Hitmen gave beauty queen flowers and chocolates before shooting her
A Filipino beauty queen was given flowers and chocolates by assassins who then shot her in the head. Mary Christine Balagtas, aged 23, opened her front door to two men …
News
Safety concerns see Philippines tumble down global tourism league
The Philippines has plummeted down a global ranking of tourism destinations due to safety and security issues. The country has fallen five places in the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Travel …
Police probe mafia link after Korean American caught with ecstasy tablets
A Korean American has been arrested after being caught in possession 140 ecstasy tablets. Jun No, also known as Justine, was taken into custody on Wednesday evening after officers from various …
Report reveals scale of racism against resident foreigners in Japan
Nearly forty per cent of foreigners seeking housing in Japan are turned down because they are not Japanese, a government survey has revealed. Nearly 27 per cent of more than …
Er, no thanks: Clinic uses Wolverine to advertise its circumcision package
A Filipino medical clinic is using an image of the superhero Wolverine to advertise its cut-price circumcision package. The (presumably-unlicensed) use of the image was spotted outside the Dionisio M …
Back to the jet ski? Duterte orders occupation of South China Sea islands
In an apparent policy flip-flop, President Duterte has today (Thursday, April 6) ordered the occupation of uninhabited islands and shoals it claims in the disputed South China Sea. The president, …
Couple suspected of Islamic State bomb plot arrested in Manila
Two people with suspected links to the so-called Islamic State (IS) have been arrested in Manila. At a press conference today (Thursday, April 6), Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre presented Kuwaiti …
Got something to share? PLN is looking for new writers to join the team
PLN Media is on the search for new writers to help us continue raising our game. Broadly speaking, there are three main areas we’d like to expand. Broadly speaking, they …
North Korea flings missile towards Japan as tensions reach boiling point
North Korea has fired another ballistic missile into the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s defence ministry has said, days after Pyongyang warned of retaliation if sanctions were increased. “At 6.42am …
Duterte agrees truce with Communists and invites exiled leader to come home
The Philippine government and Communist rebels have struck a deal for a temporary ceasefire after talks in the Netherlands today (Wednesday, April 5). When informed of the breakthrough, President Duterte …
Crank up the air-con: Philippine ‘summer’ officially starts today
The official start of what is called ‘summer’ in the Philippines has been announced today (Wednesday, April 5). Although, technically, there is no ‘summer’ as such in tropical countries like …
Magnitude 5.4 earthquake in Batangas could be felt in Manila
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake that hit Batangas today (Tuesday, April 4) could be felt in parts of Metro Manila and throughout south Luzon. Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) …
Battle-hardened Islamic State fighters plan to regroup in southern Philippines
Battle-hardened Southeast Asian Islamic State fighters fleeing the Middle East are planning to regroup in the southern Philippines, a security conference was told today (Tuesday, April 4). Instability and the easy …
Mama mia! Jollibee sending its sweetened spaghetti bolognese to Italy
Jollibee is taking its sweetened spaghetti bolognese to Italy as it plans its first restaurant in Europe. Quite what the Italians will make of the dish, which is served with …
Deerhurst: Duterte urges Boy Scouts to kill drug addicts… or die themselves
Personally, I’ve never had the honour of being named ‘Chief Boy Scout’ of a nation, like President Duterte was yesterday. Nor have I ever been called upon to address an …
Marine documentary makers stumble across illegal dynamite fishermen
Documentary filmmakers shooting a new nature series in the Philippines witnessed at first hand the devastation caused by dynamite fishing. A camera crew working on the new four-part documentary Big …
British trade minister in Philippines to seek post-Brexit business ties
Dr Liam Fox, one of the leaders of the Brexit campaign and now minister for trade, is currently paying a two-day visit to the Philippines, hoping to boost trade between …
Haul of smuggled coral stolen from Philippine waters seized in Singapore
A haul of 75 hard corals and five soft corals that were illegally smuggled into Singapore from the Philippines have been seized by the city state’s Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority …
Duterte hopeful that Abu Sayyaf leader has been killed
The lack of any intelligence reports about Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon has raised hopes that he is dead. As we reported in January, Hapilon was seriously wounded during military airstrikes. …
Trump: If China doesn’t deal with North Korea, we will do it ourselves
President Trump has warned China that if it fails to make North Korea disable its nuclear programme, then the US would be prepared to take action alone. The words come …
National food month to celebrate culinary heritage of the Philippines
With Lent soon coming to an end, the Philippines is celebrating its culinary heritage throughout the month of April. A mouth-watering calendar of events is planned across the country to …
Boaty McBoatface? Philippine Red Cross invites public to name its new ship
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) is inviting a “Boaty McBoatface” moment by inviting the public to name a new ship. This time last year, Britain’s National Environmental Research Council put …
US warship calls at Subic bay as joint military exercises confirmed
A US Navy destroyer has made a port call in Subic Bay as it’s announced that annual US-Philippine war games will go ahead. The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, the USS …
Twelve killed in clashes between army and communist rebels on eve of peace talks
Philippine troops clashed with communist rebels, leaving 10 guerrillas and two soldiers dead, military officials announced today (Friday, March 31). The deaths come just days before peace talks are due …
Watch (if you can stomach it): Filipino breaks burger eating world record
The Guinness world record for the most burgers eaten in one minute has been claimed by a Filipino. Zark’s burgers in Pasay City, Manila, was the scene of the virtuoso …
Hell hath no fury: Lady senators slap down Duterte after attack on the press
Two lady senators have defended the media after President Duterte’s latest expletive-filled tirade accusing them of bias. As we reported yesterday, the president singled out TV channel ABS-CBN and newspaper …