Context Dispatch

Former President Rodrigo Duterte and former Senator Leila de Lima, who was imprisoned on drug-related charges during his presidency, are expected to face off...

The House Committee on Good Government and Public Accountability is considering recommending plunder charges against Vice President Sara Duterte if she fails to account...

Manila Electric Co. said it has restored power to most of the more than 500,000 customers affected by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine. As of 7:00 a.m. on October 27, only around 6,000 customers remain without service, less than 1 percent of Meralco’s total. The majority of the affected areas are in parts of Cavite and Laguna. As it wraps up restoration efforts for Kristine, Meralco is on alert for Tropical Storm Leon, which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility earlier on Sunday.

The U.S. Navy has confirmed that one of the activities in the recent Rim of the Pacific exercise in Hawaii was the first demonstration firing of a Naval Strike Missile from a destroyer. The USS Fitzgerald, the first to be equipped with the Over-the-Horizon Weapon System, now has the capability to track and eliminate incoming anti-ship missiles at a safer range. The NSM aligns with the U.S. goal of enhancing its anti-ship missile options amid growing tensions in the South China Sea.

The Israel Defense Forces claimed success in airstrikes against Iranian military targets. The airstrikes targeted factories that produced missiles fired at Israel over the past year. The IDF claimed the air attacks were also aimed at surface-to-air missile arrays and additional Iranian aerial capabilities, a move that would allow Israel operational freedom in the region. The Israeli Air Force said all planes returned safely after the mission. Israel’s retaliatory attack is feared to provoke another response from Iran, prolonging and possibly widening the conflict in an already volatile region.