MANILA - The Philippine defence chief says his country and neighbouring Indonesia and Malaysia are considering joint patrols of their sea borders to combat piracy, smuggling and movement of al-Qaeda-linked militants. Defence Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said yesterday that he discussed the proposal with his Indonesian and Malaysian counterparts who visited the Philippines this week to visit their troops involved in efforts to strengthen a truce between Filipino troops and Muslim rebels in the south. AP
BEIJING - Japan and North Korea were in close contact for a second day as the countries seek to find enough common ground for possible future discussions at a higher level. Diplomats from the two sides held their first face-to-face encounter in four years on Wednesday in Beijing, in relatively low-level talks Japan characterised as "matter-of-fact and frank". The countries do not have formal diplomatic relations. AFP
PATTANI, Thailand - Suspected insurgents have beheaded and burned the body of a Muslim grocery store owner in Thailand's violence-prone south. Police found the burning, headless body of the 57-year-old victim on a pickup truck that was set on fire in Bannang Sata district in Yala province. The man's head was found in the bush near his truck. AP