Briefly

PHILIPPINES

Tanker carrying 1.4m liters of oil capsizes

A marine tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel sank in rough seas off the Philippines on Thursday, causing the death of a crew member and an oil spill that could spread to waters off the capital Manila, officials said. Sixteen of the 17 crew members of MT Terra Nova have been rescued, Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said. "There is already oil spill. Right now, we cannot dispatch our resources because of strong winds and high waves," Bautista said.

BANGLADESH

PM surveys damage as unrest subsides

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina surveyed on Thursday the destruction wrought by days of deadly unrest, as student leaders weighed the future of the protests that precipitated the disorder. Last week's violence killed at least 193 people, including police officers, according to an AFP count. The unrest was sparked by protests against a public jobs quota policy that critics say gives preference to allies of the ruling party. Thousands of troops are still patrolling cities and a nationwide internet shutdown remains largely in effect, but clashes have subsided since protest leaders announced a temporary halt to new demonstrations.

GERMANY

Airport security steps sought amid blockades

German politicians demanded better protection for the country's airports on Thursday after climate activists were able to breach fences and disrupt air traffic for the second day in a row. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser criticized the blockades as "dangerous, dumb and criminal", saying, "Airport operators must do more to protect their facilities, and we are in close contact with the firms on this." Frankfurt Airport, Germany's busiest, canceled more than 100 flights on Thursday after activists blocked runways by gluing themselves to the tarmac.

Agencies via Xinhua