IN BRIEF

Gov't, MILF to resume peace talks today

MANILA: The Philippine government and the secessionist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will resume formal peace talks on Monday in Malaysia where they are expected to continue discussing substantive issues, senior officials of the organisation said yesterday. Jun Mantawil, head of the MILF peace panel secretariat, said that the 29th Government of the Philippines-MILF peace talks come on the heel of the "successful holding" of the "Moro Leaders Assembly" in Camp Darapanan in Maguindanao from July 6-9.

China, Indonesia end anti-terrorism drill

JINAN, CHINA: Special forces of the People's Liberation Army of China and the Indonesian army concluded an anti-terrorism drill in Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong province, yesterday. The two regiments, with more than 70 soldiers in each, conducted live-fire exercises, including air landing, shooting and anti-terrorist searches and rescue operations during the 15-day drill. It was the second such drill conducted by the two armies, and the first within the Chinese border.

Dhaka jails patients, nurses jailed for mutiny

DHAKA: A Bangladesh court has jailed more than 250 people including paramilitary guards and male nurses for joining a 2009 mutiny, prosecutors said yesterday. Scores of senior army officers were killed during the uprising that began when soldiers at the Bangladeshi Rifles (BDR) headquarters in the capital Dhaka went on a killing spree, dumping the bodies in sewers and shallow graves.

3 swept to death by swollen Philippine river

MANILA: Officials say a pregnant woman and two girls have been swept to their deaths by a rain-swollen river in the southern Philippines. Office of Civil Defense Administrator Benito Ramos says the three were washing clothes along the bank of the Safali river in Tiboli town in South Cotabato province on Saturday when the water rapidly rose and the current swept them away.

Japan recalls Beijing envoy amid island row

TOKYO: Japan recalled its ambassador to China for consultations yesterday amid a simmering row between the Asian powers over disputed territory in the East China Sea, reports said. Uichiro Niwa had returned to Tokyo for talks with Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba on the latest developments in the dispute, they said. "I will report and have consultations" with Gemba, Niwa told reporters as he arrived at the foreign ministry in Tokyo.Agencies