Duterte lacking in grasp of human rights: UN

MANILA • The United Nations has rebuked Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte over his war on crime that has killed more than 3,000 people.

The fresh criticism came from UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein after Mr Duterte, 71, called UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon a "fool" and threatened to pull out of the organisation in response to its condemnation of alleged extrajudicial killings during his anti-drug campaign.

"The President of the Philippines' statements of scorn for international human rights law display a striking lack of understanding of our human rights institutions and the principles which keep societies safe," Mr Zeid said during a speech in Geneva on Tuesday. He said Mr Duterte's shoot-to-kill order "undermines justice".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

China warns Taiwan against Dalai Lama visit

BEIJING/TAIPEI • China yesterday warned Taiwan against allowing exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, to visit, after a high-profile legislator invited him to the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own.

China regards the 80-year-old monk as a separatist. Former Taiwan president Ma Ying-jeou, who favoured close economic ties with China, refused the Dalai Lama entry several times after his last visit to Taiwan in 2009. On that occasion, Mr Ma allowed him in but did not meet him.

REUTERS