'BLOODY' WAR. President Rodrigo Duterte warned China on Wednesday, Aug. 24, that the Philippines may engage in a "bloody" war, should the diplomatic dialogue over the South China Sea disputes turn unsuccessful.
BEHEADING. The Abu Sayyaf group has beheaded an 18-year-old Filipino hostage it kidnapped in Jolo, Sulu last July 16.
DEATH TOLL: 159. Rescue crews using bulldozers and their bare hands raced to dig out survivors from a strong earthquake that reduced three central Italian towns to rubble Wednesday. The death toll stood at 159, but the number of dead and missing was uncertain given the thousands of vacationers in the area for summer's final days.