Philippines says it has learned lessons from "Luffy" crime ring case

MANILA, Jan. 22 Kyodo - The Philippines has taken steps to ensure foreign nationals detained in its main immigration facility in Manila cannot conduct criminal activities the way the "Luffy"-led Japanese crime ring organized burglaries until they were busted a year ago, the country's justice secretary said recently. "We have pinpointed the weaknesses in the system" of immigration detention, Jesus Crispin Remulla said in an interview with Kyodo News last Thursday, adding the Philippines has learned lessons from the case, in which four leaders of the ring orchestrated crimes in Japan in 2021 and 2022 while inside the facility. (Kyodo)

U.S. disastrous response to COVID-19 human-induced: Pakistani expert

STORY: U.S. disastrous response to COVID-19 human-induced: Pakistani expert DATELINE: April 4, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:21 LOCATION: Islamabad CATEGORY: HEALTH SHOTLIST: 1. various of the U.S. 2. SOUNDBITE (English): IRFAN SHAHZAD TAKALVI, Founding president of Eurasian Century Institute, Pakistan 3. various of the U.S. STORYLINE: A Pakistani expert has said that the United States' response to the COVID-19 pandemic was a human-induced disaster and exposed the weaknesses of the American leadership. SOUNDBITE (English): IRFAN SHAHZAD TAKALVI, Founding president of Eurasian Century Institute, Pakistan "America's response to COVID-19, since day one, has been a policy response disaster. It has been a governance disaster. It has exposed many weaknesses of (the) American leadership and American institutions. As an observer, I feel that had the policy response been adequate, America could have saved at least 300,000 lives. So we know that the response, since day one, was not adequate enough. We had a president in Ameri

European banks remain vulnerable to financial sector shocks: analysts

STORY: European banks remain vulnerable to financial sector shocks: analysts DATELINE: April 3, 2023 LENGTH: 0:02:01 LOCATION: Rome CATEGORY: ECONOMY SHOTLIST: 1. various of European banks 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): LORENZO FORNI, Professor of economic policy from Italy's University of Padua 3. various of Credit Suisse 4. various of Silicon Valley Bank 5. various of Signature Bank 6. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): LORENZO CODOGNO, Chief economist of LC Macro Investors Ltd. 7. various of Deutsche Bank STORYLINE: European banks are better prepared than those elsewhere in the world for crises such as the failure of two regional banks in the United States earlier this month. However, analysts say they remain vulnerable to changes in consumer confidence, and weaknesses in the financial sector. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): LORENZO FORNI, Professor of economic policy from Italy's University of Padua "The deep root of these financial events is related to confidence. I mean, you can have very strong fundamentals, but you know,

U.S. democracy not example for other countries: Argentine sociologist

STORY: U.S. democracy not example for other countries: Argentine sociologist DATELINE: March 31, 2023 LENGTH: 0:01:32 LOCATION: Buenos Aires CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1 various of views in the U.S. 2 SOUNDBITE (Spanish): MARCELO RODRIGUEZ, Argentine sociologist STORYLINE: The U.S. has convened the second so-called "Summit for Democracy" this week. Argentine sociologist Marcelo Rodriguez has said the U.S. democracy with enormous weaknesses cannot be considered as an example for other countries. SOUNDBITE (Spanish): MARCELO RODRIGUEZ, Argentine sociologist "The United States presents itself to the world as a model of democracy, and especially for the countries in Latin America. But if we analyze how the democratic system is working in the United States, we realize that it cannot be considered as an example. There are enormous weaknesses in the system that it tries to present all the time as the great model of Western democracy. It is actually a system in which only a much smaller percentage of the popula

UN chief vows solidarity with Africa to end scourge of terrorism

STORY: UN chief vows solidarity with Africa to end scourge of terrorism DATELINE: March 30, 2023 LENGTH: 00:02:12 LOCATION: UN Headquarters CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of Security Council Chamber 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General 3. various of delegates 4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General 5. various of Security Council Chamber STORYLINE: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday reaffirmed the world body's solidarity with Africa in the fight against terrorism, while warning "trail of terror" is widening across the continent. Guterres made the remarks at a Security Council high-level debate on countering terrorism by strengthening cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANTONIO GUTERRES, UN Secretary-General "Terrorism tightens its grip by seeking out and exploiting weaknesses and instability in political, economic and security systems. No age, no culture, no religio

Japan aiming to exploit Fiji's weaknesses in Rugby World Cup

Japan aiming to exploit Fiji's weaknesses in Rugby World Cup

TOWNSVILLE, Australia - Members of the Japan rugby team practice in Townsville, Queensland, on Oct. 21 ahead of their third Rugby World Cup match against Fiji. Coach Shogo Mukai said Japanese technicians have identified weaknesses in Fiji's game and will exploit them to beat the islanders when they meet on Oct. 23.

Pandemic exposes weaknesses of America's political, healthcare systems: Kenyan analyst

STORY: Pandemic exposes weaknesses of America's political, healthcare systems: Kenyan analyst DATELINE: July 31, 2022 LENGTH: 0:01:53 LOCATION: Nairobi CATEGORY: POLITICS SHOTLIST: 1. various of people on the streets of the U.S. 2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): PATRICK MWANGI, International affairs analyst in Kenya 3. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): PATRICK MWANGI, International affairs analyst in Kenya 4. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): PATRICK MWANGI, International affairs analyst in Kenya STORYLINE: The United States, with the world's most cutting-edge medical technology and well-equipped health system, has the highest cumulative numbers of COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths. How could it end up like this? An expert from Kenya explains the reasons behind this. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): PATRICK MWANGI, International affairs analyst in Kenya "I think the two keywords that have been exposed by COVID, one is the political system. The second one is healthcare. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): PATRICK MWANGI, International affairs analyst in

GLOBALink | Pandemic exposes weaknesses of America's political, healthcare systems: Kenyan analyst

How could the U.S., the country with the world's most advanced medical system and technology, end up with the highest cumulative numbers of COVID-19 confirmed cases and deaths? A Kenyan expert explains the reasons behind this. Produced by Xinhua Global Service

Brookings expert stresses need for revealing IS militants' weaknesses

Brookings expert stresses need for revealing IS militants' weaknesses

J.M. Berger, a nonresident fellow with the Project on U.S. Relations with the Islamic World at the Brookings Institution, is shown in this file photo taken on Oct. 17, 2014. He stressed the need for revealing the weaknesses of Islamic State militants to address their threat during a recent interview with Kyodo News. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

Japan aiming to exploit Fiji's weaknesses in Rugby World Cup

Japan aiming to exploit Fiji's weaknesses in Rugby World Cup

TOWNSVILLE, Australia - Members of the Japan rugby team practice in Townsville, Queensland, on Oct. 21 ahead of their third Rugby World Cup match against Fiji. Coach Shogo Mukai said Japanese technicians have identified weaknesses in Fiji's game and will exploit them to beat the islanders when they meet on Oct. 23. (Kyodo)