Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi. (Reuters)Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged the Philippines to work with China to seek an effective way to defuse tensions in the South China Sea, the official Xinhua news agency said on Saturday. The comments come amid rising tensions between the two countries over the location of a grounded warship that serves as a military outpost in the South China Sea. The Philippines won an international arbitration award in 2016 against China's claim over almost all of the South China Sea, after a tribunal ruled Beijing's sweeping claim had no legal basis, including at the Second Thomas Shoal. China, which does not recognize the ruling, has built militarized, man-made islands in the South China Sea and its claim of historic sovereignty overlaps with the EEZs of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.

If that’s the case, we should no longer give [infrastructure] projects to state-owned Chinese companies here in the Philippines,’” Zubiri said in a radio interview on Thursday night. “I was elated because Secretary Bautista said they [would] no longer get Chinese state-owned companies in the construction of [railways], airports and other big-ticket items,” he added. Vietnam is among the countries in Southeast Asia which have overlapping claims in the South China Sea. ADVERTISEMENT‘Friendly’ states“Why should we let the taxes of the Filipino people be used to fund these Chinese state-owned companies? We should blacklist their companies,” Zubiri added.

Scientists have warned the impacts of El Niño — combined with human-induced global warming — will likely stretch beyond the weather. Scientists warned that El Niño, coming in addition to already dire global warming, could make the situation worse. An El Niño in 1998 was linked to a major malaria epidemic in the Kenyan Highlands. Impacts from both El Niño and global warming were “projected to cause $84 trillion in 21st-century economic losses”, it said. However researchers at Oxford Economics have argued against these projections, calling El Niño a “new risk, but not a gamechanger”.

Chinese business man caught with drugs at NAIAThe suspect, a passenger of a flight for Guangzhou in China, was also caught with two bullets for a .22 caliber handgun. MANILA, Philippines — A Chinese businessman was arrested at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 3 on Thursday after he was caught by security officers carrying five grams of shabu with a street value of P34,000. The suspect, a passenger of a flight for Guangzhou in China, was also caught with two bullets for a .22 caliber handgun. Qian is being held on charges of violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. P1.3 million shabu seized in Quezon CityMeanwhile, anti-narcotics officers confiscated 200 grams of shabu valued at P1.36 million in Quezon City on Thursday night.

Speaker: Economic growth highlights country’s achievementsMANILA, Philippines — The increase in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) highlights both the “achievements and areas requiring intensified action,” Speaker Martin Romualdez declared yesterday. “We, in the House of Representatives, commend the unwavering efforts of our economic managers in navigating our nation towards recovery amidst challenging times,” he noted in a statement. Romualdez added that “one pressing concern” evident is the rising food inflation, “which has been a significant driver of the economic slowdown.”He maintained that addressing this is “paramount to ensure that every Filipino has access to affordable, nutritious food while also stimulating our agricultural sectors.”The Speaker proposed some actions to ensure food security such as agricultural investments, supply chain enhancement, price monitoring and regulation and import policies.

A Fire Services Department van driver was hospitalized after a four-vehicle collision in Yau Tong on Friday morning. At 10.41 am today, a truck was waiting for the traffic light to switch signals at the interchange of Cha Kwo Ling Road and Yau Tong Road, with a van and a Fire Services Department van waiting in line behind it. A black van that sped into the intersection could not stop in time due to the slippery surface caused by the rain and collided with the vehicle in front of it, causing a four-car collision. In the incident, the 37-year-old driver of the Fire Services Department van complained of discomfort in his neck and was taken to the hospital for medical attention. The other three drivers were unharmed in the accident and stayed behind at the scene to assist the police with their investigation.

The deceased suspect died of injuries sustained in a shoot-out, the attorney general’s office said on Wednesday. READ: Ecuador declares state of emergency after assassination of anti-corruption presidential candidateViolence in Ecuador has surged in recent years, especially in cities along drug-trafficking routes like Guayaquil and Esmeraldas where citizens say they live in fear. Neither the police nor the attorney general’s office responded to requests for comment about the authenticity or origin of the video, which features more than a dozen black-clad and masked men waving high-powered rifles. His body will be released to two people chosen by his wife, including his lawyer, the attorney general’s office said on X. Countries lined up to condemn his assassination and call for a full investigation.

The Japanese-style drums called Wadaiko have a history going back over 1,300 years. They have always been played at festivals, and at shrine and temple rituals, and have an essential role in traditional performing arts like Gagaku and Kabuki. These drums produce a characteristically strong reverberating sound thanks to a special way of carving their interior surface. Wadaiko drumming is a very popular hobby today, and regardless of your age it's easy to find a place to learn. The way the drummer puts their whole body and spirit into each strike makes both playing and watching Wadaiko so uniquely compelling.

Wynn Macau (1128) returned to profit with a net income of US$61 million (HK$475.8 million) in the first half of 2023, compared to a loss of US$271 million in the same period last year. During the period, the total operating income amounted to HK$770 million, a increase of 557 percent year-on-year. In the second quarter, the rise in operating revenues was primarily attributed to increments of US$409.7 million from Wynn Palace and US$243.0 million from Wynn Macau, mainly due to increased gaming activity, higher hotel occupancy rates and more dining patrons. Meanwhile, Wynn Palace reported an adjusted property earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and restructuring or rent costs of HK$156.6 million, compared to a loss of HK$50 million in the second quarter of 2022. As for Wynn Macau, its adjusted property EBITDAR stood at HK$89.6 million, in contrast to a loss of HK$40.4 million in the second quarter of 2022.

NEW DELHI: India's opposition leader Rahul Gandhi condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi's inaction over deadly ethnic conflict in the country's northeast on Wednesday, in his first parliamentary speech since his defamation conviction was suspended. Modi's administration is being forced this week to defend its conduct over violence in Manipur state that has killed at least 120 people. You threw kerosene in Manipur, and lit a spark," Gandhi said, with cheers from supporters and jeers from rival lawmakers. "India's army can bring in peace in one day but you're not using it," Gandhi told fellow lawmakers. Gandhi, 53, is the son, grandson and great-grandson of three former prime ministers, beginning with independence leader Jawaharlal Nehru.

Mistaken identity: IAS probes teen’s slayIAS inspector general Alfegar Triambulo said the fact-finding probe would take at least three days followed by a pre-charge investigation of the police officers believed to be responsible for the killing of Jerhode Jemboy Baltazar. MANILA, Philippines — The Internal Affairs Service (IAS) of the Philippine National Police (PNP) yesterday started its investigation into the death of a 17-year-old boy in a case of alleged mistaken identity in Navotas City. “After seven days, the case would be elevated for summary hearing,” Triambulo said in a text message. Based on the IAS timeline, the summary hearing of the case will last for about 20 days. The IAS vowed to resolve the case by Sept. 6 and forward its recommendations to the National Capital Regional Police Office.

Infotech experts refute Comelec chief’s claimsMore and more info-technologists are questioning Comelec and Smartmatic’s use of a secret private IP address in the 2022 election count. Fraudulent.”Rio added: “Telcos may use non-routable private IP addresses, but only within own networks, not shared to their subscribers. Please refer to http://www.iana.org/abuse/answers.”Sumague concluded: “Comelec used a private IP address because owners of public ones are identifiable. Private IP address users aren’t registered so it’s very hard to find ownership.”“No sour grapes here,” presidential bet Panfilo Lacson texted. What more the use of a sole private IP address?”* * *Catch Sapol radio show, Saturdays, 8 to 10 a.m., dwIZ (882-AM).

Smuggled goods worth HK$18 million have been seized by Hong Kong customs in an anti-smuggling operation in Tai O, but the smugglers managed to escape in a speedboat. A Customs spokesman said the case on Tuesday saw a group of men transferring goods in plastic bags from a car to a boat in Lung Shing Street in Tai O. The men jumped aboard the speedboat and headed toward mainland waters after they spotted the Customs officers approaching. Officers later seized a lorry and four seven-seater vehicles found to be carrying smuggled goods near the scene. The batch of smuggled goods seized included frozen Wagyu beef, dried shark fins and used tablet computers.

(UPDATE) DEFENSE Secretary Gilberto "Gibo" Teodoro Jr. has embarked on a series of visits to military bases and identified Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) locations to discuss security matters with local officials, Department of National Defense (DND) spokesman Arsenio Andolong said. The DND spokesman said Teodoro is expected to visit other military bases and EDCA sites in the next few weeks. These were Antonio Bautista Air Base (Palawan), Basa Air Base (Pampanga), Benito Ebuen Air Base (Cebu), Fort Magsaysay (Nueva Ecija) and Lumbia Airport (Cagayan de Oro). Last April, the Philippine government announced the four additional EDCA sites considered "suitable and mutually beneficial" for both the Philippines and the US. Both officials pledged to fast-track pending defense initiatives, such as the conclusion of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA).

Two burglars were caught on clear surveillance video trying to break into a residential flat in Tai Po on Wednesday, with a watchful neighbor calling the security guard in time to stop the attempted burglary. The neighbor, whose doorbell camera caught the act on tape, posted the videos on Facebook yesterday night. According to the post, the attempted burglary happened at around 3.52 pm yesterday at a residential building of Yat Nga Court in Tai Po. The burglars were said to have failed opening the wooden door by force, while at the same time, the neighbor’s mother, who was at home by then, heard the noises and called the security guard. After the security guard arrived at the scene, the burglars were said to have hidden themselves behind the fire-resistant doors of the stairwell, but they were eventually spotted by the guard.