The Philippine president has said Abu Sayyaf militants accused of beheading a Canadian hostage may have plotted to kill him and kidnap boxing star Manny Pacquiao.

Sadness and disappointment gripped Filipinos after Manny Pacquiao’s defeat in his much-anticipated fight against American Floyd Mayweather Jr. but they still considered the boxing icon a national hero.

Pope Francis has called on Filipinos to reject the corruption that has plagued the nation for decades and urged them to instead work to end its “scandalous” poverty.

Ecstatic crowds greeted Pope Francis as he arrived in the Philippines, Asia’s most populous Catholic nation, for the first papal visit in 20 years.

Desperation gripped Philippine islands devastated by Typhoon Haiyan as looting turned deadly and survivors panicked over shortages of food, water and medicine, some digging up underground water pipes and smashing them open.

As many as 10,000 people are believed to have died in one Philippine city alone after one of the worst storms ever recorded unleashed ferocious winds and giant waves that washed away homes and schools.

As many as 10,000 people are believed to have died in one Philippine city alone when one of the worst storms on record sent giant sea waves, washing away homes, schools and airport buildings.

The world’s strongest typhoon of the year has slammed into the Philippines.

Rescuers are digging through mud and debris to retrieve more bodies strewn across a farming valley in the southern Philippines by a powerful typhoon, as the death toll from the storm passed 500.

Muslim rebels and the Philippine government overcame decades of bitter hostilities and took their first tentative step towards ending one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies today.

About 200 Muslim rebels led by their elusive chief have arrived in the Philippine capital for the signing of a preliminary peace pact aimed at ending one of Asia’s longest-running insurgencies.

The Philippine government and the country’s largest Muslim rebel group have reached a preliminary peace deal that is a major breakthrough toward ending a decades-long insurgency that killed tens of thousands and held back development in the south.

Philippine president Benigno Aquino III said his government has reached a preliminary peace agreement with the country’s largest Muslim rebel group in a major breakthrough toward ending a decades-long insurgency.

The body of Philippine Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo was found and retrieved early today from the sea off a central province where his small plane had crashed three days earlier, officials said.

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Former Philippine president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo pleaded not guilty to an electoral fraud charge today at the opening of a landmark trial that is seen as a key test of her reformist successor’s campaign to stamp out corruption.

THE Philippine president has warned of a possible terrorist attack during an annual Catholic procession in Manila that may draw more than a million devotees.

The Philippine president has warned of a possible terrorist attack during an annual Catholic procession in Manila that may draw more than a million devotees.

PHILIPPINES authorities yesterday began burying the dead from flash floods that have left more than 1,000 dead or missing, as President Benigno Aquino declared a national disaster.

The Philippines government shipped more than 400 coffins today to two flood-stricken cities in the south where the death toll neared 1,000 as President Benigno Aquino III declared a state of national calamity and relief agencies rushed to help.

The Philippines and China will put their disagreements over overlapping claims to South China Sea islands on the back burner as President Benigno Aquino begins a week-long visit aiming to sharply increase trade with Beijing.

At least four people were killed and more than a dozen injured when an explosion ripped through a passenger bus in the Philippines capital, Manila, officials said today.

China demanded answers from the Philippines today after a 12-hour hostage drama in the heart of the capital Manila ended with eight Hong Kong tourists dead along with their Filipino hostage-taker after a day of botched negotiations.

Benigno Aquino III took his oath as the Philippines' president.

THE Philippine Congress proclaimed Benigno Aquino III the country’s new president yesterday amid high hopes he will fulfil his campaign promise to eliminate corruption and poverty and restore trust in government.

A final count by the Philippine Congress shows that Benigno Aquino III has won last month’s presidential elections by a landslide.

SCORED one, made one and never rested until he was hauled ashore and handed the man of the match award.

Benigno Aquino III is today preparing to become the next Philippines president based on an almost-complete vote count in landmark elections.

The son of Corazon Aquino had a wide lead in the Philippines’ presidential elections today after campaigning on a promise to restore the government’s credibility by prosecuting corrupt officials.

Millions of Filipinos seeking a clean start after a decade of corruption-tainted politics voted in elections today despite scattered violence and glitches with vote-counting machines being used for the first time.

The Philippines called for urgent international aid today as rescuers pulled more bodies from swollen rivers and debris-strewn streets to bring the flooding death toll to 240.

RESCUERS pulled more bodies from swollen rivers yesterday as residents started to dig out their homes from under carpets of mud after flooding left 140 people dead in the Philippine capital and surrounding towns.

The Philippines appealed for international help today as the death toll from widespread flooding reached 150 with fears for many more victims.

The son of the late former Philippine leader Corazon “Cory” Aquino said he will run for president in next year’s elections to continue the legacy of his mother, the country’s democracy figurehead.

THOUSANDS of mourners paid their last respects to former Philippine president Corazon Aquino yesterday, lining up to file past her coffin in silent tribute to the “People Power” democracy leader.

Military honour guards carried former President Corazon Aquino’s flag-draped casket to a school gym today for public viewing, as Filipinos mourned the democracy icon who swept away a dictator and fought off seven coup attempts.

Former Philippines President Corazon Aquino, who swept away a dictator with a “people power” revolt and sustained democracy by fighting off seven coup attempts in six years, died today, her son said. She was 76.

Cancer-stricken former Philippine President Corazon Aquino remains in a stable condition in hospital, but is no longer in intensive care, her spokeswoman said today.

Former Philippine President Corazon Aquino has colon cancer, her daughter said today.

A MAN died hours after fracturing his skull in a fall in a hospital toilet, an inquest heard yesterday.

Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo announced she had quashed a coup plot today and declared a state of emergency, gambling that the backlash wouldn’t leave her crippled.

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Sweden 1 Senegal 2 (Senegal win on golden goal)

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