Manila, rebels restore truce<\/p>\n
PHILIPPINES: Troops and Muslim rebels in the southern Philippines
\nhave reestablished a shaky, five-month truce after three days of
\npitched battles, both sides said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo said the fighting at Datu
\nPiang town, a marshy area in the center of Mindanao island, would
\nnot affect formal peace talks that are set to resume under the
\nauspices of Malaysia next month.<\/p>\n
"This is an isolated situation that will not derail the peace
\nprocess," Arroyo said in a statement.<\/p>\n
She said members of a cease-fire committee were meeting to
\nprevent an escalation of hostilities between government forces
\nand the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), the biggest Muslim
\nrebel group in this largely Roman Catholic nation.<\/p>\n
"There are no reports of armed encounters since Tuesday night,
\nwhen both sides agreed to stop fighting," Lt. Gen. Rodolfo
\nGarcia, who heads the government team on the cease-fire panel,
\ntold reporters.<\/p>\n
"We have also agreed to disengage our forces in the conflict
\narea. However, the situation remains strenuous."<\/p>\n
The fighting broke out when troops pursuing members of a
\nkidnap-for-ransom gang, who abducted a car dealer on Dec. 8,
\nclashed with hundreds of MILF rebels. -- Reuters<\/p>\n
;AP;HHR;
\nANPAu..r..
\nAglance-MTV-Myanmar
\n'MTV' takes on Myanmar's junta
\nJP\/11\/ASEAN<\/p>\n
'MTV' takes on Myanmar's junta<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE: Music television channel MTV has launched a campaign
\nfor the release of detained Myanmar pro-democracy leader Aung San
\nSuu Kyi -- but viewers in Asia aren't likely see it.<\/p>\n
MTV hopes the publicity blitz will raise the profile of Suu
\nKyi's struggle against Myanmar's ruling military junta to the
\nlevel of Nelson Mandela's 1980s battle against apartheid, MTV
\nNetworks Europe said in a statement.<\/p>\n
"MTV is all about providing a platform for the voice of young
\npeople, and we vehemently support everyone's right to freedom of
\nexpression, no matter who they are or where they live," MTV
\npresident Brent Hansen said.<\/p>\n
But MTV's Singapore-based Asian network won't be taking part,
\neven though Myanmar, also known as Burma, is an Asian country.<\/p>\n
There are no immediate plans to run the campaign on the
\nnetwork's eight Asian channels, MTV Asia said late Tuesday in a
\nwritten response to questions. -- AP<\/p>\n
;AFP;HHR;
\nANPAu..r..
\nAglance-Malaysia-ASEAN-visit
\nBadawi to tour ASEAN countries
\nJP\/11\/ASEAN<\/p>\n
Badawi to tour ASEAN countries<\/p>\n
MALAYSIA: Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi is to
\nembark on a tour of ASEAN countries in January, a trip seen as a
\ntradition for newly-installed regional leaders to cement ties, a
\nreport said on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar said the dates for Badawi's
\ntour of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members
\nwere being finalized.<\/p>\n
"During the ASEAN-Japan commemorative summit in Tokyo last
\nweek, all the ASEAN leaders invited the prime minister to visit
\ntheir countries as soon as possible," Syed Hamid was quoted as
\nsaying by the Star newspaper.<\/p>\n
Abdullah's first stops are expected to be Indonesia,
\nSingapore, Thailand and the Philippines -- the founding members
\nof ASEAN, the Star said.<\/p>\n
It would be followed by a visit to Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and
\nVietnam. -- AFP<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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