• Indonesia says coal on hold for Philippines after seven sailors abducted | Reuters
    http://www.reuters.com/article/us-indonesia-security-idUSKCN0ZA06S

    Indonesia said on Friday a halt on coal shipments to the Philippines will remain in place until Manila can secure its waters after seven Indonesian sailors were kidnapped, the latest in a string of abductions.

    Philippine authorities could not immediately confirm the hostage-taking but said a Filipino woman held since September was freed on Friday by Abu Sayyaf, an Islamist militant group that has amassed tens of millions of dollars from kidnappings for ransom.

    It was unclear whether the sailors were taken by Abu Sayaff, which has beheaded two Canadian nationals in recent weeks after ransom deadlines passed. The group is still holding men from Japan, the Netherlands and Norway.

    Indonesia is concerned that piracy in the Sulu Sea area, a major sea traffic corridor for the world’s top thermal coal exporter, could reach levels previously seen in Somalia.

    The moratorium on coal exports to the Philippines will be extended until there is a guarantee for security from the Philippines government,” Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters.