Australian investigators today began examining a stricken Qantas jumbo jet that made a emergency landing in the Philippines with a giant hole in its fuselage.

A Qantas Airways flight to Australia was delayed after two of its pilots refused to remove their shoes as part of Manila airport’s anti-terrorism measures, prompting the airline to suspend one of them, officials said today.

Philippine police have intercepted more than 800 kilogrammes of elephant tusks being smuggled into the country from Kenya, a customs officer said today.

An American missionary held hostage by Muslim extremists for 377 days has returned to the Philippines under tight security to testify against her abductors.

Two gunmen who tried to seize the Manila airport air control tower, including a former air transport official, died in a shoot-out with security officers today.

Shots were fired at Manila airport tonight where at least three armed men, including a former air transport official, tried to seize the control tower.