#SHORTS: Palace: Philippines won't pull out of UN; China, Japan show interest in building Mindanao railway; Samba, reflections and pride in final Rio Olympics party

POLITICS. A Palace official clarified Monday that the Philippines is “not decoupling ” with the United Nations (UN), despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s stern warning that the country may separate from it if the international organization continues to "intervene" in his drug war.

TRANSPORTATION. China and Japan construction corporations are interested to implement the 2,000-kilometer Mindanao Railway System which is proposed to start from Davao to the eastern part of Mindanao.

OLYMPICS. Shaking to samba and expressing a sense of longing with uniquely Brazilian words, Olympians and fans said goodbye to the Rio Games with one last big bash that was both revelatory and a sigh of relief.