day. It also put out a warning to seafarers.

After passing over Taiwan, the typhoon is expected to cross the Taiwan Strait and hit the Chinese province of Fujian, forecasters said.

Typhoons regularly hit Taiwan, China, the Philippines, and Japan in the second half of the year, gathering strength from the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean or the South China Sea.

Typhoon Morakot devastated the island in 2009, killing nearly 700 people, most of them in landslides.

Taiwan braced for Typhoon Bailu on Friday, prompting cancellations of domestic flights amid warnings of floods and high season the island. Typhoon Bailu, categorised at the weakest typhoon level by Taiwan's weather bureau, was expected to approach off the island's southeastern coast early on Saturday.

Taiwan braced for Typhoon Bailu on Friday, prompting cancellations of domestic flights amid warnings of floods and high season the island. Typhoon Bailu, categorised at the weakest typhoon level by Taiwan's weather bureau, was expected to approach off the island's southeastern coast early on Saturday. It was moving across the ocean in a northwesterly direction at 24 km per hour (15 mph), weather officials said. Bailu was carrying maximum winds of 126 km per hour (78 mph) as it approaches Taiwan, the weather bureau said, adding that the storm could gain in strength and become the first typhoon to make landfall on the island in more than two years. Thousands of people were moved to safety, most of them tourists on islands off the east coast, while dozens of domestic flights and ferry services were cancelled. Some 34,000 soldiers were deployed in the south amid fears of floods. The bureau issued wind and rain warnings for southeastern Taiwan, and other southern counties were expected to be included in the warnings later in the day. It also put out a warning to seafarers. After passing over Taiwan, the typhoon is expected to cross the Taiwan Strait and hit the Chinese province of Fujian, forecasters said. Typhoons regularly hit Taiwan, China, the Philippines, and Japan in the second half of the year, gathering strength from the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean or the South China Sea. Typhoon Morakot devastated the island in 2009, killing nearly 700 people, most of them in landslides.

Flights cancelled as Taiwan braces for typhoon

The death toll from three boats sinking surged to 25 as rescuers retrieved more bodies from the sea off the central Philippines, officials said Sunday.

Squalls tipped over the three wooden-hulled outriggers in the Guimaras Strait on Saturday as the rest of the country was battered by rains induced by seasonal southwest monsoon winds, the coastguard said.

The bodies of 14 passengers and crew were recovered, civil defence official Franco Agudo told AFP, taking the toll to 25.

Regional police chief Rene Pamuspusan also confirmed Sunday that 25 people had died, with six others still missing.

He said 55 individuals were rescued.

On Sunday the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) released a dramatic photo of rescue divers placing two corpses, one still wearing a red life vest, on top of the only parts of one boat left above water.

The Southeast Asian archipelago nation has a poor shipping safety record, with scores dying in maritime mishaps every year, usually aboard boats that move people from one small island to another.

Sea accidents historically spike during the middle of the year, when the country is frequently hit by storms and typhoons.

The death toll from three boats sinking surged to 25 as rescuers retrieved more bodies from the sea off the central Philippines, officials said Sunday. Squalls tipped over the three wooden-hulled outriggers in the Guimaras Strait on Saturday as the rest of the country was battered by rains induced by seasonal southwest monsoon winds, the coastguard said.

The death toll from three boats sinking surged to 25 as rescuers retrieved more bodies from the sea off the central Philippines, officials said Sunday. Squalls tipped over the three wooden-hulled outriggers in the Guimaras Strait on Saturday as the rest of the country was battered by rains induced by seasonal southwest monsoon winds, the coastguard said. The bodies of 14 passengers and crew were recovered, civil defence official Franco Agudo told AFP, taking the toll to 25. Regional police chief Rene Pamuspusan also confirmed Sunday that 25 people had died, with six others still missing. He said 55 individuals were rescued. On Sunday the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) released a dramatic photo of rescue divers placing two corpses, one still wearing a red life vest, on top of the only parts of one boat left above water. The Southeast Asian archipelago nation has a poor shipping safety record, with scores dying in maritime mishaps every year, usually aboard boats that move people from one small island to another. Sea accidents historically spike during the middle of the year, when the country is frequently hit by storms and typhoons.

Death toll from Philippines boat accidents rise to 25

Asian countries turning back wealthy world's waste

Philippines' Jollibee Foods is training its sights on Indonesia, with newly acquired U.S. chain Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf its entry point in the economically expanding and densely populated Southeast Asian neighbour, its top officials said on Tuesday (July 30).

Philippines' Jollibee eyes Indonesia for expansion, following acquisition of Coffee Bean

An earthquake and aftershocks struck islands off the north of the Philippines on Saturday (July 27) killing eight people and injuring 60. An initial quake of magnitude 5.4 struck the Batanes islands and was followed shortly by an aftershock of magnitude 5.9, according to Philippine government data. Another big aftershock struck a little later. The first quake killed five people while three people were killed in aftershocks, Ricardo Jalad, executive director of the disaster agency, told Reuters. Videos and photographs taken by Edna Gato, a school teacher in Itbayat town, show the aftermath of the damage on her home, and residents gathering in open spaces. Gato said she was standing outside in an open space with more than 1,000 people. The national disaster agency said it was sending medical and rescue teams to the islands, about halfway between the main Philippine island of Luzon and Taiwan.

Quake kills 8, injures 60 in northern Philippines

At least eight people were killed and over dozen were injured when the northern Philippines was struck with twin earthquakes of magnitudes 5.4 and 5.9 on early Saturday, police said.

Mayor Raul de Sagon told AFP that eight people had been killed and around 60 others were hurt. The extent of their injuries was not immediately clear.

The earthquakes hit the Batanes province, a group of sparsely populated islets north of the nation's largest Luzon island.

Many homes were collapsed and roads cracked.

Many people were still asleep when the first tremor struck around 4:15 am, followed just under four hours later by the second stronger jolt.&nbsp;

The Philippines is part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from quake-prone Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

At least eight people were killed and over dozen were injured when the northern Philippines was struck with twin earthquakes of magnitudes 5.4 and 5.9 on early Saturday, police said.

At least eight people were killed and over dozen were injured when the northern Philippines was struck with twin earthquakes of magnitudes 5.4 and 5.9 on early Saturday, police said. Mayor Raul de Sagon told AFP that eight people had been killed and around 60 others were hurt. The extent of their injuries was not immediately clear. The earthquakes hit the Batanes province, a group of sparsely populated islets north of the nation's largest Luzon island. Many homes were collapsed and roads cracked. Many people were still asleep when the first tremor struck around 4:15 am, followed just under four hours later by the second stronger jolt. The Philippines is part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire", an arc of intense seismic activity that stretches from quake-prone Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

Eight dead, 60 injured after twin quakes hit northern Philippines

Sri Lanka customs Tuesday ordered the return of container loads of hazardous mortuary and clinical waste illegally imported into the island from Britain under the cover of metal recycling.

Customs officials said the racket dating back to 2017 was uncovered after the Colombo port complained last week that an importer had abandoned 111 containers which were emanating a huge stink.

A total of 241 containers had been imported since 2017 and 130 of them had been taken to a free-trade zone ostensibly for recycling and re-export, customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne told AFP.

"We are taking immediate action to order the re-export of the 111 containers abandoned at the port," Jayaratne said.

"The other 130 which had already been cleared from the port will be dealt under environmental and other laws."

He said the 130 containers were stuffed with used mattresses and plastic and clinical waste imported in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material.

A Sri Lankan businessman who imported the containers would be liable for criminal prosecution if he failed to re-export them to Britain, from where they originated, Jayaratne said.

An official at the finance ministry, which is responsible for the customs department, said it would take up the issue with British authorities for exporting hazardous cargo without first checking if Sri Lanka was willing to accept it.

"This is a well-organised racket that has been going on since 2017," said the official, speaking anonymously because he was not authorised to talk to the media.

The 111 containers are believed to contain mortuary waste including human organs and had been unloaded and exposed to the elements for the past two years.

The 130 containers taken to a free-trade zone near Colombo International Airport were contaminating water and polluting the air in the area, he said.

Sri Lanka's pushback on imported trash came as Indonesia and the Philippines returned shipments of foreign rubbish to their originating ports.

Indonesia announced two weeks ago it was sending more than 210 tonnes of garbage back to Australia and Canada has agreed to accept 69 containers of rubbish it had shipped to the Philippines between 2013 and 2014.

Sri Lanka customs Tuesday ordered the return of container loads of hazardous mortuary and clinical waste illegally imported into the island from Britain under the cover of metal recycling.

Sri Lanka customs Tuesday ordered the return of container loads of hazardous mortuary and clinical waste illegally imported into the island from Britain under the cover of metal recycling. Customs officials said the racket dating back to 2017 was uncovered after the Colombo port complained last week that an importer had abandoned 111 containers which were emanating a huge stink. A total of 241 containers had been imported since 2017 and 130 of them had been taken to a free-trade zone ostensibly for recycling and re-export, customs spokesman Sunil Jayaratne told AFP. "We are taking immediate action to order the re-export of the 111 containers abandoned at the port," Jayaratne said. "The other 130 which had already been cleared from the port will be dealt under environmental and other laws." He said the 130 containers were stuffed with used mattresses and plastic and clinical waste imported in violation of international laws governing the shipping of hazardous material. A Sri Lankan businessman who imported the containers would be liable for criminal prosecution if he failed to re-export them to Britain, from where they originated, Jayaratne said. An official at the finance ministry, which is responsible for the customs department, said it would take up the issue with British authorities for exporting hazardous cargo without first checking if Sri Lanka was willing to accept it. "This is a well-organised racket that has been going on since 2017," said the official, speaking anonymously because he was not authorised to talk to the media. The 111 containers are believed to contain mortuary waste including human organs and had been unloaded and exposed to the elements for the past two years. The 130 containers taken to a free-trade zone near Colombo International Airport were contaminating water and polluting the air in the area, he said. Sri Lanka's pushback on imported trash came as Indonesia and the Philippines returned shipments of foreign rubbish to their originating ports. Indonesia announced two weeks ago it was sending more than 210 tonnes of garbage back to Australia and Canada has agreed to accept 69 containers of rubbish it had shipped to the Philippines between 2013 and 2014.

Sri Lanka orders return of smuggled British garbage

Eleven-year-old Jerry's crime was breaking curfew laws after fleeing violence at home. His punishment? Being sent to a youth detention centre, where he says he endured sexual abuse.&nbsp;

Officially called "Houses of Hope", proponents in the Philippines say such facilities are places for reformation and education, but critics slam many of them as "hellholes" where children are treated like caged animals.

Rights' groups say Jerry should never have been detained under current laws, but warn a proposed bill to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12, will mean thousands of more children will be sent to overcrowded and underfunded centres - leaving them vulnerable to mistreatment.

"I felt so dirty. That was the first time it happened to me," Jerry told AFP as he recalled the night he was pulled from his bed, forced to the bathroom and attacked by older boys also held at a decaying centre in Manila.

"I cannot forget the sexual abuse," he explained, adding that he left home to escape beatings from his father and ended up sleeping on the streets. His mother works in Kuwait.

Under existing law, Houses of Hope is primarily to hold young offenders aged 15 to 18. But charities say younger vulnerable children from troubled homes, like Jerry, are sometimes swept up in the dragnet even for minor misdemeanours and struggle to recover from the experience.

Watchdogs and former wards warn planned legislation to criminalise children as young as 12 and then detain them with older teens and in some cases, adults will put those least able to defend themselves at risk.

"There is a higher potential for abuse because the government is not prepared," said Melanie Ramos-Llana of Child Rights Network Philippines.

"You put more children into Houses of Hope which are not equipped, lack personnel and programmes, you will have problems. Jails or detention centres are not places for children," she added.&nbsp;

Youth advocate Louise Suamen warns mixing youngsters who have committed minor infringements with older criminals could create a "school of crime".

"If you are a child subjected to this environment, you can learn violence or abusive behaviour. If they want to change something... treat detention as the last resort," explained Suamen of Bahay Tuluyan Foundation.&nbsp;

'Hellholes of subhuman conditions' 
A bill to give authorities the power to prosecute younger children stalled in the session of the legislature that wrapped up last month.&nbsp;

But it is a key plank of President Rodrigo Duterte's tough-on-crime stance, which includes restoring the death penalty and his internationally condemned drug crackdown that has killed thousands since 2016.

After sweeping May's midterm polls, Duterte allies dominate Congress and have vowed to advance his agenda when the session opens on Monday.

But critics insist conditions in many of the facilities are identical to or worse than the jails adults are sent to.

"Children are detained in these so-called House of Hope like animals in cages," said Father Shay Cullen, president of PREDA Foundation which helps boys like Jerry.&nbsp;

"These are really hellholes of subhuman conditions," he added.&nbsp;

Five children previously held in the system, including Jerry, told AFP they suffered abuse in youth centres.&nbsp;

All the boys are identified using a pseudonym because they are minors or were when held.&nbsp;

Justin, who was 17 when he was brought to a youth centre in the capital in 2017, said other boys beat him on the pretext he had broken house rules. &nbsp;

"They would punch us in the chest, stomach and sometimes the chin. It was so painful. I learned to be callous there because of what they did to me and I wanted revenge," he said. &nbsp;

There are 55 government-run Houses of Hope nationwide, but this is well short of the 114 the Philippines has estimated it needs to properly house troubled juveniles.

According to official data only eight comply with social welfare rules.

These guidelines include having one social worker for every 25 children, providing one bed per resident along with nutritious meals, clothing, toiletries and rehabilitation programmes.

"Some of the Houses of Hope we saw was worse than prisons. They have no programmes," Tricia Oco, executive director of the government's Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council, told a senate inquiry in January.

'We are like flowers' 
Tristan, 15, was relieved when he was transferred to a House of Hope in Manila after being held in an adult jail on a drug trafficking charge he said police fabricated. &nbsp;

"I thought it would be a lovely home. But it was also a prison, a prison for children," he told AFP. &nbsp;

The facilities where Jerry, Justin, and Tristan stayed denied AFP's requests for a visit.&nbsp;

The Department of Social Welfare and Development said it did not monitor peer abuse in centres, but institutions that failed to meet standards should be "held responsible". &nbsp;

The <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;q=https://www.wionews.com/world/you-must-be-stupid-president-rodrigo-duterte-says-he-wont-be-tried-by-international-court-236653&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwj22L6zucjjAhXLqY8KHYWiAtcQFjAEegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw2WAYk8KvSpqwPQB33PzGO9">Philippines</a> raised the age of criminal responsibility from 9 to 15 in 2006, a move hailed as a step toward humane treatment.&nbsp;

However, Duterte has repeatedly attacked the change as hampering police efforts to crack down on underage couriers for drug syndicates.&nbsp;

The gaps in the system stem from insufficient funding, weak congressional oversight and authorities' preference for detention over community-based programmes, advocates say. &nbsp;

"In reality, detention becomes the first resort," said Rowena Legaspi, executive director of the Children's Legal Rights and Development Center.

The current law tasks provinces and cities with building and operating the centres but the national government monitors compliance.&nbsp;

Many Houses of Hope struggle with inadequate resources, said Jay Mark Chico, centre head in northern Bulacan province.&nbsp;

His facility was built to accommodate 60 children but now houses 144 -&nbsp;squashed into rooms behind metal bars where some must sleep on the floor.

Chico told AFP the province had a daily food budget of 33 pesos (0.65 US cents) per child but was pushing to increase this while building a bigger centre to address overcrowding. &nbsp;

Still, some say their time in the centres helped them. &nbsp;

"I am so grateful because I never imagined I could still pursue my studies," said 21-year-old Nathan Andres, who was detained as a juvenile for rape but has been allowed to serve out his sentence in the Bulacan youth facility. &nbsp;&nbsp;

However, Andres, who wants to become a teacher, says targeting 12-year-olds is not the answer.

He mused, "We are like the flowers we craft from old papers. People think we are garbage, useless. But actually, we still have value."

Eleven-year-old Jerry's crime was breaking curfew laws after fleeing violence at home. His punishment? Being sent to a youth detention centre, where he says he endured sexual abuse.

Eleven-year-old Jerry's crime was breaking curfew laws after fleeing violence at home. His punishment? Being sent to a youth detention centre, where he says he endured sexual abuse. Officially called "Houses of Hope", proponents in the Philippines say such facilities are places for reformation and education, but critics slam many of them as "hellholes" where children are treated like caged animals. Rights' groups say Jerry should never have been detained under current laws, but warn a proposed bill to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 12, will mean thousands of more children will be sent to overcrowded and underfunded centres - leaving them vulnerable to mistreatment. "I felt so dirty. That was the first time it happened to me," Jerry told AFP as he recalled the night he was pulled from his bed, forced to the bathroom and attacked by older boys also held at a decaying centre in Manila. "I cannot forget the sexual abuse," he explained, adding that he left home to escape beatings from his father and ended up sleeping on the streets. His mother works in Kuwait. Under existing law, Houses of Hope is primarily to hold young offenders aged 15 to 18. But charities say younger vulnerable children from troubled homes, like Jerry, are sometimes swept up in the dragnet even for minor misdemeanours and struggle to recover from the experience. Watchdogs and former wards warn planned legislation to criminalise children as young as 12 and then detain them with older teens and in some cases, adults will put those least able to defend themselves at risk. "There is a higher potential for abuse because the government is not prepared," said Melanie Ramos-Llana of Child Rights Network Philippines. "You put more children into Houses of Hope which are not equipped, lack personnel and programmes, you will have problems. Jails or detention centres are not places for children," she added. Youth advocate Louise Suamen warns mixing youngsters who have committed minor infringements with older criminals could create a "school of crime". "If you are a child subjected to this environment, you can learn violence or abusive behaviour. If they want to change something... treat detention as the last resort," explained Suamen of Bahay Tuluyan Foundation. 'Hellholes of subhuman conditions' A bill to give authorities the power to prosecute younger children stalled in the session of the legislature that wrapped up last month. But it is a key plank of President Rodrigo Duterte's tough-on-crime stance, which includes restoring the death penalty and his internationally condemned drug crackdown that has killed thousands since 2016. After sweeping May's midterm polls, Duterte allies dominate Congress and have vowed to advance his agenda when the session opens on Monday. But critics insist conditions in many of the facilities are identical to or worse than the jails adults are sent to. "Children are detained in these so-called House of Hope like animals in cages," said Father Shay Cullen, president of PREDA Foundation which helps boys like Jerry. "These are really hellholes of subhuman conditions," he added. Five children previously held in the system, including Jerry, told AFP they suffered abuse in youth centres. All the boys are identified using a pseudonym because they are minors or were when held. Justin, who was 17 when he was brought to a youth centre in the capital in 2017, said other boys beat him on the pretext he had broken house rules. "They would punch us in the chest, stomach and sometimes the chin. It was so painful. I learned to be callous there because of what they did to me and I wanted revenge," he said. There are 55 government-run Houses of Hope nationwide, but this is well short of the 114 the Philippines has estimated it needs to properly house troubled juveniles. According to official data only eight comply with social welfare rules. These guidelines include having one social worker for every 25 children, providing one bed per resident along with nutritious meals, clothing, toiletries and rehabilitation programmes. "Some of the Houses of Hope we saw was worse than prisons. They have no programmes," Tricia Oco, executive director of the government's Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council, told a senate inquiry in January. 'We are like flowers' Tristan, 15, was relieved when he was transferred to a House of Hope in Manila after being held in an adult jail on a drug trafficking charge he said police fabricated. "I thought it would be a lovely home. But it was also a prison, a prison for children," he told AFP. The facilities where Jerry, Justin, and Tristan stayed denied AFP's requests for a visit. The Department of Social Welfare and Development said it did not monitor peer abuse in centres, but institutions that failed to meet standards should be "held responsible". The Philippines raised the age of criminal responsibility from 9 to 15 in 2006, a move hailed as a step toward humane treatment. However, Duterte has repeatedly attacked the change as hampering police efforts to crack down on underage couriers for drug syndicates. The gaps in the system stem from insufficient funding, weak congressional oversight and authorities' preference for detention over community-based programmes, advocates say. "In reality, detention becomes the first resort," said Rowena Legaspi, executive director of the Children's Legal Rights and Development Center. The current law tasks provinces and cities with building and operating the centres but the national government monitors compliance. Many Houses of Hope struggle with inadequate resources, said Jay Mark Chico, centre head in northern Bulacan province. His facility was built to accommodate 60 children but now houses 144 - squashed into rooms behind metal bars where some must sleep on the floor. Chico told AFP the province had a daily food budget of 33 pesos (0.65 US cents) per child but was pushing to increase this while building a bigger centre to address overcrowding. Still, some say their time in the centres helped them. "I am so grateful because I never imagined I could still pursue my studies," said 21-year-old Nathan Andres, who was detained as a juvenile for rape but has been allowed to serve out his sentence in the Bulacan youth facility. However, Andres, who wants to become a teacher, says targeting 12-year-olds is not the answer. He mused, "We are like the flowers we craft from old papers. People think we are garbage, useless. But actually, we still have value."

Children in Philippine youth homes face abuses 'worse than prison'

Big US companies are accelerating efforts to move more of their supply chains from China to neighbouring countries in light of <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-plans-to-divert-40-million-in-aid-to-venezuelas-opposition-236654">Trump administration</a> tariffs.

Companies in sectors such as technology, clothing and footwear are exporting more goods from emerging giants including Vietnam and Malaysia, data show.

At the same time, the shift has exposed the murkiness of trade export rules, putting a premium on lawyers expert in the minutiae of US customs rules.

"We have a lot of questions from our members," said Sage Chandler, vice president of international trade at the Consumer Technology Association. "Companies are trying to find ways to avoid having to pay 25 per cent."&nbsp;

Some companies may be pushing the envelope a little too much, violating US rules against "transhipments," the routing of China-made goods through other countries to evade tariffs, legal experts say.

The speeding shift from China&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-donald-trump-seeks-to-override-supreme-court-ruling-on-census-233448">President Donald Trump</a> since last year has slapped 25 per cent duties on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports and threatened additional levies on all other Chinese items coming to the United States though the two sides agreed last month to hold their fire for now.

Trump's trade measures have led some multinationals to fortify their North American operations and others to transfer some manufacturing capacity from China to any number of countries, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philipines, Bangladesh, India and Ethiopia.

Exports of computers and electronics from Vietnam to the United States have risen 71.6 per cent in the first five months of 2019 compared with the year-ago period, according to government data.&nbsp;

The pattern has also held for other machines and equipment, with exports from Vietnam rising 54.4 per cent over that period.

Even before Trump targeted China on trade, US companies had been reducing their dependence on China because of increasing production costs and elevated transport expenses compared with other Asian countries.

But the trade war has sped up those moves.

Ralph Lauren has "accelerated the diversification of our supply chain to mitigate the long-term impact of any potential tariff outcomes," said a spokesperson for the clothing company, adding that tariffs have so far not hit the company's goods.

Xcel Brands, which owns Isaac Mizrahi, Judith Ripka and other fashion houses, will cease manufacturing in China in 2020, a big shift from two years ago when the country was the source of 100 per cent of its merchandise.&nbsp;

The company has moved clothes-making operations to Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh, and is exploring adding capacity in Central America, Mexico and Canada.

This retooling, which was in the works before the tariffs, could boost profit margins, said Xcel chief executive Robert D'Loren. The trade war with China "accelerated our sourcing diversification efforts," he said.&nbsp;

A decade ago, more than 90 per cent of US footwear was made in China. But today, the figure is 69 per cent, said Matt Priest, president of Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America.

Problem solved

Yet shifting production outside of China to other Asian centres is not necessarily a panacea.&nbsp;

Many of these countries lack the roads, airports and other vital infrastructure of the world's second-biggest economy. And there is no guarantee that the emerging manufacturing venues will be safe from <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/china-says-us-tariffs-must-be-lifted-to-reach-a-deal-to-end-trade-war-232996">US tariffs</a> down the road.

Companies can also run afoul of US law if goods are made in China and then sent to an intermediate destination to dodge US tariffs.

"I have noticed an upswing in the number of tariff evasion cases that have been made public and also in the number of inquiries my firm has received," said Jeff Newman, a Boston attorney.

A June Wall Street Journal report showed that billions of dollars of Chinese-made goods were being rerouted in this manner through Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines.

US customers officials did not respond to request for comment.

Retail giants such as Walmart and Target say significantly reducing their reliance on Chinese-made goods is unrealistic because of the demand for low prices.

That means retailers are more likely to stop producing goods with very low-profit margins than to incur additional costs by moving production out of China, according to Priest of the footwear distributors association.&nbsp;

He points to flip flops, which earn returns of only around six or seven per cent.

"It won't be worth moving to Vietnam for six or seven per cent-margin shoes," Priest said.&nbsp;

"That shoe is not worth it."

Big US companies are accelerating efforts to move more of their supply chains from China to neighbouring countries in light of Trump administration tariffs. Companies in sectors such as technology, clothing and footwear are exporting more goods from emerging giants including Vietnam and Malaysia, data show.

Big US companies are accelerating efforts to move more of their supply chains from China to neighbouring countries in light of Trump administration tariffs. Companies in sectors such as technology, clothing and footwear are exporting more goods from emerging giants including Vietnam and Malaysia, data show. At the same time, the shift has exposed the murkiness of trade export rules, putting a premium on lawyers expert in the minutiae of US customs rules. "We have a lot of questions from our members," said Sage Chandler, vice president of international trade at the Consumer Technology Association. "Companies are trying to find ways to avoid having to pay 25 per cent." Some companies may be pushing the envelope a little too much, violating US rules against "transhipments," the routing of China-made goods through other countries to evade tariffs, legal experts say. The speeding shift from China President Donald Trump since last year has slapped 25 per cent duties on $250 billion worth of Chinese imports and threatened additional levies on all other Chinese items coming to the United States though the two sides agreed last month to hold their fire for now. Trump's trade measures have led some multinationals to fortify their North American operations and others to transfer some manufacturing capacity from China to any number of countries, including Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philipines, Bangladesh, India and Ethiopia. Exports of computers and electronics from Vietnam to the United States have risen 71.6 per cent in the first five months of 2019 compared with the year-ago period, according to government data. The pattern has also held for other machines and equipment, with exports from Vietnam rising 54.4 per cent over that period. Even before Trump targeted China on trade, US companies had been reducing their dependence on China because of increasing production costs and elevated transport expenses compared with other Asian countries. But the trade war has sped up those moves. Ralph Lauren has "accelerated the diversification of our supply chain to mitigate the long-term impact of any potential tariff outcomes," said a spokesperson for the clothing company, adding that tariffs have so far not hit the company's goods. Xcel Brands, which owns Isaac Mizrahi, Judith Ripka and other fashion houses, will cease manufacturing in China in 2020, a big shift from two years ago when the country was the source of 100 per cent of its merchandise. The company has moved clothes-making operations to Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh, and is exploring adding capacity in Central America, Mexico and Canada. This retooling, which was in the works before the tariffs, could boost profit margins, said Xcel chief executive Robert D'Loren. The trade war with China "accelerated our sourcing diversification efforts," he said. A decade ago, more than 90 per cent of US footwear was made in China. But today, the figure is 69 per cent, said Matt Priest, president of Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America. Problem solved Yet shifting production outside of China to other Asian centres is not necessarily a panacea. Many of these countries lack the roads, airports and other vital infrastructure of the world's second-biggest economy. And there is no guarantee that the emerging manufacturing venues will be safe from US tariffs down the road. Companies can also run afoul of US law if goods are made in China and then sent to an intermediate destination to dodge US tariffs. "I have noticed an upswing in the number of tariff evasion cases that have been made public and also in the number of inquiries my firm has received," said Jeff Newman, a Boston attorney. A June Wall Street Journal report showed that billions of dollars of Chinese-made goods were being rerouted in this manner through Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines. US customers officials did not respond to request for comment. Retail giants such as Walmart and Target say significantly reducing their reliance on Chinese-made goods is unrealistic because of the demand for low prices. That means retailers are more likely to stop producing goods with very low-profit margins than to incur additional costs by moving production out of China, according to Priest of the footwear distributors association. He points to flip flops, which earn returns of only around six or seven per cent. "It won't be worth moving to Vietnam for six or seven per cent-margin shoes," Priest said. "That shoe is not worth it."

US importers find ways to adapt to, skirt Donald Trump's tariffs

Taiwan moved thousands of people to safety on Wednesday as the island braced for its first typhoon this year, as airlines cancelled domestic flights and authorities issued warnings about floods and high seas.

Typhoon Danas, categorised at the weakest typhoon level, was expected to hit the eastern county of Yilan late on Thursday. It was moving across the ocean in a northwesterly direction at 18 kph (11 mph), weather officials said.

More than 2,000 people were moved to safety, most of them tourists on islands off its east coast, authorities said.

Nearly two dozen domestic flights and ferry services were cancelled, while troops were put on standby in some areas amid fears of heavy rain, which can trigger landslides and flooding.

Typhoons regularly hit Taiwan, China, the Philippines, and Japan in the second half of the year, gathering strength from the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean or the South China Sea.

Typhoon Morakot devastated Taiwan in 2009, killing nearly 700 people, most of them in landslides.

Taiwan moved thousands of people to safety on Wednesday as the island braced for its first typhoon this year, as airlines cancelled domestic flights and authorities issued warnings about floods and high seas.

Taiwan moved thousands of people to safety on Wednesday as the island braced for its first typhoon this year, as airlines cancelled domestic flights and authorities issued warnings about floods and high seas. Typhoon Danas, categorised at the weakest typhoon level, was expected to hit the eastern county of Yilan late on Thursday. It was moving across the ocean in a northwesterly direction at 18 kph (11 mph), weather officials said. More than 2,000 people were moved to safety, most of them tourists on islands off its east coast, authorities said. Nearly two dozen domestic flights and ferry services were cancelled, while troops were put on standby in some areas amid fears of heavy rain, which can trigger landslides and flooding. Typhoons regularly hit Taiwan, China, the Philippines, and Japan in the second half of the year, gathering strength from the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean or the South China Sea. Typhoon Morakot devastated Taiwan in 2009, killing nearly 700 people, most of them in landslides.

Taiwan issues warnings for year's first typhoon as thousands evacuated

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amnesty-urges-united-nation-probe-of-systematic-philippine-drug-war-killings-234069">Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte</a> is "seriously considering" cutting his nation's diplomatic ties with Iceland after it spearheaded a UN resolution to probe his <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-top-senator-chides-iceland-for-abortion-united-nation-drugs-war-probe-236074">deadly drug war</a>, the leader's spokesman said.

Duterte bristles at any Western condemnation of his signature campaign, which has killed thousands and critics say could amount to crimes against humanity.

The comments late Monday from presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo came in response to the UN Human Rights Council last week backing the Iceland-proposed resolution to review the killings.&nbsp;

"(Duterte) is seriously considering cutting diplomatic relations with Iceland," Panelo said in a statement.

"The adopted Iceland resolution is grotesquely one-sided, outrageously narrow, and maliciously partisan," he added.

Duterte launched the anti-drug crackdown in 2016, and since then police say they have killed over 5,300 drug suspects.&nbsp;

However, human rights groups say the true toll is four times that number.

The UN review comes in addition to a preliminary examination already launched by war crimes prosecutors from the International Criminal Court, which the Philippines left earlier this year.

Panelo attacked the UN resolution saying it "likewise demonstrates how the Western powers are scornful of our sovereign exercise of protecting our people".&nbsp;

Duterte's government frequently paints international criticism as a violation of sovereignty, but watchdogs counter by saying an impartial local review is nearly impossible while Duterte is in power.

Last week Amnesty International released a report alleging the killing is "systematic" and police face very little, if any, scrutiny over the nightly slayings.

Duterte has already publicly mocked Iceland over the UN vote.

"Iceland, what is Iceland's problem? Just ice. That's your problem. You have too much ice," Duterte said Friday.&nbsp;

"These idiots, they don't understand the social, economic, political problems of the Philippines."

While the Philippines and Iceland have diplomatic ties, they do not have embassies in each other's country, said the Filipino foreign minister.

Economic ties include Icelandic investment in geothermal energy in the Philippines and Filipinos working as office and factory workers and nurses in Iceland.

Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin had said his nation could withdraw from the UN rights council over the vote but later said it would not do so.&nbsp;

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is "seriously considering" cutting his nation's diplomatic ties with Iceland after it spearheaded a UN resolution to probe his deadly drug war, the leader's spokesman said.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is "seriously considering" cutting his nation's diplomatic ties with Iceland after it spearheaded a UN resolution to probe his deadly drug war, the leader's spokesman said. Duterte bristles at any Western condemnation of his signature campaign, which has killed thousands and critics say could amount to crimes against humanity. The comments late Monday from presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo came in response to the UN Human Rights Council last week backing the Iceland-proposed resolution to review the killings. "(Duterte) is seriously considering cutting diplomatic relations with Iceland," Panelo said in a statement. "The adopted Iceland resolution is grotesquely one-sided, outrageously narrow, and maliciously partisan," he added. Duterte launched the anti-drug crackdown in 2016, and since then police say they have killed over 5,300 drug suspects. However, human rights groups say the true toll is four times that number. The UN review comes in addition to a preliminary examination already launched by war crimes prosecutors from the International Criminal Court, which the Philippines left earlier this year. Panelo attacked the UN resolution saying it "likewise demonstrates how the Western powers are scornful of our sovereign exercise of protecting our people". Duterte's government frequently paints international criticism as a violation of sovereignty, but watchdogs counter by saying an impartial local review is nearly impossible while Duterte is in power. Last week Amnesty International released a report alleging the killing is "systematic" and police face very little, if any, scrutiny over the nightly slayings. Duterte has already publicly mocked Iceland over the UN vote. "Iceland, what is Iceland's problem? Just ice. That's your problem. You have too much ice," Duterte said Friday. "These idiots, they don't understand the social, economic, political problems of the Philippines." While the Philippines and Iceland have diplomatic ties, they do not have embassies in each other's country, said the Filipino foreign minister. Economic ties include Icelandic investment in geothermal energy in the Philippines and Filipinos working as office and factory workers and nurses in Iceland. Philippine Foreign Minister Teodoro Locsin had said his nation could withdraw from the UN rights council over the vote but later said it would not do so.

Philippines' Rodrigo Duterte mulls cutting Iceland ties over United Nations probe

Philippines against sexual Harassment

The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/philippines-family-find-cocaine-packages-worth-over-a-half-million-us-dollars-234469">Philippines</a>'&nbsp;highest-ranking lawmaker said on Monday a UN resolution to probe the country's bloody war on drugs should be ignored, and its chief backer Iceland be investigated instead for human rights abuses in allowing abortion.

"They have more unborn babies that they have aborted or killed. There are more killings in abortion than the drug pushers who are fighting the police," Senate President Vicente Sotto told ANC news channel.

The Nordic nation lacks moral grounds to lecture the Philippines on human rights, Sotto said. "So we should disregard that resolution."

His remarks are the latest in a series of comments from lawmakers urging the government to not cooperate after the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday adopted Iceland`s resolution to investigate thousands of deaths under <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amnesty-urges-united-nation-probe-of-systematic-philippine-drug-war-killings-234069">Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drugs campaign</a>.

Police have killed more than 6,600 suspected drug dealers in sting operations since Duterte took office in 2016.&nbsp;

Critics and rights group said authorities summarily execute suspects, which the police deny.

"The criminals can fight back, the babies cannot.

What human rights are they talking about?" Sotto said, adding that drug dealers that fight back and destroy families lose their human rights.

His comments about abortion echoed those made by incoming Senator Imee Marcos, the daughter of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

Rights groups, which hailed the UN vote as a step towards accountability, point out that the bloody anti-narcotics campaign is marked by systematic cover-ups, planted evidence, and impunity.

The president`s spokesman on Monday warned countries not to meddle with the state`s affairs.

"All incidents in the war on drugs are tallied, recorded. All they have to do is ask us, not to pre-judge us," presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told a regular news conference.

&nbsp;"It behooves them to render respect to a sovereign state."

Duterte on Friday mocked Iceland as an ice-eating nation without an understanding of his country`s problems.

The Philippines' highest-ranking lawmaker said on Monday a UN resolution to probe the country's bloody war on drugs should be ignored, and its chief backer Iceland be investigated instead for human rights abuses in allowing abortion.

The Philippines' highest-ranking lawmaker said on Monday a UN resolution to probe the country's bloody war on drugs should be ignored, and its chief backer Iceland be investigated instead for human rights abuses in allowing abortion. "They have more unborn babies that they have aborted or killed. There are more killings in abortion than the drug pushers who are fighting the police," Senate President Vicente Sotto told ANC news channel. The Nordic nation lacks moral grounds to lecture the Philippines on human rights, Sotto said. "So we should disregard that resolution." His remarks are the latest in a series of comments from lawmakers urging the government to not cooperate after the UN Human Rights Council on Thursday adopted Iceland`s resolution to investigate thousands of deaths under Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte's anti-drugs campaign. Police have killed more than 6,600 suspected drug dealers in sting operations since Duterte took office in 2016. Critics and rights group said authorities summarily execute suspects, which the police deny. "The criminals can fight back, the babies cannot. What human rights are they talking about?" Sotto said, adding that drug dealers that fight back and destroy families lose their human rights. His comments about abortion echoed those made by incoming Senator Imee Marcos, the daughter of late dictator Ferdinand Marcos. Rights groups, which hailed the UN vote as a step towards accountability, point out that the bloody anti-narcotics campaign is marked by systematic cover-ups, planted evidence, and impunity. The president`s spokesman on Monday warned countries not to meddle with the state`s affairs. "All incidents in the war on drugs are tallied, recorded. All they have to do is ask us, not to pre-judge us," presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo told a regular news conference. "It behooves them to render respect to a sovereign state." Duterte on Friday mocked Iceland as an ice-eating nation without an understanding of his country`s problems.

Philippines' top senator chides Iceland for abortion, United Nation drugs war probe

Seven suspected cocaine bricks worth $681,723.12 were found floating near a beach in Quezon province of Philippines on Sunday.

Over the past few months, bricks of cocaine with a street value of millions have been washing up in eastern coastal provinces in the Philippines.

A family were having a picnic by the sea when they spotted seven packages. The family collected the bricks and called the police.

This isn't the first time such an incident has occurred in the Philippines.

In February this year cocaine bricks estimated at four hundred and seventy-two million pesos were found along the shores of 4 provinces in the Philippines.

In May, fishermen chanced upon thirty-nine bricks of cocaine when they were fishing in the waters of Sorsogon province.

In a country where there is a brutal crackdown on drugs — the mysterious appearance of cocaine bricks has certainly raised a lot of questions.

While there are no definitive answers, experts have come up with some plausible explanations.

It is believed that the drugs were bound for Australia where there is a strong demand for cocaine and could have been displaced during shipment.

The smugglers sometimes submerge drug packages underwater with a net and anchor for pickup — but packages can sometimes break free.

Experts also believe that the drugs could be a part of a shipment lost by smugglers during a hand-over.

The smugglers also tend to throw the packages overboard in case they are chased by police.

The Philippines drug enforcement authority believes that the floating cocaine could also be a diversion tactic used by smugglers.

Cocaine is not a drug of choice in the Philippines compared to crystal meth known as shabu in the region.

And the drug enforcement officials believe that while they are focused on operations to retrieve the floating cocaine — the smugglers are using the opportunity to smuggle crystal meth.

Crystal meth has been the focus of president Rodrigo Duterte's brutal war on drugs in the Philippines -- under which thousands of drug dealers have been killed both by police and vigilantes.

While the police are taking all the aspects into consideration. The link to Australia is on the top of the list. Cocaine has a huge market in Australia.

In September last year, 500 kg cocaine worth three hundred million dollars was recovered by the police in the Solomon Islands.

It was believed that the drugs were headed for Australia — but were dumped in the sea by dealers to evade police pursuit.

And they think the latest discovery of the floating bricks of cocaine was also a part of a shipment headed for Australia.

No one knows exactly where the illegal drugs are coming from but some authorities believe syndicates are using the Philippines as a transhipment site before delivering to other countries.

Seven suspected cocaine bricks worth $681,723.12 were found floating near a beach in Quezon province of Philippines on Sunday. Over the past few months, bricks of cocaine with a street value of millions have been washing up in eastern coastal provinces in the Philippines.

Seven suspected cocaine bricks worth $681,723.12 were found floating near a beach in Quezon province of Philippines on Sunday. Over the past few months, bricks of cocaine with a street value of millions have been washing up in eastern coastal provinces in the Philippines. A family were having a picnic by the sea when they spotted seven packages. The family collected the bricks and called the police. This isn't the first time such an incident has occurred in the Philippines. In February this year cocaine bricks estimated at four hundred and seventy-two million pesos were found along the shores of 4 provinces in the Philippines. In May, fishermen chanced upon thirty-nine bricks of cocaine when they were fishing in the waters of Sorsogon province. In a country where there is a brutal crackdown on drugs — the mysterious appearance of cocaine bricks has certainly raised a lot of questions. While there are no definitive answers, experts have come up with some plausible explanations. It is believed that the drugs were bound for Australia where there is a strong demand for cocaine and could have been displaced during shipment. The smugglers sometimes submerge drug packages underwater with a net and anchor for pickup — but packages can sometimes break free. Experts also believe that the drugs could be a part of a shipment lost by smugglers during a hand-over. The smugglers also tend to throw the packages overboard in case they are chased by police. The Philippines drug enforcement authority believes that the floating cocaine could also be a diversion tactic used by smugglers. Cocaine is not a drug of choice in the Philippines compared to crystal meth known as shabu in the region. And the drug enforcement officials believe that while they are focused on operations to retrieve the floating cocaine — the smugglers are using the opportunity to smuggle crystal meth. Crystal meth has been the focus of president Rodrigo Duterte's brutal war on drugs in the Philippines -- under which thousands of drug dealers have been killed both by police and vigilantes. While the police are taking all the aspects into consideration. The link to Australia is on the top of the list. Cocaine has a huge market in Australia. In September last year, 500 kg cocaine worth three hundred million dollars was recovered by the police in the Solomon Islands. It was believed that the drugs were headed for Australia — but were dumped in the sea by dealers to evade police pursuit. And they think the latest discovery of the floating bricks of cocaine was also a part of a shipment headed for Australia. No one knows exactly where the illegal drugs are coming from but some authorities believe syndicates are using the Philippines as a transhipment site before delivering to other countries.

Philippines: Family find cocaine packages worth more than half a million US dollars

A number of apparent suicide bombings in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-condemns-bombing-of-philippines-cathedral-that-killed-20-as-terrorist-attack-193236">Philippines</a> over the past 12 months are a worrying escalation of militancy driven by the influence of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/the-next-islamic-state-battlefield-will-be-in-south-asia-216301">Islamic State</a> in Southeast Asia, security experts say.&nbsp;

A decades-old Islamist insurgency in the southern Philippines has killed tens of thousands.

But suicide attacks have been used extremely rarely, with foreign fighters blamed for the few that have been carried out.

Authorities now fear however the most recent suspected suicide attack, which struck a military base Friday on the southern island of Jolo, killing at least five people, may have been the work of a Filipino.

It was the third suspected suicide attack since July 2018.

"The change did not come with (Friday's) bombing, it came with the introduction of a lethal new ideology into the Philippines," said security analyst Sidney Jones.&nbsp;

"The game-changer" was the Islamic State, she added.&nbsp;

As its "caliphate" crumbled in the Middle East, IS has stepped up its strategy of absorbing existing insurgent groups around the world and claiming their attacks.

The group has had a presence for years in the south of the Philippines, where rugged terrain and weak government control provide a safe haven for fighters.

Suicide attacks indicate a higher level of commitment to the militant cause, experts say, and are often approved by the central leadership of IS, who trade off the media profile the tactic brings.

The group has taken credit for Friday's blasts, as well as the deaths of over 30 people, killed in two previous attacks believed to be the work of suicide bombers.

The first was a July 2018 van bomb at a checkpoint in southern Basilan island, followed by the explosions during Sunday mass in January at a Catholic cathedral in Jolo.

"It is an escalation, but it's also a sign of increased radicalisation," said Zachary Abuza, Southeast Asian security expert at the National War College in Washington.

The Philippines is a key piece of territory because it is one of the few places in the region where IS can hold ground as its affiliates did for five months in Marawi.

Filipino bomber?&nbsp;

The rash of suicide bombings and new IS propaganda videos suggests the pull of the militant group in the Philippines "remains strong", Jones said, referring to jihadists who laid siege to the southern Marawi city in 2017.

The army suspects a 23-year-old Filipino carried out the latest attack and are investigating whether it was a suicide bomb, or a remote detonation went wrong.

"(His) remains were claimed by the mother and the sibling who identified him based on the head," Major General Cirilito Sobejana told AFP.&nbsp;

"For the benefit of the doubt, we are doing DNA testing."

Analysts have long feared suicide attacks would take root in the Philippines, given the IS influence and presence of foreign fighters.

"Society is changing. Their method of attack is changing. Suicide bombing is the current and future method of attack," said Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research.

At the same time, there are strong motivations from local militant cells to try to catch the eye of the IS central leadership with suicide attacks.

Several figures are vying to be the designated leader in the region, with top candidates coming from the IS-aligned Abu Sayyaf network.

The kidnap-for-ransom group has engaged in bombings as well as kidnappings of Western tourists and missionaries since the early 1990s and has in recent years also preyed on cargo ships and fishing vessels.

When IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi released a propaganda video in April it contained no mention of the East Asia wing.

"Members of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia might be thinking they really need to up their game to get back in the good graces of Islamic State central," said Abuza.

A number of apparent suicide bombings in the Philippines over the past 12 months are a worrying escalation of militancy driven by the influence of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia, security experts say.

A number of apparent suicide bombings in the Philippines over the past 12 months are a worrying escalation of militancy driven by the influence of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia, security experts say. A decades-old Islamist insurgency in the southern Philippines has killed tens of thousands. But suicide attacks have been used extremely rarely, with foreign fighters blamed for the few that have been carried out. Authorities now fear however the most recent suspected suicide attack, which struck a military base Friday on the southern island of Jolo, killing at least five people, may have been the work of a Filipino. It was the third suspected suicide attack since July 2018. "The change did not come with (Friday's) bombing, it came with the introduction of a lethal new ideology into the Philippines," said security analyst Sidney Jones. "The game-changer" was the Islamic State, she added. As its "caliphate" crumbled in the Middle East, IS has stepped up its strategy of absorbing existing insurgent groups around the world and claiming their attacks. The group has had a presence for years in the south of the Philippines, where rugged terrain and weak government control provide a safe haven for fighters. Suicide attacks indicate a higher level of commitment to the militant cause, experts say, and are often approved by the central leadership of IS, who trade off the media profile the tactic brings. The group has taken credit for Friday's blasts, as well as the deaths of over 30 people, killed in two previous attacks believed to be the work of suicide bombers. The first was a July 2018 van bomb at a checkpoint in southern Basilan island, followed by the explosions during Sunday mass in January at a Catholic cathedral in Jolo. "It is an escalation, but it's also a sign of increased radicalisation," said Zachary Abuza, Southeast Asian security expert at the National War College in Washington. The Philippines is a key piece of territory because it is one of the few places in the region where IS can hold ground as its affiliates did for five months in Marawi. Filipino bomber? The rash of suicide bombings and new IS propaganda videos suggests the pull of the militant group in the Philippines "remains strong", Jones said, referring to jihadists who laid siege to the southern Marawi city in 2017. The army suspects a 23-year-old Filipino carried out the latest attack and are investigating whether it was a suicide bomb, or a remote detonation went wrong. "(His) remains were claimed by the mother and the sibling who identified him based on the head," Major General Cirilito Sobejana told AFP. "For the benefit of the doubt, we are doing DNA testing." Analysts have long feared suicide attacks would take root in the Philippines, given the IS influence and presence of foreign fighters. "Society is changing. Their method of attack is changing. Suicide bombing is the current and future method of attack," said Rommel Banlaoi, chairman of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research. At the same time, there are strong motivations from local militant cells to try to catch the eye of the IS central leadership with suicide attacks. Several figures are vying to be the designated leader in the region, with top candidates coming from the IS-aligned Abu Sayyaf network. The kidnap-for-ransom group has engaged in bombings as well as kidnappings of Western tourists and missionaries since the early 1990s and has in recent years also preyed on cargo ships and fishing vessels. When IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi released a propaganda video in April it contained no mention of the East Asia wing. "Members of the Islamic State in Southeast Asia might be thinking they really need to up their game to get back in the good graces of Islamic State central," said Abuza.

Suicide attacks emerge in Philippines under Islamic State influence

The Philippines has started returning dozens of shipping containers full of trash to Canada after a long-running row over waste exports that has tested diplomatic ties amid threats from firebrand President Rodrigo Duterte.

The 69 containers were loaded overnight onto a vessel at the port of Subic, northwest of Manila, and left on Friday for a month-long journey to the Canadian city of Vancouver.

A Philippine court in 2016 declared the import of 2,400 tonnes of Canadian waste illegal. It had been mislabelled as plastics for recycling.

Canada said the waste, exported to the Philippines between 2013 and 2014, was a private commercial transaction done without the government's consent.

"The government of Canada is taking all the necessary measures to ensure safe and environmentally sound transport, handling and disposal of the waste in Canada," Mark Johnson, spokesman for Canada's environment and climate change ministry, said in an email statement.

The Philippines had accused Canada of stalling, prompting angry rebukes from Duterte, a volatile but hugely popular president known for his tirades against Western governments.

He threatened to declare war on Canada, dump the trash in front of its embassy in Manila, or personally sail with the waste and leave it in Canadian waters.

Watch: Philippines withdraws top diplomats from Canada over trash row

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His spokesman, Salvador Panelo, said he hoped ties with Canada would now return to normal.

Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said diplomats whom he had ordered to leave Canada in protest had now been told to return. Locsin posted a picture on Twitter on Friday of the ship departing Subic, with the message "Baaaaaaaaa bye".

The Philippines is the latest Southeast Asian nation to take issue with developed nations they say to use the region as a dumping grounds for waste.

Malaysia, the world's main destination for plastic waste after China, said on Tuesday it would return as much as 3,000 tonnes of waste back to the countries of origin.

Environmental activists gathered in Subic as the containers were being prepared, holding banners that said "never again" and "we are not the world's dump site."

Some carried cardboard boxes made to look like shipping containers bearing signs that read "good riddance" and "Canada take back your trash".

"The waste trade is a very unacceptable practice. It is a deplorable practice," Greenpeace Philippines director Lea Guerrero told reporters.

The Philippines has started returning dozens of shipping containers full of trash to Canada after a long-running row over waste exports that has tested diplomatic ties amid threats from firebrand President Rodrigo Duterte.

The Philippines has started returning dozens of shipping containers full of trash to Canada after a long-running row over waste exports that has tested diplomatic ties amid threats from firebrand President Rodrigo Duterte. The 69 containers were loaded overnight onto a vessel at the port of Subic, northwest of Manila, and left on Friday for a month-long journey to the Canadian city of Vancouver. A Philippine court in 2016 declared the import of 2,400 tonnes of Canadian waste illegal. It had been mislabelled as plastics for recycling. Canada said the waste, exported to the Philippines between 2013 and 2014, was a private commercial transaction done without the government's consent. "The government of Canada is taking all the necessary measures to ensure safe and environmentally sound transport, handling and disposal of the waste in Canada," Mark Johnson, spokesman for Canada's environment and climate change ministry, said in an email statement. The Philippines had accused Canada of stalling, prompting angry rebukes from Duterte, a volatile but hugely popular president known for his tirades against Western governments. He threatened to declare war on Canada, dump the trash in front of its embassy in Manila, or personally sail with the waste and leave it in Canadian waters. Watch: Philippines withdraws top diplomats from Canada over trash row × His spokesman, Salvador Panelo, said he hoped ties with Canada would now return to normal. Philippine Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin said diplomats whom he had ordered to leave Canada in protest had now been told to return. Locsin posted a picture on Twitter on Friday of the ship departing Subic, with the message "Baaaaaaaaa bye". The Philippines is the latest Southeast Asian nation to take issue with developed nations they say to use the region as a dumping grounds for waste. Malaysia, the world's main destination for plastic waste after China, said on Tuesday it would return as much as 3,000 tonnes of waste back to the countries of origin. Environmental activists gathered in Subic as the containers were being prepared, holding banners that said "never again" and "we are not the world's dump site." Some carried cardboard boxes made to look like shipping containers bearing signs that read "good riddance" and "Canada take back your trash". "The waste trade is a very unacceptable practice. It is a deplorable practice," Greenpeace Philippines director Lea Guerrero told reporters.

Philippines sends trash back to Canada after Duterte escalates row

Allies of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte were proclaimed as new senators on Wednesday (May 22), a week after a midterm election which saw a landslide victory for the firebrand leader's endorsed parties and candidates.

Duterte allies confirmed as new Philippines senators after midterms landslide

The Philippines ordered the withdrawal of top diplomats from Canada on Thursday after Ottawa missed a deadline to take back 69 shipping containers full of trash, the latest move in a long-running row stoked by threats from Manila's outspoken president. Watch full video to know more.

Philippines withdraws top diplomats from Canada over trash row

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