Canberra renews travel advisory for RP
Canberra renews travel advisory for RP
PHILIPPINES: Australia renewed its travel advisory for the Philippines on Monday, citing reports to its embassy of plans for another series of terrorist attacks, specifically in Manila and the troubled southern Mindanao region.
The travel advisory was renewed on Monday, a week after Australian Prime Minister John Howard visited Manila and announced an anti-terrorist accord with the Philippines.
Three terror suspects escaped from police custody during Howard's visit. The advisory did not mention the escape.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas Ople said the Philippine government will continue to protest what he considers harsh travel advisories by foreign governments, saying they hurt the tourism industry and the general economy. --AP
;AFP;KOD; ANPAu..r.. Aglance-Malaysia-Timor Malaysian to lead UN force in E. Timor JP/12/Malaysia
Malaysian to lead UN force in E. Timor
EAST TIMOR: A Malaysian general is to be the next commander of United Nations peacekeeping forces in East Timor, the UN announced on Monday.
Lt. Gen. Khairuddin Mat Yusof will replace Singaporean Maj. Gen. Tan Huck Gim when Tan finishes his one-year tour of duty at the end of August.
Yusof has more than 30 years' experience in the Malaysian army and served as assistant military adviser at UN headquarters in New York from October 1991 until April 1993, the UN said in a statement.
He has also attended military courses in Malaysia, Britain and Pakistan and holds a postgraduate degree in International Relations and Strategic Studies.
The United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor, which includes about 3,800 peacekeeping troops, bows out on May 20 next year. It took over from a much larger mission following independence on May 20, 2002. --AFP
;AFP;KOD; ANPAu..r.. Aglance-Philippines-Moro RP accuses MILF of violating truce JP/12/RP
RP accuses MILF of violating truce
PHILIPPINES: The Philippine military on Monday accused the separatist Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) of violating a truce ahead of peace talks by attacking pro-government militiamen at the weekend.
About 60 MILF members attacked a detachment of government militiamen near the southern town of Maoadayo on Mindanao island on Saturday, a day after President Gloria Arroyo announced the truce in Manila, the military said.
Army spokesman Lt. Col. Jose Kakilala said the militiamen repulsed the attack. There were no immediate reports of casualties after the brief firefight.
The MILF denied such an attack took place, saying it was committed to resuming peace talks to be hosted by Malaysia.
Arroyo said in a statement Monday security forces would remain on alert to thwart criminal acts despite the truce. --AFP
;AFP;KOD; ANPAu..r.. Aglance-Vietnam-France France protests magazine suspension JP/12/ASEAN
France protests magazine suspension
VIETNAM: France has lodged a formal complaint with Vietnam after the communist regime suspended operations at a popular magazine for publishing material it deemed "offensive", diplomatic sources said on Monday.
The Sinh Vien Vietnam student weekly was forced by the Ministry of Culture and Information -- the government's guardian of morality and censorship -- to halt all publication for three months from July 15.
The suspension decision, carried by state media last week, cited repeated "serious wrongdoings in the content of its news and articles, photo selection and layout".
The move against the magazine, which has received funding from the French embassy in Hanoi, comes in the wake of a recent crackdown against independent writers and political dissidents critical of the regime. --AFP