Philippines

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced Feb. 2 the military would take a leading role in his deadly drug war, while vowing to kill more traffickers and addicts.

The Hispania Graeca merchant vessel rescued four shipwrecked fishermen off the south coast of Mindanao Island in the Philippines last week, after a four-day ordeal at sea, said Angelakos (Hellas) SA, the operator of the vessel, on Tuesday.

Miss France was crowed Miss Universe on Monday in a made-for-television spectacle free of last year’s dramatic mix-up but with a dash of political controversy as the finalists spoke out on the refugee crisis and other hot-button global issues.

A group of lawyers, including former White House ethics attorneys will file a lawsuit on Monday accusing President Donald Trump of allowing his businesses to accept payments from foreign governments, in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said he has ordered his troops to bomb extremists who flee with their captives in a bid to stop a wave of kidnappings at sea, calling the loss of civilian lives in such an attack "collateral damage."

Prospective U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson better watch his mouth, angry Chinese media said Jan. 13, warning U.S. President-elect Donald Trump's nominee that his threats to block China in the South China Sea are fighting words.

The number of maritime kidnappings hit a ten-year high in 2016, with waters off the southern Philippines becoming increasingly dangerous, the International Maritime Bureau said Jan. 10.

While the overall number of pirate attacks has declined in recent years, the IMB said 62 people worldwide were kidnapped for ransom at sea last year compared to only 19 in 2015 and nine in 2014.

The 7.3-magnitude quake was measured at a depth of 380 miles (617 km) at 2:13′ pm local time. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS) the quake struck in the centre of the Celebes Sea, off Sulu.

An aftershock of 4,9 magnitude was recorded 12 minutes later.

Nearly 160 inmates escaped after suspected Muslim rebels attacked a jail in the southern Philippines before dawn on Jan. 4, and at least six people were shot dead as pursuing government forces traded fire with gunmen, officials said.

Russia wants to hold maritime drills with the Philippines to help combat terrorism and piracy, sending two warships to Manila for the first official navy-to-navy contact, as President Rodrigo Duterte pivots to United States' traditional rival.